House of Commons Hansard #95 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was seniors.

Topics

Canada Pension PlanGovernment Orders

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB

Madam Speaker, that was a wonderful question.

As I said, the additional risks that Canadians are taking in this fashion are that they do not know the result, and they do not know the outcome of this risk that is being taken.

As for the future, I do not think anyone will be around. I hope everyone in this room will live for over 100 years, but I do not think anyone will be around to see if this is going to work. That is why the government is doing what is it doing. That is a very unfortunate method of doing politics in Canada.

Canada Pension PlanGovernment Orders

10:45 a.m.

Liberal

Mike Bossio Liberal Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON

Hon. member, I would invite you to come to my riding and—

Canada Pension PlanGovernment Orders

10:45 a.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

Members need to direct questions through the Chair.

Canada Pension PlanGovernment Orders

10:45 a.m.

Liberal

Mike Bossio Liberal Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON

Madam Speaker, I would invite the hon. member to come to my riding to meet some seniors who are suffering today from a lack of savings and the pension plan that they have.

Given the precarious nature of employment today amongst our youth, and the massive increase in the cost of housing, my own son has been working two and three part-time jobs to try to get by. This is not a tax. It is an investment in future generations of Canadians that will allow them to live better than our seniors are living today.

Does the member deny that these facts exist? Is he completely out of touch with reality?

Canada Pension PlanGovernment Orders

10:45 a.m.

Conservative

Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB

Madam Speaker, as a member, I also represent people. I have seniors in my area.

I am a businessman, and this does not make any sense for any businessman. It is a tax on businesses. It is a tax on Canadians. Let Canadians save for themselves instead of taking this money away from them without their consent and without their knowing what risks they are taking.

Canada Pension PlanGovernment Orders

10:45 a.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise and speak here today. I thank the members for allowing my colleague to share his time time with me. My colleague gave an excellent speech outlining our position on Bill C-26, introduced by the Minister of Finance.

Seniors today should be worried about what the Minister of Finance said in the House earlier this morning in his speech on Bill C-26. He claimed that they were very clear during their election campaign that they wanted to enhance the CPP. Now that we have seen the Liberals in action for a year, can we really take that kind of statement at face value? Definitely not.

Besides, what are seniors and Canadians in general supposed to think when a party says, during an election campaign, that it is going to enhance the CPP? What does this mean for the seniors in the riding of my colleague from Oakville, who said himself that people in his riding have lower incomes and there are needs to be met? They thought they would benefit right away if they voted for that party.

When people are promised an enhanced pension plan, they expect that promise to be kept sooner rather than later. They expect the government to get to work on it immediately, even if it does not make sense. They expect the party in question to keep its promises. CPP expansion will begin to be implemented in 2019 and be fully phased in by 2025.

When we talk about a long-term strategy, as the Minister of Finance did this morning, we have to put ourselves in seniors' shoes. “Long term” does not mean the same thing for someone who is 75 that it does for someone who is 50. Who are the seniors, who were misled by this government, that are really going to benefit from the CPP expansion? That is what we have to ask ourselves. The scary thing is what the Liberal government is not saying. What they are saying is nothing to worry about because they cannot be believed anyway, but what they are not saying is even scarier.

If during the last election campaign the Liberals had told seniors they were going to improve their pension plan in seven or eight years, not a single senior in my riding would have voted for them. In my riding, the average income is not very high. We have gone through some serious crises in the Thetford Mines region, including the asbestos crisis. Incomes are not very high, the miners do not have a lot of money, and out of the blue they are told that their pension plan is going to go up. Who would not want a better income, especially those who make lower wages?

Unfortunately, that is not what the Liberals intend to do. What is more, they are going to increase taxes for the these people who have limited means, stripping them of their benefits. The government raised taxes right away, and these people will be the first victims of the arrogance of the Liberals, who make all sorts of promises they may well never deliver on. I hope that we will be back in 2019 to clean up their mess. If they are allowed to continue for another four years, it will be terrible and there will be no turning back.

It is important to stick to the facts. The government has been in power one year. It is against that backdrop that they introduced Bill C-26 today. The government broke its promise to have a modest deficit and is borrowing three times the amount that it said it would. Last week, TD Bank reported that the deficit could reach $34 billion because of the economic situation.

What exactly is the economic situation? They promised to create jobs; they did not. They did not even keep their promise to improve the lives of Canadians, because the best way to do that is to give them jobs.

That is the reality. Obviously, I am concerned about the announcement that the Minister of Finance made this morning, but what is even more worrisome is that our Prime Minister is not at all concerned. There is no problem. Yes, perhaps the deficit will be $34 billion because the economic conditions are not good. Yes, the rate of growth is lower than expected and that is not good, but it is not a problem. Canadians will pay for it later.

Will there be any money left in the coffers to pay for the promises that the government made to seniors in Bill C-26? The government does not have an answer to that question because it has been improvising on everything from the start.

The government broke its promise to reduce small business tax rates. What will be directly affected by Bill C-26? Small businesses, which will also have to increase their CPP contributions. The government is promising to help businesses and create jobs, but the reality is once again a different story. The government wants to promise the best of everything; it does not talk about the worst, but imposes the worst anyway. That is the reality of the Liberal government.

Today, I can say, without question, that the Liberal government has betrayed seniors with the false promise that it would immediately improve their lives. That is the reality. When the government promises people who are 75 or 80 years old that it is going to increase their pension benefits, those people do not expect to have to wait until they are 87 for that to happen.

I heard my colleagues opposite telling us that this is going to help low-income seniors. Wrong. The increased benefits will help those with higher incomes. Those with low incomes will not benefit at all from these changes to the Canada pension plan. That is something else that is being left unsaid by the Liberal government.

We will have to learn to always read between the lines of what the Liberals are saying. Unfortunately, that is what Canadians will be learning the hard way in the coming weeks and months.

Still, people can take comfort in knowing that we are here. Our new finance critic, the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent will keep a very close eye on this government, which has no qualms about imposing new taxes on the middle class and businesses. It has no problem letting the deficit grow ever larger so it can achieve its objectives. The worst part is that it does not seem too worried about it.

Higher CPP benefits mean more money coming out of hard-working Canadians' paycheques. Maybe it will help them someday when they retire, but the way things are going now, we should all be leery of the Liberal government's grand promises. As a matter of fact, I have no faith in their projections, which are not even valid for a week, let alone until 2025. Something is going to happen. The Liberals will change things, tweak things. Why? Because they messed up the math. Their projections are inaccurate, and they will not be able to keep their promises.

What really worries me is what the Liberals are going to do if they do not have the money. I would not be surprised if they use that tried and true Liberal tactic: instead of a small increase, there will be a big increase, and it will cost all of us a lot more, and poor people will still have no more than they did before.

Canada Pension PlanGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Liberal

Robert-Falcon Ouellette Liberal Winnipeg Centre, MB

Madam Speaker, it is important to save for the future, as they say. Think of the ant and the grasshopper. Some things never change.

I have looked at pension contribution rates all over the world.

I was just looking at an OECD report from 2013. In fact, Canada has some of the lowest contribution rates in the world. If we look at Austria in 2012, it is around 22.8%. Estonia is 22.8% as well. In France, it is 16.7%, and even the United States had a contribution rate in 2012 of 10.4%. Mexico, really our only competitor in North America, has no contribution rate and essentially no pension plan or protection for their workers.

I really believe that we have to help our citizens save for the future, and that is one principle that I think people who are old and young can get behind. There is an old proverb, in fact, which is to look to the future; believe in the present but also have the foresight to look to the future. It is also in the Bible, with Joseph and the pharaoh saving for those lean times.

Therefore, I hope the member can realize that, in fact, what we are trying to do is to make a better future for all Canadians, thinking very long term, for seven generations.

Canada Pension PlanGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Speaker, if I understand my colleague correctly, what he is saying is, “give me your money, because I know better than you”. My way of thinking is the exact opposite. Leave my money alone, because I know best how to make it work for me, as I see fit. I especially do not want to give any more money to the Liberals, because I am very worried about what they have been doing with our money over the past year.

Canada Pension PlanGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

NDP

Scott Duvall NDP Hamilton Mountain, ON

Madam Speaker, my colleague made reference to many people not being able to save, or that many people are being insulted because we are telling them how to save.

When the Conservatives were in power, they had time to make adjustments to the Canada pension plan, because people were falling into that gap. Therefore, if they felt that the Canada pension plan was not the answer, why did they not eliminate it and replace it with something else?

Canada Pension PlanGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Speaker, we worked hard on the guaranteed income supplement, which helped Canadians who really needed it. If fact, I would like to congratulate the Liberals, who also decided to increase guaranteed income supplement benefits in the last budget. It was a much-needed measure for single seniors in need. The Conservatives have always cared about the well-being of all Canadians, including the young, those of working age, and seniors alike.

Canada Pension PlanGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC

Madam Speaker, the government is making a number of policy choices that are intersecting and will create a huge issue for our young adults in Canada.

First of all, on the Liberals' decision around housing, millennials will now have to save more to have a down payment for a house. They are also going to have an increase in terms of their CPP. They will have to pay the cost of a carbon tax on fuel. Then they're going to have a debt to pay off in 20 years that is going to be astronomical.

I would ask my colleague what the impact to our millennials and our young adults in this country is going to be in terms of this intersection of policy choices.

Canada Pension PlanGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Speaker, I do not know. The deficit left by the Liberals for the next generation is going to be so huge that I am deeply concerned about the future of my children and all young Canadians. We know that interest rates will go up one day, and that is when the debt will have to be paid off. The bill left behind will be a hefty one, and it will cost Canadians thousands of jobs.

Laurentides—LabelleStatements By Members

11 a.m.

Liberal

David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC

Madam Speaker, for the past year now, I have had the honour of being the member for Laurentides—Labelle.

Our region is full of magnificent landscapes, and has no shortage of events and tourist attractions on offer. It spans nearly 20,000 square kilometres, or 40 times the size of the Island of Montreal.

Our ski hills, nine regional and provincial parks, six controlled hunting zones, two wildlife reserves and 43 outfitters, and the thousands of lakes and rivers and thousands of kilometres of trails for biking, hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling — this is what we are known for.

First and foremost, the success of our region comes from our warm, welcoming communities and the service and enthusiasm of our tourism workers and managers.

In the context of Small Business Week and as the beautiful summer and fall seasons come to a close, I want to tip my hat to all those who keep the tourism industry alive in our region, which Father Labelle referred to as the Switzerland of Canada.

Campaign VolunteersStatements By Members

11 a.m.

Conservative

Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB

Madam Speaker, as I reflect on the first anniversary of my election as the member of Parliament for Edmonton Manning, I want to pay tribute to Paul Cetinski.

Before last year's vote, Paul tirelessly distributed campaign literature to rural areas of the riding, making sure everyone heard the message. He is an example of the countless volunteers who are the lifeblood of political campaigns and the backbone of democracy in our great nation.

In every riding across the country, every campaign, every party, there are many Paul Cetinskis. They are the unsung heroes of political life. We in the House know how politics is a team effort, the work of dedicated Canadians who give of their time and talent for the good of the country.

Let us salute volunteers like Paul Cetinski.

Latin AmericaStatements By Members

11 a.m.

Liberal

Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC

Madam Speaker, October is Latin American Heritage Month.

Latin America has a history rich in culture and traditions that is as diverse as its many component countries. It tells of the birth of many civilizations and peoples, such as the Miskito, Mapuche, Inca, Maya, and Aztec peoples.

Then came the conquistadors and the Spanish conquest, the wars of independence, and the creation of independent states.

Over the years, despite the ups and downs, Latin American countries have evolved and developed their own identities. They have influenced the world, whether it is through music and dance, including salsa, merengue, rumba, and tango, or the literature of such authors as Jorge Luis Borges, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Pablo Neruda, not to mention their great athletes, like Maradona, Pelé and, currently, Lionel Messi.

Today, more than ever, Latin America is vibrant and successful.

[Member spoke in Spanish as follows:]

Señora Presidenta, que viva América Latina!

Diesel Spill CleanupStatements By Members

October 21st, 2016 / 11 a.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Madam Speaker, last Thursday a tanker barge ran aground and sank near Bella Bella on B.C.'s central coast, spilling tens of thousands of litres of toxic diesel into critical fishing areas of the Heiltsuk Nation.

I rise to pay tribute to the courageous Heiltsuk who have been out on the water, day and night, since this tragic spill to protect their homes. Local councillor Jess Housty said, “We know there are people who’ve had headaches, irritation in their noses and lungs since day one.... They’re not reporting them because they don’t want to be told they can’t go out and help anymore. They can’t imagine being anywhere else.”

The federal government did not arrive on the scene for almost 24 hours after the spill, and since then a second spill response vessel has run aground and has now sunk and diesel continues to leak, causing more devastation.

This is not a world-class spill response. This is a betrayal and a dereliction of duty.

The Prime Minister made a sacred promise to first nations in British Columbia and the people in the my riding that he would protect our coast, yet when he was asked point-blank earlier this week whether he would stay true to his word, he deflected and suggested that opening a Coast Guard station 600 kilometres away was good enough.

We will protect what must be protected.

Epidermolysis BullosaStatements By Members

11:05 a.m.

Liberal

Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a brave and courageous young man, Jonathan Pitre, who suffers from a severe form of EB, a terrible disease that causes irritation and red blisters. Having this disease according to doctors is like being a burn victim one's whole life.

Does this bring Jonathan down? Absolutely not. When asked by the Ottawa Citizen, Jonathan said, “Of course I’m not, you know, happy that I have this.... But, at the same time, I kind of am because I prefer it being me than somebody else.” At 16 years of age, he is already a noble man.

His selfless kindness does not stop there. He is an ambassador for DEBRA Canada.

Over the last month Jonathan has been undergoing a stem cell transplant in Minnesota. It did not work, but doctors are optimistic that the second stem cell transplant will work.

Jonathan is an inspiration for all of us. His community will walk for him on November 19. I know my colleagues here will agree with me when I say we are all with Jonathan as he undergoes his second treatment. Be strong. We look forward to seeing Jonathan back in Russell.

Wounded Warriors CanadaStatements By Members

11:05 a.m.

Liberal

Celina Caesar-Chavannes Liberal Whitby, ON

Madam Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to the work of Wounded Warriors Canada, an organization in my riding of Whitby. This organization helps ill or injured members of the Canadian Armed Forces, veterans, and first responders, in recognition of their service.

In early fall, Wounded Warriors Canada organized the Highway of Heroes bike ride in which 200 cyclists participated.

The ride raised more than $200,000 to support ill and injured Canadian veterans.

Many of us participated in the 22 Push Ups challenge, which raised funds and awareness for Wounded Warriors.

On behalf of the organization and the people it serves, I say thanks. And I wish a happy anniversary to Phil Ralph.

Employees of ParliamentStatements By Members

11:05 a.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Speaker, almost a year ago, I was welcomed to Ottawa by a wonderful team of employees who support my colleagues and me so that we can spend all of our time focusing on our duties as MPs.

That team includes the Sergeant-at-Arms; the constables, who have a great memory for faces; the RCMP officers, who are always there to protect us; and the researchers and analysts, who tell it like it is. It also includes the parliamentary guides and their knowledge of history, as well as the interpreters, who help my anglophone colleagues understand my excellent speeches. There are also all the people who work for the standing committees and parliamentary associations and those who serve us meals every day in the cafeterias and restaurants. Last but not least are our bus drivers, who are always smiling; the Clerk of the House and his team; and everyone else who works behind the scenes. It is a very long list.

I would say one final word about the pages, who are always on the lookout for the slightest gesture from MPs. How many young people do members know whose dream it is to listen to MPs natter on for hours on end? All of these great people make us look pretty darn good.

Thank you all for your support.

World Food DayStatements By Members

11:05 a.m.

Liberal

Jean-Claude Poissant Liberal La Prairie, QC

Madam Speaker, Sunday was the 36th annual World Food Day. I would like to take this opportunity to increase Canadians' awareness of poverty and hunger.

Too many people suffer from malnutrition because they do not have enough to eat. In Canada, one in six children is a victim of food insecurity.

Thanks to the Canada child benefit, the 2016 budget lifted more than 300,000 children out of poverty. This measure, along with those of other interested parties, is a step in the right direction. Those parties include community organizations, such as those in the great riding of La Prairie, that help alleviate food insecurity for thousands of people.

In the coming months, I will be helping my esteemed colleague, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, work with all stakeholders to develop a new food policy. The goal of the policy will be to ensure that all Canadian families have access to more healthy, high-quality food.

TaxationStatements By Members

11:05 a.m.

Conservative

Arnold Viersen Conservative Peace River—Westlock, AB

Madam Speaker:

Carbon Taxman, let us be
We can't afford this onerous fee
11 cents more for a litre of fuel
Taxing me and my kid's school
Farms and families will feel the pinch
When the Carbon Taxman pulls the cinch
Tax the tractor, combine, plough
Tax the chicken, egg and cow
Tax the fuel that heats the barn
Tax the power that runs the farm
Add it up, Liberals, you'll like the stash
When the Carbon Taxman grabs our cash
Tax the Kenworth logging trucks
Tax the chainsaws, log tops and butts
Tax the backbone of industry
And watch our companies become history
The Liberals want to take it all
The Carbon Taxman will have a ball
Thousands of dollars from you and me
Shipping costs on clothes and tea
Earning a wage is not so fab
When it's taken away in a massive tax grab
Carbon Taxman—enough is enough
Don't tax Canadians on all their stuff!

Canadian HeritageStatements By Members

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Anita Vandenbeld Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON

Madam Speaker, During World War II, Canada provided refuge to the Dutch Royal Family. When Princess Juliana gave birth to her daughter, Margriet, the maternity ward of the Ottawa Civic Hospital was even briefly declared international territory. Every year since then the Dutch have gifted our capital with tulips, which now hold a special place in the Canadian imagination.

To mark Canada's 150th anniversary, the Canadian Garden Council is gifting red and white tulip bulbs to 150 gardens from coast to coast, including Embassy West Senior Living in my riding.

I want to thank the Canadian Garden Council for its contribution to ensuring that this remarkable example of humanity in Canada's history is showcased as part of the sesquicentennial celebrations.

[Member spoke in foreign language.]

Lorne Scots RegimentStatements By Members

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

John Oliver Liberal Oakville, ON

Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize the 150th anniversary of military service of the Lorne Scots Regiment.

We celebrated them in my riding of Oakville with the unveiling of a monument recognizing their battle honours and regimental insignia.

From fighting on the Queenston Heights in Niagara to, most recently, as part of the International Security Assistance Force in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, the Lorne Scots have recruited, trained, and generated soldiers for every theatre of war in which Canada has engaged. The regiment has also supported Canada's numerous contributions to international peace and security through the UN and NATO.

As we commemorate the 150th regimental anniversary, I ask the House to honour the brave young men and women of the Lorne Scots Regiment who have so selflessly dedicated themselves, and lest we forget, the many who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in their service to Canada.

May the Lorne Scots long continue.

[Member spoke in Scottish Gaelic as follows:]

Air Son Ar Duthchais!

Alberta Order of ExcellenceStatements By Members

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB

Madam Speaker, I rise in the House to pay tribute to an inspiring Albertan and close friend, Sheldon Kennedy, who received Alberta's highest award, the Order of Excellence, on Wednesday.

Sheldon showed incredible courage to break a longstanding silence in sports, with his story of childhood sexual abuse, and now he is a tireless advocate for other victims. He suffered for many years under the burden of his secret, a secret he was afraid to share.

When he did share his personal story, many other victims, inspired by Sheldon's strength, came forward, and their stories inspired Sheldon to take action. He established Respect Group to help prevent abuse, bullying, and harassment in sport, school, and the workplace. In 2013, the renowned Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre opened in Calgary to help those affected by abuse.

I am proud to know this compassionate, inspiring man, who speaks around the world raising awareness about sexual abuse and the impact on victims. I am profoundly honoured to call him a friend.

I invite all members of the House to congratulate Sheldon on his award and thank him for his advocacy.

Nathan CirilloStatements By Members

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON

Madam Speaker, two years ago, a few hundred metres from here, a mother lost a son, a son lost a father, and an entire nation mourned the loss of a dedicated soldier.

On October 22, 2014, Corporal Nathan Cirillo stood guard at the monument to the brave women and men who came before him, to those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom.

Corporal Cirillo was one of the finest examples of what makes the Canadian Armed Forces so remarkable. He was the epitome of dedication and humility in service to a grateful nation.

Today, we stand in unwavering support of those who choose to watch over us, thankful for their sacrifice, and resolute in our commitment to continue fighting for a world free of fear, injustice, and oppression.

At the going down of the sun
And in the morning
We will remember them.