CHRIS IN QUESTION PERIOD: Grilling the Conservatives on EI and Infrastructure failings

Ms. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect their government to be upfront with them, especially in the midst of a recession that is hurting so many. Yesterday's performance by the Prime Minister and his own personal Phil Donahue had all the substance of a 30-second spot for ShamWows.

Will the Prime Minister just do what he owes Canadians and explain why the stimulus he promised to accelerate is not reaching the very people and communities who so desperately need it?

Hon. John Baird (Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, the member comes from Hamilton. We have announced, with our partner the Government of Ontario, with my Premier Dalton McGuinty, more than 1,200 projects in every corner of the province, and we are going to see more than $3.5 billion worth of projects go forward. Engineers, architects, plants that make materials for construction, are already well at work. Shovels are going in the ground as we speak, and we are getting the job done.

Ms. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, let me remind the minister what it says on his very own report card. On page 110 of the report card, the Conservatives claim to have accelerated the building Canada plan, yet according to the information that they themselves tabled in the House just a week ago, the Conservatives have allocated less than one-quarter of the building Canada plan and not a cent went to either Quebec or Ontario for base funding.

Their stimulus report was pure fiction. Why are the Conservatives saying one thing about their stimulus on an over-produced infomercial and another thing behind closed doors?

Hon. John Baird (Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, what we have seen with respect to building Canada is that more than half of the money has now been completely committed, projects are under way right across the province and right across the country. We have new infrastructure spending that is going on to stimulate the economy, to stimulate economic growth.

More than 80% of the initiatives in the budget are now well under way. Step by step, we are getting the job done. This time requires strong leadership, cooperation in partnership, and not the criticism of the NDP, who did not even read the project and the proposals in the report that came out last week. That is a shame.

Ms. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' progress report is full of fast-talk, but the one and a half million ordinary Canadians who are without a job are hurting because of the government's inaction.

All the Prime Minister can say is that maybe, maybe he will offer some help on EI in the fall. If he can help in the fall, why not now? Mortgage payments cannot wait and hungry children certainly cannot wait. Why not help the innocent victims of this recession now instead of pushing them onto the welfare rolls?

Hon. Diane Finley (Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, one thing that the hon. member ignores steadfastly is the fact that we have done a lot to help those who have been unfortunate enough to lose their jobs. We have expanded regular benefits by five weeks. We have increased the maximum to 50 weeks. We have made it possible for long-tenured workers who need to change a career because their jobs are no longer there to collect EI benefits for up to two years while they get training for those new jobs.

The opposition is only proposing a 45 day work year. Canadians cannot afford that. Our small businesses would go belly up with that kind of offering. Everything positive that we have been doing for the unemployed, the NDP voted against.