Issues
Navdeep is fighting in Ottawa to advance these issues that are important to our region:
Employment insurance
In the first quarter of 2009, unemployment in Peel Region hit 10.9%, the highest rate since 2003. Yet only 22% of unemployed workers qualify for Employment Insurance (EI) compared to a national average of 43%. The recession is affecting all Canadians like none before and yet the Government insists on maintaining 58 regional standards of eligibility. The Liberal Party believes there should be one national standard to help us through these difficult financial times.
EI is the single most immediate, effective and direct form of economic stimulus. The Liberal proposal for a 360-hour national standard of eligibility is about fairness – it’s about creating a fair EI system where all Canadians who lose their jobs are equally eligible for the benefits they pay into regardless of where they work or live.
Immigration
The current immigration system is not working. In Mississauga there is currently a huge backlog of applicants particularly for citizenship applications which has resulted in substantial residents. I have requested that the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration address these problems and eagerly await his investigation into the matter.
We need an immigration system that functions more efficiently while at the same time providing adequate support to new Canadians once they settle. Currently in Peel the money the Government spends on settlement falls far below other parts of the country despite the fact that we are home to one of the largest immigrant populations in the country. These issues need to be addressed.
Child Care
In Peel, 22% of our children live in poverty. This results in higher rates of chronic illness, and lower levels of academic achievement. Doctors and scientists tell us that early childhood development is one of the most important investments that government can make in its citizens. The pay-offs are enormous resulting in healthier, more productive and well-rounded individuals.
The previous Liberal Government knew this which is why Prime Minister Martin created the country’s first national child care strategy. Since 2006 when the Conservatives cancelled this program, the level of investment in this area has actually been scaled back. With just under 2,700 families on wait lists in Peel for subsidized child care, the need to deal with this issue is clear.
Public Housing
We have a severe shortage of public housing in Peel. Currently we hold the Province’s longest waiting list with over 13,500 families waiting up to 21 years! This is not a record to be proud of. Yet the Conservative Government has only released 6% of the stimulus money that could be used to help alleviate this shortage.
The Liberal Party believes that we need new investment in public housing and that it is the responsibility of a Government to help to protect the most vulnerable in society. The people of Peel Region need real action and are tired of Conservative press releases and photo-ops that don’t result in any more money for our crumbling infrastructure.
Infrastructure
Our infrastructure is one of the key ingredients to the success of Mississauga-Brampton South. We are strategically located beside Pearson International Airport with the 403, 410 and the 401 (Canada’s busiest highway) running right through the centre of our riding. We are a logistics hub to many companies that link the Greater Toronto Area to the world. These businesses provide employment for many of our neighbours while supporting the work of many others.
So it would make sense that the Federal Government would be doing everything in its power to make sure that Mississauga-Brampton South has the infrastructure it needs to continue to fulfill this vital role especially during a recession. Sadly under the Conservatives the only thing we seem to get are announcements and re-announcements. You have only to look at our Bus Rapid Transit program that was promised money again and again yet when Mayor McCallion actually asked for the Conservatives to deliver she was called “grumpy” by the Finance Minister. It was only after the pressure of the Mississauga Liberal Caucus that the money was actually released.
There is a better way. In a speech to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff pledged a new Liberal government will treat municipalities as an equal partner when it comes to making the decisions that affect them. Mr. Ignatieff pledged to work with municipalities and flow infrastructure money using the gas tax. This would mean money would get to work quickly and efficiently creating jobs while repairing our crumbling infrastructure. Unfortunately the Conservatives have chosen a much slower and bureaucratic process that has resulted in endless delays.
Small Businesses
Canada is an economy dominated by small business yet too often we erect barriers to those very businesses that we depend on. As your Member of Parliament I work regularly with local businesses who are frustrated by "the red tape" and are looking for support. Navigating the Federal Government’s complex web of services and regulations can be hard for the largest companies but especially so for small businesses that don’t have the same time or resources. In the globalized world we need to ensure that Canada provides an attractive business climate that allows innovation and investment to flourish thus creating more jobs for Canadians.
Recently, I hosted a Small Business Jobs Summit in Mississauga. At the event over 250 small business owners and politicians discussed the major barriers to growth affecting small business in the short and long term. The event was also attended by Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.
Through my past work as Critic for International Trade and the Treasury Board I have encouraged such changes and worked with my colleagues in Committee to reduce the administrative burden that can often be created by Governments. I am proud to be part of a Liberal Party that supports small business and is constantly trying to find ways that we can change the Government to better serve their needs. As the Critic for Small Business and Tourism I will continue to hold the Government accountable for how it treats small businesses and look for innovative policy solutions to make it easier for them to grow and create jobs.