House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2021, with 50% of the vote.
Canada Pension Plan November 28th, 2016
Madam Speaker, I do know that last week the parliamentary secretary addressed the issue of what it would cost Canadians to increase their CPP on retirement by $4,000 more a year.
They keep mentioning $1,000 a year. However, at the $6 a week the parliamentary secretary mentioned, it would be $312 per year per person, as well $312 for the employer, a mere pittance of less than 15¢ an hour for the latter. I wonder if he could explain, please.
Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2 November 15th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I was a resident when that was brought in by the former government. I was not in favour of it then and when I became part of the Liberal government here today, I was certainly glad to see it reduced back to 65. A lot of people plan for retirement. To increase it from 65 to 67 with no consultation and no consideration of people not being prepared for it was totally irresponsible of the former government.
Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2 November 15th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, to answer the first part of her question, as a former small business owner, what I found most important was that my customers had the money to avail themselves of my services. We have done that. Through tax cuts to the middle class and the new Canada child benefit, we have put more money into the pockets of people who use small businesses each and every day. That makes small businesses better off, a lot longer than a 1% or 0.5% cut in the income tax rate.
On the issue of seniors, we are working to make the lives of seniors better. As I mentioned in my speech, over $900 will go to single seniors and the most vulnerable with low incomes, as well as the affordable housing program for seniors. In Newfoundland alone, I believe $200 million is allocated for that.
We do care about seniors, we care about the middle class, and we care about small businesses.
Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2 November 15th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I will stand proudly with the minister responsible for ACOA from Mississauga, because under his rule as minister, Newfoundland has benefited more than it has in the past 10 or 12 years, in total probably in just one year. My riding alone has received millions of dollars from ACOA through the help of the minister and I certainly do not ask for any apologies from him for being from Mississauga.
Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2 November 15th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to stand and speak on Bill C-29, a second act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 22, 2016, and other measures.
I am delighted to stand in this House and discuss a budget that provides much-needed help for the middle class and builds upon a strong economy. As we all know, when middle-class Canadians have more money to save, invest, and grow the economy, everyone in this country will benefit.
A strengthened middle class means that hard-working Canadians can look forward to a good standard of living and better prospects for their kids. When we have an economy that works for the middle class, we have a country that works for everyone.
We must do for our kids and grandkids what our parents and grandparents did for us. For example, we are giving Canadian families more help with the high cost of raising children. Our government has introduced a new Canada child benefit that is simpler, tax free, and more generous. The Canada child benefit will replace existing federal child benefits. With the CCB, nine out of 10 Canadian families will receive higher monthly benefits, and hundreds of thousands of children will be lifted out of poverty.
In my home province of Newfoundland and Labrador, families will receive, over a two-year investment, some $112 million under the new CCB. This new investment will enable families and single parents to better provide for the day-to-day needs of their children.
After a decade of being abandoned by the former federal government and the administrative neglect of a provincial Conservative government, I am pleased to now work on behalf of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to deliver huge benefits for our province.
For example, we were able to assist Newfoundland and Labrador with a $31-million stabilization fund, $68.2 million for small craft harbours, almost $110 million to Memorial University, and an additional $2.9-billion loan guarantee for Muskrat Falls. This does not include over $235 million for municipal infrastructure projects, and a further $78 million of Parks Canada investment in Newfoundland and Labrador.
With the new co-operative approach between the federal and provincial government, we are delivering more solid investments to our province. In addition, we are also looking after those working Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and all working Canadians, to better prepare them now for a much more secure retirement in the future.
As such, I am delighted that as a government we are proposing strategic and innovative changes to the Canada pension plan. Some of the things we are doing that will provide a more secure and stable retirement for hard-working Canadians include: increasing the amount of retirement pension, and also, very important to me, increasing survivor and disability pensions, and the post-retirement benefit, subject to the amount of additional contributions made and the number of years over which those contributions are made; increasing the maximum level of pensionable earnings by 14% as of 2025; providing for the making of additional contributions beginning in 2019; providing for the creation of the additional Canada pension plan account, and the accounting of funds in relation to it; including the additional contributions and increasing benefits in the financial review provisions of the act; and authorizing the Governor in Council to make regulations in relation to those provisions.
I am very proud to be working on behalf of my constituents, in the great riding of Avalon and to be part of a government that believes every Canadian deserves a secure and dignified retirement after a lifetime of hard work. In addition, I am pleased to speak from a very personal perspective regarding the current benefits of the Canada pension plan.
In early 2000, I lost my wife after a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer. At the age of 40 years, I accepted the responsibility of raising my young son to ensure his well-being and provide for an education that would help secure his future. After sitting here and listening to some of the hon. members opposite, it perturbs me that they use information that distorts the unfounded negativities of the real and true benefits of the Canada pension plan.
We have heard members opposite negligently throw out numbers and facts and state that 20% of Canadians do not benefit from their investments in the Canada pension plan because there is no one left to receive the survivor benefit. I do not believe this represents the true facts, and I do not think it is useful to this debate.
Furthermore, members opposite have stated that individuals are investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in the Canada pension plan and receiving a mere $2,500 payout. Once again, these statements by members are unfortunate and do nothing to provide an informative and factual debate in the House. The Canada pension plan and retirement is important to so many Canadians and we need to make strategic decisions that will provide enhanced future benefits.
From my personal experience, while the benefit is not large, as my wife died at the young age of 37, I have been receiving survivor benefits since my wife's passing in 2000. In addition, my son was receiving a monthly contribution from Canada pension during his high school and post-secondary education. Unlike what members opposite would want us to believe, the benefit was certainly a financial help to my son and me.
We all know that today middle-class Canadians are working harder than ever, but many are worried that they will not have put enough money away for their retirement. Each year fewer and fewer Canadians have workplace pensions to fall back on. As a responsible government with a commitment to strengthen and grow the middle class, we made a commitment to Canadians to strengthen the CPP in order to help them achieve their goal for a strong, secure, and stable retirement. Now we are making meaningful changes to the CPP that will allow Canadians to retire with more money in their pockets.
Every Canadian deserves a secure and dignified retirement after a lifetime of hard work and we have taken a powerful step to make that happen. When our finance minister and his provincial counterparts first started to discuss the future of pensions, it was a real opportunity for them to seize on a renewed spirit of collaboration and to get things done. The deal would boost how much each Canadian will get from their pension from one-quarter of their earnings now to fully one-third. Simply put, there will be more money waiting for Canadians when they retire. To make sure these changes are affordable, we will phase them in slowly over seven years from 2019 to 2025, so that the impact is small and gradual. The revisions are designed to help Canadians in every step of their lives, our grandparents, parents, and children.
Retired Canadians deserve to enjoy their freedom. No retired Canadian should have to worry about selling their home or getting a part-time job. The increases to CPP contribution rates are being gradually phased in starting in 2019. This is the responsible thing to do to make sure business and workers have time to adjust to the additional contributions associated with the enhanced program. The Government of Canada will enhance the working income tax benefit to offset the incremental CPP contributions of eligible low-income workers and provide tax deductibility for the enhanced portion of employee CPP contributions.
As stated earlier, the government has already taken action to support families by introducing the Canada child benefit to help families with the high cost of raising their kids. We cut taxes for the middle class, and now we have expanded the retirement benefits through a strengthened CPP. We have also helped our seniors by increasing the guaranteed income supplement top-up benefit by up to $947 annually for the most vulnerable single seniors. We know this will improve the financial security of about 900,000 single seniors across Canada. We also restored the eligibility age for old age security and guaranteed income supplement benefits to age 65.
As I conclude my remarks on Bill C-29, I believe it is more important than ever that we be responsible to the needs of our constituents, that we do what we can to continue growing the middle class, enhance family benefits, and secure an enhanced retirement program for working Canadians.
Canada Pension Plan November 14th, 2016
Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the member to clarify something. She mentioned that if a person who pays into the CPP through payroll deductions passes away, the benefit is lost. I would like the member to explain that. It is not lost. Either the member does not know the difference or she is trying to mislead the House. The benefit is turned over. I receive the CPP benefit for that very reason. It is called a survivor benefit. Survivors get 50% of what the owner of the plan was entitled to. Could the member please clarify that?
Canada Pension Plan October 25th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague mentioned the small business tax and the fact that it did not go down. As a former small business owner and an employer, I always felt that if one had customers with the money to hire a business to do the necessary work, one could grow the business from there, not by getting a very small tax break that the business would see very little of, because to enjoy that tax break, one would have to be profiting big dollars for it to take effect.
She mentioned workers being able to save for their own retirement and in another statement said that they are not able to save for the purchase of a home. I would like to know what she would say to seasonal construction workers, whether they be electricians, plumbers, or whatever, who are working without defined pensions from their employers and are moving to jobs here and there. What will they do when they decide to retire?
This is a good idea. They know they will have at least a secure Canada pension income fund to depend on.
Canadian Heritage October 5th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, recognizing Canada's past contributions to peace and the dedication of the men and women who gave their lives to serve our country is a critical part of our heritage. Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage please give the House details on the recently announced funding for a project honouring those who bravely fought in the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel?
Gerald Greenslade October 4th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a great man, a community leader, a volunteer, and the first mayor of my hometown of Conception Bay South. A veteran of World War II, Gerald Greenslade passed away on September 23, just a few days shy of his 96th birthday.
As a former mayor of Conception Bay South, I have seen first-hand the impact that Gerald's spirit, passion, and dedication have had on our community. Without him, our bright town with its bright future would not be what it is today.
Gerald's vision for the Town of Conception Bay South, where he ran his business and raised a family, was endless. Gerald was the driving force behind the consolidation of nine small communities to become the Town of Conception Bay South.
Gerald's passion for our town, his spirit, and his dedication remain in our community and in our hearts. May he rest in peace.
Craftswomen Symposium June 15th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize a young woman from my riding who recently represented Canada on the world stage. Natalie Austin of Carbonear travelled to Tokyo, Japan last month to the G7 Craftswomen Symposium as the Canadian representative.
Natalie is a local jeweller and her work is created by reusing materials, such as copper pipe and glass enamel to produce one-of-a-kind jewellery. She was nominated by the Newfoundland and Labrador organization of women entrepreneurs for this prestigious opportunity to showcase her talents.
Just recently, I had the opportunity to visit Natalie and see her tremendous products. Natalie has teamed up with six other artists to form a DozenOdd Galleries in Carbonear.
I would like to mark Natalie's achievement and passion that led her to this incredible opportunity.
We continue to celebrate women entrepreneurs all across Canada, like Natalie, who are playing an important role in the arts community and economic development across this great country.