House of Commons Hansard #210 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was regulation.
Diane Finley ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Skills Development
Mr. Speaker, what we are trying to do is help people find jobs. This will be better for them, for their families and for the community.
This whole change is based on common sense. Workers will be better off if they work than if they do not work. If there are no jobs in their field in their region, employment insurance will be there for them, as always.
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Mr. Speaker, seasonal industry representatives and NDP members are not the only ones opposed to the employment insurance reform. The Conservative government of New Brunswick is also raising its voice because Conservative members are not doing their job in Ottawa.
The deputy premier of my province, Paul Robichaud, says he is opposed to the reform as it was introduced by the federal government in the spring.
Is the minister starting to get the message? Will she suspend the reform, as the premier and deputy premier of New Brunswick have requested?
Diane Finley ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Skills Development
Mr. Speaker, let us look at what the Newfoundland and Labrador Employers' Council said. It states:
Since about January 15 we have received more [job] applications than we received the entire summer and fall last year. The only change I can directly attribute this to is EI...implementation. It is great to finally have some good applicants from Newfoundland for our positions that have been vacant for a long time.
There are jobs. We have been trying to connect Canadians with jobs. However, if the jobs are not available for them, employment insurance will continue to be there.
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, a skilled tradesman and temporary foreign worker working in Alberta for five years is in the process of seeking permanent residency. As required, he paid into employment insurance for all those years. However, he has been told he does not qualify to claim EI benefits because he is not available to work. He is keen to work but he cannot seek employment until he gets a new work permit, which could take three months.
Why is the government shunting yet another willing, skilled, experienced worker to the provincial welfare roles?
Diane Finley ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Skills Development
Mr. Speaker, there are requirements under the employment insurance program that benefits be available to support people while they are looking for a job. However, if they are not eligible to work then it is inappropriate that they receive the funding. We try to ensure, and I know the immigration department does try to ensure, that when people apply for a work permit or an extension they are granted that as quickly as possible. We want to make that happen because we want and need all of our talented workers as quickly as possible.
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Mr. Speaker, for three days now the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development has failed to answer direct questions on the clawback of pensions for seasonal workers. Does she not know how the system works? Human Resources takes the annual Canada pension plan of individuals and divides by 52, which gives it the weekly calculation. Then when they apply for EI and they are out of work, the department claws back 50¢ on the dollar of their pensions. How can Conservatives accept this theft of people's pensions?
Diane Finley ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Skills Development
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is suffering from selective memory. In this regard, the application of the EI rule is the same as what it was before any of the other changes were made. In fact, the application is actually the same as it was under the previous Liberal government. It is sad but true.
Employment insurance will be there for individuals when they need it, especially if work is not available in their area.
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Mr. Speaker, it would be awfully nice if the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development would tell the truth to Canadians. The fact of the matter under the new system is that the Canada pension plan is clawed back 50¢ on the dollar. For seasonal workers who are earning little enough to begin with, waiting for those pensions so they would be able to supplement their family to get by, these changes are now clawing half the money back of their initial dollar. That did not happen before.
How can the Prime Minister condone this incompetence from this minister and this theft of pensions?
Diane Finley ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Skills Development
Mr. Speaker, it is not the CPP that is being clawed back. The member should remember from his days at the cabinet table how they applied the system, and that is the same way it is being applied now. The principles are exactly the same.
We are working to ensure we are connecting Canadians with jobs when they are available in their area. However, if jobs are not available, we are continuing to ensure that EI is there for Canadians as it always has been.
Dan Harris NDP Scarborough Southwest, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' failure on the economy is having a disastrous effect on mid-size businesses. Between 2006 and 2010, 17% of mid-size companies were lost. The decline is even steeper in Ontario, where one-quarter of these firms have shut down. Just like the Business Development Bank of Canada, New Democrats believe these numbers should be a call to action.
When will the Conservatives act? Or, will they just go on doing nothing while Canada loses these important businesses?
Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, if the member took a moment to look at the BDC study, he would see that the study covers a period which includes the great recession and only goes to 2010. He would also see that in the past three years the annual growth experienced by the firms is 7%, a growth of 20% or more during the same period; 4% average annual sales growth in the past three years. One has to remember, as members opposite tend to forget, that we did go through this world recession in 2008-09, and it did affect firms, but we have come back rather well in Canada.
Hélène LeBlanc NDP LaSalle—Émard, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives do not understand just how much medium-sized businesses contribute to the economy. They still account for 12% of Canada's jobs, despite the decline. They are slowly disappearing, which is very troubling. The most worrisome part of this whole thing is that the manufacturing sector is being hit the hardest. This sector has lost 50% of its medium-sized businesses.
Will the Conservatives finally bring in some measures to ensure that these businesses and jobs survive?
Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, we did that and reduced the corporate tax rate, federally, to 15%. We encouraged the provinces to get their tax rates down to 10%. Most of them did, across the country, which has resulted in a combined rate of 25% as the base rate.
Here is what the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters actually had to say recently about this:
If federal tax rates had not been reduced, Canada's unemployment rate would have exceeded nine per cent in 2009 during the recession....
It is time we get the facts on the table. Business investment has been a key driver of economic and job growth over the past five years, and lower taxes have contributed—
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
The hon. member for Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley.
Scott Armstrong Conservative Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS
Mr. Speaker, our government has enormous respect for the sacrifices made by the brave men and women of the Canadian armed forces. That is why, last May, we moved as quickly as possible to remove the Pension Act offset from the SISIP long-term disability benefits.
In January, we actually came to an agreement in principle with the veterans in question. However, today we have found out that the law firm representing the veterans in the class action law suit stand to walk away with as much as $66 million. Can the Minister of National Defence please inform the House of our government's position on these high legal fees?
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, my Nova Scotia colleague is correct. In fact, in January, I announced that the agreement in principle, estimated at over $887 million, was reached with the veterans' counsel. This settlement will be of tremendous assistance to veterans and their families.
The court will soon consider the proposed settlement, including legal fees sought by veterans' lawyers. Legal fees of $66 million—that is a $13,000 hourly rate—are being sought. We find this grossly excessive. The federal government will oppose the amount of legal fees sought as unreasonable. We expect that the bulk of the settlement will reach the intended beneficiaries, the veterans.
Ralph Goodale Liberal Wascana, SK
Mr. Speaker, the crop year for the Canadian Wheat Board ends July 31. Typically, the board calculates final payments by December and issues cheques in January. Farmers depend on that timing. However, it is all contingent on government approval. The CWB asked for that approval on December 18, but they still do not have an answer now, eight weeks later.
Why is the government so slow? Why is it forcing farmers to wait more than two months now to get their own money? Will there be an independent audit to prove that none of that money was scooped? When will farmers finally get their final payment cheques for last year?
Gerry Ritz ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite would know that during his tenure in government, some of those cheques used to take 10 to 12 weeks getting through the maze of the Liberal government at that time.
We are in the final windup of these pools. There is a little more diligence, a little more work required, since it is the final time the farmers will have to wait for their money.
Laurin Liu NDP Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago, Canadians were shocked to see the Conservatives trying once again to reopen the abortion debate. Three Conservative MPs asked the RCMP to investigate certain instances of abortion that they described as murder. One of these MPs holds a privileged position as the chair of a committee.
When will the Prime Minister stop rewarding Conservatives MPs who try to reopen the abortion debate?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, the government has been very clear. As pointed out by the Prime Minister, the government has no intention of reopening this debate.
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
Bonjour, monsieur le Président.
Today the House will vote on third reading on my private member's bill, Bill C-383, the Transboundary Waters Protection Act.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Order, order. The hon. member for Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound has the floor.
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
Mr. Speaker, a little order here would be good.
Today the House will vote at third reading on my private member's bill, the Transboundary Waters Protection Act. Through all stages, the bill has received overwhelming support from all members of the House, and I am very grateful for that support. I am hopeful that we will soon see it enacted.
I know the bill is very important to my constituents of Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound. Would the Minister of Foreign Affairs please tell the House why Bill C-383 is so important and whether he will be supporting it?
John Baird ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, that is a good question.
A good question. Tough, but fair.
I want to thank the member for Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound for the leadership that he has shown on this issue. Once again, the member for Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound is showing real leadership for his constituents, and indeed all Canadians. I am very happy to say the government will be standing solidly behind this member and his effort to stop the Americans from stealing all our clean water.