Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I have respect for my colleague opposite, but I would remind him that TFWs are less than 1% of the workforce and that temporary foreign workers use is down by 70% in Canada. In fact, this is a government that stands behind youth. We are creating jobs for youth. One of the things we are doing right now is investing in our union, training and innovation programs, supporting 1,800 trades…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, what we are hearing from that side of the House, what we are hearing heckled today, is that the programs we have been putting in place to help Canadians and Canadian families are glorified food stamps, that these are ideological, radical programs. In fact, they are actually designed to help Canadians. We have boosted them, whether it is our groceries and essentials benefit, which Cana…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, let me address the member opposite's concerns, particularly about costs. He was looking for answers. He may not like them, but here they are. The fact of the matter is that spending on the project has not surged. The recently completed move of old age security onto the Cúram platform was delivered as planned and under budget. Let me say that again: It was delivered as planned and unde…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I would like to correct my colleague across the way. I said no such thing. I take these concerns very seriously, as does our government: investing in jobs and investing in the growth that is going to propel new jobs in this country in the years to come, to bring in foreign direct investment, to diversify our trade, to build major projects, to invest in housing and to make life more af…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I would note that in the member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan's nearly four-minute opener, we barely heard about the impact of the trade war on Canada's economic situation. In fact, what we heard was a fair amount of heavy sarcasm about the state of challenge that has been placed on Canada and on Canadians in the past 14 months as a result of a very serious trade war that contin…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the government's priority is reducing pressures on costs and creating new opportunities for Canadians. I would note to my colleague that, as mentioned in the previous response, Canada right now is set to have the second-fastest growth in the G7. Foreign direct investment into the Canadian economy is at an 18-year high. These are proof points that the serious economic plan that we have…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Abitibi—Témiscamingue for his question. I also want to thank him for attending the technical briefing recently held for members of Parliament. This debate gives us yet another opportunity to share with Canadians our commitment to ensuring that they may continue to receive the critical federal benefits to which they are entitled. We have been investing in…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have to say that I am a bit confounded by this particular line of argument from both of the members opposite this evening, somehow comparing Canada to European countries in particular, and to Japan, in terms of just comparing the level of integration that we have as a Canadian economy with the United States and calling it comparable to that of European members of the G7. I think the…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, enough rhetoric from that side of the House. This is a government that is supporting Canadians right across the country. We have delivered on the groceries benefit, which in my riding is going to help over 30,000 of my constituents. I expect something similar in that member's riding as well. That benefit is going to help deliver close to $1,900 this year for a family of four. It is th…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, with respect to Bill C-12, the government is always interested in ensuring that legislation passed in the House moves quickly through here and the other place. I am going to take a moment to address the question that I think prompted this evening's late show. I want to take a moment to address Canada's actions with respect to the officials of the Iranian regime and the integrity of ou…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, Canada screens those entering the country for potential criminal activity and links to terrorist groups. We have designated the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorist entities. That has made senior Iranian officials inadmissible to Canada. Since November 2022, the IRCC has cancelled 234 visas for individuals who are inadmissible because of the …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, getting back to the purposes of this bill is important because it is about creating and protecting freedom of religion and the freedoms of conscience and expression for all Canadians. No Canadian should have their rights stepped on and impeded when they are faced and confronted in their day-to-day lives in places where they gather by the types of hate and violent and intimidating acts…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Portage—Lisgar. I rise today to speak to the motion before the House regarding the programming debate on Bill C-9, the combatting hate act. I do so at a moment when the urgency of this legislation could not be higher. Over the past week, Canadians have, once again, been confronted with the disturbing reality of hate-motivated violence in…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the last week has been supremely difficult with the shootings that we have seen at synagogues in our beautiful city. It is imperative that we pass this bill with speed. We often talk about how the hate around us, the hate we see online and the hate we see on our streets normalizes hate for everyone. It empowers people who want to incite and spew hate. Part of Bill C-9 is saying to all…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if my colleague across the way could describe why he continues to obstruct after there has been the introduction of a “for greater certainty” clause that would address the concerns that Canadians have and clarify that it would absolutely not be prohibited to read scripture, to preach or to read a religious text under this legislation. Why does the member opposite contin…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, this bill actually does make very material changes to the Criminal Code. It establishes a new stand-alone hate offence. It creates a new offence around obstruction of places that communities gather. It creates a new offence around intimidation outside of places where communities gather. What is most important about this is that all Canadians are seeking public safety and community saf…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, I want to thank my colleague for expressing the concerns that many of us have about the brutality of the Iranian regime and its wide-ranging terror campaign that is conducted through proxies across the Middle East and spilling into our streets. My colleague mentioned the spate of anti-Semitic violence that we have seen in recent days, and I wanted to ask him if he could speak a bit more…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we should all be outraged about child poverty, but what we actually need are concrete plans. That is why, when the government brings forward plans like the national school food program and like affordable child care, it would be nice to have the support of the members opposite in passing those programs. Why has it been so difficult for us to have a permanent national school food progr…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, let me try to correct some of the member's assertions today. There is no cost overrun on this project. It is in the first phase. The project is on track with respect to modernizing old age security. When this project is complete, as it is now delivering benefits on time and accurately for over 7.7 million seniors, we are going to see that this new modernization is actually there to su…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, this modernization project is the largest IT project ever undertaken by the Government of Canada. When it is completed, it is going to finish the necessary modernization of our biggest benefit programs, which millions of Canadians rely on, to deliver billions of benefits over the course of our lives. This is a 60-year-old program that required updating. It is in progress. It is delive…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the 2011 report of the public accounts committee sounded the alarm on the lack of sustainable funding for renewing IT infrastructure, noting that major funding shortfalls posed a high risk for core programs not being able to support the aging system, but the Conservatives at the time, who were in government, chose to do nothing about it. Today, these investments are long overdue. The …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we have been at this all week. Let me try to correct the member opposite's assertions. There is no cost overrun. The first phase of this project is on track with respect to modernizing old age security. There are other phases of work still to come, similarly to modernize EI and Canada pension plan benefits. The Auditor General has looked at this. The public accounts committee has look…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, it would be excellent for Canadians to also ask why, after so many years, the Conservatives continue to vote against the very programs that are supporting families in need, the most vulnerable families in our country, and our kids. Why will they not support a national school food program that we have put in place? It is going to help half a million kids coast to coast. Why will the Co…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, allow me to try to shed some light on this again for the members opposite. This initiative is a phased program. There is no cost overrun. The modernization of our old age security systems is necessary. I think all Canadians would understand that 60-year-old computer programs are outdated, obsolete and at risk. If we want Canadians to have their benefits on time and accurately, as this…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, with great respect to the member opposite, I really would recommend to him the reports of the Auditor General on benefit delivery modernization and the testimony and report of the public accounts committee, both in 2011 and also from this past fall. We are obviously working to address the outstanding cases, but let us please keep in perspective that this is the single-largest IT moder…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House we stand firmly in the belief that nobody should work for free in this country. We take any kind of claims of unpaid work very seriously. Workers must be paid for the hours they work. We are going to make sure that employers are following the rules, and we stood up in terms of the airline industry to make sure that we were doing an investigation into the labo…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to the member opposite, I would recommend that he read the Auditor General's report on the modernization of benefits or the testimony and two reports from the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, one from 2011 and the other from last fall. Of course we are working to address the backlog. Let us keep in mind that this is the largest digital project ever undertake…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, that same report mentions how our government's investments in the Canada child benefit, in dental care and in child care are helping families lower their cost of living. I welcome the Conservatives and the question, because it gives me an opportunity to talk about the supports we have in place to help all children. One child in poverty is too many, but that is why we have a Canada chi…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I take the member's comments very seriously, and 7.7 million seniors are receiving their benefits on time and accurately in a system that is now designed to be more modern, accessible and secure. I would encourage the member, as the minister has said repeatedly, to speak to us if he knows of cases where there is urgent need. We are set up to deal with them in 24 to 48 hours, and we ar…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the government is squarely focused on opportunity. Opportunity means good job opportunities and affordable homes. As members might know, Bill C-4, our bill, is in front of the Senate right now, and it would eliminate GST for first-time homebuyers on homes up to $1 million. We have a bill in front of the House right now, Bill C-20, for Build Canada Homes, because we are focused on maki…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians are tired of is rhetoric that says that Canada is broken and that we are not getting ahead. Canadians elected a government with a plan that is cutting taxes for 22 million Canadians, delivering a groceries and essentials benefit to put much-needed money back in the pockets of many Canadian families, and is committed to affordable child care, saving families upwards of $…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the department has been working to modernize a decades-old system to be able to process claims more effectively in the decades to come. Right now, 7.7 million seniors are receiving their benefits on time, and the department is working urgently to deal with any cases where there has been a delay.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we stand by the work we are doing. We want to take action that is informed, and informed by evidence. We have asked all sides in this to provide that evidence. Phase two of the probe will collect more evidence from airlines and unions to ensure that employers are complying with the Canada Labour Code. This step is necessary to provide additional clarity on how the airline sector's pay…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, as I said, this is the most extensive digital transformation ever. The vast majority of seniors are registered in the system and are receiving their benefits promptly and correctly. We have contacted MPs' offices to ask for the names of the Canadians concerned, and we have also offered to brief MPs on the system. Our government continues to support seniors in a variety of ways, includ…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the modernization of this system is a necessary upgrade of a 60-year-old system. It already offers a faster and easier way to access benefits. Currently, 7.7 million seniors are receiving their monthly benefits this way. This is the largest digital transformation initiative ever undertaken by the Government of Canada. Service Canada is striving to ensure that anyone facing urgent prob…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, our government continues to support seniors, including through the Canadian dental care plan and the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit. Processing OAS claims is a top priority, and the department is working hard to address this issue. The department has implemented an OAS action plan to mobilize all available resources to resolve this issue.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, as I said, this is the largest digital transformation ever undertaken. The vast majority of seniors are registered in the system and are receiving the right benefits on time. We have contacted members' offices to ask them for the names of the people affected and we have also offered members a briefing on the system.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for representing the great people of Carleton and the issues they care about. Kids cannot learn if they are hungry. A new study by the Breakfast Club of Canada shows that school food programs improve educational outcomes, reduce childhood obesity and increase disposable incomes for families facing rising costs. Canada was the last country in the G7 to have a natio…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, nobody should work for free in this country. We take any claim of unpaid work seriously. After allegations of unpaid work in the airline sector, we launched a probe to get to the bottom of the claims. Phase one of that probe has now been published. We are going to keep investigating to ensure that work is happening in accordance with the Canada Labour Code. Workers must be paid for th…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I wish the Conservatives knew more about construction, but it seems what they know about is obstruction. If these Conservatives cared about building homes for young Canadians, they would pass the two bills we have before the House right now. They would pass the budget implementation act and they would pass the Build Canada Homes act, because those are the tools that are getting shovel…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we stand with our auto workers, with unions and with the businesses that communities are built around, and they are standing with us. Auto workers, mayors, union leaders and premiers, including Premier Ford, called this a great auto strategy. Let me read this to the House. The President of Unifor Local 200 in Windsor, who chairs Unifor's auto council, says that he is “ecstatic” over t…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, as the minister said, the department is working as quickly as possible to resolve these problems and to ensure that the staff has the tools required to deliver benefits effectively. More than seven million seniors are now promptly and accurately receiving their benefits. We are modernizing this decades-old system to improve benefits payment for all seniors in the years to come.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, this involves a major update to a system that is more than 60 years old. The minister's office has contacted the Bloc Québécois member to get the names of the constituents who urgently need help so we can resolve this issue. We have yet to hear back from the member regarding the names of those constituents. The department will continue to work to deal with these cases while continui…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, as my colleague noted earlier, overall employment has been up over the past 12 months and wages continue to rise. These are proof points of an economic plan that is in action, but this is not over. The government brought forward this fall our economic plan in our budget, Bill C-15, which is before the House. It would create tens of thousands of jobs, jobs in the skilled trades. It w…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, in the member's own home province of Alberta, unemployment has decreased this past month and the participation rate has actually climbed. That is part of the proof of the hard work that the government is doing with its solid and strategic economic plan for the country. We cannot move forward as a country unless we have the opposition's support to pass that economic plan, to invest i…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, that is not true. There is an adjustment period when implementing a new benefit delivery platform. The department is working hard to ensure that employees have the tools they need to become acquainted with the new system and deliver benefits effectively. The speed of service is already improving as employees become more familiar with the system. If anyone is having problems with the…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, we are a government that stands squarely with our seniors. We have a long track record of defending them, of investing in long-term care and of protecting seniors through the difficult years of the pandemic. In particular, we have increased GIS, benefiting over a million seniors across Canada. We have increased our OAS payments to seniors over 75 when they face higher costs, expande…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, first and foremost, I did no such thing. What I did was challenge the Conservative opposition to work with us and to debate this issue with facts and not fiction. I would have the member opposite know that I may proudly represent a downtown Toronto riding, but I grew up in the heartland of Alberta. I know a thing or two about this country from coast to coast, and I am proud of it. I…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is a privilege to rise in the House today to speak to this opposition motion. It is a motion that reflects what we have been hearing, frankly, from the opposition for several months now. Food affordability and bringing down the cost of living generally are worthy priorities. In fact, food affordability is a key priority for this side of the House, which I will come to in a moment…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, our policy as a government and our plan involves the types of supports and initiatives that farmers and industry would welcome, from building our supply chains to investing in rail and ports and ensuring that our biofuels are supported. I am someone who knows how much even Albertans care about the environment, and how much concern there is for the pristine nature in the national par…
Read full speech →