Stephanie McLean

Mr. Speaker, I have spent time over the summer and the spring talking to constituents in the member's riding. What did I hear from them? I heard back from them that we, as a government, invested $5 million in the Loaves & Fishes Community Food Bank in Nanaimo. This is a new food distribution facility on Vancouver Island. It improves year-round access to nutritious food. I wish the member would tell her constituents about the things available in her riding that are being funded and that they can count on, instead of just collecting stories for the House of Commons.

Mr. Speaker, we announced these changes to the New Horizons for Seniors program almost a month before the applications opened up, and we made these changes, requiring the CRA business number, to ensure the integrity of the program. Here is what CanAge has to say about these changes. It has said that it is pleased to see this important step to ensure the integrity of the program. It believes that the simplified grant format, ease of reporting requirements and significant supports available for community-based organizations ensure that this program remains accessible and inclusive.

Mr. Speaker, these changes are important to ensure the integrity of the program, but we also want to make sure that all of the wonderful senior-servicing organizations across Canada have the support they need. That is why Service Canada has provided additional resources to ensure that signing up for the business number is easy. There is a 15- to 30-minute process to make sure that this happens online, but there are also supports available to help seniors over the phone. More than that, there are supports through their local MPs' offices. If the member had attended our sessions, he would know that.

Mr. Speaker, we have heard from seniors organizations across this country applauding the changes we have made to the New Horizons for Seniors program, which are ensuring that we have doubled the amount available to senior-servicing organizations but also ensuring the integrity of the program for years to come. This was one of the very few grants left in the Government of Canada that did not have these requirements, and this will ensure for years to come that this program is something seniors can rely on.

Mr. Speaker, seniors across this country know that they can rely on this Liberal government to support them and have their backs. While it is heartbreaking to read about what is happening to some of these seniors, including in Richmond, that party over there would do nothing for them. It would walk away from the problem and say, “Pull yourselves up by your bootstraps.” What we are doing is providing a social safety net, including old age security, the groceries and essentials benefit and the newly announced food security strategy. More than that, we are building over 500,000 homes a year.

Mr. Speaker, in April, we introduced changes to the new horizons for seniors program, including requiring a CRA business number. For most seniors organizations, this change delivers clearer, fairer standards that increase the program's integrity. For organizations that do not have this number, Service Canada is available to assist all applicants. Members of Parliament are also available to assist applicants. That is why we provided a session to all members of Parliament, so that they could ask their questions, a session that, unfortunately, the hon. member did not attend.

Mr. Speaker, prior to these changes, the new horizons for seniors program was the only grant within the Government of Canada that was not subject to these integrity measures. We are putting this program in line with all other grants and contributions across the Government of Canada. By looking at the clock, I can see that it is June 11. There is lots of time for organizations, and we are there to help them. We will make sure they have what they need to apply for these programs because we want nothing more than to ensure that seniors have access to the important programs that prevent social isolation.

Mr. Speaker, Vancouver Islanders in the member's riding and mine deserve facts. Labelling the economy without context does not help workers or businesses. There are 22 nation-building projects driving over $125 billion in capital investment. There were 88,000 new jobs in May, exceeding market expectations. Wages are growing almost twice as fast as in the United States. Disposable income rose 2.3%. Household savings are above historic norms. These are the facts, but I have never met a Conservative who did not let the facts get in the way.

Mr. Speaker, young people know that this government is there for them. They know that because they have a majority of the new jobs that are being created. They also know that business investment has increased for the second consecutive quarter in Canada. They know that the IMF projects Canada will be the fastest-growing economy in the G7 in 2026-27. They know that this government has a plan that we are executing that has their backs for a good future. Joe Rogan might be impressed by kettlebells and empty rhetoric, but in the words of the great Shania Twain, “That don't impress me much”.

Mr. Speaker, we know that 76% of appellate-level challenges to Harper-era mandatory minimum sentences were successful. We also know that the Conservatives are saying that they will not support this bill without the addition of mandatory minimum sentences, but more than 217 challenges to the constitutionality of these since 2021 have been made. When the courts frequently strike down mandatory minimum sentences, why do members think the Conservatives want the government to include clauses that would weaken the legislation, increase the likelihood of it being struck down, and take up precious court time and costs on unconstitutional clauses? What do you think their real reason is for—

Mr. Speaker, Canadians deserve facts, not Conservative fear. Labelling the economy without context does not help workers or businesses. The Bank of Canada has, in fact, cautioned against doing that. Economies around the world are facing global uncertainty, but Canada is weathering these global headwinds better than many of our peers. Our economy is stable, jobs are being created and we continue to support Canadians through these headwinds. We will remain focused on affordability, economic growth and supporting jobs, while the Conservatives remain focused on fearmongering.

Mr. Speaker, this is very rich coming from the Conservatives, whose plan is to do nothing. Their plan is to absolutely ignore the needs of Canadians, and we see that when they vote against measures such as ensuring that there is old age security for seniors, and when they put forward measures that would ensure that seniors aged 65 to 67 cannot get old age security. When the Conservatives folks talk about seniors, what Canadians should hear is crickets.

Mr. Speaker, we hear no common sense from the other side, and perhaps that is because they do not speak to Canadians. Over here we are hearing from Canadians regularly, and they know that Canada faces a profound global economic uncertainty right now. That is why we are responding with responsible measures, like protecting seniors from fraud and making the social programs that they rely on efficient and resilient to global shocks. For example, the groceries and essentials benefit will give single seniors almost $950 back in their pockets. This is what it means to be fiscally responsible managers, investing in the public.

Mr. Speaker, our government has said time and time again, and has shown through action, that we stand with the people of British Columbia, we stand with private title rights holders and we stand with indigenous people. We are taking the appropriate action, and we are appealing the decision in the courts. It is frightening how the Conservatives are attempting to whip up disinformation and scare private property owners, who need to know the government has their back.

Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives voted against the budget, they voted against the OAS and the GIS. They also voted against the New Horizons for Seniors program, a tax credit for personal support workers and the dental care program. What are the Conservatives voting for? It is certainly not for seniors.

Mr. Speaker, it is very odd hearing the Conservatives talk as if somehow we are not talking about Canadians. We are talking about Canadians here. We are talking about their dollars, and we are talking about where they want them invested. We know, loud and clear, that time and time again we have heard from Canadians that they want us to invest in them, and that means things like the groceries and essentials benefit. That means cutting the fuel excise tax. It sounds like they are saying we are putting money into our personal pockets. We are putting money into the pockets of Canadians, and the Conservatives object to that. We really need to make sure they understand how finances work.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for highlighting the incredible contributions that she makes to her community for seniors. I have seen it first-hand. Just last week, I announced over $54 million in funding for the new horizons for seniors program, which will go to more than 2,600 grassroots programs across the country benefiting seniors. With this investment, organizations like S.E.A.S. Centre in the member's riding will offer digital literacy workshops and cultural events to promote healthy, active aging. Whether it is building digital skills or organizing community meals, we continue to invest across the country no matter where seniors live.

Mr. Speaker, the government is controlling what it can. We know there are a lot of factors outside our control, but what we can control is ensuring that youth get a head start with the Canada summer jobs program, that Canadians get help with the fuel excise tax, that apprenticeships get a $75‑million injection in training and that Canadians get a groceries and essentials benefit that gives them up to $1,400 per year for a family of four to put food on the dinner table. We are giving Canadians a boost today and a bridge to tomorrow, while the Conservatives fight—

Mr. Speaker, when we went to the polls just about a year ago, I went door knocking in my riding of a Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, and I talked to this gentleman named Craig at the door. He said to me that what was really important to him was an income tax cut. Here is the thing, he wanted to know why it would be better to vote for me than for the Conservatives. I said that, if he voted for us, the tax cut was going to come in right away. He would get up to $800 a year. If he voted for those guys, he would have to wait four years. It is not even in their plan until they are theoretically re-elected. Canadians chose. They chose right.

Mr. Speaker, as the Secretary of State for Seniors, I talk to seniors across this country and I talk to seniors in Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke on Vancouver Island. What they tell me is that they cannot trust these Conservatives. They cannot trust them because they have great memories. What they remember is that those Conservatives wanted to cut their old age security from them. They wanted to bring their CPP earning age up to 67. They wanted to make it more expensive to retire and more expensive to age. Seniors know they can trust the Liberal Party of Canada. They know they can trust the government to have their backs.