House of Commons Hansard #227 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was years.

Topics

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Some hon. members

Pay it back; pay it back!

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order. The hon. member for York West.

PensionsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives have always hated the Canada pension plan. They voted against it and its creation in 1965—

PensionsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

PensionsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order, order. We only sing on Wednesdays, and there is only one song to sing.

The hon. member for York West now has the floor.

PensionsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives have always hated the Canada pension plan. They voted against its creation in 1965 and have voted against improving it every time since, but no Conservative hates it more than the current Prime Minister. He actively campaigned to eliminate it entirely and demanded that Alberta opt out of it, while his closest adviser referred to it as a Ponzi scheme.

As the Prime Minister raises the age of retirement and slashes numerous benefits, how can Canadians possibly trust the Prime Minister to safeguard the Canada pension plan?

PensionsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Crowfoot Alberta

Conservative

Kevin Sorenson ConservativeMinister of State (Finance)

Mr. Speaker, that allegation is absolutely nonsense. Since the day we were elected, our government has consistently lowered taxes and created new voluntary options for Canadians to save, like the tax-free savings account, but the Liberal leader revealed that he will fund infrastructure projects with “alternative sources of capital, such as pension funds”, and he is going to do that while forcing Canadians to take a $1,000 pay cut.

On behalf of all retirees and those soon to be retirees, I would respectfully say to the Liberal leader, “keep your hands off our pension funds”.

TaxationOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' fairness for the middle-class plan is more generous and better targeted than the current Conservative plan. It will simplify the complex system of child benefit payments into one bigger tax-free monthly payment for families that most need help and will reduce their income by 7%. The minister does not want to talk about the Liberal plan, because he knows that more Canadian families will benefit than under the system he is defending.

Why are Conservatives fighting our Liberal plan, knowing that they are keeping money away from struggling middle-class families who need the help the most?

TaxationOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Nepean—Carleton Ontario

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, the worst thing one could do for those families is hit them with a $1,000 payroll tax for every single worker. For a couple with both spouses earning $60,000 a year, the Liberal payroll tax would cost $2,000, and then the small business that employs that couple would also have to match that tax increase. That would kill jobs, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

Now the Liberal leader has revealed that he would use the money as a source of revenue to fund infrastructure projects. Canadians are telling the Liberal Party, “keep your hands off our pensions”.

TaxationOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC

Mr. Speaker, compared to the Conservatives' plan, the Liberals' plan would provide a bigger monthly child benefit payment to 9 out of 10 families. The benefit would not be taxable either. Our plan also includes a major tax cut for the middle class.

Our plan contrasts sharply with the Conservatives' policy, which further benefits a small percentage of Canadians who are already faring quite well.

Why does the government not change its priorities and focus on Canadians who are most in need?

TaxationOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Nepean—Carleton Ontario

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals admit that they want to get rid of the universal child care benefit; they want to get rid of income splitting, also called the family tax cut; and they want to get rid of the tax-free savings account.

Even after all these tax increases and all these budget cuts for families, the Liberals have a $2 billion shortfall and they admit it. When the Liberals have a shortfall, they just raise taxes for families.

We oppose the Liberal taxes.

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

NDP

Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC

Mr. Speaker, dozens of lawyers, professors, trade unionists and community workers are condemning the culture of secrecy around the Social Security Tribunal of Canada.

Of the 10,000 rulings made by the tribunal since 2013, only 148 have been made public. When Canadians take their case to the Social Security Tribunal of Canada, they are entitled to all the jurisprudence in order to be as prepared as possible.

Will the Conservatives make public all the tribunal's decisions, and if so, when?

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Nepean—Carleton Ontario

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, the tribunal was created in order to provide an appel process for all Canadians who are not satisfied with the department's decisions. There are obviously certain privacy concerns with respect to the appellants.

However, we are ensuring that Canadians have a means to appeal when they are not satisfied with the decision. That is a fair way to ensure that they have access to the benefits to which they are entitled.

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Robert Chisholm NDP Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

Mr. Speaker, as the economy stumbles, EI claims are increasing. Unfortunately, after Liberal and Conservative cuts to the program, access to EI benefits is at a record low. Fewer than four in 10 unemployed Canadians receive any benefits at all, yet the Conservatives are raiding the EI surpluses to give tax handouts to the wealthy, while the Liberals want to raid the fund for corporate tax cuts.

When will the Liberals and the Conservatives learn to get their hands off the money meant for unemployed Canadians?

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Nepean—Carleton Ontario

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, quite the contrary, we are reducing employment insurance payroll taxes for both small businesses and the people who work for them. We will see the payroll taxes drop by 21% in just two years as a result of decisions the government has made and because of the strong employment record of our economy.

The Liberals and the NDP propose a 45-day work year. That is, people would work 45 days and then collect EI for the rest of the year. Of course, in addition to causing chaos in the labour market, it would also drive up billions of dollars in extra payroll taxes that would kill yet more jobs.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

June 9th, 2015 / 2:45 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB

Mr. Speaker, thousands of residential school survivors have issued a clear call for reconciliation and action. Now is the time for the government to show some leadership. The Prime Minister will meet with the Pope on Thursday when he visits the Vatican.

As a first step, will the Prime Minister take this opportunity to request an official apology to residential school survivors for the role the Catholic Church played?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Madawaska—Restigouche New Brunswick

Conservative

Bernard Valcourt ConservativeMinister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Speaker, we want to thank all of the survivors for their courage and, of course, for sharing their experience with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and all Canadians.

When the Prime Minister made a historic apology on behalf of all Canadians in 2008, the government recognized that the policy of assimilation at residential schools caused great harm and that the schools had no place in Canada.

I have personally written to the provinces, the territories, the Canadian Federation of Municipalities and the Vatican to inform them of the report and the recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB

Mr. Speaker, sadly, what we did not hear there was a commitment to reconciliation, and that is what survivors of residential schools are looking for.

While we are there, it is pretty difficult to believe that the Conservatives are committed to reconciliation when the way they treat someone who is doing nothing more than fighting for fairness for aboriginal children is to respond by humiliating and ostracizing them.

The Human Rights Tribunal found that David McArthur retaliated against Cindy Blackstock, but instead of condemning his actions, the government promoted him.

Will the minister recognize, in the House, that the actions of David McArthur have no place in a democracy, and will the minister apologize for its appalling attitude toward Cindy Blackstock?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Madawaska—Restigouche New Brunswick

Conservative

Bernard Valcourt ConservativeMinister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Speaker, our government remains committed to the health, the safety, and the well-being of first nations children throughout the country.

Since 2006, our government has increased child and family services on reserve by over 40%, and we are taking action, in collaboration with all the partners, to ensure that children and families have the support they need to lead healthy and safe lives.

As to the specific case raised by the hon. member, we are reviewing the decision to determine next steps.

National DefenceOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Conservative

David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON

Mr. Speaker, the terrorist death cult ISIS has made it clear that it targets by name Canada and Canadians.

Canada and Canada's brave Canadian Forces did not sit on the sidelines 71 years ago, and we are not sitting on the sidelines today. Can the Minister of Foreign Affairs update this House on Canada's mission as part of the coalition to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIS?

National DefenceOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Niagara Falls Ontario

Conservative

Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, ISIS has declared war on Canada, and that is why Canada is not sitting on the sidelines. I am pleased to inform this House that the Royal Canadian Air Force has now surpassed 100 air strikes against ISIS, including strikes near Baiji and Mosul in this past week. Furthermore, the RCAF has flown over 1,000 sorties. We are providing world-class battlefield surveillance, refuelling support, and precision air strikes against the enemy.

As always, we, along with all our allies, thank the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces for the work that they do.

EmploymentOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

NDP

Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON

Mr. Speaker, under the Conservatives, weak job growth has not come close to keeping pace with population growth.

Blacks has just announced that nearly 500 more jobs will be lost, and yet another closure in the retail sector adds more than 1.3 million to the number of Canadians already unemployed. Many of these workers will not quality under the Conservative cuts to EI, leaving them without support while they look for new jobs.

Why are the Conservatives blowing money on tax breaks for the wealthy few instead of helping the workers who need it most?

EmploymentOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Nepean—Carleton Ontario

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, Telus, which acquired Blacks in 2009, said, “Technological innovations have changed the way Canadians take and share photographs with fewer of us using retail photo outlets”.

The NDP's solution to that would be to raise taxes on companies like Telus, which employ millions of Canadians across the country. They would raise taxes on those who create jobs and on those who work.

We do exactly the opposite. We are lowering taxes on job creators, including and especially small businesses, and we are putting more money in the pockets of families so that they can spend and invest in their communities.

HealthOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

Mr. Speaker, Canadians pay among the highest prices in the OECD for prescription drugs, leaving one in ten Canadians unable to fill prescriptions.

Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, health experts, and seniors organizations have all called for the creation of a national drug plan to make prescription drugs more affordable. The provinces have said they are willing to talk, but the federal government will not even come to the table.

Why are the Conservatives showing such a shameful lack of leadership in addressing the high cost of drugs for Canadians?

HealthOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Edmonton—Spruce Grove Alberta

Conservative

Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, I have repeatedly said to Canadians and to my provincial counterparts that they are getting ripped off when it comes to the cost of drugs.

They negotiate their plans separately instead of together, and I continuously encourage them to get together and invite us to the table to look at a national drug purchasing plan, including, and foremost, to talk about bulk purchasing.

We can save Canadians billions of dollars if we do this together, and I am at the table with them.