House of Commons Hansard #216 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.
Andrew Cash NDP Davenport, ON
Mr. Chair, the minister is the Minister of Finance. We take it he is a numbers guy, so does he not think it is time we track this information?
Joe Oliver Conservative Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Mr. Chair, as I was saying, the budget will launch a new labour information portal for youth and students. It will complement the recent launch of a new career choice portal, which provides information about in demand fields of study. We will amend the Canada Labour Code to clarify the circumstances under which unpaid internships can be offered, and to ensure that all interns under federal jurisdiction, regardless of pay, receive occupational health and safety protection and are subject to basic safety standards.
Andrew Cash NDP Davenport, ON
Mr. Chair, speaking of those basic safety standards, why did the government decide to exclude interns from protections against unreasonable hours of work or sexual harassment in the budget bill?
Joe Oliver Conservative Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Mr. Chair, we have taken action to help interns. We are looking at labour standard protections to be provided to unpaid interns, which should be specified in regulations following consultation with stakeholders.
The proposed amendments respond to recent concerns about the potential abuse and lack of protection offered to unpaid interns, while not overly restricting or discouraging employers from offering legitimate unpaid internships that primarily benefit the intern.
Andrew Cash NDP Davenport, ON
Mr. Chair, how much has youth unemployment increased under the Conservatives' watch?
Joe Oliver Conservative Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Mr. Chair, Canada's youth population comprises approximately 4.5 million Canadians between age 15 and 24, representing a significant source of labour force potential. While finding a job remains a challenge for some young Canadians, Canada has one of the highest youth employment rates among its OECD peers. As announced in our budget, the youth employment strategy will support 15,000 internships in high-demand fields.
The Assistant Deputy Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Order, please. This will be the last question. The hon. member for Davenport.
Andrew Cash NDP Davenport, ON
Mr. Chair, since this is the last question, this is more of a values question for the minister. Does the minister really consider nearly 400,000 unemployed youth to be a crisis in our country?
Joe Oliver Conservative Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Mr. Chair, as I was explaining, we are doing everything to support the youth population. As announced in economic action plan 2013-14, the youth employment strategy will support 5,000 internships in high-demand fields, the skills trade, and small and medium-sized enterprises by March 31, 2016.
The government also supports graduate level research and development internships through Mitacs. The unemployment rate for Canadian youth would compare favourably to other G7 countries.
The Assistant Deputy Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Order, please. We will conclude that round. Resuming debate. The hon. member for York Centre.
Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, I am pleased to have this opportunity to address the committee tonight. I am here to highlight one of the central initiatives in budget 2015, the important role our government plays in supporting infrastructure in Canada. Canadians rely on public infrastructure on a day-to-day basis. It gets us to work in the morning and home at night. It moves our goods to market, connecting our people and businesses with the world. It connects our families.
Canada's prosperity and quality of life depend on a vast network of public infrastructure, from roads to highways to bridges to transit systems, water and waste water infrastructure, ports, airports, and recreational and cultural facilities. Investments in Canada's public infrastructure create jobs, support trade, and promote productivity and economic growth in communities across Canada.
The Liberals take great pride in their record when they were in government, but the facts tell a different story. The Liberals under Paul Martin ran an ad hoc, unpredictable and insufficient so-called infrastructure program.
In contrast, through our government's long-term commitment to public infrastructure, we have made significant investments in infrastructure across Canada.
Through the $33-billion building Canada plan, our government has helped build over 12,000 provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure projects from one end of this country to the other, but we did not stop there. We went even further.
Economic action plan 2013 committed $70 billion in public infrastructure over the next decade. This includes the $53-billion new building Canada plan for provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure. This funding was unprecedented and the largest, longest federal infrastructure plan in Canadian history.
To build on this record, our government also doubled the gas tax fund to help municipalities address their infrastructure priorities. To top that off, we even made the fund permanent. I know the Liberals do not like to hear that, so let me repeat it. We took a temporary program, passed legislation, over their objections, and made it permanent. Last year we announced it would grow at 2% per year, to be applied in $100-million increments. This means local municipalities will get an additional $1.8 billion in funding over the next decade for their roads, sewers, bridges and other like projects.
In York Centre, the riding which I am so privileged to represent, many of the roads, like Wilson Avenue and Finch Avenue have been recently newly paved. Sewers were upgraded on Antibes Drive, just to name a few.
Our government did not stop there. We also added an additional 11 eligible categories, including disaster mitigation, recreation, tourism and culture. As a result, communities have more choice for projects that can be supported by the federal gas tax fund.
Our government listens to local mayors. This fund, which has already done so much for municipalities, will continue to support infrastructure priorities for many years to come.
Another major component of our plan, the new building Canada fund, totals $14 billion over 10 years. Under the new building Canada fund, each province and territory has been allocated a base amount. Funding under this component is available, not just for provincial, but municipal governments as well. Of course, our government also understands the importance of smaller communities and their needs and priorities. That is why we are guaranteeing that $1 billion will be reserved for communities with populations under 100,000 across the country.
Taken together, investments in infrastructure will keep Canada moving full speed into the future.
We all know that traffic congestion is getting worse in our large cities. Our government understands every minute spent in a car is one less minute spent with our families. It means higher costs for businesses and less livable cities. Building on our government's investment in public transit to date, economic action plan 2015 introduced a new and innovative fund to promote public transit infrastructure investment that is affordable for taxpayers and efficient for commuters.
The public transit fund is a permanent fund that provides up to $1 billion per year for major public transit projects. This is the first time ever a federal government has provided directly for public transit. This is just another way our Conservative government is building on the longest and largest public transit program record in Canadian history.
Here is an important fact. Our Conservative government is investing three times more in infrastructure than the previous Liberal government did. It is no wonder the Canadian Federation of Independent Business applauded our government's action plan 2015 and gave it an A.
That is not all; there is more. The new public transit fund has also been praised by municipalities across Canada. Here is what the Federation of Canadian Municipalities had to say:
The transit investment in this budget is good news for Canadians and marks an important achievement on a key issue they face every day. This level of permanent, ongoing funding has the potential to be transformative for public transit across this country.
The Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships also praised budget 2015 and, in particular, the creation of a new public transit fund by saying:
The Federal Government has demonstrated leadership today by continuing to invest in public transit infrastructure that is critical to the economic engine of our municipalities and to people’s quality of life.
Mayors from across the country have applauded our new public transit fund. Here is what some of them had to say.
Mayor John Tory of Toronto said, “This is a major step forward for Toronto and for the country.” He also said, “This is good news for Toronto and for cities across Canada.”
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said, “I’m pleased to see a permanent public transit fund being established with enough dollars to generate the federal share of our Metro Vancouver transit plan.”
Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson said, “This money will allow us actually to continue building LRT indefinitely until the system is done, which is very exciting news for Edmontonians.”
No federal government in Canadian history has ever made a stronger commitment of supporting infrastructure than our Conservative government. This new public transit fund will complement our government's existing infrastructure support by providing significant long-term support for public transit projects that help all Canadians. That is what Canadians expect from our government, and we are delivering.
Through the new building Canada plan, our government is providing stable, predictable funding over the next decade for public infrastructure across Canada. While we have a public transit fund in place, our existing federal infrastructure will continue to support thousands of ongoing or new infrastructure projects across Canada in 2015 alone.
While the Liberal Party plan is to raise taxes and recklessly increase spending, our Conservative government is committed to investing in public infrastructure to reduce commuting times for families, enhance our economic productivity, and encourage job creation and economic growth across Canada.
I now have a question for the Minister of Finance.
What is the government doing to support infrastructure in Canada?
Joe Oliver Conservative Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Mr. Chair, I thank the hon. member for York Centre for the question. He has provided dedicated and effective service to his constituents.
Since 2006, our Conservative government has made unprecedented investments in infrastructure across Canada. Under the Paul Martin Liberals' so-called infrastructure program, funding was unpredictable and insufficient. Unlike the Liberals, our government listens to concerns of mayors, premiers and regional chairs. That is why we have made historic investments in infrastructure.
Through the $33-billion building Canadian plan, our government has helped to build over 12,000 provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure projects from coast to coast to coast. Our Conservative government announced the largest and longest federal commitment to infrastructure in Canadian history, with $75 billion in support for public infrastructure over the next decade, including $53 billion for provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure under the new building Canada fund.
Funding under the plan is now flowing into provinces, territories and municipalities. The new building Canada fund is open for business. The fund will help to build stronger communities and support local economies across Canada.
Recently, the Prime Minister announced $150 million under Canada's 150 infrastructure plan to 1,800 projects in communities across Canada. The 150th anniversary of Confederation is a time to celebrate the places across this great country that unite and connect us, such as the parks, the trails and the cultural and community centres. The infrastructure program will help preserve and improve these treasured cultural and community locations, allowing Canadians and their families to enjoy moments of sport, recreation, leisure and contemplation for years to come.
I should also mention the gas tax fund, which is federal money that helps municipalities with their infrastructure priorities. It was originally a temporary program, but when we saw how important it was to Canadian cities and towns, we took action. We made it permanent. We doubled it. It grows annually now, representing an additional $1.8 billion in funding over the next decade. The gas tax fund comprises the largest portion of the new building Canada plan and it is providing $2 billion to support local infrastructure projects this fiscal year.
Building on these investments, the Prime Minister announced an additional $5.8-billion investment to build new infrastructure across the country. This funding would support the modernization and repair of important infrastructure assets to create jobs in communities across Canada and to contribute to Canada's long-term economic prosperity.
Our government is following through on our commitment to build infrastructure that is unprecedented in Canadian history, and our success speaks for itself. We are investing in public infrastructure. We are investing in transit. Our new transit fund is revolutionary and will provide an opportunity for all major urban and suburban projects for years to come. That is what Canadians expect and deserve.
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Chair, I have a simple question to start us off. Could the minister please tell us how many Canadians are currently unemployed?
Joe Oliver Conservative Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Mr. Chair, our government has created 1.2 million net new jobs from July 2009 to April 2015. More than 90% are full-time positions. Over 80% are in the private sector. Almost 60% are in high-wage industry. That is 20% more jobs compared to our closest competitor since our government came into office.
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Chair, let us try again. It is a very straightforward question. A G7 finance minister would know the answer to this question, one would hope. How many Canadians are currently unemployed?
Joe Oliver Conservative Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Mr. Chair, I think the hon. member knows that there is a 6.8% unemployment rate right now.
It is rich for the NDP and the Liberals to be criticizing our government's record on the economy and job creation. They voted against every job creation measure our government has put forward, including introducing the small business job credit.
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Chair, it is obviously hard for the minister to spit it out, so I will for him. There are 1.3 million Canadians who are unemployed, a fact that he either does not know or is willing to say.
I would like to hear the minister's comments on what Stephen Poloz said recently when he was asked about the state of the Canadian economy. The Governor of the Bank of Canada called it atrocious. I wonder what the minister thinks about that comment.
Joe Oliver Conservative Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Mr. Chair, the governor was very clear. He believes that the first quarter would be slow and there would be a resumption in growth. The Bank of Canada was projecting, I believe, around 1.9% growth this year, and that growth would be better than most G7 countries.
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Chair, I wonder if the minister can tell us what the deficit was that he ran in the 2014-15 budget.
Joe Oliver Conservative Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Mr. Chair, I believe the exact number was $2.4 billion.
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Chair, can the minister tell us what the cost of income splitting is in its first year?
Joe Oliver Conservative Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Mr. Chair, as I have said, our government believes in keeping more money in the pockets of Canadian families, and due to the measures we have introduced, the tax burden on Canadians is lower than it has been in over 50 years. Every single family with children under 18 would benefit from the new suite of family measures.
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Chair, one more time. It is a very specific question on a major program the current government is running.
What is the cost to Canadian taxpayers of income splitting this year?
Joe Oliver Conservative Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Mr. Chair, the member opposite seems to harbour the belief that if funds have not been seized by the government then somehow they are lost to the economy. The member opposite seems to think that the government is entitled to hard-earned money. They start with the fact that the money is the government's, and by exception, the people get to keep their own money.
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Chair, the only people who are entitled are all those Conservative senators, sitting, collecting from Canadian taxpayers each and every day, and often, just outright stealing it.
The government ran a $2.5 billion deficit. In fact, it spent $2.5 billion, borrowed the money, to pay for income splitting, which would do nothing for 85% of Canadian families.
Why does the minister think that 100% of Canadians should pay for a benefit that goes to the top 15%?