hazylavender/hi huggingface dataset:
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Randy Boissonnault: we fully agree that EI modernization needs to happen. The minister continues to focus on that issue. We are working in close collaboration with the workers of this country. It is important to modernize Canada's EI system. We are continuing this work, which is extremely important for workers. We will meet expectations. That is our duty as a government.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Daniel Blaikie: the government has been consulting on changes to the employment insurance system for seven and a half years. In the meantime, we have had a global pandemic where we know, knew and still know that the employment insurance system was inadequate to the task; it had to be completely reimagined and changed for the duration of the pandemic. The government has since cancelled those rules, saying that the pandemic is over and that we do not have a problem. Then we experienced a period of very high inflation. Now the Bank of Canada, despite fanfare about having a different mandate in the fall of 2021, has actually not changed the mandate at all, as I said at the time. It is still an inflation-targeting mandate. That is what the leader of the Conservative Party wanted; it is what he got. Now we have Bank of Canada leadership who say the unemployment rate is too low and they need to raise it. They will actually continue raising interest rates until unemployment comes up. We have a government that continues to say it is consulting on employment insurance reform, when it has had over seven years and knows very well what needs to be done. When will it do it?
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Randy Boissonnault: there is work ahead of us on EI modernization. It is a complex and large file. It is a critical file for Canadians. That is why we stepped in during the pandemic with $511 billion invested in the lives of Canadians, including the CERB, including the CEWS and including the things that we needed to get through the pandemic. Those investments made a difference: 830,000 more people employed since the beginning of the pandemic; 126% recovery since the beginning of the pandemic, compared to only 112% by our colleagues in the United States; and doubling the workers benefit. We have invested now over this fiscal frame $13 billion in the Canada dental plan. From 2015 to 2023, the investments we have made for middle-class Canadians are making a difference in affordability every day.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Rheal Eloi Fortin: obviously, there are some worthwhile measures in this budget. We are not going to say no to a good thing. However, I wonder whether some steps are being skipped in implementing these procedures. I would like my colleague to tell us more about two aspects. First, I see that $31 million will be allocated to establish a national counter-foreign interference office. Obviously, we agree with the idea. However, does my colleague not think that the commission of inquiry we have been calling for for months should take place before the national office is established, since the commission would obviously have some useful findings to contribute? Second, there is something in the budget that is dear to my heart, and that is the issue of planned obsolescence. The budget states that the government plans to work to implement the right to repair. How will it ensure that goods purchased in Quebec and Canada can be repaired when they break or require fixing?
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Francesco Sorbara: I want to thank my colleague for his question. It is very important. First, before getting to the foreign interference question that he asked and the $31 million, I would say I am completely for a foreign lobbyist registry. Whether it is modelled on the U.S. model, the Australian model or some other, we need that to happen. The world is quickly changing and has changed over the last number of decades. We need to ensure that the integrity of our electoral system is always maintained and that Canadians have full confidence in our election system. We need to move expeditiously, with consultation, on a foreign lobbyist registry.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Francesco Sorbara: I would say that, within our fiscal framework, this budget moves us forward. We would still maintain our AAA credit rating. We would be making strategic investments into our economy while continuing to grow our economy and create those good middle-class jobs that Canadians depend upon day in and day out. Also, it would ensure that our fiscal framework remains strong, and that is very important to someone like me.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Francesco Sorbara: the area I represent is home to the largest number of housing builders in the province of Ontario. I have met with several of them over the last two weeks, whether it was for coffee or lunch, to discuss the state of the housing market, whether it is mid-, low- or high-rises. The two unions representing those that build all this housing in Ontario both have their homes, headquarters and training centres in my riding, so I am very attuned to what is happening to the state of the Ontario housing market. For that matter, I will say that, within the budget, we did launch the $4-billion accelerator fund. I know municipalities are quite excited and are putting together their applications to ensure we can get housing built faster, so we can ensure Canadians have affordable places to call home. I know full well what the cost of housing is now in the area I represent, and we need to ensure we increase supply. That is critical to solving the affordability crisis in housing.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Francesco Sorbara: as I stated earlier, I am very attuned to what is going on in the housing market in Ontario. In the region I represent, there are literally dozens of projects going on. There are nearly 20,000 units currently under construction in the Vaughan metropolitan centre. In the other parts of the City of Vaughan, whether they are for mid-, low- or high-rise, there are applications that have been submitted. Our target in the city of Vaughan, I believe, is 42,000 units. I think we have over 60,000 or 80,000 units with applications being considered. I take no lessons from any member, including the member over there, on the state of the housing market here in Ontario or the region I represent.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux: it is no surprise: We knew the member was going to be voting no to the budget even before the budget was tabled. There are so many inaccuracies and misinformation within what the member is suggesting. The member says that the government is spending too much money and that we have too much debt. Then he goes on to say that we are not doing enough and that we should be spending more. Let me use a specific example. The member talked about a senior who is living in a mobile home and he talked about the tragedy and said we are not doing anything for that senior. That particular senior is getting the grocery rebate, and that particular senior is getting the dental benefits, both of which this member is voting against. That senior is getting the 10% increase if he or she is over 75 and, if not, the GIC has been greatly enhanced, all of which Stephen Harper would never have done. Why should anyone believe the Conservatives of today when they have absolutely nothing when it comes to a plan for Canadians?
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Scot Davidson: I am not sure if that was a question, but I am happy to speak to my hon. colleague's comments. The member for Winnipeg North prides himself on getting out and speaking to his constituents, as I do. In my riding, residents are concerned about health care. Can members imagine York--Simcoe, northern GTA? People in my riding always feel like we are forgotten. We do not have a hospital. There is no hospital in York--Simcoe. Can members imagine that? We do not have a physical hospice in York--Simcoe. There are all these things. I represent agriculture in York--Simcoe, the soup and salad bowl of Canada, as I call it, and the carbon tax is killing our farmers.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Ms. Marie-Helene Gaudreau: I am going to reserve my comments about some of the remarks made by my colleague on this side of the House. When it comes to medically assisted dying, if there is one person who has personal experience, who was at the bedside of a loved one who qualified for medically assisted dying for eight years, that person is me. There is a lot I could say about it. My question for my colleague concerns seniors. I would like him to tell me his thoughts on the budget. Some of the people receiving the GIS would like to work. Sadly, the government is rejecting a win-win solution that has been suggested for years now, namely to relax tax rules so that these people can go back to work or pick up a few extra shifts. Now, here we are today, listening to the government talk about dental care and grocery rebates. I would like to hear my colleague's thoughts on the two classes of seniors.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Scot Davidson: it was heartbreaking to go out and visit these seniors. At the first trailer I went to, the gentleman told me he is eating Kraft Dinner to stretch his week. I went to the next area and, of all things, there were people actually lined up and there were three people looking at used shoes in tubs because they did not have any money. The senior I spoke about, who was working two jobs at Home Hardware, had to go back to work. The current government punishes hard work, and we have to stop punishing hard work and support our Canadian workers.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Charlie Angus: one of the real issues we are dealing with is the climate catastrophe that is looming, and we certainly see that the Conservatives do not even believe there is a climate crisis. The Liberals have been sitting and doing nothing. New Democrats have pushed them to action to invest in clean energy, as Biden is doing. We now have $85 billion committed, and it is tied to ensuring that there are good union jobs and good wages. These are not McJobs; these are good jobs. This is the support that we have gotten from Alberta energy workers who called on this. Will my colleague stand with us and keep pushing the current government to make sure that these jobs are there, in the clean-tech sector that is taking a revolutionary approach around the world?
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Scot Davidson: I will always stand up for farmers. Here is the funny thing. In my riding, in the soup and salad bowl of Canada, the Holland Marsh, half the riding is on propane. My farmers cannot even get natural gas infrastructure. There is a 35% tariff on fertilizer. Where is the money going? It is going overseas. They are sending money to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. People in my riding feel like they are on the outside looking in. They have had enough. They want to do the right thing. They want to cut their costs.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux: when I look at the budget, I see a budget that very much reflects what Canadians want to see. We get a first-hand look at that. In the past week, we have had the Prime Minister touring the country and having town halls. In Winnipeg, he was relatively close to the north end. He met with tradespeople. The feedback we are receiving is very encouraging. We realize there is still more work to be done; we will continue to work to ensure the budget and legislative measures brought forward in the House reflect what Canadians' expectations are. Can the member explain to Canadians why the Conservative Party committed to voting against the budget even before it knew what was in the budget?
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Jacques Gourde: the answer is relatively simple. Canadians are all struggling to find a home to rent or buy. There is absolutely nothing in the budget to ensure a future for Canadians who need housing. It is going to be very expensive. Over the past eight years of Liberal rule, the cost of housing has doubled and almost tripled. The cost of home ownership has truly outstripped the incomes of most Canadians. It is truly shameful that this government is letting Canadians sleep in the streets.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Ms. Marie-Helene Gaudreau: with all due respect for my colleague, it is important to be vigilant when talking about money. We often see bills in the House whose purpose is precisely to help the economy. Bill C-11 , the online streaming act, and the bill on supply management come to mind. I would like my colleague to explain why the Conservative government will agree with something here in the House, but then change their minds and drag things out at committee. This should help us respond to the current challenges.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Alistair MacGregor: in the last federal election in 2021, I campaigned extensively on dental care. I for one am very proud that I am helping force the government to deliver. Last year it was for children under the age of 12. This year it is for children under the age of 18, persons with disabilities and seniors. It is fine if the Conservatives want to vote against those measures. Once we move toward a full program that is implemented, can the Conservatives commit today to keeping that program in place, or are they going to dismantle it and force low-income families to fend for themselves as is the status quo right now?
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Jacques Gourde: that is a lovely thought; however, we believe that health care falls to the provinces. If the government, in its coalition with the NDP, had transferred more money to the provinces for health care, Canadians would probably have gotten more services. This is an example of two different visions for Canada. The Liberals think they can centralize everything in Ottawa, whereas constitutionally, health care services fall to the provinces.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. James Bezan: I want to draw to the hon. member's attention that there is again no commitment to increasing funding for the Canadian Armed Forces in this budget. We saw in the last report from NATO that Canadian investment in our armed forces and our collective defence with our allies has fallen to 1.29% of the GDP rather than 2%, where it is supposed to be. That is down from 1.34%, where it was just a couple of years ago. Under the Liberals, the government continues to allow spending to erode. From his recent trip to Taiwan, the member knows how important collective defence is and how, in these times of great power rivalries, we are dealing with the Communist regime in Beijing, the corrupt kleptocrats in the Kremlin and the war in Ukraine. Therefore, we need to be standing on guard. Will the member ensure that his government makes the proper investments in the Canadian Armed Forces so that we have enough staff, which is currently down 10,000 members, and the equipment to do the tasks that our military is so often called upon to do?
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Randeep Sarai: I witnessed first-hand the needs of the Canadian military and Canada's defence needs on our trip to Taiwan, noting that many countries rely on us and our support and our allies. Canada's commitments to NORAD, NATO and the fight against Russia's war on Ukraine have demonstrated that we punch above our weight. We are committed. We have just ordered the F-35s, a new fleet of fighter jets. We will continue to make the necessary investments, just as we are doing in NORAD, with more radar stations. When it comes to human resources challenges, I think we are facing that across the board in Canada, not only in our military. It is across government and the private sector. For that, we are doing as much as we can to gain immigration, give more opportunities and fill that employment gap of almost one million that we have in Canada right now.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Alistair MacGregor: the member will remember, of course, our colleague Jack Harris, who used to be the member of Parliament for St. John's East. In the previous Parliament, he introduced a non-binding motion asking the House to affirm support for dental care for low-income families. At that time, the Liberals voted against it, and I am glad the NDP has pressured them to see the light. Maybe my hon. colleague can talk about his own personal journey, from being against dental care to now fully supporting it and realizing the important benefits it is going to provide to families, not only in my community but in his as well.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Randeep Sarai: it is a good question, but I think Canada's road to recovery was a big challenge after the Harper government. There were a lot of things that needed to be done in Canada. I think we had to make a commitment to the Canada child benefit, as I had seen, first-hand, cheques being given to millionaires' families and the taxing of those who were much in need. As well, we needed $10-a-day child care to give women, particularly, a greater opportunity to participate in the labour force, from which we are now seeing results. We also needed to work on health care in general. I think the timing was right for a dental care plan, and I want to thank my colleagues from the NDP for supporting it. However, it is a joint initiative, and I am glad that, when Parliament works together, we can solve a lot of things and will continue to do so in the near future.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Mike Morrice: the member for Surrey Centre spoke about the first home savings account. It is expected to cost at least $1.4 billion a year, but it is disproportionately going to go to higher-income Canadians, families that, for example, have the means to gift their kids or grandkids a $40,000 tax-deductible, tax-sheltered nest egg. I wonder if the member could comment on his interest in potentially working to improve what is being proposed right now or to redirect those funds to what we do need: investments to build the non-market affordable housing that would help address the housing crisis we are in.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Randeep Sarai: we have a national housing strategy with $86 billion over 10 years committed to it, which is not a small feat. These are additions to the strategy to expand it. We began by helping those who are homeless and those who need an extra hand. The residential construction financing initiative helps exactly those people in non-market housing to get more affordable housing. There has been $26 billion, if not more, injected into that, with $10 billion in the last fall economic statement. We are working in all facets of it. The first home savings account is one tool, but not an exclusive one, in the tool chest. We will look at other ways to modernize it and perfect it so that it helps all families.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Ms. Lianne Rood: in his speech, my colleague referred to the grocery rebate, which we on this side of the House know is a GST rebate rebranded to be a grocery rebate. I have heard from many people in my riding about the affordability of groceries and about inflation. We have been studying that at the agriculture committee, and one of the reasons we are seeing an increase in prices is that some of the policies made by the Liberal government make it more unaffordable for farmers to produce food. Then, the prices and costs are passed down the line to consumers. I am just wondering if my colleague cares to comment on how the government could actually look at policies to help farmers stay in business and keep their costs down so we can have food security in this country.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Adam van Koeverden: I am happy to have an opportunity to talk about agriculture and farming, because my community of Milton, being one of the most diverse in the country, has quite a lot of farmers and food producers. One of the issues that came up at my last agriculture and farming town hall was the cost of fertilizer. I am really glad that was identified as a problem and that solutions were provided in budget 2023 so we can ensure that Canadian farmers are able to produce food, regardless of the market challenges occurring right now due to Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine and the pressures it is putting on various fertilizer markets around the world. I am always there for farmers across Halton. When my family immigrated from Holland to a community not that far away from my colleague's riding, they farmed apples and tobacco. Every time I take a bite out of an apple, as I did from La Rose when I got a great Honeycrisp the other day, I thank a Canadian farmer.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Brian Masse: the dental care issue is significant. I had a chance to tour St. Clair College, and I want to congratulate Patti France, the first woman president of the college, on her upcoming retirement as well as John Fairley for hosting us. What became evident was not only the care of patients, but that dental hygienists often have to work two or three different jobs. Some of them do not even have their own coverage. I would like the member to comment on how this can also improve working conditions. They often have to cobble a couple of jobs together, buy hopefully with more patients, some will start their own collectives as businesses and so forth and be able to have longer, stable employment versus having to find work piecemeal, especially when there is a shortage right now.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Adam van Koeverden: that was a great question from my colleague from Windsor. I am really grateful for the fact that it was National Dental Hygienists Week when we released the budget. I had the opportunity to sit down with a fairly large group of Canadian hygienists, and we discussed the budget, which was not out at the time, although they were looking forward to it. They were really glad for these investments in dental care, because a lot of things, like the cleanings, the preparation and the lessons young people get on how to floss and brush more effectively, come from dental hygienists. I appreciate the opportunity to thank dental hygienists today for their extraordinary work and recognize that their working conditions always need to be improved, because they are really the frontline workers for dentists. The member for Windsor West has reminded me that that I am due for a cleaning, so I will make sure to call my dentist after this and book one.
The Budget
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Ken McDonald: I just want to correct something the member for Cowichan--Malahat--Langford mentioned. He said there was a motion put forward by Mr. Jack Harris, a former MP in this House for St. John's East, and that the Liberals voted against it. I want to correct the record. I actually voted in favour of that motion with Mr. Harris at that time. I am delighted that my colleague, in the speech he just gave, talked about credit card fees going down, student loan fees going down and dental care for kids. However, we are also going to expand it to low-income seniors. Could the member talk about the significance of that for seniors going forward?