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Families, Children and Social Development

During question period on families and social development, the Conservatives asked whether the government would adopt their ideas to make parental leave more flexible, including letting parents study or earn money while on leave, saying young families are struggling with housing costs. The Liberals replied by pointing to cost-of-living programs, including an upcoming groceries and essentials benefit of $1,900 for a family of four, and said the member asking had opposed child care and other family supports. The Conservative member pressed again for an answer on parental leave reform, and a Liberal member replied that he had voted against affordable child care and other measures benefiting families.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

4 statements

Garnett Genuis

Conservative
“It is getting harder for young people to afford a home and raise a family. Conservatives want to make parental leave more flexible, let parents study while on leave, and let them earn caregiving money without penalties. Will the government use these ideas?”

  • A repeated line

    “Canada is the only G20 country in a recession.”

    Said 104 times by 61 members since May 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canada is now the only G7 country in a recession, and it is getting harder and harder for young people to start and grow a family. Parents are struggling to afford homes and balance the pressures of competing careers. Conservatives are proposing to make life easier through significant reforms to parental leave: more flexible leave, freedom to learn while on leave and the ability to earn caregiving income without clawbacks. These policies would mean more flexibility, more opportunity and more available child care. Will the government adopt these constructive suggestions?

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Rachel Bendayan

Liberal
“Our programs help Canadians with the rising cost of living. Next week, people will start getting a benefit for groceries and essentials. A family of four will get $1,900 this year. Recent polls show Canadians feel good about the country's direction.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 29 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we have many programs that are helping Canadians deal with the rising cost of living. In fact, next week Canadians will start to receive Canada’s new groceries and essentials benefit. For a family of four, that is $1,900 this year. That is real money that is going to help Canadians face the rising cost of living. A few days ago, there was a poll released that shows that Canadians’ optimism, their sense that Canada is moving in the right direction, is at its highest level in over a decade.

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Garnett Genuis

Conservative
“I want the government to answer my question about parental leave. Our current rules do not give modern parents enough flexibility. The government should put our ideas for better parental leave into the upcoming budget.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, respectfully, I will just state the obvious. My question was about parental leave reform. That response did not even attempt to mention the issue of parental leave reform. Canadian parents have been waiting long enough with a parental leave system that is inflexible and poorly aligned with the realities of modern parenting. Modern parents want the flexibility to work in different ways that integrate work and family life. Why does the government not simply implement the constructive proposed suggestions that we have put forward as part of its upcoming fall budget?

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Leslie Church

Liberal
“The member says he supports families, but he voted against cheaper child care. Our child care program saves Alberta families over $10,000 a year. We also improved parental leave, brought in paid sick days, and supported equal pay for women. He opposed all of those things.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 13 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is a bit rich for that member to stand up and talk about supports for parents and families, when he does not support affordable early learning and child care in his very province. It is a program that is delivering for thousands of children right across the province and saving families in Alberta over $10,000 on the cost of their child care in a given year. On this side of the House, we have enhanced maternity and paternity benefits. We have brought in paid sick days. We have increased pay equity for women and for families. That member has stood against all of those measures.

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