Candice Bergen

[Employment Insurance, June 18th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, just like the NDP like to free-wheel with taxpayers' dollars, they like to free-wheel with the facts.

Here are the facts on EI claims: In April of this year, 282 incoming cases were brought to the Social Security Tribunal. It got through 426 cases.

If the NDP members want to talk about CPP, we realize there is a backlog, but on EI, there is no backlog.

[Employment Insurance, June 18th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the member needs to check her facts because, in fact, there is no wait time for EI appeals. If she had done some research, she would have seen, in fact, that the Social Security Tribunal is right up to date with EI claims.

There is a backlog on CPP claims. They are dealing with that and getting through it, just like they are with the EI claims.

[Housing, June 18th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the question and the great work he has done on behalf of the homeless throughout his career.

Housing First works. The evidence is in. The Mental Health Commission of Canada just released its results from the At Home/Chez Soi project which occurred across the country. It shows that not only does Housing First help in addressing homelessness, but it is a smart investment. In fact, for every $10 invested, there is a $21 return. That makes good sense in terms of policy, and good sense in helping the homeless.

[Housing, June 17th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, in fact, the ruling that was made recently in Quebec actually said the opposite of what that member asserts. What it did rule is that industry is responsible. It is not a federal issue.

We hope that the ruling will bring some resolution for these homeowners.

[Employment Insurance, June 17th, 2014]

Once again, Mr. Speaker, the member is completely distorting the facts, and it is disappointing.

Although the Social Security Tribunal is dealing with a large number of cases, it has a plan in place. It is an independent tribunal. I would suggest the member, instead of trying to find ways to cheat the system in terms of offices, contact the Social Security Tribunal on behalf of her constituents if she has concerns.

[Employment Insurance, June 17th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the Social Security Tribunal did receive a large number of cases from the legacy tribunal. That said, it has a plan in place to get these cases through in a faster manner, and we are going to support it in that.

However, the member is misleading the public in terms of the wait times. They are not as extreme as she is saying and it is disappointing that she would do that.

[Social Development, June 16th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the great work he has done on behalf of persons with disabilities.

The legacy of the late Jim Flaherty lives on through the programs we have created to help persons with disabilities, whether it is the registered disabilities savings plan, the first of its kind, and the only one in the world, and which helps parents save for their children who have disabilities; our enabling accessibility fund, which has helped over 1,400 projects across Canada; or our opportunities fund, which helps Canadians with disabilities to get back to work.

We are proud of what we have done.

[Social Development, June 16th, 2014]

The Social Security Tribunal is giving top priority to these legacy cases. It has committed to providing fair, credible, and impartial appeal processes in a timely manner.

If New Democrats want to hang their heads in shame, I think now is the time.

[Social Development, June 16th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the colleagues who should be hanging their heads in shame are every single one of the NDP who owe $1.17 million for the—

[Social Development, June 16th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that the NDP has never been in government and does not understand how some of these processes work.

Here are the facts. On April 1, 2013, the Social Security Tribunal was established. A year later, the members were ready. They are moving forward. We expect them to catch up with the backlog. We care about the people who are waiting for their hearings to be heard. We are not going to take lessons from the NDP, who do not understand that these processes are how they move forward.