Stephen Harper

[Child Care, May 4th, 2006]

Not at all, Mr. Speaker. The election promise is the same as what appears in the budget. We have a universal payment to families of $1,200 a year for every pre-school aged child.

Today, I am very pleased to say that the Government of Quebec wisely chose not to withdraw the benefits from the social programs in that province.

[Older Workers, May 4th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I spoke of a pilot project for seasonal workers.

In the case of older workers, the leader of the Bloc Québécois knows that the budget provides a fund of some $100 million this year for the forestry industry. We are looking at options for a program to help older workers.

[Child Care, May 4th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the funds allocated to families and children in this budget are much higher than before.

The Leader of the Opposition said we will see. And we will see the creation of 125,000 new daycare spaces across Canada in the next five years. If the Liberals here and in the Senate cooperate, we will provide a universal allowance of $1,200 for every single child under the age of six, in every family, this year.

[Child Care, May 4th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, not only is this government spending more on child care than the previous government, it is spending a lot more than the previous government.

One of the unfortunate things under the existing agreements is that the provinces have been given one additional year. That in a sense is unfortunate because the agreements signed by the old government do not create any targets for child care spaces. The program we intend to proceed with will establish 125,000 spaces over five years.

More importantly, since the member raised farmers, our program will give farm families real child care money and theirs would have given them nothing.

[Agriculture, May 4th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, it is amazing to hear the Leader of the Opposition talk about farmers. Farmers can only wish that he cared about them when he was in government over the past 13 years.

This government and the Minister of Finance have put forward in the budget an unprecedented amount of money into agricultural programs this year in order to restructure income support programs. I can assure the hon. member that these dollars will result in positive improvements and in real money for farmers this year.

[The Budget, May 3rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the NDP will have to decide whether this is a bad budget or whether it is his budget.

I will say this. Canadians are going to wonder, in watching the NDP, why the NDP on such a positive day is so angry, why the NDP is so full of gloom and doom. Canadians know good news when they hear it.

[The Budget, May 3rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the House and the member will know there are no specific subsidies or specific incentives for the oil business in this budget.

There is a long term plan to fund parents to help them raise their children. There is a long term plan to fund transit users, to fund the development of public infrastructure, to help the environment. There is a long term plan for sports funding and for the health of children. There is a long term plan and more programs to help aboriginal people. There are incentives for businesses of all levels to hire employees. There are breaks for ordinary people, for seniors, to allow them to enjoy more prosperity.

The NDP should support that--

[Older Workers, May 3rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Human Resources has already explained that there is a pilot project. It will wrap up shortly. We are evaluating this program before proposing a more permanent one.

As I said, I welcome ideas from the Bloc Québécois not only on a program for older workers, but on the fiscal imbalance. I invite the Bloc to submit their ideas to me. I am pleased to have the Bloc Québécois' support in our efforts to improve the Canadian federation.

[Older Workers, May 3rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, many hon. members in this House have asked for a program to help older workers who have lost their jobs. The Government of Quebec has also made this request. The Minister of Finance, in his wisdom, added funding for such a program. I am anxious to get input from the Bloc Québécois or any other party on this matter.

[The Budget, May 3rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is wrong about the environment and everything else.

However, I will add that for the first time, we have a budget that recognizes the fiscal imbalance in this country and does something to address it. This is important, because the former government failed to do this.

I say only this to the Leader of the Opposition. If he and his party are so opposed to this budget, they can grandstand here but we will see what position they take over in the Senate where they have a majority. This budget should be passed for the good of all Canadians.