Chris Charlton

[Tax Harmonization, November 16th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, that answer is an insult to the intelligence of all Ontarians.

The HST will nail Ontario families, seniors and small businesses at a time when they are barely staying afloat. Instead of exempting essentials, such as electricity and gas, Ontario is exempting doughnuts. Give me a break. Businesses will still need to keep two sets of books, one for items that get the HST and one for those that do not.

Will the government not just admit that the HST has nothing to do with streamlining the books of businesses and is all about a government tax grab to make its own books look good?

[Tax Harmonization, November 16th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, today the Ontario Liberals, with billions in financial support from the Conservative government, are introducing legislation to implement an 8% tax hike.

Exempting coffee and doughnuts does not make it easier to swallow this bitter pill. So, on a day when Liberals join hands with the Conservative government to gouge Ontarians, let us not add insult to injury by continuing to lie to them.

Will the minister finally admit that he is bribing Ontarians with $4.3 billion of their own tax dollars to implement the HST?

[Canada Pension Plan, November 5th, 2009]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-478, An Act to amend the Canada Pension Plan (arrears of benefits).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce legislation today, seconded by my colleague, the member for Welland, that would allow for full retroactive payments plus interest when someone applies for benefits under the Canada Pension Plan.

The CPP is a pay-as-you-go contribution-based program that is funded solely by employers and employees. It is absurd that a person who is late in applying for his or her pension under the CPP is entitled to only 11 months of retroactive benefits. This is not the government's money. The bill would put an end to this insufficient and unfair period of retroactivity and would do the same for disability pensions or the survivor's pension and a disabled contributor's child benefit.

Ninety-three percent of Canadians are members of the CPP. Making sure that they can access the benefits that are rightfully theirs will help to reverse the tide that is currently sweeping more than a quarter of a million Canadian seniors into a life of poverty.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Holiday Harmonization Act, November 4th, 2009]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-477, An Act respecting the harmonization of holidays.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure today to introduce a bill respecting the harmonization of holidays. This enactment would entitle employees under federal jurisdiction to all the general holidays observed in the province in which they work.

I know that I only have 30 seconds to explain the intent of the bill, so let me try to put it as succinctly as possible by way of an example.

Two years ago, the Ontario government created a new holiday known as Family Day. Employees in federally regulated workplaces in Ontario, however, are not currently entitled to that provincial holiday. As a result, we find ourselves in the curious situation where a worker in the federally regulated courier sector, for example, is forced to try to deliver packages to retail businesses that are closed because of the provincial holiday. Moreover, these workers are unable to share the holiday with their family and friends despite the fact that they too work in Ontario.

My bill would end this unintended disconnect between federal and provincial laws by entitling employees in federally regulated workplaces to all the general holidays that are recognized in the province in which they work.

I want to conclude by thanking Shaun Flannery from my riding of Hamilton Mountain for first bringing this issue to my attention. I met him over two years ago when I was canvassing in his neighbourhood and I started working on the bill right away. To get the bill to the House has been an unbelievably circuitous process and I really appreciate his patience.

I am delighted to finally be able to table the bill for Mr. Flannery and for all the workers under federal jurisdiction, who like him, would benefit from this enactment.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Canada Pension Plan, October 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that rhetoric will not secure retirements.

The inadequacy of the CPP is forcing Canadians to use private and more expensive retirement savings plans. By failing to fix the CPP, the government is allowing the financial industry to fleece Canadians to the tune of $30 billion a year in fees on retirement savings. Canadians are paying a much higher rate to invest privately when they could be covered by an improved CPP.

Why will the government not give Canadians that piece of mind? Why will it not protect the hard-earned retirement savings of Canadians? Show some leadership—

[Canada Pension Plan, October 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, provincial governments are considering establishing parallel programs for the Canada pension plan because of its current inadequacies. The CPP is the least expensive and safest retirement savings plan available to Canadians. Unfortunately, it limits the contributions that individuals can make and offers a maximum $11,000 a year in retirement benefits. It is simply not meeting the needs of hard-working Canadians who are concerned about surviving their retirement.

Will the government take the lead and work with its provincial counterparts to make it the reliable and affordable savings plan that the CPP ought to be?

[Petitions, October 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present another petition signed by residents of my home town of Hamilton who are opposed to the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement.

The petitioners point out that Colombia has one of the worst human rights records in the western hemisphere, with dozens of labour activists and human rights advocates killed each year. They are outraged by the “kill a worker pay a fine” provisions, which make a mockery of human rights.

As advocates for corporate social responsibility, they believe that all trade agreements must be built on the principles of fair trade, which fundamentally respect social justice, human rights, labour rights and environmental stewardship as prerequisites to trade.

Since the Conservative government has not done due diligence in this regard, the petitioners call on Parliament to reject the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement until an independent human rights impact assessment has been done and the resulting concerns have been addressed.

[Petitions, October 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to table two sets of petitions today.

The first three are signed by hundreds of women from the Golden Horseshoe in Ontario and from all over Quebec urging Parliament to immediately pass my Bill C-378 to allow hard-working families to access their maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits without worrying that if they lose their jobs in the meantime they will also lose their EI.

The petitioners note that the anti-stacking provisions found within the Employment Insurance Act create a barrier that prevents workers from accessing EI. These discriminatory provisions prevent new mothers in particular, who have secured the full amount of special benefit entitlements, from accessing regular benefits if they lose their jobs during or shortly after the specially sanctioned leaves.

The petitioners are keenly aware that in the current economic downturn, layoff announcements are coming daily, and they want to ensure that these discriminatory provisions of the EI Act are eliminated. I am pleased to say that my Bill C-378 would indeed address those concerns, and I very much appreciate the support of the petitioners on this very important issue for thousands of working families.

[Petitions, October 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to table a petition today that is signed by hundreds of people from my riding of Hamilton Mountain in support of a universal declaration on animal welfare.

I am sure that most members are aware of the profound interdependence of human beings and animals. People rely on animals for their livelihood, jobs, companionship and food security. We know that responsible animal management provides a positive impact on land use, climate change, pollution, water supplies, habitat conservation and biodiversity. In spite of that, we also know that the House has failed on numerous occasions to strengthen Canada's laws with respect to animal cruelty.

The petitioners want that to change. They want nations to formally recognize that animals are sentient and can suffer and that we have to respect their welfare. As a critical first step, they are therefore asking the Government of Canada to support the universal declaration on animal welfare.

While members are not allowed to endorse petitions, let me just say that it is a pleasure for me to be able to table this petition on their behalf.

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, October 23rd, 2009]

With regard to the renting of venues or properties for executive retreats or meetings outside of a government department, agency or a Crown Corporation’s own offices (i.e. where an expense for rental of rooms is made to an outside party) in the fiscal years 2007-2008 and 2008-2009, for all government departments, agencies and Crown corporations: (a) what was the total cost of the rental of these venues; (b) how many times were venues or properties contracted for or rented; and (c) in each case, (i) what was the name and location of the venue or property, (ii) what was the reason or purpose of the venue or property rental, (iii) how many people attended the retreat or meeting, (iv) what was the overall cost of the rental of the venue?