Jane Stewart

[Parental Leave, June 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, can it be wrong for us to recognize that we can do a better job supporting families with children in the workplace-family relationship? Is it wrong for us to build on a 30 year tradition that is and has been supporting Canadian families right across the country? Is it wrong for us to improve our benefits this year for all Canadians? I do not think that is wrong. I think it is the right thing to do. I also think it is right to encourage the provinces should they wish to add to that benefit base to do so.

[Parental Leave, June 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, this is not our approach at all. What we know to be true is that there are very clear difficulties between the workplace and family balance. For us it is important to have our new program in place this year for all Canadians, including those living in Quebec. From our point of view, if the Government of Quebec wants to add to those benefits, we applaud it.

[Parental Leave, June 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, it is very important for us to have our new process in place this year.

With our program, Quebecers will not have to make any additional contributions in order to draw these benefits, and low income families will receive 80% of their insurable earnings.

As I have said, and say again, the Government of Quebec is welcome to improve the Canadian government's program if it so desires.

[Parental Leave, June 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, starting this year, the Government of Canada has made a commitment to double the length of parental leave available to all Canadians.

If the Government of Quebec wants to add to this good news and improve the Canadian government's program, we applaud them for it.

[Human Resources Development, June 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, again the hon. member gives me the opportunity to remind the House and Canadians that $1 billion is not missing. In fact, $1 billion has been invested in communities right across the country to help Canadians in need.

What is very interesting here is time and again members of that party opposite focus on grants and contributions. What they are really saying is those men and women who have been supported by these programs should not be supported. What they talk about is the waste of government dollars. We do not see that to be a waste at all.

[Human Resources Development, June 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, again, what lies at the heart of these grants and contributions is recognizing there is a role for the Government of Canada to play not only in supporting communities that want to participate fully in our country, but most particularly in supporting individuals.

What we know to be true now after five months of its ranting and raving is that party is not interested in Canadians who need help, Canadians who want to improve their literacy skills, who want to as Canadians with disabilities participate in the economy of this country, young people who want to get that important first job. Let those members come clean with their real agenda here.

[Human Resources Development, June 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, what the grants and contributions programs are all about is helping Canadians who are in need to get the services that they need so they can participate in society.

If it were not for that party, we would not have to defend against the attacks it is making on Canadians, on the individuals who are benefiting from these grants and contributions and who quite frankly feel they are being chastised as people who are not worthy of our investment.

[Human Resources Development, June 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, do you know what else we did? We provided 10,000 pages of all the grants and contributions in every single riding.

I would ask the hon. member, when she received that information, did she think to call those organizations and ask them about how the money was being used? Did she think to talk to the individuals who are benefiting as a result of these investments? I think not.

[Human Resources Development, June 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I would be very glad to have the hon. member make the same kind of announcement in her own riding but of course, we know that party is not interested in these grants and contributions. It does not want to help Canadians improve their levels of literacy. It does not want to help Canadians who are disabled to find work. We know that is the case but if the hon. member would like to do it, I would be thrilled to provide her with the information.

[Persons With Disabilities, June 7th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the hon. member that the CPP disability pension is like a pension. It is a pension of last resort as if a person is retired. Having said that, it is extraordinarily important for us to work with Canadians with disabilities to find effective ways of ensuring that they can participate in the Canadian economy and that they can contribute to their country and to their own needs.

I recognize the work of the hon. member and those on the standing committee, the suggestions and recommendations they make to me and the improvements that this government is making in support of Canadians with disabilities.