Debates of May 7th, 2015

Employment

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' achievement is the nearly 15% youth unemployment rate, and that is not a success story.

Parliament approved $100 million to help Canadians find jobs. That money would have improved the lives of immigrants who need help getting their credentials recognized, people with disabilities, young people who need a first work experience and adults who need to learn to read and write. However, the Conservatives chose to send the money back to the treasury.

Why did the Conservatives fail all these Canadians?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, we gauge our success by the results obtained by our youth. We gave out almost 500,000 apprenticeship grants to help youth become certified to practise specialized trades that are in demand. These young people have now become workers with skills that will help them contribute to our economy. That is how we have been able to create 1.2 million new jobs. We will stay the course.

Taxation

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the late Jim Flaherty dismissed income splitting for the wealthy as too expensive and fundamentally unfair. Unfair, because it provides nothing to a single mom at the poverty line, but it gives $2,000 to families with incomes of over a quarter of a million dollars.

If we could trade that unfairness for a better plan, one that is being acclaimed as powerful, progressive, fair, transparent and efficient, one that fights poverty and improves middle-class incomes, why would we not make that trade? Jim Flaherty would have.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals admit that they would raise taxes on almost half of families with kids by scrapping the income split. That is how many benefit from income splitting: almost half of families with kids.

However, why should we believe that they would not get rid of income splitting for seniors if they are opposing the principle of income splitting for families? In fact, when asked that question, the former Liberal leader, current Heritage critic, said of income splitting for seniors, “...it is not our priority. It would be very, very costly”.

That sounds like the same rhetoric they are using to justify raising taxes on families. Seniors cannot trust the Liberals.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, now the government is taking its financial advice from a guy who once said that a payoff to Mike Duffy was an honourable thing to do.

A better plan is bolstering Canada's middle class. We can do that by cutting their tax rate right across the board to save middle-class families billions of dollars. A better plan is one clean, simple, tax-free child benefit, one that is progressive and fair, providing more support to every middle-class family and all those working so hard just to get there.

Why is the Conservative government so against fundamental fairness?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, income splitting does provide fairness. It gives the same treatment in households where one spouse earns more than the other as it does to a household where the two spouses earn the same amount of money.

The Liberals are opposed in principle to all forms of income splitting. That is why they voted against pension splitting when it was first brought in. It is why their former leader openly opposed it and has not retracted that. Now they expect, on the eve of an election, that seniors are going to believe them when they claim that they have changed their mind. Seniors are smarter than that. They will not trust the Liberals. They will not be tricked.

Employment

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the government has clawed back billions of dollars that could have helped seniors, persons with disabilities and students. What the Conservatives did not claw back was the $750 million on those self-serving TV ads.

Do members know who is going to be able to watch the TV ads? It will be the 375,000 unemployed young Canadians, because they do not have to get up to go to work the next day, thanks to the Conservative government.

Another $90 million, including money for youth employment strategies, is gone under the current government. What young people want are jobs, not state propaganda.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, our plan of trade, tax cuts and training has helped create 1.2 million net new jobs for Canadians of all ages.

The member mentioned advertising. We did advertise the Canada apprentice loan, and already over 6,000 young people have taken out those loans in order to help with the cost of in-class study to get their apprenticeship done and their journeyman ticket and go out into high-demand jobs.

We have had over half a million apprenticeship grants go out in addition to those loans. These are creating jobs in the trades, and that is the future that we are going to create.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, francophone communities outside Quebec need francophone immigrants. Currently, only 2% of immigrants outside Quebec speak French even though the minimum quota is 4%.

The Commissioner of Official Languages reported that the Conservatives have closed regional offices and reduced funding for immigrants. Minority communities have sounded the alarm because their future is at stake.

Will the Conservatives finally take the future of francophones in Canada seriously?

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the minister was very clear about the 4% quota for francophone immigration outside Quebec. Our government has a plan to achieve that objective. We are already seeing results with the express entry program. We are taking the commissioner's recommendations into consideration.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, francophone communities are in dire need of help, and they are sounding the alarm about their future. The official languages commissioner is also concerned. It is clear that the Conservatives' cuts to services that support francophone immigration outside Quebec could threaten the vitality of these communities.

When will the minister take the future of francophone communities across the country seriously and give them the support that they need?

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, we were very clear about our goal of 4% for francophone immigration outside of Quebec. Our government has a road map to get there and we are already seeing the results from express entry. We are taking note of the commissioner's and others' recommendations. I might add that when we brought in the road map for linguistic duality, which indeed helps minority communities across the country, the NDP and that member voted against it.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, once again the current government refused to uphold the fundamental rights of indigenous peoples as every single member of the Conservative caucus voted against the bill put forward by my colleague, Bill C-641. This important bill would have enshrined the principles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into Canadian law. However, by rejecting this bill, the government missed another opportunity to engage in genuine partnership with first nations, Métis and Inuit.

Why is the current government yet again refusing to respect the rights of indigenous peoples in Canada?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, this is a baseless and totally false charge of the NDP, simply for political grandstanding and political reasons.

The fact of the matter is that this government is the one that amended the Canadian Human Rights Act in order to ensure that people on reserve have the same rights as all Canadians. She and they voted against it. In addition, we improved the matrimonial property rights on reserves, and they also voted against it. They should stop the grandstanding.

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the question before Parliament last night was not a matter of left against right, but right against wrong.

My bill received a great deal of support from many municipalities and organizations across Canada. Nevertheless, the Conservatives, including the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, chose to ignore that Canada-wide consensus and vote against my bill.

How can the minister justify abandoning aboriginal peoples yet again by refusing to recognize their most basic rights?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, it is strange to see a member rise in the House of Commons and argue that the Canadian Constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms do not protect aboriginal rights in Canada. That is utter nonsense.

The fact is that the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was endorsed by Canada as a blueprint that we respect but that is nevertheless subject to Canadian law. If the NDP wants to make Parliament's decisions subject to veto by a particular group, that is not okay.

Public Safety

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, our government and many people in Edmonton and elsewhere were disappointed to learn earlier today that convicted terrorist Omar Ahmed Khadr has been released from prison today on the streets of Edmonton. The Globe and Mail described this individual as having been raised to be a terrorist, which is not surprising since the members of his entire family are proudly admitted terrorists.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness update the House on this ongoing situation?

[Roxanne James, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, we are in fact disappointed with today's decision and regret that a convicted terrorist has been allowed back into Canadian society without having served his full sentence. Omar Ahmed Khadr pleaded guilty to heinous crimes, including the murder of American army medic, Sergeant Christopher Speer, and he has admitted that his ideology has not changed.

While the Liberal leader refused to rule out special compensation for this convicted terrorist and the NDP actively tries to force Canadian taxpayers to compensate him, we believe that the real victims of crime, not the perpetrators, are the ones who deserve compensation.

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, speaking of victims of crime, sexual assault is a devastating crime and one of the most difficult to prosecute.

Survivors deserve to be treated with the utmost respect and dignity. However, the DNA collection kits provided by the RCMP are badly out of date. They often use painful and obsolete techniques, and even worse, they risk DNA evidence degradation.

A new kit has been developed, but the RCMP will not say when they will distribute it. Will the minister make this a priority? Will the government expedite the distribution of new DNA collection kits to help professionals across Canada? This is a matter of justice.

[Roxanne James, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, as you know it is on this side of the House that the Conservative government has continuously supported providing resources to the RCMP and funding. We have done it through crime prevention measures to keep communities safe, Of course, any crime that is against any Canadian citizen is a horrific crime, especially those of a sexual nature. I just want to thank the RCMP for being able to work in this situation to be able to solve these most heinous crimes.

[Rosane Doré Lefebvre, NDP, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what matters most to victims of sexual assault is getting justice. However, we have learned that existing rape kits, which are distributed by the RCMP, are outdated and no longer meet forensic standards. We know that a new kit is being produced right now, but we have no idea when it will be available.

Can the minister tell us when this new kit will be distributed?

[Roxanne James, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, again it is on this side of the House that we have continuously funded the RCMP to ensure that they have the resources necessary to keep Canadians safe. In fact, it is this government that raised and invested more funding into the RCMP seven times since 2006. The opposition party has said no to each of those increases.

Budget 2015 increases our funding to national security agencies by $300 million, and most important, it is this Conservative government that brought in the victims bill of rights to stand up and make sure that victims have a voice in the criminal justice system.

Consumer Protection

[Pierre Dionne Labelle, NDP, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, under the Conservatives, things are definitely about to get a lot more expensive.

Canadians will soon be saddled with all kinds of new bank fees. Banks are going to start charging us to make our mortgage payments, student loans payments and credit card payments. Canadians are sick and tired of paying to pay.

Is the minister going to allow these billionaire banks to continue to pick Canadians' pockets?

[Kevin Sorenson, Conservative, Minister of State (Finance)]

Mr. Speaker, we are the only party that has consistently stood up for consumers by lowering taxes and putting more money back into their pockets.

Unlike the Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party that would raise taxes on middle-class consumers, our government has reduced taxes for the middle class. Our government has taken action to improve low-cost bank accounts and expand no-cost bank options for more than seven million Canadians. We introduced the debit and the credit card code of conduct. Shamefully, the opposition parties vote against all these measures that help middle-class consumers.

[Andrew Cash, NDP, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, let us be fair. First, that much-vaunted code of conduct is a voluntary code of conduct.

The big five banks have all said that in a few weeks, middle-class Canadians will face more pay-to-pay fees, and these are even worse than the ones the NDP forced the government to act upon last year. This is a basic issue of fairness. Does the minister really think it is fair that banks charge their customers a fee just to make a mortgage payment, a credit card payment, a student loan payment?

Where is the minister's backbone? Why is he letting the banks get away with it?