Monte Solberg

[Post-Secondary Education, October 31st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, it takes a lot of guts to get up and chide us on post-secondary education when it was the hon. member's government that cut $25 billion out of the Canada social transfer. That was devastating to universities in this country.

The fact is we have increased funding for post-secondary education by 40% in the last budget, and today we spend more on training in this country than any federal government in history.

[Seasonal Workers, October 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her important question. Actually, this government did commit to improving the governance and management of the employment insurance account.

We have also announced in the budget $3 billion in transfers to the provinces so that they can provide more training for people who have never been in the workforce. We have also put in the targeted initiative for older workers. We have reduced premiums. We have improved benefits.

No government in history has spent more on providing training to unemployed workers than this government is spending. I am very proud of that.

[Child Care, October 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the fact that this government is delivering directly to parents and child care providers and to the provinces three times as much in support of child care than the previous government. We are creating thousands of spaces.

One thing we will never do is take away the universal child care benefit like the leader of the Liberal Party has said he would do. To me that speaks volumes about his lack of faith in the ability of parents to raise their own children.

[Business of Supply, October 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, one of the best ways to tackle the prosperity gap is to ensure that people have good skills. I point out that in a world when labour shortages are not only looming but are actually here. We find that in many sectors wages are rising and rising very dramatically. The key is to ensure that people who do not have adequate training or whose skills are no longer relevant get the training.

That is why we have invested as heavily as we have. We see that as being a key to growth. It is not just training. It is also post-secondary education and I have touched on the large investments we have made there.

With respect to the issue of child care, I point out to my friend that we have a different view of it. We ran in the election on a particular platform that included providing choice to parents for child care and we were elected on that platform. We have implemented the universal child care benefit, which will benefit almost two million children in the current year.

I note that the leader of the Liberal Party says he would take that away. He does not seem to believe that parents should get that funding and that speaks volumes about his own lack of faith in the ability of parents to raise their children. Therefore, I think the member has some answering to do to explain why the Liberal Party feels that way.

I also want to point out that it was the deputy leader of the Liberal Party, Sheila Copps, who said not long ago that the previous government did not create any spaces with its plan. I note that since we made our investment of $250 million, bringing the total benefit to the provinces every year to $1.1 billion, the provinces have announced the creation of thousands and thousands of new spaces. We are happy to work cooperatively with them to produce those kinds of results.

[Business of Supply, October 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, that is a very important question. I know that many members in this House come from communities where there has been change in labour markets. Sometimes single industry communities find themselves really devastated when the local mill or the local mine closes down.

This is why we have put in place the targeted initiative for older workers. It is a program that is designed to really reach out to older workers and ensure they get the support they need, so they can move into other sectors of the economy. In fact, the program has been very successful in helping thousands of older workers do exactly that.

We have also put in place an expert panel on older workers. We are examining some of the issues that older workers face when there is the prospect of retraining to go to another job. I am looking forward to that report. We expect it in the next number of months.

We have also, as I mentioned before, put this new initiative in place, these new training programs with the provinces. The $3 billion will provide support to older workers and all workers who need that kind of help.

[Business of Supply, October 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question from my friend from Trinity—Spadina. She has raised this with me before.

Let me answer by saying that I am open to all ideas. One of my great preoccupations today is finding ways to ensure that we do have the best educated, the most skilled, and the most flexible workforce in the world, which is why we have invested so heavily in new training initiatives.

I think it is fair to say that the new labour market agreements that we announced in the budget and are now negotiating with the provinces can and will be used to help young people get into the workforce and receive the kind of training that the member mentions.

As I said at the outset, we are open to those ideas. I would be happy to discuss them with her a little bit more.

[Business of Supply, October 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, the Minister of Finance introduced an accelerated capital cost allowance that is designed to help manufacturers with the cost of equipment and buildings. This is a very popular program.

In addition to that, we are investing, as I have already pointed out, more money in training than any government in the history of this country. That is extraordinarily helpful to people in the manufacturing sector, because despite the fact that there are layoffs today in that sector, there are also great skills shortages in that sector. That training will be extraordinarily helpful in terms of helping manufacturers get the people they need to remain competitive.

In addition, we have also outlined a suite of tax measures that we have already started to undertake and will undertake in the future. The fact is that today we are seeing some of the most optimistic labour markets we have seen in the history of the country, I would argue, because this government is showing real leadership on the economic front under the leadership of the Minister of Finance.

[Business of Supply, October 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak today on this important motion brought forward by the hon. member for Markham—Unionville.

I am very pleased that the Liberal Party has recently begun to show an interest in these issues. In bringing forward this motion, the Liberals' new-found interest allows me the opportunity to discuss this government's record, a record I will gladly compare to the previous government's any day.

It is the goal of this government to foster a workforce comprised of the most highly educated and highly skilled people on the planet. Continued success in the 21st century requires nothing less.

The efforts of this government will help to ensure that Canada maintains and expands its competitive edge in a global economy, but despite our great track record, we need to prepare for a world in which the economic prosperity of a country will increasingly depend on the skills and talents of its workforce.

We must continue to encourage and promote post-secondary education and skills training so Canadians can get the best jobs, earn the best living and give their children the best future.

We must also recognize the skills and talent of new Canadians and ensure that they can be put to good use in their new home. For too long, their talents have been wasted. This government will not let that continue. It is their futures that will determine the future of Canada.

I do not have to tell members that our economy is booming. Our unemployment rate, at 5.9%, is the lowest it has been in 33 years. Half a million jobs have been created in the past two years alone. Almost 80% of working age Canadians are in the labour force today, a record level.

The Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister have created the winning conditions so that more jobs, better wages and a brighter future can be enjoyed by everyone in our great country.

There is more good news. Over the next 10 years, we are expecting about 5.5 million job openings, and 1.7 million of those will be new jobs. A staggering 3.8 million jobs will open up as people retire from their existing careers.

The great economic challenge of yesterday was how to support Canadians in a time when workers outnumbered positions.

At the time, people were desperately looking for jobs.

Now employers are desperately looking for people with the right skills to fill those jobs. This is our challenge and it is a challenge the government is meeting head-on.

Business wrestles with these problems every day. Employers have looked to foreign workers with specialized skills as the immediate answer to this challenge. This is why, after 13 years of broken Liberal promises, this government has acted to improve the temporary foreign worker program and has instituted the foreign credential recognition secretariat so that finally the talents of new Canadians and foreign workers can be fully realized.

In fact, demand in the improved temporary foreign worker program has skyrocketed. In Alberta alone, the number of employer requests has increased by 200% over the same six month period last year.

While international talent can help us address our immediate concerns, the long term solutions to our labour market challenges are not only outside of our borders.

It is right here in our own backyard.

We need to tap into the human resource potential that the country has to offer but is currently not being used to its fullest extent. This government has acted to give Canadians already in the workforce new skills so that they can succeed in a new economy.

We have instituted the targeted initiative for older workers to help workers in sectors such as forestry who have been affected by downsizing. We have announced $500 million to provide additional training and employment supports for low-skilled workers and the unemployed who are not eligible for other forms of assistance. No government in history has invested more in training than this one.

A widely shared opinion is that the greatest competitive advantage a country can have today is an abundance of well educated people with relevant skills. I would go so far as to say that for every problem we have as a country today, the solutions begin with lots and lots of smart people.

Our government has a long term vision for our continued prosperity. A robust and vibrant post-secondary education system is a key component of our vision.

Advantage Canada is our long-term strategic plan for the economy.

It is designed to keep Canada at the forefront in the global economy. It focuses on creating five Canadian advantages that will help us improve our quality of life and succeed on the world stage: a tax advantage, a fiscal advantage, an entrepreneurial advantage, an infrastructure advantage, and the fifth, which is the one that is most relevant to my portfolio, a knowledge advantage. This will create the best educated, most skilled and most flexible workforce in the world.

Given the importance of learning, creativity, innovation and skills in today's global economy, we cannot settle for anything less than first place in the knowledge based economy. Creating a knowledge advantage means that Canadian businesses, federal and provincial governments and educational organizations must all take action to achieve and deliver excellence so that Canada will succeed.

Access to post-secondary institutions and state of the art skills training is a critical pillar of our strategy to build jobs and prosperity for the future, where the previous government did not get the job done.

Our government has already begun to fulfill that commitment.

We have invested over $8.4 billion this fiscal year to support post-secondary education through transfers, direct spending and tax measures.

Where the Liberals cut, we have invested. Apparently they thought education was part of the problem. We see it as part of the solution. They cut more than $25 billion to the provinces for these priorities under the previous government. That is their record.

Starting next year, our government will invest an additional $800 million more per year for post-secondary education through direct transfers. That is a 40% increase in a single year.

We are providing $1 billion to provincial and territorial governments through the infrastructure trust fund for direct investments in post-secondary infrastructure and equipment to rebuild and renovate our campuses.

Under the previous government's watch, tuitions skyrocketed, attendance stagnated and infrastructure crumbled, yet there the hon. member and his party stand today, claiming to be the saviours of post-secondary education. Canadians know the truth.

As a society we need to find ways to see whether these significant investments are generating results for Canadians. Are we making progress in helping Canadians build the skills and competencies that employers will need and that will allow them not only to compete but prosper with the best in the world?

We are doing more than just investing money.

This government has provided tax measures to help students with the cost of textbooks. We have exempted scholarships and bursaries from income tax. These accomplishments will make it easier for students to pay for their education and will reward the hard work and excellence of our best and brightest.

Budget 2007 went even further. We committed $35 million over two years to expand the Canada graduate scholarships programs. This new money will give more young Canadians the chance to continue on to graduate level studies.

These funds will help 1,000 more students every year.

In addition, this government is making sure that more students are eligible under the Canada student loans programs. This government recognizes that not all parents are able to contribute to the cost of their children's education. The ability to pay cannot be a barrier to access if we are to succeed in the future.

This is why our government has cut the amount that parents are expected to contribute to their child's education. Now, more students will get the financial support to pay their own way and succeed in a new economy.

We have also made major improvements to the registered education savings plan by eliminating the annual contribution limit and increasing the lifetime contribution limit. These changes will make it easier for parents to save for their children's future.

We have also pledged to modernize and simplify the administration and delivery of student financial assistance, in part to make the system more user friendly and to make sure it meets the needs of Canadians who want to get a post-secondary education.

As the House knows, we recently held online consultations about the Canada student loan review.

The results of the review will be released in the 2008 budget.

We are also working to ensure that Canadians who face barriers to getting the skills and education they want can have access to post-secondary education.

We know that international students have a lot to contribute to Canada.

They enrich campus and community life with new ideas and new cultures, and they are an important pool of potential future skilled workers that Canadian businesses need to stay competitive.

People with disabilities also face barriers to getting the skills and education they want and deserve. In fact, statistics show that among adult Canadians with disabilities in 2001, only 29% received some form of post-secondary education. That is simply unacceptable.

Today, our economic circumstances are providing us with a unique opportunity and a responsibility to improve that statistic. Governments, businesses and post-secondary institutions have an opportunity to help in ways that really make a difference in the lives of each individual.

As a country we have a responsibility to do everything we can to succeed. For example, our government has invested $223 million to support programs delivered by the provinces and territories that help people with disabilities find and keep meaningful employment.

During the 13 years of Liberal rule, the total percentage of aboriginal Canadians with any kind of post-secondary education was only about 38%, a full 15% below the population as a whole. This disparity is reflected in the overall unemployment rate of aboriginals across the country, which stands at 19%, compared to the national rate of 5.9%. This government must and will do better.

In fact, we have already begun to act. Budget 2007 committed to more than doubling the size of the aboriginal skills and employment partnership program over five years, a program that really has produced results.

A university education is not right for everyone, nor will it answer all of our labour market needs going forward. The right people will find great success in the skilled trades, trades which are facing increased shortages across the country. An apprenticeship program is key to giving these people the tools they need to succeed.

That is why this government launched the apprenticeship incentive grant. Now, up to 100,000 apprentices can receive grants to help cover the cost of tuition, travel and tools in the first two years of this red seal trade program. This is real action and it is already getting real results.

This is our record. It is in stark contrast to the record of the former Liberal government. Like they have on so many other issues, the Liberals claim to stand up for students, for new Canadians, for education and for skills training, but their record is one of cuts and inaction.

Learning is essential for Canadians to acquire the skills they need to face today's labour market.

Quality skilled labour is vital to ensuring Canada's competitive advantage.

As we heard in the Speech from the Throne last week, Canada shines as an example of what a people joined in a common purpose can achieve. With the help of this government, our star will shine even brighter. Our greatest strength lies in our energy and determination to move forward and build a better future for all Canadians. We must work to produce even more skilled, innovative and highly educated citizens who can compete with the best in the world. Unlike the previous Liberal government, we will get the job done.

[Social Housing, October 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, we believe that people should have a roof over their head. We are concerned about this, which is why we put $1.4 billion into providing thousands of homes for people in this country. We provide $1.8 billion a year for social housing. The affordable housing initiative continues to create thousands of homes for Canadians. The homelessness partnering strategy is there to prevent homelessness.

I have to point out that it was the leader of the Liberal Party who admitted, not awfully long ago, that it was his party that downloaded a lot of the funding for housing to the provinces back in the 1990s.

[Poverty, October 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, we are concerned obviously about the issue of poverty. Under the leadership of the finance minister, the economy is creating thousands and thousands of jobs. We are lifting people out of poverty. We have also put in place a number of initiatives: the universal child care benefit, the working income tax benefit, many initiatives to help the disabled and seniors, billions of dollars for housing, and more money than any government in history to provide people with training so they can get good jobs.

As the throne speech said, we are committed to investing resources to helping those seeking to break free from the cycles of homelessness and poverty, and we thank the Liberals for giving us the mandate to do exactly that.