Mr. Speaker, unfortunately for the member, his question about the use of pyrrhotite is a provincial jurisdiction. The provincial governments, including the Government of Quebec, are responsible for this issue.
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Housing June 20th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately for the member, his question about the use of pyrrhotite is a provincial jurisdiction. The provincial governments, including the Government of Quebec, are responsible for this issue.
Housing June 20th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, the use of pyrrhotite is a provincial jurisdiction. It is up to the provincial government to resolve. In this case, it is Quebec that needs to resolve this issue for Quebeckers. This is not a federal jurisdiction.
Employment June 20th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, we are doing no such thing.
Fortunately, the youth unemployment rate is lower in Canada than in most countries in the world. That being said, it is too high. We must address the youth unemployment problem. Indeed, this is a problem in all developed countries.
That is one of the reasons I have reached out to employers and unions to train young people for better jobs, as is the case in Germany, where the unemployment rate is 7% and the training system is linked to jobs, like the Canada job grant, which will help young people find the training they need to get real jobs.
Employment June 20th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, we have made unprecedented investments in job training for youth and in helping young people find work. However, it is not government programs that will create jobs for Canada's young people, it is a growing economy, a strong economy. The best thing to do is to keep lowering taxes and stick to our policies, which have given us one of the best economic track records in the world when it comes to job creation.
The worst thing we can do for young unemployed Canadians is to raise taxes, like the NDP wants to do.
Employment June 20th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, what we hear is the very typical demagogy of the NDP that I do not hear from NDP provincial governments. When I talk to NDP provincial governments, what they raise with me is the opposite concern. They raise concern about certain regions and industries that do not have Canadians applying for jobs. They ask that we take a prudent approach to ensuring that we do not negatively impact those businesses and in turn end up causing Canadians their job.
That is why today we are taking a tough but fair approach, a balanced approach that will crack down on abuse, will ensure that Canadians come first and that ensures this program operates only and always as a last and limited resort.
Employment June 20th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, I do not know whether there was a question there.
I repeat that the government took action today after two years of consultation with all parties involved, including unions, to reform the program and ensure that Canadians have first crack at the jobs available in Canada, as well as to deal with employers' misuse of the program. We will make sure that there are consequences and penalties for employers who abuse the program.
Employment June 20th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, today, we will announce fundamental changes to the temporary foreign worker program so that Canadians have first crack at the jobs available in Canada. These changes will prevent employers from abusing the program and exploiting temporary foreign workers. One of the measures is designed to ensure more transparency by requiring the program to issue a report every three months on the number of companies that made a request for temporary foreign workers. That way, more data will be available to Parliamentarians and the general public.
Employment June 20th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, that is not a fair question at all.
Today, the government will announce that it is investing $14 million in two new programs to collect labour market information about wages and available jobs across Canada so that we can make informed decisions about labour market policies.
Today we are undertaking a major overhaul of the temporary foreign worker program to make sure that Canadians always get first crack at available jobs.
Employment June 19th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, once again, the member has it all wrong. In fact, it was the Conservative government that created the blacklist and added the names of bad employers. That was the first time that was done. It was the Conservative government that initiated criminal investigations of employer fraud. It was also this government that added new powers in a bill, resulting in sanctions for bad employers. In the near future, we will add other sanctions for bad employers who abuse the program.
Employment June 19th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member for her consistency, because every single assertion in her question was wrong. She did not have a single fact correct.
For example, this government has added several employers to the new strengthened blacklist. We have referred several cases to the Border Services Agency for criminal investigation.
Let us peel back the onion here. When the member said that businesses are complaining about uncertainty, that is the way that the opposition parties are narrowcasting a different message to constituents who are employers who want more and faster access to the program. Here they pretend they are against it; with their constituents they pretend they are for the program.
This government will fix the program. We will mend it, not end it.