Debates of Dec. 9th, 2015

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2015-16

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Yes, Madam Chair.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, the provinces are going to face extra costs as well because of the influx of the refugees, including in the area of education among other things. Will the government be reimbursing the provinces for those additional costs?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, by and large, it is my same answer. As I said, it is a national project. All levels of government are expected to do their share. The federal government is already putting up almost $700 million, which is a lot of money. Provinces are responsible for education, so we expect provinces to pay for education without being reimbursed by the federal government.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, what kind of support will the federal government be providing to help refugees find long-term affordable housing? Is that all going to be dependent on donations?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, this is a short-term humanitarian act involving donations. In the medium term, it is of great benefit for Canada. Many of the refugees will require some assistance in the short run, on income and on housing, because they have just arrived from a miserable part of the world and they are here. They will require a bit of time, but sooner rather than later they will get jobs. We have already talked about jobs in New Brunswick and elsewhere. They will find jobs, as was the case with refugees in previous times, from Vietnam and other places.

I am very confident that with some assistance from the business community and Canadians that the great majority of our new Canadian friends will become gainfully employed and will be net contributors to Canada. It is a short-term cost for—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Order, please. The member for Vancouver East.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, I have no doubt that many of the refugees will be successful in the long term. I am just trying to nail it down in terms of the housing aspect because the cost of housing is super expensive, not just in the city of Vancouver but really in many other parts of Canada as well.

On that note, could the minister advise what is the budget for the temporary accommodations that is included in the supplementary estimates here?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, I do not have a precise number for that. I could try to find it. However, I know that our budget does include funding for temporary housing and assistance in finding permanent housing. The refugees can pay a part of the rent out of their own income, which is at social assistance levels.

I have been honest with Canadians that we do have a gap on the housing front, and that is why we are very grateful to the private sector for coming to our help with this part of the program.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, I am very familiar with people on income assistance trying to seek housing which they cannot get because it simply is not affordable.

For the refugees who are coming here, does the minister anticipate that, where the income assistance portion is not going to provide sufficient support for them to get that housing, the private sector will step in and provide that housing for 25,000 government-sponsored refugees?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, I would not go that far. I think the help will come from a variety of sources, but I do think the private sector has already stepped in to provide assistance on the housing front. For that I am most grateful and I do expect to see more.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, there is nothing here for permanent housing in the supplementary estimates. In the event that refugees come and are not able to get permanent housing that is affordable to them, and there is no charitable organization or private sector member available to assist, will the minister then provide support in that regard?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, that question has a dozen hypothetical parts, so I do not think I can answer it. I have given the member the outline of our programs. We are providing close to $700 million. That is a generous amount and I think other Canadians should and will come to the aid of the party as well, for philanthropic reasons among others, because Canadians are generous people and they are already indicating that generosity.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, how much of the $178 million will go toward health screening?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Health screening or health care, Madam Chair?

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Screening, Madam Chair.

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, I do not think the health screening is a part of that component. Interim health care is $6 million for after the refugees get to Canada. The health screening occurs overseas, and that is a part of the screening for security and for health. I will have to wait a minute before I can get the exact number on the cost of health screening.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, if the minister is getting that, could I also then get the cost for the security portion?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

We are still looking for both, Madam Chair, and I will give them to the member two in one, the security and the health together when we find them.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, in anticipation of that, will the health component also cover the mental health costs for services and provisions for the refugees who may need them?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, that is a good question which we discussed when we had our meeting together.

In the short run, when they are under the extended interim federal health care, counselling is certainly covered. However, when they go on to the provincial health care system, it is really up to the provincial health care system in terms of what level of services in the various health areas are provided.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, in our briefing I asked the minister that question because the issue of course is that some of the challenges in terms of mental health, trauma, etc. may not manifest themselves in the immediate term. Therefore, for the long-term, where would the support come from? I understand now from the minister that this cost will be borne by the provinces.

The charter flights will be arriving daily after this week. Is that going to be the case?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, I cannot give precise dates. On Sundays we may have more than one flight arriving. There may be the odd day when we do not have any. There will be a large volume of flights arriving through the remainder of this month and into the next year.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, could the minister advise if the government has received feedback from the UNHCR on its decision to exclude single young men from resettlement as government assisted refugees?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, we are following the guidelines that the United Nations has put forward, so it would not condemn us for using its own criteria. On the contrary, the head of the UNHCR was extremely complimentary to Canada, saying that if there were one country in the world that could achieve this ambitious settlement plan, that country was Canada.

We are working extremely closely and positively with both the UNHCR and the IOM.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, how much is allocated for contingency in the supplementary estimates?