House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2015, with 47% of the vote.
Employment Insurance March 9th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. The answer is no. The false allegations of the member opposite are not acceptable.
This location is being selected by Public Works in a fair, open and competitive process. We are pleased that is the process it is moving forward.
Employment Insurance March 9th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the comments of the member opposite are completely false. Our government is improving the way we deliver EI services by expanding and modernizing our backroom processes.
No decision has been made regarding the office location in Thetford Mines for the consolidation of EI processing. This location will be selected by Public Works in a fair, open and competitive process.
Schools March 9th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to recognize two fantastic elementary schools in my riding of Simcoe—Grey: St. James Catholic Elementary School and Tottenham Public School.
In the Fraser Institute's most recent report card on Ontario schools, St. James ranked number one throughout the province and Tottenham Public School was named as one of the most improved schools.
It is through the hard work and dedication of teachers, staff and parents that ensures that Canadian children grow up and learn in some of the best institutions in the country.
These rankings are good news for the children in my riding and, more important, they speak to the growing trend of excellent education in Canada. As an educator myself, I know of the importance of preparing young people for the ever-growing Canadian workforce.
Our students will be competing with some of the best and brightest in the world, and it is our responsibility to ensure that they are prepared to meet the challenges of a global economy.
I congratulate, again, St. James Elementary School and Tottenham Public School for the fantastic work they do for the children of my riding of Simcoe—Grey. Keep up the great work.
Seniors March 7th, 2012
Madam Speaker, our government really wants to provide the best quality of life for Canadian seniors.
We are listening to seniors.
We know that seniors are concerned about the economy and maintaining their standard of living in retirement. In Canada we have one of the best regarded retirement income systems in the world.
We want Canadian seniors to know that there are many federal programs designed especially for them and their particular needs. Far from keeping these programs under wraps, we are promoting them as much as possible, because we want every eligible senior to take advantage of them. We are doing just that.
As I mentioned before, I hope the member opposite decides that she will tell the seniors in her riding all about them. I tell my constituents in Simcoe—Grey about them as frequently as I can.
Seniors March 7th, 2012
Madam Speaker, I am glad to answer the hon. member for London—Fanshawe's question. I am glad she brought up the issue of seniors who do not receive old age security benefits for which they are eligible. This provides me an opportunity to clarify things.
In order to receive OAS pension benefits, Canadian seniors need to apply. It is unfortunate that some people actually do not know this and are suffering unnecessary hardship.
It is very disconcerting to hear that seniors do not receive the benefits to which they are entitled. In such situations it is certainly not because the government is withholding that information.
We reach as many seniors as possible to give them the information about the CPP and OAS, as well as the GIS.
One way is through direct mail. Every year we send over 600,000 applications to Canadians who are not yet receiving their CPP or OAS to encourage them to apply. Recently we mailed over one million statements of CPP contributions, targeted at seniors who were not yet receiving their CPP retirement pensions, in part to remind them that this pension was available to them.
Another way is through public information campaigns and various outreach activities to seniors. Employees of Service Canada's mobile outreach services have delivered hundreds of seminars and appeared at many community events across the country to get the message out about CPP and OAS.
We also work with community organizations that serve seniors. These organizations have been very helpful in educating seniors about their pensions and what pension benefits are available to them.
We collaborate with the Canada Revenue Agency to use tax records to identify seniors who may be eligible for benefits.
The staff in our service centres are trained to ask seniors if they know about these benefits, and our citizen service specialists do more than just give out information; they actually help eligible seniors fill out their application forms. In addition, we are making special efforts to contact seniors who are harder to reach because they may be homeless, live in remote areas, do not speak English or French or have disabilities.
People who are already receiving the GIS may not always know that they have to renew their application each year. However, we have changed the renewal process so that almost all GIS recipients apply only once and have their benefits automatically renewed by filling out their income tax forms. If they do not file their income tax return or complete their application by the deadline, we send them a reminder.
The public pension system is the cornerstone of our financial support from government and of what we provide to Canadians in their later years. It is a solid, sustainable and well-designed program and we are doing our best to see that everyone who is eligible has access to it.
International Trade March 7th, 2012
Madam Speaker, despite its current economic challenges, the EU remains the largest trading market in the world. As I mentioned before, the EU is committed to a broad, ambitious trade agreement with Canada. The benefits to Canadian workers and their families are clear: a 20% boost in bilateral trade and a $12 billion annual boost to Canada's economy. That is the equivalent of 80,000 net new jobs or a $1,000 increase in the average Canadian family income.
An agreement with the European Union will exclude all social services, including health. The Government of Canada will preserve the ability of Canadian authorities at all levels to regulate health care services based on Canadian objectives and priorities.
International Trade March 7th, 2012
Madam Speaker, our government's top priority is the economy. We have weathered the economic storm and the world has noticed. At every turn, we hear great excitement about Canada's resilience and what we offer is a stable business destination in these difficult times. This resilience in due in part to our ambitious pro-trade plan, the most ambitious of such plans in our nation's history.
Since taking office, we have taken action. So far, we have concluded free trade agreements in nine countries. Canadians can now sell their products, services and expertise in countries as diverse as Panama, Jordan and Switzerland at very competitive access terms. We are in negotiation with many more countries, including India and, of course, the countries of the European Union which is the focus of today.
Despite its current economic challenges, the EU remains the largest market in the world. I can say that the EU itself remains committed to a broad, ambitious trade agreement with Canada. The benefits for Canadian workers and their families are clear: a 20% boost in bilateral trade and a $12 billion annual boost to Canada's economy. That is the equivalent of 80,000 new jobs or a $1,000 increase to the average Canadian family income.
With 60% of our economy and one in five jobs dependent on trade, the message is clear. At a time of deep economic uncertainty, Canada needs this agreement to grow its economy and spark new jobs and prosperity. Our government believes that there is no better job creator than free and open trade, which is why we have been working shoulder to shoulder with our European partners to conclude an agreement this year that benefits Canada.
We are pleased with our progress so far in areas like goods, services, investments and government procurement. We are closing in on the last remaining issues to be resolved and developing paths forward on all of them. I can assure the member that our government will vigorously advance and defend Canada's interests at every turn.
A final agreement will directly benefit Canadian businesses, workers and families. Unfortunately, there are some who do not share this view, people using the same tired arguments that free trade will hollow out Canada's economy, drain its resources and erase its culture. We heard these arguments during the great Canada-U.S. free trade debates in the 1980s. None of these predictions have come true. What free trade did do was very beneficial to the Canadian economy. It created millions of Canadian jobs and gave our businesses the kind of access to the American marketplace that other countries only dream about.
Despite those facts, some continue to resurrect the same arguments. The NDP has raised the issue of our public health care system in the context of the Canada-EU trade negotiations. An agreement with the European Union would exclude all social services, including health care. The government has stated this many times.
The Government of Canada has preserved in all its trade agreements the ability of Canadian authorities at all levels to regulate health care services based on Canadian objectives and priorities. The negotiations with the EU are no different.
It should also be noted that there will be nothing in this agreement that could force Canada to privatize health care services. Again, that is true for all of Canada's free trade agreements.
Free trade with the EU will mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter in Canada's economic success story. Hard-working Canadians can count on their government to stand up for their interests and open new markets like the EU for years ahead so that we can continue to create Canadian jobs.
Industry March 6th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before, our government has taken significant action to create jobs, in fact, 610,000 net new jobs since the downturn, many of those in manufacturing in an improved business climate.
We will continue to do this, even when the opposition votes against our measures to create jobs in the manufacturing sector. Opposition members voted against the 50% straight line capital cost allowance. They voted against the hiring credit for small businesses. They want to impose a job killing tax hike that would devastate our country's economy. We have reduced production costs for companies, encouraged innovation and enhanced our ability to compete internationally. Through those and other actions, almost 610,000 new jobs have been created for Canadians. They are working today, which they were not in July 2009.
We will stay focused on job creation and economic growth. We encourage the opposition to do the same.
Industry March 6th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to express my disappointment in the company's decision to close the plant in London and I sympathize with the workers affected by this closure. Let me be clear. The decision to close the facility was taken by the company alone. The federal government does not get involved in the day-to-day operating decisions of private companies.
The manufacturing sector in our country remains a vibrant and important part of the Canadian economy. Canada is a highly competitive country for investment and business.
Our government has taken significant actions to create jobs in manufacturing and improve the business climate. In the last 12 months, more than 200,000 full-time jobs were created economy wide and employment has returned to pre-recession levels.
We have reduced production costs for companies, encouraged innovation and enhanced our ability to compete in global markets. We are providing tax relief, enacting a 50% straight-line capital cost allowance rate for machinery and equipment. We eliminated tariffs on machinery and equipment and industrial inputs. We have invested in skills training and infrastructure. We continue to support research and efforts to commercialize innovation.
In budget 2011 our government took further action to help Canadians stay in the workforce, including providing a temporary hiring credit for small business to encourage hiring and extending training and employment programs through the targeted initiative for older workers program.
Through these and other actions, almost 610,000 more Canadians are working today than when the recession ended in July 2009. While we remain concerned about the number of Canadians who are still out of work, we are one of only two G7 countries to regain more than all of the output and jobs lost during the downturn.
Our government will continue working to attract investment and open new international markets and will improve Canada's regulatory and marketplace frameworks, promoting competition and reducing the administrative burden faced by businesses.
We are moving forward. We encourage our colleagues opposite to follow our lead and support our upcoming budget and all the initiatives that will support manufacturing in our country.
Employment Insurance March 6th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, we want to create a service delivery system that is modern, efficient and focused. As such, we are continuing with our EI modernization initiative and increasing automation.
Our goal is to eliminate the deficit while improving the services we provide.
We are moving forward with the consolidation of EI processing sites from smaller, more costly sites to larger, more efficient regional sites over the next three years. We are establishing a call centre network that will better manage the fluctuation of demand.
Over the last number of weeks, we added over 400 employees to our processing efforts and shifted 120 staff from part-time to full-time, as well as substantially increasing our use of overtime.
We are creating a better, faster and more cost efficient way to service all Canadians. That is what Canadians want.