Lynne Yelich

[Business of Supply, May 8th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the member, who sits on the committee with me and is so pleased that we are studying the EI account. However, I am very discouraged with our study because it appears that we are continually talking about a $54 billion surplus that was “siphoned”. That is the word that is used.

If the member is really that excited about the account, perhaps he can explain at committee where the $54 billion went. The account is not being studied as it should be. I am surprised that he thinks this is going to be any kind of solution for the EI account.

He named a few promises that the Liberals made, but he did not assert who really delivered on those promises. It was this government.

The member also did not stand up and vote for the $39 billion that we transferred back to the provinces after his government took $25 billion out of the provinces.

I just wanted to clarify a few things. I do not want the member to get overexcited about there being any solution to the EI account unless he can bring some sort of understanding as to where the $54 billion surplus went.

[May 6th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, all the member has to do is look at the facts. When it comes to job creation, Quebec had its best showing in five years in 2007 and was above the national average.

In fact, employment in the province of Quebec has increased by over 140,000 since our government took office. Recently, Morgan Stanley announced that it will be creating 500 new, high paying jobs in Montreal. Overall, over three-quarters of a million new jobs have been created since we have formed the government, 80% of which are full time. The unemployment rates of Canada and Quebec, and Quebec is included in Canada, remain near 33 year lows. Employment is up in every region.

The Conservative government's policies are working. The job creation numbers speak for themselves.

I see that the member did not stay to listen to my final remarks.

[May 6th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I strongly disagree with the member's assertion that the government is not supporting communities affected by the loss of manufacturing jobs.

I want to thank the member for giving me the opportunity to highlight all of the positive steps this government has taken since we have taken office.

We continue to work with all the provinces and territories to help them deal with the economic challenges they are facing. For example, in January we announced a $1 billion community development trust. This investment will support communities and workers who are affected by international economic volatility.

Furthermore, the government moved quickly to pass Bill C-41. We did this so that payments through the trust could be provided. Bill C-41 was supported by all parties in the House, including the Bloc Québécois.

Through the trust, the provinces will receive a base amount of $10 million and the territories $3 million, with the balance being provided on an equal per capita basis.

As a result, Quebec will get $216 million to help its communities and workers. The Province of Quebec can use the money provided in the community development trust to invest in job training and skills development, to support the development of community transition plans, and to support initiatives that help diversify local economies.

Budget 2008 went even further by building on funding that was provided by the community development trust. It did so by providing an additional $90 million to extend the targeted initiative for older workers to 2012 to help older workers stay in the workforce.

It also provides $10 million over two years to Natural Resources Canada to promote Canada's forestry sector in international markets as a strong model of environmental innovation and sustainability.

Furthermore, it allocates $72 million over two years to farm programs. It improves access to $3.3 billion in potential cash advances to Canadian farmers.

I question why the member is ignoring the fact that since 2006 we have provided key support for the manufacturing and forestry sectors.

We are also helping manufacturers and processors, including those in Quebec, through the Advantage Canada framework by helping them to better invest and compete.

For example, the government will provide over $9 billion in tax relief by 2012-13, including broad-based tax reductions.

Through the community development trust, as well as other measures introduced in budget 2008, this government is helping the manufacturing sector in Quebec, as well as all communities across Canada that are affected by global economic uncertainty.

[May 6th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure this evening to let all Canadians know that the government is doing a lot for seniors. It is an impressive record and one worth talking about.

The government cares deeply about seniors, which is why we introduced pension income splitting. We raised the GIS earned income exemption from $500 to $3,500, which will allow seniors to continue working if they want to. This will let them keep more of their hard-earned money and that is why we have proposed such measures as a tax free savings account.

We have cut the GST from 7% to 6%, to 5% in the two years we have been elected and we did this for all Canadians. This has been a major tax cut for low income seniors because often it is only the federal tax that the seniors pay.

I am thankful to my friend across the aisle for again allowing me the opportunity to remind and discuss the government's accomplishments for Canadian seniors.

[May 6th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for raising this issue in the House again. I know she cares deeply about seniors issues, as do all members of the government.

It must have been frustrating for the member during her three years with the Bloc Québécois when she had to sit idly by while it was completely incapable of accomplishing a single goal on the seniors file.

Thankfully, Canadians now have a government that not only takes seniors issues seriously, but a government that is actually getting things done. We have spoken about this important issue in the House several times and once again I would like to point out to my friend from Rimouski that income for Canadian seniors has risen dramatically over the past 25 years.

According to Statistics Canada, the income of Canadian seniors has more than doubled during that time and the rate of poverty among seniors has been cut from 21% in 1980 to less than 6% today. Although we must recognize these facts, it is imperative that we also recognize that we cannot stop working hard to further reduce these numbers. I state this because even one senior living in poverty is one too many.

That is why this government has acted, and acted quickly, to support seniors issues and that is why, within months of being elected, this government introduced Bill C-36 to strengthen the Canada pension plan and the old age security programs for all seniors.

We have simplified the application process. We changed the rules so that seniors do not have to apply year after year for the benefits that they deserve, changes that the previous Liberal government never made during the 13 years it was in power.

In an effort to further reduce the number of seniors living in poverty, this government has overseen two increases to the guaranteed income supplement. Effective January 2006, we raised the guaranteed income supplement by 3.5%. We did this again in January 2007.

These measures are providing all single recipients of the guaranteed income supplement with an additional $430 per year and $700 more per year for a couple. These increases will raise the total guaranteed income supplement benefit by more than $2.7 billion over the next five years. This will benefit more than 1.6 million GIS recipients and this will include more than 50,000 seniors who were not eligible for programs under the previous Liberal government.

Again, I want to thank the hon. member across the way for her question tonight. I want to assure her that Canadian seniors finally have a government that is interested in their issues and a government that will get real results.

[Seniors, April 11th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that seniors built this country and play a vital role in its future. They have a strong voice at the cabinet table. That is why we created a Secretary of State for Seniors and a National Seniors Council.

In budget 2008 we committed $13 million to combat elder abuse. Seniors know we care, but more importantly, they know that the opposition did nothing for 13 years. We did more in 24 months for seniors than the Liberals did in 13 years.

[Government Programs, April 11th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, again, budget 2007 proposed the creation of the enabling accessibility fund to contribute to the capital costs of construction and renovation projects to improve the accessibility of people with disabilities. The initial call for proposals has been under way. No determination has been made on grants.

[Government Programs, April 11th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, an initial call for proposals has been under way since April 1. Those will close on April 30. All projects have to meet the same conditions and terms, and that is, the program including community support, feasibility and sustainability.

I advise that member do as we did: go out and ask her constituents to get the proposals in.

[Child Care, April 11th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, $5.6 billion annually goes into child care. We are giving choice for parents in child care, in fact, $1,200 to each and every child under the age of six. The leader of that party has said he will take it away.

[Child Care, April 11th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, that report was an indictment of the record of the previous Liberal government. It does not take into account that we have transferred $250 million, through the Canada transfer to the provinces, so they can create spaces for child care. This has allowed provinces to announce 45,000 child care spaces. This is more than Sheila Copps, the previous deputy leader of the Liberal government, had said. More than 45,000 spaces is what we—