House of Commons Hansard #206 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was csis.
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
Mr. Speaker, middle-class Canadians are struggling, and the Conservatives continue to ignore them.
After months of delays, they finally tabled a budget with clearly no plans for growth or for jobs. Instead of fairness for middle-class Canadians, Conservatives are choosing instead to target those who need it the least.
Why do the Conservatives insist on giving wealthy Canadians the break, while not doing anything to help middle-class Canadians?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals believe that anyone making even less than $60,000 a year is rich, and the Liberals admit that they want to raise taxes on these people by scrapping the expanded tax-free savings accounts.
Almost two-thirds of people who have maxed out their tax-free savings accounts earn less than $60,000 a year. It is them we are helping by expanding their tax-free savings accounts. It is them the Liberal leader would target with his tax increase that he announced today. That is the Trudeau tax.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I ask the minister to be mindful of using proper names. I hope that I do not have to ask him again. It does lead to a great deal of disorder.
The hon. member for Westmount—Ville-Marie.
Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, all the talking points in the world will not hide the fact that the Conservative plan is fundamentally unfair, ignores the middle class and gives the most benefits to the wealthy. Whether it is the rise in the TFSAs paid for by raising the retirement age to 67, income splitting which only benefits 15% of Canadians or monthly child benefits that go to the wealthy, Conservatives choose to help those who need it the least.
Why is the Conservative priority the wealthy, instead of the middle class and those trying to join the middle class?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform
Mr. Speaker, those earning less than $60,000 a year are the middle class. That is why we have cut their taxes by allowing them to contribute more to their tax-free savings accounts. Two-thirds of those who have maxed out their tax-free savings accounts earn less than $60,000 a year.
The Liberal leader would raise their taxes. The Liberals would replace the Conservative family tax cut with a Liberal family tax hike, and they would strip away the universal child care benefit, because Liberals have long believed that parents simply use that money for beer and popcorn.
We put money in the pockets of parents.
Sylvain Chicoine NDP Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government is pleased to contribute millions of dollars to commemorate wars. However, when it comes time to take care of veterans, there is no end to the cuts.
Under the Conservatives' watch, services for veterans have been cut, regional service offices have been closed, and support staff has been laid off. It is not surprising that one-third of veterans are dissatisfied with the services offered by the department.
Why is the government not treating our veterans with the respect they deserve?
Pierre Lemieux ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, Veterans Affairs always strives to improve support for Canada's veterans and their families. Recently, the Minister of Veterans Affairs announced that over 100 new case managers and over 100 new disability benefits employees are being hired to improve processing times. Within our economic action plan 2015, there is a long list of benefits that we are offering to veterans and I would like to know why this member is voting against those benefits.
Jinny Sims NDP Newton—North Delta, BC
Mr. Speaker, 34% of veterans surveyed by the Royal Canadian Legion say that they have been poorly served by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This is after the department got rid of its own survey to monitor satisfaction. The Conservatives closed regional offices of Veterans Affairs. They took veterans to court and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in the process.
When are we going to see an action plan to expand and improve services and to reopen those offices?
Pierre Lemieux ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that under our government, we have opened 600 new access points for veterans to service Veterans Affairs Canada benefits. In addition, we have opened nine new offices to provide new mental health support to veterans and their families, and the minister just announced recently the hiring of 100 new case managers and over 100 new disability benefits employees.
Why are the New Democrats turning their backs on veterans when it comes time to vote for important new measures like the ones we are announcing?
Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Speaker, thanks to Conservative economic mismanagement, Ontario's affordable housing wait list has hit a record high. More than 168,000 households are now waiting an average of four years for affordable housing, 78,000 of those households in Toronto. It is yet an other indicator of the growing inequality in our country. Canadians are working harder and falling further behind, with 1.3 million out of work and so many in need of affordable housing.
Will the Conservatives finally admit to the economic damage they have done?
Candice Bergen ConservativeMinister of State (Social Development)
Mr. Speaker, the list that the member is referring to is a list of people, many of them in housing, looking for a less expensive rent. Certainly, we support the Province of Ontario if it wants to use its investment in affordable housing money to help subsidize cheaper rent for those individuals. We also have people who are homeless. We have our homelessness partnering strategy to address that need.
We are making life more affordable for middle-class Canadians so that they can afford the rent and the housing in the regions that they live in. That is increasing the universal child care benefit for all families with children under the age of 18, that is family tax cuts, as well as supports for families who are vulnerable.
We will continue to make smart investments and help the provinces so that Canadians can live in affordable housing.
Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet NDP Hochelaga, QC
Mr. Speaker, the demand for social housing far exceeds the supply. Under the Conservative government, the waiting lists have grown so much that, today, in Ontario alone, over 165,000 families are waiting for social housing. The average wait time is four years, but in some areas, families have to wait up to 10 years. There is a desperate need.
When will the government propose a real strategy to make sure that Canadian families have access to affordable housing?
Candice Bergen ConservativeMinister of State (Social Development)
Mr. Speaker, we have already done that. In fact, in our most recent budget we announced a measure whereby co-op housing and not-for-profit housing can renegotiate their mortgages so that they can continue to provide affordable housing to the people they are serving.
The NDP has no plan to help people with housing. All it wants to do is raise taxes. It wants to raise taxes on every sector in the Canadian population. That does not help those who are vulnerable. It does not help those who are trying to make more money, get better skills, earn more money so that they can afford the housing in their region. We want to help every single Canadian family, including those who are vulnerable.
Wladyslaw Lizon Conservative Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON
Mr. Speaker, the loss of life and the destruction of civilian homes in Nepal is overwhelming. Canadians from across the country have been giving generously to help those in need. Canada's response has been swift, with the immediate deployment of an assessment team to gain first-hand situational awareness of the immediate needs on the ground.
Can the Minister of Foreign Affairs please update the House on Canada's efforts to provide assistance to the people of Nepal?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, Canada remains deeply concerned about the impacts of the earthquake in Nepal, and that is why the Prime Minister has directed Canada's disaster assistance response team to be deployed to Nepal. The DART is a vital asset and is critical in meeting three needs: water purification, primary medical care and engineering help. The immediate deployment of aid is made possible by C-17 Globemaster airlift craft, which is a capability that our government both secured and recently enhanced for the Royal Canadian Air Force.
We will continue working with our international partners to meet the urgent needs of the people of Nepal.
Matthew Kellway NDP Beaches—East York, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport announced that Canadians would have to wait 10 more years for the full phase-out of unsafe rail tank cars.
The announcement was an admission of the enormous risks we face, but it was also a response that is far too casual in the face of those risks. We cannot afford more derailments like Gogama and Lac-Mégantic.
Do the Conservatives really think it is acceptable to wait 10 years to protect our communities?
Lisa Raitt ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to update the House on our announcement that happened in Washington on Friday with the Secretary of Transport, Secretary Foxx.
We made the announcement together because by nature, these cars go back and forth across the border. It was the culmination of years-long amount of negotiation work with the United States to balance what can be done, reasonably and pragmatically, with respect to the phase-out, and Canada's very real desire to get this done as quickly as possible.
I am very proud of the work that the officials of Transport Canada did and I am proud of our government for moving forward on this.
Hoang Mai NDP Brossard—La Prairie, QC
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are still worried.
Unsafe tank cars will continue to pass through our communities for another 10 years. While the Americans announced a deadline for implementing a safer braking system, Canada is doing nothing.
Can the minister show some transparency and tell us when these cars will be required to have safer brakes?
Lisa Raitt ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, once again I am very pleased with our announcement on Friday.
If we look at the details of the actual phasing out, we will see very clearly that Canada is a full eight months ahead of the United States in the first phase-out. That is a very important step. We said we would be geared to April 2017, and indeed, we will be doing so.
With respect to the ECP brakes that the hon. member pointed out, we continue to do our testing here in Canada. We have agreed that those would be operating rules not attached to the tank car standard. That is the appropriate way to manoeuvre.
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
Mr. Speaker, a number of mining companies have projects that would create excellent jobs here in Canada and that are also environmentally friendly.
Unfortunately, the Conservative government is doing nothing to help them. The president and chief executive officer of the Mining Association of Canada called out the government for ignoring its duty to consult with first nations. He even said that his organization consults first nations more than the government.
Why is the government undermining the efforts of developers and why does it not do more to help them get their projects off the ground?
Greg Rickford ConservativeMinister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, Canada is recognized as a world leader in promoting transparency and accountability in the extractive industry and around the world.
This legislation sets fair rules for companies that operate in Canada and abroad, minimizes uncertainty over investments and strengthens the integrity of Canadian extractive companies.
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
Mr. Speaker, sustainable development of our resources can grow our economy while protecting the environment, but the Conservatives keep dropping the ball.
The Mining Association of Canada is calling out the Conservatives for ignoring their duty to consult with first nations. In fact, the CEO said, “I think we are doing more of the consulting than they are”.
When will the Conservatives stop ignoring the potential of sustainable development? When will they stop ignoring their duty to consult and start living up to their responsibilities?
Greg Rickford ConservativeMinister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, I have two quick points. First, we have undertaken extensive engagement with aboriginal communities during roundtable sessions across the country, specifically around the extractive sector, in mining. In fact, this year alone, we have engaged 83 aboriginal organizations through these sessions.
This is in addition to numerous meetings that have occurred in years prior. Legislation establishes a level playing field for companies, domestically and abroad, and aboriginal consultation has been important.
That aside, everything we do for mining, that member votes against, and people in northwestern Ontario, in particular, Ring of Fire, all told, they know he votes against them.
Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Mr. Speaker, we learned this morning that two complaints were apparently filed in December 2010 and January 2011. Two Canadian military police officers allegedly created a culture of intimidation in the prison that they were in charge of in Afghanistan.
When did the government learn of these actions and what has it done since to ensure that prisoners are treated in accordance with international and Canadian law?
James Bezan ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, as we already discussed earlier today, our government takes these allegations very seriously. These types of inappropriate actions of abuse are thoroughly investigated. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service found that there was no mistreatment of these Taliban prisoners and decided that there were no grounds to lay charges.
I want to congratulate all our members of the Canadian Armed Forces who are currently deployed in protecting Canada and those veterans who served in Afghanistan.