2017-11-01

Mr. Speaker, the scandal surrounding the Minister of Finance has become the Prime Minister's kryptonite.The minister introduced a rotten bill, Bill C-27, which made shares in his company, Morneau Shepell, go up. When the minister was caught red-handed making money while in a conflict of interest, he admitted his guilt and said that he would pay everything back.Is that what life is like in the wonderful world of millionaires? When you get into trouble, you get out the cheque book and assume that $5 million will make everything go away?If the Minister of Finance is not living on another planet far away from middle-class Canadians, he will withdraw Bill C-27.

Mr. Speaker, it is unimaginable that any government could be so heartless as to take away from people suffering with diabetes the benefits they have just to save a few bucks. However, now we are hearing reports that the Liberals are also targeting Canadians with mental health illnesses and autism to help pay for their out-of-control spending. Enough is enough. When will the Prime Minister stop treating Canada's most vulnerable as if they are tax cheats?

Mr. Speaker, our oceans are central to our Canadian heritage and identity. With the longest coastline in the world and bordering three oceans, Canada is truly a maritime nation. However, our oceans are under threat from climate change, overfishing, and pollution. This is why we promised Canadians in the last election to protect 5% of our oceans by the end of this year and 10% by 2020. Could the Prime Minister update the House on the status of this commitment?

Mr. Speaker, the members opposite have had a difficult time with this concept. For 10 years, the member opposite was part of the most secretive, opaque, untrusting, and untrustworthy government Canada has ever seen. The level of openness and transparency we have shown, the level of respect we have offered the commissioners of parliament, the Elections Canada commissioner, and justices of the Supreme Court that the previous government never showed is partly why Canadians have trusted us to deliver the kind of growth that 10 years of Conservatives never could.

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to take very seriously the trust that Canadians placed in us by remaining open, transparent, and accountable to the opposition and to Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are moving heaven and earth to try to find more money to pay for their out-of-control deficits.The victims are many: farmers, employee discounts, small businesses, and so on. They stop only when they are caught red-handed. Now they are picking the winners and losers. They are determining who deserves support. Shayne, a diabetic from Alberta, is very upset. He says that he is no longer considered disabled by the government, but nothing in his life has changed. It makes no sense.Instead of letting the Minister of National Revenue play doctor, when will the Prime Minister give Shayne his tax credit back?

Mr. Speaker, once again, we hear, from these Conservatives, thinly veiled attacks on the quality of work done by the Ethics Commissioner, which, quite frankly, is no surprise.For 10 years, those members were part of a government that attacked the elections commissioner, that attacked Supreme Court justices, that attacked information commissioners, privacy commissioners, that attacked a parliamentary budget officer, that attacked anyone who got in their way of ramming through their views of things.We respect Parliament.

Mr. Speaker, again, the members of this House of Commons rely on the excellent work done by the commissioner to ensure that all the rules are followed and that all the safeguards are in place to uphold the highest level of trust that Canadians have given to each of the 338 members who sit in this House.The personal and nasty attacks by the members opposite to try to lower Canadians' confidence in our institutions is, quite frankly, what they rejected after 10 years of that.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once said, “Canadians asked for open and honest government; instead they have been saddled with secrecy, cynicism and rampant ethical scandals.” He was talking about the Duffy scandal, but I understand your confusion, Mr. Speaker, because he could have said the exact same thing about his own government.When exactly does the Prime Minister think his sunny ways are going to clean up the government's secrecy, cynicism, and scandals?

Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward to the day when the Prime Minister learns to answer simple questions. The Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner confirmed that the Minister of Finance broke the law. She even confirmed that the penalty for the offence had been paid, proving that the Prime Minister was already aware of the commissioner's decision yesterday.The Prime Minister can do whatever he wants in an attempt to deny the facts, but his efforts will change absolutely nothing: his minister broke the law.Is the Prime Minister telling us that his Minister of Finance is above the law? Would he like to say that directly to Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the workers at Donnacona Institution were protesting simply to ask us to pay them. This government set itself the goal of fixing the problems with Phoenix by October 31, 2016. One year later, nothing has been fixed. One employee has suddenly been forced to live on $300 because the government chose to recover overpayments, although it is still not paying her properly. We are in 2017. Why has the Prime Minister not found a solution to properly pay the honest workers who serve the government? When is our Prime Minister's new deadline?

Mr. Speaker, the only people in this House right now who do not respect the work of the Ethics Commissioner are the ministers of the crown and the Minister of Finance who failed to disclose, who hid his corporation in France, and who has now been fined for breaking the law.He has failed to be open about his many assets. He has failed to answer simple questions about what he owns, and why he structured it in the way he has. We are still going to ask a very simple question. Can the Prime Minister tell us if the Ethics Commissioner has been informed of the finance minister's recusals from the two meetings he claims he recused himself from?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is sending child care benefits to one millionaire: himself. Earlier today, he said that sunshine is the greatest disinfectant, yet the finance minister's myriad numbered companies are shrouded in darkness. We do not know what other conflicts he has hidden among the assets in those numbered companies. Therefore, will the Prime Minister agree to tell the finance minister to throw open the shutters and let in the sunshine so we can see what is inside those companies?

Mr. Speaker, the Financial Post reports, “Sufferers of autism, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other mental health issues are the latest victims of a clampdown on access to the disability tax credit”. Families I met with told me how the Liberals had taken thousands of dollars from RDSPs used for saving for their disabled children's future. Could the Prime Minister please explain to Canadians exactly how shaking down our most vulnerable citizens is a fair and balanced approach on taxes?

Mr. Speaker, why has Morneau Shepell been asking for legislation to enable targeted benefit pension plans for years? Because these plans are good for its clients and the employers, but not so good for the employees. Tabling a bill that places the burden of risk and accountability on pensioners is not working for the middle class; it is working for corporate interests. Will the Prime Minister stop spewing talking points about the middle class and really help them by withdrawing Bill C-27?

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of a government that paid no attention to its rules, chose secrecy, obfuscation, and partisan advantage over just about everything else, Canadians are relieved to have a government that takes transparency, accountability, and openness as seriously as we do. We will continue to follow the rules. We will continue to demonstrate that Canadians were right to place their trust in us. We will continue to demonstrate we are worthy, day in and day out, of the trust Canadians placed in us.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has gone so far as to suggest that somehow it would be disrespectful to the Ethics Commissioner if the finance minister were to tell us what he is hiding in his numbered companies. I wonder if the Prime Minister can tell us, did the Ethics Commissioner ban the finance minister from sharing with Canadians what assets he holds in those numbered companies?

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I am demonstrating that we respect, work with, and follow the advice of the Ethics Commissioner. However, I know the member for Barrie—Innisfil wants to know how kids in his riding are doing. There are 19,730 children in his riding who are doing better because of the Canada child benefit. This is an average monthly cheque to families of $540. This money is being delivered to those families. The Conservatives gave cheques to everyone. We are giving them to those who need it the most.

Mr. Speaker, the public service pay problems are totally unacceptable. A report by Goss Gilroy Inc. confirms that the government underestimated the project's complexity in the planning and initial preparation stages.Our priority stays the same, namely ensuring that public servants are paid on time and accurately. Our government-wide efforts focus on four areas: governance and oversight, process improvement, capacity, and partnerships. We will continue to work very hard—

Mr. Speaker, we in the Liberal Party and this government have always believed that sunshine is the best disinfectant. That is why we have moved forward on openness and transparency in ways that, yes, perhaps open us to a few more attacks from the members opposite, but ultimately create the confidence that Canadians must have in their democratic institutions—

Mr. Speaker, once again, we recognize that opposition members have an obligation to try to make personal attacks on government members, but in our democratic system, our parliamentary system, we have commissioners who are responsible for ensuring that rules are followed and to fix any issues that come up.Canadians have confidence in this system and all parliamentarians can have confidence in it. This is how our political system operates.

Mr. Speaker, we have become accustomed in this House to Liberal ministers violating the written and unwritten laws and rules of the House. In every case, after obfuscation and stonewalling, there is an admission of wrongdoing, with various excuses and justifications.We have photographic evidence that the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities improperly used parliamentary resources, campaigning for his dad in a recent Calgary election. Does the Prime Minister support what the minister did, or does the Prime Minister think the minister should follow the rules?

Mr. Speaker, once again, we understand that the opposition has to ask difficult questions and even level baseless accusations to do its job and keep the government on its toes. That is important. That is how our democratic system works. However, we must also remember that we have commissioners like the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that everyone is following the rules and that respect for our institutions and their rules transcends the kind of partisanship we are seeing from the opposition. We will continue to demonstrate our faith in the commissioner and the fact that Canadians deserve to have faith in us.

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that Canadians do not believe Conservatives when they come forward with these sorts of things. It is the Conservative government that cut health benefits for refugees. The Conservatives are the ones who shuttered nine veteran services offices. That was one of the things Canadians asked us to fix, that we restore those benefits and that we demonstrate the kind of compassion Canadians expect of their government, which they went without for 10 years. That is exactly what we are focusing on doing. We are ensuring that all Canadians who have access to these credits and benefits get access to them.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just introduced their budget bill, which joins Canada to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The government is going to transfer up to half a billion dollars into this bank for infrastructure outside of Canada, while at the same time the PBO reports the government is behind on infrastructure spending within Canada. Why is the government spending money on infrastructure projects halfway across the world when it is behind on fixing our worn out bridges, roads, and highways right here at home?

Mr. Speaker, ironically, I think this is the only time that the Prime Minister is not trying to make something about himself.For two years, the finance minister led Canadians to believe that his assets were in a blind trust, and that was untrue. For two years, the finance minister has led the House to believe that he complied with the rules of the Ethics Commissioner. That was also untrue. The minister has been fined. The minister broke the law. Is this the higher standard that the Prime Minister says he is holding his ministers to? When will the Prime Minister tell us when he knew that the minister had broken the law?

Mr. Speaker, the Ethics Commissioner can only do her job if the government ministers actually provide her accurate information. We know that that did not happen, because the Minister of Finance was fined for breaking the law.Yesterday he said that the problem is that other people just do not understand how it works. We know how it is supposed to work. Finance ministers should not be able to have direct control over assets that they own while they regulate and legislate in those very areas that their companies operate in.I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister. When was he made aware that the finance minister still owned shares in Morneau Shepell?

Mr. Speaker, the previous government delivered Canada child benefits that went to every family across the country, including the wealthiest families. We did not think that was fair, and we got a lot of grief from the Conservatives who disagreed with us on that. We think doing more for the families that need it and less for the families that do not is a way of growing the economy. It worked. The Canada child benefit, lowering taxes for the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest 1%, and now lowering small business taxes and increasing the WITB work.

Mr. Speaker, the head honcho at Morneau Shepell told investors in 2013 that legislation was required to open up that lucrative Canadian market to attack defined pensions. As minister, he gave them Bill C-27 and, voila, stocks in Morneau Shepell went through the roof. He made “gazoodles” of money, and now he has been found guilty of what, a $200 fine? The Prime Minister calls that raising the bar. That is more like an open bar for Morneau Shepell. Meanwhile, Canadian pensioners remain at the mercy of that privatized pension king of Bay Street. Will the Prime Minister withdraw Bill C-27 and put his minister in his place?

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased the member for Barrie—Innisfil brought up the young people in this place today. It is important for them to know that despite the back and forth that gets quite robust sometimes, particularly on Wednesdays, we do have a system that ensures that beyond partisanship, everyone in this place follows the rules. If mistakes are made, there are consequences for it. We have a commissioner in place to defend the institutions of Parliament and democracy. Unfortunately, for 10 years, the members opposite spent their time attacking those folks who were defending our democracy.

Mr. Speaker, there we have it. Rather than raising the bar on the ethics of Liberal cabinet ministers, as the Prime Minister mandated in his letters, the Minister of Finance, with the Prime Minister's help, has lowered it. The Ethics Commissioner has now confirmed that the finance minister broke the law and was fined. The minister has broken the law and the Prime Minister turns a blind eye to it.Since there are so many young people here today, I would like to ask the Prime Minister one simple question. Is breaking the law now the new normal for the Prime Minister of Canada and his cabinet ministers?

Mr. Speaker, what is truly amazing is he can say all of that with a straight face. We did some quick research as to how many Canadians in the riding of Toronto Centre benefited from the introduction of Bill C-27. We found one. It was the finance minister. He gained $2 million in four days. It is remarkable.The Prime Minister says he respects Parliament so much that he looks at serious ethical violations and calls them noise. He is worried about the young people so much that he just spent an hour not answering a single direct question from the opposition. Will he end all of this, and this is the only way to do it, will he end his attack—

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to ensuring that all Canadians have access to the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. We have made it easier to access services with the support of the disability tax credit. It is important to note that the approval rate for this tax credit in relation to mental health was actually at an all-time high for 2016 and 2017. We are investing $5 billion to ensure mental health supports for over 500,000 Canadians under the age of 25.

Mr. Speaker, last week, our government tabled Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 2.Budget 2017 is the next step in our government's ambitious plan to make smart investments that will create jobs, grow our economy, and provide more opportunities for the middle class in my riding of Vaughan—Woodbridge and across Canada. Could the Prime Minister tell the House what we are doing to put the middle class first?

Mr. Speaker, I believe in sunny ways. I believe in staying focused on Canadians, and that is exactly what we are doing. I believe that sunshine is the best disinfectant. Openness and transparency is what Canadians expect. That is what we will always stand for.I respect the member opposite tremendously for his responsibility to ask difficult questions, and to press the government on it. I am going to stay focused on doing the right things the right way, and ensuring our team is doing that, and always respecting the Ethics Commissioner for the work she does to ensure we all follow the rules.

Mr. Speaker, we have the utmost respect for the commissioner, but here is the thing: she cannot block those loopholes. The government could, and chooses to block efforts to do so.The Prime Minister might think otherwise, but Canadians' trust has been betrayed by the finance minister's ethical failings. Someone once said, “The Prime Minister has to show leadership and take responsibility for the actions of the people he chose.” Who said that, one might ask? It was this very Prime Minister during the Duffy scandal. Clearly, the Prime Minister does not understand what a conflict of interest is. Does he also need help understanding leadership and responsibility?

Mr. Speaker, the NDP and the unions have sounded the alarm regarding Bill C-27, a bill that puts the Liberals' rich corporate friends first, ahead of our workers and pensioners.The risk associated with pensions is going to shift from employers to employees. Today my colleague is going to move a motion calling for the withdrawal of that bill, which is the right thing to do.The Prime Minister is fond of saying that he is working for the middle class.Will he do right by our workers and pensioners and withdraw Bill C-27?

Mr. Speaker, this government takes the responsibility of protecting Canadians' privacy and personal information very seriously.That is why we are working hard to improve and modernize our systems to show that Canadians control the information of Canadians. We know that it is important on this planet, in the era of globalization, to make sure our information is safe. That is why we are working hard on this.

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.While touring my riding, many constituents expressed concerns about Nunavut's low standard of living. Currently, we are heavily dependent on federal transfers. However, access to own-source revenues would go a long way in improving this standard. The recent moratorium on oil and gas, although beneficial for the Arctic environment, also removes this potential own-source revenue.How will the Prime Minister work with the new territorial government to improve our standard of living, and achieve a stable and self-sustaining economy in Nunavut?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance tried to give the opposition a lecture yesterday, but it did not go well for him.Did he also lecture his Prime Minister? Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians why it is okay for the minister to control personal assets in a family company, when he is also responsible for passing laws that affect this company?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for South Shore—St. Margarets for her advocacy on this important file.Following up on our oceans protection plan, which I announced a year ago, we introduced legislation regarding vessel owners responsible for wrecked, abandoned, or hazardous vessels. This legislation is the first of its kind in Canada, and with it we are delivering on our commitment to better safeguard the environment, increase the safety of Canadians, and strengthen local economies. Coastal communities across the country can continue to count on our support.

Mr. Speaker, derelict vessels are a problem for many coastal communities, including in my riding of South Shore—St. Margarets. That is why I introduced Motion No. 40, and was very proud when the House adopted the motion unanimously.Earlier this week, our government introduced Bill C-64 in Parliament to address this important issue. Could the Prime Minister please update Canadians on the new measures included in this unprecedented legislation?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister indicated earlier that we are just throwing noise at him. Well, I speak on behalf of the parents of those 25,630 children and they want to know exactly what is going on with the finance minister breaking the law. The finance minister's mandate letter from the Prime Minister said, “I expect you to embody these values in your work and observe the highest ethical standards in everything you do.” It is kind of like what we as parents teach our children, but here is the difference. When did the Prime Minister know that the minister broke the law and was not abiding by the—

Mr. Speaker, from the beginning of this government's mandate, we have focused on helping the middle class in concrete ways, whether it was lowering taxes for the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest 1% or delivering the Canada child benefit, which helps families directly, including in North Island—Powell River where 14,350 young people will be receiving larger cheques every month. It will help with the high cost of raising families. This is a $600 cheque, on average, to families every month, and it is making a real difference for the folks in the member's riding.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is right: this House should not be about any individual one of us, but about the impact we have on Canadians. Let me talk about Canadians. Let me talk about young people in Milton. Let me talk about the 25,630 children in Milton who are receiving an average of $520 per family because of the Canada child benefit. We gave them that benefit because, unlike the Conservatives, we believe in helping those who need it.

Canada is our home.

Mr. Speaker, we continue to demonstrate the openness and transparency that Canadians asked for two years ago. We will continue to have an open government that is directly accountable to Canadians. As I do every Wednesday, I will answer all of the questions I am asked.We have often shown how well we understand that a government must maintain the confidence of Canadians in order to function properly.

On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to supporting our most vulnerable citizens. That is why we are moving forward with a national disability act that will remove barriers through access and success for all Canadians who live with disabilities.On top of that, with regard to mental health, I can tell the hon. member that we are delivering record numbers of support and tax breaks through the disability tax credit to sufferers of mental health, more last year than any previous year. We are continuing to focus on supporting the most vulnerable. That is what Canadians expect of this government.

Mr. Speaker, we rely on the Ethics Commissioner to do her job. She relies on ministers of the crown to be honest and open with what they hold in assets. That is something this finance minister has failed to do.Again, to the Prime Minister, on what date was he made aware that the finance minister failed to disclose his corporation in France?

Mr. Speaker, for three weeks now the Prime Minister has been telling us that his Minister of Finance is not in a conflict of interest. Just yesterday, he even repeated it several times throughout question period. Now that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has sanctioned his finance minister for conflict of interest, the conclusion is clear: we know that the Prime Minister was aware of it. I have a simple question. At what point did the Prime Minister know that his finance minister was in a direct conflict of interest and was breaking the law?

Mr. Speaker, that is why the GDP has shrunk and the deficit has increased I am sure—sorry, the other way around.The Prime Minister has also said that we rely on the excellent work of the Ethics Commissioner, but the reality is that the buck stops with him with all his cabinet ministers. Day after day, the Prime Minister has been standing up and saying that nothing has been done wrong. Today the Ethics Commissioner said that the Minister of Finance broke the law.Why is the Prime Minister continuing to stand up and cover for his minister?

Mr. Speaker, just a week ago, we announced that we were going to be increasing the working income tax benefit by about $750 million in 2019. That is going to put more money in the pockets of hard-working Canadians and make a huge impact in the economic growth and opportunities that hard-working Canadians have. We are always looking for ways to continue to help workers and their families and prepare them for their retirement. That is what we are going to continue to do. This government is focused on the middle class and those working hard to join it.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that during the Senate expense scandal in 2013 the current Prime Minister tweeted, “Conservative ethics abuses have shaken Canadians' faith in Parliament. It's time to #raisethebar on accountability”. After the cash for access scandal, the investigation into the Prime Minister's vacation on the Aga Khan's private island, and the scandal involving his finance minister and Bill C-27, does the Prime Minister still believe that he did “#raisethebar” on accountability?

Mr. Speaker, it is hard to believe but, just four years ago, this Prime Minister did not hesitate to criticize the Conservative government for its ethical lapses, particularly in the case of the Senate expense scandal.We know that the Liberals like using the hashtags #realchange and #raisethebar, but we are less certain about whether they really believe in those things.Will the Prime Minister do the right thing and really raise the bar on accountability?

Mr. Speaker, in late 2015, the president and CEO of Morneau Shepell said the company viewed transferring pension risk from employers to employees as one of its biggest business opportunities.By a strange coincidence, Bill C-27, a bill designed to do just that, was tabled a few months later by the Minister of Finance.If the Prime Minister loves the middle class so much, why did he let his finance minister table a bill that attacks workers' pensions in order to line his cronies' pockets?

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite wants to talk about numbers, and I know he is wondering just how many young people in Carleton have been receiving the Canada child benefit. I can tell him that 16,200 kids in his riding have been receiving an average of $430 per family a month to help with the high cost of raising families, of buying new clothes, and after-school activities. These are the things that are making a difference for families in his riding, that we have increased because, unlike the former government, we do not—

Mr. Speaker, we are very worried about the creation of a high-tech neighbourhood in Toronto.This data centre will house a lot of personal information about Canadians, and we are very worried about this data collection.In similar cases in the U.S., stored data is governed by the Patriot Act. However, what guarantees do we have that this information will be kept confidential here in Canada, in Toronto?Who will make sure that the personal information of Canadians remains confidential, and where will this data be stored?

Mr. Speaker, I want to the thank the member for Cloverdale—Langley City for his hard work.In 2015, we promised to protect 5% of Canada's oceans by 2017, and we have delivered: 5.22% or our marine and coastal areas are now protected, up from less than 1% two years ago. These protections are based on sound science, extensive consultation, and transparent decision-making. We will continue to work toward our goal of protecting 10% of our marine and coastal areas by 2020, and we will all work together to protect our oceans for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, I know that those parents in Milton, like other parents across the country, will be pleased to know that there is an Ethics Commissioner who takes her job seriously and ensures that the rules are followed, just as they are being followed by all of us in this House. Those parents also know that since the government changed, since our government has been in place, they have been receiving larger benefit cheques every month tax free, because the Conservatives chose to send those child benefit cheques to millionaire families and we send them to the people who actually need them. The economic growth we have seen in this country—

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to do just that. In 2013, the Liberal Party brought openness and proactive disclosure to Parliament. I must admit that it was surprising when the Conservatives immediately got on board and the New Democrats were the ones who were not interested in proactive disclosure. Given the situation with the satellite offices, we now see why, and we understand their approach to ethics.

Mr. Speaker, with regard to our seniors, it is this Minister of Finance who negotiated a historic strengthening of the Canada pension plan within his first months of being in office. This is a minister who increased the guaranteed income supplement for our most vulnerable seniors by close to $1,000. This is the minister who ensured the retirement age would decrease from 67 to 65 for all Canadians, because that was the right thing to do.We have been focused on supporting our seniors and pensioners, and on this side of the aisle we always will.

Mr. Speaker, as I already said many times, the Minister of Finance has worked with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that he is always in full compliance; he has even gone beyond what the commissioner originally asked of him. If the member opposite would like to talk numbers, I have numbers for him. Fully 20,060 children in Richmond—Arthabaska received on average $580 per family thanks to the Canada child benefit. That is what the finance minister brought in. We are making a difference for them and for everyone.

The rules were not followed, Mr. Speaker; they were broken.The Prime Minister's letter told the minister he had an obligation “that is not fully discharged by simply acting within the law”. Also, he must live up to the “highest standards of honesty and impartiality”. Now we know the minister broke the law. Where I come from in Barrie—Innisfil, one is either accountable or one justifies. How can the Prime Minister keep making excuses for the Minister of Finance?

Mr. Speaker, eligibility for the disability tax credit for diabetics depends on whether they require 14 hours of life-sustaining therapy per week, according to section 118 of the Income Tax Act. A doctor certifies whether they meet that requirement. However, the Prime Minister's revenue minister wrote a letter, in which she said that it was unlikely for diabetics to reach that requirement. She is overriding the decision of doctors.Will he tell her to stop interfering politically and cancel this tax increase on our most vulnerable Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Vaughan—Woodbridge for his question and I congratulate him on his bilingualism. Canadians are at the heart of our plan for a more innovative economy that creates jobs for the middle class. We are helping Canadians working in federally regulated industries better balance their professional and personal lives by making their working conditions more flexible. These changes will help them better adapt. As the parliamentary budget officer said, our investments aimed at Canadians and our economy are working.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister keeps claiming the Minister of Finance was not in a conflict of interest. We now know that assertion is not true. However, questions still remain regarding Bill C-27, a bill that could directly benefit the finance minister's family business.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether the Minister of Finance met with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner before tabling Bill C-27 in the House?

Mr. Speaker, recently, the Prime Minister was in Toronto with Google to announce the construction of a high-tech neighbourhood. The Google experiment will use data gained from cameras, smart phone apps, and sensors to design and maintain the project. However, Canadians are concerned and want to know who owns the data, and what will be done with it. What guarantees will the Prime Minister give that the privacy of Canadians will be protected?

Mr. Speaker, this government has always chosen to raise the bar on openness and transparency, and has continually worked with and respected the commissioners, whether they be the Ethics Commissioner, the Information Commissioner, or the Privacy Commissioner. That is part of what Canadians asked us to do when they chose us as government two years ago, after 10 years of a government that had completely disrespected the institutions that protect our democracy. That is what we continue to focus on while we focus on the concerns and the issues that matter to Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about what we are doing for the middle class, for workers, and for our pensioners.We reversed the previous Conservative government's decision to increase the retirement age from 65 to 67. We are currently giving almost $1,000 more a year to our most vulnerable seniors, and we have made major improvements to the Canada pension plan for the first time in generations, because we know that investing in our workers' retirement funds is important for the future.

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, day after day I stand up and defend the Ethics Commissioner and talk about the fact that everyone in the House works with her and respects the work and the advice she gives. That is one of the foundations of the functioning of this place. Despite the back and forth we have, we do have someone independent of partisanship who actually ensures the rules are followed. When mistakes are made, they are rectified. That is the role of the Ethics Commissioner and that is exactly what I have been standing up, time and time again, and trying to explain to the members opposite.

Mr. Speaker, maybe he can answer this question since he did not answer the others.How can the Prime Minister say his government is working for the middle class when it has put forward a bill with the sole intent of shifting the risk of pension plans from the employer to the employee? That is not working for the middle class; that is working for the wealthy and well-connected. The fact that the Prime Minister is still considering going forward with this bill, which would have huge impacts on middle-class workers, proves that he is completely disconnected from the middle class.I have a simple question. Will he do what is right and withdraw Bill C-27?

Mr. Speaker, we are still in the process of ensuring that everyone who is eligible for benefits is receiving them. It is important to recognize that far too many Canadians are struggling and need help. That is why our government has always taken a compassionate approach and helped individuals and families in need.The hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable will be pleased to know that in his riding, 14,890 young people are benefiting from the Canada child benefit, which is really making a difference in their community.

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of what we have accomplished for our workers and pensioners. To support our workers, we lowered taxes for the middle class and raised them for the wealthiest 1%. We are currently cutting taxes for small businesses so that they can hire more workers.We are also working to support our pensioners. We increased the guaranteed income supplement for our most vulnerable seniors by close to $1,000 a year and we enhanced the Canada pension plan, because we know that providing pensions to present generations is crucial. That is what we will continue to do.

Mr. Speaker, in the House we have Canadians from all backgrounds and with diverse experiences. It is important to be able to discuss freely and openly the things that matter to Canadians.Our Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner ensures that all the rules are followed and that there are protocols in place to protect the integrity of our parliamentary institutions. On this side of the House, we support and honour the work done by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.

Mr. Speaker, we know the world is changing in a rapid way. It is important Canadians not just be part of it but help shape the way the world is going to change in a way that respects people's rights and freedoms and privacy. We need to ensure the right balance between innovation, economic growth, and opportunities are matched with the defence of our charter rights and the inherent rights of Canadians.That is why we are so excited about the fact the world is looking to Canada as a place to innovate, and to build the cities of the future in ways that benefit all of our citizens, not just the wealthiest 1%.

Mr. Speaker, unlike the member opposite, our party ran on a platform of investing in our communities, of putting forward record amounts of infrastructure investments—

Mr. Speaker, we chose to invest in our communities, to invest in infrastructure, bridges, roads, public transit systems, and wastewater systems that our municipalities and provinces needed, that our citizens needed. We are going to continue to do that. We are going to continue to do that in the right way to benefit the growing of the economy, and support the middle class and those working hard to join it.

Mr. Speaker, as members of Parliament, when we are elected, we work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure we are following the rules and principles that are in place.The Minister of Finance has offered to go above and beyond what the commissioner originally asked him to do, because we know how important it is to have the respect and trust of voters. We are going to keep working with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and with all commissioners here in Parliament to make sure that we respect and defend the institutions of this House.

Mr. Speaker, we believe in real collaboration to support families, to build sustainable communities, and to create robust economies. We are committed to working with the newly elected officials of Nunavut on a new Arctic policy framework which will replace the outdated northern strategy.We will continue to support the people of Nunavut in their decision-making over resource development and conservation that affects their communities, culture, and well-being. We are putting northerners in the driver's seat to drive their economy now and into the future.

Mr. Speaker, I noticed that one of the talking points the Prime Minister is using today is “we believe in helping those who need it”. I am just wondering if he could clarify, when he said that, if he meant helping the Minister of Finance, who holds stocks in a company that saw a share price increase after he introduced Bill C-27.

Mr. Speaker, it is customary under the Standing Orders for members to table in the House of Commons documents they have made reference to during debate or question period. Earlier on, I explained that the requirement to receive the disability tax credit was for someone to require 14 hours a week of life-sustaining therapy and that the minister had denied people whose doctors had certified that they had met that.I have in my hand a letter in which she actually writes that people suffering from diabetes are not eligible to meet that requirement, even when their doctors have certified that they are. I know that the Prime Minister will want to read this—

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask for unanimous consent for the following motion: That notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, the order for second reading and reference to the Standing Committee on Finance of Bill C-27, an act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985, be discharged and the bill withdrawn from the Order Paper.

Mr. Speaker, as I have done a couple of times, I think it is important, particularly today when so many young people are in this House watching the workings of our Parliament, to explain that it is perfectly normal and even important for the opposition to be asking difficult questions of a government. That is at the core of what we have as a government.However, it is also, because of the nature of those attacks, important to have independent commissioners in whom we can all have confidence to ensure that the rules are followed in the appropriate manner. That is what we are always doing. What is coming from the opposition is noise.

Mr. Speaker, once again, we hear, from these Conservatives, thinly veiled attacks on the quality of work done by the Ethics Commissioner, which, quite frankly, is no surprise.For 10 years, those members were part of a government that attacked the elections commissioner, that attacked Supreme Court justices, that attacked information commissioners, privacy commissioners, that attacked a parliamentary budget officer, that attacked anyone who got in their way of ramming through their views of things.We respect Parliament.

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to take very seriously the trust that Canadians placed in us by remaining open, transparent, and accountable to the opposition and to Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, ironically, I think this is the only time that the Prime Minister is not trying to make something about himself.For two years, the finance minister led Canadians to believe that his assets were in a blind trust, and that was untrue. For two years, the finance minister has led the House to believe that he complied with the rules of the Ethics Commissioner. That was also untrue. The minister has been fined. The minister broke the law. Is this the higher standard that the Prime Minister says he is holding his ministers to? When will the Prime Minister tell us when he knew that the minister had broken the law?

Mr. Speaker, eligibility for the disability tax credit for diabetics depends on whether they require 14 hours of life-sustaining therapy per week, according to section 118 of the Income Tax Act. A doctor certifies whether they meet that requirement. However, the Prime Minister's revenue minister wrote a letter, in which she said that it was unlikely for diabetics to reach that requirement. She is overriding the decision of doctors.Will he tell her to stop interfering politically and cancel this tax increase on our most vulnerable Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just introduced their budget bill, which joins Canada to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The government is going to transfer up to half a billion dollars into this bank for infrastructure outside of Canada, while at the same time the PBO reports the government is behind on infrastructure spending within Canada. Why is the government spending money on infrastructure projects halfway across the world when it is behind on fixing our worn out bridges, roads, and highways right here at home?

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask for unanimous consent for the following motion: That notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, the order for second reading and reference to the Standing Committee on Finance of Bill C-27, an act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985, be discharged and the bill withdrawn from the Order Paper.

Mr. Speaker, the only people in this House right now who do not respect the work of the Ethics Commissioner are the ministers of the crown and the Minister of Finance who failed to disclose, who hid his corporation in France, and who has now been fined for breaking the law.He has failed to be open about his many assets. He has failed to answer simple questions about what he owns, and why he structured it in the way he has. We are still going to ask a very simple question. Can the Prime Minister tell us if the Ethics Commissioner has been informed of the finance minister's recusals from the two meetings he claims he recused himself from?

Mr. Speaker, in late 2015, the president and CEO of Morneau Shepell said the company viewed transferring pension risk from employers to employees as one of its biggest business opportunities.By a strange coincidence, Bill C-27, a bill designed to do just that, was tabled a few months later by the Minister of Finance.If the Prime Minister loves the middle class so much, why did he let his finance minister table a bill that attacks workers' pensions in order to line his cronies' pockets?

Mr. Speaker, it is unimaginable that any government could be so heartless as to take away from people suffering with diabetes the benefits they have just to save a few bucks. However, now we are hearing reports that the Liberals are also targeting Canadians with mental health illnesses and autism to help pay for their out-of-control spending. Enough is enough. When will the Prime Minister stop treating Canada's most vulnerable as if they are tax cheats?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister keeps claiming the Minister of Finance was not in a conflict of interest. We now know that assertion is not true. However, questions still remain regarding Bill C-27, a bill that could directly benefit the finance minister's family business.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether the Minister of Finance met with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner before tabling Bill C-27 in the House?

Mr. Speaker, we rely on the Ethics Commissioner to do her job. She relies on ministers of the crown to be honest and open with what they hold in assets. That is something this finance minister has failed to do.Again, to the Prime Minister, on what date was he made aware that the finance minister failed to disclose his corporation in France?

Mr. Speaker, the previous government delivered Canada child benefits that went to every family across the country, including the wealthiest families. We did not think that was fair, and we got a lot of grief from the Conservatives who disagreed with us on that. We think doing more for the families that need it and less for the families that do not is a way of growing the economy. It worked. The Canada child benefit, lowering taxes for the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest 1%, and now lowering small business taxes and increasing the WITB work.

Mr. Speaker, I want to the thank the member for Cloverdale—Langley City for his hard work.In 2015, we promised to protect 5% of Canada's oceans by 2017, and we have delivered: 5.22% or our marine and coastal areas are now protected, up from less than 1% two years ago. These protections are based on sound science, extensive consultation, and transparent decision-making. We will continue to work toward our goal of protecting 10% of our marine and coastal areas by 2020, and we will all work together to protect our oceans for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, we chose to invest in our communities, to invest in infrastructure, bridges, roads, public transit systems, and wastewater systems that our municipalities and provinces needed, that our citizens needed. We are going to continue to do that. We are going to continue to do that in the right way to benefit the growing of the economy, and support the middle class and those working hard to join it.

Mr. Speaker, again, the members of this House of Commons rely on the excellent work done by the commissioner to ensure that all the rules are followed and that all the safeguards are in place to uphold the highest level of trust that Canadians have given to each of the 338 members who sit in this House.The personal and nasty attacks by the members opposite to try to lower Canadians' confidence in our institutions is, quite frankly, what they rejected after 10 years of that.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that during the Senate expense scandal in 2013 the current Prime Minister tweeted, “Conservative ethics abuses have shaken Canadians' faith in Parliament. It's time to #raisethebar on accountability”. After the cash for access scandal, the investigation into the Prime Minister's vacation on the Aga Khan's private island, and the scandal involving his finance minister and Bill C-27, does the Prime Minister still believe that he did “#raisethebar” on accountability?

Mr. Speaker, I noticed that one of the talking points the Prime Minister is using today is “we believe in helping those who need it”. I am just wondering if he could clarify, when he said that, if he meant helping the Minister of Finance, who holds stocks in a company that saw a share price increase after he introduced Bill C-27.

Mr. Speaker, our oceans are central to our Canadian heritage and identity. With the longest coastline in the world and bordering three oceans, Canada is truly a maritime nation. However, our oceans are under threat from climate change, overfishing, and pollution. This is why we promised Canadians in the last election to protect 5% of our oceans by the end of this year and 10% by 2020. Could the Prime Minister update the House on the status of this commitment?

Mr. Speaker, unlike the member opposite, our party ran on a platform of investing in our communities, of putting forward record amounts of infrastructure investments—

Canada is our home.

Mr. Speaker, we have become accustomed in this House to Liberal ministers violating the written and unwritten laws and rules of the House. In every case, after obfuscation and stonewalling, there is an admission of wrongdoing, with various excuses and justifications.We have photographic evidence that the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities improperly used parliamentary resources, campaigning for his dad in a recent Calgary election. Does the Prime Minister support what the minister did, or does the Prime Minister think the minister should follow the rules?

Mr. Speaker, it is customary under the Standing Orders for members to table in the House of Commons documents they have made reference to during debate or question period. Earlier on, I explained that the requirement to receive the disability tax credit was for someone to require 14 hours a week of life-sustaining therapy and that the minister had denied people whose doctors had certified that they had met that.I have in my hand a letter in which she actually writes that people suffering from diabetes are not eligible to meet that requirement, even when their doctors have certified that they are. I know that the Prime Minister will want to read this—

Mr. Speaker, we believe in real collaboration to support families, to build sustainable communities, and to create robust economies. We are committed to working with the newly elected officials of Nunavut on a new Arctic policy framework which will replace the outdated northern strategy.We will continue to support the people of Nunavut in their decision-making over resource development and conservation that affects their communities, culture, and well-being. We are putting northerners in the driver's seat to drive their economy now and into the future.

Mr. Speaker, we continue to demonstrate the openness and transparency that Canadians asked for two years ago. We will continue to have an open government that is directly accountable to Canadians. As I do every Wednesday, I will answer all of the questions I am asked.We have often shown how well we understand that a government must maintain the confidence of Canadians in order to function properly.

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.While touring my riding, many constituents expressed concerns about Nunavut's low standard of living. Currently, we are heavily dependent on federal transfers. However, access to own-source revenues would go a long way in improving this standard. The recent moratorium on oil and gas, although beneficial for the Arctic environment, also removes this potential own-source revenue.How will the Prime Minister work with the new territorial government to improve our standard of living, and achieve a stable and self-sustaining economy in Nunavut?

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is right: this House should not be about any individual one of us, but about the impact we have on Canadians. Let me talk about Canadians. Let me talk about young people in Milton. Let me talk about the 25,630 children in Milton who are receiving an average of $520 per family because of the Canada child benefit. We gave them that benefit because, unlike the Conservatives, we believe in helping those who need it.

Mr. Speaker, there we have it. Rather than raising the bar on the ethics of Liberal cabinet ministers, as the Prime Minister mandated in his letters, the Minister of Finance, with the Prime Minister's help, has lowered it. The Ethics Commissioner has now confirmed that the finance minister broke the law and was fined. The minister has broken the law and the Prime Minister turns a blind eye to it.Since there are so many young people here today, I would like to ask the Prime Minister one simple question. Is breaking the law now the new normal for the Prime Minister of Canada and his cabinet ministers?

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, day after day I stand up and defend the Ethics Commissioner and talk about the fact that everyone in the House works with her and respects the work and the advice she gives. That is one of the foundations of the functioning of this place. Despite the back and forth we have, we do have someone independent of partisanship who actually ensures the rules are followed. When mistakes are made, they are rectified. That is the role of the Ethics Commissioner and that is exactly what I have been standing up, time and time again, and trying to explain to the members opposite.

Mr. Speaker, from the beginning of this government's mandate, we have focused on helping the middle class in concrete ways, whether it was lowering taxes for the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest 1% or delivering the Canada child benefit, which helps families directly, including in North Island—Powell River where 14,350 young people will be receiving larger cheques every month. It will help with the high cost of raising families. This is a $600 cheque, on average, to families every month, and it is making a real difference for the folks in the member's riding.

Mr. Speaker, once again, we recognize that opposition members have an obligation to try to make personal attacks on government members, but in our democratic system, our parliamentary system, we have commissioners who are responsible for ensuring that rules are followed and to fix any issues that come up.Canadians have confidence in this system and all parliamentarians can have confidence in it. This is how our political system operates.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the workers at Donnacona Institution were protesting simply to ask us to pay them. This government set itself the goal of fixing the problems with Phoenix by October 31, 2016. One year later, nothing has been fixed. One employee has suddenly been forced to live on $300 because the government chose to recover overpayments, although it is still not paying her properly. We are in 2017. Why has the Prime Minister not found a solution to properly pay the honest workers who serve the government? When is our Prime Minister's new deadline?

The rules were not followed, Mr. Speaker; they were broken.The Prime Minister's letter told the minister he had an obligation “that is not fully discharged by simply acting within the law”. Also, he must live up to the “highest standards of honesty and impartiality”. Now we know the minister broke the law. Where I come from in Barrie—Innisfil, one is either accountable or one justifies. How can the Prime Minister keep making excuses for the Minister of Finance?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are moving heaven and earth to try to find more money to pay for their out-of-control deficits.The victims are many: farmers, employee discounts, small businesses, and so on. They stop only when they are caught red-handed. Now they are picking the winners and losers. They are determining who deserves support. Shayne, a diabetic from Alberta, is very upset. He says that he is no longer considered disabled by the government, but nothing in his life has changed. It makes no sense.Instead of letting the Minister of National Revenue play doctor, when will the Prime Minister give Shayne his tax credit back?

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased the member for Barrie—Innisfil brought up the young people in this place today. It is important for them to know that despite the back and forth that gets quite robust sometimes, particularly on Wednesdays, we do have a system that ensures that beyond partisanship, everyone in this place follows the rules. If mistakes are made, there are consequences for it. We have a commissioner in place to defend the institutions of Parliament and democracy. Unfortunately, for 10 years, the members opposite spent their time attacking those folks who were defending our democracy.

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to ensuring that all Canadians have access to the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. We have made it easier to access services with the support of the disability tax credit. It is important to note that the approval rate for this tax credit in relation to mental health was actually at an all-time high for 2016 and 2017. We are investing $5 billion to ensure mental health supports for over 500,000 Canadians under the age of 25.

Mr. Speaker, the members opposite have had a difficult time with this concept. For 10 years, the member opposite was part of the most secretive, opaque, untrusting, and untrustworthy government Canada has ever seen. The level of openness and transparency we have shown, the level of respect we have offered the commissioners of parliament, the Elections Canada commissioner, and justices of the Supreme Court that the previous government never showed is partly why Canadians have trusted us to deliver the kind of growth that 10 years of Conservatives never could.

Mr. Speaker, the Financial Post reports, “Sufferers of autism, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other mental health issues are the latest victims of a clampdown on access to the disability tax credit”. Families I met with told me how the Liberals had taken thousands of dollars from RDSPs used for saving for their disabled children's future. Could the Prime Minister please explain to Canadians exactly how shaking down our most vulnerable citizens is a fair and balanced approach on taxes?

Mr. Speaker, the head honcho at Morneau Shepell told investors in 2013 that legislation was required to open up that lucrative Canadian market to attack defined pensions. As minister, he gave them Bill C-27 and, voila, stocks in Morneau Shepell went through the roof. He made “gazoodles” of money, and now he has been found guilty of what, a $200 fine? The Prime Minister calls that raising the bar. That is more like an open bar for Morneau Shepell. Meanwhile, Canadian pensioners remain at the mercy of that privatized pension king of Bay Street. Will the Prime Minister withdraw Bill C-27 and put his minister in his place?

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of what we have accomplished for our workers and pensioners. To support our workers, we lowered taxes for the middle class and raised them for the wealthiest 1%. We are currently cutting taxes for small businesses so that they can hire more workers.We are also working to support our pensioners. We increased the guaranteed income supplement for our most vulnerable seniors by close to $1,000 a year and we enhanced the Canada pension plan, because we know that providing pensions to present generations is crucial. That is what we will continue to do.

Mr. Speaker, the public service pay problems are totally unacceptable. A report by Goss Gilroy Inc. confirms that the government underestimated the project's complexity in the planning and initial preparation stages.Our priority stays the same, namely ensuring that public servants are paid on time and accurately. Our government-wide efforts focus on four areas: governance and oversight, process improvement, capacity, and partnerships. We will continue to work very hard—

Mr. Speaker, for three weeks now the Prime Minister has been telling us that his Minister of Finance is not in a conflict of interest. Just yesterday, he even repeated it several times throughout question period. Now that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has sanctioned his finance minister for conflict of interest, the conclusion is clear: we know that the Prime Minister was aware of it. I have a simple question. At what point did the Prime Minister know that his finance minister was in a direct conflict of interest and was breaking the law?

Mr. Speaker, I know that those parents in Milton, like other parents across the country, will be pleased to know that there is an Ethics Commissioner who takes her job seriously and ensures that the rules are followed, just as they are being followed by all of us in this House. Those parents also know that since the government changed, since our government has been in place, they have been receiving larger benefit cheques every month tax free, because the Conservatives chose to send those child benefit cheques to millionaire families and we send them to the people who actually need them. The economic growth we have seen in this country—

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of a government that paid no attention to its rules, chose secrecy, obfuscation, and partisan advantage over just about everything else, Canadians are relieved to have a government that takes transparency, accountability, and openness as seriously as we do. We will continue to follow the rules. We will continue to demonstrate that Canadians were right to place their trust in us. We will continue to demonstrate we are worthy, day in and day out, of the trust Canadians placed in us.

Mr. Speaker, this government has always chosen to raise the bar on openness and transparency, and has continually worked with and respected the commissioners, whether they be the Ethics Commissioner, the Information Commissioner, or the Privacy Commissioner. That is part of what Canadians asked us to do when they chose us as government two years ago, after 10 years of a government that had completely disrespected the institutions that protect our democracy. That is what we continue to focus on while we focus on the concerns and the issues that matter to Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has gone so far as to suggest that somehow it would be disrespectful to the Ethics Commissioner if the finance minister were to tell us what he is hiding in his numbered companies. I wonder if the Prime Minister can tell us, did the Ethics Commissioner ban the finance minister from sharing with Canadians what assets he holds in those numbered companies?

Mr. Speaker, it is hard to believe but, just four years ago, this Prime Minister did not hesitate to criticize the Conservative government for its ethical lapses, particularly in the case of the Senate expense scandal.We know that the Liberals like using the hashtags #realchange and #raisethebar, but we are less certain about whether they really believe in those things.Will the Prime Minister do the right thing and really raise the bar on accountability?

Mr. Speaker, recently, the Prime Minister was in Toronto with Google to announce the construction of a high-tech neighbourhood. The Google experiment will use data gained from cameras, smart phone apps, and sensors to design and maintain the project. However, Canadians are concerned and want to know who owns the data, and what will be done with it. What guarantees will the Prime Minister give that the privacy of Canadians will be protected?

On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to supporting our most vulnerable citizens. That is why we are moving forward with a national disability act that will remove barriers through access and success for all Canadians who live with disabilities.On top of that, with regard to mental health, I can tell the hon. member that we are delivering record numbers of support and tax breaks through the disability tax credit to sufferers of mental health, more last year than any previous year. We are continuing to focus on supporting the most vulnerable. That is what Canadians expect of this government.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite wants to talk about numbers, and I know he is wondering just how many young people in Carleton have been receiving the Canada child benefit. I can tell him that 16,200 kids in his riding have been receiving an average of $430 per family a month to help with the high cost of raising families, of buying new clothes, and after-school activities. These are the things that are making a difference for families in his riding, that we have increased because, unlike the former government, we do not—

Mr. Speaker, once again, we understand that the opposition has to ask difficult questions and even level baseless accusations to do its job and keep the government on its toes. That is important. That is how our democratic system works. However, we must also remember that we have commissioners like the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that everyone is following the rules and that respect for our institutions and their rules transcends the kind of partisanship we are seeing from the opposition. We will continue to demonstrate our faith in the commissioner and the fact that Canadians deserve to have faith in us.

Mr. Speaker, that is why the GDP has shrunk and the deficit has increased I am sure—sorry, the other way around.The Prime Minister has also said that we rely on the excellent work of the Ethics Commissioner, but the reality is that the buck stops with him with all his cabinet ministers. Day after day, the Prime Minister has been standing up and saying that nothing has been done wrong. Today the Ethics Commissioner said that the Minister of Finance broke the law.Why is the Prime Minister continuing to stand up and cover for his minister?

Mr. Speaker, with regard to our seniors, it is this Minister of Finance who negotiated a historic strengthening of the Canada pension plan within his first months of being in office. This is a minister who increased the guaranteed income supplement for our most vulnerable seniors by close to $1,000. This is the minister who ensured the retirement age would decrease from 67 to 65 for all Canadians, because that was the right thing to do.We have been focused on supporting our seniors and pensioners, and on this side of the aisle we always will.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is sending child care benefits to one millionaire: himself. Earlier today, he said that sunshine is the greatest disinfectant, yet the finance minister's myriad numbered companies are shrouded in darkness. We do not know what other conflicts he has hidden among the assets in those numbered companies. Therefore, will the Prime Minister agree to tell the finance minister to throw open the shutters and let in the sunshine so we can see what is inside those companies?

Mr. Speaker, this government takes the responsibility of protecting Canadians' privacy and personal information very seriously.That is why we are working hard to improve and modernize our systems to show that Canadians control the information of Canadians. We know that it is important on this planet, in the era of globalization, to make sure our information is safe. That is why we are working hard on this.

Mr. Speaker, what is truly amazing is he can say all of that with a straight face. We did some quick research as to how many Canadians in the riding of Toronto Centre benefited from the introduction of Bill C-27. We found one. It was the finance minister. He gained $2 million in four days. It is remarkable.The Prime Minister says he respects Parliament so much that he looks at serious ethical violations and calls them noise. He is worried about the young people so much that he just spent an hour not answering a single direct question from the opposition. Will he end all of this, and this is the only way to do it, will he end his attack—

Mr. Speaker, we are very worried about the creation of a high-tech neighbourhood in Toronto.This data centre will house a lot of personal information about Canadians, and we are very worried about this data collection.In similar cases in the U.S., stored data is governed by the Patriot Act. However, what guarantees do we have that this information will be kept confidential here in Canada, in Toronto?Who will make sure that the personal information of Canadians remains confidential, and where will this data be stored?

Mr. Speaker, last week, our government tabled Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 2.Budget 2017 is the next step in our government's ambitious plan to make smart investments that will create jobs, grow our economy, and provide more opportunities for the middle class in my riding of Vaughan—Woodbridge and across Canada. Could the Prime Minister tell the House what we are doing to put the middle class first?

Mr. Speaker, maybe he can answer this question since he did not answer the others.How can the Prime Minister say his government is working for the middle class when it has put forward a bill with the sole intent of shifting the risk of pension plans from the employer to the employee? That is not working for the middle class; that is working for the wealthy and well-connected. The fact that the Prime Minister is still considering going forward with this bill, which would have huge impacts on middle-class workers, proves that he is completely disconnected from the middle class.I have a simple question. Will he do what is right and withdraw Bill C-27?

Mr. Speaker, just a week ago, we announced that we were going to be increasing the working income tax benefit by about $750 million in 2019. That is going to put more money in the pockets of hard-working Canadians and make a huge impact in the economic growth and opportunities that hard-working Canadians have. We are always looking for ways to continue to help workers and their families and prepare them for their retirement. That is what we are going to continue to do. This government is focused on the middle class and those working hard to join it.

Mr. Speaker, we have the utmost respect for the commissioner, but here is the thing: she cannot block those loopholes. The government could, and chooses to block efforts to do so.The Prime Minister might think otherwise, but Canadians' trust has been betrayed by the finance minister's ethical failings. Someone once said, “The Prime Minister has to show leadership and take responsibility for the actions of the people he chose.” Who said that, one might ask? It was this very Prime Minister during the Duffy scandal. Clearly, the Prime Minister does not understand what a conflict of interest is. Does he also need help understanding leadership and responsibility?

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about what we are doing for the middle class, for workers, and for our pensioners.We reversed the previous Conservative government's decision to increase the retirement age from 65 to 67. We are currently giving almost $1,000 more a year to our most vulnerable seniors, and we have made major improvements to the Canada pension plan for the first time in generations, because we know that investing in our workers' retirement funds is important for the future.

Mr. Speaker, the Ethics Commissioner can only do her job if the government ministers actually provide her accurate information. We know that that did not happen, because the Minister of Finance was fined for breaking the law.Yesterday he said that the problem is that other people just do not understand how it works. We know how it is supposed to work. Finance ministers should not be able to have direct control over assets that they own while they regulate and legislate in those very areas that their companies operate in.I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister. When was he made aware that the finance minister still owned shares in Morneau Shepell?

Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward to the day when the Prime Minister learns to answer simple questions. The Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner confirmed that the Minister of Finance broke the law. She even confirmed that the penalty for the offence had been paid, proving that the Prime Minister was already aware of the commissioner's decision yesterday.The Prime Minister can do whatever he wants in an attempt to deny the facts, but his efforts will change absolutely nothing: his minister broke the law.Is the Prime Minister telling us that his Minister of Finance is above the law? Would he like to say that directly to Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the NDP and the unions have sounded the alarm regarding Bill C-27, a bill that puts the Liberals' rich corporate friends first, ahead of our workers and pensioners.The risk associated with pensions is going to shift from employers to employees. Today my colleague is going to move a motion calling for the withdrawal of that bill, which is the right thing to do.The Prime Minister is fond of saying that he is working for the middle class.Will he do right by our workers and pensioners and withdraw Bill C-27?

Mr. Speaker, as I have done a couple of times, I think it is important, particularly today when so many young people are in this House watching the workings of our Parliament, to explain that it is perfectly normal and even important for the opposition to be asking difficult questions of a government. That is at the core of what we have as a government.However, it is also, because of the nature of those attacks, important to have independent commissioners in whom we can all have confidence to ensure that the rules are followed in the appropriate manner. That is what we are always doing. What is coming from the opposition is noise.

Mr. Speaker, as I already said many times, the Minister of Finance has worked with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that he is always in full compliance; he has even gone beyond what the commissioner originally asked of him. If the member opposite would like to talk numbers, I have numbers for him. Fully 20,060 children in Richmond—Arthabaska received on average $580 per family thanks to the Canada child benefit. That is what the finance minister brought in. We are making a difference for them and for everyone.

Mr. Speaker, we in the Liberal Party and this government have always believed that sunshine is the best disinfectant. That is why we have moved forward on openness and transparency in ways that, yes, perhaps open us to a few more attacks from the members opposite, but ultimately create the confidence that Canadians must have in their democratic institutions—

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance tried to give the opposition a lecture yesterday, but it did not go well for him.Did he also lecture his Prime Minister? Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians why it is okay for the minister to control personal assets in a family company, when he is also responsible for passing laws that affect this company?

Mr. Speaker, I believe in sunny ways. I believe in staying focused on Canadians, and that is exactly what we are doing. I believe that sunshine is the best disinfectant. Openness and transparency is what Canadians expect. That is what we will always stand for.I respect the member opposite tremendously for his responsibility to ask difficult questions, and to press the government on it. I am going to stay focused on doing the right things the right way, and ensuring our team is doing that, and always respecting the Ethics Commissioner for the work she does to ensure we all follow the rules.

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to do just that. In 2013, the Liberal Party brought openness and proactive disclosure to Parliament. I must admit that it was surprising when the Conservatives immediately got on board and the New Democrats were the ones who were not interested in proactive disclosure. Given the situation with the satellite offices, we now see why, and we understand their approach to ethics.

Mr. Speaker, we know the world is changing in a rapid way. It is important Canadians not just be part of it but help shape the way the world is going to change in a way that respects people's rights and freedoms and privacy. We need to ensure the right balance between innovation, economic growth, and opportunities are matched with the defence of our charter rights and the inherent rights of Canadians.That is why we are so excited about the fact the world is looking to Canada as a place to innovate, and to build the cities of the future in ways that benefit all of our citizens, not just the wealthiest 1%.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister indicated earlier that we are just throwing noise at him. Well, I speak on behalf of the parents of those 25,630 children and they want to know exactly what is going on with the finance minister breaking the law. The finance minister's mandate letter from the Prime Minister said, “I expect you to embody these values in your work and observe the highest ethical standards in everything you do.” It is kind of like what we as parents teach our children, but here is the difference. When did the Prime Minister know that the minister broke the law and was not abiding by the—

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I am demonstrating that we respect, work with, and follow the advice of the Ethics Commissioner. However, I know the member for Barrie—Innisfil wants to know how kids in his riding are doing. There are 19,730 children in his riding who are doing better because of the Canada child benefit. This is an average monthly cheque to families of $540. This money is being delivered to those families. The Conservatives gave cheques to everyone. We are giving them to those who need it the most.

Mr. Speaker, why has Morneau Shepell been asking for legislation to enable targeted benefit pension plans for years? Because these plans are good for its clients and the employers, but not so good for the employees. Tabling a bill that places the burden of risk and accountability on pensioners is not working for the middle class; it is working for corporate interests. Will the Prime Minister stop spewing talking points about the middle class and really help them by withdrawing Bill C-27?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once said, “Canadians asked for open and honest government; instead they have been saddled with secrecy, cynicism and rampant ethical scandals.” He was talking about the Duffy scandal, but I understand your confusion, Mr. Speaker, because he could have said the exact same thing about his own government.When exactly does the Prime Minister think his sunny ways are going to clean up the government's secrecy, cynicism, and scandals?

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that Canadians do not believe Conservatives when they come forward with these sorts of things. It is the Conservative government that cut health benefits for refugees. The Conservatives are the ones who shuttered nine veteran services offices. That was one of the things Canadians asked us to fix, that we restore those benefits and that we demonstrate the kind of compassion Canadians expect of their government, which they went without for 10 years. That is exactly what we are focusing on doing. We are ensuring that all Canadians who have access to these credits and benefits get access to them.

Mr. Speaker, as members of Parliament, when we are elected, we work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure we are following the rules and principles that are in place.The Minister of Finance has offered to go above and beyond what the commissioner originally asked him to do, because we know how important it is to have the respect and trust of voters. We are going to keep working with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and with all commissioners here in Parliament to make sure that we respect and defend the institutions of this House.

Mr. Speaker, we are still in the process of ensuring that everyone who is eligible for benefits is receiving them. It is important to recognize that far too many Canadians are struggling and need help. That is why our government has always taken a compassionate approach and helped individuals and families in need.The hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable will be pleased to know that in his riding, 14,890 young people are benefiting from the Canada child benefit, which is really making a difference in their community.

Mr. Speaker, the scandal surrounding the Minister of Finance has become the Prime Minister's kryptonite.The minister introduced a rotten bill, Bill C-27, which made shares in his company, Morneau Shepell, go up. When the minister was caught red-handed making money while in a conflict of interest, he admitted his guilt and said that he would pay everything back.Is that what life is like in the wonderful world of millionaires? When you get into trouble, you get out the cheque book and assume that $5 million will make everything go away?If the Minister of Finance is not living on another planet far away from middle-class Canadians, he will withdraw Bill C-27.

Mr. Speaker, in the House we have Canadians from all backgrounds and with diverse experiences. It is important to be able to discuss freely and openly the things that matter to Canadians.Our Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner ensures that all the rules are followed and that there are protocols in place to protect the integrity of our parliamentary institutions. On this side of the House, we support and honour the work done by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Vaughan—Woodbridge for his question and I congratulate him on his bilingualism. Canadians are at the heart of our plan for a more innovative economy that creates jobs for the middle class. We are helping Canadians working in federally regulated industries better balance their professional and personal lives by making their working conditions more flexible. These changes will help them better adapt. As the parliamentary budget officer said, our investments aimed at Canadians and our economy are working.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for South Shore—St. Margarets for her advocacy on this important file.Following up on our oceans protection plan, which I announced a year ago, we introduced legislation regarding vessel owners responsible for wrecked, abandoned, or hazardous vessels. This legislation is the first of its kind in Canada, and with it we are delivering on our commitment to better safeguard the environment, increase the safety of Canadians, and strengthen local economies. Coastal communities across the country can continue to count on our support.

Mr. Speaker, derelict vessels are a problem for many coastal communities, including in my riding of South Shore—St. Margarets. That is why I introduced Motion No. 40, and was very proud when the House adopted the motion unanimously.Earlier this week, our government introduced Bill C-64 in Parliament to address this important issue. Could the Prime Minister please update Canadians on the new measures included in this unprecedented legislation?

Mr. Speaker, derelict vessels are a problem for many coastal communities, including in my riding of South Shore—St. Margarets. That is why I introduced Motion No. 40, and was very proud when the House adopted the motion unanimously.Earlier this week, our government introduced Bill C-64 in Parliament to address this important issue. Could the Prime Minister please update Canadians on the new measures included in this unprecedented legislation?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for South Shore—St. Margarets for her advocacy on this important file.Following up on our oceans protection plan, which I announced a year ago, we introduced legislation regarding vessel owners responsible for wrecked, abandoned, or hazardous vessels. This legislation is the first of its kind in Canada, and with it we are delivering on our commitment to better safeguard the environment, increase the safety of Canadians, and strengthen local economies. Coastal communities across the country can continue to count on our support.

Mr. Speaker, in the House we have Canadians from all backgrounds and with diverse experiences. It is important to be able to discuss freely and openly the things that matter to Canadians.Our Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner ensures that all the rules are followed and that there are protocols in place to protect the integrity of our parliamentary institutions. On this side of the House, we support and honour the work done by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Vaughan—Woodbridge for his question and I congratulate him on his bilingualism. Canadians are at the heart of our plan for a more innovative economy that creates jobs for the middle class. We are helping Canadians working in federally regulated industries better balance their professional and personal lives by making their working conditions more flexible. These changes will help them better adapt. As the parliamentary budget officer said, our investments aimed at Canadians and our economy are working.

Mr. Speaker, we are still in the process of ensuring that everyone who is eligible for benefits is receiving them. It is important to recognize that far too many Canadians are struggling and need help. That is why our government has always taken a compassionate approach and helped individuals and families in need.The hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable will be pleased to know that in his riding, 14,890 young people are benefiting from the Canada child benefit, which is really making a difference in their community.

Mr. Speaker, the scandal surrounding the Minister of Finance has become the Prime Minister's kryptonite.The minister introduced a rotten bill, Bill C-27, which made shares in his company, Morneau Shepell, go up. When the minister was caught red-handed making money while in a conflict of interest, he admitted his guilt and said that he would pay everything back.Is that what life is like in the wonderful world of millionaires? When you get into trouble, you get out the cheque book and assume that $5 million will make everything go away?If the Minister of Finance is not living on another planet far away from middle-class Canadians, he will withdraw Bill C-27.

Mr. Speaker, as members of Parliament, when we are elected, we work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure we are following the rules and principles that are in place.The Minister of Finance has offered to go above and beyond what the commissioner originally asked him to do, because we know how important it is to have the respect and trust of voters. We are going to keep working with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and with all commissioners here in Parliament to make sure that we respect and defend the institutions of this House.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once said, “Canadians asked for open and honest government; instead they have been saddled with secrecy, cynicism and rampant ethical scandals.” He was talking about the Duffy scandal, but I understand your confusion, Mr. Speaker, because he could have said the exact same thing about his own government.When exactly does the Prime Minister think his sunny ways are going to clean up the government's secrecy, cynicism, and scandals?

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that Canadians do not believe Conservatives when they come forward with these sorts of things. It is the Conservative government that cut health benefits for refugees. The Conservatives are the ones who shuttered nine veteran services offices. That was one of the things Canadians asked us to fix, that we restore those benefits and that we demonstrate the kind of compassion Canadians expect of their government, which they went without for 10 years. That is exactly what we are focusing on doing. We are ensuring that all Canadians who have access to these credits and benefits get access to them.

Mr. Speaker, why has Morneau Shepell been asking for legislation to enable targeted benefit pension plans for years? Because these plans are good for its clients and the employers, but not so good for the employees. Tabling a bill that places the burden of risk and accountability on pensioners is not working for the middle class; it is working for corporate interests. Will the Prime Minister stop spewing talking points about the middle class and really help them by withdrawing Bill C-27?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister indicated earlier that we are just throwing noise at him. Well, I speak on behalf of the parents of those 25,630 children and they want to know exactly what is going on with the finance minister breaking the law. The finance minister's mandate letter from the Prime Minister said, “I expect you to embody these values in your work and observe the highest ethical standards in everything you do.” It is kind of like what we as parents teach our children, but here is the difference. When did the Prime Minister know that the minister broke the law and was not abiding by the—

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I am demonstrating that we respect, work with, and follow the advice of the Ethics Commissioner. However, I know the member for Barrie—Innisfil wants to know how kids in his riding are doing. There are 19,730 children in his riding who are doing better because of the Canada child benefit. This is an average monthly cheque to families of $540. This money is being delivered to those families. The Conservatives gave cheques to everyone. We are giving them to those who need it the most.

Mr. Speaker, we know the world is changing in a rapid way. It is important Canadians not just be part of it but help shape the way the world is going to change in a way that respects people's rights and freedoms and privacy. We need to ensure the right balance between innovation, economic growth, and opportunities are matched with the defence of our charter rights and the inherent rights of Canadians.That is why we are so excited about the fact the world is looking to Canada as a place to innovate, and to build the cities of the future in ways that benefit all of our citizens, not just the wealthiest 1%.

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to do just that. In 2013, the Liberal Party brought openness and proactive disclosure to Parliament. I must admit that it was surprising when the Conservatives immediately got on board and the New Democrats were the ones who were not interested in proactive disclosure. Given the situation with the satellite offices, we now see why, and we understand their approach to ethics.

Mr. Speaker, I believe in sunny ways. I believe in staying focused on Canadians, and that is exactly what we are doing. I believe that sunshine is the best disinfectant. Openness and transparency is what Canadians expect. That is what we will always stand for.I respect the member opposite tremendously for his responsibility to ask difficult questions, and to press the government on it. I am going to stay focused on doing the right things the right way, and ensuring our team is doing that, and always respecting the Ethics Commissioner for the work she does to ensure we all follow the rules.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance tried to give the opposition a lecture yesterday, but it did not go well for him.Did he also lecture his Prime Minister? Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians why it is okay for the minister to control personal assets in a family company, when he is also responsible for passing laws that affect this company?

Mr. Speaker, we in the Liberal Party and this government have always believed that sunshine is the best disinfectant. That is why we have moved forward on openness and transparency in ways that, yes, perhaps open us to a few more attacks from the members opposite, but ultimately create the confidence that Canadians must have in their democratic institutions—

Mr. Speaker, as I already said many times, the Minister of Finance has worked with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that he is always in full compliance; he has even gone beyond what the commissioner originally asked of him. If the member opposite would like to talk numbers, I have numbers for him. Fully 20,060 children in Richmond—Arthabaska received on average $580 per family thanks to the Canada child benefit. That is what the finance minister brought in. We are making a difference for them and for everyone.

Mr. Speaker, as I have done a couple of times, I think it is important, particularly today when so many young people are in this House watching the workings of our Parliament, to explain that it is perfectly normal and even important for the opposition to be asking difficult questions of a government. That is at the core of what we have as a government.However, it is also, because of the nature of those attacks, important to have independent commissioners in whom we can all have confidence to ensure that the rules are followed in the appropriate manner. That is what we are always doing. What is coming from the opposition is noise.

Mr. Speaker, the NDP and the unions have sounded the alarm regarding Bill C-27, a bill that puts the Liberals' rich corporate friends first, ahead of our workers and pensioners.The risk associated with pensions is going to shift from employers to employees. Today my colleague is going to move a motion calling for the withdrawal of that bill, which is the right thing to do.The Prime Minister is fond of saying that he is working for the middle class.Will he do right by our workers and pensioners and withdraw Bill C-27?

Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward to the day when the Prime Minister learns to answer simple questions. The Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner confirmed that the Minister of Finance broke the law. She even confirmed that the penalty for the offence had been paid, proving that the Prime Minister was already aware of the commissioner's decision yesterday.The Prime Minister can do whatever he wants in an attempt to deny the facts, but his efforts will change absolutely nothing: his minister broke the law.Is the Prime Minister telling us that his Minister of Finance is above the law? Would he like to say that directly to Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the Ethics Commissioner can only do her job if the government ministers actually provide her accurate information. We know that that did not happen, because the Minister of Finance was fined for breaking the law.Yesterday he said that the problem is that other people just do not understand how it works. We know how it is supposed to work. Finance ministers should not be able to have direct control over assets that they own while they regulate and legislate in those very areas that their companies operate in.I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister. When was he made aware that the finance minister still owned shares in Morneau Shepell?

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about what we are doing for the middle class, for workers, and for our pensioners.We reversed the previous Conservative government's decision to increase the retirement age from 65 to 67. We are currently giving almost $1,000 more a year to our most vulnerable seniors, and we have made major improvements to the Canada pension plan for the first time in generations, because we know that investing in our workers' retirement funds is important for the future.

Mr. Speaker, we have the utmost respect for the commissioner, but here is the thing: she cannot block those loopholes. The government could, and chooses to block efforts to do so.The Prime Minister might think otherwise, but Canadians' trust has been betrayed by the finance minister's ethical failings. Someone once said, “The Prime Minister has to show leadership and take responsibility for the actions of the people he chose.” Who said that, one might ask? It was this very Prime Minister during the Duffy scandal. Clearly, the Prime Minister does not understand what a conflict of interest is. Does he also need help understanding leadership and responsibility?

Mr. Speaker, just a week ago, we announced that we were going to be increasing the working income tax benefit by about $750 million in 2019. That is going to put more money in the pockets of hard-working Canadians and make a huge impact in the economic growth and opportunities that hard-working Canadians have. We are always looking for ways to continue to help workers and their families and prepare them for their retirement. That is what we are going to continue to do. This government is focused on the middle class and those working hard to join it.

Mr. Speaker, maybe he can answer this question since he did not answer the others.How can the Prime Minister say his government is working for the middle class when it has put forward a bill with the sole intent of shifting the risk of pension plans from the employer to the employee? That is not working for the middle class; that is working for the wealthy and well-connected. The fact that the Prime Minister is still considering going forward with this bill, which would have huge impacts on middle-class workers, proves that he is completely disconnected from the middle class.I have a simple question. Will he do what is right and withdraw Bill C-27?

Mr. Speaker, last week, our government tabled Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 2.Budget 2017 is the next step in our government's ambitious plan to make smart investments that will create jobs, grow our economy, and provide more opportunities for the middle class in my riding of Vaughan—Woodbridge and across Canada. Could the Prime Minister tell the House what we are doing to put the middle class first?

Mr. Speaker, we are very worried about the creation of a high-tech neighbourhood in Toronto.This data centre will house a lot of personal information about Canadians, and we are very worried about this data collection.In similar cases in the U.S., stored data is governed by the Patriot Act. However, what guarantees do we have that this information will be kept confidential here in Canada, in Toronto?Who will make sure that the personal information of Canadians remains confidential, and where will this data be stored?

Mr. Speaker, what is truly amazing is he can say all of that with a straight face. We did some quick research as to how many Canadians in the riding of Toronto Centre benefited from the introduction of Bill C-27. We found one. It was the finance minister. He gained $2 million in four days. It is remarkable.The Prime Minister says he respects Parliament so much that he looks at serious ethical violations and calls them noise. He is worried about the young people so much that he just spent an hour not answering a single direct question from the opposition. Will he end all of this, and this is the only way to do it, will he end his attack—

Mr. Speaker, this government takes the responsibility of protecting Canadians' privacy and personal information very seriously.That is why we are working hard to improve and modernize our systems to show that Canadians control the information of Canadians. We know that it is important on this planet, in the era of globalization, to make sure our information is safe. That is why we are working hard on this.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is sending child care benefits to one millionaire: himself. Earlier today, he said that sunshine is the greatest disinfectant, yet the finance minister's myriad numbered companies are shrouded in darkness. We do not know what other conflicts he has hidden among the assets in those numbered companies. Therefore, will the Prime Minister agree to tell the finance minister to throw open the shutters and let in the sunshine so we can see what is inside those companies?

Mr. Speaker, with regard to our seniors, it is this Minister of Finance who negotiated a historic strengthening of the Canada pension plan within his first months of being in office. This is a minister who increased the guaranteed income supplement for our most vulnerable seniors by close to $1,000. This is the minister who ensured the retirement age would decrease from 67 to 65 for all Canadians, because that was the right thing to do.We have been focused on supporting our seniors and pensioners, and on this side of the aisle we always will.

Mr. Speaker, once again, we understand that the opposition has to ask difficult questions and even level baseless accusations to do its job and keep the government on its toes. That is important. That is how our democratic system works. However, we must also remember that we have commissioners like the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that everyone is following the rules and that respect for our institutions and their rules transcends the kind of partisanship we are seeing from the opposition. We will continue to demonstrate our faith in the commissioner and the fact that Canadians deserve to have faith in us.

Mr. Speaker, that is why the GDP has shrunk and the deficit has increased I am sure—sorry, the other way around.The Prime Minister has also said that we rely on the excellent work of the Ethics Commissioner, but the reality is that the buck stops with him with all his cabinet ministers. Day after day, the Prime Minister has been standing up and saying that nothing has been done wrong. Today the Ethics Commissioner said that the Minister of Finance broke the law.Why is the Prime Minister continuing to stand up and cover for his minister?

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite wants to talk about numbers, and I know he is wondering just how many young people in Carleton have been receiving the Canada child benefit. I can tell him that 16,200 kids in his riding have been receiving an average of $430 per family a month to help with the high cost of raising families, of buying new clothes, and after-school activities. These are the things that are making a difference for families in his riding, that we have increased because, unlike the former government, we do not—

On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to supporting our most vulnerable citizens. That is why we are moving forward with a national disability act that will remove barriers through access and success for all Canadians who live with disabilities.On top of that, with regard to mental health, I can tell the hon. member that we are delivering record numbers of support and tax breaks through the disability tax credit to sufferers of mental health, more last year than any previous year. We are continuing to focus on supporting the most vulnerable. That is what Canadians expect of this government.

Mr. Speaker, recently, the Prime Minister was in Toronto with Google to announce the construction of a high-tech neighbourhood. The Google experiment will use data gained from cameras, smart phone apps, and sensors to design and maintain the project. However, Canadians are concerned and want to know who owns the data, and what will be done with it. What guarantees will the Prime Minister give that the privacy of Canadians will be protected?

Mr. Speaker, it is hard to believe but, just four years ago, this Prime Minister did not hesitate to criticize the Conservative government for its ethical lapses, particularly in the case of the Senate expense scandal.We know that the Liberals like using the hashtags #realchange and #raisethebar, but we are less certain about whether they really believe in those things.Will the Prime Minister do the right thing and really raise the bar on accountability?

Mr. Speaker, this government has always chosen to raise the bar on openness and transparency, and has continually worked with and respected the commissioners, whether they be the Ethics Commissioner, the Information Commissioner, or the Privacy Commissioner. That is part of what Canadians asked us to do when they chose us as government two years ago, after 10 years of a government that had completely disrespected the institutions that protect our democracy. That is what we continue to focus on while we focus on the concerns and the issues that matter to Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has gone so far as to suggest that somehow it would be disrespectful to the Ethics Commissioner if the finance minister were to tell us what he is hiding in his numbered companies. I wonder if the Prime Minister can tell us, did the Ethics Commissioner ban the finance minister from sharing with Canadians what assets he holds in those numbered companies?

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of a government that paid no attention to its rules, chose secrecy, obfuscation, and partisan advantage over just about everything else, Canadians are relieved to have a government that takes transparency, accountability, and openness as seriously as we do. We will continue to follow the rules. We will continue to demonstrate that Canadians were right to place their trust in us. We will continue to demonstrate we are worthy, day in and day out, of the trust Canadians placed in us.

Mr. Speaker, I know that those parents in Milton, like other parents across the country, will be pleased to know that there is an Ethics Commissioner who takes her job seriously and ensures that the rules are followed, just as they are being followed by all of us in this House. Those parents also know that since the government changed, since our government has been in place, they have been receiving larger benefit cheques every month tax free, because the Conservatives chose to send those child benefit cheques to millionaire families and we send them to the people who actually need them. The economic growth we have seen in this country—

Mr. Speaker, for three weeks now the Prime Minister has been telling us that his Minister of Finance is not in a conflict of interest. Just yesterday, he even repeated it several times throughout question period. Now that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has sanctioned his finance minister for conflict of interest, the conclusion is clear: we know that the Prime Minister was aware of it. I have a simple question. At what point did the Prime Minister know that his finance minister was in a direct conflict of interest and was breaking the law?

Mr. Speaker, the public service pay problems are totally unacceptable. A report by Goss Gilroy Inc. confirms that the government underestimated the project's complexity in the planning and initial preparation stages.Our priority stays the same, namely ensuring that public servants are paid on time and accurately. Our government-wide efforts focus on four areas: governance and oversight, process improvement, capacity, and partnerships. We will continue to work very hard—

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of what we have accomplished for our workers and pensioners. To support our workers, we lowered taxes for the middle class and raised them for the wealthiest 1%. We are currently cutting taxes for small businesses so that they can hire more workers.We are also working to support our pensioners. We increased the guaranteed income supplement for our most vulnerable seniors by close to $1,000 a year and we enhanced the Canada pension plan, because we know that providing pensions to present generations is crucial. That is what we will continue to do.

Mr. Speaker, the head honcho at Morneau Shepell told investors in 2013 that legislation was required to open up that lucrative Canadian market to attack defined pensions. As minister, he gave them Bill C-27 and, voila, stocks in Morneau Shepell went through the roof. He made “gazoodles” of money, and now he has been found guilty of what, a $200 fine? The Prime Minister calls that raising the bar. That is more like an open bar for Morneau Shepell. Meanwhile, Canadian pensioners remain at the mercy of that privatized pension king of Bay Street. Will the Prime Minister withdraw Bill C-27 and put his minister in his place?

Mr. Speaker, the Financial Post reports, “Sufferers of autism, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other mental health issues are the latest victims of a clampdown on access to the disability tax credit”. Families I met with told me how the Liberals had taken thousands of dollars from RDSPs used for saving for their disabled children's future. Could the Prime Minister please explain to Canadians exactly how shaking down our most vulnerable citizens is a fair and balanced approach on taxes?

Mr. Speaker, the members opposite have had a difficult time with this concept. For 10 years, the member opposite was part of the most secretive, opaque, untrusting, and untrustworthy government Canada has ever seen. The level of openness and transparency we have shown, the level of respect we have offered the commissioners of parliament, the Elections Canada commissioner, and justices of the Supreme Court that the previous government never showed is partly why Canadians have trusted us to deliver the kind of growth that 10 years of Conservatives never could.

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to ensuring that all Canadians have access to the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. We have made it easier to access services with the support of the disability tax credit. It is important to note that the approval rate for this tax credit in relation to mental health was actually at an all-time high for 2016 and 2017. We are investing $5 billion to ensure mental health supports for over 500,000 Canadians under the age of 25.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased the member for Barrie—Innisfil brought up the young people in this place today. It is important for them to know that despite the back and forth that gets quite robust sometimes, particularly on Wednesdays, we do have a system that ensures that beyond partisanship, everyone in this place follows the rules. If mistakes are made, there are consequences for it. We have a commissioner in place to defend the institutions of Parliament and democracy. Unfortunately, for 10 years, the members opposite spent their time attacking those folks who were defending our democracy.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are moving heaven and earth to try to find more money to pay for their out-of-control deficits.The victims are many: farmers, employee discounts, small businesses, and so on. They stop only when they are caught red-handed. Now they are picking the winners and losers. They are determining who deserves support. Shayne, a diabetic from Alberta, is very upset. He says that he is no longer considered disabled by the government, but nothing in his life has changed. It makes no sense.Instead of letting the Minister of National Revenue play doctor, when will the Prime Minister give Shayne his tax credit back?

The rules were not followed, Mr. Speaker; they were broken.The Prime Minister's letter told the minister he had an obligation “that is not fully discharged by simply acting within the law”. Also, he must live up to the “highest standards of honesty and impartiality”. Now we know the minister broke the law. Where I come from in Barrie—Innisfil, one is either accountable or one justifies. How can the Prime Minister keep making excuses for the Minister of Finance?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the workers at Donnacona Institution were protesting simply to ask us to pay them. This government set itself the goal of fixing the problems with Phoenix by October 31, 2016. One year later, nothing has been fixed. One employee has suddenly been forced to live on $300 because the government chose to recover overpayments, although it is still not paying her properly. We are in 2017. Why has the Prime Minister not found a solution to properly pay the honest workers who serve the government? When is our Prime Minister's new deadline?

Mr. Speaker, once again, we recognize that opposition members have an obligation to try to make personal attacks on government members, but in our democratic system, our parliamentary system, we have commissioners who are responsible for ensuring that rules are followed and to fix any issues that come up.Canadians have confidence in this system and all parliamentarians can have confidence in it. This is how our political system operates.

Mr. Speaker, from the beginning of this government's mandate, we have focused on helping the middle class in concrete ways, whether it was lowering taxes for the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest 1% or delivering the Canada child benefit, which helps families directly, including in North Island—Powell River where 14,350 young people will be receiving larger cheques every month. It will help with the high cost of raising families. This is a $600 cheque, on average, to families every month, and it is making a real difference for the folks in the member's riding.

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, day after day I stand up and defend the Ethics Commissioner and talk about the fact that everyone in the House works with her and respects the work and the advice she gives. That is one of the foundations of the functioning of this place. Despite the back and forth we have, we do have someone independent of partisanship who actually ensures the rules are followed. When mistakes are made, they are rectified. That is the role of the Ethics Commissioner and that is exactly what I have been standing up, time and time again, and trying to explain to the members opposite.

Mr. Speaker, there we have it. Rather than raising the bar on the ethics of Liberal cabinet ministers, as the Prime Minister mandated in his letters, the Minister of Finance, with the Prime Minister's help, has lowered it. The Ethics Commissioner has now confirmed that the finance minister broke the law and was fined. The minister has broken the law and the Prime Minister turns a blind eye to it.Since there are so many young people here today, I would like to ask the Prime Minister one simple question. Is breaking the law now the new normal for the Prime Minister of Canada and his cabinet ministers?

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is right: this House should not be about any individual one of us, but about the impact we have on Canadians. Let me talk about Canadians. Let me talk about young people in Milton. Let me talk about the 25,630 children in Milton who are receiving an average of $520 per family because of the Canada child benefit. We gave them that benefit because, unlike the Conservatives, we believe in helping those who need it.

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.While touring my riding, many constituents expressed concerns about Nunavut's low standard of living. Currently, we are heavily dependent on federal transfers. However, access to own-source revenues would go a long way in improving this standard. The recent moratorium on oil and gas, although beneficial for the Arctic environment, also removes this potential own-source revenue.How will the Prime Minister work with the new territorial government to improve our standard of living, and achieve a stable and self-sustaining economy in Nunavut?

Mr. Speaker, we continue to demonstrate the openness and transparency that Canadians asked for two years ago. We will continue to have an open government that is directly accountable to Canadians. As I do every Wednesday, I will answer all of the questions I am asked.We have often shown how well we understand that a government must maintain the confidence of Canadians in order to function properly.

Mr. Speaker, we believe in real collaboration to support families, to build sustainable communities, and to create robust economies. We are committed to working with the newly elected officials of Nunavut on a new Arctic policy framework which will replace the outdated northern strategy.We will continue to support the people of Nunavut in their decision-making over resource development and conservation that affects their communities, culture, and well-being. We are putting northerners in the driver's seat to drive their economy now and into the future.

Mr. Speaker, again, the members of this House of Commons rely on the excellent work done by the commissioner to ensure that all the rules are followed and that all the safeguards are in place to uphold the highest level of trust that Canadians have given to each of the 338 members who sit in this House.The personal and nasty attacks by the members opposite to try to lower Canadians' confidence in our institutions is, quite frankly, what they rejected after 10 years of that.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that during the Senate expense scandal in 2013 the current Prime Minister tweeted, “Conservative ethics abuses have shaken Canadians' faith in Parliament. It's time to #raisethebar on accountability”. After the cash for access scandal, the investigation into the Prime Minister's vacation on the Aga Khan's private island, and the scandal involving his finance minister and Bill C-27, does the Prime Minister still believe that he did “#raisethebar” on accountability?

Mr. Speaker, I noticed that one of the talking points the Prime Minister is using today is “we believe in helping those who need it”. I am just wondering if he could clarify, when he said that, if he meant helping the Minister of Finance, who holds stocks in a company that saw a share price increase after he introduced Bill C-27.

Mr. Speaker, our oceans are central to our Canadian heritage and identity. With the longest coastline in the world and bordering three oceans, Canada is truly a maritime nation. However, our oceans are under threat from climate change, overfishing, and pollution. This is why we promised Canadians in the last election to protect 5% of our oceans by the end of this year and 10% by 2020. Could the Prime Minister update the House on the status of this commitment?

Mr. Speaker, unlike the member opposite, our party ran on a platform of investing in our communities, of putting forward record amounts of infrastructure investments—

Canada is our home.

Mr. Speaker, we have become accustomed in this House to Liberal ministers violating the written and unwritten laws and rules of the House. In every case, after obfuscation and stonewalling, there is an admission of wrongdoing, with various excuses and justifications.We have photographic evidence that the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities improperly used parliamentary resources, campaigning for his dad in a recent Calgary election. Does the Prime Minister support what the minister did, or does the Prime Minister think the minister should follow the rules?

Mr. Speaker, it is customary under the Standing Orders for members to table in the House of Commons documents they have made reference to during debate or question period. Earlier on, I explained that the requirement to receive the disability tax credit was for someone to require 14 hours a week of life-sustaining therapy and that the minister had denied people whose doctors had certified that they had met that.I have in my hand a letter in which she actually writes that people suffering from diabetes are not eligible to meet that requirement, even when their doctors have certified that they are. I know that the Prime Minister will want to read this—

Mr. Speaker, we chose to invest in our communities, to invest in infrastructure, bridges, roads, public transit systems, and wastewater systems that our municipalities and provinces needed, that our citizens needed. We are going to continue to do that. We are going to continue to do that in the right way to benefit the growing of the economy, and support the middle class and those working hard to join it.

Mr. Speaker, I want to the thank the member for Cloverdale—Langley City for his hard work.In 2015, we promised to protect 5% of Canada's oceans by 2017, and we have delivered: 5.22% or our marine and coastal areas are now protected, up from less than 1% two years ago. These protections are based on sound science, extensive consultation, and transparent decision-making. We will continue to work toward our goal of protecting 10% of our marine and coastal areas by 2020, and we will all work together to protect our oceans for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, the previous government delivered Canada child benefits that went to every family across the country, including the wealthiest families. We did not think that was fair, and we got a lot of grief from the Conservatives who disagreed with us on that. We think doing more for the families that need it and less for the families that do not is a way of growing the economy. It worked. The Canada child benefit, lowering taxes for the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest 1%, and now lowering small business taxes and increasing the WITB work.

Mr. Speaker, we rely on the Ethics Commissioner to do her job. She relies on ministers of the crown to be honest and open with what they hold in assets. That is something this finance minister has failed to do.Again, to the Prime Minister, on what date was he made aware that the finance minister failed to disclose his corporation in France?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister keeps claiming the Minister of Finance was not in a conflict of interest. We now know that assertion is not true. However, questions still remain regarding Bill C-27, a bill that could directly benefit the finance minister's family business.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether the Minister of Finance met with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner before tabling Bill C-27 in the House?

Mr. Speaker, it is unimaginable that any government could be so heartless as to take away from people suffering with diabetes the benefits they have just to save a few bucks. However, now we are hearing reports that the Liberals are also targeting Canadians with mental health illnesses and autism to help pay for their out-of-control spending. Enough is enough. When will the Prime Minister stop treating Canada's most vulnerable as if they are tax cheats?

Mr. Speaker, in late 2015, the president and CEO of Morneau Shepell said the company viewed transferring pension risk from employers to employees as one of its biggest business opportunities.By a strange coincidence, Bill C-27, a bill designed to do just that, was tabled a few months later by the Minister of Finance.If the Prime Minister loves the middle class so much, why did he let his finance minister table a bill that attacks workers' pensions in order to line his cronies' pockets?

Mr. Speaker, the only people in this House right now who do not respect the work of the Ethics Commissioner are the ministers of the crown and the Minister of Finance who failed to disclose, who hid his corporation in France, and who has now been fined for breaking the law.He has failed to be open about his many assets. He has failed to answer simple questions about what he owns, and why he structured it in the way he has. We are still going to ask a very simple question. Can the Prime Minister tell us if the Ethics Commissioner has been informed of the finance minister's recusals from the two meetings he claims he recused himself from?

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask for unanimous consent for the following motion: That notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, the order for second reading and reference to the Standing Committee on Finance of Bill C-27, an act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985, be discharged and the bill withdrawn from the Order Paper.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just introduced their budget bill, which joins Canada to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The government is going to transfer up to half a billion dollars into this bank for infrastructure outside of Canada, while at the same time the PBO reports the government is behind on infrastructure spending within Canada. Why is the government spending money on infrastructure projects halfway across the world when it is behind on fixing our worn out bridges, roads, and highways right here at home?

Mr. Speaker, eligibility for the disability tax credit for diabetics depends on whether they require 14 hours of life-sustaining therapy per week, according to section 118 of the Income Tax Act. A doctor certifies whether they meet that requirement. However, the Prime Minister's revenue minister wrote a letter, in which she said that it was unlikely for diabetics to reach that requirement. She is overriding the decision of doctors.Will he tell her to stop interfering politically and cancel this tax increase on our most vulnerable Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, ironically, I think this is the only time that the Prime Minister is not trying to make something about himself.For two years, the finance minister led Canadians to believe that his assets were in a blind trust, and that was untrue. For two years, the finance minister has led the House to believe that he complied with the rules of the Ethics Commissioner. That was also untrue. The minister has been fined. The minister broke the law. Is this the higher standard that the Prime Minister says he is holding his ministers to? When will the Prime Minister tell us when he knew that the minister had broken the law?

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to take very seriously the trust that Canadians placed in us by remaining open, transparent, and accountable to the opposition and to Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, once again, we hear, from these Conservatives, thinly veiled attacks on the quality of work done by the Ethics Commissioner, which, quite frankly, is no surprise.For 10 years, those members were part of a government that attacked the elections commissioner, that attacked Supreme Court justices, that attacked information commissioners, privacy commissioners, that attacked a parliamentary budget officer, that attacked anyone who got in their way of ramming through their views of things.We respect Parliament.