Hon. Monte Solberg (Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, CPC)

Mr. Speaker, the government has improved benefits for workers when it has been necessary. We have done that a number of different times.

We pointed out that we had a different philosophy from the Bloc. The Bloc members believed in the past that they should vote for every proposal the Liberals proposed to use that $50 billion and to spend it in other ways. We see it very differently.

We cannot address today's problems.

We do not believe we could approach problems in the past in the same way as we can today. This is a new economy. We are providing training and helping workers. The Bloc is not supporting us, but we are getting things done.

Hon. Monte Solberg (Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, CPC)

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that in budget 2007, we announced an increase of $250 million in support for the creation of regulated child care spaces, bringing the total to $1.1 billion a year. Since that time, including the announcement in Manitoba, the provinces and territories, along with the federal government, have their intention to create over 60,000 spaces.

I would remind the member that it was the former deputy leader of the Liberal Party who said that under their regime, their plan created zero new spaces.

Hon. Monte Solberg (Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, CPC)

Mr. Speaker, it is true that the previous government took over $50 billion and used it for things that had absolutely nothing to do with ensuring benefits for workers.

We put an end to that with the new CEIFB, the independent financing board. We will ensure that no government in the future will ever have the chance again to take money from workers and use it for something other than benefits, including giving money to their friends, like the Liberals did in the sponsorship scandal.

Hon. Monte Solberg (Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, CPC)

Mr. Speaker, my friend, the member of Parliament for Selkirk—Interlake, is an outstanding MP, but beyond that, he and his wife, Kelly, are also outstanding parents to three beautiful daughters. He is someone who knows something about parenting. Unlike the Liberals who believe that parents do not know anything, we believe in parents. We offer the universal child care benefit which the Liberals would take away, but beyond that, we support the provinces. Yesterday the province of Manitoba announced 6,500 new child care spaces, bringing the number to over 60,000 spaces announced that we introduced--

Hon. Monte Solberg (Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, CPC)

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that in the last budget the government moved forward with transformational changes to student financial assistance, which will mean low and middle income Canadians will receive upfront cash grants when they are accepted for post-secondary education, whether at a university, college or technical school.

We have also made important changes to repayment assistance, which will ensure that vulnerable students who struggle to repay will not have to bear that burden for the rest of their lives. We got it done, but the NDP voted against it.