Candice Bergen

[Taxation, February 18th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of the registered disability savings plan, the only one of its kind in the world. It was created and really birthed by the late Jim Flaherty. It is one that allows families to save for their children or adult children who have disabilities, because for most parents, a very deep concern is what is going to happen to their children when they are gone.

We are absolutely very proud of our registered disability savings plan. We are proud that there has been more and more uptake on it, and we encourage any family that has a child with a disability to invest, because we are providing a huge amount of grant money for that.

[Housing, February 18th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, what is so good about our HPS strategy is two things. First of all, it focuses on Housing First, but it allows flexibility in each one of the regions and major cities across Canada. We are allowing each of the community entities to consult with their community advisory boards and to be able to look at which projects should be funded.

Yes, we are focusing on Housing First, and yes, we are allowing flexibility. I would be happy to brief the member on HPS.

[Housing, February 18th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, we are using an evidence-based approach to fight homelessness. It is called Housing First. We know that the NDP members are opposed to evidence-based solutions. Instead, they are committed to their ideology. In fact, in Quebec, decisions are made through a joint committee of federal and provincial officials who look at the local needs in that particular area. We will continue with our homelessness partnering strategy, focusing on Housing First across this country.

[Taxation, February 17th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Don Valley East for the good work he is doing to support families in his riding.

Our government is in position for fulfilling our promise to balance the federal budget. We are in a position to now help families balance their own budgets. They are getting ready to file their taxes, and almost two million families will benefit, as they file their income taxes for 2014, from our family tax cut. They are also going to benefit from our expansion to the universal child care benefit.

We are making sure more money is in the pockets of Canadian families. The Liberals and the NDP would reverse that tax cut.

[Child Care, February 17th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP has failed to talk to parents from different areas in this country, rural Canadian families, families that are not working nine to five jobs, and families that have decided that one parent will stay home to look after the children. New Democrats are not considering any of those families when they talk about their child care plan.

Their plan would only help less than 10% of all Canadian families. Our plan helps every single Canadian family with children. It puts money directly into their pockets and—

[Child Care, February 17th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, here is the difference between their plan and our plan. Our plan gives power to parents: rural parents, parents who are not working nine to five, parents who may be using another family member to help look after their children, or parents who make a decision themselves to stay home and look after their children. Our plan puts money into the pockets of every single Canadian family with children. Their plan would help less than 10% of all Canadian families.

[Social Development, February 4th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Calgary Centre is right: parents with children need support. They need lower taxes. That is exactly what we are delivering with our family tax cut, which would benefit close to two million families with children; and the expansion of our universal child care benefit, which would benefit every family in Canada with children.

Families that I have spoken to are excited. They are looking forward to this benefit and the tax cut. What they need to know, and what they do know, is that the Liberals and the New Democrats would take that away. Instead, they would introduce reckless spending, higher taxes, and more debt. This Prime Minister and this government will not let that happen.

[Poverty, February 3rd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, our plan not only to decrease taxes but also to increase benefits for all Canadians will help, proportionately, middle to lower income Canadians the most.

What our plan will do is to put money directly into the pockets of the people who need it the most. We know that the Liberals would create a huge bureaucracy and increase taxes on Canadians, on 100% of all Canadian families.

We are not going to do that. We believe that families are best served when they have money in their pockets. In fact, the president of UNICEF said that it is our universal child care benefit that has directly helped reduce poverty for children in Canada.

We will keep doing that. We will not follow their plan.

[Housing, February 2nd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, what the evidence has shown is that Housing First is the best way to eliminate and to help end homelessness. What we have done with our HPS is allowed flexibility so that some of the funding would go toward Housing First but there would be some funding available for the more traditional ways to address homelessness.

We believe that is the best way to use this money. As we have spent over $600 million to fight homelessness, we want it to be evidence based at the same time as allowing flexibility for different parts of the country to address homelessness as they see fit.

[Persons with Disabilities, February 2nd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the proportion of funds that were allocated to projects are consistent with the applications received.

Let me give an example. In Ontario that particular year, there were a total of 1,092 applications received. In Quebec there were 206.

I would encourage all members to let their constituents, their community places know about the enabling accessibility fund. We are continuing to fund these projects, but I would encourage them to let their ridings know. Whatever their province they are from, those members of Parliament should help their community places know about our enabling accessibility fund.