Resuming debate, the Honourable Member for Oakville North-Burlington.
Thank you Mr. Speaker, and I'll be splitting my time with the Member for Scarborough–Guildwood
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members.
It is my pleasure to rise in the House today to debate something that is so important to
Canadians and the Canadian economy.
I would first like to reassure the many residents of Oakville North-Burlington who have contacted
me, the Oakville and Burlington Chambers of Commerce, business and labour leaders, and
reiterate what the Prime Minister stated yesterday, that there will be NO tax on health and dental
benefits in the 2017 Budget.
I've advocated for the maintaining of the tax free status of these benefits since it
first hit the news.
I think it is important in today's debate to focus on what our government is doing.
Our Government has introduced significant tax cuts to support the middle class and those
working hard to join it.
With these tax cuts, Mr. Speaker, we are restoring hope and optimism, and creating new opportunities
for inclusive growth that will make Canada stronger today and for the long term.
In fact, as you know, one of the first actions we took as a Government was to introduce our
middle class tax cut so that today nearly 9 million Canadians are benefitting from lower
taxes on every paycheque.
By reducing the second personal income tax rate to 20.5 per cent from 22 per cent—a
7 per cent reduction – our middle class tax cut represented a major first step in
our commitment to strengthen the middle class.
But, Mr. Speaker, it is no means our last.
Budget 2016 advanced our vision of a stronger middle class with the introduction of the
Canada Child Benefit.
For families in Oakville North-Burlington, the tax free Canada Child Benefit means more
money to spend on things that matter: things like new winter clothes, or healthier groceries,
or sports programs.
The Canada Child Benefit is particularly significant in enhanced support for low-income families,
including many single parents.
In fact, Mr. Speaker, about 65 per cent of families receiving the maximum Canada Child
Benefit are single parents, the majority of whom are single mothers.
This makes the Canada Child Benefit an effective ladder out of poverty for hundreds of thousands
of Canadian children.
With this new support, it will be easier for them to stay healthy as they grow, to succeed
in school, and to succeed in life.
Our kids will have more opportunities available to them, and go on to raise their own families
in a country that is more prosperous and fair.
This is just one of the many things that we doing for Canadians, Mr. Speaker.
These investments in Canada's middle class are already paying dividends, not just for
Canadians, but for our overall economy.
The International Monetary Fund, for example, projects that Canada will be among the fastest
growing economies in the year ahead.
And this remarkable performance is being driven in part by the middle class tax cut and the
introduction of the Canada Child Benefit, not to mention our historic investments in
infrastructure.
These investments, Mr. Speaker, are the foundation upon which we are building a better and fairer
Canada, in which all have the opportunity to not only succeed, but to share in our successes.
And if we are going to speak about young people, keeping them healthy and active, as the Member
of Parliament for Oakville North-Burlington I am working with my community members to
encourage investments and the use of active transportation like bike lanes.
These investments are good for our economy, our health and our environment.
Oakville's Crosstown Heritage Trail will receive a significant upgrade thanks to funding
from the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program.
The important investment in the trail and its pedestrian and cycling facilities is part
of the federal government's activities to honour Canada's 150th anniversary in 2017.
The Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program will preserve and improve our community infrastructure,
so that Canadians and their families can enjoy moments of culture, sport, recreation and
leisure for years to come.
I am proud to see my community benefit from this program.
Thanks to Canada 150 funding, residents in Oakville North-Burlington will soon be able
to stop and read First Nations information centers in Bronte Creek Provincial Park and
along the Sixteen Mile Trails.
The Oakville Community Foundation will be partnering with our Indigenous community members
to share aboriginal stories, verses and culture revolving around the land, water, and sky.
In honour of Canada's 150th birthday, I will be participating in as many active and
healthy events in my riding.
ParticipACTION has created an ultimate "play list" to get Canadians moving -- 150 activities
that define our land and people – from sledge hockey to lacrosse, walking, cycling, skating
and more.
On my website its possible to sign up for my e-newsletter at MPDamoff.ca or visit my
social media sites to find out what I'll be doing and join me.
I encourage Canadians to go to www.participaction.com to check out the list, try as many activities
as you can, track your activities.
Canada's public health care system is an example of what Canadians can accomplish when
given the opportunity.
It is a source of great pride that not only sustains our health and wellbeing and prosperity,
but defines us as who we are.
And I'm proud that our government is working with our provincial and territorial counterparts
to finalize a new health accord.
In my community, the auto industry is critical, and the Government of Canada's Innovation
Agenda will deliver on an ambitious automotive policy agenda to attract investment and position
Canada as a leader in innovation and developing the car of the future.
I am looking forward to working with my fellow MPs and colleagues from Oakville and Burlington
on transit and know we'll be sharing information about more investments very soon.
We are also working together with our municipal partners on Phase II of our infrastructure
investments to improve our communities, create jobs and grow the economy.
In my riding I am fortunate to have many young people that will become leaders in the community
in the near future.
When I speak with their parents they're concerned about their children finding good
jobs.
Each year, the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program helps employers create valuable summer job
opportunities for full-time students in Oakville North-Burlington, while strengthening local
economies and communities across Canada.
Employers in my community now how important it is for students to gain much-needed skills
and experience and contribute to our community.
Our government doubled funding for the Canada Summer Jobs program, and last year, 97 students
were employed across Oakville North-Burlington.
Groups like Habitat for Humanity Halton/Mississauga employed 12 students who assisted with family
intake to producing videos for volunteer and donor recruitment – a win win for both the
employers and students.
I have been working with non-for profit organizations and small business to grow this program in
my community and looking forward to another successful summer this year.
All Canadians deserve to find meaningful employment and earn a decent wage including those with
disabilities.
This is an issue that I am very passionate about and I have been working with my colleagues
in Parliament to change the culture in our country so that people of all abilities are
able to contribute to our economy and receive a fair wage for their work.
Our government is committed to improving inclusivity in employment.
In Budget 2016, the federal government committed to a full review of the Canadian tax system,
looking specifically at tax expenditures to ensure tax fairness for the middle class and
to simplify the tax code.
This is a critical exercise for our government.
The residents of Oakville North-Burlington and Canadians from coast to coast to coast
recognize that the environment and the economy go hand in hand.
They know that to succeed in the new economy we must be well placed to take advantage of
the growing renewable energy sector.
This sector will be creating jobs for our young people and ensuring our prosperity for
years to come.
I am proud to be part of a government that is, looking to the future and not the past.
Our government is creating new jobs, growing the middle class and protecting our environment.
This is what Canadians expect from us, and this is what we are delivering.
Thank you.
Questions and comments the Honourable Member for Central Okanagan–Similkameen–Nicola.
Thank you Mr. Speaker.
I want to thank the member opposite for her speech, certainly you can tell that she is
very in tune with her constituency and very active, and I think that is an excellent thing
for any Member of Parliament to do in this place.
I do share some concerns, she talked about the government's plan on infrastructure and
growth.
So far we have not seen the growth that has been expected, in fact in the finance committee,
we heard from the Bank of Canada, they continue to downgrade in many cases, projections for
Canada's growth, and part of the government's major pillar Mr. Speaker was in the last election
was to run on a growth strategy around infrastructure, and we find out today the public parliamentary
budget office has made considerable effort to link the announced budget measures to the
underlying infrastructure projects, but there is still a gap between what has been announced
and the value of the projects currently identified by the departments.
PPBO data shows that of the 13.6 billion for fiscal years of 2016-18 announced in budget
2016, departments have identified only 4.6 billion worth of projects, I added the word
only there.
But again, the concern is about a third of money has actually been identified for real
projects.
Does this member, is she not concerned Mr. Speaker that the government seems to be dragging
its feet on something that is so core to its election promises?
Honourable Member for Oakville North-Burlington.
Well, I thank the Member for that question, and infrastructure is something as a former
municipal councilor I take very seriously.
I've been working with my communities of Oakville and Burlington to ensure that they are receiving
the infrastructure funding that they're looking for for the community.
While I was back in my riding, I attended the Oakville Chambers RBC Economic Forecast
Breakfast, and I wanted to share some of the statistics that were shared at that breakfast.
They're forecasting the unemployment rate to drop from 7% in 2016 to 6.6% across Canada
in two years, and in Ontario, it has continued to fall since we were elected in 2015, and
from 6.8% to 6.5% this past year, and by 2018, it will fall to 6%, so I think we are creating
jobs and we are doing exactly what we promised to do in terms of getting jobs created expecially
for our young people.
Questions and comments, the Honourable Member for Edmonton-Strathcona.
Thank you Mr. Speaker, through you, I'd like to put a question to the member.
I appreciate her comments about supporting the middle class, the concern that I share
with my colleagues is what about those who would like to aspire to be in the middle class?
The member's government put out a trial balloon, saying they might think about taxing medical
and dental benefits.
Well, there are a lot of Canadians who don't event have basic access to medical services,
or dental services, particularly a lot of our First Nation communities.
Her government promised Mr. Speaker that they would deliver on the promise so that there
would be comparable services for Indigenous families and children, and they broke that
promise.
So we can't take their word for it on the promises on electoral reform, they already
broke their promises about basic services to Indigenous families.
What else can we expect that this government might be coming forward, will they or will
they not be taxing these services, will they or will they not finally be delivering on
the opportunity for equal access to basic dental and medical services?
The Honourable member for Oakville North-Burlington.
I thank the honourable member for her question, and I don't think we have broken our promises,
we are not taxing health and dental benefits, that was clear with the Prime Ministers comments
yesterday, but having said that when you talk about our Indigenous communities, there's
always more we can be doing for them.
We're investing billions of dollars, but we can and we must do more to ensure that the
children living in these communities do have access to health and dental services, and
I know that our Minister of Health and Minister of Indigenous Affairs are working hard to
ensure that those children receive the same opportunities as children who are living in
my riding, because they deserve it.
Time for one more short question, and response.
The Honourable member for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas.
Thank you Mr. Speaker, and I'd like to thank the Honourable member from Oakville North-Burlington
for an excellent speech, and I know this member's engaged with her constituents, holding town
halls regularly, she's knocking on doors on a regular basis, and is proud of that, and
that keeps her connected to her constituents.
It is unfortunate that a member of the official opposition referred to the PM's town halls
as a traveling roadshow.
On this side of the house, we call that engaging with Canadians, and I know that this member
is very proud to engage with Canadians.
My question to her, to the member, is, that she spoke about things that we are focusing
on the middle class, and proud of those things, middle-class tax cuts, child benefits, summer
jobs.
Can she share with this house the impact and the effect that that has had on members and
constituents in her own community?
Member for Oakville North-Burlington.
I thank the honourable member for her question, and I have been out talking to the residents
in my riding, and I have held town halls and they have told me that what we have done is
critically important.
In particular when it comes to youth employment, and the impact that the Canada Summer Jobs
program had.
I think probably I have heard more from residents about the importance of jobs, particularly
for young people and that's something we are delivering on, and will continue to deliver
on.
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