Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, the spending decisions of the current government and the resulting deficits are dragging down the economy and killing jobs. So are Liberal policy decisions. The Liberals have shut down the Billy Bishop runway expansion, and with it $2 billion in plane orders to Bombardier are gone. The Liberals are costing jobs and killing choice and competition in Toronto for travellers, tourism and businesses. Why the reckless attack on Toronto's economy and jobs in the vulnerable aviation sector?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives led this country through the worst global recession and Canada came out of it in the best condition of all G7 countries. We created about 1.3 million jobs and we left a surplus of more than $3 billion.Even the NDP acknowledges that we had a surplus.Why are the Liberals so determined to destroy Canada's enviable position as a leader on the international stage?
Mr. Speaker, in the Conservative government's first two years, we paid down the national debt by $38 billion. When the global recession hit, we provided a low-tax plan and economic stimulus, infrastructure, and other things to keep Canadians working. We left the government with a surplus. The Liberals' exploding deficit has all but wiped that out in 100 days.Why is the only Liberal plan to spend, spend, spend?
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not get it. So far the current government's only plan for the auto sector is higher payroll taxes, higher energy costs, and job-killing carbon taxes. These policies failed in Ontario, and they will fail nationally.Oshawa families wonder if they are going to have the same Liberal fate as workers at Bombardier. Is that what the minister meant by transitioning away from manufacturing?
Mr. Speaker, reports suggest that Canadian arms sold to Saudi Arabia are falling into the hands of fighters in the Yemen civil war. Armoured vehicles made in Canada and bought in the last decade appear to be used by the Saudis themselves in the same civil war.Government policy is clear: an assessment of human rights has to be conducted before allowing arms exports. Can the minister confirm that arms made in Canada are being used in Yemen? Will he make public, finally, the assessment made before the sale of these arms?
Mr. Speaker, Oshawa needs low taxes to keep well-paying manufacturing jobs. Liberal policies, like high payroll taxes, new carbon taxes, and the highest electricity rates in North America, have given the competitive edge to places like Michigan. Instead of lowering taxes now, the Prime Minister is taking these job-killing policies nationally.When the Prime Minister told the minister to transition away from manufacturing, was the plan to kill every single manufacturing job in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, first the Liberals wanted to have ships built abroad rather than here in Canada. Now they have hired a foreign consultant to work on the Canadian naval strategy. That is one job less for a Canadian.Did the procurement minister clearly indicate in her mandate that the ships would be built here in Canada, or is this a trick on the part of the Liberals to wash their hands of the matter and have our ships built abroad?
Mr. Speaker, when 2,600 aerospace jobs were threatened under the Conservative government, the Liberal leader protested with the workers about how dishonest and unfair it all was.Now in government, he is abandoning those same Canadian workers and there is no deal and no guarantee for any future jobs.Will the Prime Minister commit to meeting with these workers, in Montreal, in Mississauga, and in Winnipeg, to explain why he has changed his mind and why he no longer supports their rights?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has told Canadians that the Liberal government is significantly increasing the number of trainers who will be participating in the campaign against ISIS. General Vance has confirmed that these soldiers will be painting targets near the front lines and will defend themselves if fired upon. They are risking their lives in what the Liberals say is a non-combat mission. Will the soldiers involved in this training mission be eligible for the post-combat reintegration allowance?
Mr. Speaker, it is hardly surprising that the government House leader knows the address all that well.The Minister of Justice is directly responsible for projects that are funded under the federal government's aboriginal justice strategy. That means she gets to decide which groups receive taxpayer funding. Given that her husband is now a lobbyist for the Westbank First Nation and the First Nations Finance Authority, will she recuse herself from any decision with respect to aboriginal program funding?
Mr. Speaker, it is still about those numbers coming out of a hat.The former parliamentary budget officer has warned that the Minister of Finance's latest fiscal update is full of holes and fudge lines. The minister is even less clear on whether he will deliver help for struggling Canadians. While the update confirms that his tax scheme will cost over $1 billion more than first claimed, seniors, families, and the unemployed are left to wait for promised help. Why are those most in need last on the minister's mind?
Mr. Speaker, I remind that Minister of Finance that those are Canadian taxpayer dollars that he is spend, spend, spending.Following the global economic downturn, Canada was in the best position of the G7 countries. Canada was the first to emerge from the recession, and we went on to be ranked as one of the best places in the world to start a new business and to create jobs.Why is the Minister of Finance so insistent on destroying Canada's enviable position around the world?
Mr. Speaker, there are three very big problems with the Prime Minister's new borrowing spree. First, of course, is that it breaks his promise to Canadians. Second is that all the borrowing he is doing actually is not going to create jobs right now. Third is that he has no way to pay it back unless he actually raises taxes.Does the Prime Minister realize that all this borrowing with no plan to pay it back is just a recipe for waste, higher taxes, and more intrusive government?
Mr. Speaker, last fall, the Minister of Immigration travelled to Lebanon to a refugee camp so that, in his own words, he could see the people we were helping with his own eyes. At the Zaatari camp in Jordan, he was joined by his two seatmates, left and right, where they told refugee families that Canada was there to help. However, last week at the public safety committee, we heard from government officials that virtually none of the 25,000 Syrian refugees came from those camps. Why has the minister misled Canadians and, more important, why has he offered false hope to those families for the purposes of a photo op?
Mr. Speaker, I find it humorous that the member was calling on us for a long time to help Alberta, and then when we finally deliver $250 million to Alberta through the fiscal stabilization program, the Conservatives call it insignificant.The fact is that we understand too well that the previous Conservative government's approach of trying to bully its way into creating pipelines was not working because the Conservatives ignored the fact that they need strong environmental protections in order to create a strong economy. That is what Albertans expect of us; that is what we are going to deliver.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan is to invest, invest, invest.Unlike the Conservatives, we were not left with a surplus. The Liberals left the Conservatives with a $13 billion surplus. They turned it into $150 billion of additional debt for Canadians.We are going to spend to increase our growth rate, to make Canada better for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for that good question. We have restored the refugee health care program that the Conservatives did away with. The courts ruled that cutting this program was cruel and unusual. It was a good program for refugees and a good public health program. Restoring the program is simply the right thing to do.
Mr. Speaker, the plan was a small $10-billion deficit. Now, we are talking $25 billion or $30 billion. Where will it end? Why sink future generations into debt?The Minister of Finance has lost control of his department, he has lost control of public spending, and he has lost control of the deficits. He should pull himself together and get control of his department. If he cannot do so, he should make way for someone else who can.
Mr. Speaker, that is a misguided question. When we went to bring the refugees from these countries, we took the lists provided by the United Nations, which were lists of the most vulnerable people in the region. We contacted those people and many of them, thankfully, are now in Canada. We never said that they were from camps. In Jordan, for example, some 75% of the refugees are outside camps. They are from the region. They are the most vulnerable. I, for one, am very proud that almost 25,000 of them are now in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, first we learned that the Liberals may lease foreign-built tugboats. Now they are bringing in a foreign consultant. Do they think no Canadian can do the job?The Liberals seem to prefer creating jobs overseas for foreigners, but there are no plans for jobs here at home. Could the Minister of Procurement explain why the Liberals do not trust the Canadian shipyard workers and Canadian businesses?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister claimed that Air Canada had a maintenance agreement for the C Series aircraft here in Canada. His minister even said that Air Canada will build a centre of excellence for...maintenance. However, there is no such agreement, and no clear commitment to build such a centre.On exactly what authority can a Prime Minister relieve Air Canada of its legal obligations, which are very clear under the terms of a piece of Canadian legislation that is still in force? Why is he not enforcing the law?
Mr. Speaker, we want transparency, but it is long overdue. The government took an interest in this situation yesterday, but we have been talking about it for months.The government's policy is clear: before arms can be sold abroad, the government must ensure that they will not end up in a combat zone and will not be used to violate human rights. However, we have now learned that Canadian arms sold to Saudi Arabia have fallen into the hands of fighters in the Yemen civil war.Can the minister confirm whether that is the case, and will he commit to making public the assessment that his department had to make before allowing arms exports to Saudi Arabia?
Mr. Speaker, according to the city of Kelowna's website, the Kelowna RCMP supports victim services in the Westbank First Nation. This is the same first nation that has hired the Minister of Justice's husband as a lobbyist. The justice minister is the vice-chair of the government's cabinet committee for intelligence and emergency management, two issues that are integral to the RCMP's mandate. This is a blatant conflict of interest. Given her husband's lobbying activities, will the justice minister step down from the secret government committee?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's tourism sector is a nearly $90-billion a year industry that employs more than 600,000 hard-working Canadians. At the tourism ministers' meetings there was nothing new from the government, only a reaffirmation of initiatives that our Conservative government had already undertaken, including investing $30 million for tourism marketing in the United States.Could the minister indicate whether the Liberals will make any attempt at all to build on the good work done under the previous Conservative government?
Mr. Speaker, in the dying days of the federal election campaign, 14 permits were issued by Fisheries Canada and Transport Canada to allow the construction of the Site C dam in northern B.C. on the Peace River. It is highly controversial and manifestly opposed. Its sole purpose is to provide electricity for LNG development. The joint panel found it directly offends Treaty 8 treaty rights.Will the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs commit to no further permits being issued while the issues for indigenous people remain outstanding?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Finance was happy to break another election promise by putting Canadians another $25 billion in debt and creating structural deficits of $90 billion over four years.How can the Minister of Finance justify putting Canadians into debt when we are not even in a recession?
Mr. Speaker, does the minister really believe that technology alone can replace these communication centres? It is simply not the case. In fact, over the weekend the Victoria station went down, leaving Georgia Strait, Howe Sound, and Vancouver harbour completely unprotected. This was not the first communication failure either, but still the government seems determined to shut down the Comox station. Why is the Liberal government showing such disregard for marine safety? Why are the Liberals continuing with this failed Conservative approach?
Mr. Speaker, we cannot invest in our innovators by increasing their taxes, which is what the Liberal government is currently proposing.Stock options allow us to attract the most talented employees by giving them a piece of future gains in stock values, enticing today's talent with a piece of tomorrow's treasure. That is why so many entrepreneurs have been so successful across this country.This tax increase will not only hurt high-tech entrepreneurs but also junior oil and gas companies that are cash poor but rich in promise. I invite the minister to rise in his place and announce that he is on their side and that he will keep taxes low.
Mr. Speaker, I was in Alberta last weekend, and I can tell the Prime Minister that people are hurting. Families are losing their homes, food banks are overwhelmed, and suicide rates are up. Transferring money from a federal politician to a provincial politician is not going to fix the problem.Alberta businesses need to be able to thrive, invest, and create jobs; and Albertans need opportunities to get back to work. That means fast-tracking pipelines and calling off the Liberal plan for a carbon tax. When is the Prime Minister going to understand that throwing borrowed money around does not create jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has nothing to offer struggling Canadians but empty rhetoric.As unemployment goes up and the number of Canadians receiving EI benefits actually does down, Canadians are demanding action to help families pay the bills and to put food on the table.Yet again, the government's response is empty platitudes rather than commitments to action.Will the Prime Minister take immediate action to create a universal threshold of 360 hours and to extend EI benefits, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, Air Canada's decision to buy 45 C Series aircraft and as many as 30 more is good news. This will create both short-term and long-term jobs at Bombardier.Air Canada has also committed to having those aircraft maintained in Quebec for at least the next 20 years. That is good news. We also know that the Government of Quebec is about to drop its case against Air Canada. That will enable the government to amend the Air Canada Public Participation Act.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that something really important happened on October 19, 2015. Canadians had a choice. They had a choice between dealing with a low-growth economy and investing or making cuts so that we would actually have a more difficult situation.Canadians made the right choice. They chose to invest. We are making investments in the middle class, we are making investments in infrastructure, and we are making investments in innovation, so that over the next period, the next generation we will have a stronger Canada for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport is so glad that Quebec is dropping its case against Air Canada, thereby sacrificing 1,800 Aveos workers on the pretext that Air Canada may create 1,000 C Series aircraft maintenance jobs within 10 years.What is clear here is the Air Canada Public Participation Act and the conditions governing its privatization, and most of all, the fact that Air Canada is not obeying that law.Instead of amending the law to make it easier to export our jobs to other countries, will the minister finally enforce the existing law?
Mr. Speaker, Air Canada's commitment to purchase 45 C series aircraft with an option to buy 30 more is great news for the entire Canadian aerospace industry.Air Canada also committed to establishing a centre of excellence and aircraft maintenance and to have its C Series aircraft maintained there for at least 20 years. This is great news for Canada's aerospace industry. That is why the government is working hard with its partners in Quebec and elsewhere. That is what we will continue to do for the workers.
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure there was a question, but what I can say is that six months, two months, does not make a year. We looked at the entire year and we saw that the Conservatives left a deficit. In the last three months of the year, there was less revenue and more spending. That means the Conservatives ran a deficit.
Mr. Speaker, people in my riding of Calgary Skyview have been hit hard by the recent downturn in oil prices and are concerned about the economic future of their province. With the low price of oil and mounting job losses, they are worried there will be less revenue for the government.Will the Minister of Finance please provide an update to the House on what our government is doing to assist Alberta in this difficult time?
Mr. Speaker, we are starting with a deficit we inherited from the Conservatives. Furthermore, we have an additional $150 billion in debt. That is what we are starting with, but fortunately, we are in a position to invest in our economy because, as a result of the measures taken by the government in the 1990s, our debt-to-GDP ratio is the lowest in the G7. We will invest and this ratio will grow at a lower rate than in the past 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, after being called out several times in the House on the issue of milk protein that is coming across our borders, the minister finally decided it was time to act. That is great, but that was nearly three weeks ago and we have heard nothing since. Dairy producers are still very worried. This loophole in the supply management system is costing our producers roughly $1,000 a week.Can the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food reassure our producers and tell them when and how he plans to take action?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to the manufacturing sector. We will never turn our back on the manufacturing sector. We understand the importance of the sector. We understand that 1.7 million Canadians contribute to the manufacturing sector and that it contributes greatly to our economic growth. This is why we have a plan. We are going to be making investments not only in manufacturing but in infrastructure, helping those who want to join the middle class and helping reduce the burden on middle-class Canadians. We are going to put forward a growth agenda, an innovation agenda, that will help all sectors in the economy, including manufacturing.
Mr. Speaker, what we very clearly saw, is that no one in Canada believed what the Conservatives were claiming. They did not create the growth and the prosperity Canadians needed.For that reason, Canadians chose another way of doing things, a way of investing in our communities, creating economic growth and helping the middle class instead of the wealthy. That is exactly what we promised to do, and that is exactly what we are going to do now and in the March 22 budget.
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, our budget will be tabled on March 22. We have a plan. Our plan is to invest in the middle class across Canada. Our plan is to invest in infrastructure, innovation, and the country's most vulnerable people. Our plan is to grow the economy, and we are going to start right away.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans passed a motion to review the imminent closure of the Comox communication safety station. There have been serious concerns raised about the safety of our coast if this station is shut down. Spills, accidents, and longer waits for emergency service are all likely. Lives are at risk. Will the minister now do the right thing, hear from witnesses, listen to residents, and abandon the plans to shut down the Comox station?
Mr. Speaker, we left the government with a surplus. Ask the finance department officials. They could be working with a balanced budget. They could be strengthening the Canadian economy.However, my question is about testimony at the finance committee today. I have to ask the Minister of Finance this. Was he really serious when he said that running a balanced budget is going to put us in a recession?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice sits on six cabinet committees, including one responsible for strengthening the relationship with indigenous Canadians. Her husband is a registered lobbyist who will lobby the government on issues related to first nations. Her husband's lobbying work is a direct conflict of interest, since the justice minister will now deal with legal matters involving first nations. How can the Prime Minister justify this obvious conflict of interest?
Mr. Speaker, the only secret here is why that member continues to imagine all kinds of problems where none exist. Let me explain for him exactly what happened.Our advice with respect to conflict of interest or the appearance of conflict of interest comes from the person whom Parliament has chosen to provide that advice. Her name is Mary Dawson. She is the Ethics Commissioner and the Conflict of Interest Commissioner. We are happy to take her advice and follow it meticulously. That is what my colleague has done. I wish the hon. member might inform himself as to how the process really works.
Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the quote because it is a quote that I stand by today. Our commitment to Canadians is to actually do something about the low growth bequeathed to us by the previous government. We are going to make investments that will make a real difference for Canada, investments in infrastructure, investments in innovation. We are going to do things for the middle class that will include giving them tax breaks and improved growth for the future. That is exactly what we will do while being prudent along the way.
Mr. Speaker, the Fraser River is an important waterway in my riding and the depletion of the sockeye salmon population has greatly impacted my constituents, including indigenous peoples.Could the minister please provide an update to the House on the implementation of the recommendations of the Cohen commission?
Mr. Speaker, allow me to correct two statements made earlier by government members that do not reflect reality. The Minister of Finance said he inherited a deficit and the Prime Minister also said that we Conservatives are the only ones who believe there was a surplus.That is not the reality. The reality is that according to the Fiscal Monitor, an official document published by the Department of Finance, there was a budgetary surplus of $1 billion from April to November 2015. That is the reality as written by the government's own officials.No matter how much the Liberals shout at us, that is the truth. Will the minister
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals were very critical of the EI reform when they were in opposition. Now that he is in power, the Prime Minister is content to give evasive answers and spew the usual empty rhetoric.Only roughly one-third of the workers who lose their jobs qualify for EI, and the benefit period is far too short to find another job. The Prime Minister must understand that urgent action is needed now.Will the government extend the EI benefits period, yes or no? We would like a clear answer for once.
Mr. Speaker, the government remains committed to the national shipbuilding procurement strategy and buying our ships in Canada openly and transparently. No decisions have yet been made with respect to the naval tug requirement. The project is still at an early stage of planning. As part of the national shipbuilding procurement strategy and the defence procurement strategy, the government is committed to ensuring that the replacement of the National Defence large tugboats will result in significant benefits for Canadians and Canadian industry.
Mr. Speaker, when we want advice on conflict of interest matters, we go directly to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Ms. Dawson, and that is exactly what my colleague did. She proactively went and sought the commissioner's advice. The minister and her husband are following the Ethics Commissioner's advice to a T.Obviously, my colleague has an enormous amount of difficulty understanding that. I invite him to go and see Ms. Dawson. Her office is on Slater Street, here in Ottawa. She can tell him exactly how all this works.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the former parliamentary budget officer, Kevin Page, questioned the figures put forward by the Minister of Finance in his update.Today, in committee, the minister insisted on using these figures, and who knows where they came from. There is nothing to reassure Canadians, especially since the minister refuses to confirm whether he will keep his election promises.Does he realize that Canadians, especially low income earners such as seniors, families and the unemployed, are the first to be affected by an economic downturn?
Mr. Speaker, it is a great time to visit Canada. We are meeting with Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We have been present. On the weekend I was at the Boston Globe Travel Show with provinces so that we could promote the tourism industry. We will be supporting the connecting America program so that Americans know to visit Canada. We will continue to have a presence on the international stage.I urge members to stay tuned for the budget, because there might be some surprises. I am sure the member looks forward to working with us.
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure that was an answer, but what I do know is that a real document from the Department of Finance, his own department, showed that there was a surplus. That is a fact.Another thing I know for sure is that the Liberal Party spent the whole election campaign saying that it had a plan. The fact is that they do not have a plan to deal with today's economic reality.Will the Prime Minister stand up and say that he really will manage the public purse carefully and seriously so as not to put our children and grandchildren in debt?
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we are not surprised that member does not know where the Ethics Commissioner's office is.Let me be clear. The Minister of Justice has done exactly what is expected of honourable people who have shown throughout their entire career integrity and respect for good governance. She went to see the Ethics Commissioner with her husband, who has been in a business for 30 years, and asked for the advice of the Ethics Commissioner. The minister is following that advice, something the hon. member would have enormous difficulty doing.
Mr. Speaker, we are going to reform employment insurance. During the election campaign, we promised to invest in the system and make sure that more Canadians who need employment insurance can have access to it. That is what we have always stood for and what we will continue to do now that we are in government and have the ability to do so.
Mr. Speaker, as I said before, the Coast Guard has modernized its marine communications and traffic services centres with 21st century equipment. I have visited these centres and have seen first hand these new systems that have replaced the 30-year-old technology. Members of the Coast Guard staff are highly trained, highly skilled, and they need the right tools to do their jobs.
Mr. Speaker, our objective remains a balanced budget, but our priority is to make investments in Canada for Canadians and the middle class. We know that they chose our plan to grow the economy, and that is exactly what we will do.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, we committed during the election campaign to strengthen EI and to do so without having to cut massively into government spending, which the hon. member would have had to do if he had been elected, because of his commitment to balance the books at all costs.The fact of the matter is that we got elected on a commitment to invest in EI, to invest in helping workers. The member opposite knows that and picked a different path.The fact is that Canadians chose us to lead on reforming EI, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, stock options allow new small businesses to hire the most talented employees by giving them a piece of future gains in stock values. However, the government plans to double taxes on shares. As a result, many entrepreneurs will have to set up shop elsewhere, which will eliminate jobs here in Canada. Will the Minister of Finance announce today that he will abandon the tax hike for entrepreneurs and job creators?
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted with the great news that came out last week concerning the fact that Air Canada decided to purchase 45 CSeries jets, and possibly 30 more, and that it will be undertaking the maintenance of those aircraft in Quebec for the next 20 years at least. This is great news for Bombardier. This is great news for Quebec. This is great news for the aerospace industry. Everybody should be very happy about it.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the House that this contract was signed by the previous government. During the election campaign, we promised to be more transparent in the future. However, at that time, the hon. member for LondonFanshawe was clear about the fact that we would not re-open the contract. We promised to improve the situation and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, we made a promise to Canadians. We promised to be open and transparent.Yesterday, I explained that our current situation is difficult. The economy is volatile, and that is why we used a lower level of growth for next year than we did in November. It is a good starting point, and it allows us to consider how to prepare a budget for the future.
Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to welcome Syrian refugees, who need the help of all levels of government in order to obtain immediate access to health care and other essential services.Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship tell the House about the government's announcement regarding the interim federal health program?
Mr. Speaker, in last October's election campaign, we highlighted that we saw clearly that what Canada needed was investment and growth and that, for 10 years, the previous government was unable to create the kinds of opportunities and growth that middle-class Canadians and those working hard to join the middle class truly needed.That is why we put forward a plan to invest in our communities, to support the middle class and those working hard to join it, and to create the kind of growth that Canada has too long lacked. That is what we committed to do; that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, we have invested in new technology. It is like I said last week, switching from a dial phone to a smartphone. This technology is exactly what my staff members need in those centres to keep people safe. They have the training and the ability to do it. Now they have the equipment as well.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we continue to support a strong and thriving aerospace industry. That is why we were so pleased when Air Canada announced it was going to purchase 45 C-series aircraft, with an option for 30 more. In addition, Air Canada is going to create a manufacturing and maintenance centre that will help workers and create jobs for another 20 years.We see how important this is, and we will continue to work with the industry and with other governments to ensure that this gets done.
Mr. Speaker, I was deadly serious. What the people on the other side of the House said was that what they wanted to do was to balance the budget at all costs immediately. What that would mean is that we would have, right now, tens of billions of dollars of cuts, cuts that would increase our unemployment rate, that would reduce our ability to be flexible, that would certainly put us in a very difficult situation.Our plan is to make an investment to actually improve our rate of growth in this country for the middle class and those most vulnerable.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for that very kind invitation to stand and tell people that we support innovation, because we absolutely do.We know that supporting innovation in this country is a rather complex job. It involves more than just one tool in a toolbox. We are going to make investments in basic science that will make a real difference for future innovation in this country. We are going to make investments in innovation clusters that will make a real difference, attracting companies that want to do research in our country. We are going to make a real difference for innovation and productivity in this country through multiple measures that can help Canadians now and in the future.
Mr. Speaker, instead of worrying about what our great government would have done on this side of the House, perhaps he should worry a little more about what the government is not doing on his side of the House.He did believe in fiscal prudence at one point in time. This is a quote from CBC in November: ...because we want to go into deficit in order to make significant investments that we think are really important...[it] doesn't give us licence to be in any way flexible about how we deal with our finances more generally. What has changed in the last three months that causes the Minister of Finance to feel like he has a licence to spend?
Mr. Speaker, I am glad for that question. I want to quickly mention that the HMCS Winnipeg just returned today from Operation Reassurance. I want to commend its work.However, yes, all our troops, regardless of where they are deployed, have access to all the benefits. It is a priority of this government to look after our troops.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her question.I want to assure Canadians that we take this issue very seriously. Yesterday, the minister asked the department for more information on an investigation into the matter. During the election campaign, we promised that we would be more transparent and more accountable on this kind of issue and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to answer this question.We made promises in the last election to make investments. We made promises to help the middle class. We have already moved forward. We also made promises to help those who are most vulnerable. I am proud to say that we will be moving forward with our Canada child benefit in budget 2016. This is an historic decision to make an enormous difference for people in this country. We are going to help 9 out of 10 Canadian families with children. We are going to bring hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty, helping the most vulnerable.
Mr. Speaker, we know how important sockeye salmon is to British Columbians. That is why we committed to acting on the recommendations of the Cohen commission. I have met with Justice Cohen as well as the Fraser River Aboriginal Fisheries Secretariat and other key experts and stakeholders in the area. Many of those recommendations have already been implemented and we are in the process of developing ways to move forward on the remaining ones. I am confident that working together we will be able to restore the sockeye salmon stock in the Fraser River.
Mr. Speaker, in the 21st century digital economy, it is very important that we invest in manufacturing so that it can compete in the new digital economy. Therefore, we are not going to turn our back on manufacturing. If anything, we are going to make sure it is more competitive, not only in Canada but globally as well. I had the opportunity, with the Prime Minister, to meet with the leadership of GM and other OEMs at Davos to make sure that we work with them to make investment, create good quality jobs, and invest in innovation, and this is going to help our growth agenda.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.We are well aware of the industry's concerns regarding the use of diafiltered milk to produce cheese. We are working with departmental officials in order to ensure that the standards are clear for everyone. The Government of Canada is fully committed to protecting supply management.
Mr. Speaker, what I would like to announce today is that we have an absolute commitment to making our country more innovative.We have an absolute commitment to dealing with the productivity challenge in this country. We are moving forward to do what has not been done for the last decade, and that is to invest in innovators, invest in innovation across this country.I will be delighted to present my budget in just a few short weeks to give more details on this subject.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Calgary Skyview. I would also like to thank the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Minister of Veterans Affairs, and the member for Edmonton Centre. All of them have been advocating on behalf of Alberta. I was proud today to announce that we had fast-forwarded the stabilization fund for Alberta of $250 million, which is the maximum amount payable per person. This is an example of the spirit of co-operation between federal and provincial governments to work on behalf of middle-class families and those in particular who are struggling in places where it is very difficult due to the downturn.
Mr. Speaker, in the fall of 2014, the former government approved the project and set legally binding conditions with which the proponent must comply.The project is now at construction phase and BC Hydro must meet the requirements set out in the environmental assessment decision as well as other regulatory requirements.We are committed to a new relationship with indigenous peoples. I have been and will continue to be engaged in discussions with indigenous leaders on how we can work together to ensure better consultation, environmental assessments, and natural resource development.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.In the finance committee this morning, finance officials appeared before the committee and they were able to answer questions with respect to the Fiscal Monitor, not only of November, but December 2015.I am seeking permission from the House in order to table these Fiscal Monitors showing the great work done by the Department of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, the government hired Mr. Steve Brunton as a shipbuilding expert to provide the government with independent expert advice on multiple facets of the national shipbuilding procurement strategy. Mr. Brunton has extensive experience in overseeing shipbuilding programs and naval acquisitions in the United Kingdom, one of our closest allies. The government will benefit from unbiased expert advice on shipbuilding.
Mr. Speaker, the spending decisions of the current government and the resulting deficits are dragging down the economy and killing jobs. So are Liberal policy decisions. The Liberals have shut down the Billy Bishop runway expansion, and with it $2 billion in plane orders to Bombardier are gone. The Liberals are costing jobs and killing choice and competition in Toronto for travellers, tourism and businesses. Why the reckless attack on Toronto's economy and jobs in the vulnerable aviation sector?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives led this country through the worst global recession and Canada came out of it in the best condition of all G7 countries. We created about 1.3 million jobs and we left a surplus of more than $3 billion.Even the NDP acknowledges that we had a surplus.Why are the Liberals so determined to destroy Canada's enviable position as a leader on the international stage?
Mr. Speaker, in the Conservative government's first two years, we paid down the national debt by $38 billion. When the global recession hit, we provided a low-tax plan and economic stimulus, infrastructure, and other things to keep Canadians working. We left the government with a surplus. The Liberals' exploding deficit has all but wiped that out in 100 days.Why is the only Liberal plan to spend, spend, spend?
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not get it. So far the current government's only plan for the auto sector is higher payroll taxes, higher energy costs, and job-killing carbon taxes. These policies failed in Ontario, and they will fail nationally.Oshawa families wonder if they are going to have the same Liberal fate as workers at Bombardier. Is that what the minister meant by transitioning away from manufacturing?
Mr. Speaker, reports suggest that Canadian arms sold to Saudi Arabia are falling into the hands of fighters in the Yemen civil war. Armoured vehicles made in Canada and bought in the last decade appear to be used by the Saudis themselves in the same civil war.Government policy is clear: an assessment of human rights has to be conducted before allowing arms exports. Can the minister confirm that arms made in Canada are being used in Yemen? Will he make public, finally, the assessment made before the sale of these arms?
Mr. Speaker, Oshawa needs low taxes to keep well-paying manufacturing jobs. Liberal policies, like high payroll taxes, new carbon taxes, and the highest electricity rates in North America, have given the competitive edge to places like Michigan. Instead of lowering taxes now, the Prime Minister is taking these job-killing policies nationally.When the Prime Minister told the minister to transition away from manufacturing, was the plan to kill every single manufacturing job in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, first the Liberals wanted to have ships built abroad rather than here in Canada. Now they have hired a foreign consultant to work on the Canadian naval strategy. That is one job less for a Canadian.Did the procurement minister clearly indicate in her mandate that the ships would be built here in Canada, or is this a trick on the part of the Liberals to wash their hands of the matter and have our ships built abroad?
Mr. Speaker, when 2,600 aerospace jobs were threatened under the Conservative government, the Liberal leader protested with the workers about how dishonest and unfair it all was.Now in government, he is abandoning those same Canadian workers and there is no deal and no guarantee for any future jobs.Will the Prime Minister commit to meeting with these workers, in Montreal, in Mississauga, and in Winnipeg, to explain why he has changed his mind and why he no longer supports their rights?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has told Canadians that the Liberal government is significantly increasing the number of trainers who will be participating in the campaign against ISIS. General Vance has confirmed that these soldiers will be painting targets near the front lines and will defend themselves if fired upon. They are risking their lives in what the Liberals say is a non-combat mission. Will the soldiers involved in this training mission be eligible for the post-combat reintegration allowance?
Mr. Speaker, it is hardly surprising that the government House leader knows the address all that well.The Minister of Justice is directly responsible for projects that are funded under the federal government's aboriginal justice strategy. That means she gets to decide which groups receive taxpayer funding. Given that her husband is now a lobbyist for the Westbank First Nation and the First Nations Finance Authority, will she recuse herself from any decision with respect to aboriginal program funding?
Mr. Speaker, it is still about those numbers coming out of a hat.The former parliamentary budget officer has warned that the Minister of Finance's latest fiscal update is full of holes and fudge lines. The minister is even less clear on whether he will deliver help for struggling Canadians. While the update confirms that his tax scheme will cost over $1 billion more than first claimed, seniors, families, and the unemployed are left to wait for promised help. Why are those most in need last on the minister's mind?
Mr. Speaker, I remind that Minister of Finance that those are Canadian taxpayer dollars that he is spend, spend, spending.Following the global economic downturn, Canada was in the best position of the G7 countries. Canada was the first to emerge from the recession, and we went on to be ranked as one of the best places in the world to start a new business and to create jobs.Why is the Minister of Finance so insistent on destroying Canada's enviable position around the world?
Mr. Speaker, there are three very big problems with the Prime Minister's new borrowing spree. First, of course, is that it breaks his promise to Canadians. Second is that all the borrowing he is doing actually is not going to create jobs right now. Third is that he has no way to pay it back unless he actually raises taxes.Does the Prime Minister realize that all this borrowing with no plan to pay it back is just a recipe for waste, higher taxes, and more intrusive government?
Mr. Speaker, last fall, the Minister of Immigration travelled to Lebanon to a refugee camp so that, in his own words, he could see the people we were helping with his own eyes. At the Zaatari camp in Jordan, he was joined by his two seatmates, left and right, where they told refugee families that Canada was there to help. However, last week at the public safety committee, we heard from government officials that virtually none of the 25,000 Syrian refugees came from those camps. Why has the minister misled Canadians and, more important, why has he offered false hope to those families for the purposes of a photo op?
Mr. Speaker, I find it humorous that the member was calling on us for a long time to help Alberta, and then when we finally deliver $250 million to Alberta through the fiscal stabilization program, the Conservatives call it insignificant.The fact is that we understand too well that the previous Conservative government's approach of trying to bully its way into creating pipelines was not working because the Conservatives ignored the fact that they need strong environmental protections in order to create a strong economy. That is what Albertans expect of us; that is what we are going to deliver.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan is to invest, invest, invest.Unlike the Conservatives, we were not left with a surplus. The Liberals left the Conservatives with a $13 billion surplus. They turned it into $150 billion of additional debt for Canadians.We are going to spend to increase our growth rate, to make Canada better for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for that good question. We have restored the refugee health care program that the Conservatives did away with. The courts ruled that cutting this program was cruel and unusual. It was a good program for refugees and a good public health program. Restoring the program is simply the right thing to do.
Mr. Speaker, the plan was a small $10-billion deficit. Now, we are talking $25 billion or $30 billion. Where will it end? Why sink future generations into debt?The Minister of Finance has lost control of his department, he has lost control of public spending, and he has lost control of the deficits. He should pull himself together and get control of his department. If he cannot do so, he should make way for someone else who can.
Mr. Speaker, that is a misguided question. When we went to bring the refugees from these countries, we took the lists provided by the United Nations, which were lists of the most vulnerable people in the region. We contacted those people and many of them, thankfully, are now in Canada. We never said that they were from camps. In Jordan, for example, some 75% of the refugees are outside camps. They are from the region. They are the most vulnerable. I, for one, am very proud that almost 25,000 of them are now in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, first we learned that the Liberals may lease foreign-built tugboats. Now they are bringing in a foreign consultant. Do they think no Canadian can do the job?The Liberals seem to prefer creating jobs overseas for foreigners, but there are no plans for jobs here at home. Could the Minister of Procurement explain why the Liberals do not trust the Canadian shipyard workers and Canadian businesses?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister claimed that Air Canada had a maintenance agreement for the C Series aircraft here in Canada. His minister even said that Air Canada will build a centre of excellence for...maintenance. However, there is no such agreement, and no clear commitment to build such a centre.On exactly what authority can a Prime Minister relieve Air Canada of its legal obligations, which are very clear under the terms of a piece of Canadian legislation that is still in force? Why is he not enforcing the law?
Mr. Speaker, we want transparency, but it is long overdue. The government took an interest in this situation yesterday, but we have been talking about it for months.The government's policy is clear: before arms can be sold abroad, the government must ensure that they will not end up in a combat zone and will not be used to violate human rights. However, we have now learned that Canadian arms sold to Saudi Arabia have fallen into the hands of fighters in the Yemen civil war.Can the minister confirm whether that is the case, and will he commit to making public the assessment that his department had to make before allowing arms exports to Saudi Arabia?
Mr. Speaker, according to the city of Kelowna's website, the Kelowna RCMP supports victim services in the Westbank First Nation. This is the same first nation that has hired the Minister of Justice's husband as a lobbyist. The justice minister is the vice-chair of the government's cabinet committee for intelligence and emergency management, two issues that are integral to the RCMP's mandate. This is a blatant conflict of interest. Given her husband's lobbying activities, will the justice minister step down from the secret government committee?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's tourism sector is a nearly $90-billion a year industry that employs more than 600,000 hard-working Canadians. At the tourism ministers' meetings there was nothing new from the government, only a reaffirmation of initiatives that our Conservative government had already undertaken, including investing $30 million for tourism marketing in the United States.Could the minister indicate whether the Liberals will make any attempt at all to build on the good work done under the previous Conservative government?
Mr. Speaker, in the dying days of the federal election campaign, 14 permits were issued by Fisheries Canada and Transport Canada to allow the construction of the Site C dam in northern B.C. on the Peace River. It is highly controversial and manifestly opposed. Its sole purpose is to provide electricity for LNG development. The joint panel found it directly offends Treaty 8 treaty rights.Will the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs commit to no further permits being issued while the issues for indigenous people remain outstanding?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Finance was happy to break another election promise by putting Canadians another $25 billion in debt and creating structural deficits of $90 billion over four years.How can the Minister of Finance justify putting Canadians into debt when we are not even in a recession?
Mr. Speaker, does the minister really believe that technology alone can replace these communication centres? It is simply not the case. In fact, over the weekend the Victoria station went down, leaving Georgia Strait, Howe Sound, and Vancouver harbour completely unprotected. This was not the first communication failure either, but still the government seems determined to shut down the Comox station. Why is the Liberal government showing such disregard for marine safety? Why are the Liberals continuing with this failed Conservative approach?
Mr. Speaker, we cannot invest in our innovators by increasing their taxes, which is what the Liberal government is currently proposing.Stock options allow us to attract the most talented employees by giving them a piece of future gains in stock values, enticing today's talent with a piece of tomorrow's treasure. That is why so many entrepreneurs have been so successful across this country.This tax increase will not only hurt high-tech entrepreneurs but also junior oil and gas companies that are cash poor but rich in promise. I invite the minister to rise in his place and announce that he is on their side and that he will keep taxes low.
Mr. Speaker, I was in Alberta last weekend, and I can tell the Prime Minister that people are hurting. Families are losing their homes, food banks are overwhelmed, and suicide rates are up. Transferring money from a federal politician to a provincial politician is not going to fix the problem.Alberta businesses need to be able to thrive, invest, and create jobs; and Albertans need opportunities to get back to work. That means fast-tracking pipelines and calling off the Liberal plan for a carbon tax. When is the Prime Minister going to understand that throwing borrowed money around does not create jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has nothing to offer struggling Canadians but empty rhetoric.As unemployment goes up and the number of Canadians receiving EI benefits actually does down, Canadians are demanding action to help families pay the bills and to put food on the table.Yet again, the government's response is empty platitudes rather than commitments to action.Will the Prime Minister take immediate action to create a universal threshold of 360 hours and to extend EI benefits, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, Air Canada's decision to buy 45 C Series aircraft and as many as 30 more is good news. This will create both short-term and long-term jobs at Bombardier.Air Canada has also committed to having those aircraft maintained in Quebec for at least the next 20 years. That is good news. We also know that the Government of Quebec is about to drop its case against Air Canada. That will enable the government to amend the Air Canada Public Participation Act.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that something really important happened on October 19, 2015. Canadians had a choice. They had a choice between dealing with a low-growth economy and investing or making cuts so that we would actually have a more difficult situation.Canadians made the right choice. They chose to invest. We are making investments in the middle class, we are making investments in infrastructure, and we are making investments in innovation, so that over the next period, the next generation we will have a stronger Canada for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport is so glad that Quebec is dropping its case against Air Canada, thereby sacrificing 1,800 Aveos workers on the pretext that Air Canada may create 1,000 C Series aircraft maintenance jobs within 10 years.What is clear here is the Air Canada Public Participation Act and the conditions governing its privatization, and most of all, the fact that Air Canada is not obeying that law.Instead of amending the law to make it easier to export our jobs to other countries, will the minister finally enforce the existing law?
Mr. Speaker, Air Canada's commitment to purchase 45 C series aircraft with an option to buy 30 more is great news for the entire Canadian aerospace industry.Air Canada also committed to establishing a centre of excellence and aircraft maintenance and to have its C Series aircraft maintained there for at least 20 years. This is great news for Canada's aerospace industry. That is why the government is working hard with its partners in Quebec and elsewhere. That is what we will continue to do for the workers.
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure there was a question, but what I can say is that six months, two months, does not make a year. We looked at the entire year and we saw that the Conservatives left a deficit. In the last three months of the year, there was less revenue and more spending. That means the Conservatives ran a deficit.
Mr. Speaker, people in my riding of Calgary Skyview have been hit hard by the recent downturn in oil prices and are concerned about the economic future of their province. With the low price of oil and mounting job losses, they are worried there will be less revenue for the government.Will the Minister of Finance please provide an update to the House on what our government is doing to assist Alberta in this difficult time?
Mr. Speaker, we are starting with a deficit we inherited from the Conservatives. Furthermore, we have an additional $150 billion in debt. That is what we are starting with, but fortunately, we are in a position to invest in our economy because, as a result of the measures taken by the government in the 1990s, our debt-to-GDP ratio is the lowest in the G7. We will invest and this ratio will grow at a lower rate than in the past 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, after being called out several times in the House on the issue of milk protein that is coming across our borders, the minister finally decided it was time to act. That is great, but that was nearly three weeks ago and we have heard nothing since. Dairy producers are still very worried. This loophole in the supply management system is costing our producers roughly $1,000 a week.Can the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food reassure our producers and tell them when and how he plans to take action?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to the manufacturing sector. We will never turn our back on the manufacturing sector. We understand the importance of the sector. We understand that 1.7 million Canadians contribute to the manufacturing sector and that it contributes greatly to our economic growth. This is why we have a plan. We are going to be making investments not only in manufacturing but in infrastructure, helping those who want to join the middle class and helping reduce the burden on middle-class Canadians. We are going to put forward a growth agenda, an innovation agenda, that will help all sectors in the economy, including manufacturing.
Mr. Speaker, what we very clearly saw, is that no one in Canada believed what the Conservatives were claiming. They did not create the growth and the prosperity Canadians needed.For that reason, Canadians chose another way of doing things, a way of investing in our communities, creating economic growth and helping the middle class instead of the wealthy. That is exactly what we promised to do, and that is exactly what we are going to do now and in the March 22 budget.
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, our budget will be tabled on March 22. We have a plan. Our plan is to invest in the middle class across Canada. Our plan is to invest in infrastructure, innovation, and the country's most vulnerable people. Our plan is to grow the economy, and we are going to start right away.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans passed a motion to review the imminent closure of the Comox communication safety station. There have been serious concerns raised about the safety of our coast if this station is shut down. Spills, accidents, and longer waits for emergency service are all likely. Lives are at risk. Will the minister now do the right thing, hear from witnesses, listen to residents, and abandon the plans to shut down the Comox station?
Mr. Speaker, we left the government with a surplus. Ask the finance department officials. They could be working with a balanced budget. They could be strengthening the Canadian economy.However, my question is about testimony at the finance committee today. I have to ask the Minister of Finance this. Was he really serious when he said that running a balanced budget is going to put us in a recession?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice sits on six cabinet committees, including one responsible for strengthening the relationship with indigenous Canadians. Her husband is a registered lobbyist who will lobby the government on issues related to first nations. Her husband's lobbying work is a direct conflict of interest, since the justice minister will now deal with legal matters involving first nations. How can the Prime Minister justify this obvious conflict of interest?
Mr. Speaker, the only secret here is why that member continues to imagine all kinds of problems where none exist. Let me explain for him exactly what happened.Our advice with respect to conflict of interest or the appearance of conflict of interest comes from the person whom Parliament has chosen to provide that advice. Her name is Mary Dawson. She is the Ethics Commissioner and the Conflict of Interest Commissioner. We are happy to take her advice and follow it meticulously. That is what my colleague has done. I wish the hon. member might inform himself as to how the process really works.
Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the quote because it is a quote that I stand by today. Our commitment to Canadians is to actually do something about the low growth bequeathed to us by the previous government. We are going to make investments that will make a real difference for Canada, investments in infrastructure, investments in innovation. We are going to do things for the middle class that will include giving them tax breaks and improved growth for the future. That is exactly what we will do while being prudent along the way.
Mr. Speaker, the Fraser River is an important waterway in my riding and the depletion of the sockeye salmon population has greatly impacted my constituents, including indigenous peoples.Could the minister please provide an update to the House on the implementation of the recommendations of the Cohen commission?
Mr. Speaker, allow me to correct two statements made earlier by government members that do not reflect reality. The Minister of Finance said he inherited a deficit and the Prime Minister also said that we Conservatives are the only ones who believe there was a surplus.That is not the reality. The reality is that according to the Fiscal Monitor, an official document published by the Department of Finance, there was a budgetary surplus of $1 billion from April to November 2015. That is the reality as written by the government's own officials.No matter how much the Liberals shout at us, that is the truth. Will the minister
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals were very critical of the EI reform when they were in opposition. Now that he is in power, the Prime Minister is content to give evasive answers and spew the usual empty rhetoric.Only roughly one-third of the workers who lose their jobs qualify for EI, and the benefit period is far too short to find another job. The Prime Minister must understand that urgent action is needed now.Will the government extend the EI benefits period, yes or no? We would like a clear answer for once.
Mr. Speaker, the government remains committed to the national shipbuilding procurement strategy and buying our ships in Canada openly and transparently. No decisions have yet been made with respect to the naval tug requirement. The project is still at an early stage of planning. As part of the national shipbuilding procurement strategy and the defence procurement strategy, the government is committed to ensuring that the replacement of the National Defence large tugboats will result in significant benefits for Canadians and Canadian industry.
Mr. Speaker, when we want advice on conflict of interest matters, we go directly to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Ms. Dawson, and that is exactly what my colleague did. She proactively went and sought the commissioner's advice. The minister and her husband are following the Ethics Commissioner's advice to a T.Obviously, my colleague has an enormous amount of difficulty understanding that. I invite him to go and see Ms. Dawson. Her office is on Slater Street, here in Ottawa. She can tell him exactly how all this works.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the former parliamentary budget officer, Kevin Page, questioned the figures put forward by the Minister of Finance in his update.Today, in committee, the minister insisted on using these figures, and who knows where they came from. There is nothing to reassure Canadians, especially since the minister refuses to confirm whether he will keep his election promises.Does he realize that Canadians, especially low income earners such as seniors, families and the unemployed, are the first to be affected by an economic downturn?
Mr. Speaker, it is a great time to visit Canada. We are meeting with Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We have been present. On the weekend I was at the Boston Globe Travel Show with provinces so that we could promote the tourism industry. We will be supporting the connecting America program so that Americans know to visit Canada. We will continue to have a presence on the international stage.I urge members to stay tuned for the budget, because there might be some surprises. I am sure the member looks forward to working with us.
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure that was an answer, but what I do know is that a real document from the Department of Finance, his own department, showed that there was a surplus. That is a fact.Another thing I know for sure is that the Liberal Party spent the whole election campaign saying that it had a plan. The fact is that they do not have a plan to deal with today's economic reality.Will the Prime Minister stand up and say that he really will manage the public purse carefully and seriously so as not to put our children and grandchildren in debt?
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we are not surprised that member does not know where the Ethics Commissioner's office is.Let me be clear. The Minister of Justice has done exactly what is expected of honourable people who have shown throughout their entire career integrity and respect for good governance. She went to see the Ethics Commissioner with her husband, who has been in a business for 30 years, and asked for the advice of the Ethics Commissioner. The minister is following that advice, something the hon. member would have enormous difficulty doing.
Mr. Speaker, we are going to reform employment insurance. During the election campaign, we promised to invest in the system and make sure that more Canadians who need employment insurance can have access to it. That is what we have always stood for and what we will continue to do now that we are in government and have the ability to do so.
Mr. Speaker, as I said before, the Coast Guard has modernized its marine communications and traffic services centres with 21st century equipment. I have visited these centres and have seen first hand these new systems that have replaced the 30-year-old technology. Members of the Coast Guard staff are highly trained, highly skilled, and they need the right tools to do their jobs.
Mr. Speaker, our objective remains a balanced budget, but our priority is to make investments in Canada for Canadians and the middle class. We know that they chose our plan to grow the economy, and that is exactly what we will do.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, we committed during the election campaign to strengthen EI and to do so without having to cut massively into government spending, which the hon. member would have had to do if he had been elected, because of his commitment to balance the books at all costs.The fact of the matter is that we got elected on a commitment to invest in EI, to invest in helping workers. The member opposite knows that and picked a different path.The fact is that Canadians chose us to lead on reforming EI, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, stock options allow new small businesses to hire the most talented employees by giving them a piece of future gains in stock values. However, the government plans to double taxes on shares. As a result, many entrepreneurs will have to set up shop elsewhere, which will eliminate jobs here in Canada. Will the Minister of Finance announce today that he will abandon the tax hike for entrepreneurs and job creators?
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted with the great news that came out last week concerning the fact that Air Canada decided to purchase 45 CSeries jets, and possibly 30 more, and that it will be undertaking the maintenance of those aircraft in Quebec for the next 20 years at least. This is great news for Bombardier. This is great news for Quebec. This is great news for the aerospace industry. Everybody should be very happy about it.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the House that this contract was signed by the previous government. During the election campaign, we promised to be more transparent in the future. However, at that time, the hon. member for LondonFanshawe was clear about the fact that we would not re-open the contract. We promised to improve the situation and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, we made a promise to Canadians. We promised to be open and transparent.Yesterday, I explained that our current situation is difficult. The economy is volatile, and that is why we used a lower level of growth for next year than we did in November. It is a good starting point, and it allows us to consider how to prepare a budget for the future.
Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to welcome Syrian refugees, who need the help of all levels of government in order to obtain immediate access to health care and other essential services.Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship tell the House about the government's announcement regarding the interim federal health program?
Mr. Speaker, in last October's election campaign, we highlighted that we saw clearly that what Canada needed was investment and growth and that, for 10 years, the previous government was unable to create the kinds of opportunities and growth that middle-class Canadians and those working hard to join the middle class truly needed.That is why we put forward a plan to invest in our communities, to support the middle class and those working hard to join it, and to create the kind of growth that Canada has too long lacked. That is what we committed to do; that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, we have invested in new technology. It is like I said last week, switching from a dial phone to a smartphone. This technology is exactly what my staff members need in those centres to keep people safe. They have the training and the ability to do it. Now they have the equipment as well.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we continue to support a strong and thriving aerospace industry. That is why we were so pleased when Air Canada announced it was going to purchase 45 C-series aircraft, with an option for 30 more. In addition, Air Canada is going to create a manufacturing and maintenance centre that will help workers and create jobs for another 20 years.We see how important this is, and we will continue to work with the industry and with other governments to ensure that this gets done.
Mr. Speaker, I was deadly serious. What the people on the other side of the House said was that what they wanted to do was to balance the budget at all costs immediately. What that would mean is that we would have, right now, tens of billions of dollars of cuts, cuts that would increase our unemployment rate, that would reduce our ability to be flexible, that would certainly put us in a very difficult situation.Our plan is to make an investment to actually improve our rate of growth in this country for the middle class and those most vulnerable.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for that very kind invitation to stand and tell people that we support innovation, because we absolutely do.We know that supporting innovation in this country is a rather complex job. It involves more than just one tool in a toolbox. We are going to make investments in basic science that will make a real difference for future innovation in this country. We are going to make investments in innovation clusters that will make a real difference, attracting companies that want to do research in our country. We are going to make a real difference for innovation and productivity in this country through multiple measures that can help Canadians now and in the future.
Mr. Speaker, instead of worrying about what our great government would have done on this side of the House, perhaps he should worry a little more about what the government is not doing on his side of the House.He did believe in fiscal prudence at one point in time. This is a quote from CBC in November: ...because we want to go into deficit in order to make significant investments that we think are really important...[it] doesn't give us licence to be in any way flexible about how we deal with our finances more generally. What has changed in the last three months that causes the Minister of Finance to feel like he has a licence to spend?
Mr. Speaker, I am glad for that question. I want to quickly mention that the HMCS Winnipeg just returned today from Operation Reassurance. I want to commend its work.However, yes, all our troops, regardless of where they are deployed, have access to all the benefits. It is a priority of this government to look after our troops.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her question.I want to assure Canadians that we take this issue very seriously. Yesterday, the minister asked the department for more information on an investigation into the matter. During the election campaign, we promised that we would be more transparent and more accountable on this kind of issue and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to answer this question.We made promises in the last election to make investments. We made promises to help the middle class. We have already moved forward. We also made promises to help those who are most vulnerable. I am proud to say that we will be moving forward with our Canada child benefit in budget 2016. This is an historic decision to make an enormous difference for people in this country. We are going to help 9 out of 10 Canadian families with children. We are going to bring hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty, helping the most vulnerable.
Mr. Speaker, we know how important sockeye salmon is to British Columbians. That is why we committed to acting on the recommendations of the Cohen commission. I have met with Justice Cohen as well as the Fraser River Aboriginal Fisheries Secretariat and other key experts and stakeholders in the area. Many of those recommendations have already been implemented and we are in the process of developing ways to move forward on the remaining ones. I am confident that working together we will be able to restore the sockeye salmon stock in the Fraser River.
Mr. Speaker, in the 21st century digital economy, it is very important that we invest in manufacturing so that it can compete in the new digital economy. Therefore, we are not going to turn our back on manufacturing. If anything, we are going to make sure it is more competitive, not only in Canada but globally as well. I had the opportunity, with the Prime Minister, to meet with the leadership of GM and other OEMs at Davos to make sure that we work with them to make investment, create good quality jobs, and invest in innovation, and this is going to help our growth agenda.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.We are well aware of the industry's concerns regarding the use of diafiltered milk to produce cheese. We are working with departmental officials in order to ensure that the standards are clear for everyone. The Government of Canada is fully committed to protecting supply management.
Mr. Speaker, what I would like to announce today is that we have an absolute commitment to making our country more innovative.We have an absolute commitment to dealing with the productivity challenge in this country. We are moving forward to do what has not been done for the last decade, and that is to invest in innovators, invest in innovation across this country.I will be delighted to present my budget in just a few short weeks to give more details on this subject.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Calgary Skyview. I would also like to thank the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Minister of Veterans Affairs, and the member for Edmonton Centre. All of them have been advocating on behalf of Alberta. I was proud today to announce that we had fast-forwarded the stabilization fund for Alberta of $250 million, which is the maximum amount payable per person. This is an example of the spirit of co-operation between federal and provincial governments to work on behalf of middle-class families and those in particular who are struggling in places where it is very difficult due to the downturn.
Mr. Speaker, in the fall of 2014, the former government approved the project and set legally binding conditions with which the proponent must comply.The project is now at construction phase and BC Hydro must meet the requirements set out in the environmental assessment decision as well as other regulatory requirements.We are committed to a new relationship with indigenous peoples. I have been and will continue to be engaged in discussions with indigenous leaders on how we can work together to ensure better consultation, environmental assessments, and natural resource development.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.In the finance committee this morning, finance officials appeared before the committee and they were able to answer questions with respect to the Fiscal Monitor, not only of November, but December 2015.I am seeking permission from the House in order to table these Fiscal Monitors showing the great work done by the Department of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, the government hired Mr. Steve Brunton as a shipbuilding expert to provide the government with independent expert advice on multiple facets of the national shipbuilding procurement strategy. Mr. Brunton has extensive experience in overseeing shipbuilding programs and naval acquisitions in the United Kingdom, one of our closest allies. The government will benefit from unbiased expert advice on shipbuilding.
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Mr. Speaker, the spending decisions of the current government and the resulting deficits are dragging down the economy and killing jobs. So are Liberal policy decisions. The Liberals have shut down the Billy Bishop runway expansion, and with it $2 billion in plane orders to Bombardier are gone. The Liberals are costing jobs and killing choice and competition in Toronto for travellers, tourism and businesses. Why the reckless attack on Toronto's economy and jobs in the vulnerable aviation sector?
Mr. Speaker, when 2,600 aerospace jobs were threatened under the Conservative government, the Liberal leader protested with the workers about how dishonest and unfair it all was.Now in government, he is abandoning those same Canadian workers and there is no deal and no guarantee for any future jobs.Will the Prime Minister commit to meeting with these workers, in Montreal, in Mississauga, and in Winnipeg, to explain why he has changed his mind and why he no longer supports their rights?
Mr. Speaker, we left the government with a surplus. Ask the finance department officials. They could be working with a balanced budget. They could be strengthening the Canadian economy.However, my question is about testimony at the finance committee today. I have to ask the Minister of Finance this. Was he really serious when he said that running a balanced budget is going to put us in a recession?
Mr. Speaker, people in my riding of Calgary Skyview have been hit hard by the recent downturn in oil prices and are concerned about the economic future of their province. With the low price of oil and mounting job losses, they are worried there will be less revenue for the government.Will the Minister of Finance please provide an update to the House on what our government is doing to assist Alberta in this difficult time?
Mr. Speaker, I was deadly serious. What the people on the other side of the House said was that what they wanted to do was to balance the budget at all costs immediately. What that would mean is that we would have, right now, tens of billions of dollars of cuts, cuts that would increase our unemployment rate, that would reduce our ability to be flexible, that would certainly put us in a very difficult situation.Our plan is to make an investment to actually improve our rate of growth in this country for the middle class and those most vulnerable.
Mr. Speaker, according to the city of Kelowna's website, the Kelowna RCMP supports victim services in the Westbank First Nation. This is the same first nation that has hired the Minister of Justice's husband as a lobbyist. The justice minister is the vice-chair of the government's cabinet committee for intelligence and emergency management, two issues that are integral to the RCMP's mandate. This is a blatant conflict of interest. Given her husband's lobbying activities, will the justice minister step down from the secret government committee?
Mr. Speaker, the plan was a small $10-billion deficit. Now, we are talking $25 billion or $30 billion. Where will it end? Why sink future generations into debt?The Minister of Finance has lost control of his department, he has lost control of public spending, and he has lost control of the deficits. He should pull himself together and get control of his department. If he cannot do so, he should make way for someone else who can.
Mr. Speaker, in last October's election campaign, we highlighted that we saw clearly that what Canada needed was investment and growth and that, for 10 years, the previous government was unable to create the kinds of opportunities and growth that middle-class Canadians and those working hard to join the middle class truly needed.That is why we put forward a plan to invest in our communities, to support the middle class and those working hard to join it, and to create the kind of growth that Canada has too long lacked. That is what we committed to do; that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans passed a motion to review the imminent closure of the Comox communication safety station. There have been serious concerns raised about the safety of our coast if this station is shut down. Spills, accidents, and longer waits for emergency service are all likely. Lives are at risk. Will the minister now do the right thing, hear from witnesses, listen to residents, and abandon the plans to shut down the Comox station?
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not get it. So far the current government's only plan for the auto sector is higher payroll taxes, higher energy costs, and job-killing carbon taxes. These policies failed in Ontario, and they will fail nationally.Oshawa families wonder if they are going to have the same Liberal fate as workers at Bombardier. Is that what the minister meant by transitioning away from manufacturing?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has nothing to offer struggling Canadians but empty rhetoric.As unemployment goes up and the number of Canadians receiving EI benefits actually does down, Canadians are demanding action to help families pay the bills and to put food on the table.Yet again, the government's response is empty platitudes rather than commitments to action.Will the Prime Minister take immediate action to create a universal threshold of 360 hours and to extend EI benefits, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals were very critical of the EI reform when they were in opposition. Now that he is in power, the Prime Minister is content to give evasive answers and spew the usual empty rhetoric.Only roughly one-third of the workers who lose their jobs qualify for EI, and the benefit period is far too short to find another job. The Prime Minister must understand that urgent action is needed now.Will the government extend the EI benefits period, yes or no? We would like a clear answer for once.
Mr. Speaker, does the minister really believe that technology alone can replace these communication centres? It is simply not the case. In fact, over the weekend the Victoria station went down, leaving Georgia Strait, Howe Sound, and Vancouver harbour completely unprotected. This was not the first communication failure either, but still the government seems determined to shut down the Comox station. Why is the Liberal government showing such disregard for marine safety? Why are the Liberals continuing with this failed Conservative approach?
Mr. Speaker, the government hired Mr. Steve Brunton as a shipbuilding expert to provide the government with independent expert advice on multiple facets of the national shipbuilding procurement strategy. Mr. Brunton has extensive experience in overseeing shipbuilding programs and naval acquisitions in the United Kingdom, one of our closest allies. The government will benefit from unbiased expert advice on shipbuilding.
Mr. Speaker, we want transparency, but it is long overdue. The government took an interest in this situation yesterday, but we have been talking about it for months.The government's policy is clear: before arms can be sold abroad, the government must ensure that they will not end up in a combat zone and will not be used to violate human rights. However, we have now learned that Canadian arms sold to Saudi Arabia have fallen into the hands of fighters in the Yemen civil war.Can the minister confirm whether that is the case, and will he commit to making public the assessment that his department had to make before allowing arms exports to Saudi Arabia?
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure there was a question, but what I can say is that six months, two months, does not make a year. We looked at the entire year and we saw that the Conservatives left a deficit. In the last three months of the year, there was less revenue and more spending. That means the Conservatives ran a deficit.
Mr. Speaker, first the Liberals wanted to have ships built abroad rather than here in Canada. Now they have hired a foreign consultant to work on the Canadian naval strategy. That is one job less for a Canadian.Did the procurement minister clearly indicate in her mandate that the ships would be built here in Canada, or is this a trick on the part of the Liberals to wash their hands of the matter and have our ships built abroad?
Mr. Speaker, reports suggest that Canadian arms sold to Saudi Arabia are falling into the hands of fighters in the Yemen civil war. Armoured vehicles made in Canada and bought in the last decade appear to be used by the Saudis themselves in the same civil war.Government policy is clear: an assessment of human rights has to be conducted before allowing arms exports. Can the minister confirm that arms made in Canada are being used in Yemen? Will he make public, finally, the assessment made before the sale of these arms?
Mr. Speaker, in the Conservative government's first two years, we paid down the national debt by $38 billion. When the global recession hit, we provided a low-tax plan and economic stimulus, infrastructure, and other things to keep Canadians working. We left the government with a surplus. The Liberals' exploding deficit has all but wiped that out in 100 days.Why is the only Liberal plan to spend, spend, spend?
Mr. Speaker, we made a promise to Canadians. We promised to be open and transparent.Yesterday, I explained that our current situation is difficult. The economy is volatile, and that is why we used a lower level of growth for next year than we did in November. It is a good starting point, and it allows us to consider how to prepare a budget for the future.
Mr. Speaker, we are starting with a deficit we inherited from the Conservatives. Furthermore, we have an additional $150 billion in debt. That is what we are starting with, but fortunately, we are in a position to invest in our economy because, as a result of the measures taken by the government in the 1990s, our debt-to-GDP ratio is the lowest in the G7. We will invest and this ratio will grow at a lower rate than in the past 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives led this country through the worst global recession and Canada came out of it in the best condition of all G7 countries. We created about 1.3 million jobs and we left a surplus of more than $3 billion.Even the NDP acknowledges that we had a surplus.Why are the Liberals so determined to destroy Canada's enviable position as a leader on the international stage?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Calgary Skyview. I would also like to thank the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Minister of Veterans Affairs, and the member for Edmonton Centre. All of them have been advocating on behalf of Alberta. I was proud today to announce that we had fast-forwarded the stabilization fund for Alberta of $250 million, which is the maximum amount payable per person. This is an example of the spirit of co-operation between federal and provincial governments to work on behalf of middle-class families and those in particular who are struggling in places where it is very difficult due to the downturn.
Mr. Speaker, Oshawa needs low taxes to keep well-paying manufacturing jobs. Liberal policies, like high payroll taxes, new carbon taxes, and the highest electricity rates in North America, have given the competitive edge to places like Michigan. Instead of lowering taxes now, the Prime Minister is taking these job-killing policies nationally.When the Prime Minister told the minister to transition away from manufacturing, was the plan to kill every single manufacturing job in Canada?
Yes, Mr. Speaker, we committed during the election campaign to strengthen EI and to do so without having to cut massively into government spending, which the hon. member would have had to do if he had been elected, because of his commitment to balance the books at all costs.The fact of the matter is that we got elected on a commitment to invest in EI, to invest in helping workers. The member opposite knows that and picked a different path.The fact is that Canadians chose us to lead on reforming EI, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, first we learned that the Liberals may lease foreign-built tugboats. Now they are bringing in a foreign consultant. Do they think no Canadian can do the job?The Liberals seem to prefer creating jobs overseas for foreigners, but there are no plans for jobs here at home. Could the Minister of Procurement explain why the Liberals do not trust the Canadian shipyard workers and Canadian businesses?
Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the quote because it is a quote that I stand by today. Our commitment to Canadians is to actually do something about the low growth bequeathed to us by the previous government. We are going to make investments that will make a real difference for Canada, investments in infrastructure, investments in innovation. We are going to do things for the middle class that will include giving them tax breaks and improved growth for the future. That is exactly what we will do while being prudent along the way.
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, our budget will be tabled on March 22. We have a plan. Our plan is to invest in the middle class across Canada. Our plan is to invest in infrastructure, innovation, and the country's most vulnerable people. Our plan is to grow the economy, and we are going to start right away.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the former parliamentary budget officer, Kevin Page, questioned the figures put forward by the Minister of Finance in his update.Today, in committee, the minister insisted on using these figures, and who knows where they came from. There is nothing to reassure Canadians, especially since the minister refuses to confirm whether he will keep his election promises.Does he realize that Canadians, especially low income earners such as seniors, families and the unemployed, are the first to be affected by an economic downturn?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that something really important happened on October 19, 2015. Canadians had a choice. They had a choice between dealing with a low-growth economy and investing or making cuts so that we would actually have a more difficult situation.Canadians made the right choice. They chose to invest. We are making investments in the middle class, we are making investments in infrastructure, and we are making investments in innovation, so that over the next period, the next generation we will have a stronger Canada for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our objective remains a balanced budget, but our priority is to make investments in Canada for Canadians and the middle class. We know that they chose our plan to grow the economy, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister claimed that Air Canada had a maintenance agreement for the C Series aircraft here in Canada. His minister even said that Air Canada will build a centre of excellence for...maintenance. However, there is no such agreement, and no clear commitment to build such a centre.On exactly what authority can a Prime Minister relieve Air Canada of its legal obligations, which are very clear under the terms of a piece of Canadian legislation that is still in force? Why is he not enforcing the law?
Mr. Speaker, there are three very big problems with the Prime Minister's new borrowing spree. First, of course, is that it breaks his promise to Canadians. Second is that all the borrowing he is doing actually is not going to create jobs right now. Third is that he has no way to pay it back unless he actually raises taxes.Does the Prime Minister realize that all this borrowing with no plan to pay it back is just a recipe for waste, higher taxes, and more intrusive government?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for that good question. We have restored the refugee health care program that the Conservatives did away with. The courts ruled that cutting this program was cruel and unusual. It was a good program for refugees and a good public health program. Restoring the program is simply the right thing to do.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we are not surprised that member does not know where the Ethics Commissioner's office is.Let me be clear. The Minister of Justice has done exactly what is expected of honourable people who have shown throughout their entire career integrity and respect for good governance. She went to see the Ethics Commissioner with her husband, who has been in a business for 30 years, and asked for the advice of the Ethics Commissioner. The minister is following that advice, something the hon. member would have enormous difficulty doing.
Mr. Speaker, when we want advice on conflict of interest matters, we go directly to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Ms. Dawson, and that is exactly what my colleague did. She proactively went and sought the commissioner's advice. The minister and her husband are following the Ethics Commissioner's advice to a T.Obviously, my colleague has an enormous amount of difficulty understanding that. I invite him to go and see Ms. Dawson. Her office is on Slater Street, here in Ottawa. She can tell him exactly how all this works.
Mr. Speaker, in the fall of 2014, the former government approved the project and set legally binding conditions with which the proponent must comply.The project is now at construction phase and BC Hydro must meet the requirements set out in the environmental assessment decision as well as other regulatory requirements.We are committed to a new relationship with indigenous peoples. I have been and will continue to be engaged in discussions with indigenous leaders on how we can work together to ensure better consultation, environmental assessments, and natural resource development.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the House that this contract was signed by the previous government. During the election campaign, we promised to be more transparent in the future. However, at that time, the hon. member for LondonFanshawe was clear about the fact that we would not re-open the contract. We promised to improve the situation and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice sits on six cabinet committees, including one responsible for strengthening the relationship with indigenous Canadians. Her husband is a registered lobbyist who will lobby the government on issues related to first nations. Her husband's lobbying work is a direct conflict of interest, since the justice minister will now deal with legal matters involving first nations. How can the Prime Minister justify this obvious conflict of interest?
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure that was an answer, but what I do know is that a real document from the Department of Finance, his own department, showed that there was a surplus. That is a fact.Another thing I know for sure is that the Liberal Party spent the whole election campaign saying that it had a plan. The fact is that they do not have a plan to deal with today's economic reality.Will the Prime Minister stand up and say that he really will manage the public purse carefully and seriously so as not to put our children and grandchildren in debt?
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to answer this question.We made promises in the last election to make investments. We made promises to help the middle class. We have already moved forward. We also made promises to help those who are most vulnerable. I am proud to say that we will be moving forward with our Canada child benefit in budget 2016. This is an historic decision to make an enormous difference for people in this country. We are going to help 9 out of 10 Canadian families with children. We are going to bring hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty, helping the most vulnerable.
Mr. Speaker, after being called out several times in the House on the issue of milk protein that is coming across our borders, the minister finally decided it was time to act. That is great, but that was nearly three weeks ago and we have heard nothing since. Dairy producers are still very worried. This loophole in the supply management system is costing our producers roughly $1,000 a week.Can the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food reassure our producers and tell them when and how he plans to take action?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport is so glad that Quebec is dropping its case against Air Canada, thereby sacrificing 1,800 Aveos workers on the pretext that Air Canada may create 1,000 C Series aircraft maintenance jobs within 10 years.What is clear here is the Air Canada Public Participation Act and the conditions governing its privatization, and most of all, the fact that Air Canada is not obeying that law.Instead of amending the law to make it easier to export our jobs to other countries, will the minister finally enforce the existing law?
Mr. Speaker, I was in Alberta last weekend, and I can tell the Prime Minister that people are hurting. Families are losing their homes, food banks are overwhelmed, and suicide rates are up. Transferring money from a federal politician to a provincial politician is not going to fix the problem.Alberta businesses need to be able to thrive, invest, and create jobs; and Albertans need opportunities to get back to work. That means fast-tracking pipelines and calling off the Liberal plan for a carbon tax. When is the Prime Minister going to understand that throwing borrowed money around does not create jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan is to invest, invest, invest.Unlike the Conservatives, we were not left with a surplus. The Liberals left the Conservatives with a $13 billion surplus. They turned it into $150 billion of additional debt for Canadians.We are going to spend to increase our growth rate, to make Canada better for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for that very kind invitation to stand and tell people that we support innovation, because we absolutely do.We know that supporting innovation in this country is a rather complex job. It involves more than just one tool in a toolbox. We are going to make investments in basic science that will make a real difference for future innovation in this country. We are going to make investments in innovation clusters that will make a real difference, attracting companies that want to do research in our country. We are going to make a real difference for innovation and productivity in this country through multiple measures that can help Canadians now and in the future.
Mr. Speaker, the only secret here is why that member continues to imagine all kinds of problems where none exist. Let me explain for him exactly what happened.Our advice with respect to conflict of interest or the appearance of conflict of interest comes from the person whom Parliament has chosen to provide that advice. Her name is Mary Dawson. She is the Ethics Commissioner and the Conflict of Interest Commissioner. We are happy to take her advice and follow it meticulously. That is what my colleague has done. I wish the hon. member might inform himself as to how the process really works.
Mr. Speaker, the government remains committed to the national shipbuilding procurement strategy and buying our ships in Canada openly and transparently. No decisions have yet been made with respect to the naval tug requirement. The project is still at an early stage of planning. As part of the national shipbuilding procurement strategy and the defence procurement strategy, the government is committed to ensuring that the replacement of the National Defence large tugboats will result in significant benefits for Canadians and Canadian industry.
Mr. Speaker, what I would like to announce today is that we have an absolute commitment to making our country more innovative.We have an absolute commitment to dealing with the productivity challenge in this country. We are moving forward to do what has not been done for the last decade, and that is to invest in innovators, invest in innovation across this country.I will be delighted to present my budget in just a few short weeks to give more details on this subject.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.We are well aware of the industry's concerns regarding the use of diafiltered milk to produce cheese. We are working with departmental officials in order to ensure that the standards are clear for everyone. The Government of Canada is fully committed to protecting supply management.
Mr. Speaker, I find it humorous that the member was calling on us for a long time to help Alberta, and then when we finally deliver $250 million to Alberta through the fiscal stabilization program, the Conservatives call it insignificant.The fact is that we understand too well that the previous Conservative government's approach of trying to bully its way into creating pipelines was not working because the Conservatives ignored the fact that they need strong environmental protections in order to create a strong economy. That is what Albertans expect of us; that is what we are going to deliver.
Mr. Speaker, last fall, the Minister of Immigration travelled to Lebanon to a refugee camp so that, in his own words, he could see the people we were helping with his own eyes. At the Zaatari camp in Jordan, he was joined by his two seatmates, left and right, where they told refugee families that Canada was there to help. However, last week at the public safety committee, we heard from government officials that virtually none of the 25,000 Syrian refugees came from those camps. Why has the minister misled Canadians and, more important, why has he offered false hope to those families for the purposes of a photo op?
Mr. Speaker, allow me to correct two statements made earlier by government members that do not reflect reality. The Minister of Finance said he inherited a deficit and the Prime Minister also said that we Conservatives are the only ones who believe there was a surplus.That is not the reality. The reality is that according to the Fiscal Monitor, an official document published by the Department of Finance, there was a budgetary surplus of $1 billion from April to November 2015. That is the reality as written by the government's own officials.No matter how much the Liberals shout at us, that is the truth. Will the minister
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to the manufacturing sector. We will never turn our back on the manufacturing sector. We understand the importance of the sector. We understand that 1.7 million Canadians contribute to the manufacturing sector and that it contributes greatly to our economic growth. This is why we have a plan. We are going to be making investments not only in manufacturing but in infrastructure, helping those who want to join the middle class and helping reduce the burden on middle-class Canadians. We are going to put forward a growth agenda, an innovation agenda, that will help all sectors in the economy, including manufacturing.
Mr. Speaker, it is still about those numbers coming out of a hat.The former parliamentary budget officer has warned that the Minister of Finance's latest fiscal update is full of holes and fudge lines. The minister is even less clear on whether he will deliver help for struggling Canadians. While the update confirms that his tax scheme will cost over $1 billion more than first claimed, seniors, families, and the unemployed are left to wait for promised help. Why are those most in need last on the minister's mind?
Mr. Speaker, in the 21st century digital economy, it is very important that we invest in manufacturing so that it can compete in the new digital economy. Therefore, we are not going to turn our back on manufacturing. If anything, we are going to make sure it is more competitive, not only in Canada but globally as well. I had the opportunity, with the Prime Minister, to meet with the leadership of GM and other OEMs at Davos to make sure that we work with them to make investment, create good quality jobs, and invest in innovation, and this is going to help our growth agenda.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's tourism sector is a nearly $90-billion a year industry that employs more than 600,000 hard-working Canadians. At the tourism ministers' meetings there was nothing new from the government, only a reaffirmation of initiatives that our Conservative government had already undertaken, including investing $30 million for tourism marketing in the United States.Could the minister indicate whether the Liberals will make any attempt at all to build on the good work done under the previous Conservative government?
Mr. Speaker, that is a misguided question. When we went to bring the refugees from these countries, we took the lists provided by the United Nations, which were lists of the most vulnerable people in the region. We contacted those people and many of them, thankfully, are now in Canada. We never said that they were from camps. In Jordan, for example, some 75% of the refugees are outside camps. They are from the region. They are the most vulnerable. I, for one, am very proud that almost 25,000 of them are now in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, we have invested in new technology. It is like I said last week, switching from a dial phone to a smartphone. This technology is exactly what my staff members need in those centres to keep people safe. They have the training and the ability to do it. Now they have the equipment as well.
Mr. Speaker, what we very clearly saw, is that no one in Canada believed what the Conservatives were claiming. They did not create the growth and the prosperity Canadians needed.For that reason, Canadians chose another way of doing things, a way of investing in our communities, creating economic growth and helping the middle class instead of the wealthy. That is exactly what we promised to do, and that is exactly what we are going to do now and in the March 22 budget.
Mr. Speaker, we know how important sockeye salmon is to British Columbians. That is why we committed to acting on the recommendations of the Cohen commission. I have met with Justice Cohen as well as the Fraser River Aboriginal Fisheries Secretariat and other key experts and stakeholders in the area. Many of those recommendations have already been implemented and we are in the process of developing ways to move forward on the remaining ones. I am confident that working together we will be able to restore the sockeye salmon stock in the Fraser River.
Mr. Speaker, as I said before, the Coast Guard has modernized its marine communications and traffic services centres with 21st century equipment. I have visited these centres and have seen first hand these new systems that have replaced the 30-year-old technology. Members of the Coast Guard staff are highly trained, highly skilled, and they need the right tools to do their jobs.
Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to welcome Syrian refugees, who need the help of all levels of government in order to obtain immediate access to health care and other essential services.Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship tell the House about the government's announcement regarding the interim federal health program?
Mr. Speaker, stock options allow new small businesses to hire the most talented employees by giving them a piece of future gains in stock values. However, the government plans to double taxes on shares. As a result, many entrepreneurs will have to set up shop elsewhere, which will eliminate jobs here in Canada. Will the Minister of Finance announce today that he will abandon the tax hike for entrepreneurs and job creators?
Mr. Speaker, in the dying days of the federal election campaign, 14 permits were issued by Fisheries Canada and Transport Canada to allow the construction of the Site C dam in northern B.C. on the Peace River. It is highly controversial and manifestly opposed. Its sole purpose is to provide electricity for LNG development. The joint panel found it directly offends Treaty 8 treaty rights.Will the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs commit to no further permits being issued while the issues for indigenous people remain outstanding?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has told Canadians that the Liberal government is significantly increasing the number of trainers who will be participating in the campaign against ISIS. General Vance has confirmed that these soldiers will be painting targets near the front lines and will defend themselves if fired upon. They are risking their lives in what the Liberals say is a non-combat mission. Will the soldiers involved in this training mission be eligible for the post-combat reintegration allowance?
Mr. Speaker, we cannot invest in our innovators by increasing their taxes, which is what the Liberal government is currently proposing.Stock options allow us to attract the most talented employees by giving them a piece of future gains in stock values, enticing today's talent with a piece of tomorrow's treasure. That is why so many entrepreneurs have been so successful across this country.This tax increase will not only hurt high-tech entrepreneurs but also junior oil and gas companies that are cash poor but rich in promise. I invite the minister to rise in his place and announce that he is on their side and that he will keep taxes low.
Mr. Speaker, Air Canada's commitment to purchase 45 C series aircraft with an option to buy 30 more is great news for the entire Canadian aerospace industry.Air Canada also committed to establishing a centre of excellence and aircraft maintenance and to have its C Series aircraft maintained there for at least 20 years. This is great news for Canada's aerospace industry. That is why the government is working hard with its partners in Quebec and elsewhere. That is what we will continue to do for the workers.
Mr. Speaker, instead of worrying about what our great government would have done on this side of the House, perhaps he should worry a little more about what the government is not doing on his side of the House.He did believe in fiscal prudence at one point in time. This is a quote from CBC in November: ...because we want to go into deficit in order to make significant investments that we think are really important...[it] doesn't give us licence to be in any way flexible about how we deal with our finances more generally. What has changed in the last three months that causes the Minister of Finance to feel like he has a licence to spend?
Mr. Speaker, Air Canada's decision to buy 45 C Series aircraft and as many as 30 more is good news. This will create both short-term and long-term jobs at Bombardier.Air Canada has also committed to having those aircraft maintained in Quebec for at least the next 20 years. That is good news. We also know that the Government of Quebec is about to drop its case against Air Canada. That will enable the government to amend the Air Canada Public Participation Act.
Mr. Speaker, it is a great time to visit Canada. We are meeting with Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We have been present. On the weekend I was at the Boston Globe Travel Show with provinces so that we could promote the tourism industry. We will be supporting the connecting America program so that Americans know to visit Canada. We will continue to have a presence on the international stage.I urge members to stay tuned for the budget, because there might be some surprises. I am sure the member looks forward to working with us.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her question.I want to assure Canadians that we take this issue very seriously. Yesterday, the minister asked the department for more information on an investigation into the matter. During the election campaign, we promised that we would be more transparent and more accountable on this kind of issue and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, I remind that Minister of Finance that those are Canadian taxpayer dollars that he is spend, spend, spending.Following the global economic downturn, Canada was in the best position of the G7 countries. Canada was the first to emerge from the recession, and we went on to be ranked as one of the best places in the world to start a new business and to create jobs.Why is the Minister of Finance so insistent on destroying Canada's enviable position around the world?
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we continue to support a strong and thriving aerospace industry. That is why we were so pleased when Air Canada announced it was going to purchase 45 C-series aircraft, with an option for 30 more. In addition, Air Canada is going to create a manufacturing and maintenance centre that will help workers and create jobs for another 20 years.We see how important this is, and we will continue to work with the industry and with other governments to ensure that this gets done.
Mr. Speaker, it is hardly surprising that the government House leader knows the address all that well.The Minister of Justice is directly responsible for projects that are funded under the federal government's aboriginal justice strategy. That means she gets to decide which groups receive taxpayer funding. Given that her husband is now a lobbyist for the Westbank First Nation and the First Nations Finance Authority, will she recuse herself from any decision with respect to aboriginal program funding?
Mr. Speaker, I am glad for that question. I want to quickly mention that the HMCS Winnipeg just returned today from Operation Reassurance. I want to commend its work.However, yes, all our troops, regardless of where they are deployed, have access to all the benefits. It is a priority of this government to look after our troops.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.In the finance committee this morning, finance officials appeared before the committee and they were able to answer questions with respect to the Fiscal Monitor, not only of November, but December 2015.I am seeking permission from the House in order to table these Fiscal Monitors showing the great work done by the Department of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, we are going to reform employment insurance. During the election campaign, we promised to invest in the system and make sure that more Canadians who need employment insurance can have access to it. That is what we have always stood for and what we will continue to do now that we are in government and have the ability to do so.
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted with the great news that came out last week concerning the fact that Air Canada decided to purchase 45 CSeries jets, and possibly 30 more, and that it will be undertaking the maintenance of those aircraft in Quebec for the next 20 years at least. This is great news for Bombardier. This is great news for Quebec. This is great news for the aerospace industry. Everybody should be very happy about it.
Mr. Speaker, the Fraser River is an important waterway in my riding and the depletion of the sockeye salmon population has greatly impacted my constituents, including indigenous peoples.Could the minister please provide an update to the House on the implementation of the recommendations of the Cohen commission?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Finance was happy to break another election promise by putting Canadians another $25 billion in debt and creating structural deficits of $90 billion over four years.How can the Minister of Finance justify putting Canadians into debt when we are not even in a recession?
Mr. Speaker, the spending decisions of the current government and the resulting deficits are dragging down the economy and killing jobs. So are Liberal policy decisions. The Liberals have shut down the Billy Bishop runway expansion, and with it $2 billion in plane orders to Bombardier are gone. The Liberals are costing jobs and killing choice and competition in Toronto for travellers, tourism and businesses. Why the reckless attack on Toronto's economy and jobs in the vulnerable aviation sector?
Mr. Speaker, when 2,600 aerospace jobs were threatened under the Conservative government, the Liberal leader protested with the workers about how dishonest and unfair it all was.Now in government, he is abandoning those same Canadian workers and there is no deal and no guarantee for any future jobs.Will the Prime Minister commit to meeting with these workers, in Montreal, in Mississauga, and in Winnipeg, to explain why he has changed his mind and why he no longer supports their rights?
Mr. Speaker, we left the government with a surplus. Ask the finance department officials. They could be working with a balanced budget. They could be strengthening the Canadian economy.However, my question is about testimony at the finance committee today. I have to ask the Minister of Finance this. Was he really serious when he said that running a balanced budget is going to put us in a recession?
Mr. Speaker, people in my riding of Calgary Skyview have been hit hard by the recent downturn in oil prices and are concerned about the economic future of their province. With the low price of oil and mounting job losses, they are worried there will be less revenue for the government.Will the Minister of Finance please provide an update to the House on what our government is doing to assist Alberta in this difficult time?
Mr. Speaker, I was deadly serious. What the people on the other side of the House said was that what they wanted to do was to balance the budget at all costs immediately. What that would mean is that we would have, right now, tens of billions of dollars of cuts, cuts that would increase our unemployment rate, that would reduce our ability to be flexible, that would certainly put us in a very difficult situation.Our plan is to make an investment to actually improve our rate of growth in this country for the middle class and those most vulnerable.
Mr. Speaker, according to the city of Kelowna's website, the Kelowna RCMP supports victim services in the Westbank First Nation. This is the same first nation that has hired the Minister of Justice's husband as a lobbyist. The justice minister is the vice-chair of the government's cabinet committee for intelligence and emergency management, two issues that are integral to the RCMP's mandate. This is a blatant conflict of interest. Given her husband's lobbying activities, will the justice minister step down from the secret government committee?
Mr. Speaker, the plan was a small $10-billion deficit. Now, we are talking $25 billion or $30 billion. Where will it end? Why sink future generations into debt?The Minister of Finance has lost control of his department, he has lost control of public spending, and he has lost control of the deficits. He should pull himself together and get control of his department. If he cannot do so, he should make way for someone else who can.
Mr. Speaker, in last October's election campaign, we highlighted that we saw clearly that what Canada needed was investment and growth and that, for 10 years, the previous government was unable to create the kinds of opportunities and growth that middle-class Canadians and those working hard to join the middle class truly needed.That is why we put forward a plan to invest in our communities, to support the middle class and those working hard to join it, and to create the kind of growth that Canada has too long lacked. That is what we committed to do; that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans passed a motion to review the imminent closure of the Comox communication safety station. There have been serious concerns raised about the safety of our coast if this station is shut down. Spills, accidents, and longer waits for emergency service are all likely. Lives are at risk. Will the minister now do the right thing, hear from witnesses, listen to residents, and abandon the plans to shut down the Comox station?
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not get it. So far the current government's only plan for the auto sector is higher payroll taxes, higher energy costs, and job-killing carbon taxes. These policies failed in Ontario, and they will fail nationally.Oshawa families wonder if they are going to have the same Liberal fate as workers at Bombardier. Is that what the minister meant by transitioning away from manufacturing?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has nothing to offer struggling Canadians but empty rhetoric.As unemployment goes up and the number of Canadians receiving EI benefits actually does down, Canadians are demanding action to help families pay the bills and to put food on the table.Yet again, the government's response is empty platitudes rather than commitments to action.Will the Prime Minister take immediate action to create a universal threshold of 360 hours and to extend EI benefits, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals were very critical of the EI reform when they were in opposition. Now that he is in power, the Prime Minister is content to give evasive answers and spew the usual empty rhetoric.Only roughly one-third of the workers who lose their jobs qualify for EI, and the benefit period is far too short to find another job. The Prime Minister must understand that urgent action is needed now.Will the government extend the EI benefits period, yes or no? We would like a clear answer for once.
Mr. Speaker, does the minister really believe that technology alone can replace these communication centres? It is simply not the case. In fact, over the weekend the Victoria station went down, leaving Georgia Strait, Howe Sound, and Vancouver harbour completely unprotected. This was not the first communication failure either, but still the government seems determined to shut down the Comox station. Why is the Liberal government showing such disregard for marine safety? Why are the Liberals continuing with this failed Conservative approach?
Mr. Speaker, the government hired Mr. Steve Brunton as a shipbuilding expert to provide the government with independent expert advice on multiple facets of the national shipbuilding procurement strategy. Mr. Brunton has extensive experience in overseeing shipbuilding programs and naval acquisitions in the United Kingdom, one of our closest allies. The government will benefit from unbiased expert advice on shipbuilding.
Mr. Speaker, we want transparency, but it is long overdue. The government took an interest in this situation yesterday, but we have been talking about it for months.The government's policy is clear: before arms can be sold abroad, the government must ensure that they will not end up in a combat zone and will not be used to violate human rights. However, we have now learned that Canadian arms sold to Saudi Arabia have fallen into the hands of fighters in the Yemen civil war.Can the minister confirm whether that is the case, and will he commit to making public the assessment that his department had to make before allowing arms exports to Saudi Arabia?
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure there was a question, but what I can say is that six months, two months, does not make a year. We looked at the entire year and we saw that the Conservatives left a deficit. In the last three months of the year, there was less revenue and more spending. That means the Conservatives ran a deficit.
Mr. Speaker, first the Liberals wanted to have ships built abroad rather than here in Canada. Now they have hired a foreign consultant to work on the Canadian naval strategy. That is one job less for a Canadian.Did the procurement minister clearly indicate in her mandate that the ships would be built here in Canada, or is this a trick on the part of the Liberals to wash their hands of the matter and have our ships built abroad?
Mr. Speaker, reports suggest that Canadian arms sold to Saudi Arabia are falling into the hands of fighters in the Yemen civil war. Armoured vehicles made in Canada and bought in the last decade appear to be used by the Saudis themselves in the same civil war.Government policy is clear: an assessment of human rights has to be conducted before allowing arms exports. Can the minister confirm that arms made in Canada are being used in Yemen? Will he make public, finally, the assessment made before the sale of these arms?
Mr. Speaker, in the Conservative government's first two years, we paid down the national debt by $38 billion. When the global recession hit, we provided a low-tax plan and economic stimulus, infrastructure, and other things to keep Canadians working. We left the government with a surplus. The Liberals' exploding deficit has all but wiped that out in 100 days.Why is the only Liberal plan to spend, spend, spend?
Mr. Speaker, we made a promise to Canadians. We promised to be open and transparent.Yesterday, I explained that our current situation is difficult. The economy is volatile, and that is why we used a lower level of growth for next year than we did in November. It is a good starting point, and it allows us to consider how to prepare a budget for the future.
Mr. Speaker, we are starting with a deficit we inherited from the Conservatives. Furthermore, we have an additional $150 billion in debt. That is what we are starting with, but fortunately, we are in a position to invest in our economy because, as a result of the measures taken by the government in the 1990s, our debt-to-GDP ratio is the lowest in the G7. We will invest and this ratio will grow at a lower rate than in the past 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives led this country through the worst global recession and Canada came out of it in the best condition of all G7 countries. We created about 1.3 million jobs and we left a surplus of more than $3 billion.Even the NDP acknowledges that we had a surplus.Why are the Liberals so determined to destroy Canada's enviable position as a leader on the international stage?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Calgary Skyview. I would also like to thank the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Minister of Veterans Affairs, and the member for Edmonton Centre. All of them have been advocating on behalf of Alberta. I was proud today to announce that we had fast-forwarded the stabilization fund for Alberta of $250 million, which is the maximum amount payable per person. This is an example of the spirit of co-operation between federal and provincial governments to work on behalf of middle-class families and those in particular who are struggling in places where it is very difficult due to the downturn.
Mr. Speaker, Oshawa needs low taxes to keep well-paying manufacturing jobs. Liberal policies, like high payroll taxes, new carbon taxes, and the highest electricity rates in North America, have given the competitive edge to places like Michigan. Instead of lowering taxes now, the Prime Minister is taking these job-killing policies nationally.When the Prime Minister told the minister to transition away from manufacturing, was the plan to kill every single manufacturing job in Canada?
Yes, Mr. Speaker, we committed during the election campaign to strengthen EI and to do so without having to cut massively into government spending, which the hon. member would have had to do if he had been elected, because of his commitment to balance the books at all costs.The fact of the matter is that we got elected on a commitment to invest in EI, to invest in helping workers. The member opposite knows that and picked a different path.The fact is that Canadians chose us to lead on reforming EI, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, first we learned that the Liberals may lease foreign-built tugboats. Now they are bringing in a foreign consultant. Do they think no Canadian can do the job?The Liberals seem to prefer creating jobs overseas for foreigners, but there are no plans for jobs here at home. Could the Minister of Procurement explain why the Liberals do not trust the Canadian shipyard workers and Canadian businesses?
Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the quote because it is a quote that I stand by today. Our commitment to Canadians is to actually do something about the low growth bequeathed to us by the previous government. We are going to make investments that will make a real difference for Canada, investments in infrastructure, investments in innovation. We are going to do things for the middle class that will include giving them tax breaks and improved growth for the future. That is exactly what we will do while being prudent along the way.
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, our budget will be tabled on March 22. We have a plan. Our plan is to invest in the middle class across Canada. Our plan is to invest in infrastructure, innovation, and the country's most vulnerable people. Our plan is to grow the economy, and we are going to start right away.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the former parliamentary budget officer, Kevin Page, questioned the figures put forward by the Minister of Finance in his update.Today, in committee, the minister insisted on using these figures, and who knows where they came from. There is nothing to reassure Canadians, especially since the minister refuses to confirm whether he will keep his election promises.Does he realize that Canadians, especially low income earners such as seniors, families and the unemployed, are the first to be affected by an economic downturn?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that something really important happened on October 19, 2015. Canadians had a choice. They had a choice between dealing with a low-growth economy and investing or making cuts so that we would actually have a more difficult situation.Canadians made the right choice. They chose to invest. We are making investments in the middle class, we are making investments in infrastructure, and we are making investments in innovation, so that over the next period, the next generation we will have a stronger Canada for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our objective remains a balanced budget, but our priority is to make investments in Canada for Canadians and the middle class. We know that they chose our plan to grow the economy, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister claimed that Air Canada had a maintenance agreement for the C Series aircraft here in Canada. His minister even said that Air Canada will build a centre of excellence for...maintenance. However, there is no such agreement, and no clear commitment to build such a centre.On exactly what authority can a Prime Minister relieve Air Canada of its legal obligations, which are very clear under the terms of a piece of Canadian legislation that is still in force? Why is he not enforcing the law?
Mr. Speaker, there are three very big problems with the Prime Minister's new borrowing spree. First, of course, is that it breaks his promise to Canadians. Second is that all the borrowing he is doing actually is not going to create jobs right now. Third is that he has no way to pay it back unless he actually raises taxes.Does the Prime Minister realize that all this borrowing with no plan to pay it back is just a recipe for waste, higher taxes, and more intrusive government?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for that good question. We have restored the refugee health care program that the Conservatives did away with. The courts ruled that cutting this program was cruel and unusual. It was a good program for refugees and a good public health program. Restoring the program is simply the right thing to do.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we are not surprised that member does not know where the Ethics Commissioner's office is.Let me be clear. The Minister of Justice has done exactly what is expected of honourable people who have shown throughout their entire career integrity and respect for good governance. She went to see the Ethics Commissioner with her husband, who has been in a business for 30 years, and asked for the advice of the Ethics Commissioner. The minister is following that advice, something the hon. member would have enormous difficulty doing.
Mr. Speaker, when we want advice on conflict of interest matters, we go directly to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Ms. Dawson, and that is exactly what my colleague did. She proactively went and sought the commissioner's advice. The minister and her husband are following the Ethics Commissioner's advice to a T.Obviously, my colleague has an enormous amount of difficulty understanding that. I invite him to go and see Ms. Dawson. Her office is on Slater Street, here in Ottawa. She can tell him exactly how all this works.
Mr. Speaker, in the fall of 2014, the former government approved the project and set legally binding conditions with which the proponent must comply.The project is now at construction phase and BC Hydro must meet the requirements set out in the environmental assessment decision as well as other regulatory requirements.We are committed to a new relationship with indigenous peoples. I have been and will continue to be engaged in discussions with indigenous leaders on how we can work together to ensure better consultation, environmental assessments, and natural resource development.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the House that this contract was signed by the previous government. During the election campaign, we promised to be more transparent in the future. However, at that time, the hon. member for LondonFanshawe was clear about the fact that we would not re-open the contract. We promised to improve the situation and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice sits on six cabinet committees, including one responsible for strengthening the relationship with indigenous Canadians. Her husband is a registered lobbyist who will lobby the government on issues related to first nations. Her husband's lobbying work is a direct conflict of interest, since the justice minister will now deal with legal matters involving first nations. How can the Prime Minister justify this obvious conflict of interest?
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure that was an answer, but what I do know is that a real document from the Department of Finance, his own department, showed that there was a surplus. That is a fact.Another thing I know for sure is that the Liberal Party spent the whole election campaign saying that it had a plan. The fact is that they do not have a plan to deal with today's economic reality.Will the Prime Minister stand up and say that he really will manage the public purse carefully and seriously so as not to put our children and grandchildren in debt?
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to answer this question.We made promises in the last election to make investments. We made promises to help the middle class. We have already moved forward. We also made promises to help those who are most vulnerable. I am proud to say that we will be moving forward with our Canada child benefit in budget 2016. This is an historic decision to make an enormous difference for people in this country. We are going to help 9 out of 10 Canadian families with children. We are going to bring hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty, helping the most vulnerable.
Mr. Speaker, after being called out several times in the House on the issue of milk protein that is coming across our borders, the minister finally decided it was time to act. That is great, but that was nearly three weeks ago and we have heard nothing since. Dairy producers are still very worried. This loophole in the supply management system is costing our producers roughly $1,000 a week.Can the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food reassure our producers and tell them when and how he plans to take action?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport is so glad that Quebec is dropping its case against Air Canada, thereby sacrificing 1,800 Aveos workers on the pretext that Air Canada may create 1,000 C Series aircraft maintenance jobs within 10 years.What is clear here is the Air Canada Public Participation Act and the conditions governing its privatization, and most of all, the fact that Air Canada is not obeying that law.Instead of amending the law to make it easier to export our jobs to other countries, will the minister finally enforce the existing law?
Mr. Speaker, I was in Alberta last weekend, and I can tell the Prime Minister that people are hurting. Families are losing their homes, food banks are overwhelmed, and suicide rates are up. Transferring money from a federal politician to a provincial politician is not going to fix the problem.Alberta businesses need to be able to thrive, invest, and create jobs; and Albertans need opportunities to get back to work. That means fast-tracking pipelines and calling off the Liberal plan for a carbon tax. When is the Prime Minister going to understand that throwing borrowed money around does not create jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan is to invest, invest, invest.Unlike the Conservatives, we were not left with a surplus. The Liberals left the Conservatives with a $13 billion surplus. They turned it into $150 billion of additional debt for Canadians.We are going to spend to increase our growth rate, to make Canada better for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for that very kind invitation to stand and tell people that we support innovation, because we absolutely do.We know that supporting innovation in this country is a rather complex job. It involves more than just one tool in a toolbox. We are going to make investments in basic science that will make a real difference for future innovation in this country. We are going to make investments in innovation clusters that will make a real difference, attracting companies that want to do research in our country. We are going to make a real difference for innovation and productivity in this country through multiple measures that can help Canadians now and in the future.
Mr. Speaker, the only secret here is why that member continues to imagine all kinds of problems where none exist. Let me explain for him exactly what happened.Our advice with respect to conflict of interest or the appearance of conflict of interest comes from the person whom Parliament has chosen to provide that advice. Her name is Mary Dawson. She is the Ethics Commissioner and the Conflict of Interest Commissioner. We are happy to take her advice and follow it meticulously. That is what my colleague has done. I wish the hon. member might inform himself as to how the process really works.
Mr. Speaker, the government remains committed to the national shipbuilding procurement strategy and buying our ships in Canada openly and transparently. No decisions have yet been made with respect to the naval tug requirement. The project is still at an early stage of planning. As part of the national shipbuilding procurement strategy and the defence procurement strategy, the government is committed to ensuring that the replacement of the National Defence large tugboats will result in significant benefits for Canadians and Canadian industry.
Mr. Speaker, what I would like to announce today is that we have an absolute commitment to making our country more innovative.We have an absolute commitment to dealing with the productivity challenge in this country. We are moving forward to do what has not been done for the last decade, and that is to invest in innovators, invest in innovation across this country.I will be delighted to present my budget in just a few short weeks to give more details on this subject.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.We are well aware of the industry's concerns regarding the use of diafiltered milk to produce cheese. We are working with departmental officials in order to ensure that the standards are clear for everyone. The Government of Canada is fully committed to protecting supply management.
Mr. Speaker, I find it humorous that the member was calling on us for a long time to help Alberta, and then when we finally deliver $250 million to Alberta through the fiscal stabilization program, the Conservatives call it insignificant.The fact is that we understand too well that the previous Conservative government's approach of trying to bully its way into creating pipelines was not working because the Conservatives ignored the fact that they need strong environmental protections in order to create a strong economy. That is what Albertans expect of us; that is what we are going to deliver.
Mr. Speaker, last fall, the Minister of Immigration travelled to Lebanon to a refugee camp so that, in his own words, he could see the people we were helping with his own eyes. At the Zaatari camp in Jordan, he was joined by his two seatmates, left and right, where they told refugee families that Canada was there to help. However, last week at the public safety committee, we heard from government officials that virtually none of the 25,000 Syrian refugees came from those camps. Why has the minister misled Canadians and, more important, why has he offered false hope to those families for the purposes of a photo op?
Mr. Speaker, allow me to correct two statements made earlier by government members that do not reflect reality. The Minister of Finance said he inherited a deficit and the Prime Minister also said that we Conservatives are the only ones who believe there was a surplus.That is not the reality. The reality is that according to the Fiscal Monitor, an official document published by the Department of Finance, there was a budgetary surplus of $1 billion from April to November 2015. That is the reality as written by the government's own officials.No matter how much the Liberals shout at us, that is the truth. Will the minister
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to the manufacturing sector. We will never turn our back on the manufacturing sector. We understand the importance of the sector. We understand that 1.7 million Canadians contribute to the manufacturing sector and that it contributes greatly to our economic growth. This is why we have a plan. We are going to be making investments not only in manufacturing but in infrastructure, helping those who want to join the middle class and helping reduce the burden on middle-class Canadians. We are going to put forward a growth agenda, an innovation agenda, that will help all sectors in the economy, including manufacturing.
Mr. Speaker, it is still about those numbers coming out of a hat.The former parliamentary budget officer has warned that the Minister of Finance's latest fiscal update is full of holes and fudge lines. The minister is even less clear on whether he will deliver help for struggling Canadians. While the update confirms that his tax scheme will cost over $1 billion more than first claimed, seniors, families, and the unemployed are left to wait for promised help. Why are those most in need last on the minister's mind?
Mr. Speaker, in the 21st century digital economy, it is very important that we invest in manufacturing so that it can compete in the new digital economy. Therefore, we are not going to turn our back on manufacturing. If anything, we are going to make sure it is more competitive, not only in Canada but globally as well. I had the opportunity, with the Prime Minister, to meet with the leadership of GM and other OEMs at Davos to make sure that we work with them to make investment, create good quality jobs, and invest in innovation, and this is going to help our growth agenda.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's tourism sector is a nearly $90-billion a year industry that employs more than 600,000 hard-working Canadians. At the tourism ministers' meetings there was nothing new from the government, only a reaffirmation of initiatives that our Conservative government had already undertaken, including investing $30 million for tourism marketing in the United States.Could the minister indicate whether the Liberals will make any attempt at all to build on the good work done under the previous Conservative government?
Mr. Speaker, that is a misguided question. When we went to bring the refugees from these countries, we took the lists provided by the United Nations, which were lists of the most vulnerable people in the region. We contacted those people and many of them, thankfully, are now in Canada. We never said that they were from camps. In Jordan, for example, some 75% of the refugees are outside camps. They are from the region. They are the most vulnerable. I, for one, am very proud that almost 25,000 of them are now in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, we have invested in new technology. It is like I said last week, switching from a dial phone to a smartphone. This technology is exactly what my staff members need in those centres to keep people safe. They have the training and the ability to do it. Now they have the equipment as well.
Mr. Speaker, what we very clearly saw, is that no one in Canada believed what the Conservatives were claiming. They did not create the growth and the prosperity Canadians needed.For that reason, Canadians chose another way of doing things, a way of investing in our communities, creating economic growth and helping the middle class instead of the wealthy. That is exactly what we promised to do, and that is exactly what we are going to do now and in the March 22 budget.
Mr. Speaker, we know how important sockeye salmon is to British Columbians. That is why we committed to acting on the recommendations of the Cohen commission. I have met with Justice Cohen as well as the Fraser River Aboriginal Fisheries Secretariat and other key experts and stakeholders in the area. Many of those recommendations have already been implemented and we are in the process of developing ways to move forward on the remaining ones. I am confident that working together we will be able to restore the sockeye salmon stock in the Fraser River.
Mr. Speaker, as I said before, the Coast Guard has modernized its marine communications and traffic services centres with 21st century equipment. I have visited these centres and have seen first hand these new systems that have replaced the 30-year-old technology. Members of the Coast Guard staff are highly trained, highly skilled, and they need the right tools to do their jobs.
Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to welcome Syrian refugees, who need the help of all levels of government in order to obtain immediate access to health care and other essential services.Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship tell the House about the government's announcement regarding the interim federal health program?
Mr. Speaker, stock options allow new small businesses to hire the most talented employees by giving them a piece of future gains in stock values. However, the government plans to double taxes on shares. As a result, many entrepreneurs will have to set up shop elsewhere, which will eliminate jobs here in Canada. Will the Minister of Finance announce today that he will abandon the tax hike for entrepreneurs and job creators?
Mr. Speaker, in the dying days of the federal election campaign, 14 permits were issued by Fisheries Canada and Transport Canada to allow the construction of the Site C dam in northern B.C. on the Peace River. It is highly controversial and manifestly opposed. Its sole purpose is to provide electricity for LNG development. The joint panel found it directly offends Treaty 8 treaty rights.Will the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs commit to no further permits being issued while the issues for indigenous people remain outstanding?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has told Canadians that the Liberal government is significantly increasing the number of trainers who will be participating in the campaign against ISIS. General Vance has confirmed that these soldiers will be painting targets near the front lines and will defend themselves if fired upon. They are risking their lives in what the Liberals say is a non-combat mission. Will the soldiers involved in this training mission be eligible for the post-combat reintegration allowance?
Mr. Speaker, we cannot invest in our innovators by increasing their taxes, which is what the Liberal government is currently proposing.Stock options allow us to attract the most talented employees by giving them a piece of future gains in stock values, enticing today's talent with a piece of tomorrow's treasure. That is why so many entrepreneurs have been so successful across this country.This tax increase will not only hurt high-tech entrepreneurs but also junior oil and gas companies that are cash poor but rich in promise. I invite the minister to rise in his place and announce that he is on their side and that he will keep taxes low.
Mr. Speaker, Air Canada's commitment to purchase 45 C series aircraft with an option to buy 30 more is great news for the entire Canadian aerospace industry.Air Canada also committed to establishing a centre of excellence and aircraft maintenance and to have its C Series aircraft maintained there for at least 20 years. This is great news for Canada's aerospace industry. That is why the government is working hard with its partners in Quebec and elsewhere. That is what we will continue to do for the workers.
Mr. Speaker, instead of worrying about what our great government would have done on this side of the House, perhaps he should worry a little more about what the government is not doing on his side of the House.He did believe in fiscal prudence at one point in time. This is a quote from CBC in November: ...because we want to go into deficit in order to make significant investments that we think are really important...[it] doesn't give us licence to be in any way flexible about how we deal with our finances more generally. What has changed in the last three months that causes the Minister of Finance to feel like he has a licence to spend?
Mr. Speaker, Air Canada's decision to buy 45 C Series aircraft and as many as 30 more is good news. This will create both short-term and long-term jobs at Bombardier.Air Canada has also committed to having those aircraft maintained in Quebec for at least the next 20 years. That is good news. We also know that the Government of Quebec is about to drop its case against Air Canada. That will enable the government to amend the Air Canada Public Participation Act.
Mr. Speaker, it is a great time to visit Canada. We are meeting with Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We have been present. On the weekend I was at the Boston Globe Travel Show with provinces so that we could promote the tourism industry. We will be supporting the connecting America program so that Americans know to visit Canada. We will continue to have a presence on the international stage.I urge members to stay tuned for the budget, because there might be some surprises. I am sure the member looks forward to working with us.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her question.I want to assure Canadians that we take this issue very seriously. Yesterday, the minister asked the department for more information on an investigation into the matter. During the election campaign, we promised that we would be more transparent and more accountable on this kind of issue and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, I remind that Minister of Finance that those are Canadian taxpayer dollars that he is spend, spend, spending.Following the global economic downturn, Canada was in the best position of the G7 countries. Canada was the first to emerge from the recession, and we went on to be ranked as one of the best places in the world to start a new business and to create jobs.Why is the Minister of Finance so insistent on destroying Canada's enviable position around the world?
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we continue to support a strong and thriving aerospace industry. That is why we were so pleased when Air Canada announced it was going to purchase 45 C-series aircraft, with an option for 30 more. In addition, Air Canada is going to create a manufacturing and maintenance centre that will help workers and create jobs for another 20 years.We see how important this is, and we will continue to work with the industry and with other governments to ensure that this gets done.
Mr. Speaker, it is hardly surprising that the government House leader knows the address all that well.The Minister of Justice is directly responsible for projects that are funded under the federal government's aboriginal justice strategy. That means she gets to decide which groups receive taxpayer funding. Given that her husband is now a lobbyist for the Westbank First Nation and the First Nations Finance Authority, will she recuse herself from any decision with respect to aboriginal program funding?
Mr. Speaker, I am glad for that question. I want to quickly mention that the HMCS Winnipeg just returned today from Operation Reassurance. I want to commend its work.However, yes, all our troops, regardless of where they are deployed, have access to all the benefits. It is a priority of this government to look after our troops.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.In the finance committee this morning, finance officials appeared before the committee and they were able to answer questions with respect to the Fiscal Monitor, not only of November, but December 2015.I am seeking permission from the House in order to table these Fiscal Monitors showing the great work done by the Department of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, we are going to reform employment insurance. During the election campaign, we promised to invest in the system and make sure that more Canadians who need employment insurance can have access to it. That is what we have always stood for and what we will continue to do now that we are in government and have the ability to do so.
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted with the great news that came out last week concerning the fact that Air Canada decided to purchase 45 CSeries jets, and possibly 30 more, and that it will be undertaking the maintenance of those aircraft in Quebec for the next 20 years at least. This is great news for Bombardier. This is great news for Quebec. This is great news for the aerospace industry. Everybody should be very happy about it.
Mr. Speaker, the Fraser River is an important waterway in my riding and the depletion of the sockeye salmon population has greatly impacted my constituents, including indigenous peoples.Could the minister please provide an update to the House on the implementation of the recommendations of the Cohen commission?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Finance was happy to break another election promise by putting Canadians another $25 billion in debt and creating structural deficits of $90 billion over four years.How can the Minister of Finance justify putting Canadians into debt when we are not even in a recession?
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Finance was happy to break another election promise by putting Canadians another $25 billion in debt and creating structural deficits of $90 billion over four years.How can the Minister of Finance justify putting Canadians into debt when we are not even in a recession?
Mr. Speaker, the Fraser River is an important waterway in my riding and the depletion of the sockeye salmon population has greatly impacted my constituents, including indigenous peoples.Could the minister please provide an update to the House on the implementation of the recommendations of the Cohen commission?
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted with the great news that came out last week concerning the fact that Air Canada decided to purchase 45 CSeries jets, and possibly 30 more, and that it will be undertaking the maintenance of those aircraft in Quebec for the next 20 years at least. This is great news for Bombardier. This is great news for Quebec. This is great news for the aerospace industry. Everybody should be very happy about it.
Mr. Speaker, we are going to reform employment insurance. During the election campaign, we promised to invest in the system and make sure that more Canadians who need employment insurance can have access to it. That is what we have always stood for and what we will continue to do now that we are in government and have the ability to do so.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.In the finance committee this morning, finance officials appeared before the committee and they were able to answer questions with respect to the Fiscal Monitor, not only of November, but December 2015.I am seeking permission from the House in order to table these Fiscal Monitors showing the great work done by the Department of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad for that question. I want to quickly mention that the HMCS Winnipeg just returned today from Operation Reassurance. I want to commend its work.However, yes, all our troops, regardless of where they are deployed, have access to all the benefits. It is a priority of this government to look after our troops.
Mr. Speaker, it is hardly surprising that the government House leader knows the address all that well.The Minister of Justice is directly responsible for projects that are funded under the federal government's aboriginal justice strategy. That means she gets to decide which groups receive taxpayer funding. Given that her husband is now a lobbyist for the Westbank First Nation and the First Nations Finance Authority, will she recuse herself from any decision with respect to aboriginal program funding?
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we continue to support a strong and thriving aerospace industry. That is why we were so pleased when Air Canada announced it was going to purchase 45 C-series aircraft, with an option for 30 more. In addition, Air Canada is going to create a manufacturing and maintenance centre that will help workers and create jobs for another 20 years.We see how important this is, and we will continue to work with the industry and with other governments to ensure that this gets done.
Mr. Speaker, I remind that Minister of Finance that those are Canadian taxpayer dollars that he is spend, spend, spending.Following the global economic downturn, Canada was in the best position of the G7 countries. Canada was the first to emerge from the recession, and we went on to be ranked as one of the best places in the world to start a new business and to create jobs.Why is the Minister of Finance so insistent on destroying Canada's enviable position around the world?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her question.I want to assure Canadians that we take this issue very seriously. Yesterday, the minister asked the department for more information on an investigation into the matter. During the election campaign, we promised that we would be more transparent and more accountable on this kind of issue and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, it is a great time to visit Canada. We are meeting with Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We have been present. On the weekend I was at the Boston Globe Travel Show with provinces so that we could promote the tourism industry. We will be supporting the connecting America program so that Americans know to visit Canada. We will continue to have a presence on the international stage.I urge members to stay tuned for the budget, because there might be some surprises. I am sure the member looks forward to working with us.
Mr. Speaker, Air Canada's decision to buy 45 C Series aircraft and as many as 30 more is good news. This will create both short-term and long-term jobs at Bombardier.Air Canada has also committed to having those aircraft maintained in Quebec for at least the next 20 years. That is good news. We also know that the Government of Quebec is about to drop its case against Air Canada. That will enable the government to amend the Air Canada Public Participation Act.
Mr. Speaker, instead of worrying about what our great government would have done on this side of the House, perhaps he should worry a little more about what the government is not doing on his side of the House.He did believe in fiscal prudence at one point in time. This is a quote from CBC in November: ...because we want to go into deficit in order to make significant investments that we think are really important...[it] doesn't give us licence to be in any way flexible about how we deal with our finances more generally. What has changed in the last three months that causes the Minister of Finance to feel like he has a licence to spend?
Mr. Speaker, Air Canada's commitment to purchase 45 C series aircraft with an option to buy 30 more is great news for the entire Canadian aerospace industry.Air Canada also committed to establishing a centre of excellence and aircraft maintenance and to have its C Series aircraft maintained there for at least 20 years. This is great news for Canada's aerospace industry. That is why the government is working hard with its partners in Quebec and elsewhere. That is what we will continue to do for the workers.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot invest in our innovators by increasing their taxes, which is what the Liberal government is currently proposing.Stock options allow us to attract the most talented employees by giving them a piece of future gains in stock values, enticing today's talent with a piece of tomorrow's treasure. That is why so many entrepreneurs have been so successful across this country.This tax increase will not only hurt high-tech entrepreneurs but also junior oil and gas companies that are cash poor but rich in promise. I invite the minister to rise in his place and announce that he is on their side and that he will keep taxes low.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has told Canadians that the Liberal government is significantly increasing the number of trainers who will be participating in the campaign against ISIS. General Vance has confirmed that these soldiers will be painting targets near the front lines and will defend themselves if fired upon. They are risking their lives in what the Liberals say is a non-combat mission. Will the soldiers involved in this training mission be eligible for the post-combat reintegration allowance?
Mr. Speaker, in the dying days of the federal election campaign, 14 permits were issued by Fisheries Canada and Transport Canada to allow the construction of the Site C dam in northern B.C. on the Peace River. It is highly controversial and manifestly opposed. Its sole purpose is to provide electricity for LNG development. The joint panel found it directly offends Treaty 8 treaty rights.Will the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs commit to no further permits being issued while the issues for indigenous people remain outstanding?
Mr. Speaker, stock options allow new small businesses to hire the most talented employees by giving them a piece of future gains in stock values. However, the government plans to double taxes on shares. As a result, many entrepreneurs will have to set up shop elsewhere, which will eliminate jobs here in Canada. Will the Minister of Finance announce today that he will abandon the tax hike for entrepreneurs and job creators?
Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to welcome Syrian refugees, who need the help of all levels of government in order to obtain immediate access to health care and other essential services.Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship tell the House about the government's announcement regarding the interim federal health program?
Mr. Speaker, as I said before, the Coast Guard has modernized its marine communications and traffic services centres with 21st century equipment. I have visited these centres and have seen first hand these new systems that have replaced the 30-year-old technology. Members of the Coast Guard staff are highly trained, highly skilled, and they need the right tools to do their jobs.
Mr. Speaker, we know how important sockeye salmon is to British Columbians. That is why we committed to acting on the recommendations of the Cohen commission. I have met with Justice Cohen as well as the Fraser River Aboriginal Fisheries Secretariat and other key experts and stakeholders in the area. Many of those recommendations have already been implemented and we are in the process of developing ways to move forward on the remaining ones. I am confident that working together we will be able to restore the sockeye salmon stock in the Fraser River.
Mr. Speaker, what we very clearly saw, is that no one in Canada believed what the Conservatives were claiming. They did not create the growth and the prosperity Canadians needed.For that reason, Canadians chose another way of doing things, a way of investing in our communities, creating economic growth and helping the middle class instead of the wealthy. That is exactly what we promised to do, and that is exactly what we are going to do now and in the March 22 budget.
Mr. Speaker, we have invested in new technology. It is like I said last week, switching from a dial phone to a smartphone. This technology is exactly what my staff members need in those centres to keep people safe. They have the training and the ability to do it. Now they have the equipment as well.
Mr. Speaker, that is a misguided question. When we went to bring the refugees from these countries, we took the lists provided by the United Nations, which were lists of the most vulnerable people in the region. We contacted those people and many of them, thankfully, are now in Canada. We never said that they were from camps. In Jordan, for example, some 75% of the refugees are outside camps. They are from the region. They are the most vulnerable. I, for one, am very proud that almost 25,000 of them are now in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's tourism sector is a nearly $90-billion a year industry that employs more than 600,000 hard-working Canadians. At the tourism ministers' meetings there was nothing new from the government, only a reaffirmation of initiatives that our Conservative government had already undertaken, including investing $30 million for tourism marketing in the United States.Could the minister indicate whether the Liberals will make any attempt at all to build on the good work done under the previous Conservative government?
Mr. Speaker, in the 21st century digital economy, it is very important that we invest in manufacturing so that it can compete in the new digital economy. Therefore, we are not going to turn our back on manufacturing. If anything, we are going to make sure it is more competitive, not only in Canada but globally as well. I had the opportunity, with the Prime Minister, to meet with the leadership of GM and other OEMs at Davos to make sure that we work with them to make investment, create good quality jobs, and invest in innovation, and this is going to help our growth agenda.
Mr. Speaker, it is still about those numbers coming out of a hat.The former parliamentary budget officer has warned that the Minister of Finance's latest fiscal update is full of holes and fudge lines. The minister is even less clear on whether he will deliver help for struggling Canadians. While the update confirms that his tax scheme will cost over $1 billion more than first claimed, seniors, families, and the unemployed are left to wait for promised help. Why are those most in need last on the minister's mind?
Mr. Speaker, allow me to correct two statements made earlier by government members that do not reflect reality. The Minister of Finance said he inherited a deficit and the Prime Minister also said that we Conservatives are the only ones who believe there was a surplus.That is not the reality. The reality is that according to the Fiscal Monitor, an official document published by the Department of Finance, there was a budgetary surplus of $1 billion from April to November 2015. That is the reality as written by the government's own officials.No matter how much the Liberals shout at us, that is the truth. Will the minister
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to the manufacturing sector. We will never turn our back on the manufacturing sector. We understand the importance of the sector. We understand that 1.7 million Canadians contribute to the manufacturing sector and that it contributes greatly to our economic growth. This is why we have a plan. We are going to be making investments not only in manufacturing but in infrastructure, helping those who want to join the middle class and helping reduce the burden on middle-class Canadians. We are going to put forward a growth agenda, an innovation agenda, that will help all sectors in the economy, including manufacturing.
Mr. Speaker, last fall, the Minister of Immigration travelled to Lebanon to a refugee camp so that, in his own words, he could see the people we were helping with his own eyes. At the Zaatari camp in Jordan, he was joined by his two seatmates, left and right, where they told refugee families that Canada was there to help. However, last week at the public safety committee, we heard from government officials that virtually none of the 25,000 Syrian refugees came from those camps. Why has the minister misled Canadians and, more important, why has he offered false hope to those families for the purposes of a photo op?
Mr. Speaker, I find it humorous that the member was calling on us for a long time to help Alberta, and then when we finally deliver $250 million to Alberta through the fiscal stabilization program, the Conservatives call it insignificant.The fact is that we understand too well that the previous Conservative government's approach of trying to bully its way into creating pipelines was not working because the Conservatives ignored the fact that they need strong environmental protections in order to create a strong economy. That is what Albertans expect of us; that is what we are going to deliver.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.We are well aware of the industry's concerns regarding the use of diafiltered milk to produce cheese. We are working with departmental officials in order to ensure that the standards are clear for everyone. The Government of Canada is fully committed to protecting supply management.
Mr. Speaker, what I would like to announce today is that we have an absolute commitment to making our country more innovative.We have an absolute commitment to dealing with the productivity challenge in this country. We are moving forward to do what has not been done for the last decade, and that is to invest in innovators, invest in innovation across this country.I will be delighted to present my budget in just a few short weeks to give more details on this subject.
Mr. Speaker, the government remains committed to the national shipbuilding procurement strategy and buying our ships in Canada openly and transparently. No decisions have yet been made with respect to the naval tug requirement. The project is still at an early stage of planning. As part of the national shipbuilding procurement strategy and the defence procurement strategy, the government is committed to ensuring that the replacement of the National Defence large tugboats will result in significant benefits for Canadians and Canadian industry.
Mr. Speaker, the only secret here is why that member continues to imagine all kinds of problems where none exist. Let me explain for him exactly what happened.Our advice with respect to conflict of interest or the appearance of conflict of interest comes from the person whom Parliament has chosen to provide that advice. Her name is Mary Dawson. She is the Ethics Commissioner and the Conflict of Interest Commissioner. We are happy to take her advice and follow it meticulously. That is what my colleague has done. I wish the hon. member might inform himself as to how the process really works.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for that very kind invitation to stand and tell people that we support innovation, because we absolutely do.We know that supporting innovation in this country is a rather complex job. It involves more than just one tool in a toolbox. We are going to make investments in basic science that will make a real difference for future innovation in this country. We are going to make investments in innovation clusters that will make a real difference, attracting companies that want to do research in our country. We are going to make a real difference for innovation and productivity in this country through multiple measures that can help Canadians now and in the future.
Mr. Speaker, I was in Alberta last weekend, and I can tell the Prime Minister that people are hurting. Families are losing their homes, food banks are overwhelmed, and suicide rates are up. Transferring money from a federal politician to a provincial politician is not going to fix the problem.Alberta businesses need to be able to thrive, invest, and create jobs; and Albertans need opportunities to get back to work. That means fast-tracking pipelines and calling off the Liberal plan for a carbon tax. When is the Prime Minister going to understand that throwing borrowed money around does not create jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan is to invest, invest, invest.Unlike the Conservatives, we were not left with a surplus. The Liberals left the Conservatives with a $13 billion surplus. They turned it into $150 billion of additional debt for Canadians.We are going to spend to increase our growth rate, to make Canada better for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport is so glad that Quebec is dropping its case against Air Canada, thereby sacrificing 1,800 Aveos workers on the pretext that Air Canada may create 1,000 C Series aircraft maintenance jobs within 10 years.What is clear here is the Air Canada Public Participation Act and the conditions governing its privatization, and most of all, the fact that Air Canada is not obeying that law.Instead of amending the law to make it easier to export our jobs to other countries, will the minister finally enforce the existing law?
Mr. Speaker, after being called out several times in the House on the issue of milk protein that is coming across our borders, the minister finally decided it was time to act. That is great, but that was nearly three weeks ago and we have heard nothing since. Dairy producers are still very worried. This loophole in the supply management system is costing our producers roughly $1,000 a week.Can the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food reassure our producers and tell them when and how he plans to take action?
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to answer this question.We made promises in the last election to make investments. We made promises to help the middle class. We have already moved forward. We also made promises to help those who are most vulnerable. I am proud to say that we will be moving forward with our Canada child benefit in budget 2016. This is an historic decision to make an enormous difference for people in this country. We are going to help 9 out of 10 Canadian families with children. We are going to bring hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty, helping the most vulnerable.
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure that was an answer, but what I do know is that a real document from the Department of Finance, his own department, showed that there was a surplus. That is a fact.Another thing I know for sure is that the Liberal Party spent the whole election campaign saying that it had a plan. The fact is that they do not have a plan to deal with today's economic reality.Will the Prime Minister stand up and say that he really will manage the public purse carefully and seriously so as not to put our children and grandchildren in debt?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice sits on six cabinet committees, including one responsible for strengthening the relationship with indigenous Canadians. Her husband is a registered lobbyist who will lobby the government on issues related to first nations. Her husband's lobbying work is a direct conflict of interest, since the justice minister will now deal with legal matters involving first nations. How can the Prime Minister justify this obvious conflict of interest?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the House that this contract was signed by the previous government. During the election campaign, we promised to be more transparent in the future. However, at that time, the hon. member for LondonFanshawe was clear about the fact that we would not re-open the contract. We promised to improve the situation and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, in the fall of 2014, the former government approved the project and set legally binding conditions with which the proponent must comply.The project is now at construction phase and BC Hydro must meet the requirements set out in the environmental assessment decision as well as other regulatory requirements.We are committed to a new relationship with indigenous peoples. I have been and will continue to be engaged in discussions with indigenous leaders on how we can work together to ensure better consultation, environmental assessments, and natural resource development.
Mr. Speaker, when we want advice on conflict of interest matters, we go directly to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Ms. Dawson, and that is exactly what my colleague did. She proactively went and sought the commissioner's advice. The minister and her husband are following the Ethics Commissioner's advice to a T.Obviously, my colleague has an enormous amount of difficulty understanding that. I invite him to go and see Ms. Dawson. Her office is on Slater Street, here in Ottawa. She can tell him exactly how all this works.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we are not surprised that member does not know where the Ethics Commissioner's office is.Let me be clear. The Minister of Justice has done exactly what is expected of honourable people who have shown throughout their entire career integrity and respect for good governance. She went to see the Ethics Commissioner with her husband, who has been in a business for 30 years, and asked for the advice of the Ethics Commissioner. The minister is following that advice, something the hon. member would have enormous difficulty doing.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for that good question. We have restored the refugee health care program that the Conservatives did away with. The courts ruled that cutting this program was cruel and unusual. It was a good program for refugees and a good public health program. Restoring the program is simply the right thing to do.
Mr. Speaker, there are three very big problems with the Prime Minister's new borrowing spree. First, of course, is that it breaks his promise to Canadians. Second is that all the borrowing he is doing actually is not going to create jobs right now. Third is that he has no way to pay it back unless he actually raises taxes.Does the Prime Minister realize that all this borrowing with no plan to pay it back is just a recipe for waste, higher taxes, and more intrusive government?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister claimed that Air Canada had a maintenance agreement for the C Series aircraft here in Canada. His minister even said that Air Canada will build a centre of excellence for...maintenance. However, there is no such agreement, and no clear commitment to build such a centre.On exactly what authority can a Prime Minister relieve Air Canada of its legal obligations, which are very clear under the terms of a piece of Canadian legislation that is still in force? Why is he not enforcing the law?
Mr. Speaker, our objective remains a balanced budget, but our priority is to make investments in Canada for Canadians and the middle class. We know that they chose our plan to grow the economy, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that something really important happened on October 19, 2015. Canadians had a choice. They had a choice between dealing with a low-growth economy and investing or making cuts so that we would actually have a more difficult situation.Canadians made the right choice. They chose to invest. We are making investments in the middle class, we are making investments in infrastructure, and we are making investments in innovation, so that over the next period, the next generation we will have a stronger Canada for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the former parliamentary budget officer, Kevin Page, questioned the figures put forward by the Minister of Finance in his update.Today, in committee, the minister insisted on using these figures, and who knows where they came from. There is nothing to reassure Canadians, especially since the minister refuses to confirm whether he will keep his election promises.Does he realize that Canadians, especially low income earners such as seniors, families and the unemployed, are the first to be affected by an economic downturn?
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, our budget will be tabled on March 22. We have a plan. Our plan is to invest in the middle class across Canada. Our plan is to invest in infrastructure, innovation, and the country's most vulnerable people. Our plan is to grow the economy, and we are going to start right away.
Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the quote because it is a quote that I stand by today. Our commitment to Canadians is to actually do something about the low growth bequeathed to us by the previous government. We are going to make investments that will make a real difference for Canada, investments in infrastructure, investments in innovation. We are going to do things for the middle class that will include giving them tax breaks and improved growth for the future. That is exactly what we will do while being prudent along the way.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, we committed during the election campaign to strengthen EI and to do so without having to cut massively into government spending, which the hon. member would have had to do if he had been elected, because of his commitment to balance the books at all costs.The fact of the matter is that we got elected on a commitment to invest in EI, to invest in helping workers. The member opposite knows that and picked a different path.The fact is that Canadians chose us to lead on reforming EI, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, first we learned that the Liberals may lease foreign-built tugboats. Now they are bringing in a foreign consultant. Do they think no Canadian can do the job?The Liberals seem to prefer creating jobs overseas for foreigners, but there are no plans for jobs here at home. Could the Minister of Procurement explain why the Liberals do not trust the Canadian shipyard workers and Canadian businesses?
Mr. Speaker, Oshawa needs low taxes to keep well-paying manufacturing jobs. Liberal policies, like high payroll taxes, new carbon taxes, and the highest electricity rates in North America, have given the competitive edge to places like Michigan. Instead of lowering taxes now, the Prime Minister is taking these job-killing policies nationally.When the Prime Minister told the minister to transition away from manufacturing, was the plan to kill every single manufacturing job in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Calgary Skyview. I would also like to thank the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Minister of Veterans Affairs, and the member for Edmonton Centre. All of them have been advocating on behalf of Alberta. I was proud today to announce that we had fast-forwarded the stabilization fund for Alberta of $250 million, which is the maximum amount payable per person. This is an example of the spirit of co-operation between federal and provincial governments to work on behalf of middle-class families and those in particular who are struggling in places where it is very difficult due to the downturn.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives led this country through the worst global recession and Canada came out of it in the best condition of all G7 countries. We created about 1.3 million jobs and we left a surplus of more than $3 billion.Even the NDP acknowledges that we had a surplus.Why are the Liberals so determined to destroy Canada's enviable position as a leader on the international stage?
Mr. Speaker, we are starting with a deficit we inherited from the Conservatives. Furthermore, we have an additional $150 billion in debt. That is what we are starting with, but fortunately, we are in a position to invest in our economy because, as a result of the measures taken by the government in the 1990s, our debt-to-GDP ratio is the lowest in the G7. We will invest and this ratio will grow at a lower rate than in the past 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, we made a promise to Canadians. We promised to be open and transparent.Yesterday, I explained that our current situation is difficult. The economy is volatile, and that is why we used a lower level of growth for next year than we did in November. It is a good starting point, and it allows us to consider how to prepare a budget for the future.
Mr. Speaker, in the Conservative government's first two years, we paid down the national debt by $38 billion. When the global recession hit, we provided a low-tax plan and economic stimulus, infrastructure, and other things to keep Canadians working. We left the government with a surplus. The Liberals' exploding deficit has all but wiped that out in 100 days.Why is the only Liberal plan to spend, spend, spend?
Mr. Speaker, reports suggest that Canadian arms sold to Saudi Arabia are falling into the hands of fighters in the Yemen civil war. Armoured vehicles made in Canada and bought in the last decade appear to be used by the Saudis themselves in the same civil war.Government policy is clear: an assessment of human rights has to be conducted before allowing arms exports. Can the minister confirm that arms made in Canada are being used in Yemen? Will he make public, finally, the assessment made before the sale of these arms?
Mr. Speaker, first the Liberals wanted to have ships built abroad rather than here in Canada. Now they have hired a foreign consultant to work on the Canadian naval strategy. That is one job less for a Canadian.Did the procurement minister clearly indicate in her mandate that the ships would be built here in Canada, or is this a trick on the part of the Liberals to wash their hands of the matter and have our ships built abroad?
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure there was a question, but what I can say is that six months, two months, does not make a year. We looked at the entire year and we saw that the Conservatives left a deficit. In the last three months of the year, there was less revenue and more spending. That means the Conservatives ran a deficit.
Mr. Speaker, we want transparency, but it is long overdue. The government took an interest in this situation yesterday, but we have been talking about it for months.The government's policy is clear: before arms can be sold abroad, the government must ensure that they will not end up in a combat zone and will not be used to violate human rights. However, we have now learned that Canadian arms sold to Saudi Arabia have fallen into the hands of fighters in the Yemen civil war.Can the minister confirm whether that is the case, and will he commit to making public the assessment that his department had to make before allowing arms exports to Saudi Arabia?
Mr. Speaker, the government hired Mr. Steve Brunton as a shipbuilding expert to provide the government with independent expert advice on multiple facets of the national shipbuilding procurement strategy. Mr. Brunton has extensive experience in overseeing shipbuilding programs and naval acquisitions in the United Kingdom, one of our closest allies. The government will benefit from unbiased expert advice on shipbuilding.
Mr. Speaker, does the minister really believe that technology alone can replace these communication centres? It is simply not the case. In fact, over the weekend the Victoria station went down, leaving Georgia Strait, Howe Sound, and Vancouver harbour completely unprotected. This was not the first communication failure either, but still the government seems determined to shut down the Comox station. Why is the Liberal government showing such disregard for marine safety? Why are the Liberals continuing with this failed Conservative approach?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals were very critical of the EI reform when they were in opposition. Now that he is in power, the Prime Minister is content to give evasive answers and spew the usual empty rhetoric.Only roughly one-third of the workers who lose their jobs qualify for EI, and the benefit period is far too short to find another job. The Prime Minister must understand that urgent action is needed now.Will the government extend the EI benefits period, yes or no? We would like a clear answer for once.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has nothing to offer struggling Canadians but empty rhetoric.As unemployment goes up and the number of Canadians receiving EI benefits actually does down, Canadians are demanding action to help families pay the bills and to put food on the table.Yet again, the government's response is empty platitudes rather than commitments to action.Will the Prime Minister take immediate action to create a universal threshold of 360 hours and to extend EI benefits, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not get it. So far the current government's only plan for the auto sector is higher payroll taxes, higher energy costs, and job-killing carbon taxes. These policies failed in Ontario, and they will fail nationally.Oshawa families wonder if they are going to have the same Liberal fate as workers at Bombardier. Is that what the minister meant by transitioning away from manufacturing?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans passed a motion to review the imminent closure of the Comox communication safety station. There have been serious concerns raised about the safety of our coast if this station is shut down. Spills, accidents, and longer waits for emergency service are all likely. Lives are at risk. Will the minister now do the right thing, hear from witnesses, listen to residents, and abandon the plans to shut down the Comox station?
Mr. Speaker, in last October's election campaign, we highlighted that we saw clearly that what Canada needed was investment and growth and that, for 10 years, the previous government was unable to create the kinds of opportunities and growth that middle-class Canadians and those working hard to join the middle class truly needed.That is why we put forward a plan to invest in our communities, to support the middle class and those working hard to join it, and to create the kind of growth that Canada has too long lacked. That is what we committed to do; that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, the plan was a small $10-billion deficit. Now, we are talking $25 billion or $30 billion. Where will it end? Why sink future generations into debt?The Minister of Finance has lost control of his department, he has lost control of public spending, and he has lost control of the deficits. He should pull himself together and get control of his department. If he cannot do so, he should make way for someone else who can.
Mr. Speaker, according to the city of Kelowna's website, the Kelowna RCMP supports victim services in the Westbank First Nation. This is the same first nation that has hired the Minister of Justice's husband as a lobbyist. The justice minister is the vice-chair of the government's cabinet committee for intelligence and emergency management, two issues that are integral to the RCMP's mandate. This is a blatant conflict of interest. Given her husband's lobbying activities, will the justice minister step down from the secret government committee?
Mr. Speaker, I was deadly serious. What the people on the other side of the House said was that what they wanted to do was to balance the budget at all costs immediately. What that would mean is that we would have, right now, tens of billions of dollars of cuts, cuts that would increase our unemployment rate, that would reduce our ability to be flexible, that would certainly put us in a very difficult situation.Our plan is to make an investment to actually improve our rate of growth in this country for the middle class and those most vulnerable.
Mr. Speaker, people in my riding of Calgary Skyview have been hit hard by the recent downturn in oil prices and are concerned about the economic future of their province. With the low price of oil and mounting job losses, they are worried there will be less revenue for the government.Will the Minister of Finance please provide an update to the House on what our government is doing to assist Alberta in this difficult time?
Mr. Speaker, we left the government with a surplus. Ask the finance department officials. They could be working with a balanced budget. They could be strengthening the Canadian economy.However, my question is about testimony at the finance committee today. I have to ask the Minister of Finance this. Was he really serious when he said that running a balanced budget is going to put us in a recession?
Mr. Speaker, when 2,600 aerospace jobs were threatened under the Conservative government, the Liberal leader protested with the workers about how dishonest and unfair it all was.Now in government, he is abandoning those same Canadian workers and there is no deal and no guarantee for any future jobs.Will the Prime Minister commit to meeting with these workers, in Montreal, in Mississauga, and in Winnipeg, to explain why he has changed his mind and why he no longer supports their rights?
Mr. Speaker, the spending decisions of the current government and the resulting deficits are dragging down the economy and killing jobs. So are Liberal policy decisions. The Liberals have shut down the Billy Bishop runway expansion, and with it $2 billion in plane orders to Bombardier are gone. The Liberals are costing jobs and killing choice and competition in Toronto for travellers, tourism and businesses. Why the reckless attack on Toronto's economy and jobs in the vulnerable aviation sector?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Finance was happy to break another election promise by putting Canadians another $25 billion in debt and creating structural deficits of $90 billion over four years.How can the Minister of Finance justify putting Canadians into debt when we are not even in a recession?
Mr. Speaker, the Fraser River is an important waterway in my riding and the depletion of the sockeye salmon population has greatly impacted my constituents, including indigenous peoples.Could the minister please provide an update to the House on the implementation of the recommendations of the Cohen commission?
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted with the great news that came out last week concerning the fact that Air Canada decided to purchase 45 CSeries jets, and possibly 30 more, and that it will be undertaking the maintenance of those aircraft in Quebec for the next 20 years at least. This is great news for Bombardier. This is great news for Quebec. This is great news for the aerospace industry. Everybody should be very happy about it.
Mr. Speaker, we are going to reform employment insurance. During the election campaign, we promised to invest in the system and make sure that more Canadians who need employment insurance can have access to it. That is what we have always stood for and what we will continue to do now that we are in government and have the ability to do so.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.In the finance committee this morning, finance officials appeared before the committee and they were able to answer questions with respect to the Fiscal Monitor, not only of November, but December 2015.I am seeking permission from the House in order to table these Fiscal Monitors showing the great work done by the Department of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad for that question. I want to quickly mention that the HMCS Winnipeg just returned today from Operation Reassurance. I want to commend its work.However, yes, all our troops, regardless of where they are deployed, have access to all the benefits. It is a priority of this government to look after our troops.
Mr. Speaker, it is hardly surprising that the government House leader knows the address all that well.The Minister of Justice is directly responsible for projects that are funded under the federal government's aboriginal justice strategy. That means she gets to decide which groups receive taxpayer funding. Given that her husband is now a lobbyist for the Westbank First Nation and the First Nations Finance Authority, will she recuse herself from any decision with respect to aboriginal program funding?
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we continue to support a strong and thriving aerospace industry. That is why we were so pleased when Air Canada announced it was going to purchase 45 C-series aircraft, with an option for 30 more. In addition, Air Canada is going to create a manufacturing and maintenance centre that will help workers and create jobs for another 20 years.We see how important this is, and we will continue to work with the industry and with other governments to ensure that this gets done.
Mr. Speaker, I remind that Minister of Finance that those are Canadian taxpayer dollars that he is spend, spend, spending.Following the global economic downturn, Canada was in the best position of the G7 countries. Canada was the first to emerge from the recession, and we went on to be ranked as one of the best places in the world to start a new business and to create jobs.Why is the Minister of Finance so insistent on destroying Canada's enviable position around the world?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her question.I want to assure Canadians that we take this issue very seriously. Yesterday, the minister asked the department for more information on an investigation into the matter. During the election campaign, we promised that we would be more transparent and more accountable on this kind of issue and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, it is a great time to visit Canada. We are meeting with Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We have been present. On the weekend I was at the Boston Globe Travel Show with provinces so that we could promote the tourism industry. We will be supporting the connecting America program so that Americans know to visit Canada. We will continue to have a presence on the international stage.I urge members to stay tuned for the budget, because there might be some surprises. I am sure the member looks forward to working with us.
Mr. Speaker, Air Canada's decision to buy 45 C Series aircraft and as many as 30 more is good news. This will create both short-term and long-term jobs at Bombardier.Air Canada has also committed to having those aircraft maintained in Quebec for at least the next 20 years. That is good news. We also know that the Government of Quebec is about to drop its case against Air Canada. That will enable the government to amend the Air Canada Public Participation Act.
Mr. Speaker, instead of worrying about what our great government would have done on this side of the House, perhaps he should worry a little more about what the government is not doing on his side of the House.He did believe in fiscal prudence at one point in time. This is a quote from CBC in November: ...because we want to go into deficit in order to make significant investments that we think are really important...[it] doesn't give us licence to be in any way flexible about how we deal with our finances more generally. What has changed in the last three months that causes the Minister of Finance to feel like he has a licence to spend?
Mr. Speaker, Air Canada's commitment to purchase 45 C series aircraft with an option to buy 30 more is great news for the entire Canadian aerospace industry.Air Canada also committed to establishing a centre of excellence and aircraft maintenance and to have its C Series aircraft maintained there for at least 20 years. This is great news for Canada's aerospace industry. That is why the government is working hard with its partners in Quebec and elsewhere. That is what we will continue to do for the workers.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot invest in our innovators by increasing their taxes, which is what the Liberal government is currently proposing.Stock options allow us to attract the most talented employees by giving them a piece of future gains in stock values, enticing today's talent with a piece of tomorrow's treasure. That is why so many entrepreneurs have been so successful across this country.This tax increase will not only hurt high-tech entrepreneurs but also junior oil and gas companies that are cash poor but rich in promise. I invite the minister to rise in his place and announce that he is on their side and that he will keep taxes low.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has told Canadians that the Liberal government is significantly increasing the number of trainers who will be participating in the campaign against ISIS. General Vance has confirmed that these soldiers will be painting targets near the front lines and will defend themselves if fired upon. They are risking their lives in what the Liberals say is a non-combat mission. Will the soldiers involved in this training mission be eligible for the post-combat reintegration allowance?
Mr. Speaker, in the dying days of the federal election campaign, 14 permits were issued by Fisheries Canada and Transport Canada to allow the construction of the Site C dam in northern B.C. on the Peace River. It is highly controversial and manifestly opposed. Its sole purpose is to provide electricity for LNG development. The joint panel found it directly offends Treaty 8 treaty rights.Will the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs commit to no further permits being issued while the issues for indigenous people remain outstanding?
Mr. Speaker, stock options allow new small businesses to hire the most talented employees by giving them a piece of future gains in stock values. However, the government plans to double taxes on shares. As a result, many entrepreneurs will have to set up shop elsewhere, which will eliminate jobs here in Canada. Will the Minister of Finance announce today that he will abandon the tax hike for entrepreneurs and job creators?
Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to welcome Syrian refugees, who need the help of all levels of government in order to obtain immediate access to health care and other essential services.Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship tell the House about the government's announcement regarding the interim federal health program?
Mr. Speaker, as I said before, the Coast Guard has modernized its marine communications and traffic services centres with 21st century equipment. I have visited these centres and have seen first hand these new systems that have replaced the 30-year-old technology. Members of the Coast Guard staff are highly trained, highly skilled, and they need the right tools to do their jobs.
Mr. Speaker, we know how important sockeye salmon is to British Columbians. That is why we committed to acting on the recommendations of the Cohen commission. I have met with Justice Cohen as well as the Fraser River Aboriginal Fisheries Secretariat and other key experts and stakeholders in the area. Many of those recommendations have already been implemented and we are in the process of developing ways to move forward on the remaining ones. I am confident that working together we will be able to restore the sockeye salmon stock in the Fraser River.
Mr. Speaker, what we very clearly saw, is that no one in Canada believed what the Conservatives were claiming. They did not create the growth and the prosperity Canadians needed.For that reason, Canadians chose another way of doing things, a way of investing in our communities, creating economic growth and helping the middle class instead of the wealthy. That is exactly what we promised to do, and that is exactly what we are going to do now and in the March 22 budget.
Mr. Speaker, we have invested in new technology. It is like I said last week, switching from a dial phone to a smartphone. This technology is exactly what my staff members need in those centres to keep people safe. They have the training and the ability to do it. Now they have the equipment as well.
Mr. Speaker, that is a misguided question. When we went to bring the refugees from these countries, we took the lists provided by the United Nations, which were lists of the most vulnerable people in the region. We contacted those people and many of them, thankfully, are now in Canada. We never said that they were from camps. In Jordan, for example, some 75% of the refugees are outside camps. They are from the region. They are the most vulnerable. I, for one, am very proud that almost 25,000 of them are now in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's tourism sector is a nearly $90-billion a year industry that employs more than 600,000 hard-working Canadians. At the tourism ministers' meetings there was nothing new from the government, only a reaffirmation of initiatives that our Conservative government had already undertaken, including investing $30 million for tourism marketing in the United States.Could the minister indicate whether the Liberals will make any attempt at all to build on the good work done under the previous Conservative government?
Mr. Speaker, in the 21st century digital economy, it is very important that we invest in manufacturing so that it can compete in the new digital economy. Therefore, we are not going to turn our back on manufacturing. If anything, we are going to make sure it is more competitive, not only in Canada but globally as well. I had the opportunity, with the Prime Minister, to meet with the leadership of GM and other OEMs at Davos to make sure that we work with them to make investment, create good quality jobs, and invest in innovation, and this is going to help our growth agenda.
Mr. Speaker, it is still about those numbers coming out of a hat.The former parliamentary budget officer has warned that the Minister of Finance's latest fiscal update is full of holes and fudge lines. The minister is even less clear on whether he will deliver help for struggling Canadians. While the update confirms that his tax scheme will cost over $1 billion more than first claimed, seniors, families, and the unemployed are left to wait for promised help. Why are those most in need last on the minister's mind?
Mr. Speaker, allow me to correct two statements made earlier by government members that do not reflect reality. The Minister of Finance said he inherited a deficit and the Prime Minister also said that we Conservatives are the only ones who believe there was a surplus.That is not the reality. The reality is that according to the Fiscal Monitor, an official document published by the Department of Finance, there was a budgetary surplus of $1 billion from April to November 2015. That is the reality as written by the government's own officials.No matter how much the Liberals shout at us, that is the truth. Will the minister
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to the manufacturing sector. We will never turn our back on the manufacturing sector. We understand the importance of the sector. We understand that 1.7 million Canadians contribute to the manufacturing sector and that it contributes greatly to our economic growth. This is why we have a plan. We are going to be making investments not only in manufacturing but in infrastructure, helping those who want to join the middle class and helping reduce the burden on middle-class Canadians. We are going to put forward a growth agenda, an innovation agenda, that will help all sectors in the economy, including manufacturing.
Mr. Speaker, last fall, the Minister of Immigration travelled to Lebanon to a refugee camp so that, in his own words, he could see the people we were helping with his own eyes. At the Zaatari camp in Jordan, he was joined by his two seatmates, left and right, where they told refugee families that Canada was there to help. However, last week at the public safety committee, we heard from government officials that virtually none of the 25,000 Syrian refugees came from those camps. Why has the minister misled Canadians and, more important, why has he offered false hope to those families for the purposes of a photo op?
Mr. Speaker, I find it humorous that the member was calling on us for a long time to help Alberta, and then when we finally deliver $250 million to Alberta through the fiscal stabilization program, the Conservatives call it insignificant.The fact is that we understand too well that the previous Conservative government's approach of trying to bully its way into creating pipelines was not working because the Conservatives ignored the fact that they need strong environmental protections in order to create a strong economy. That is what Albertans expect of us; that is what we are going to deliver.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.We are well aware of the industry's concerns regarding the use of diafiltered milk to produce cheese. We are working with departmental officials in order to ensure that the standards are clear for everyone. The Government of Canada is fully committed to protecting supply management.
Mr. Speaker, what I would like to announce today is that we have an absolute commitment to making our country more innovative.We have an absolute commitment to dealing with the productivity challenge in this country. We are moving forward to do what has not been done for the last decade, and that is to invest in innovators, invest in innovation across this country.I will be delighted to present my budget in just a few short weeks to give more details on this subject.
Mr. Speaker, the government remains committed to the national shipbuilding procurement strategy and buying our ships in Canada openly and transparently. No decisions have yet been made with respect to the naval tug requirement. The project is still at an early stage of planning. As part of the national shipbuilding procurement strategy and the defence procurement strategy, the government is committed to ensuring that the replacement of the National Defence large tugboats will result in significant benefits for Canadians and Canadian industry.
Mr. Speaker, the only secret here is why that member continues to imagine all kinds of problems where none exist. Let me explain for him exactly what happened.Our advice with respect to conflict of interest or the appearance of conflict of interest comes from the person whom Parliament has chosen to provide that advice. Her name is Mary Dawson. She is the Ethics Commissioner and the Conflict of Interest Commissioner. We are happy to take her advice and follow it meticulously. That is what my colleague has done. I wish the hon. member might inform himself as to how the process really works.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for that very kind invitation to stand and tell people that we support innovation, because we absolutely do.We know that supporting innovation in this country is a rather complex job. It involves more than just one tool in a toolbox. We are going to make investments in basic science that will make a real difference for future innovation in this country. We are going to make investments in innovation clusters that will make a real difference, attracting companies that want to do research in our country. We are going to make a real difference for innovation and productivity in this country through multiple measures that can help Canadians now and in the future.
Mr. Speaker, I was in Alberta last weekend, and I can tell the Prime Minister that people are hurting. Families are losing their homes, food banks are overwhelmed, and suicide rates are up. Transferring money from a federal politician to a provincial politician is not going to fix the problem.Alberta businesses need to be able to thrive, invest, and create jobs; and Albertans need opportunities to get back to work. That means fast-tracking pipelines and calling off the Liberal plan for a carbon tax. When is the Prime Minister going to understand that throwing borrowed money around does not create jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan is to invest, invest, invest.Unlike the Conservatives, we were not left with a surplus. The Liberals left the Conservatives with a $13 billion surplus. They turned it into $150 billion of additional debt for Canadians.We are going to spend to increase our growth rate, to make Canada better for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport is so glad that Quebec is dropping its case against Air Canada, thereby sacrificing 1,800 Aveos workers on the pretext that Air Canada may create 1,000 C Series aircraft maintenance jobs within 10 years.What is clear here is the Air Canada Public Participation Act and the conditions governing its privatization, and most of all, the fact that Air Canada is not obeying that law.Instead of amending the law to make it easier to export our jobs to other countries, will the minister finally enforce the existing law?
Mr. Speaker, after being called out several times in the House on the issue of milk protein that is coming across our borders, the minister finally decided it was time to act. That is great, but that was nearly three weeks ago and we have heard nothing since. Dairy producers are still very worried. This loophole in the supply management system is costing our producers roughly $1,000 a week.Can the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food reassure our producers and tell them when and how he plans to take action?
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to answer this question.We made promises in the last election to make investments. We made promises to help the middle class. We have already moved forward. We also made promises to help those who are most vulnerable. I am proud to say that we will be moving forward with our Canada child benefit in budget 2016. This is an historic decision to make an enormous difference for people in this country. We are going to help 9 out of 10 Canadian families with children. We are going to bring hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty, helping the most vulnerable.
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure that was an answer, but what I do know is that a real document from the Department of Finance, his own department, showed that there was a surplus. That is a fact.Another thing I know for sure is that the Liberal Party spent the whole election campaign saying that it had a plan. The fact is that they do not have a plan to deal with today's economic reality.Will the Prime Minister stand up and say that he really will manage the public purse carefully and seriously so as not to put our children and grandchildren in debt?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice sits on six cabinet committees, including one responsible for strengthening the relationship with indigenous Canadians. Her husband is a registered lobbyist who will lobby the government on issues related to first nations. Her husband's lobbying work is a direct conflict of interest, since the justice minister will now deal with legal matters involving first nations. How can the Prime Minister justify this obvious conflict of interest?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the House that this contract was signed by the previous government. During the election campaign, we promised to be more transparent in the future. However, at that time, the hon. member for LondonFanshawe was clear about the fact that we would not re-open the contract. We promised to improve the situation and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, in the fall of 2014, the former government approved the project and set legally binding conditions with which the proponent must comply.The project is now at construction phase and BC Hydro must meet the requirements set out in the environmental assessment decision as well as other regulatory requirements.We are committed to a new relationship with indigenous peoples. I have been and will continue to be engaged in discussions with indigenous leaders on how we can work together to ensure better consultation, environmental assessments, and natural resource development.
Mr. Speaker, when we want advice on conflict of interest matters, we go directly to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Ms. Dawson, and that is exactly what my colleague did. She proactively went and sought the commissioner's advice. The minister and her husband are following the Ethics Commissioner's advice to a T.Obviously, my colleague has an enormous amount of difficulty understanding that. I invite him to go and see Ms. Dawson. Her office is on Slater Street, here in Ottawa. She can tell him exactly how all this works.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we are not surprised that member does not know where the Ethics Commissioner's office is.Let me be clear. The Minister of Justice has done exactly what is expected of honourable people who have shown throughout their entire career integrity and respect for good governance. She went to see the Ethics Commissioner with her husband, who has been in a business for 30 years, and asked for the advice of the Ethics Commissioner. The minister is following that advice, something the hon. member would have enormous difficulty doing.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for that good question. We have restored the refugee health care program that the Conservatives did away with. The courts ruled that cutting this program was cruel and unusual. It was a good program for refugees and a good public health program. Restoring the program is simply the right thing to do.
Mr. Speaker, there are three very big problems with the Prime Minister's new borrowing spree. First, of course, is that it breaks his promise to Canadians. Second is that all the borrowing he is doing actually is not going to create jobs right now. Third is that he has no way to pay it back unless he actually raises taxes.Does the Prime Minister realize that all this borrowing with no plan to pay it back is just a recipe for waste, higher taxes, and more intrusive government?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister claimed that Air Canada had a maintenance agreement for the C Series aircraft here in Canada. His minister even said that Air Canada will build a centre of excellence for...maintenance. However, there is no such agreement, and no clear commitment to build such a centre.On exactly what authority can a Prime Minister relieve Air Canada of its legal obligations, which are very clear under the terms of a piece of Canadian legislation that is still in force? Why is he not enforcing the law?
Mr. Speaker, our objective remains a balanced budget, but our priority is to make investments in Canada for Canadians and the middle class. We know that they chose our plan to grow the economy, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that something really important happened on October 19, 2015. Canadians had a choice. They had a choice between dealing with a low-growth economy and investing or making cuts so that we would actually have a more difficult situation.Canadians made the right choice. They chose to invest. We are making investments in the middle class, we are making investments in infrastructure, and we are making investments in innovation, so that over the next period, the next generation we will have a stronger Canada for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the former parliamentary budget officer, Kevin Page, questioned the figures put forward by the Minister of Finance in his update.Today, in committee, the minister insisted on using these figures, and who knows where they came from. There is nothing to reassure Canadians, especially since the minister refuses to confirm whether he will keep his election promises.Does he realize that Canadians, especially low income earners such as seniors, families and the unemployed, are the first to be affected by an economic downturn?
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, our budget will be tabled on March 22. We have a plan. Our plan is to invest in the middle class across Canada. Our plan is to invest in infrastructure, innovation, and the country's most vulnerable people. Our plan is to grow the economy, and we are going to start right away.
Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the quote because it is a quote that I stand by today. Our commitment to Canadians is to actually do something about the low growth bequeathed to us by the previous government. We are going to make investments that will make a real difference for Canada, investments in infrastructure, investments in innovation. We are going to do things for the middle class that will include giving them tax breaks and improved growth for the future. That is exactly what we will do while being prudent along the way.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, we committed during the election campaign to strengthen EI and to do so without having to cut massively into government spending, which the hon. member would have had to do if he had been elected, because of his commitment to balance the books at all costs.The fact of the matter is that we got elected on a commitment to invest in EI, to invest in helping workers. The member opposite knows that and picked a different path.The fact is that Canadians chose us to lead on reforming EI, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, first we learned that the Liberals may lease foreign-built tugboats. Now they are bringing in a foreign consultant. Do they think no Canadian can do the job?The Liberals seem to prefer creating jobs overseas for foreigners, but there are no plans for jobs here at home. Could the Minister of Procurement explain why the Liberals do not trust the Canadian shipyard workers and Canadian businesses?
Mr. Speaker, Oshawa needs low taxes to keep well-paying manufacturing jobs. Liberal policies, like high payroll taxes, new carbon taxes, and the highest electricity rates in North America, have given the competitive edge to places like Michigan. Instead of lowering taxes now, the Prime Minister is taking these job-killing policies nationally.When the Prime Minister told the minister to transition away from manufacturing, was the plan to kill every single manufacturing job in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Calgary Skyview. I would also like to thank the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Minister of Veterans Affairs, and the member for Edmonton Centre. All of them have been advocating on behalf of Alberta. I was proud today to announce that we had fast-forwarded the stabilization fund for Alberta of $250 million, which is the maximum amount payable per person. This is an example of the spirit of co-operation between federal and provincial governments to work on behalf of middle-class families and those in particular who are struggling in places where it is very difficult due to the downturn.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives led this country through the worst global recession and Canada came out of it in the best condition of all G7 countries. We created about 1.3 million jobs and we left a surplus of more than $3 billion.Even the NDP acknowledges that we had a surplus.Why are the Liberals so determined to destroy Canada's enviable position as a leader on the international stage?
Mr. Speaker, we are starting with a deficit we inherited from the Conservatives. Furthermore, we have an additional $150 billion in debt. That is what we are starting with, but fortunately, we are in a position to invest in our economy because, as a result of the measures taken by the government in the 1990s, our debt-to-GDP ratio is the lowest in the G7. We will invest and this ratio will grow at a lower rate than in the past 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, we made a promise to Canadians. We promised to be open and transparent.Yesterday, I explained that our current situation is difficult. The economy is volatile, and that is why we used a lower level of growth for next year than we did in November. It is a good starting point, and it allows us to consider how to prepare a budget for the future.
Mr. Speaker, in the Conservative government's first two years, we paid down the national debt by $38 billion. When the global recession hit, we provided a low-tax plan and economic stimulus, infrastructure, and other things to keep Canadians working. We left the government with a surplus. The Liberals' exploding deficit has all but wiped that out in 100 days.Why is the only Liberal plan to spend, spend, spend?
Mr. Speaker, reports suggest that Canadian arms sold to Saudi Arabia are falling into the hands of fighters in the Yemen civil war. Armoured vehicles made in Canada and bought in the last decade appear to be used by the Saudis themselves in the same civil war.Government policy is clear: an assessment of human rights has to be conducted before allowing arms exports. Can the minister confirm that arms made in Canada are being used in Yemen? Will he make public, finally, the assessment made before the sale of these arms?
Mr. Speaker, first the Liberals wanted to have ships built abroad rather than here in Canada. Now they have hired a foreign consultant to work on the Canadian naval strategy. That is one job less for a Canadian.Did the procurement minister clearly indicate in her mandate that the ships would be built here in Canada, or is this a trick on the part of the Liberals to wash their hands of the matter and have our ships built abroad?
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure there was a question, but what I can say is that six months, two months, does not make a year. We looked at the entire year and we saw that the Conservatives left a deficit. In the last three months of the year, there was less revenue and more spending. That means the Conservatives ran a deficit.
Mr. Speaker, we want transparency, but it is long overdue. The government took an interest in this situation yesterday, but we have been talking about it for months.The government's policy is clear: before arms can be sold abroad, the government must ensure that they will not end up in a combat zone and will not be used to violate human rights. However, we have now learned that Canadian arms sold to Saudi Arabia have fallen into the hands of fighters in the Yemen civil war.Can the minister confirm whether that is the case, and will he commit to making public the assessment that his department had to make before allowing arms exports to Saudi Arabia?
Mr. Speaker, the government hired Mr. Steve Brunton as a shipbuilding expert to provide the government with independent expert advice on multiple facets of the national shipbuilding procurement strategy. Mr. Brunton has extensive experience in overseeing shipbuilding programs and naval acquisitions in the United Kingdom, one of our closest allies. The government will benefit from unbiased expert advice on shipbuilding.
Mr. Speaker, does the minister really believe that technology alone can replace these communication centres? It is simply not the case. In fact, over the weekend the Victoria station went down, leaving Georgia Strait, Howe Sound, and Vancouver harbour completely unprotected. This was not the first communication failure either, but still the government seems determined to shut down the Comox station. Why is the Liberal government showing such disregard for marine safety? Why are the Liberals continuing with this failed Conservative approach?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals were very critical of the EI reform when they were in opposition. Now that he is in power, the Prime Minister is content to give evasive answers and spew the usual empty rhetoric.Only roughly one-third of the workers who lose their jobs qualify for EI, and the benefit period is far too short to find another job. The Prime Minister must understand that urgent action is needed now.Will the government extend the EI benefits period, yes or no? We would like a clear answer for once.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has nothing to offer struggling Canadians but empty rhetoric.As unemployment goes up and the number of Canadians receiving EI benefits actually does down, Canadians are demanding action to help families pay the bills and to put food on the table.Yet again, the government's response is empty platitudes rather than commitments to action.Will the Prime Minister take immediate action to create a universal threshold of 360 hours and to extend EI benefits, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not get it. So far the current government's only plan for the auto sector is higher payroll taxes, higher energy costs, and job-killing carbon taxes. These policies failed in Ontario, and they will fail nationally.Oshawa families wonder if they are going to have the same Liberal fate as workers at Bombardier. Is that what the minister meant by transitioning away from manufacturing?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans passed a motion to review the imminent closure of the Comox communication safety station. There have been serious concerns raised about the safety of our coast if this station is shut down. Spills, accidents, and longer waits for emergency service are all likely. Lives are at risk. Will the minister now do the right thing, hear from witnesses, listen to residents, and abandon the plans to shut down the Comox station?
Mr. Speaker, in last October's election campaign, we highlighted that we saw clearly that what Canada needed was investment and growth and that, for 10 years, the previous government was unable to create the kinds of opportunities and growth that middle-class Canadians and those working hard to join the middle class truly needed.That is why we put forward a plan to invest in our communities, to support the middle class and those working hard to join it, and to create the kind of growth that Canada has too long lacked. That is what we committed to do; that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, the plan was a small $10-billion deficit. Now, we are talking $25 billion or $30 billion. Where will it end? Why sink future generations into debt?The Minister of Finance has lost control of his department, he has lost control of public spending, and he has lost control of the deficits. He should pull himself together and get control of his department. If he cannot do so, he should make way for someone else who can.
Mr. Speaker, according to the city of Kelowna's website, the Kelowna RCMP supports victim services in the Westbank First Nation. This is the same first nation that has hired the Minister of Justice's husband as a lobbyist. The justice minister is the vice-chair of the government's cabinet committee for intelligence and emergency management, two issues that are integral to the RCMP's mandate. This is a blatant conflict of interest. Given her husband's lobbying activities, will the justice minister step down from the secret government committee?
Mr. Speaker, I was deadly serious. What the people on the other side of the House said was that what they wanted to do was to balance the budget at all costs immediately. What that would mean is that we would have, right now, tens of billions of dollars of cuts, cuts that would increase our unemployment rate, that would reduce our ability to be flexible, that would certainly put us in a very difficult situation.Our plan is to make an investment to actually improve our rate of growth in this country for the middle class and those most vulnerable.
Mr. Speaker, people in my riding of Calgary Skyview have been hit hard by the recent downturn in oil prices and are concerned about the economic future of their province. With the low price of oil and mounting job losses, they are worried there will be less revenue for the government.Will the Minister of Finance please provide an update to the House on what our government is doing to assist Alberta in this difficult time?
Mr. Speaker, we left the government with a surplus. Ask the finance department officials. They could be working with a balanced budget. They could be strengthening the Canadian economy.However, my question is about testimony at the finance committee today. I have to ask the Minister of Finance this. Was he really serious when he said that running a balanced budget is going to put us in a recession?
Mr. Speaker, when 2,600 aerospace jobs were threatened under the Conservative government, the Liberal leader protested with the workers about how dishonest and unfair it all was.Now in government, he is abandoning those same Canadian workers and there is no deal and no guarantee for any future jobs.Will the Prime Minister commit to meeting with these workers, in Montreal, in Mississauga, and in Winnipeg, to explain why he has changed his mind and why he no longer supports their rights?
Mr. Speaker, the spending decisions of the current government and the resulting deficits are dragging down the economy and killing jobs. So are Liberal policy decisions. The Liberals have shut down the Billy Bishop runway expansion, and with it $2 billion in plane orders to Bombardier are gone. The Liberals are costing jobs and killing choice and competition in Toronto for travellers, tourism and businesses. Why the reckless attack on Toronto's economy and jobs in the vulnerable aviation sector?