The Senate resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole in order to receive the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, P.C., M.P., Minister of Finance and National Revenue, accompanied by at most two officials, to consider the subject matter of Bill C-19, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act.

Senator Cardozo: Minister, welcome back to the Senate. I want to ask you a few questions about the bill. I compliment you on the bill. I think you’re focusing on low-income people, but I’d like to focus on youth and ask about expanding the Canada Summer Jobs program, either through this bill or the budget implementation bill.

You’re well aware that the youth unemployment rate is double that of Canadians at large, and that certainly results in young people being discouraged and frustrated about the future of their country and their future in this country. I’m asking you if you would consider — and I don’t need a “yes” or “no” now; I want you to think about this — doubling the number of students who would benefit from 100,000 to 200,000, doubling the number of weeks so they all have 16 weeks. I am asking for you to take a leadership role with your provincial and territorial counterparts, as well as the private sector, and ask them all to engage in a national project. Right now, the projects that are outlined in the budget cover about 10% of unemployed youth. There’s a lot we’re not covering. We need a national approach to deal with this crisis.

I think you have a vote coming up.

Hon. François-Philippe Champagne, P.C., M.P., Minister of Finance and National Revenue: I do have a vote. Is it okay if I excuse myself, Mr. Chair?

The Chair: Yes. We’ll suspend again and allow the minister to vote. We’ll resume when he returns.

(The committee was suspended.)

(The committee was resumed.)

The Chair: Senator Cardozo, please complete your question.

Senator Cardozo: I completed my question, but I will summarize it. Would you consider convening your provincial and territorial counterparts, as well as the private sector, to take a major new initiative to deal with the crisis of youth unemployment?

Senator Downe: Your Honour, I rise on a point of order. During Committee of the Whole, we’re to deal with the issue before us. The scope of Senator Cardozo’s question is outside of Bill C-19.

Senator Cardozo: With respect, and to respond to that, at the beginning, I asked the minister if he would consider including in this bill or in another measure the specific issue of the cost of living and affordability for young Canadians.

The Chair: Are there other senators who want to comment on this point of order?

The Chair: Honourable senators, in light of the comments, I understand the concerns expressed. But I believe that, given that we are studying the subject matter of the bill, I will invite Senator Cardozo and the minister to continue.

Mr. Champagne: Thank you. I apologize again for the interruption. Democracy is alive and well in Canada.

Senator, I want to thank you for your very pointed question with respect to youth. You are quite right to note that young Canadians are facing affordability challenges. Like I said in the other house, there’s good news coming, which you will see in a bill that will come to your floor very soon. We’ve launched a youth climate corps that will add 175,000 placements to Canada Summer Jobs. We are looking at a youth employment and skills strategy.

The fundamental point of your question is that a nation that wants to prosper always needs to think about its young people. The key measure — the first one we did — was the tax cut was helping 22 million Canadians. But I can assure you, senator, that this is front and centre. If we want to build a strong Canada, we need strong youth talent and a strong workforce. Like I said, there’s good news coming in a bill that will cross your desk very shortly, I hope.

Senator Cardozo: I want to continue and comment on an answer you gave a few minutes ago to one of my colleagues. You talked about a number of measures that this government has taken, this bill, Bill C-19, being one of them.

I find that your government sometimes forgets to outline that this is an affordability agenda, which you have had for 10 years, but you tend not to use that language. There have been a number of measures taken, this being the latest, so do you think you could use that language more and talk about the affordability agenda you have?

Mr. Champagne: Definitely, senator. I think your question highlights a point. I went through a list of measures that deal with affordability. Our housing strategy is also about affordability, because if you think about a family, the biggest expense they will face is usually about housing. So, by increasing the stock of housing, for example, families will have to dedicate less of their disposable income if they can find affordable homes. You’re quite right that it’s not just the measures that I’ve listed; it’s also about Build Canada Homes and a number of other measures we have taken that will support affordability in the country.

I take your point that it’s us; we need to do better in highlighting the different measures. We are very mindful that for Canadians, it’s shelter and food. Those are what they see the most. Therefore, we have taken measures for those in this bill as well as in the bill that will come to the Senate very soon. Those support affordability in a broad base.

Senator Cardozo: In closing, it’s less about the political support for government; I’m concerned about the view that young people have about their government. You’re speaking on behalf of the government, and it’s really important that you relate the role of what you’re doing on behalf of the people. Thank you.