Monte Solberg

[Poverty, November 26th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, this is a serious problem and the member is obliged to stick to the facts.

The truth is, in the last 22 months, 652,000 jobs have been created in this country. We have seen a wage increase of 4.1% as of October. Wages are rising.

That said, we have to do more. That is why we are investing in training to the degree that we are. Today I signed another agreement to provide training for Inuit in this country. These are important initiatives because they not only give people a job, they give people some hope, which they need.

[Poverty, November 26th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, this is a very serious issue and it deserves to be dealt with on the basis of facts.

As Statistics Canada reveals, over the last number of years instances of poverty have actually decreased. That is good news. We need to make sure that we take advantage of that by training people to get into the labour market. We are investing today more money than any government in history in training, in affordable housing, and in child care.

Some people propose raising the GST. It is not an answer to tax people living in poverty.

[Human Resources and Social Development, November 22nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, this government has improved the Canada pension plan and veterans' disability plans.

Thanks to the leadership of the finance minister, we have also brought in a registered disability savings plan. We have moved forward with an enabling accessibility fund and today I announced an extension of the labour market agreement for persons with disabilities in the amount of $223 million.

We will soon bring forward a Canadians with disabilities act, all directed toward knocking down barriers, so that disabled Canadians can fully participate in the mainstream of Canadian life.

[Manufacturing Industry, November 22nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I hate to provide facts that completely contradict what the member says but I will do it. Eighty-two per cent of women who are working full time today are eligible for benefits.

This government takes a completely different view than the NDP, and everyone should be glad for that. We think that the best pathway forward for people to get out of poverty is a good job. That is happening in increasing numbers because this government has invested in training like no other government in the history of this country. That is great news.

[Manufacturing Industry, November 22nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the government has moved to reduce premiums and improve benefits.

However, I must tell the member that her facts are simply wrong. Eighty-two per cent of women today working full time are eligible to qualify for employment insurance benefits, 97% for special benefits and 65% for part time benefits.

The member is simply wrong, but she should rejoice in the very good news that Canadians today are working at a level that they have never worked at in the history of this country. That is tremendous news.

[Employment Insurance, November 22nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the member should be careful about believing everything she reads. The fact is that 82% of women in the workforce today working full time can claim EI benefits, 97% can claim special benefits and 65% who are working part time can claim benefits, a far bigger number than for men.

The good news for men and women is that more of them are working today than at any point in our history. That is tremendous news.

[Guaranteed Income Supplement, November 22nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, that is completely disingenuous. The government has moved to make sure that seniors get more support than they have ever received.

We have put in place a secretary of state for seniors, who has done an outstanding job of touring this country hearing from seniors and representing their point of view at the cabinet table. We have a national panel on seniors' issues. We have moved to put in place additional funding to combat elder abuse. We have lowered taxes so that 385,000 low income Canadians, many of them seniors, no longer have to pay federal income tax.

We are standing up for seniors, while all the Bloc can do is talk.

[Guaranteed Income Supplement, November 22nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the government is fulfilling its campaign commitments on this matter. We promised to strengthen the guaranteed income supplement, old age security and the Canada pension plan, which is exactly what we are doing.

In fact, the government moved, in Bill C-36, to strengthen Canada pension plan disability benefits and in that same bill made it possible for people who have filed for the GIS to never have to reapply again because it will automatically occur when they file income tax.

We are getting the job done for Canadian seniors around this country.

[Social Housing, November 22nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I will overlook that terrible insult.

The fact is that if this were an NDP list we would be running a deficit of $10 billion. The fact is that under this government more people are working than have ever worked in the history of the country, precisely because the finance minister has created an environment where people around the country are at work, wages are rising, more people can afford homes, and poverty is going down.

We are doing things for the people of this country, thanks to the leadership of the finance minister and the Prime Minister.

[Social Housing, November 22nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I am shocked that the leader of the NDP is not aware that the government moved immediately upon coming to office to put $1.4 billion into a housing trust, on top of $1 billion to the affordable housing initiative, $1.8 billion a year on social housing, $270 million a year on the homelessness partnering strategy, $256 million on the residential rehabilitation program, and $300 million for a market housing plan on reserve. That is more money than any government in history.