44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 18, 2023 10:00AM
- Apr/18/23 11:00:09 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech. His riding is is quite close to mine. I have a question for him about his government's willingness to be there for Canadians.
As we know, there are some social programs that fall under federal jurisdiction, such as old age security and employment insurance. Can my colleague explain why there is nothing for seniors in the last budget, nor anything relating to EI, despite the promises his government made in 2015, 2019 and 2021 about looking after workers?
On the other hand, why is there more than $13 billion in the budget for dental care, which is definitely not a federal jurisdiction?
113 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/18/23 12:00:56 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague and I work together at the defence committee. It is a good committee, and I think we work together well. He has a role as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Seniors. I thank him for his speech, which mainly focused on supports for seniors.
Of course, the seniors in my riding have been talking about dental care and the incredible benefits that the NDP has pushed for, in terms of getting them the dental care that they so greatly need. However, one of the other things that they greatly need is pharmacare. The government has not moved on that yet.
Seniors are splitting pills between themselves or skipping their much-needed prescriptions because they cannot afford them. When will the government actually fulfill promises that it has made to Canadians in the past during election campaigns on the provision of a nationally delivered pharmacare strategy.
152 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/18/23 12:17:55 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, my colleague mentioned affordable housing, specifically for seniors.
Knowing that a $2,250 unit is considered affordable because it includes a 10% discount on the actual cost of rent, but that the pension for seniors aged 65 to 74 is less than $700 per month, can my colleague explain how these units are affordable? I also wonder how she can justify the government's refusal to increase the pension for seniors aged 65 to 74, as it did for seniors aged 75 and over.
86 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/18/23 12:18:37 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I mentioned seniors because I am very happy to see affordable housing being built in my community in Toronto. It is more than just affordable housing. It is housing for the most vulnerable seniors and for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. It is housing to help seniors who need it most.
However, that is not all. I also talked about dental care and support through the guaranteed income supplement. There are many ways to help seniors. Seniors are so important, and we must always support them.
92 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/18/23 1:32:09 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I will reiterate that it is a gimmicky rebate for the simple reason that we should not need to do that for Canadians.
We now have 1.5 million people visiting food banks because of the policies of the Liberal government. We have people who need assistance. There is no doubt about it. However, all these increases have been created by Liberal policies. In my riding, whenever I am going out to see people, and I think maybe the member opposite should spend a lot of time doing that, I hear that that kind of money is not going to make a big difference when there is a carbon tax. On top of that, the government could lower the taxes for seniors.
Those are the things I am hearing in my office. I would not be too proud of the fact that the government is giving a grocery rebate.
151 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/18/23 1:35:15 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, it is always quite entertaining to listen to the Conservatives tell us how much they care about seniors, veterans, single moms and working people. It is like being invited down to the riverbank to have a picnic with a crocodile. Maybe they have changed the way they do business, but if we look at historic records, we know it is not a good idea.
Let us talk about the member's love for seniors. Let us remember Stephen Harper, who announced this big transformation in Canada. He was going to go after the public funding of seniors' pensions, and he was going to raise the seniors' pension age. Where did he do that? He did not talk to seniors. He went to Davos. Stephen Harper went to the World Economic Forum to announce that he was going after Canadian seniors.
Would the hon. member explain why Stephen Harper thought it was better to tell Davos that he was targeting seniors than to have the guts to talk to senior citizens, face to face?
175 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/18/23 1:36:14 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I do not know if the member still watches a black and white TV, but there are colour TVs now and we have moved forward as a country. I believe that seniors are extremely important.
As I said, during the Harper days either, we never saw 1.5 million people at food banks. Quite frankly, I am not sure why we are talking about the past. Let us solve the problems today for all Canadians.
77 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/18/23 3:20:36 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the member has long been an advocate for seniors, and within this budget we talk about the grocery rebate and we talk about the expansion of the dental plan, both of which would help our seniors. Could she just provide her thoughts? I know, as I said, she has been a long-time advocate for seniors in Canada. I would like her thoughts on senior supports.
68 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/18/23 3:21:00 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, there is a variety of things. In particular, I go back to the issue of the dental benefit. I have knocked on doors and met with the constituents who have asked me for many years for a program that would help offset the extensive dental costs. It is very expensive, and this program, by the end of the year, will be there to help many seniors throughout Canada.
70 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
