Celina Caesar-Chavannes

[Canada Pension Plan, October 25th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to stand today to speak to Bill C-26, which aims to amend the Canada Pension Plan, the CPP Investment Board Act, and the Income Tax Act.

When I was campaigning last year, and in fact in many meetings and conversations I have had since then, I heard over and over again that people are worried about their financial future and specifically about whether they are saving enough to retire with security and dignity. That is why I am pleased to share my reasons for supporting Bill C-26, which aims to address those concerns in a responsible and meaningful way by expanding the CPP.

Earlier this year, Canada’s provincial finance ministers met with my colleague, the federal Minister of Finance, and agreed that more must be done to ensure all Canadians are able to retire with dignity. They recognized that an expansion of the CPP plays a major role in achieving this. It was a textbook example of the kind of consensus we can achieve when everyone comes to the table as partners in pursuit of better service to Canadians.

Many people in my riding of Whitby, and right across the country, are working harder and longer than ever. According to a 2012 study, almost two-thirds of Canadians are working more than 45 hours per week. That is a 50% increase from more than 20 years ago.

On top of that, advancements in technology mean that workers are on call 24/7. Even with all these extra hours and hard work, many are concerned that they will not have enough money for retirement.

Far too many Canadians are facing significant drops in their quality of living upon retirement. In fact, 1.1 million Canadian families are approaching retirement having not saved enough. That is why we have recognized the need to do more for workers, and we are taking action.

The Canada pension plan has been a source of financial security for Canadians for more than half a century. It provides Canadians with a predictable benefit, year after year. Unlike private investments or pension plans it is not subject to market volatility. It is also one of the more efficient ways for Canadians to save as its massive contribution base allows the CPP investment board to deliver strong net returns.

Despite all the benefits provided by the CPP, there has been a recognition in recent years that it is not doing enough to support Canadians in their retirement. Our government has heard these concerns and is moving to address them. Bill C-26 will significantly boost how much each Canadian will receive from the Canadian pension plan. Under the current system, retirees receive one-quarter of their earnings; after this much needed expansion, that will increase to one-third, up to a maximum annual benefit of nearly $20,000.

As a former small business owner, I know that the CPP plays an important role in ensuring that employees can save for their retirement. Employees work very hard for companies. It is very important to me that they be able to retire with dignity.

It was a priority of our government to move forward with the expansion in a responsible way, which is why we are phasing it in over several years. Starting in 2019, annual CPP contributions will begin to increase modestly over seven years. As an example, a worker earning just over $50,000 will contribute an additional $6 per month in 2019, and by 2025 that worker earning the same amount will be contributing about $40 per month.

The expansion of the CPP will benefit all workers; however, it is very important that workers on the lower end of the income spectrum are not unfairly burdened. Our government understands that while lower income workers want to save more for their retirement, they face tight budgets that will make the increased contributions difficult for them. This is why Bill C-26 also proposes to increase the working income tax benefit to offset increases in CPP contributions. The working income tax benefit will be increased to roughly match the level of CPP contributions. This will allow lower income workers to increase their retirement saving without creating unfair burdens on their tight budgets.

I also want to speak about how this legislation would benefit the next generation of workers. Young Canadians face a much different employment landscape than their parents or grandparents did, many of whom worked in the same job for the same company for decades and have access to private pension plans as part of their compensation, providing them with financial security upon retirement.

That is no longer the norm. It is now common for workers to change jobs, or even fields, a number of times throughout their careers, which can have significant effects on their pension contributions and payout.

Even more troubling is the overall decrease in companies providing registered pension plans to their employees. In those organizations offering pension benefits to their employees, we are seeing a significant shift away from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans, which often provide less financial certainty upon retirement.

When we combine all of these factors with rising life expectancy, it is becoming more likely that Canadians, in particular young Canadians, will outlive their savings. The expansion of the CPP would mitigate that risk. In fact, young Canadians who are entering the workforce over the next few years will benefit the most from this change to the CPP. As such, this expansion is a tangible investment in the future security of our children and grandchildren.

While recognizing that this expansion would do the most for our younger workers who are just beginning to make investments in their CPP, we must acknowledge that too many current retirees are facing significant challenges in making ends meet. This is why our government is also taking steps to improve the quality of life for seniors today. In budget 2016, our government confirmed that it was boosting the guaranteed income supplement top-up to benefit single seniors with up to $947 annually. This will help lift low-income seniors out of poverty and improve the financial security of about 900,000 single seniors across Canada. This increase is directly targeted to assist those seniors who are most vulnerable.

In closing, I would like to thank my colleague, the Minister of Finance, and his provincial and territorial counterparts for their hard work on this important issue. This expansion is an important part of ensuring that all Canadians have a secure and dignified retirement. I am very proud to stand here and support Bill C-26.

[Wounded Warriors Canada, October 21st, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to the work of Wounded Warriors Canada, an organization in my riding of Whitby. This organization helps ill or injured members of the Canadian Armed Forces, veterans, and first responders, in recognition of their service.

In early fall, Wounded Warriors Canada organized the Highway of Heroes bike ride in which 200 cyclists participated.

The ride raised more than $200,000 to support ill and injured Canadian veterans.

Many of us participated in the 22 Push Ups challenge, which raised funds and awareness for Wounded Warriors.

On behalf of the organization and the people it serves, I say thanks. And I wish a happy anniversary to Phil Ralph.

[Canadian Human Rights Act, October 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Richmond Hill for his eloquent and detailed explanation of why he supports Bill C-16.

At the end of his speech, he highlighted what was happening in Ontario and in Richmond Hill with respect to the legislation they adopted. Could he elaborate on what other provinces and territories have done to advance the cause for gender identity and gender expression through their legislation?

[Canadian Human Rights Act, October 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I first want to say that I empathize with my colleague on some of the stories that he related. When I think about my own children and in delivering the speech and standing before the House and supporting the bill, I think about myself as a mom and the message I want to send about inclusion and valuing people. We are all just people and when we start to say that some things are unacceptable for some people and some things are acceptable for others, that is absolute nonsense.

Today we take a step forward to make sure that these rights and protections are in legislation. That sends a message to our young people that when it is time to fight for those who oftentimes cannot fight for themselves, we need to step up. If I do not step up, I will be doing a disservice to my own children but to many other generations of children to follow.

[Canadian Human Rights Act, October 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, violence on any level is unacceptable. Bill C-16 would ensure that there are adequate protections for transgendered individuals in our legislation.

When our diverse communities know that they have grounds to stand on that are actually written in our Criminal Code and in our Canadian Human Rights Act, they are empowered to say, when they get to that door and are turned away or are not treated in a respectful way that pays attention to their injustice, that they have grounds to stand on. They can fight with others who are their allies to ensure that it never happens to anyone else in the future.

[Canadian Human Rights Act, October 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Richmond Hill today.

I am very honoured to stand here today to support Bill C-16, which aims to amend both the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code to add gender identity and expression to the list of prohibited grounds for discrimination.

Canadians rightly expect their government, and their laws, to respect their fundamental values. It is something Canada does very well on so many fronts, but we all know that we can do better.

I am very pleased to be here today to talk about why I believe that this bill will do a great service for Canadians by bringing our current legislation more in line with some of the values we hold dear.

We, as Canadians, are fortunate to live in a country that embraces diversity. We see diversity as a strength and are rightly proud to celebrate those from all walks of life who contribute to the Canadian tapestry and our society.

We also know that diversity in our society did not happen by accident. The extension and protection of rights has been a work in progress for more than half a century. The two items we are here to discuss amending today, the Canadian Human Rights Act and the hate speech section of the Criminal Code, are fundamental to that work.

The changes proposed today are another step toward our goal of being a society free from bias and discrimination and in which every Canadian is valued and protected. The Canadian Human Rights Act, in conjunction with human rights legislation provincially and territorially, has played, and continues to play, a fundamental role in ensuring that Canadians, regardless of sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, or other grounds, can participate fully and equally in all aspects of Canadian life.

Unfortunately, we know that trans and gender-diverse persons have been, and continue to be, disproportionately impacted by discrimination and hate crimes. This, quite simply, is unacceptable.

We can, and we must, do more to ensure that gender-diverse Canadians are free from discrimination and are protected from hate propaganda and hate crimes. Bill C-16 would be critical in addressing the real and dangerous discrimination faced by gender-diverse and transgender individuals.

I would first like to speak about the amendments this bill would make to the Canadian Human Rights Act. The act is crucial in ensuring that Canadians have equal opportunities to live, work, and carry out their daily lives without discrimination, but it is not working for everyone. In a 2010 survey of 500 transgender individuals in Ontario, 13% of respondents indicated that they had been fired, and 18% were refused employment based upon their transgender status.

Again, this is unacceptable.

By adding gender expression and gender identity to the list of prohibited discriminatory grounds, we would make sure that all Canadians, regardless of gender identity, would have equal opportunities to participate in every facet of Canadian life.

Inclusion of gender identity as prohibited grounds for discrimination would be much more than just words on paper. It would provide individuals who have complaints with access to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. It would provide a fair and comprehensive process to ensure the protection of their rights and an opportunity for redress in cases where those rights were not respected.

It is my steadfast belief that when we extend and protect the rights of some Canadians, we do a great service not for just those individuals but for all Canadians.

Respect for human rights is so fundamental to who we are as Canadians that whenever we can act to do better to protect and enshrine rights in this country, we have a duty to do so.

Bill C-16 would also make important amendments to the Criminal Code to add gender expression and identity to the list of distinguishing characteristics of an identifiable group to ensure greater protection from hate speech and crimes motivated by hate.

The same survey I referenced earlier found that 20% of transgender individuals who responded had been physically and sexually assaulted, and far too many of these crimes were not reported to police.

Violence and hateful propaganda must never be tolerated in a fair and peaceful country like Canada, but when those crimes are motivated by hatred of specific or identifiable groups, it is incumbent upon us to do more to protect those targeted individuals and to hold the people accountable for their actions. The amendments to the Criminal Code proposed in this bill would provide increased protections for gender-diverse individuals and would permit longer sentences in cases where a crime was motivated by bias, prejudice, or hate.

We are under no illusion that the changes in the bill will end all discrimination against transgender and diverse populations, but it is an important step, one that builds on the advocacy work that those in the LGBTQ+ community and their allies have done for many years. I am proud that the Government of Canada is now catching up. These changes would put in place fundamental protections needed to ensure a basic level of protection.

There is more we can do. We must ensure equity for gender-diverse Canadians, but it starts with ensuring their inclusion in the Criminal Code.

On a personal note, it is particularly important to me to speak today to the bill, because as a black person and as a woman, there have been periods in Canadian history when people who look like me were not viewed as persons. During Women's History Month, and particularly today, on Persons Day, it is important to recognize this. I am a generation removed from those fights, so I recognize that the privilege given to me to serve in the House of Commons requires me, it is my duty, to do all I can to help extend those rights to all.

Further, I have three children at home, and in everything I do I cannot help but think about how it will affect their lives. It is important to me that they know that they are growing up in a Canada where same-sex marriage is the law of the land. This particular bill is a further extension of the values we hold dear and the values my children, as young as they are, hold very dear.

I hope that 20 years from now, there will be a generation of children for whom the idea of discrimination based on gender identity, or any other discrimination, is unthinkable. Bill C-16 is critical in making that a reality.

I would like to commend my colleague, the hon. Minister of Justice, for her hard work on this file. Her obvious commitment to diversity and inclusion is an example to all of us in the chamber. I want to thank her for her leadership. I am proud to stand with her today in supporting this legislation, and I encourage all my colleagues in the House to do the same.

[Paris Agreement, October 3rd, 2016]

Madam Speaker, Whitby is composed of both a rural and an urban setting. Most of my constituents do travel to Toronto for work, and so they do know how much the price of fuel affects their daily living.

However, what is the alterative? Is it doing nothing?

We know that climate change affects agricultural industries, which will ultimately cause an increase in the price of our food, an increase in the amount of insurance that my constituents in Whitby pay, and increases in fuel charges that will come from the devastating impacts of climate change on our economy.

We cannot sit back and continue to do nothing, as we have done for the past 10 years. We really need to step up our game, and we have done so in our budget; we have done so with this announcement today.

We are working in partnership with our communities, provinces, and territories, and we have a leadership at the government level, which was announced today by our Prime Minister, which allows us to move forward in a very progressive way to be able to tackle climate change across our country.

[Paris Agreement, October 3rd, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I was very clear in my speech that the announcement today was one step we took to reduce our carbon emissions in this country.

As I mentioned in my speech—and I am pretty sure it was clear—the government has also included in budget 2016, long before today, $2 billion to establish a low-carbon economy fund, $1 billion over the next four years to support and develop clean energy technology, $5 billion over the next five years in practical infrastructure that supports and protects communities, and $3.4 billion over the next three years to upgrade and improve public transit.

We know that this is not the only solution, that we need to have a whole-of-government collaborative approach when we are dealing with climate change; and we are committed to doing so on the ground with research, with communities, and with our provincial partners.

[Paris Agreement, October 3rd, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Honoré-Mercier.

I am very proud to stand here today to add my voice to those supporting the ratification of the Paris agreement.

We know that our climate is changing. We also know that dramatic changes in our climate have disproportionately affected those most vulnerable in the world, including, most notably, children.

Canada has a responsibility to be a leader when it comes to tackling this very real and pressing issue. In ratifying this agreement, Canada has made a public commitment to set and achieve the climate target the world needs.

Our government knows that transitioning to a sustainable low carbon economy is the only way we can achieve greater economic prosperity in a responsible way. The ratification of this agreement is a historic step to ensuring that we leave the world a cleaner and more prosperous place for our children and generations to come.

I am very proud of the collaborative approach that our government has taken as we negotiated this agreement and the work that has been done since. At every step of the way, we have engaged with our partners at the provincial and territorial level, with indigenous groups, with industry, and with environmental groups. This kind of inclusive decision-making is the only way to achieve meaningful results that will work for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. I know that we will continue in that spirit as we move forward in meeting these obligations.

We go into this agreement with our eyes wide open. Signing and ratifying is the easy part. Then the real work begins. Setting targets is important, but those targets mean very little if there is no plan to achieve them.

I specifically want to thank and commend my colleague, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, for her hard work and leadership on this file.

Our team has been clear. Reaching these targets and helping Canada transition to a low carbon economy will require a whole-of-government approach. From the construction of green infrastructure to responsible management of our natural resources, to ensuring that we have a workforce ready to thrive in a new global marketplace, we need all voices at the table, working together, to ensure that we are successful.

Earlier today, the Prime Minister announced in the House the implementation of a national price on pollution. This is critically important to meeting the Paris agreement's targets. Our provincial and territorial governments recognize this. In fact, in the absence of past federal leadership, some have already moved ahead. Eighty-five per cent of Canadians now live in provinces that have put a price on carbon pollution. While it is encouraging and impressive, this piecemeal effort is not enough. For Canada to be successful in reducing our emissions overall, we need coordination, support, and leadership at the federal level.

As the Prime Minister announced earlier, the government proposes that in provinces and territories with a direct price on carbon pollution, the price will start at a minimum of $10 per tonne in 2018, rising each year by $10 to $50 per tonne in 2022. Provinces and territories with a cap-and-trade system will also need a 2030 emissions reduction target equal to or greater than Canada's 30% reduction target. By doing so in a responsible way and increasing the price on pollution over the next five years, territorial and provincial governments will have the time they need to design a system of carbon pollution pricing that works best for them. The federal government will work in partnership with them on implementation. I have every confidence in our collective success.

Speaking of partnership, I would be remiss if I did not mention the great work being done at a local level.

Recognizing the need for action, the region of Durham, which includes my riding of Whitby, developed a community climate change local action plan in 2012. This comprehensive strategy lays out detailed actions that can be undertaken across the region to address climate change. It also established an advisory board that is responsible for positioning Durham region as a leader in addressing climate change issues by developing a strategy that includes mitigation, adaptation, and resiliency.

That is the kind of proactive leadership we need to embrace and support at all levels if we are going to make progress. Indeed, the action taken today will augment the good work being done by communities across Canada to strengthen our response to climate change.

While important, putting a price on carbon is just one of several important steps our government is taking to reduce our emissions. Earlier this year, I was honoured to accompany the Prime Minister on a state visit to Washington. From that visit came a comprehensive agreement for our two countries to work closely together to address climate change. By coordinating with our closest ally and trading partner on issues like reducing methane emissions, advancing climate action at the global level, and co-operation on clean energy technology, we multiply and strengthen our own efforts.

I would like to talk briefly about some the steps our government has already taken to reach the targets in the Paris agreement. Specifically, in budget 2016, we made significant investments that will help us transition to a low carbon economy. This includes $20 billion to establish the low carbon economy fund, which will support provincial and territorial actions that materially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, we recognize the vital role that development of clean technology will play in combatting climate change.

Canada can and must be a world leader in developing cutting-edge technologies that will power the planet in decades to come. Accordingly, the budget provides more than $1 billion over the next four years to support the development of clean energy technology.

Earlier this year, I hosted a climate change town hall in my riding of Whitby. From that meeting, it was clear that my constituents believe that the government's priority should be preparing Canada to lead the clean technology revolution. Budget 2016, along with our ambitious innovation agenda, developed in partnership with educational and research institutions and industry makes the investment to get us there.

Additionally, we are making massive investments to help communities prepare for, mitigate, and reduce the impact of climate change. Budget 2016 proposes to invest over $5 billion over the next five years in practical infrastructure that protects communities and supports Canada's ongoing transition to a clean growth economy.

The budget also contains more than $3.4 billion over three years to upgrade and improve public transit systems across Canada. Better public transit means less cars on the road producing emissions. As the MP for a riding where many of my constituents travel to Toronto by car every day, I am thrilled with these investments to reduce emissions while improving my constituents' quality of life.

My 12-year-old daughter, Candice, is an Earth Ranger's ambassador. A couple of years ago, she aggressively raised funds for the endangered Oregon spotted frog. Our young people know the devastation of climate change and are working to combat it.

I am proud that budget 2016 provided up to $197 million over five years to restore ocean and freshwater science monitoring and research activities. This will ensure that Canada's oceans, coasts, waterways, and fisheries are healthy, sustainable, and profitable for generations to come.

Canadians right across the country are calling for their governments to act urgently on climate change. The ratification of the Paris agreement is just one step, but an important one. It is Canada's public commitment to doing its part. There is much work to come and challenges that will need to be addressed. I urge everyone in the chamber to join me in supporting ratification. I truly believe that it is something that future generations will look back on and be proud of.

[Brooklin Harvest Festival, September 30th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, on September 10, residents in my riding of Whitby participated in the annual Brooklin Harvest Festival. This family-friendly day marks the start of the harvest season, and an opportunity to celebrate our local farmers and thank them for all they do for our community.

This year's festival was a huge success. The new location was packed because so many people came. The marketplace was especially popular. Attendees had the opportunity to try local products, buy flowers and plants from local growers, and enjoy local entertainment.

On behalf of all residents of Whitby, I extend my deepest appreciation to everyone who contributed to making this year's festival the best yet.