Irek Kusmierczyk

[International Human Rights Act, June 5th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, minutes after midnight on December 13, 1981, the secret police arrived at my family's door and arrested my father. My father was a member of the Solidarity movement. He was arrested, detained and put in prison. Like many Solidarity activists, he was a prisoner of conscience. Afterwards, when we received letters of support internationally from people in countries like the Netherlands and elsewhere, as well as care packages, these things were really critical to maintaining my family's spirits and my father's spirits.

I just want to ask the hon. member how this legislation may help mobilize global support for prisoners of conscience, and their families as well, as they go through such trials.

[Carbon Pricing, June 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, we know the rising cost of food and groceries is having a challenging impact on families and single moms. That is why we introduced programs like $10-a-day child care, the Canada workers benefit, dental care and the Canada child benefit to help make life more affordable for families, for moms and for all Canadians.

[Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act, May 15th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity that the member for Montcalm has provided me to once again reaffirm the government's support for Canada's supply management system and for this important bill. I want to start by thanking the member for Humber River—Black Creek for reporting the bill back to the House following its review at the Standing Committee on International Trade.

In conducting its review of the bill, the committee heard from over 40 witnesses and received 15 written briefs. The committee heard substantial evidence that Canada's supply management system is a model of stability. It provides a fair price for farmers, stability for processors and high-quality products for consumers, Canadians, and has done so for over 50 years. Numerous witnesses expressed how supply management is a pillar of rural prosperity. It sustains farming families and rural communities.

The great contribution of supply-managed sectors to our economy is undeniable. In 2021, the dairy, poultry and egg sectors generated almost $13 billion in farm-gate sales and accounted for over 100,000 direct jobs in production and processing activities.

This government has consistently reaffirmed our unwavering support for Canada's supply management system, including in the context of international trade agreements. This support was clearly demonstrated during the negotiation of the new NAFTA, the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, or CUSMA. Canada faced significant pressure to dismantle the supply management system, and I cannot stress enough how hard we had to resist and defend it, and defend it we did. Despite this intense pressure, we succeeded in ensuring that all three pillars of the supply management system remain firmly in place: production controls, pricing mechanisms and import controls.

More recently, we demonstrated our support for Canada's supply management system during the negotiation of the Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement, which did not include any new access for cheese or other supply-managed products, despite significant pressure from the United Kingdom.

Moreover, the government has publicly committed, and I stress this, to not provide any new market access for supply-managed products in future trade agreements. This policy has been clearly and publicly stated by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Looking into the future, Bill C-282 makes our commitment to continue to preserve, protect and defend all three pillars of Canada's supply management system even stronger.

Furthermore, the government believes that ensuring greater involvement of the public, stakeholders and parliamentarians in Canada's trade agenda strengthens the defence and promotion of our broader economic interests, including supply-managed sectors. As such, we have increased transparency in the conduct of trade negotiations and we have enhanced reporting obligations to Parliament for all new trade agreements. In November 2020, we updated the policy on the tabling of treaties in Parliament to provide additional opportunities for members of Parliament to review the objectives and economic merits of new trade agreements.

Furthermore, our government will continue to preserve, protect and defend our supply management system in the context of any challenge by our trading partners. We are confident that we, Canada, are fully compliant in the implementation of our trade obligations, and we will vigorously defend our interests.

Let me reiterate the government's unequivocal commitment to maintain supply management as a pillar of strong and sustainable rural prosperity into the future. This matters. It matters to Canadian farmers. It matters to Canadian farmers in my region of Windsor—Essex.

We have tens of thousands of workers who work to drive our agricultural sector. Whether it is greenhouses or on the farms, this is absolutely critical to my region and also to Canadian farmers from coast to coast to coast. It is also important to Canadians. This is the foundation, as we heard today, of Canada's food security.

Bill C-282 is aligned with our commitment. For this reason, we support it. The government is fully committed to defending the integrity of supply management, while also continuing to pursue an ambitious trade agenda.

[Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act, May 15th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for bringing forward this very important piece of legislation. All members on this side of the aisle firmly believe that the agriculture and agri-food sector is a critical component of the Canadian economy. My community of Windsor-Essex is an agricultural powerhouse. There are 4,500 acres of greenhouses across Windsor-Essex, producing vegetables and employing over 15,000 workers, so I have been following this bill very carefully. How will his bill contribute to strengthening Canada's food security?

[National Nursing Week, May 12th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the incredible nurses and nurse practitioners in my community of Windsor—Tecumseh and to say thanks for their dedication, talents and compassion.

On Monday, our community gathered to recognize nurse practitioner Mary Cunningham as the recipient of the Lois Fairley Nurse of the Year community service award. Mary, reflecting on her 46-year career of service above self, much of it taking care of the most vulnerable in the intensive care unit, says she always wanted to be a nurse, since she was a little girl. “I think when you touch people’s lives and you can help people, there’s nothing more rewarding than that”, says Mary.

Nursing is a calling, and nurses are our angels. To Mary, my wife Shauna and all the incredible nurses and nurse practitioners who look after our community, we wish them a very happy National Nursing Week.

[Old Age Security Act, May 11th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to rise in the House to represent the good people of Windsor—Tecumseh, especially on an important issue like the one we are debating here today, so I am absolutely pleased to participate in the second reading debate on Bill C-319.

I would like to begin by thanking the member for Shefford for sponsoring this bill. I think the bill that she has put before us today is an excellent example of focusing parliamentary attention in the right way on an issue that matters to Canadians. Understandably, Canadians care about seniors; they built this country and now deserve to live out their retirement years in financial security. However, it is more than that; these discussions are about improvements that better support everyone who is aging in Canada, which means all of us. The future of aging in Canada is, after all, everyone's future.

My colleague has already explained why Bill C-319 does not flow from the demographic evidence that we have, and has shown that it would work against us in a few ways. I would like to use my time to talk more generally about all the ways the Government of Canada has supported seniors financially over the past eight years, as demonstration of our ongoing commitment to ensuring seniors live a secure and dignified retirement. We have been working hard to support Canada's fastest-growing age group with the right set of programs and services. With a quarter of Canadians expected to be 65 or older by 2051, we have been working hard on many fronts to plan for the future so government can respond to their diverse needs.

Since 2015, we have restored the age of eligibility for the old age security pension and the guaranteed income supplement to 65, down from 67. It is worth pausing here for a moment to point out that, in 2012, the Conservatives introduced an awfully misguided policy that increased the age of eligibility for OAS and GIS from 65 to 67. Not only would that have forced seniors in my riding and across Canada to work longer, but it would have robbed them of literally thousands of dollars of absolutely essential supports, and it would have plunged thousands of them into poverty.

We have a different approach, an approach that is rooted deeply in respect for our seniors. We provided a one-time, tax-free payment to help seniors with extra costs during the pandemic. We worked with provinces to enhance the Canada pension plan, increasing pensions for future retirees. We increased the OAS pension by 10% for seniors aged 75 and over. We increased the GIS by up to $947 per year for the lowest-income seniors, benefiting close to 900,000 vulnerable seniors across Canada, and we committed to increasing the GIS further by $500 for singles and $750 for couples, which will help the lowest-income seniors make ends meet.

The government also included a series of new, targeted measures in the 2022 fall economic statement, focused on Canadians most affected by rising prices. One of those measures is doubling the GST tax credit for six months, putting an average of $225 extra back in the pockets of our seniors. We are delivering on a $500 payment to nearly two million low-income renters, many of whom are seniors struggling with the cost of housing. The grocery rebate introduced in this budget will again, no doubt, make a difference in the lives of so many seniors, and I cannot overlook that budget 2023 introduced dental coverage to seniors who need it most.

I am proud of the measures we have taken to improve the overall health and quality of life of older Canadians and our seniors.

[Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, May 10th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the member for Edmonton—Wetaskiwin for his motion, and also for sharing his beautiful story of Jaden. I had a chance to meet Jaden two months ago during the World Autism Awareness Day celebrations on the Hill, and I can tell members that he brought a smile to all of our faces. I also wanted to thank the hon. member for his tireless advocacy on behalf of persons with disabilities, including children and youth with disabilities.

I have no hesitation in telling the member opposite that we support his motion, fully, unreservedly and with all of our hearts. In fact, one of our government's key priorities is to promote the full social and economic inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Canada is working to create a country and a world where persons with disabilities are included in every aspect of society. At the core of this work is implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This commitment connects Canada to the international community with the opportunity to both lead and learn from other nations as we work toward the shared goal of real, meaningful disability inclusion.

Last year, as part of these efforts, the hon. Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion introduced Canada's first-ever disability inclusion action plan, a road map to create a more inclusive country. The Canada disability benefit will be a cornerstone of this plan and has the potential to seriously reduce poverty and improve financial security for hundreds of thousands of Canadians with disabilities. These are huge, progressive steps forward.

The member for Edmonton—Wetaskiwin seeks greater support for the inclusion of children with disabilities in the education system, tying federal spending to specific measures to achieve that goal, both here in Canada and through our international commitments.

As we know, education falls largely within the jurisdiction of provinces and territories, except for first nations education on reserves, but we do play a key role in building and maintaining a robust system of quality education across the country. We provide significant block transfers to the provinces and territories through the Canada social transfers, including for post-secondary education.

We are committed to working collaboratively with provincial, territorial and indigenous partners, disability stakeholders, and persons with disabilities to remove barriers to quality education. As part of that collaboration, we have established the Canada-wide early learning and child care system. Inclusive and equitable access to early learning and child care is built into the Canada-wide agreements with provinces and territories. Federal funding is being used by our provincial and territorial partners to provide supports that can address the unique circumstances of each individual child and family.

Furthermore, just last June, we announced a $12.5-million investment under the enabling accessibility fund, small projects component, which supported 225 early learning child care centres to buy specialized equipment for children with special needs, so they can thrive in environments that respect their needs.

Through agreements with the provinces and territories, we are building an affordable child care system that is accessible and inclusive to all Canadians in every region of our country. All of this is in addition to supporting lifelong learning and skills development opportunities for working-age persons with disabilities, through, for example, the workforce development agreements and the opportunities fund.

Allow me to circle back to Canada's first-ever disability inclusion action plan. The plan has four key pillars, including financial security, so we can lift persons with disabilities out of poverty, through the groundbreaking Canada disability benefit; employment, so we can take action to address long-standing barriers in the labour market and the workforce; accessible and inclusive communities, so we can address barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from fully participating in their communities; and, finally, a modern approach to disability, so we can address challenges in accessing federal programs and benefits. The action plan will help to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal opportunities to contribute to their communities and workplaces.

Furthermore, I am pleased to say that budget 2023 provides funding of $10 million over two years, to help us address the unique needs and ongoing barriers faced by persons with disabilities by investing in capacity building and the community-level work of Canada’s disability organizations.

In the spirit of “nothing without us”, we will continue to engage the disability community at every turn. When Canadians work together, and we have seen it here in the House, we can build a stronger and more accessible country and world.

I sincerely thank the member for Edmonton—Wetaskiwin for his motion, his leadership and his advocacy, and for helping to bring the House of Commons together behind this excellent motion.

[Questions on the Order Paper, May 10th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to part (a), ESDC activities relating to the temporary foreign worker, TFW, program are funded not through fee revenues, but through voted appropriations, for which the government must seek Parliament’s approval annually through an appropriation act.

Labour market impact assessment, LMIA, fee collections constitute non-respendable revenues, which are returned to the government’s consolidated revenue fund. The LMIA fee is intended to help recoup costs associated with the administration of the TFW program. This includes activities related to processing of LMIA applications, as well as program compliance-related costs intended to ensure employers are abiding by program rules and temporary foreign workers are protected while in Canada.

There are fee exemptions set out for certain LMIA applications, most notably, those made under the program’s primary agriculture stream. Positions in primary agriculture are exempt, given the industry’s long-standing domestic labour supply challenges and the potential downstream effects on national food security. As a result, the LMIA fee, which is exempt from the Services Fee Act, helps the TFW program operate on a partial cost-recovery basis.

With regard to part (b), as per ESDC’s 2023-24 departmental plan, specifically its consolidated future-oriented statement of operations, unaudited, for the year ending March 31, 2024, the total amount of fees projected to be collected is $129,288,000 for 2022-23 and $133,338,000 for 2023-24.

Revenue forecasts may not ultimately align with actuals. Program revenues are dependent on program volumes, i.e., LMIA applications, which are dependent on labour market trends, i.e., employer demand for temporary foreign workers. Historical indicators are leveraged in forecasting program volumes/revenues. However, given the evolving nature of the labour market and the difficulty in forecasting labour market shocks, i.e., COVID-19, actuals may differ from forecasts.

With regard to part (c), LMIA fee collections constitute non-respendable revenues, meaning that the TFW program does not have the authority to spend fee collections. Fee revenues are deposited directly into the government’s consolidated revenue fund.

With regard to part (d), the LMIA fee only serves to recoup costs associated with the TFW program, including activities related to processing of LMIA applications and program compliance-related costs, e.g., employer inspections. Costs unrelated to the administration of the TFW program are not recouped via the LMIA fee.

[Employment Insurance Act, May 4th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise a second time on this issue, because it gives me another opportunity to thank my colleague across the way for raising this important issue in the House. On March 8, 2023, the member for Battlefords—Lloydminster introduced the bill before us, Bill C-318, to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code.

We understand that EI maternity and parental benefits need to be fair for all workers, and that is why we are committed to providing adoptive parents with an additional 15 weeks of leave, to ensure that they receive the same level of support to care for their children as all parents do. We know that adoptive parents have advocated for this. They have rightly noted that all new parents need time with their children to help them grow and to create a meaningful and lasting bond. There is no question that the arrival of a new child is a precious time for all parents, and that is why we remain committed to providing adoptive parents and intended parents with the time that they need to bring their children home and create a sense of attachment with their children. The question is not whether we do this, but how we do this. Simply put, what is the best way to get it done?

We know that EI is a critical program that serves millions of Canadians each year. Canadians rely on it when they find themselves out of work, when they want to start a family or when they need to take time to care for a loved one or to get better themselves. We can all agree that EI benefits need to be fair, more responsive and more adaptable to the needs of Canada's evolving workforce.

Work is already under way to modernize the program. Our intent is to build a simpler EI program that meets the needs of Canadians for decades to come. The hon. Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion has led more than 35 national and regional round tables with stakeholders representing workers, employers, unions, industry groups and academics. The minister also heard from individuals, including parents and soon-to-be parents, through an online survey that had more than 1,900 respondents. Furthermore, we received over 160 written submissions and held three technical workshops.

During these consultations, we considered the needs of parents who create their families through adoption and surrogacy. We talked about making EI maternity and parental benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed. The consultations found enthusiastic support for providing adoptive parents with an additional 15 weeks of leave. Canada's current EI program provides parental benefits to parents who need to take time away from work to care for a newborn or a newly adopted child. When parents share benefits, they can receive up to 40 weeks of standard parental benefits, or 69 weeks under extended parental benefits. Workers who are pregnant or have recently given birth, including surrogates, can receive 15 weeks of maternity benefits to support their recovery from pregnancy and childbirth.

I am pleased to say that budget 2023 proposes continued prudent investments in Canada's EI program, including and extending financial supports for workers in seasonal industries. Budget 2023 also proposes establishing a new, independent board of appeal to hear cases regarding EI claims. As a tripartite organization, the new board of appeal would put first-level EI appeal decisions back into the hands of those who pay into the system.

Since 2015, our government has promised we would have the backs of Canadians, and we have kept that promise every step of the way. From the middle-class tax cut to the Canada child benefit, affordable child care, and incentivizing shared leave, our government has delivered real results for Canadians. Canadians and parliamentarians have expressed the strong need to reform the employment insurance program. As the minister has said, EI reform is a priority for our government, and we will get it done. We look forward to delivering on our commitment to provide adoptive parents with an additional 15 weeks of leave to ensure that they receive the same level of support to care for their children as other parents receive.

[Employment Insurance Act, May 4th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, I want to simply ask what impact introducing these changes or amendments would have on families across Canada.