Debates of Oct. 3rd, 2022

Housing

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. I would like to remind him that he himself voted against this measure, which was in our most recent budget. I hope he will now be able to support initiatives like the one-time $500 top-up that I hope we will pass soon.

All the measures that were recently announced in the budget will be implemented soon. Thanks to the new national housing strategy that my colleague is very familiar with, we have invested almost $29 billion to help people and create more than 380,000 housing units across the country.

Persons with Disabilities

[Mike Morrice, Green, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to come back to the need to urgently move forward with the Canada disability benefit. For every day this is not funded, 1.5 million Canadians with disabilities will continue to live in legislated poverty. In my home province of Ontario, for example, the Ontario disability support program is a meagre $1,169. The shelter allowance is less than $500. It is not enough for a single apartment in Kitchener.

Many, of course, are disappointed that this is the same bill tabled back in June 2021, so more than anything else, this is about trust. The governing party needs to demonstrate it is serious about following through on the Canada disability benefit. This includes moving the legislation forward, Bill C-22, with openness to amendments that would improve it, as well as funding the benefit.

Tonight, I have five questions for the parliamentary secretary from the disability community.

The first is whether the governing party is going to demonstrate that Bill C-22 is a legislative priority. We had the first day of debate on this two weeks ago, and it is not projected to be back until we break at the end of this week. We know that every day delayed is another day that Canadians with disabilities live in legislated poverty. Every day matters, so I am hoping the parliamentary secretary will answer when he can commit to having Bill C-22 back for debate in this House.

Second, the minister said that negotiations with the provinces are an issue, so I wonder if the parliamentary secretary can share where the negotiations stand, what meetings have been had and what the sticking points are.

Third, the minister also shared that another slowdown, in her view, is the need to sort out eligibility, yet we know there are existing federal, provincial and territorial programs that the Canada disability benefit would supplement. The question is why this is taking so long. It has been over two years since it was promised in the 2020 Speech from the Throne, and we know that existing program eligibility lists can and should be used as a starting point. Also, the minister continually refers to “working age” Canadians with disabilities when we know that 10% of Canadians over the age of 65 with a disability are living in poverty. Is the intention not to include them as well?

Fourth, let us not gloss over the important need to fund the benefit. If done properly, this would be a significant investment, but as someone who has advocated often about the climate crisis in this place, I know the federal government has recently committed $8.6 billion to oil and gas companies for a new tax credit for carbon capture and storage. The fact is that budgets are about priorities, so the governing party has the opportunity to demonstrate that Canadians with disabilities are a priority. When will it commit to a timeline for funding the Canada disability benefit? Is it the fall economic statement, budget 2023 or something else?

Last, the minister has estimated that this could take 12 to 18 months. Those living with a disability will continue to live in poverty throughout this time. I am hearing from Canadians with disabilities who are applying for medical assistance in dying because they feel they have no other option since they cannot afford to live. The federal government is letting them down when we know from the pandemic that it is possible to move urgently when the moment calls for it. What is the federal government prepared to do to provide emergency funds in the short term?

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague and friend, the MP for Kitchener Centre, for his words this evening, his sense of urgency and his tireless advocacy on behalf of Canadians with disabilities.

As my colleague the hon. Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion has already said, we are not playing games. We are not playing games when our fellow citizens are facing poverty. We do not play games; we take action. That is exactly what we have been doing since forming government in 2015.

Our work began with the Accessible Canada Act, which led to the creation of Accessibility Standards Canada. Recently, the act also led to the appointment of Canada's first chief accessibility officer, as well as Canada's first accessibility commissioner to the Canadian Human Rights Commission. What is more, we launched the first-ever National AccessAbility Week in 2019.

When the pandemic hit, we provided a one-time payment of up to $600 to persons with disabilities, a payment that was expanded to include the 1.75 million Canadians who receive federal disability benefits. We are also providing income supports to students. We are making other investments to increase employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Allow me to mention that budget 2022 strengthened support for an employment strategy for persons with disabilities. It accomplishes this by providing more than $270 million for its implementation through the opportunities fund for persons with disabilities.

Of course, I would be remiss if I did not mention that we launched Canada's first poverty reduction strategy, which recognizes that, for many reasons, certain groups of Canadians are more vulnerable to poverty. Right now, we are working hard to create Canada's very first disability inclusion action plan. The cornerstone of that plan is the groundbreaking Canada disability benefit. Bill C-22 defines an approach that would establish the Canada disability benefit in legislation.

I understand very much that my hon. colleague would like Bill C-22 to move through the House quickly. I too want nothing more than to see Canadians with disabilities receive the new Canada disability benefit as quickly as possible. That is why, in the spirit of “nothing without us”, we have been working tirelessly alongside the disability community, as well as with the provinces and territories, to ensure that every person who receives the Canada disability benefit will be better off because of it.

It is true there is more work to do. I agree with my colleague that time is of the essence. As the hon. minister has said in the House, I encourage all of my colleagues to work together to pass Bill C-22. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to significantly reduce poverty for hundreds of thousands of working-age Canadians with disabilities. Let us not miss that opportunity.

We know persons with disabilities have waited a long time for this. That is why we are working as quickly and as efficiently as possible to deliver the historic Canada disability benefit. We are proud of this work.

[Mike Morrice, Green, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, respectfully, this is not my advocacy. In fact, it was the member for Port Moody—Coquitlam who put forward a unanimous consent motion in the House calling on the governing party to move more quickly on the Canada disability benefit. Therefore, I will reiterate the five questions I shared, in the hope of getting an answer to at least one of them. I have not heard an answer to any of the five yet.

First, when can the parliamentary secretary commit to Bill C-22 being back on the floor of the House?

Second, where do the negotiations stand with provincial and territorial partners?

Third, why not use existing lists from existing disability support programs?

Fourth, when will the government commit to ensuring the benefit is funded?

Fifth, what will the government do in the short term to provide emergency supports for those who need it most?

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Madam Speaker, we know we need to address the long-standing financial insecurity that is the lived reality of far too many working age Canadians with disabilities. With Bill C-22, we are clearly demonstrating our commitment to lifting persons with disabilities out of poverty. As we wait for the bill to be passed, we are working diligently with all our partners to lay the groundwork for the next steps.

We will continue building on the success of the past years, such as the Accessible Canada Act and the poverty reduction strategy. We are already working with our partners to iron out all the details so that Bill C-22 can move quickly through the House.

Taxation

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Madam Speaker, I asked on May 20 whether the finance minister would keep her promise to support the long-term interests of wineries and cideries, especially smaller businesses like the cideries in my riding of Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, or just continue to tax them into bankruptcy. I want to thank the finance minister for listening to those of us in opposition, especially those in the Conservative Party, the Bloc Québécois and even, I believe, the NDP, who were calling for an exemption so that Canadian wineries and cideries using Canadian honey or apples could be exempt from the excise duty.

That being said, I would like to remind the Liberal government of the following facts.

Canada has thousands of high-quality wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries. Over 95% of these producers are small businesses, many of which have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the inflation crisis, payroll tax increases, labour shortages and the ongoing supply chain issues. Small businesses have taken on an average of almost $170,000 in new pandemic-related debt over the last couple of years.

The cost of living continues to increase faster than prevailing wages. Agriculture producers are already facing serious supply chain disruptions, and the hospitality sector was one of the hardest hit during the pandemic. These continued Liberal increases in the excise tax on alcohol will hurt the entire industry, from growers to producers to restaurants to consumers. Furthermore, as a consequence of 40-year record inflation, the tax increase will be higher than ever due to it being tied to the consumer price index.

Canada’s excise duty regime is already uncompetitive compared with those of peer countries, and the escalator makes it worse. Now is not the time to make doing business more expensive via another tax increase.

Tonight, will the finance minister commit to supporting Bill C-266, which would repeal or amend the annual adjustments to the duties on beer, malt, liquor, spirits and wine, or at least freeze the escalator tax and stop the annual increase?

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound for his focus on Canada's world-class wine industry. From British Columbia to Ontario to Atlantic Canada, hundreds of wineries and cideries continue to drive our economy, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and providing billions of dollars in economic benefit.

Wine country tourism attracts more than four million tourists a year and contributes over $1.5 billion to the economy. Over the past five years alone, employment in the industry has grown by 70%, to about 8,500 jobs. Wine sales have almost doubled, to over $2 billion, and sales of Canadian alcoholic ciders have increased over 80%, to more than $240 million.

We have worked hand in hand with the industry to create a program that would help it remain competitive. In June, our Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food announced a two-year program of up to $160 million. It is a wine sector support program. The program is now up and running and is providing wineries with the tools they need to stay innovative and competitive and to capitalize on new opportunities.

All licensed wineries in Canada that produce or contract out the production of bulk wine from primary agricultural products, such as grapes, berries, other fruits, dandelions, rice and sap, are eligible for support under the program. For example, a grape winery that produced 100,000 litres of wine in the past year may be eligible to receive about $80,000 through the program.

Canada's wine industry is robust and largely rural-based. The industry faces various challenges impacting its competitiveness, such as climate change, geography and labour costs. Support from this new program will enable the wine industry's businesses to become more resilient and will provide economic stability within the industry.

The program is intended to support Canadian wineries as they adapt to ongoing and emerging challenges over the short term. The bottom line is that we stand firmly in favour of supporting this industry in its growth, economic development and ability to export. To quote Kelly Brown, chair of Wine Growers Canada, “Thanks to the leadership of the Government of Canada, Canada's wine industry is ready to grow back better.”

I want to thank the four wineries back home that make great wine. I am sure my hon. colleague and I could compete over who has the best wine.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Madam Speaker, to push back, I am not going to argue with the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food about who has the best wine. I have more orchards and cideries, even though I do have a couple wineries in my riding.

I am a little disappointed because the parliamentary secretary did not answer my two simple questions: Will the government commit to supporting Bill C-266 that will repeal or amend the annual adjustments to the duty on beer, malt liquor, spirits and wine, or at least freeze the escalator tax and stop these annual increases?

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

Madam Speaker, there are various ways we can support the wine industry. As I outlined in my speech, we provided $160 million, but we are always open to new ideas. I know my hon. colleague is going to be waiting for the government response on the bill he just mentioned.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The motion that the House do now adjourn is deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 7:07 p.m.)