Madam Speaker, to say that I am disappointed in the Conservatives is an understatement. I really cannot believe the destructive path they want to continue on. I thought things would have changed since the last election, and for a little while they did, when the former leader of the Conservative Party, who then represented Carleton, was defeated. He was not in the House as a direct result and I do not believe we had any concurrence motions. In fact, we actually had progress on substantial pieces of legislation.
Then we had the leader of the Conservative Party's return to Parliament and what has happened? It has gone back to the old days. We are seeing from the Conservatives today what we witnessed from them this time last year. Nothing has changed with them. Seriously, one would think they would have learned something.
Conservatives want to talk about youth unemployment. The first thing that came to mind was the year they alluded to, which was 2010. What happened in 2009? We saw probably one of the highest youth unemployment rates that Canada has seen in the last 25 or 30 years. Who was the prime minister back then? Of course, it was Stephen Harper, and the leader of the Conservative Party was one of the individuals who sat around the Conservative caucus. What was the difference in the arguments they were using back then compared what they are saying today? Back then, in 2009, when we had that high youth unemployment rate, they no doubt tried to defend it the best way they could. I remember in 2011, I believe it was, or maybe 2010, when we were sitting in opposition, talking about young people not being able to leave their homes because of Conservative mismanagement of the economy. Was it any wonder back then?
The most devastating time period for Ontario's manufacturing industry was when Stephen Harper was in government, when the leader of the Conservative Party sat in the Conservative majority and minority governments that devastated Ontario's manufacturing industry. There was higher youth unemployment back in 2009 than we have witnessed in the last decade.
I noticed that a couple of the Conservatives are likely doing a Google search to make sure that my number was right. I am sure they will stand up and let me know if it was wrong.
I can say this. Members should listen to what Conservatives are arguing today. I did not know; I thank my colleague from Trois-Rivières, who told me what had taken place at committee. It is part of their leader's desire to make the immigrant community the bad guys. They are targeting immigration and trying to give a false impression that the national government is the one to blame when in fact it is a whole lot more complicated than that. We set the number for permanent residents. If only the Conservatives truly understood.
Let us talk about Ontario. What took place in Ontario was an explosion of private post-secondary facilities and a massive recruitment of international students. That was being driven at the provincial level through post-secondary facilities. The colleges and the provinces did not have any problem whatsoever collecting the double tuition fees being charged for international students. Many international students were in fact exploited and given false commitments with respect to what would eventually happen with their applications and coming to Canada.
It is a much more difficult situation than the Conservatives try to portray. To say that Ottawa is totally to blame here is false. We have to factor in such things as funding to post-secondary institutions, recruitment measures that were taken by post-secondary institutions and the way in which international students were brought into Canada over the last number of years. Yes, there are things that Ottawa could have done. We have recognized, under a new Prime Minister, a commitment to stabilizing the immigration file.
I raise this issue only because I do not like what I am hearing from Conservative Party members and their far-right, anti-immigrant views that they want to express in order to generate support. That is something we have been witnessing more and more from the Conservative Party.
If someone wants to be genuine, to talk and contribute to a healthier debate in regard to youth unemployment, or unemployment in general, we have a perfect opportunity. We are actually going to be debating Bill C-4 this afternoon. Bill C-4 deals specifically, in part, with aspects of supporting young people here in Canada, increasing their disposable income. Bill C-4 will give a tax break if the Conservative Party of Canada will allow it to pass. It will give a tax break to 22 million Canadians. In the minds of the Conservatives, they might see that as imaginary. I can tell members opposite it is a real, tangible tax break that will put millions and millions into the pockets of Canadians in every region of the nation, including young Canadians. The Conservative Party has been filibustering the bill.
It also provides a tax break for first-time homebuyers. Who do colleagues think will get the primary attention in terms of a tax break on the GST? There will be no GST for first-time homebuyers on new homes. Who is going to be the biggest benefactor of that? I would ultimately argue it will be young people. That piece of legislation is something I would be very much interested in hearing from members of the Conservative Party. What is their position on it? We are seeing it today, in part. Tomorrow is budget day, and then there is going to be debate on the budget.
We need to deal with important issues like the tax breaks for 22 million Canadians and first-time homebuyers, not to mention putting into law the disposal of the carbon tax. Here, again, the biggest benefactors would be young people. Instead of debating the legislation and, heaven forbid, maybe even allowing it to pass, they chose not to allow that debate. Can colleagues imagine the Conservatives not filibustering and actually allowing an important piece of legislation such as this to pass? If they would do that, they would actually be helping young Canadians.
Last week they brought in another concurrence report. Every time they bring in a concurrence report, they say it is a super-duper important issue, and it has to be concurred in on the floor of the House. I agree that youth unemployment is a serious issue. We have a Prime Minister, a cabinet and a Liberal caucus that are committed to working for young people.
We will continue to look at ways to help young people, but of all the evidence that I have seen on the floor of the House of Commons, I have yet to see something positive coming from the Conservatives with respect to supporting our young people. We can highlight the contrast between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party on the national school food program.