Terry Duguid

[The Budget, April 14th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I think the record is clear. We have had 10 years of stagnation in this country, 10 years of low growth under the previous government, and this budget makes historical investment with which we will stimulate our economy, create jobs, and lift children out of poverty.

The hon. member should not take my word for it. He should take the words of the IMF and national and international economists that our Minister of Finance has cited many times.

The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and I have met with all manner of social development groups. They agree that this is a good budget because we are investing in the Canadian people.

[The Budget, April 14th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the alternative was a Liberal Party, led by the Prime Minister, that believed the middle class deserves better. Voters saw that while the wealthiest one per cent of society had seen their incomes more than double in the last 30 years, middle-class incomes had stagnated.

Middle-class Canadians were doing all the right things—studying hard, working hard, and making a real contribution to the Canadian economy—but their hard work was not paying off in higher incomes. We in the Liberal Party said that was not fair. Canadians agreed and voted in favour of our promise to give a tax break for the middle class.

I am happy to note that we have already kept this promise and lowered the middle-class income tax rates, saving the average middle-class family in Winnipeg South and across Canada hundreds of dollars per year. Middle-class voters gave us their trust, and we have lived up to it.

Budget 2016 will literally help build Canada and prepare it for the future. Our budget proposes to invest up to $11.9 billion over the next five years on a cash basis to maintain and upgrade federal infrastructure assets that provide services all Canadians can rely on. These assets include things like public transit, cultural and recreational facilities, green infrastructure that represents the economy of the future, universities and community colleges, as well as things like roads and bridges. A robust infrastructure is the backbone of a strong economy, and budget 2016's new spending will continue to build the things that Canadians want and need.

This new spending will also create tens of thousands of jobs.

I have mentioned only a few of the many things that our new budget will do to improve the lives of Canadians. These are first steps, but they are important steps and ones that set us on a bold new path compared to the recent past.

I began my remarks by saying how proud I am to serve as the member of Parliament for Winnipeg South and how proud I am to serve as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. This new budget reaffirms the values of our party and our government. It is only the beginning. In the coming weeks and months, we will continue to take steps to strengthen families, build our infrastructure for the future, and support the middle class.

I would like to conclude by saying that none of these initiatives or new programs would mean anything without the help and hard work of Canadians from coast to coast to coast. As a Liberal, I believe that governments and the people who elect them work together to make society a better place. Governments can provide leadership, to be sure, but it is the people who create the co-operative spirit required to build great societies.

As we move forward from this first budget, I know that my constituents in Winnipeg South are ready to face the future with a new optimism and a new hope for the great things that we will achieve together.

[The Budget, April 14th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege and honour for me to rise and speak today in the House on the subject of our government's 2016 budget.

It is not an exaggeration to say that we have the good fortune to live in one of the world's great democracies. Canadian democracy as we know it has been evolving over 250 years. If one considers the consensus-style government long practised by our first nations, then our democratic tradition has in fact been in place even longer than that. Therefore, for me to have this opportunity to add my voice to the long list of those who have gone before me in this continuing story of democracy is a truly humbling experience.

I must also add that my sense of pride today is felt in double measure because of the constituency I represent. Winnipeg South is a community that epitomizes and crystallizes the very idea of what it means to be Canadian. From pre-contact times, the mighty Red River that flows through Winnipeg South was a trade route for Canada's first people. Our riding became a place where French explorers and indigenous people met, traded, and settled together, and French continues to thrive as a language of our daily life.

Our part of Canada, in fact, created key pieces of a whole new culture unique to the world. The Métis people and Louis Riel's house, the site of national historic importance, is situated in Winnipeg South. Our community has, since those earlier days, welcomed immigrants from around the world, and continues to this day to embrace the spirit and the fact of Canadian multiculturalism.

When I recently visited Fort Richmond High School in my riding, I was astounded to learn that the students attending that school could trace their roots back to 170 different countries. It is amazing.

Winnipeg South is what Canada is all about, and I could not be more proud to be its member of Parliament. I thank the voters of Winnipeg South for the trust they have placed in me, and I pledge here that I will serve them faithfully.

I am a Liberal because I believe government has a role to play in improving the lives of Canadians. In the election, the Liberals promised that, if elected, we would play that role in building our economy and our country. Now, with our new budget, the Liberal government is keeping the election promises we made to build Canada and make it a better place for all.

For me, and particularly as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, I am especially looking forward to helping implement the investments in social infrastructure we will make to ensure all Canadians have a chance to succeed. A key component of this approach is the investments we will make in affordable housing that were announced in this budget in the social infrastructure fund.

Canada is a federation, as members know, and all levels of government need to examine how they can work together to best serve the interests of their constituents. I believe the federal government has a strong leadership role to play in ensuring that all Canadians have a home and a safe place to live. This budget provides that leadership. I am pleased to say that, through budget 2016 investments, we will work with our partners and the provinces, territories, and indigenous communities to address the most pressing housing needs in the short term.

With new funding commitments of $2.3 billion over the next two years, budget 2016 represents a huge step in providing affordable housing for Canadians who need it most. Of the significant investments we will make in housing over the next two years, close to $1.5 billion of it will be delivered by the provinces and territories under the investment in affordable housing program, also known as the IAH. This will provide an immediate response to the most pressing housing needs in communities all across Canada.

It is important to note that these new investments are only a first step. A more permanent, longer-term approach is needed to develop an effective and made-in-Canada housing strategy. As these shorter-term measures are being implemented, we will carefully develop a comprehensive, forward-looking strategy that supports innovative approaches to affordable housing and improved housing outcomes for all Canadians and for all types of housing.

To that end, we will consult with the provinces and territories, indigenous people, and other stakeholders in the coming year to develop a national housing strategy. More details on these consultations will be shared later this spring.

Another one of the promises we made during the election campaign was to create a new Canada child benefit, and I am so pleased to note that budget 2016 keeps this promise and proposes to replace the current complicated child benefit system with the new Canada child benefit in order to give Canadian families more money to help with the high cost of raising their children.

This new benefit would provide a maximum annual benefit of up to $6,400 per child under the age of six and up to $5,400 per child for those aged six through 17. Families with less than $30,000 in income would receive the maximum benefit. Families would receive approximately $9.8 billion more in child benefits during the 2016-2018 period than they do now, and nine out of ten families would receive more in child benefits than under the current system.

In my province of Manitoba, families would receive $490 million more in child benefits during the 2016-2018 period, and as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, I am gratified to say that the new CCB, as my hon. friend from New Brunswick has said, will lift some 300,000 Canadian children out of poverty and set them on the road to success. This is an example of the positive work that government can do to improve our society, and I am proud to play a part in it.

In the last election, the voters in Winnipeg South had a clear choice between a Conservative government, which they believed represented the status quo and felt that the status quo was good enough, and a Liberal Party, led by Justin Trudeau, that believed the middle class deserves better.

My apologies, Mr. Speaker.

[Questions on the Order Paper, April 11th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, since its creation on April 1, 2013, the tribunal has received a total of 17,190 Canada pension plan disability appeals.

As of November 1, 2015, the number of active Canada pension plan disability appeals has been reduced to 5,969. Of those 5,969 appeals, there are only 332 appeals that are left from the backlog of over 6,000 cases initially transferred from the office of the commissioner of review tribunals.

As of February 23, 2016, the number of Canada pension plan disability appeals is now down to 4,906. Of those 4,906 appeals, only 85 appeals remain from the original backlog transferred by the office of the commissioner of review tribunals, and about 1,700 cases are currently assigned to members and will be decided in the near future.

In the fall of 2015, the tribunal established the following service standard for all new Canada pension plan and old age security appeals received at the general division as of December 1, 2015: 85% of final decisions will be made within five months of the appeal being ready to proceed.

[Social Development, March 21st, 2016]

Madam Speaker, let there be no doubt that we on this side of the House share the hon. member's concern. We know we have work to do to improve the process for appealing benefit decisions.

No Canadian should be left hanging without a decision about the benefits to which they are entitled. That is why we are working closely with the Social Security Tribunal to implement changes to the system to make it easier for both current and future appellants.

We take the Auditor General's findings very seriously. We have already begun the work to simplify and improve the way benefit decisions are made. Canadians should be able to get the support they need, and we will ensure that they do.

[Social Development, March 21st, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to respond to the hon. member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot regarding her concern for Canadians appealing decisions through the Social Security Tribunal, especially those waiting for disability benefits. I share her concern.

The recent report from the Auditor General highlighted some challenges with the Social Security Tribunal and the appeals process for some of our most vulnerable Canadians. Let me be clear. We are extremely concerned with the findings and we are working hard to improve the process, both for those currently appealing decisions and for future appellants.

My colleague the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has already stated that we are working closely with the Social Security Tribunal to do so. He has already asked his department to implement an action plan that would address all of the recommendations of the AG's report. It is critical that we get this right for the people who need it most. It is our responsibility as Canadians to offer support when it is most needed.

The Canada pension plan disability program and employment insurance were created to support Canadians facing a difficult time in life. We need to make sure they can get the benefits they are entitled to when they need them.

[Housing, March 10th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her helpful suggestions.

As promised during the election, our government is committed to developing a strategy to re-establish the federal role in support of affordable housing. The strategy will prioritize investments in affordable housing and seniors housing over the next 10 years. It will provide funding for communities to help homeless Canadians find stable housing and, importantly, it will promote innovation and new approaches to affordable housing and engage all levels of government and housing stakeholders.

As the member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot can appreciate, much work needs to be done. Immediate measures will be implemented in the short term, but developing a more comprehensive and forward-looking strategy will take some time. The end result, better housing outcomes for all Canadians, will be worth the time and effort.

[Housing, March 10th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I welcome the opportunity to respond to the member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot. Let me begin by saying that we share her concern for vulnerable Canadians that need support in meeting their housing needs.

I can assure the House that the government will indeed invest in affordable housing, as pledged during the election. We will re-establish the federal government's role in supporting affordable housing so more Canadians can find an affordable place to call home.

Our government is working to not only address the most pressing needs in the short term, we will be taking a more collaborative, whole-of-government approach to improving housing outcomes in the long term.

There is general consensus about the immediate issues facing the social housing sector. We know that some housing providers will face financial difficulties when their long-term operating agreements come to an end, leaving low-income households living in rent-geared-to income units vulnerable. As well, much of the existing social housing stock requires major capital repairs and modifications to meet the changing needs of Canadians, including seniors. Operating agreements differ from one provider to another. Some agreements provide rent subsidies for low-income households. Others provide subsidies to reduce operating costs. Still others provide for preferential rates on mortgage loans.

Some existing arrangements, as they are now, may not be the best answer for some of these projects. We are sensitive to the fact that we may need a range of solutions that address underlying problems and challenges.

Our government is committed to a strategy that will include a 10-year investment in social infrastructure. This strategy will prioritize investments in affordable housing and seniors' housing, and provide funding for communities to help homeless Canadians find stable housing. As well, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development will be working with his colleague, the Minister of Finance, on measures to encourage and support the construction of new affordable housing.

We believe there is a role for all levels of government in the provision of housing. Finding the right approach will be part of the discussions we are having with stakeholders, provinces and territories, municipalities, and others.

As I have already noted, we will begin to deliver the social infrastructure investments we have promised Canadians. We will also continue to provide current federal funding of $238 million per year through the investment in affordable housing program. Provinces and territories match this funding and can use it to pay for capital repairs or rent supplements for social housing projects that may need such assistance.

In addition, the federal government will continue to invest in existing social housing. In 2014, this investment was approximately $1.7 billion in support of some 570,000 households, including 27,750 households in first nations communities.

Providing affordable housing is a priority for our government. Going forward, we will be looking for opportunities to build a stronger, more innovative, and sustainable affordable housing sector that gives Canadians better access to housing and improves their prospects and quality of life.

We will be working with our other partners and stakeholders to develop a strategy that produces meaningful long-term results. I would encourage the member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot to support our efforts.

[Social Development, March 7th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, to repeat, our government feels that one of our most important roles is to help those Canadians who need it most, and those who are facing homelessness are among our most vulnerable.

We need to address the challenges that many face when it comes to finding stable affordable housing, which is why we will be investing, as the member said, almost $20 billion over the next 10 years in social infrastructure, including affordable housing.

Through the homelessness partnering strategy, the government provides direct financial support to communities to address homelessness and will continue to make those investments. We will work together with provinces, territories, municipalities, and stakeholders to do more.

It is clear that this government cares about Canadians in difficult circumstances and is committed to finding solutions to the housing challenges they face.

[Social Development, March 7th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to the member for Hochelaga and I share her concern for low-income households.

One of the most important roles of government is to support vulnerable Canadians, including those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. We are committed to strengthening the middle class and lifting more Canadians out of poverty so they are able to join the middle class. No Canadian should have to go without a safe place to live and a safe place to raise their family.

Our government is committed to making it easier for Canadians to find an affordable place to call home. We will re-establish the federal government's role in supporting affordable housing. A key component of this government's strategy is a 10-year investment in social infrastructure for affordable housing and seniors housing.

We pledged during the election campaign to play a leadership role in supporting affordable housing. We will fulfill that commitment by working with all levels of government and housing stakeholders to develop a strategy that addresses an array of housing challenges.

We need to explore a range of targeted solutions rather than simply doing it the way things have been done for the past 10 years. We know that some housing providers will face financial difficulties when their operating agreements come to an end. As well, much of the existing housing stock requires major capital repairs and modifications.

We need to address these pressing needs in the short term while taking a more collaborative, whole-of-government approach to improving housing outcomes in the longer term. This strategy will include a 10-year investment in social infrastructure with a particular focus on affordable housing, seniors housing, and preserving affordability for low-income households living in social housing.

As called for by the CHF Canada, support will also be provided for the construction of new affordable housing as well as the repair of existing units. However, the strategy will go further than that. It will consider the entire housing continuum from homelessness and shelters to supportive and transitional housing, to social and affordable housing, to market rental and home ownership housing. It will also look at access to financing, repurposing federal lands, and opportunities to improve data collection.

Our goal is to build a stronger affordable housing sector, one that encourages innovation and facilitates access to housing so that Canadians can enjoy a better quality of life and better prospects for the future. I trust that the member for Hochelaga will want to support this good work.

Helping vulnerable Canadians find sound, suitable, and sustainable housing is a priority for our government and we will be announcing concrete measures in the near future.