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House of Commons Debates VOLUME 146 Ï NUMBER 007 Ï 1st SESSION Ï 41st PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Monday, June 13, 2011 Speaker: The Honourable Andrew Scheer CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 239 HOUSE OF COMMONS Monday, June 13, 2011 The House met at 11 a.m. housecleaning or talking on the phone or feeding the baby, sometimes doing all of those things at the same time. We interrupted people when they were renovating their homes or having birthday parties. We woke their sleeping children, which is not a great vote- Prayers getting tool. GOVERNMENT ORDERS We caught people as they were rushing out to work or rushing home from work. And since so many people in Davenport are Ï (1105) freelancers and are self-employed, independent contractors, small [English] shopkeepers, entrepreneurs, we also interrupted them while they were working. THE BUDGET FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE MINISTER OF FINANCE The House resumed from June 9 consideration of the motion that We knocked on doors and found a father who was sitting in the this House approves in general the budgetary policy of the kitchen wondering when he will ever find a decent paying job again. government, and of the amendment. We knocked on doors and found seniors who no one ever visits. We knocked on doors and found refugees who were fearful of The Speaker: The last time the debate was before the House, the unexpected knocks at the door. hon. member for Davenport had five minutes left to conclude his remarks. Mr. Andrew Cash (Davenport, NDP): Mr. Speaker, first of all I There were new immigrants struggling to get a handle on life in would like to thank the phenomenal folks of Davenport for Toronto. We found middle-aged women looking after elderly parents according me this great honour of bringing their voices, issues and and young children. We found seniors who could not afford to live in stories to this House. the city they helped to build. We found students graduating from college or university with a debt that in my father's day would have I would also like to acknowledge the former member for been called a mortgage. Davenport who served this House and the riding with great dignity and grace. I would like to thank my family. This has been, and will continue We found labourers who had just put in 12 hours, working to be, a family affair. I could not do this without my partner, my love, outside, exposed to the elements, exposed because they have no my wife Michelle and my children, Sam, Charlie and Lucy Rose, as disability insurance, no sick leave, and no extended health benefits. well as our extended family. We found single moms who, every day, squeezed onto the Dufferin bus, who needed better and more affordable public transit but instead Like other members of this House, in Davenport throughout the got rate hikes and service cuts. election and in fact for about a year before the writ dropped, we knocked on many doors. We hear so often that Canadians are disengaged, removed and cynical about politics, but in Davenport we We found urban workers with no workplace pension, no benefits, found, and I imagine most of the members in this House found, the no job security, and no access to EI. We found middle-class families opposite to be true. in debt, unable to afford or even find child care. We found families When at someone's door, the conversation we open ourselves up that could not find a decent, affordable apartment to raise their to is profound, and I daresay life-changing. It certainly changed families. mine. I would like to thank the people of Davenport. I would like to thank them for their time, patience, good humour, and their engagement at the door. We found Torontonians just barely getting by with little or nothing in the bank at the end of the month. We see banks recording billions I know we interrupted people. We interrupted them a lot. They of dollars of profit and they are recording this profit not once a were having their dinner when we knocked on their door. They were decade, not once every few years but every three months. 240 COMMONS DEBATES June 13, 2011 The Budget I was sent here to relay the voices and stories, the needs, hopes responsibility of continuing to further that legacy, are wondering and dreams of the people of Davenport in the great city of Toronto, where the commitment from their government actually lies. not to advocate on behalf of banks that have plenty of people doing that for them. I am here to tell the stories of the folks of Davenport Mrs. Cheryl Gallant (Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, CPC): and that is what I am going to do. Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Cypress Hills—Grasslands. [Translation] Mr. Yvon Godin (Acadie—Bathurst, NDP): Mr. Speaker, does At this opportunity, as this is my first speech in the new the member think that the Conservatives' budget protects the pension Parliament, I am pleased to thank the good voters of Renfrew— plans of workers who spent 20, 25 or 30 years working for an Nipissing—Pembroke for allowing me the privilege, once again, to employer? These workers lost their pension plan after 30 years of represent their interests in the Government of Canada. I pledge to work because their employer went bankrupt. These workers invested faithfully represent their interests to the best of my ability. in their pension plans to secure their future, and they are losing their money after having worked for 30 years. Does the government not I congratulate the Prime Minister for the leadership role he has have the responsibility to protect the pensions of the workers who played in the good governance of Canada; a skill that continues to be built this country? These people got up every single morning to go to acknowledged by thoughtful Canadians and the international work, and one day they wake up with nothing, even though they community. thought their retirement was secure. Was this budget not an opportunity for the government to protect these pension plans? Allow me to take this moment to thank my family. My spouse Ï (1110) Jamie, my daughters Chantal, Lauren, Ellyse and Amelia stood by [English] me during the election. I thank them for their love, their support, and their patience. Mr. Andrew Cash: Mr. Speaker, when I was knocking on doors during the election campaign, I met many seniors and one woman in particular stood out. She was an elderly woman who had immigrated I wish to thank the people who came out to my campaign during here from Portugal. She had worked at the same factory for 23 years. the election. I owe them a tremendous thanks from the bottom of my She was a faithful, hard-working woman. She raised a family in heart. I can assure them their generosity will be remembered. Toronto and after 23 years the company closed up shop, and she was out of luck, with no pension. She is now working at Wal-Mart, one I also wish to take this opportunity to salute the women and men of the job-creation strategies of the government. She is having a very of CFB Petawawa, which is located in my riding of Renfrew— difficult time getting by. Nipissing—Pembroke. I gratefully acknowledge the support they have given me since I was first elected in the fall of 2000 and, most I heartily concur with my hon. colleague here that, indeed, it is recently, in the last election. the government's responsibility to ensure that companies honour their commitment to workers, just as workers have honoured their The message I received from the military electors in every election commitment. in which I have been a candidate has been clear and short, “Keep Mr. Devinder Shory (Calgary Northeast, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I fighting for us. We need you”. I thank them for their support. I will welcome my friend from the opposite side to the House. I was not let them down. I have their backs. listening to his speech carefully. He addressed some issues which are very near and dear to my heart as well. He talked about immigrants. I would also like to acknowledge the people in my riding of He talked about elderly parents. He talked about seniors. He of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke who make a living off the land, be course talked about students as well. it farming or forestry. Many of the traditional sources of employ- ment, like the working forest, are under severe stress. Unlike, when I In this budget this government has come up with a plan which has was first elected back in 2000, when there were only two MPs from been working. The plan is to support our seniors, our students, our our caucus to represent all of Ontario, today we have a large, strong doctors, and our family caregivers who take care of their ailing and and vibrant Ontario caucus. I look forward to working with my many infirm relatives at home. Specifically, this is the first time the new caucus colleagues to ensure the interests of Canadians, Canadian government has introduced a firefighters tax credit. particularly, in rural Ontario, always have a voice. Would the opposite member and his party support this budget? As the MP for Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, a sprawling, Mr. Andrew Cash: Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his rural riding in the upper Ottawa valley of eastern Ontario, I depend congratulations and congratulate him for his victory.

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