Debates of June 1st, 2016

Veterans Affairs

[Christine Moore, NDP, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised to treat our veterans with respect. However, today we learned that only high-ranking veterans will really be able to take advantage of the benefit increases promised in the budget for veterans who are unable to work because of injuries. It makes no sense. The government's plan even goes so far as to demote veterans.

Does the government realize that one of the worst possible insults in the military community is to be demoted? When will the minister fix this?

[Kent Hehr, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, in budget 2016 we fulfilled our mandate commitment to increase earnings loss benefit to 90% of a veteran's pre-release salary, up from 75%. We committed $5.6 billion in financial security to veterans in budget 2016. No veteran will receive less as a result of these changes, and I am looking forward to many, many more veterans having more money in their pocket to build their lives.

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

Mr. Speaker, when Liberals promised an increase in benefits for permanently injured veterans, they failed to mention that their plan would benefit higher ranking officials the most—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

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

Mr. Speaker, may I start again?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I am not sure what the problem was. There seems to be some reaction to something.

The hon. member for London—Fanshawe has the floor. I ask her to put her question.

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

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals promised an increase in benefits for permanently injured veterans, they failed to mention that their plan would benefit higher ranking officials the most, while rank-and-file veterans would see minimal increases. New Democrats believe that veterans, all veterans regardless of rank, deserve to be treated with dignity. The government is humiliating veterans. Why are the Liberals leaving behind those with the least? Why are they treating our nation's most vulnerable veterans so disgracefully?

[Kent Hehr, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we committed to treating veterans with care, compassion, respect, and delivering on financial services. We did that in budget 2016. I would ask the member to go back to my mandate letter, which said that we would raise veterans earnings loss benefit to 90% of their pre-release salary. That is exactly what we did, delivering $5.6 billion in financial security to veterans and their families.

Ministerial Expenses

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals had a March madness to remember: $27 towel bars, TVs for everyone, and a $2,500 desk for the defence minister. But the leader of the spending pack is the infrastructure minister. He racked up a whopping $835,000 for his shiny new office, including an amazing $243,000 on furniture alone. At a time when Albertans are struggling to find work, why does this Edmonton minister think it is appropriate to spend almost $1 million on sky palace 2.0?

[Amarjeet Sohi, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, prior to this government taking charge, we did not have a solely dedicated ministry for infrastructure. We did not have a solely dedicated deputy minister for infrastructure. We did not have any staff to support the minister and the deputy minister. The expenditures that the hon. member is talking about are to provide support staff, office space, minister's office space, and the DM's office space. We have followed the guidelines from the Treasury Board, and we are here to create efficiencies—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Red Deer—Lacombe.

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

Mr. Speaker, we had a great minister of infrastructure. Now we know what a poor minister of infrastructure looks like.

We know Liberals like to help themselves to taxpayers' money and the facts are clear. The minister, obviously entitled to his entitlements, decided to spend nearly a million dollars on his shiny new digs, but $250,000 on couches and TVs?

Why is the only infrastructure money spent in Canada so far spent on posh offices for Liberal ministers?

[Amarjeet Sohi, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, the expenditures the member is referring to are to provide office space for the minister, for the DM, as well as for the staff members to support the minister and the DM.

We are focused on delivering on the commitments that we made to Canadians. That is why we are consolidating on one floor the entire ministry: to create efficiencies and live up to the expectations of Canadians in order to deliver on our commitments for infrastructure.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities has a mandate. That mandate is supposed to involve investment in public transit, green infrastructure, and social infrastructure like affordable housing. His objective should be to encourage economic growth.

Could the minister explain how spending $250,000 on furniture for himself achieves that mandate? Does the minister truly believe that this is a good use of taxpayers' dollars?

[Amarjeet Sohi, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, we are proud that we have committed to invest $120 billion to support public transit, to support investment in affordable housing, to support investment in cultural and recreational facilities, to make our infrastructure more resilient to climate change.

Unlike the previous government, we are delivering on those commitments right away, instead of waiting for two years and missing two construction seasons and leaving Canadian communities behind.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, let us go back to the real issue. The minister can try to explain his lavish spending all he wants, but the point is he spent 250,000 taxpayers' dollars on couches and coffee machines.

This side of the House knows that his spending does nothing for Canadians. When will the minister admit that the only infrastructure plan he has is to beautify his own office?

[Amarjeet Sohi, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, I answered the question on expenditures, and I do not know which part of my answer the hon. member does not understand.

This is a stand-alone ministry that did not exist before. We did not have a dedicated DM. We did not have a dedicated minister to deliver the commitments that we made to Canadians.

In the past, the previous government wasted two construction seasons not making a single investment in communities. We want to do things differently. That is why we are delivering on the commitments we made to Canadians.

Small Business

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, after all three parties agreed during the campaign, small business owners were counting on legislated tax cuts to help grow their businesses and create jobs in our communities.

The Liberals broke their word, and their omnibus bill gets rid of this important help for small businesses. Just yesterday, Liberals voted down NDP amendments to fix the bill.

Why did the Liberals vote against their own election promise, and why did they vote down relief for Canada's best job creators?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Minister of Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, small businesses are the backbone of the economy. They are our job creators. For small business owners to succeed, they need a robust economy. They want increased revenue.

Our middle-class tax cuts put money in the pockets of Canadians who need it most. Middle-class Canadians are also our customers. They buy the products and services that our small businesses provide.

Money in the pockets of Canadians is good for the economy. It is good for growing the economy, and we will grow this economy as we promised Canadians.

Democratic Reform

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

Mr. Speaker, for months Liberals have been asking for ideas about how best to change our democracy, yet every time I, my friend from Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, and New Democrats have offered solutions, the Liberals have rejected them.

Canadians are growing concerned and expect that when Parliament passes any new voting system, it must have the support of other parties in this place.

Today, will the minister take a first and important step and agree to change the Liberal-dominated committee to one that is fair to all members of Parliament and the millions of Canadians we represent?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Democratic Institutions]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his work on this file and for proposing the motion for us to talk about tomorrow.

I welcome all members of this House to engage in this conversation. I know there is a lot of passion in this House. I know there are a lot of good ideas in this House. I look forward to receiving all of them beginning tomorrow.

Dairy Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, today is World Milk Day, so it is important to point out that supply management helps sustain the dairy industry in Canada. That industry comprises 12,000 farms and families, employs over 200,000 Canadians, and contributes some $20 billion to our economy. Given that some people, including certain candidates to the leadership of the Conservative Party, want to eliminate supply management, can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food inform the House of our government's position?

[Jean-Claude Poissant, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, as a former dairy farmer myself, I would like to wish all farmers a happy World Milk Day. Unlike the opposition members, our government supports supply management and our dairy industry. We think it is appalling that the members opposite want to eliminate supply management, which is a model of stability that supports our farmers, their families, and rural communities. Our party fought to set up supply management and we will continue to defend it against anyone who wants—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I would ask the hon. member for Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis to exercise restraint. The hon. member for Lakeland has the floor.

Ministerial Expenses

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, while Albertans are reeling from job losses and devastating forest fires, the finance minister is charging taxpayers $4,000 per flight for his staff to see New York. Economy flights to New York are $600. Even business class is $1,200.

Canadians control their spending. The government should control its spending, too. How did the finance minister manage to spend $4,000 a person to go on a lavish trip to New York?