Debates of Feb. 1st, 2016

Procedure and House Affairs

[Some hon. members]

Agreed

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

(Motion agreed to)

Refugees

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from a number of residents in my riding who are concerned about the arbitrary process of resettling refugees, and they are also concerned about the security of the resettling of refugees.

Physican-Assisted Dying

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present two petitions today.

The first is from residents throughout the Gulf Islands, from Saltspring, Saturna, Galiano, and Mayne Island, all calling on the House to take action to put forward legislation that would respect the will of Canadians to choose physician-assisted death.

The petitioners brought the petition before the Carter decision, and I hope it will be moving on in this House to do just that.

HIV/AIDS

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls for a national AIDS strategy, again from members of my constituency.

The petitioners particularly want to recommend to this place the use of a system called treatment as prevention as a very important progressive system to deal with the AIDS crisis.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present today. The first one is signed by hundreds of residents of Vancouver, calling on the government to adopt the New Democrat plan to help live-in caregivers in the country.

It calls on the government to permit live-in caregivers to receive permanent residency immediately upon landing or within 24 months, to bring their spouses and children with them at the time of entry, to live outside the employer's home, and to pass only one medical examination for the entire family.

CBC/Radio-Canada

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is signed by many people across the country. It calls on the government to stand up for stable, guaranteed, adequate funding for Canada's national broadcaster, the CBC, to make sure we have strong public broadcasting in Canada for the years ahead.

Child Care

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition calls on the government to adopt a national child care strategy in line with the New Democrats' proposal to make sure every Canadian has the right to access quality, accessible, universal, affordable, $15-a-day child care.

Housing

[Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, NDP, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in 2015, over 25,000 households, including 5,000 in Quebec alone, lost their housing subsidies. In the next 20 years, 620,000 households are expected to lose their housing subsidies.

That is why I am presenting another petition, signed by 221 Quebeckers, Ontarians, and British Columbians, who are calling on the government to maintain the funding allocated under social housing agreements so that people do not have to choose between putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their heads.

Sisters in Spirit

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions. The first is from a number of Canadians who recognize the fact that the work done by the Native Women's Association of Canada, as part of the sisters in spirit campaign, identified 520 missing and murdered aboriginal women. Some cases went back as far as 1970.

This research has compelled Canadians to understand and petition the House of Commons to make efforts to end violence against aboriginal women by ensuring that NWAC receives sufficient funding to continue the important work of protecting women through sisters in spirit initiatives.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my second petition is from a number of Londoners. It comes because of a terrible tragedy in London, Ontario, some time ago. Petitioners want to draw the attention of the House to the fact that for many new Canadians, for people seeking to immigrate to Canada, there are delays, and it is very difficult. It puts stress on the family. Therefore, they call on the government to ensure that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is properly staffed in order to make decisions quickly and fairly, and that all officials consider the factors regarding an individual's application for status, including humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

The House resumed consideration of the motion that Bill C-2, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act, be read the second time and referred to a committee, and of the amendment.

Income Tax Act

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

There are three minutes left for questions and comments.

The hon. parliamentary secretary to the government House leader.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate individuals who take the time to present on important pieces of legislation. This is a very important piece of legislation because it would help put into place a major part of the Prime Minister's election platform, on which the Liberal Party campaigned very heavily. That was to put in place a tax increase on those who make in excess of $200,000 and to support the middle class by giving them a tax break. This is really important for Canada's middle class.

My question for the member is this. Would he not acknowledge that there is inequality in income distribution and that the bill would go some way in encouraging more equality in income from a government taxation perspective, and therefore it is a good thing for the middle class in Canada?

[Alex Nuttall, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly appreciate the parliamentary secretary trying to put words into our mouths over here. However, with all due respect, this bill exacerbates the issues. It gives tax breaks to those who are earning $190,000. Through the Speaker, I would say to the member that this is the Liberal government walking away from its election promise to help the middle class, because those who get the most out of this are in the top 10 percentile of income earners in this country.

Why did the government not help those in the middle class? Why is the government not focusing on those who earn less than $45,000? Why is the government removing room in the TFSA for Canadian seniors and for young people to be able to purchase their first homes?

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Red Deer—Lacombe, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to quickly ask my hon. colleague this. Most income earners, when they are starting out in their lives, are at their lowest point of income earnings, for example, under $45,000 if they are single, and they might not be able to save money. It does not make financial sense for them to put money into an RRSP as a tax deferral at that particular time.

Therefore, I would like to ask my colleague this. Does the tax-free savings account allow younger people or people starting out in their careers an opportunity to put money into an account where it is tax sheltered until they get into a high-income earning position where contributing to an RRSP makes more sense because they would get a bigger tax break at that tax bracket? I wonder if my hon. colleague could, through his financial experience, enlighten the Liberal Party across the way on how, if we empower people to look after themselves, it means fewer people the government has to look after.

[Alex Nuttall, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is absolutely correct, not just with respect to the flexibility that is given through the tax-free savings account for younger Canadians; but it is ideal to take advantage of it because, the older one gets, usually the greater one's salary—there is an increase in revenue earned—and that point in life is the best opportunity to take advantage of an RRSP. That is 100% correct.

I am not sure why our colleagues across the aisle do not realize this. However, if they do not realize it, I can certainly see where the coffers of the government are going in the future.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to share my time with the member for Malpeque.

It is with great pleasure that I rise in this House today to talk about real change for Canadians. The middle class has gone too long without a raise, and in challenging economic times, we have taken action to help them.

In the next budget and over the next decade, our government will be making historic investments into infrastructure and supporting families through the Canada child benefit, which would lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty, and benefit nine out of 10 Canadian families. Bill C-2 is just one of many concrete actions that our government is undertaking in order to help the middle class. We were elected on a plan to grow the economy and help the middle class, and that is exactly what we did in December when the Minister of Finance introduced Bill C-2 in this place.

We are looking at initiatives to help the largest number of Canadians succeed, and we have already begun by cutting taxes for the middle class. Families work hard to make ends meet, and they need a government that understands their reality. The tax cut for the middle class would benefit many in my riding. This is not only true for my riding but for all Canadians. About nine million Canadians would benefit from this measure in 2016. Single individuals who would benefit would see an average tax reduction of $330 every year, and couples who would benefit would see an average tax reduction of $540 every year. The maximum tax reduction would be $679 per individual and $1,358 per couple. That is real change—putting more money in the pockets of the families who need it most. When the middle class is strong and prosperous, we create jobs, spur investment, and create a country that works for all Canadians.

That is not all. We are asking Canadians who have been fortunate enough to succeed to contribute a little more. That is why we are going to create a new tax bracket for those who earn over $200,000 a year. The new rate will increase from 29% to 33%. It will affect 1% of Canadians, but benefit most Canadians.

Bill C-2 also reduces the annual contribution limit for tax-free savings accounts from $10,000 to $5,500 and reinstates indexation of the TFSA annual contribution limit for 2016 and subsequent taxation years.

My opposition colleagues will say that this measure prevents Canadians from saving. That is completely untrue. Only 6.7% of eligible Canadians were able to make the maximum contribution to a TFSA. Doubling the annual contribution limit does nothing for the 93.3% of Canadians who cannot max out their TFSA contributions at the existing limit of $5,500 a year. Obviously most Canadians do not have enough money to make the maximum contribution to their TFSA. In fact, in 2013, Canadians had $592 billion in unused contribution room.

Governing this country calls for a long-term vision. In April 2015—I was not a member of Parliament then, but I was very interested in what the previous government was doing—the former finance minister said that lost revenue due to the higher TFSA limit was a problem for the Prime Minister's grandchildren to deal with. That is not the right way to do things. That is why we brought the limit back down to $5,500 per year. We want to safeguard the future of the next generation.

I am proud to be part of a government that serves all Canadians. That is why we are focused on implementing concrete measures that will help everyone. That is why we want to implement measures to grow the economy. That is why, when we spend money, we will make sure that every dollar is invested wisely.

For example, in the 2016 budget, we will create a Canada child benefit that will help nine out of 10 Canadian families. For the typical family of four, that means an extra $2,500 in help, tax-free, every year. The new Canada child benefit will be tax-free and tied to income. It will also provide more help to those who need it most, such as single-parent and low-income families.

Thanks to our plan, 315,000 children will be lifted out of poverty. Those who do not need it will not receive the Canada child benefit. This measure will mean real change.

Passing Bill C-2 is an important step that will help strengthen the middle class by implementing a tax cut that will benefit millions of Canadians every year.

We are asking those who have been lucky enough to succeed to contribute a little more. We will lower the TFSA contribution limit because it is the right thing to do, especially for the next generation. Of course, we believe in this investment tool, but raising the limit does nothing for 93.3% of Canadians.

I am very proud to support this bill because I know that the people of my riding, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, will benefit a great deal from it. I encourage my colleagues across the aisle to think about the nine million Canadians who will benefit from this tax cut.

We did not close the door to TFSA holders. We simply set a reasonable limit that will allow their children and grandchildren to contribute to a TFSA and benefit from that tool. There are always limits in life. All we have done with TFSAs is set a reasonable limit.

I also urge my colleagues to take a look at the overall picture of what we are trying to accomplish and to take a look beyond Bill C-2.

We will reduce income tax for the middle class, and we will ask those who make $200,000 and more to contribute a little more. We will introduce a new Canada child benefit, which nine out of 10 families will benefit from.

Recognizing that we are in challenging economic times, we will invest in infrastructure. Of all the mayors that I have spoken to in Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, not one of them has told me that they have sufficient financial capacity to fulfill their infrastructure needs over the next 10 years. I know other mayors across Canada feel the same way.

Now, with the tax measures announced in Bill C-2 and the infrastructure plan that we will be announcing in the next budget, the overall plan to grow the economy makes sense for the middle class. The vision makes sense for our towns and our families. Bill C-2 is a pillar of that vision, and that is why I am supporting it.

I look forward to discussing any issues that I have raised in my speech with my colleagues in the House.

[Guy Lauzon, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to welcome my colleague and my neighbour from Glengarry—Prescott—Russell to the House. I am not sure if this is his maiden speech, but it was certainly a good speech, and I appreciate that. I welcome him, and I am sure that we will be doing much business together.

As members know, we have been debating Bill C-2 all day. We on this side have been looking for the definition of middle class. It seems like a rather simple question, and we have asked it a number of times to some of my colleagues on that side, but we have not really gotten an answer.

As a good neighbour and hopefully becoming a friend, maybe my colleague opposite could tell me exactly what his party means by “middle class”.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry is a good neighbour, and it seems like today is the day of neighbours. The member for Malpeque is my office neighbour here in Ottawa.

I thank the member for the middle class question. As he understands, it varies from city to city. The cost of living varies and so the impact is different from city to city.

However, what is important in my riding is the fact that nine out 10 families will benefit from this Canada child benefit. A lot of families in my riding will also benefit from the middle-class income tax cut.

I urge the member and all members across the aisle to support the measures of Bill C-2. For the life of me, I cannot understand how a Conservative member of Parliament can be against a tax cut.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my new colleague from Glengarry—Prescott—Russell. My question is similar and has to do with the definition of the middle class, which is very important. It is the focus for the new government.

Is someone who earns between $48,000 and $62,000 part of the middle class? I think so. Under the Liberals' plan, this person will receive just $50. However, someone who earns more than $200,000 a year will receive more than $800. Is this person part of the middle class? I have no clue. Perhaps so in the Liberals' world. However, in the rest of the world, the first example I gave is more representative of the middle class.

My question is simple. The Liberals have not given a definition of the middle class, but we have heard a lot of references to it and a lot of spin. Is this example fair for someone who earns that amount of money?

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

He mentioned the middle class, and I often hear the New Democratic Party talk about the middle class. I have yet to hear the NDP's definition of the middle class.

As he knows, the cost of living varies quite a bit from city to city. It costs much more to buy a home in Vancouver than here in Ottawa. I hope he understands that reality.