Francesco Sorbara

[Business of Supply, February 25th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for being a great advocate for seniors.

When we were first elected in 2015, we kept our promise to reduce old age security and GIS age from 67 to 65. We kept our promise to increase the guaranteed income supplement by 10% for seniors, with up to $947 for our most vulnerable seniors. We will continue to keep our promises to seniors, including our commitment to increase old age security by 10%. We will continue working for seniors. We also allowed seniors to keep more of their money, if they are working and collecting the guaranteed income supplement, and raised the exemption rate.

We have done many things to lift seniors out of poverty. We will continue doing the good work that seniors expect us to do, because they have sacrificed so much for our country.

[Business of Supply, February 25th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to the motion before the House. I would like to point out that I am joining you from the traditional territory of the Anishinabe, the Haudenosaunee and the Huron-Wendat peoples.

I will focus my remarks on COVID-19 measures to support seniors and, more specific, how gender-based analysis plus, or GBA+, informed our support for Canadians, particularly as it relates to our plan for seniors.

I would like to reiterate that in the last election we committed to Canadians that we would increase old security by 10% for seniors aged 75 and up. Our proposal recognizes that older seniors have different needs. As seniors age, they are more likely to outlive their savings, have disabilities, be unable to work and be widowed, all while their health care costs are rising.

For seniors over 75, few work. Those that do work have a median employment income of only $720; half have a disability, half of which are severe; 57% are women; four in 10 are widows; 59% have incomes below $30,000 and 39% of these seniors receive the guaranteed income supplement. These are real pressures on the quality of life for older seniors. Our government recognizes their needs and will help address them by increasing old age security by 10% for seniors aged 75 and up. It is clear that our proposals understand the need to support older women who face unique and elevated challenges.

More broadly, we have understood that Canadians need a government that steps up. At the very onset of the pandemic, we acted quickly to assist Canadians by issuing financial assistance so they could pay their bills. We acted swiftly to introduce the CERB, the Canada emergency student benefit, the emergency wage subsidies and extra income for families, seniors and persons with disabilities.

These measures, like all the measures put in place by our government, are aligned with our commitment to inclusion and diversity. The hard work that we have already done to shift the culture toward GBA+ thinking has helped inform our support measures.

In addition, so that no one falls through the cracks, the government has committed to completing a thorough gender-based analysis while we continue to support Canadians during the pandemic and while taking incremental steps to restart the economy.

Allow me to provide an overview of our emergency measures for seniors, including women, seniors with disabilities and racialized seniors.

As we know, seniors are the most vulnerable to COVID-19. Part of a GBA+ way of thinking means knowing the facts. Statistically, in Canada, women over the age of 65 have a slightly longer life expectancy than men. In 2019, just over half of the Canadian population over 65 were women, so COVID-19 relief measures affecting this age bracket will help alleviate hardship among senior women in particular.

For instance, the government made a one-time, tax-free payment of $300 to seniors who are eligible for the OAS benefit, with an extra $200 for those who are eligible for the GIS.

This amounts to a total of $500 for seniors who are eligible for both the OAS and the GIS to help them cover rising costs related to COVID-19. Eligible seniors received their one-time payment last summer.

In addition to senior women facing heightened barriers and challenges during the pandemic, female seniors with disabilities have also been disproportionately impacted.

According to the latest available data, there are more Canadian women than men living with disabilities: 2.1 million women versus 1.7 million men. Women with disabilities are particularly vulnerable right now because they are more likely to be experiencing financial difficulties. What is more, more than half are victims of violence.

Last April, in keeping with the principles of GBA+, our government created the COVID-19 disability advisory group. This group applied an intersectional lens to accessibility and inclusion in the context of the current pandemic and raised key issues affecting Canadians with disabilities. With the help of this group, Health Canada developed guidelines to ensure that Canadians with disabilities are protected during the pandemic.

Thanks in part to the group's advice, we recognized that people with disabilities needed help to cover the extraordinary expenses they have had to incur during the pandemic.

That is why our government also provided a one-time payment of $600 to certificate holders of the disability tax credit. Eligible seniors who were also receiving the credits I mentioned previously would be eligible for a top-up, for a maximum of $600 in benefits. The group was such a success that it has been made a permanent advisory group to the Minister of Disability Inclusion, and our intersectional framework is continuing with the announcement last fall of the disability inclusion action plan, which will create an income benefit modelled after the guaranteed income supplement.

Now I will say a word about racialized seniors.

The pandemic has laid bare many gaps in our support systems and brought deeply rooted inequalities to the surface. We have seen a resurgence of public concern with systemic racism in the United States and in Canada.

That is why some have urged the government to take stronger steps to eliminate the often unconscious and hidden biases and behaviours in our institutions that perpetuate inequality.

Part of the issue is that we lack data on the specific experiences of Black or racialized seniors, and we know very little about how racialized seniors who are women or persons with disabilities have been impacted by the pandemic. I can assure members that having better data to inform policy is a priority for our government and in line with our GBA+ approach to programs and services.

Our government is working tirelessly to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus and protect the health and financial security of Canadians during the pandemic. We took emergency measures during this crisis with a focus on equality, equity, inclusivity and diversity. We realize that the work is not yet done.

As we move forward from this crisis, we have the opportunity to rebuild our economy with a focus on gender equality and a more inclusive society.

That was outlined in the plan that we announced in our September Speech from the Throne. This is why our government tends to keep doing more, particularly for seniors. We will continue to build an inclusive and diverse society in this great country we call home, Canada.

[Canada Revenue Agency, February 19th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, the CRA is up for the job this year. We know this tax season is going to be like no other for Canadians, especially the nine million Canadians who applied for and accepted the CERB as a result of being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have hired, and we are in the process of hiring 2,000 more call centre agents. We have received over one million calls to the CRA in a given week, versus 70,000 to 80,000 in the year prior. We know Canadians need the assistance and we will be there to help them.

[Canada Revenue Agency, February 19th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, as I stated a second ago, the CRA's top priority is to protect the privacy and data of all Canadians and all information contained within the CRA systems. There has been no breach to the CRA data of any personal information of Canadians. We will continue to work with all Canadians so they can access their accounts again in a safe and secure manner.

[Canada Revenue Agency, February 19th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, the protection of Canadians' personal information is a priority for the CRA. Individuals signed up for My Account alerts may receive a notification from the CRA indicating that their email address has been removed from their account. This step is taken proactively by the CRA as a security precaution. Let me be clear that there was no breach of CRA systems. Those affected by this measure can expect a letter by mail with instructions on how to unlock their accounts in the coming days.

[Business of Supply, February 4th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I thank my dear colleague from Yukon. He has touched on a soft spot. I grew up in northern British Columbia and Prince Rupert, the southern terminus of the Alaska ferry system. The Alaska Highway goes up north, and I am very familiar with that area of the world. It is one of the most beautiful parts of North America. We are fully supportive of any initiatives my dear colleague and friend would like to take on that note.

[Business of Supply, February 4th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, it is always imperative to improve the working conditions of all Canadians. The pay equity legislation we introduced and the changes to the Labour Code that the minister for labour has brought in are all very concrete measures. With the three recovery benefits we brought in, including the two-week sick leave portion, the caregiving benefit and the recovery benefit, we are helping to ensure that Canadians go to work in safe conditions, free from harassment, and that if there is any impact from COVID, they can spend that time safely at home and be safe from that environment.

[Business of Supply, February 4th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, in my capacity as vice-chair of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group, and in my capacity as a member of Parliament, I know our government and all parliamentarians, day in and day out, want a stronger and more robust relationship with the United States. We want jobs to be created, and our government has been at the forefront in strengthening and improving our trading relationships, not only with our southern neighbour, but also with all countries in the world.

We know that trade-dependent jobs tend to pay more than the average and tend to provide greater benefits, and I will always be at the forefront fighting for that. Yes, I was personally disappointed when Keystone XL's permit was revoked, but we have many pipelines crossing our borders. We are supportive of Line 3 and Line 5. We approved the Novagas transmission line in the province of Alberta.

Our government supports Canadian workers and will always help the middle class and those working hard to join the middle class.

[Business of Supply, February 4th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise and speak on this opposition motion from the member for Kelowna—Lake Country. I thank her for bringing this forward.

Trading and our relationship with the United States is for me, and for my riding and my constituents, very important. Canada is a trading nation. We have benefited greatly from both our north-south linkages and from those with other continents through CETA and the CPTPP.

In particular, however, our relationship with the United States has been so important to me. I have had the privilege of working the global financial markets for several years, both here in Canada and in New York City. I have many relatives, as do so many Canadians, that live and have been living in the United States for many years.

In my riding of Vaughan—Woodbridge, here in the city of Vaughan, there are literally thousands of trade-dependent jobs. The distribution facility for Home Depot is located in my riding. The distribution facilities for all of eastern Canada for Home Depot and Costco are in my riding. The UPS distribution facility and the FedEx distribution logistics hub are here in the city of Vaughan. The busiest intermodal facility for Canadian Pacific, which is called their Chicago-Toronto line, their intermodal facility, is in the heart of my riding, and the CN's MacMillan Yard, the largest CN yard in the country, is located here in the city of Vaughan.

We are not only a trade-dependent country. My riding of Vaughan—Woodbridge is a trade-dependent entity in terms of economics and in terms of creating good middle-class jobs.

This motion addresses a number of important issues, and I am pleased to speak to it today. In the time allotted to me, I would like to focus on two aspects of the motion: the importance of Line 5, and energy trade between Canada and the United States.

With respect to Line 5, our government has been extremely clear. This project has our unequivocal support, and we are using every tool at our disposal to see it move forward. Line 5 is vital to the energy security of Canada and North America. Our government takes this issue very seriously, and any suggestion to the contrary from the opposition is not only misleading but also irresponsible, a political game that this side of the House has no interest in playing.

The importance of Line 5 unquestionably goes beyond partisan politics. It supports thousands of jobs in Ontario and Quebec, as well as in western Canada. It is essential for keeping the lights and heat on for millions of Canadians, and it provides a critically important fuel source for farmers and industry. Line 5 provides jet fuel for Pearson Airport, Canada's busiest airport.

Running from Wisconsin through Michigan across the Straits of Mackinac to the lower peninsula, Line 5 supplies Michigan and Ohio refineries with oil and natural gas liquids from Alberta and Saskatchewan, before it enters Ontario at Sarnia. From there, it is refined into gasoline, diesel, home-heating oil, aviation fuel and propane, supplying southern Ontario and Quebec. What is more, Line 5 provides a safer way to transport oil than rail or road. It has operated safely for over 65 years.

Enbridge is now proposing to dig a tunnel to replace the two oil pipelines that run along the lakebed under the Straits of Mackinac.

Enbridge is committed to making a safe line even safer through the tunnel project. It is committed to encasing the line in reinforced concrete to reduce the risk of an anchor strike and to ensure enhanced safety. Michigan, just a couple of days ago, provided permits for this project.

Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy approved the project a few days ago on January 29, after an extensive nine-month review involving the State Historic Preservation Office and a report by an independent civil engineering firm specializing in complex tunnelling projects, which concluded that the project would have minimal impact on water quality in the Great Lakes and would not affect protected public uses of Michigan's water resources.

The director of EGLE's water resources division, Ms. Teresa Seidel, said, “During our review of this proposed project, our top priority has been protecting the Straits of Mackinac and the surrounding wetlands, aquatic life, and other natural and cultural resources from adverse environmental impacts.”

What would this impact be? According to EGLE, this project would result in minimal impact to wetlands. In fact, it would only affect an area roughly one-tenth the size of a football field. As a result, EGLE concluded that the proposed tunnel beneath the lake-bed could be built in compliance with the state environmental laws.

Let me emphasize that Michigan's environmental agency has ruled that the project is completely safe. This is not Enbridge's opinion, nor is it Canada's opinion. It is the finding of the agency responsible for enforcing Michigan's environmental legislation. This is the point that our government raised with U.S. officials. However, their response is that they want to stop the project.

What we have heard this week from the Leader of the Opposition and others on the other side of this House is that we are not doing anything. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Government of Canada has supported Enbridge in this dispute for three years, at both diplomatic and political levels, and we will continue to do so.

Ambassador Hillman is making the case. Consul General Comartin in Detroit is making the case. The Prime Minister raised the issue of North American energy security with Vice President Harris, and the Minister of Natural Resources will press this case with former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm as soon as she is confirmed as the U.S. energy secretary.

I will say it again. This line is vital to Canada and to the United States. We will always defend it and protect Canada's energy and industrial infrastructure.

Let me now turn to the broader context of the energy relationship between Canada and the United States, a relationship worth more than $100 billion in cross-border trade. In total, more than 70 pipelines and over 30 transmission lines already cross the Canada-U.S. border, creating the most integrated energy system in the world. As a result, Canadian oil accounts for more than half of all the crude oil that the United States imports each year. Alberta alone sends more than three million barrels a day south of the border, to the U.S. Midwest and Rocky Mountains region. Canadian crude represents roughly 70% of the feedstock used in local refineries. In Michigan, half of all homes are heated with propane from Canada.

It is the same with other energy sources of Canada. Canadian electricity powers close to seven million American homes, and Canadian uranium generates 6% of America's electricity, enough to power one in every 17 American homes. All of this energy integration benefits both countries by strengthening our energy security, lowering energy capital costs and enhancing reliability of supply.

It also creates good middle-class jobs on both sides of the border, including at the thousands of American companies that supply technology, machinery and other services to Canada's energy industry. I will be clear that any shutdown of Line 5 would have significant economic impacts, not just in Ontario and Quebec, but in Michigan and neighbouring states. In Houston four years ago—

[Mental Health, February 3rd, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, across the country we are all feeling the impact of the pandemic on our mental health. Staying home and experiencing the disruption of daily routines has not been easy for many Canadians, leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness and to increased stress on families.

Small actions, from recognizing stressors to simple acts of kindness and being there for a loved one, can help support mental health for us and for them and can strengthen our communities and families during this very difficult time.

I encourage Vaughan—Woodbridge residents and all Canadians to access the support they need through platforms such as Wellness Together, Kids Help Phone and Good2Talk.

It is okay to talk about how one is feeling with family, friends and colleagues and to use support to help strike a balance in all aspects of life socially, physically, economically and mentally. Reaching a balance for each one of us is a learning process. Mental health is a journey, not a destination. Let us continue to end the stigma around mental health once and for all.