Julie Dabrusin

[Public safety, June 15th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, some people in my riding shared their concerns with me after their child was held up at the airport because of misidentification.

I know that this is something the Minister of Public Safety has been monitoring quite closely since we were elected.

My constituents are concerned about the ongoing impact this may have.

Can the minister please share with the House the steps his department is taking to help those experiencing difficulty with aviation security lists?

[Luminato Festival, June 13th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend marked the beginning of the Luminato Festival. This year, it celebrates its 10th anniversary in Toronto Danforth's port lands.

Luminato celebrates Canadian and world culture. It is held at the Hearn Generating Station, a decommissioned plant. This industrial space has been transformed into a cultural centre for the next few weeks. It is also a gathering place for the city.

Luminato entertains and informs at the same time. This new use for the power plant also allows us to see the future of the port lands in a new light.

Most importantly, Luminato is a community gathering. On Wednesday night, the festival is hosting an iftar at the Hearn to break the daily Ramadan fast with families and friends from Canada's newcomer Syrian families. It shows the important role that our cultural institutions play in our lives.

Please join me in celebrating Luminato.

[Business of Supply, June 2nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague talked a lot about wasted votes. How does he think the motion we are debating today will help resolve these questions of consultations or even engage people whose vote is not represented here? How will that help us avoid wasted votes?

[Business of Supply, May 30th, 2016]

Madam Chair, that is very important for people in my riding. I really appreciate that answer, because infrastructure has become one of the key issues I hear about day in and day out.

However, people are also looking at Canada on a more global scale. Perhaps the Minister of Finance could assist in telling us what we are doing to bring Canada back. What are we doing to bring Canada back economically in terms of innovation? What are we doing to build a future and show that Canada is a very strong country?

[Business of Supply, May 30th, 2016]

Madam Chair, my next question is about infrastructure, because that is something that comes up time and time again when I have discussions with people in my riding. There is a feeling that infrastructure has been crumbling in our city. I keep hearing that people want to see further investment to help build our country again.

I would like to know from the Minister of Finance what the effect would be of the government's infrastructure investments on Canadian families and our environment. Perhaps he could provide us with some guidance as to what he sees as the impact of our infrastructure investments.

[Business of Supply, May 30th, 2016]

Madam Chair, it is my pleasure to address the committee of the whole regarding the initiatives of the department of finance. I intend to speak for about 10 minutes and leave five minutes or so for questions.

I am going to tell you about two pressing concerns for the residents of Toronto—Danforth. The first is income inequality, and the second is the different effects that poverty has on women and men and how the government is working to address those major concerns.

When I was back in my riding during our various constituency weeks this spring, I had the opportunity to knock on doors and visit community centres in all of the neighbourhoods that make up Toronto—Danforth.

Our government tabled budget 2016 back on March 22. Since that time, I have been having conversations about the work that we are doing here. I have been speaking to people about how we are legislating in Ottawa to help Canadians lead prosperous, healthy lives.

As part of my constituency work, I visited some buildings, social housing projects, and apartments rented to people with low incomes. I met families that can barely make ends meet because of the high cost of living in Toronto. Many of them have just arrived in Canada and are learning a new language and culture, different from those they grew up with in their home country. Many of them have children, but some of them live alone. These Canadians are having a hard time. They are living in poverty and do not have many of the things that we take for granted because they cannot afford them.

Large and important community groups and organizations are working in my riding to help the less fortunate improve their situation. For example, the St. John the Compassionate Mission provides food and programs to many people in difficulty. The bakery next door employs people who would otherwise be marginalized and unable to work.

There is also the Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre, which offers family drop-in programming, after-school activities for children, and extensive newcomer orientation services.

WoodGreen Community Services also has a large presence in our community. They do important work helping people find affordable housing, get jobs, or improve their employability through various training programs. They even run a special program for single, female-led families who are having a hard time finding a place to live and a job. This program puts women through college, while housing them and helping them care for their children.

I would also like to mention the innovative and award-winning Classroom Connections, which is headquartered in my riding. This organization develops educational programming for schools and youth across the country. It has designed resources for indigenous youth to help reach out to them and provide them with skills training.

Another organization that works toward helping alleviate some of the gender inequalities that are inherent in poverty is Newcomer Women's Services Toronto. Based in Toronto—Danforth, this important organization has been providing help to newcomer women for more than 30 years. It is there to provide employment, skills development, and settlement services for women. This empowering place is an important initiative that helps address the challenges women in particular face.

Similarly, the Massey Centre helps pregnant and parenting adolescents. This centre, which is located in Toronto—Danforth, helps vulnerable young mothers who are looking for the emotional, social, and economic help they need to raise their babies. The centre recognizes that young mothers face serious challenges, and it focuses on making women autonomous and independent by offering high school courses and helping them learn other skills.

The Canada child benefit will have a direct impact on these young mothers.

Our government's Canada child benefit is one tool we would use to fight poverty and income inequality. This simple tax-free benefit would be directly targeted toward low- and middle-income families. Many of the families getting this benefit would see an average increase in child benefits of almost $2,300 in the 2016-2017 benefit year. The hope and aspiration is that the Canada child benefit would help lift some 300,000 children out of poverty this year alone.

Nine out of 10 families will receive more money with the Canada child benefit than they are currently receiving.

Since this money does not come in the form of a tax credit, for which they must first spend money in order to benefit, every family that receives a benefit will be able to take advantage of it.

The Canada child benefit is an example of this government's commitment to families in need. I believe it represents one of the most important strategic innovations made in years.

It is, in short, a game changer.

Seniors and older Canadians suffer from income inequality in disproportionately large numbers. When older Canadians leave the workforce, they often find themselves living in poverty. I know this from the time I have spent meeting these seniors across my riding. I have been to teas, luncheons, and other events at seniors homes, churches, and community centres. At these important events, I have met older Canadians who tell me about their lives and the challenges they face.

Going door to door, I met many seniors living alone who have a hard time paying for their apartment or home. It is a challenge to find jobs for seniors. Well Seasoned Productions is an initiative in my riding. This entertainment company produces plays in which the actors and industry professionals are aged 50 and over. The group gives jobs to older artists and presents Canadian stories celebrating the contribution of Canadian seniors.

Our government's approach to helping seniors, although perhaps not as dramatic as that undertaken by Well Seasoned Productions, is important. Recognizing that seniors sometimes are forced to live alone and that many of those single seniors are women, our government has committed to spending $3.4 billion over five years to lift low-income single seniors out of poverty. This would be accomplished through a significant increase to the guaranteed income supplement top-up benefits.

As of July of this year, the guaranteed income supplement can increase by up to $947 a year. This increase will help the seniors who are already just receiving old age security and the guaranteed income supplement. Based on the discussions I have had in my riding, these seniors are the ones most likely to live in poverty. This investment will help protect them from economic hardship.

To conclude, I want to highlight how these initiatives would have an important gendered impact. As I have already said, the most impoverished single seniors tend to be women. They would get a direct benefit from these important changes.

Furthermore, although we know that the shape and size of families with children varies widely, there are nevertheless many female-led single-parent families in my riding and across Canada. The Canada child benefit is one very direct way that we could help these families and these women avoid economic marginalization.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to speak here today, and I am very pleased to be able to ask the Minister of Finance some questions.

I would now like to ask my first question.

Could the minister walk this committee through the plans to provide more funding for affordable housing and the retrofits to existing affordable housing units?

This is a big issue in my riding, because we have many people who are in need of affordable housing. Toronto housing costs are quite expensive, as members know. This is an issue that has been forcing many people in my riding to find solutions, and they are looking to us for guidance as to how to find these solutions. What are we doing to provide affordable housing?

[Business of Supply, May 30th, 2016]

Mr. Chair, many of the students in my riding have concerns about the future and how they are going to pay for their education, how they are going to get ahead. I was asked that question many times when I met with their parents and their families. I am wondering if the parliamentary secretary might be able to explain how this budget will help young Canadians to get ahead in their education, so that they can get the skills and necessary steps they need to go forward and get employment.

[Food Banks, May 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, today my team and I are fasting for Hunger on the Hill. This initiative, led by Food Banks Canada, asks people to go without food for a day. We are fasting for one day to draw awareness to the fact that countless Canadians and their children go hungry every day. Tonight, I know I will eat dinner, but for many people who live in our communities, that is not an option.

Over 800,000 Canadians count on food banks every month to put food on the table. One-third of them are children and young people. There are over 500 food banks in Canada. We can and we must do better. We must guarantee the food security of all Canadians.

With measures like the Canada child benefit and the increase to the guaranteed income supplement, we can do something about food insecurity and help people get the healthy, nutritious food they need.

[Criminal Code, May 17th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that this issue has been before the House about 11 times since 1991. I know that my colleague was present for the special joint committee, but they also had an external report and a provincial and territorial report. The special joint committee, in fact, heard from more than 60 witnesses and read more than 100 submissions. Also, my understanding is that even today there was an offer to extend the time for debate, which I believe my colleague and his friends did not approve.

My question for him is, how much more debate, particularly in light of very big similarities between his two speeches, do we really need on this point?

[Fight Against Food Waste Act, May 12th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by saying that I am really pleased that the member for Berthier—Maskinongé has brought the issue of food waste before us. It is truly wonderful that we are having a conversation about food policy today, because it is very important to me.

I will say that I have some concerns about the wording in the bill. I was very happy to hear that the member is open to making some amendments, because I believe that some amendments will be required. However, it is a good start. I worry that the bill leads us in the wrong direction. I say that because I think that food policy is very important and food waste is something we need to address, but I do not like making a link between food waste and food insecurity. They are two different issues and form part of a larger food policy.

I do not like it when I hear ideas like edible food going to landfills should, instead, be given to people in need. The truth is that food insecurity is about poverty and dealing with poverty issues, and food waste is an issue that is economic, environmental, and needs to be addressed, but we should not be making a link between one and the other.

I am personally very interested in food policy. I have been involved in food policy issues in my own community. I have worked with local farmers markets, I have organized an annual stone soup event, where people contribute vegetables to a communal soup that they eat together. Any extra vegetables that are collected are brought to a local food bank. I am interested in this issue very much and I have personal experience. I have also worked with Second Harvest in Toronto—Danforth, picking up food and bringing it to women who are new to Canada and in need.

I recently had the opportunity to see a Canadian documentary called Just Eat It, which is a food waste story. It tells the story of a Vancouver couple, I believe, or a couple in British Columbia, who made a pact that they would live off of food waste for a six-month period. They were actually able to collect enough food during that period of time to eat. They also found that they became tremendously unhealthy from the kind of food that they were collecting. Well, “tremendously unhealthy” might be too much, but they were gaining weight and were not feeling quite as healthy as before.

I always like to celebrate Canadian arts and culture, and it is good to highlight that this is a Canadian documentary. It was made in 2014 and it won numerous awards, including the people's choice award at the Calgary International Film Festival, and best Canadian documentary at the Edmonton International Film Festival. It also won some awards at the Vancouver International Film Festival. It is always nice to tie some issues together like that.

I would like to take a moment to talk about the bill. It was interesting to hear my colleague raise the question about the title, “national food waste awareness day”, and suggested “national food awareness day” without referring to waste. That is something we can discuss. My bigger concern is that the preamble talks about food banks and makes a link between food waste and food banks. I agree that food waste is an economic problem. I agree that we need to deal with it.

It is interesting, actually, that the preamble does not mention the part about methane gas, which is a source of climate change, but food waste can lead to it. My friend mentioned that in her presentation and that was great.

I am concerned about the choice of October 16 as national food waste awareness day. October 16 is already World Food Day, which my colleague mentioned. It is a global day to end hunger and it has been celebrated since 1981. It is a date that celebrates the creation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the FAO, which was created on October 16, 1945, in Quebec City, at the Château Frontenac.

The day is marked with hunger walks, dinners, food drives. In Canada, there is World Food Day Canada, which hosts speakers, has exhibits, and really aims at solving issues about world hunger and poverty issues relating to food. To me, having national food waste awareness day on the same day as World Food Day is a concern.

I would say that it is an issue that is important for us to deal with. Food banks are important. I will have a chance to speak a bit more on this issue, so just in case it happens at a later date I would point out that there is Hunger on the Hill on May 18. My office will be participating in it and I will be participating in it to raise awareness about hunger issues and food insecurity. I would encourage other people to also participate in that event.

What concerns me the most, one of the reasons that I ran, is growing income inequality. I was concerned about food insecurity. We do need to gain more awareness of that. I really like that we are starting to talk about those issues in the House and having a good discussion about it. I just do not want to see that link made to food waste. That is a discussion we can have a bit later.