Kellie Leitch

[February 2nd, 2012]

Madam Speaker, those who have read the actual text of the convention know that its main emphasis stresses the right to equal treatment and equal opportunity. The convention acknowledges that people with disabilities may need a measure of assistance but not if it conflicts with their personal autonomy and their ability to participate in the community.

In regard to the independence and inclusion of people with disabilities, we have made considerable progress in Canada over the past several years. We should celebrate that progress rather than decry the fact that inequities still exist.

All of the accomplishments that I outlined in my previous speech really speak to our commitment to the inclusiveness of all Canadian society, to include children and adults with disabilities.

[February 2nd, 2012]

Madam Speaker, standing here today as the parliamentary secretary for HRSDC, I thank the hon. member for Montcalm. She asked what we are doing to implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and I am pleased to respond.

Our government is committed to building a inclusive society in which all Canadians can participate. To that end, we are doing our best to remove obstacles and create opportunities for people with disabilities. Let me mention just some of the things that we are doing.

When Canada ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2010, we took our commitment to build a inclusive society to the international level. Our ratification of the convention was the culmination of seven years of collaboration with international bodies and the disabilities community across Canada.

The Office for Disabilities Issues at HRSDC is promoting coordination across the government on disabilities policy and is working toward compliance with the convention. I am sure my hon. colleague will be glad to know that the government is currently preparing Canada's initial report on compliance with the convention which is due in April 2012. In addition to the disability tax credit, we offer a non-refundable tax credit that reduces income tax payable for eligible taxpayers.

In addition, we have the child disability benefit, a tax free benefit for families who care for a child under the age of 18 who is eligible for the disability tax credit and who has a severe and prolonged impairment in physical or mental functions. As well, we help people with disabilities by enhancing their income security through the disabilities component of the Canada pension plan.

People with disabilities and their families are often worried about their financial future. In response, we have helped them save through the registered disability savings plan, the Canada disability savings grant and the Canada disabilities savings bond.

Between December 2008, when the RDSP first became available to Canadians, and October 2011, a total of 49,857 RDSPs have been registered. During this same time, the Government of Canada contributed a total of $200 million in grants and close to $85 million in bonds.

We help students with disabilities finance their post-secondary education through special grants and loans. We have employment programs that make it easier for Canadians with disabilities to get into the job market, including the opportunities fund for persons with disabilities and the labour market agreements with the provinces and territories for persons with disabilities.

A disability should not keep anyone from participating in their community or the economy. That is why we created the enabling accessibility fund, which funds community-based projects that increase access to facilities, activities and services. The fund has made more than 600 accessibility projects possible in communities across Canada. As a matter of fact, the fund has been so successful that a year ago we extended it with an investment of an additional $45 million over the next three years.

In addition, we expanded the range of eligible projects by creating a mid-sized component, allowing communities to undertake larger retrofit projects and to foster partnerships for creating new facilities. Because of this, even more individuals will benefit.

Our government is removing barriers to participation in the economy and in local communities because the participation of Canadians with disabilities is vital to our economic success.

No government has done more for Canadians with disabilities than our Conservative government. As a pediatric surgeon who has worked and cared for children who have severe disabilities, I am extremely proud to be a part of it.

[February 2nd, 2012]

Madam Speaker, our government is committed to having the most educated skilled work force in the world. It is vital for our economic recovery and success.

To help borrowers who face repayment difficulties, our government introduced important measures in budget 2008. We changed the repayment assistance plan of the Canada student loan program. Now borrowers are only required to pay back what they can reasonably afford, and based on their family income and size. In 2009-10, approximately 160,000 individuals who were issued a Canada student loan benefited from the repayment assistance plan.

As a result of this and many other measures at HRSDC, we have been able to help students not default on their loans, and an historic low in default rates has been achieved, at just under 15%.

To help borrowers manage their debt, we contact them before their repayments and provide them individual counselling so they are able to be responsible borrowers.

Our government wants students to realize their post-secondary education goals,. We are helping them do that.

[February 2nd, 2012]

Madam Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to address the concerns of the member for Chambly—Borduas on the need to reduce student debt.

Post-secondary graduates play a vital role on our road to economic recovery and prosperity. That is why our government made changes to student financial assistance in 2008 and why we are proposing more amendments to the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act.

However, it should be underlined that the policies of post-secondary institutions, including the establishment of tuition levels, fall under provincial and territorial jurisdiction.

We support the provincial and territorial governments through block funding for post-secondary education under the Canada social transfer. This ensures that provinces and territories have the flexibility to invest funding according to their own needs and priorities. This reflects a long history of Canadian governments working together on shared national priorities. It also recognizes that in areas of provincial jurisdiction, provincial and territorial governments are best placed to deliver the services and to be accountable for their outcomes.

We are living in the age of knowledge and information. Therefore, it has never been more important to give the young people of today the means to pursue post-secondary education if we want them to succeed in the world of tomorrow. That is exactly what we are doing.

Our government has made available a number of supports to help Canadians finance and repay their post-secondary education. Our government invests more than $10 billion annually in direct support for post-secondary education.

As announced on January 1, part-time students no longer have to pay interest on their Canada student loans while enrolled as students, bringing their costs in line with those of full-time students.

In the 2009-10 school year, 400,000 students received loans and grants totalling nearly $2.7 billion through the Canada student loans program. Of that, $593 million was for Canada student grants, received by 295,000 Canadian students. That is more than double what it was under the old Liberal system.

Budget 2011 indicated that our government will forgive a portion of student loans for new family physicians and nurses who choose to work in under-serviced areas, such as remote and rural communities, like my own home areas of Elmvale and Angus in the riding of Simcoe—Grey. Budget 2011 also increased the amount students can earn while working without their loans being affected. This helps over 100,000 students.

Canadians still believe, correctly I would add, that post-secondary education is a sound investment. This is why more Canadians than ever before are seeking assistance to help them meet their post-secondary education goals.

Our government is aware of the concerns about rising student debt. We remain committed to helping students access affordable post-secondary education with a loan they can reasonably repay.

[Business of Supply, February 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, we need to make sure that this program is sustainable for future Canadians. That is why our government is acting responsibly and moving forward.

As has been mentioned, current seniors' benefits will be maintained. We will continue to take action to support seniors across this country.

[Business of Supply, February 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before, the current benefits provided to seniors will be maintained. My father is a senior and his benefits will be maintained.

We have done things to aid those seniors whom the member is talking about, whether by increasing the GIS or providing them with the opportunity for pension income splitting. Those members voted against those things. We encourage them to step up, take action, and support the government in what we are doing for seniors.

[Business of Supply, February 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. The number of seniors who are in the low income bracket has declined substantially since 1979, from 29.4% then to 5.2% under this government.

This government has initiated a number of measures that have allowed low income seniors to come out of poverty, whether an increase in the guaranteed income supplement or in the base rate from $500 to $3,500.

Our government is acting. Why does the opposition not support us?

[Business of Supply, February 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to respond this misguided and misinformed opposition motion.

It is unfortunate that the opposition would attempt to confuse Canadians and misrepresent the intentions of our government with its own narrow political gains. This demonstrates how reckless the opposition is with the facts. I am pleased to have this opportunity to set the record straight.

The changes our government is considering have nothing to do with deficit reduction. In fact, the budget will balanced years before any potential changes to OAS come into effect. I will repeat what the Prime Minister, the minister and the minister of state have already said. No current recipient of OAS will lose any of their benefits because of potential changes, not a penny.

It is unfortunate that the opposition is attempting to use these tactics. It demonstrates how out of touch it is with the reality of the demographic challenges that are facing our country.

Let me focus for a moment on the intentions of our government.

Our government wants a strong and sustainable future for Canadians. We believe Canada's seniors are valuable members of our society. They are more than a demographic or a statistic; they are the individuals who built our country. People like Alex Currie or Elsie Cruikshank from my riding in Simcoe—Grey built our country. That is why our government has made seniors a priority in every budget we have implemented.

Since forming government, we have provided $2.3 billion annually in additional tax relief to seniors and pensioners. This has been achieved through pension income splitting and increasing the age credit. We brought in a new guaranteed income supplement top-up benefit to help Canada's most vulnerable seniors, the biggest increase in the GIS in 25 years, and the opposition voted against it.

This is in addition to the 7% increase in the GIS above regular indications between 2006 and 2008. We invested $400 million over the two years for the construction of homes for low-income seniors. In budget 2008 we increased the GIS earnings exemption from $500 to $3,500, and the opposition voted against that as well.

In budget 2011 we provided $10 million over two years to increase the funding to the new horizons for seniors fund. The funding supports seniors to use their leadership, energy and skills to benefit their local communities. We are supporting positive and active aging through collaborative initiatives, age-friendly community initiatives, physical activity tips for older seniors and fall prevention initiatives, all initiatives that my constituents in Simcoe—Grey utilize.

We appointed Canada's first ever Minister of State for Seniors and created the National Seniors Council in 2007 to provide advice to the federal government on matters that related to well-being and quality of life of seniors. We proudly established October 1 as National Seniors Day in Canada.

These actions demonstrate how much we value our seniors, and we are proud of our record.

We will not endanger our seniors' well-being. We want to protect the old age security program and ensure its viability for future generations. That is why we are considering changes.

We are committed to ensuring seniors have the highest quality of life, not just for today but also in a way that will be sustainable for citizens in the future. These are not mutually exclusive goals, these are things done properly and we need to meet both of these goals.

We understand the importance of a secure and dignified retirement for people who have spent their lives building Canada through their hard work, people like John Nell of Collingwood or Tom Walsh in Adjala. The evidence of all the good work our government has done to improve the lives or seniors is evident by improved quality of life of seniors from coast to coast to coast.

The low income rate for seniors has declined dramatically, from 29.4% in 1978 to 5.2% in 2009 under this government, according to Statistics Canada, post-tax low-income cut-offs. The low income rate among seniors in Canada is now one of the lowest among members of the OECD.

However, there is a looming demographic challenge that we can see on the horizon, and that speaks for itself. The World Health Organization says that the average life expectancy in Canada is increasing and is one of the highest in the world, something of which we as Canadians should be proud. It is almost 81 years.

In 2010-11, $35.7 billion in OAS benefits were provided to Canadians. This includes $7.9 billion in the guaranteed income supplement payments for 1.6 million low income seniors. In 2030, the cost to the Canadian taxpayers will escalate to $108 billion a year. A similar trend is observed in the number of recipients.

In 2010, 4.7 million people collected basic old age security. By 2030, the number of people collecting OAS will have nearly doubled to 9.3 million.

This is not a local trend. Canada is not alone in its demographic shift, as population aging is a worldwide phenomenon.

According to the United Nations, in 2005, 10% of the world's population was 65 or older.

By 2025, that proportion is expected to reach about 15%, or slightly more than one in six.

This phenomenon is even more marked in developed countries like Canada. Today, one in seven Canadians is over 65. By 2030, less than 20 years from now, one in four Canadians will be over 65. This new reality will have major repercussions for the labour market.

A smaller number of working taxpayers will be supporting a larger number of OAS recipients. We owe it to future generations to leave both a solid OAS program and an affordable tax burden.

Looking at these facts, the coming challenges are clear. What is not clear is the reason that opposition members are attempting to mislead Canadians about the health of the Canada pension plan. The CPP is directly funded from contributions made by employees, employers and the self-employed. According to Canada's chief actuary, it is sustainable for the next 75 years. The reason the CPP is so robust is that the contributions of individuals are invested over their careers, thereby growing the fund to cover the benefits in their retirement. This is a fundamentally different model than the OAS program. The OAS is funded from general tax revenues on a pay-as-you-go basis. This means that all the benefits are paid for by the taxes collected that year. There is no reserve fund. This is why the worker-to-retiree ratio is so important.

This is not just a problem for Canada. According to the latest OECD report, “Pensions at a Glance 2011”, two-thirds of OECD countries are already increasing statutory pension ages, and will do so in the coming decades to respond to this issue.

We must get things right now to ensure that our retirement security system stays strong and sustainable for generations to come. Thankfully, because of the strong economic leadership of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, we can begin from a position of relative strength and can afford to make changes over time. Younger generations will have the time to plan and adjust. Older generations, who have planned accordingly, will play by the rules of today and will not be affected. We will address this issue in a manner allowing Canadians to continue to enjoy the quality of life we all cherish. To be clear, any changes that our government implements will provide a lengthy period of notice and adjustment.

In summary, our government is reviewing measures to protect Canadians' pensions in the long term. We will implement any changes fairly, allowing significant notice and time for adjustment. We will not follow the opposition and stick our heads in the sand and pretend that we are oblivious to the obvious problems of an aging society in Canada. For these reasons, our government will be voting against this motion, and I urge all members of the House to do exactly the same.

[Business of Supply, February 2nd, 2012]

Madam Speaker, I represent a riding, Simcoe—Grey, that has many seniors who have built this country and are continuing to volunteer as seniors, such as Paul Ruppel, Bill McDougall and others.

The member commented on how the government is acting responsibly to deal with both seniors as well as young people in this country. Could he outline the things this government has done since 2006 to support seniors in this country?

[2012 Ontario Winter Games, December 15th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in support of the 2012 Ontario Winter Games being hosted in the beautiful town of Collingwood in my riding of Simcoe—Grey.

The Ontario Winter Games, which are less than 100 days away, are a chance for over 2,000 young athletes from across Ontario to compete in 24 different sporting events.

Our Winter Games, which include everything from skiing to curling and hockey to snowboarding, are an excellent opportunity to see some of our province's best young athletes.

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet the chair of the Ontario Winter Games, former rowing Olympian and Collingwood resident Brian Saunderson, who kicked off the games and spoke about the important lessons that young athletes learn at these types of competitions. These games are, for some athletes, a stepping stone to the Olympics, and they promote healthy active living among young adults.

I am proud to be part of a government that supports Canadian athletes. I wish the town of Collingwood, Mayor Cooper and the over 2,000 athletes all the best in the Ontario Winter Games.