Kellie Leitch

[Employment, September 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, we actually did put forward a plan in the budget in March, some $50 million for the youth employment strategy. It is an augmentation of an existing $300 million program that the NDP voted against.

We read the budget. We know what is in it. We know that we are supporting students, whether it be through the youth employment strategy or changing Canada's student loans programs to allow youth to get the education they want to enter the workforce.

Why does the NDP vote against all these initiatives?

[Employment Insurance, September 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the workers in my riding of Simcoe—Grey are delighted with these changes because they allow those people who are unemployed to find jobs. The changes are better connecting them to an opportunity to have a job so they can improve the quality of life of their families.

Unlike the Liberals and the NDP that vote against all these initiatives that are providing Canadians with opportunities for jobs, we are there for Canadians. We are focused on finding jobs so they can improve the quality of life of their families.

[Employment Insurance, September 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, this government has provided unprecedented opportunities for Canadians to find employment. We are doing everything that we can to better connect Canadians with the jobs that are available.

It is the Liberals' and the NDP's opposition to these great initiatives that really has stifled those opportunities, whether that was voting against the youth employment strategy or against apprenticeship funding. These are things that will help Canadians find jobs and be attached to the workforce. The opposition continues to vote against them.

[Employment Insurance, September 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, this government has created 770,000 net new jobs since the downturn of the recession in July 2009. In fact, 90% of those were full-time jobs. That is because we have had a very effective economic action plan, which includes a number of initiatives that provide opportunities for employment of young people, older individuals, aboriginal Canadians and new immigrants.

We are working to ensure every Canadian has the opportunity to have a job and be attached to the workforce. I am not sure why the NDP and the Liberals continually vote against these opportunities.

[Employment Insurance, September 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, as I said already, our government wants to ensure that those who work more keep more of their earnings. That is why economic action plan 2012 is focused on ensuring unemployed Canadians have opportunities, whether that be the $50 million over two years in the youth employment strategy or new apprenticeship grants and opportunities, items which both the Liberals and the NDP have continually voted against. What about the NDP carbon tax of $21 billion that will kill jobs across the country?

These are things we are focused on to ensure Canadians have opportunities and are employed.

[Employment Insurance, September 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the opposition that just seems to be against things, we are actually for Canadians, ensuring they have an opportunity to be employed. We have created 770,000 net new jobs over the last two and a half years, and we will continue to do that.

Economic action plan 2012 put forward a number of initiatives, whether that be helmets to hardhats or the opportunity for the EI small business hiring tax credit.

I want to ensure, as do all my colleagues, that Canadians have an opportunity for employment, unlike the members of the NDP and the Liberals who voted against all these initiatives.

[Employment Insurance, September 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, our government wants to ensure those who work more keep more of their earnings. That is why we want as many Canadians as possible to have an opportunity to have a part-time job because we know many of those can be transferred to full-time jobs.

Unlike the opposition members, both the Liberals and the NDP, who do not seem to want to support the opportunities for unemployed Canadians to have employment, we have been focused on ensuring this occurs, whether that be the targeted initiative for older workers or the new EI small business hiring tax credit. These are all initiatives we have put forward to help those unemployed Canadians find an opportunity to work, creating 770,000 net new jobs, unlike the opposition members who vote against all these initiatives.

[Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, September 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to talk about a very important issue that affects thousands of Canadian women across the country. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer found in Canadian women. Over tens of thousands of them are diagnosed and treated every year in the country.

Many of us are touched by this devastating disease. My mother, Lynne Leitch, lost her battle in 1989. I was 18, my siblings 13 and 8. My mom was always there to make sure that we were supported and also on occasion to tell us when we were not so great. My mother is the reason why I support the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation so profoundly. As a medical physician, I know the fabulous work it does every day to make sure that women across the country are supported.

This week, in my riding of Simcoe--Grey, and in communities across the country, CBCF is hosting the annual Run for the Cure. I would like to acknowledge the hard work of the hundreds of thousands of volunteers who go out and support this event. They truly are making a difference.

As October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I stand proud to support the CBCF and ask my colleagues to run for the cure this weekend, to support their neighbours and all those women who suffer from breast cancer every day.

[Employment Insurance, September 27th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, our top priorities are job creation, economic growth and long-term prosperity for Canadians.

When Canada faces labour and skills shortages, it simply makes sense to try to reconnect Canadians with those opportunities.

We want to provide more labour market information to claimants, including online job postings. This information will help them to make better informed decisions about job opportunities and the skills required. We are looking to make sure that Canadians have jobs and that they are able to keep them.

I have asked many times in the House why the NDP members continue to vote against our measures to help Canadians who are unemployed. Why does the NDP oppose our economic action plan that has already created 770,000 net new jobs?

[Employment Insurance, September 27th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here this evening to respond to the member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles on the subject of employment insurance and the support it provides to unemployed Canadians looking for work.

Our government remains committed to providing temporary financial assistance to unemployed Canadians who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, while they are seeking a job or building their skills.

Thanks to the strong leadership of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, the rate of economic activity continues to be strong in 2012. The number of full-time jobs has increased across the country. From July 2009 to March 2012, more than 770,000 net new jobs were created with 90% being full-time positions. This represents the strongest growth by far among G7 countries.

But we cannot rest on our laurels.

Our economic well-being depends on our ability to meet growing labour market challenges. One of the challenges we are facing is a skills shortage.

Statistics Canada tells us that there are about 250,000 job vacancies across the country each month, so what are we doing to help unemployed Canadian workers find jobs?

We will match Canadians with available jobs to help them return to work more quickly.

One way we will be doing this is by making it easier for Canadians to find work available in their local communities. This includes simple but effective methods, like enhancing job alerts to Canadians receiving EI regular benefits. The enhanced job alerts will provide Canadians receiving employment insurance information about job opportunities within their local area that are within their occupation and related occupations. This will also ensure that Canadians have the first opportunity to fill jobs.

We are also clarifying what suitable employment is, as well as what constitutes a reasonable job search. These terms will be clearly defined in regulations, with local employment opportunities being a key consideration.

In addition, there is a new, permanent national approach to calculating EI benefits that will be aligned with local labour market conditions. The local unemployment rate will be used to determine the number of best weeks when calculating the value of the weekly EI benefit.

The purpose of these changes is to give unemployed workers more tools, to help them get back into the labour market and to direct resources to where they are needed most.

I ask all members of the House to support our economic action plan that is clearly delivering world-leading economic results.