Diane Finley

[Employment Insurance, October 2nd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, we are looking at all of our programs. We want to ensure the employment insurance program responds to the needs of all Canadians. We have just launched our pilot project on the five weeks and we have extended the definition of eligibility for EI compassionate care.

We will be meeting the deadlines that are necessary to ensure that all Canadians receive the benefits they need and deserve under EI.

[Employment Insurance, October 2nd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that there are certain inequities between various regions. We are waiting to make informed decisions based on the new Statistics Canada data that is coming out.

[Literacy, September 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, this Canadian government believes it is important to have a competent, literate, well-skilled workforce if we are to be competitive in the world. That is why we are spending over $2 billion a year in developing workplace skills. We have invested $307 million of new money for settlement funding that will help new Canadians take literacy programming.

We put all these programs forward, along with a whole host of other workplace development skills and education programs which the previous government, the Liberal Party, voted against.

[Agriculture, September 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Selkirk—Interlake for the fine and steadfast work he has done for agriculture over the last two years.

Recently I was very pleased to announce the investment of $1 million to create a new sectoral council for the agriculture industry. This council will play a vital role in finding innovative solutions to help the human resources situation affecting agriculture today.

This is good news for Canadian farmers and it is good news for Canada.

[Government Programs, September 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, we are respecting provincial jurisdiction. That is why we are going to focus our literacy spending on issues that cross provincial and territorial boundaries. We believe that local and regional issues are best addressed at the local and regional levels, including the provincial level. That is exactly what we are allowing the province of Quebec to do.

[Government Programs, September 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, we are refocusing the dollars spent on literacy on programs that will help Canadians right across the country, those within federal jurisdiction. We believe that provincial and regional issues can best be addressed at the provincial and regional levels, which is why we will not step on their toes. We will be focusing on Canada's vulnerable right across the country.

[Government Programs, September 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, that is one more example of Liberal hypocrisy. This Canadian government is taking action to help with literacy, which is why we are investing over $80 billion and why we have put forward 307 million new dollars to help with immigrant settling, something the Liberal members voted against.

I must point out that in the last session of Parliament the previous minister for literacy did not mention the subject in the House, not even once. It was all talk and no action.

[Government Programs, September 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, hypocrisy has a new spelling. It is L-i-b-e-r-a-l.

In 1995 the previous Liberal government froze settlement funding, money that was used to help new Canadians become literate.

In budget 2006, Canada's new government put $307 million of new money into these programs. Why did the Liberals vote against it?

[Youth, September 26th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should get her facts right and the details too. It would help her understand.

We are going to focus on helping students who really need help getting jobs get them. There is no point in subsidizing job creation in the major centres like Calgary. We want to help students who face real challenges because of where they live, perhaps in rural or small communities, or other barriers. We are going to help the kids who need it, not Liberal cronies.

[Human Resources and Social Development, September 26th, 2006]

Yes, Mr. Speaker, for us it is very important to have a well educated and literate workforce, which is why we are investing $80 million in literacy. We are also investing a billion dollars in PSE infrastructure. We are providing major incentives for apprenticeships and for apprenticeship employees.

We are investing in Canada's future. They destroyed it.