SoVote

Mr. Mike Morrice (Kitchener Centre, GP)

Mar/22/22 10:55:05 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member for Burnaby North—Seymour's thoughtful response to this motion this morning. I appreciate his focus on measures that would address affordability. If we are talking about affordability in this place, we should be talking about affordability for those who need it most and recognizing that it is Canadians with disabilities who are disproportionately living in poverty. Up to 40% of those living in poverty across the country are Canadians with disabilities. I wonder if the member would comment on the need to go further and to fast-track a Canada disability benefit or any other measure he would put forward in order to meaningfully address affordability for a group of people across the country who need it most.

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Context: House Hansard - 43 - Mar/22/22

Mr. Taylor Bachrach (Skeena—Bulkley Valley, NDP)

Mar/22/22 12:15:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I certainly agree with the member that there are so many people in our country who are struggling with the cost of living. The Conservative motion really focuses on people who use diesel and gasoline, who admittedly are a large portion of the population, but many of the people who are struggling the most with affordability are people who do not drive. They are people who are living in poverty, people working minimum-wage jobs or seniors who are not able to drive for a whole host of different reasons. Those people are also struggling with the cost of living, in many ways more than the rest of the population. Why did my hon. colleague's party not put forward or craft a mechanism that would more broadly help people who are struggling with the cost of living?

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Context: House Hansard - 43 - Mar/22/22

Ms. Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre, NDP)

Mar/22/22 2:51:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, 34% of people who menstruate had to sacrifice other needs to afford menstrual hygiene products. It costs an individual an average of $6,000 over a lifetime for these products. Menstrual hygiene products are essential health necessities, not luxuries, yet the current government makes us beg for a pad. When will the Liberal government acknowledge the reality of period poverty in this country and ensure equitable access to free menstrual hygiene products for all?

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Context: House Hansard - 43 - Mar/22/22

Mr. Irek Kusmierczyk (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Lib.)

Mar/22/22 7:06:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the tragic story of Hayden and Rebecca hurts all of our hearts deeply. This story is the centre of our work. It is what drives our work each and every single day. My friend and colleague, the member for Kitchener Centre, raises the important issue of how the Government of Canada is supporting our most vulnerable. I want the House to know that we are working on setting up the Canadian disability benefit. In her mandate letter that was published on December 16, 2021, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion was instructed to move forward with our campaign platform commitment for the design, introduction and implementation of a Canada disability benefit act and a Canada disability benefit for low-income working-age persons with disabilities. The need for this benefit is clear. Despite the progress that has been made in recent years, Canadians with disabilities continue to face persistent barriers to full economic and social participation. Prior to the pandemic, the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability painted a troubling picture of economic disparity. At the time of the survey, working-age Canadians with disabilities were over two times more likely to be living in poverty than the general population, at 21% to 11%. The situation is even worse for those with more severe disabilities and for women, indigenous peoples, LGBTQ2 and racialized Canadians with disabilities. Over the past year, the global pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated the entrenched inequities faced by Canadians with disabilities. A recent survey tabled by this very member, the member for Kitchener Centre, showed that two-thirds of respondents with disabilities indicated that they were having difficulties meeting their financial obligations or essential needs as a result of the pandemic. I might add that it was a survey garnering almost 18,000 signatures. The Canada disability benefit would address these inequities head-on. It would reduce poverty and support the financial security of working-age persons with disabilities, but we cannot say much yet about some of the specific aspects of the benefit, and that is because we want to engage provinces and territories to ensure the benefit supplements, rather than replaces, existing benefits and income, so in the spirit of “nothing without us”, we are engaging persons with disabilities and the disability community directly in the design of the benefits. That is essential. Canadians with disabilities know better than anyone what economic obstacles they face and what supports they need to achieve financial security. We know Canadians with disabilities are eager to see these benefits implemented, and we now have a golden opportunity to move forward with a postpandemic recovery that includes people with disabilities. I thank the member for his advocacy on behalf of his constituents and on behalf of Hayden and Rebecca and their legacy.

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