House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2011, with 54% of the vote.
Government Programs April 11th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, the deadline has not even passed yet. In fact, the enabling accessibility fund, if she would like to know, will invest $45 million over three years to contribute to the cost of community based projects across Canada that help people with disabilities. All proposals will have to meet guidelines. The deadline is April 30, 2008.
Budget Implementation Act, 2008 April 4th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, before I ask my question, I want to mention that in 2006 the oil and gas sector paid over $5.5 billion in corporate taxes. Therefore, she should not tell the House that it has taken more from the government than it has given. It has given a great deal through corporate taxation.
The member brought up seniors issues. She also brought up the tax dollars that we are to guard. Retroactivity is something we have looked at carefully and it cannot be done for seniors. However, we have done more for seniors than any other government in history. We have increased the guaranteed income supplement by 7% and we have increased the earned exemption. These are things that were asked for by the House and delivered.
Budget Implementation Act, 2008 April 4th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the member concerning affordable housing and homelessness.
Is she aware of the $270 million investment in our homelessness partnering strategy to help those in vulnerable communities that have more poverty?
I also want to know if she is familiar with the housing trust, which is a $1.4 billion investment?
This government, working with the provinces, has invested over $1 billion in affordable housing. The member's province will benefit from all these programs.
To suggest that we are not meeting our commitments on affordable housing is misrepresenting our government. We have done exactly that. Annual funding for affordable housing and homelessness has never been higher than it is now.
The member might check her facts to get a better understanding of how much this government has done for those who are homeless and those who are looking for affordable housing.
Committees of the House April 4th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.
Housing April 4th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, this government has made substantial investments in housing, with $1 billion in affordable housing, $270 million in a homelessness partnering strategy, and $1.4 billion in new housing trusts.
This government cares a lot about vulnerable Canadians who find themselves in the position of needing affordable housing. That is why we made a big investment. We would like to thank the Liberal Party for its help by supporting our budget.
Mr. Speaker, this government has been concerned about the unemployed in vulnerable communities. That is why we have provided the $160 million investment in the targeted initiative for older workers, the $1 billion for the community development trust, and the billions annually in other supports, including the expanded EI benefits and job retraining programs.
We believe this government is on the right road. We have a plan to create the best educated, most skilled and most flexible workforce in the world. We believe that higher learning is critical to Canada's international competitiveness. Nationwide over the next 10 years, approximately two-thirds of the new jobs will be in occupations that will require some form of post-secondary education.
We are investing. We are focused on developing, retraining and attracting highly skilled and innovative workers to support our communities. As noted in the 2008 budget, we are working to make sure that all Canadians who want to work will be able to get the training they need to get a good job--
Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight on behalf of the Minister of Finance.
The Bloc member believes the government has failed to support the manufacturing and forestry sectors. Once again, he is wrong. Through the “Advantage Canada” plan, the government has delivered important benefits for the manufacturing sector by helping it better invest and better compete.
For example, we are providing over $9 billion in tax relief by 2012-13 through a number of measures, including: broad based tax reductions; a temporary accelerated writeoff for investments in machinery and equipment used in manufacturing or processing; improvements in the availability and accessibility of the financial support for research and development to small and medium sized businesses by increasing the expenditure limit for the enhanced scientific research and experimental development investment tax credit; extending the enhanced scientific research and experimental development investment tax credit to medium sized companies by phasing out access to the enhanced benefits over increased taxable capital and taxable income ranges; and $100 million over two years to support strategic, large scale research and development projects in the automotive sector in developing innovation and greener and more fuel efficient vehicles.
I would also like to discuss how this government is helping Canadians and the communities affected by the slowing global economy.
To help vulnerable communities and laid off workers, the Prime Minister announced in January up to $1 billion for the community development trust to support communities and workers experiencing hardship. This support is being allocated by providing each province with $10 million and each territory with $3 million, with the balance being provided on an equal per capita basis.
Funds provided in the community development trust can be used by the provinces to invest in job training and skills development to meet identified local or regional gaps. The trust will also support the development of community transition plans, economic development, or infrastructure initiatives that support the diversification of local communities.
February's budget built on funding provided by the community development trust by providing an additional $90 million to extend to 2012 the targeted initiative for older workers to help older workers stay in the workforce.
We provided $10 million over two years to Natural Resources Canada to promote Canada's forestry sector in international markets as a model of environmental innovation and sustainability.
We are allocating $72 million over two years to farm programs and to improve access to $3.3 billion in potential cash advances to Canadian farmers.
The government recognizes that the provinces and the territories are well placed to identify the unique difficulties facing these communities across Canada.
Since 2006, this government has provided over $9 billion in support for the manufacturing and forestry industries.
This government is taking decisive action to support Canadians in the labour market. We have invested this $1 billion in the community development trust to bolster the provincial and territorial efforts to build stronger communities and support workers hurt by international economic volatility.
We completed labour market agreements with British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick to provide training opportunities to those who do not qualify for employment insurance.
In budget 2008, we extended support for older workers through 2012 by providing $90 million in new funds for the targeted initiative for older workers.
Komagata Maru Incident April 2nd, 2008
Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to get up this evening and speak to Motion No. 469.
I spent this past weekend with the Indo-Canadian community in my city of Saskatoon celebrating their annual vegetarian dinner. They always remind me how grateful they are for all the things the Conservatives have done for their community, especially the inquiry into the Air-India disaster. They never forget that we did that for them. The community lost some lives in that air disaster and they remind me how appreciative they are for the inquiry. Besides the very good food, I really enjoyed being among them because they are wonderful contributors to our community as a whole.
As the House has heard already, Canada has the reputation of being one of the world's most inclusive and diverse societies. However, our history includes dark moments. Actions related to immigration restrictions and wartime measures, which although legal at the time, are inconsistent with the values that Canadians hold today.
The House has also heard that our Prime Minister publicly stated that the Government of Canada acknowledges the Komagata Maru incident. In his acknowledgement, he committed to hold consultations with the Indo-Canadian community on how best to recognize this sad moment in our history.
To that end, the Minister of Canadian Heritage asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Canadian Heritage to consult with representatives of the Indo-Canadian community about the historical experiences related to the 1914 incident. After receiving that mandate in November 2006, my hon. colleague gladly undertook that process.
Given the great diversity of religious belief and national origins within the Indo-Canadian community, it was considered very important to provide an opportunity for members of the community to hear each other's views on historical recognition. This was done to help build consensus in the community.
I would like to take a few minutes to describe for the House the consultations and the outcomes of these pan-Canadian meetings.
In total, 41 meetings were held with community leaders and organizations representing a broad cross-section of the Indo-Canadian community, including professionals, community and business leaders, journalists and academics. My hon. colleague even heard from some of the descendants of the passengers of the Komagata Maru.
There was also representation from various religious affiliations and from different segments of the Indo-Canadian community. Given the linguistic diversity of the Indo-Canadian community, interpretation was offered in English, French, Punjabi, Hindu and Urdu at our public meetings.
Written submissions were also accepted. Indo-Canadian representatives were invited from other parts of the country. Community leaders from Manitoba and Nova Scotia participated in Toronto. A written brief from an Indo-Canadian community leader from Quebec was also submitted.
In Vancouver, about 180 members of the community attended the meeting, almost one-third of whom spoke. In Toronto, nearly 150 people attended the town hall with 37 individuals rising to the microphones to make statements.
There was a wide range of suggestions for projects to recognize the Komagata Maru incident, the continuous journey regulation, and the contributions of the Indo-Canadian community.
The community was nearly united in calling for the establishment of a memorial or a monument to commemorate the incident.
There was also a high degree of--
As the member well knows, Mr. Speaker, we extended that program. So as he said, his question is out of date. When he started, he asked that question. We have delivered.
This government believes that supporting Canadian workers is the right thing to do.
That is why we have invested $2 billion per year in labour market development agreements with the provinces and territories.
That is why we have invested an additional $500 million a year in training for workers unable to access employment insurance.
This is why we have committed in the 2008 budget to create the Canada employment insurance financing board to ensure the independent management of EI funds for the benefit of workers and employers.
I want to thank my friend for allowing that budget to pass and finally get some results for Canadians. After 13 years of his party's inaction, we did it.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to address the question raised by the hon. member for Madawaska—Restigouche tonight.
As the hon. member is fully aware, the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development announced that the Government of Canada would continue the extended employment insurance benefits pilot project until June 6, 2009. This project increases employment insurance entitlement by providing five additional weeks of benefits to claimants, up to a maximum of 45 weeks.
Seasonal workers asked for this and the government delivered. I would hope that my colleague would be happy with that news. The hon. member should be pleased further with the announcement that both Madawaska--Charlotte and Restigouche--Albert are participating in this very important pilot project.
The economy is booming. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance have created winning conditions so that more jobs, better wages and a brighter future can be delivered to all Canadians.
Under the leadership of this government, the unemployment rate is at its lowest rate in over 30 years and was hitting 5.8% in January. Employment rates are at record highs. Thousands of jobs are being created every day across this country. In fact, more than 700,000 new jobs have been created since this government was elected almost two years ago, including more than 40,000 in February alone.
However, this government recognizes that all regions are not experiencing this same record growth. That is why we introduced the extended EI benefits pilot project to test a mechanism for helping seasonal workers who need our help.
As with all EI pilot projects, it is important to ensure that the proposed mechanism for fixing this problem will actually achieve these goals. Canadians sent this government to Ottawa to restore sound management and fiscal prudence to our country's most important programs, and this government will do no less.
I would like to point out that the hon. member was in the government for almost a decade and a half, most of the time in a majority situation, and his party did nothing for seasonal workers, except that his party overcharged for EI and misspent those dollars on boondoggles and sponsorships.
Now he asks us to support a pilot project that his government did not implement in its 13 years in power even though it was his party that ignored these same workers about whom he speaks tonight. They were ignored for 13 years. Perhaps he has forgotten about his party and its record, but Canadians have not.
This government has a record to be proud of and we are proud of the supports we have provided to all working families. We are proud to say that this Conservative government is providing ever growing opportunities for all Canadians to participate and succeed in Canada's growing economy.