44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 15, 2023 02:00PM
- Feb/15/23 2:26:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think it is important that, every single day, we show up and do our utmost to serve Canadians. The reality is that this government has done that in all of its actions. The reality, as I have said on many occasions, is that there are almost two million Canadians today who have jobs who did not have jobs when the Conservatives were in government. There are 2.7 million fewer people in poverty today than when they were in office.
I know they are focused on us. I know they are focused on politics. We are focused on delivering results for Canadians and improving their lives.
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- Feb/15/23 2:29:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, since this government took office in 2015, we have lifted over 2.7 million people out of poverty by implementing measures that support those who need it most. That is what we continue to do.
We know that times are tough right now. That is why we are providing support so that families can take their children to the dentist and so that there is cheaper child care across the country. We are here to support Canadians.
The Conservatives vote against these measures every single time.
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- Feb/15/23 2:51:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, seniors built this country and they deserve dignity, but soaring food and housing costs are leaving so many behind. Under the government, seniors are struggling to keep up with the basic everyday costs, but the Liberals honestly do not seem to care.
The government has failed to raise the OAS for people under 75, so will it raise the guaranteed income supplement in this budget to lift all seniors out of poverty?
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- Feb/15/23 4:16:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in the second petition, petitioners recognize that disability financial support payments in Canada are currently far below the official poverty line. They also recognize that 1.5 million disabled Canadians currently suffer every single day in a state of legislated poverty, and they recognize that the government continues to allow the wealthy, well-connected and multinational corporations to horde billions in offshore accounts, or forgo taxes and fair prices for our country's resources.
Therefore, the petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to end the current practice of legislated poverty of Canadians living with disabilities and establish a federal disability benefit of $2,200 a month.
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague, who often speaks in this place about the need for justice and the need to ensure that those who are left behind actually get support.
I often find myself thinking about solutions. New Democrats have tabled solutions to fix one of the core drivers of the mental health crisis in Canada, which is poverty. Poverty is one of the greatest contributors to the mental health crisis in this country. We have tabled solutions, and I understand the Conservatives may disagree with some of those solutions. One of them is the guaranteed livable basic income.
Could the member, given the kind of description of the problems of poverty and the effects it has on mental health, offer at least one solution so those who are struggling to pay their rent and struggling to pay for their groceries can ensure that they get that kind of support? Could the member elaborate on that?
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's intervention. I have been here 18 months, and it has been a pleasure to get to know him over that time.
My hon. colleague may not know this, but my wife, as a clinical lawyer, helps the most down-and-out people. She is somebody I consider an expert in this field, helping out people and giving them legal advice for the greatest issues. They are often the most poor, and one of the things she relates to me is that one of the contributors is actually trauma. That is one of the greatest issues when it comes to mental health as well. It is trauma.
I am not going to discount poverty. We, as Conservatives, talk about poverty every day in this place when we talk about the impact of inflation on poverty. If we really want to talk about this, we should talk about the government not legislating mandatory minimums for sexual offences. That is where trauma comes from. I hope, when we do speak about these things, that my colleague joins me. I look forward to chatting more about extinguishing poverty with him.
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