House of Commons Hansard #139 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was csis.
Shelly Glover ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
Mr. Speaker, once again, CBC operates at arm's length from this government.
When it comes to respecting both official languages, as the president, Hubert Lacroix, said, that is clearly part of the public broadcaster's DNA.
We will continue to make a significant investment—$1.1 billion—in CBC, which will have to prove that it is fulfilling its mandate under the Broadcasting Act.
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Mr. Speaker, let us move on to another Canadian value.
We cannot believe our ears when we hear the Minister of Immigration say that providing health care to the most vulnerable, such as children, is not a Canadian value
In 1986, Canada received the United Nations Nansen award in recognition of the major contribution by the people of Canada to the cause of refugees.
How does the minister explain that we have gone from being a model country to a country that attacks refugees because of this government?
Chris Alexander ConservativeMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, our government's commitment, Canada's commitment, to the most vulnerable remains clear. We continue to resettle one in ten refugees worldwide who find a new home every year. Our commitment to maternal, newborn and children's health, and the leadership of this Prime Minister is second to none, and second to none in history.
What remains scandalous is that the member's party, and it is only the NDP this week, is asking for generous health care, health care that goes beyond what Canadians receive, not to go to refugees, not to go to protected persons, not to go to successful claimants, but to go to those who betrayed Canada's trust, who betrayed the generosity of Canada.
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Mr. Speaker, we are talking about children.
Now the minister can protest all he likes, but he cannot change the basic facts. He cannot change the fact that it is a core value of Canadians to take care of one another. He cannot change the fact that Canadians believe children, families and all people should be treated equitably no matter where they come from. He cannot change the fact that the Federal Court ruled that these cuts were cruel and unusual, and caused harm to refugees.
Why will the minister not accept the facts and end his heartless attacks on refugees, and families and children?
Chris Alexander ConservativeMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, there is no attack on refugees. From this government, there has been unparalleled generosity to refugees and full health care every step of the way.
What we have had from the other side, on the other hand, is disinformation. What we are hearing from the member opposite is that a claimant who was not found to be a refugee, who was not persecuted, who is heading back to his or her country of origin should receive better health care than Canadians actually receive. That is not generosity, and that certainly does not uphold another vital Canadian value, which is the rule of law.
Chrystia Freeland Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, according to the Bank of Canada, 200,000 young Canadians cannot get work. The situation is so dire, economists are joking that our central bank is following a grim new indicator: the kids living in their parents' basements index. In fact, it is so hard to get a job today that young people are being advised to work for free. This is our lost generation.
How can the government justify giving a tax break to wealthy boomers, while leaving Canada's young adults behind?
Joe Oliver ConservativeMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, our plan for all four million Canadian families with kids will be tremendously beneficial. The bulk of the benefit will go to low and middle-income families, with 25% going to families earning less than $30,000. They will receive a benefit of $1,200.
The opposition wants to take that $1,200 out of their pockets. This is a shameful thing. Our plans are progressive and we are proud of them.
Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
Mr. Speaker, the late Jim Flaherty said, “I think income-splitting needs a long, hard analytical look...to see who it affects...because I'm not sure that, overall, it benefits our society”. Perhaps Mr. Flaherty was thinking about the people in his riding. There are 5,700 single parent families in the riding of Whitby—Oshawa that will not get a dime from income splitting.
Why are the Conservatives going ahead with this $2 billion regressive income splitting scheme that does nothing to benefit single parent families?
Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism
Mr. Speaker, the package that he critiqued at that time was a package with no limit. This has a $2,000 limit on the benefit of income splitting. It benefits nearly half of the families with kids, and the overall package benefits 100% of families with kids. Two-thirds of those benefits go to low and medium income families, an average benefit of nearly $1,200, which the Liberals would take away.
Let us not forget, that very member stood in this place and called for income splitting because he said that the current tax code was unfair to single income families. He should listen to his own advice.
Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
Mr. Speaker, I saw the light and I followed the guidance of my better angels who told me that income splitting would only benefit 15% of Canada's wealthiest families. When I learned that, I knew it was wrong, as did Jim Flaherty. Beyond that, in the riding of Yellowhead one out of every five families with children is a single parent family.
Why are the Conservatives taking away a $2 billion tax credit that actually helps single parent families to pay for a $2 billion income splitting scheme that leaves these vulnerable families behind?
Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism
Mr. Speaker, the opposite is true. In fact, the remarkable support for families announced by our Prime Minister last week will deliver $1,500 in benefits to a single parent on an income of $30,000 and will deliver $1,000 in benefits to a single parent with a $50,000 income.
This is the only plan being proposed in this Parliament that benefits 100% of families with children, over four million Canadian families, with a focus on low and medium income families. It is why we have now seen child poverty at its lowest level in Canadian history. The Liberals would take this back. They are wrong.
Hélène Laverdière NDP Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the World Health Organization has been clear that visa bans for West African countries do not work and can actually increase the spread of the disease. Now the WHO is demanding an explanation from Canada for its misguided policy, and it has received nothing.
Why is the minister sidelining the WHO during a global health crisis?
Chris Alexander ConservativeMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Health and all of us on this side have been saying, we will do whatever is required to protect public health in our country, and to protect the health and safety of Canadians. That is why many months ago we began discouraging Canadians from travelling to Ebola infected countries, because of the potential risk to them and to Canada.
We are simply being consistent here. We are discouraging new travellers from coming from Ebola infected countries, and we will continue to take these precautionary measures to ensure the safety and health of Canadians.
Hélène Laverdière NDP Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the problem is that the policy just does not work.
If the government does not want to send doctors to West Africa to deal with the Ebola crisis, as it should, then could it not at least help people like Mr. Perras?
This summer, Mr. Perras, a citizen of Longueuil, adopted a young girl in Sierra Leone. The girl's file is currently in the Conservatives' bureaucratic limbo. Mr. Perras is very concerned about the girl and wants to bring her here as soon as possible.
Will the minister help Mr. Perras?
Chris Alexander ConservativeMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I just provided some details about this case to my colleagues across the way. The legal process for completing an adoption is not over yet in this case. It has nothing to do with Ebola. Under the Privacy Act, I am prohibited from discussing this case in more detail.
Romeo Saganash NDP Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC
Mr. Speaker, at present, 61% of aboriginal youth in their twenties have not completed high school, compared to only 13% for the rest of the population. Meanwhile, the minister sits back and blames everyone else for the failure of his ill-advised education bill.
Will the minister acknowledge his failure, respond to the request by the Assembly of First Nations and reopen discussions to give first nations real control over their education?
Bernard Valcourt ConservativeMinister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, our government was really disappointed that the Assembly of First Nations dropped the ball and did not honour the agreement it entered into with the government to reform elementary and secondary education.
That said, there are many programs to improve primary and secondary education outcomes on reserves. As the most recent budget demonstrated, we are determined to continue working with first nations to improve the situation.
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Mr. Speaker, while the minister refuses to take responsibility for his failure, first nation schools continue to be woefully underfunded. Approximately 47% of first nations currently need a new school and 22% of those have been waiting for 10 to 15 years. That is simply unacceptable, yet the minister continues to ignore this situation.
Why is the minister still refusing to provide first nation children the funding they desperately and deserve for a quality education?
Bernard Valcourt ConservativeMinister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, since 2006, our government has invested over $10 billion to support elementary and secondary education for about 118,000 first nation students. In addition, during that period, we have invested approximately $1.7 billion just for school infrastructure. We are on the right path, and we will continue in that direction.
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
Mr. Speaker, according to Human Rights Watch, the terrorist group ISIL has abducted, tortured and abused more than 150 Kurdish children over the past six months. Captured children described being forced to undergo intense religious indoctrination and being beaten with cables if they did not comply. In recent videos, ISIL fighters seem to brag about buying and selling Yazidi girls on the open slave market. These atrocities cannot be allowed to continue.
Could the Minister of National Defence please update the House on Operation Impact and on Canada's contribution to the fight against these barbaric terrorists?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, it seems every day we hear new reports of the malicious and despicable acts that ISIL is committing across the Middle East.
Recently, Canada's CF-18s attacked and destroyed engineering equipment that was being used by ISIL to divert the Euphrates River. ISIL's intent was to flood roads and villages, and to divert traffic onto roads that it could then mine with improvised explosive devices.
Depriving ISIL of the means to commit mass atrocities is exactly why the Canadian Armed Forces are involved with this fight. I again want to thank and commend our men and women in uniform for their efforts in this successful strike.
Jinny Sims NDP Newton—North Delta, BC
Mr. Speaker, food banks report that almost half of food bank users are families with children. Child poverty will not be solved through what Food Banks Canada calls an “alphabet soup” of programs.
It is time for federal leadership to eliminate child poverty. Canadian children deserve no less.
Will the government finally listen and take a comprehensive approach to eliminating poverty for children and their families by supporting our Motion No. 534?
Candice Bergen ConservativeMinister of State (Social Development)
Mr. Speaker, since 2006, we have lifted over 225,000 children out of poverty. In fact, UNICEF recently reported that during the height of the recession, we lifted over 180,000 children out of poverty.
How did we do that? It was through our tax measures and our benefits for families. Specifically cited was the universal tax benefit, which we are increasing and expanding to help every single family in Canada with children.
I would expect the opposition to support that so that we can continue to help children who are experiencing poverty.
Francine Raynault NDP Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, one million children are living in poverty. That is nothing to brag about. Every month, 840,000 people in Canada have to use a food bank. The most alarming thing of all is that one-third of those people are children.
We proposed an affordable day care plan to give Canadian families a break. Why are the Conservatives refusing to help low-income families with children?
Candice Bergen ConservativeMinister of State (Social Development)
Mr. Speaker, Canadian families are collectively shaking their heads at the NDP when we have a plan that UNICEF has said helped lift 225,000 children out of poverty by directly putting money into the pockets of Canadian families. The only plan that the NDP has is very expensive, and it would take money out of their pockets.
Canadian families can trust this Prime Minister, this Minister of Finance, and this government to keep putting their money into their pockets, not into government coffers.