Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, is it also our fault that Stephen Bronfman fundraises for the Liberals? This is yet another instance of Liberal hypocrisy. The Liberals see nothing wrong with raising taxes on people with disabilities. They think it is fair game to tax employee discounts. They go after farmers and small business owners, claiming they are tax cheats who are not paying their fair share.However, the Prime Minister is willing to let anything slide if it will protect his millionaire friends, like Stephen Bronfman.When will the Prime Minister put an end to this fiscal hypocrisy?
Mr. Speaker, high-tax hypocrisy is not a new sport for these Liberals. It has been perfected over the generations. While Paul Martin was the finance minister, he put foreign flags on his ships to avoid the very taxes he was imposing on everyone else. Now the paradise papers expose that his family business has moved its assets into zero-tax Bermuda, and he is advising the Prime Minister as part of the Liberal economic team. Now that he has been exposed once again for avoiding paying his fair share, will the finance minister fire Paul Martin from his economic team?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is making Canadians pay more and more taxes to cover his reckless spending. Meanwhile, Liberal Party cronies are putting money in tax havens and weaseling out of their tax obligations here at home. Unlike middle-class families, they are not paying their fair share. Why are the Liberals going after people with disabilities, people with diabetes, people with mental health issues, and people with autism? Why are they treating them like tax cheats instead of going after Liberal Party friends who are hiding money in tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his finance minister are on the hunt for Canadians to tax. If someone owns a small business, they will tax it. If someone is suffering from diabetes, they will tax that individual. If someone is dealing with autism or mental health issues, they will tax that person. However, if someone is a billionaire close friend of the Prime Minister, he or she can avoid paying taxes with impunity.When will the Prime Minister stop treating hard-working Canadians like tax cheats and go after his own crew?
Mr. Speaker, nobody is above the law, but the law is the problem.We now know that the Liberal Party fundraising chair, Stephen Bronfman, put money in tax havens. He claims that he always acted properly...including fully complying with all applicable laws. That is exactly the problem. That excuse sounds awfully familiar to me, actually. Oh right, it is the stock reply we hear from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance whenever a scandal crops up.Will the Liberals stop thumbing their noses at everyone and actually do something to fight tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, I am going to use some numbers, so that the government understands the hypocrisy of what it is talking about. As I said, a Liberal bagman stashed $60 million away in a tax-free account in the Cayman Islands. Let us pretend that this $60 million was put into a passive investment account by a small business person here in Canada. That would be a tax bill of $43 million. Why is the Prime Minister allowing his friends to get off on a tax bill of $43 million?
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister claims that he is making the wealthiest 1% pay, he is paying his Christmas holiday with taxpayers' money, off-loading the deficit to the middle class, and attacking job creators across the country. He is being hypocritical to the point of turning a blind eye to the paradise papers scandal. I almost slipped and talked about the sponsorship scandal.To be clear, letting one's close friends put money into tax havens and not pay any taxes, is that the Liberals' plan to make the wealthy pay?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to know what the Minister of Finance has been hiding from them over the past two years. They know he hid his stocks in Morneau Shepell. They know he hid his ownership in a French corporation, an act for which he was found guilty by the Ethics Commissioner. Over the last two years, he has not disclosed what he has owned in his various numbered companies. I have a simple question. He may have disclosed yesterday, but the previous two years he has not disclosed to Canadians what is in his numbered companies. What is he hiding?
Mr. Speaker, it is very typical of the Minister of Finance, playing games with words and semantics. However, the spirit of disclosing his assets, by which he was found guilty by the Ethics Commissioner, he is absolutely guilty of and he does not have the decency to admit it to Canadians. This is why they do not trust him.I have a very simple question. If the Minister of Finance had nothing to hide over the last two years when he was regulating industries that he may have owned shares in, why does he not tell Canadians what he owned in the last two years in his numbered companies? No semantics.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The hypocrisy of the members across the aisle is stunning. Former minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn admitted in an interview
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they are going after tax havens, but that is hypocritical.For the past 30 years, nobody has done more to facilitate tax evasion than Canada. The loopholes that the Liberals claim to be tackling now were created by Ottawa in the first place. Tax evasion is actually legal. When the Bloc Québécois exposed these loopholes, all of the Liberals voted against our bill.Why does the government hide when we ask it to change the law? Is it trying to protect its Liberal bagmen?
Mr. Speaker, during the first quarter of this year, opioids killed over 900 Canadians. The government needs to help. The Liberals gave only $10 million to fight the opioid crisis but has no problem giving $500 million to the Asian infrastructure bank.Why is the government sending $500 million to foreign billionaires, when we have Canadians dying in our streets by the hundreds? Canada is our home.
Mr. Speaker, tax cheats must be subject to fines and prison sentences. We are fed up with the government's rhetoric. Ordinary Canadians are the ones who are suffering because the wealthy are using tax havens to avoid paying taxes.The money that Stephen Bronfman has hidden away in the Cayman Islands is not being used to help our hospitals and schools. It is staying in his pocket, with this government's blessing. Our taxes are paying for the roads that these tax cheats are driving around on in their big limousines.When will this government stop thumbing its nose at Canadians and put an end to the use of tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister put in an unconvincing performance yesterday.The Liberals love picking on local businesses, middle-class families, and even the sick. However, when the Minister of Finance and the Liberal bagman try to hide their assets or avoid paying taxes, all we get from the Prime Minister is radio silence.How long has the Prime Minister known that his chief fundraiser stashes money in tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that the member opposite has given us an opportunity to talk about some of the things our government is doing to address the opioid crisis. For example, our government has provided $10 million in urgent support to our provincial partners in British Columbia and $6 million to the Province of Alberta to assist with its response. That is in addition to $22.7 million ongoing of the $100-million commitment in budget 2017 to support national measures associated with the Canadian drugs and substances strategy to respond to this terrible health crisis.
Mr. Speaker, over 235,000 people are without a home in our country. In Canada, housing should be a right. Liberals like to talk about the right to housing but are unwilling to enshrine it in law. Maybe this explains why not a single Liberal spoke on my bill, Bill C-325, during its second hour of debate.Are the Liberals keeping silent because they are just too ashamed to speak against the human right to housing?
Mr. Speaker, I was just about to mention the minister's department. Today, we learned that the Canada Revenue Agency is deliberately failing to disclose how much money is lost to tax evasion each year. However, yesterday, the Minister of National Revenue assured us that everything was under control.Rather than just talking nonsense, will the Prime Minister give a clear answer for once and tell us how long he has known that his friend, the Liberal Party's bagman, has been using tax havens to avoid paying taxes?
Mr. Speaker, the revenue minister keeps telling us she is so proud that her tax collectors are targeting Canadians. Her tax collectors are systematically raising taxes on type 1 diabetics, Canadians with mental health issues, and autism. Her tax collectors are so busy targeting the most vulnerable, they seem to have forgotten about the Prime Minister's wealthy friends. When will the minister finally tell her tax collectors to lay off sick and vulnerable Canadians and focus on real tax cheats?
Mr. Speaker, we all wondered how the Liberals were going to try to change the channel from the Morneau Shepell fiasco. Who knew they would be using a massive tax haven scandal to get our minds off their massive ethics scandal. To make matters worse, the Liberals have been hiding how much money is lost to these tax havens. For years they fought against the release of the so-called tax gap in Canada. Just like Bill C-58, their no access to information bill, the Liberals deny basic information that is owed to Canadians.Therefore, I have a very simple question. Will the government finally tell Canadians how much money its millionaire and billionaire friends actually owe this country?
Mr. Speaker, it is clear the government has a problem knowing who is in charge of this one.What we are asking is that the Liberals make a commitment today to a just apology for the past injustices to the LGBTQ community. That means an apology by the Prime Minister in the House and one that includes redress measures. Those who were kicked out of the Canadian Forces still have dishonourable discharges on their records. Those who were convicted because of who they love still have criminal records for things that are no longer illegal, and this continues to limit their ability to volunteer, travel, and work.Will the Liberal government commit today to a just apology for my community, to righting past wrongs and not just expressing regret?
Mr. Speaker, former minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, admitted in an interview that tax evasion was not a priority for the Conservative government. That is why we need no lessons from the party that works every day to secure special privileges for the wealthy. Canadians expect to have a fair and equitable tax system.
Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers are in Ottawa today and many of them are concerned. They have a right to be concerned because even though the Liberals campaigned on being inclusive and different and transparent, they continue to negotiate the TPP in the dark, just like the Conservatives. Dairy farmers and Canadians believed this deal was dead, but we have learned an agreement could be reached this week. This agreement will contain a breach in supply management, and the new NAFTA could do exactly the same thing.How much market access will the government allow in our supply-managed sectors?
Mr. Speaker, I find it rather odd to hear Conservative members say that we are not working on closing tax loopholes when for 10 years their government did nothing about tax evasion. A former national revenue minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even said so publicly.I find the hypocrisy of my colleagues across the way to be quite something. We have no lessons to learn from the former government.
Mr. Speaker, tax evasion is a priority for our government.I would remind the Conservative party that we voted in favour of the Canada child benefit to lift children out of poverty. We lowered taxes for the middle class. We increased the guaranteed income supplement. We abolished the Harper reform that attacked employment insurance claimants and we invested in infrastructure. These are all things that we have undertaken and that the party across the way opposed. We are the government that works for the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, like the issues surrounding the Minister of Finance, it is funny that things only start to happen when the Liberals get caught.While looking out for his friends and insiders, the Prime Minister put a target on the pocketbooks of hard-working Canadians. He accuses local business owners of being tax cheats even while he is raising their taxes, and he turns a blind eye to the loopholes his friends enjoy using. It is almost as if there is one set of rules for the Prime Minister and his wealthy friends, and another set of rules for everybody else.Why is it that every time the Prime Minister makes changes, it always benefits those in the jet-set life, and it always makes life harder for those in the road-trip life?
Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite is the one who is talking nonsense. Our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance, and we are tackling this problem from all sides. In our first two budgets, we invested a historic amount of nearly $1 billion. Last year, the CRA imposed $44 million in penalties on proponents and tax advisers. We are continuing the work that we promised Canadians we would do during the election campaign.
Mr. Speaker, the punitive duties imposed by the U.S. commerce department are unfair and deeply troubling. Our forestry industry has never been found guilty in previous cases. We will challenge this decision before the courts and we will win, as we have done on every past occasion. We want a good agreement for Canada, not just any deal.
Mr. Speaker, despite promising not to do so in the last election, these Liberals took veterans back to court. Now we have learned that veterans are being forced to wait longer and longer to get the benefits they have earned.Today the Prime Minister is hurrying off to Asia to deliver on his priority: infrastructure handouts to the world's wealthy. Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs tell us why veterans are being shortchanged while the Prime Minister sends half a billion dollars to wealthy bankers in Asia?
Mr. Speaker, I repeat, after 10 years of inaction by the former government, the opposition member's hypocrisy is staggering. The OECD, of which Canada is a member, brought nations together to collaborate on the development of a new global standard for the automatic exchange of information. We fully adopted this standard. We have invested $1 billion, hired auditors, launched criminal investigations, and laid charges. We are taking action.
Mr. Speaker, I want my colleague opposite to know that the issue of tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance is a priority for the Canada Revenue Agency.Here is what I can tell him. For the last fiscal year alone, the CRA's work resulted in 37 convictions with sentences totalling over 50 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines imposed by the courts. That is on top of the $44 million in penalties that were imposed on tax advisers last year. We are getting the job done, and we are going to see this through to the end.
Mr. Speaker, the municipalities have yet to enjoy the benefits of this supposed flexibility.After receiving some generous donations from Asian proponents, the Liberal Party is going to invest $480 million in the Asian infrastructure bank. It is sad to see this government unwilling to give our infrastructure here in Canada the same attention.The Liberals are dangling tons of money before the municipalities, but some projects have been cancelled because of all of the unnecessary conditions being imposed.Instead of prancing around Asia and working against our taxpayers and our municipalities, will the Prime Minister be a true partner to our municipalities?
Mr. Speaker, instead of relying on meaningless stats, she should understand one thing. We are lawmakers. Instead of hiding behind the bogus excuse that it felt legal anyway, we can roll up our sleeves and do something about it. We can change the laws. We can especially change laws that allow the wealthy and the well connected to pay less tax than middle-class Canadians. The question is this. Will the government do that or will it block these efforts, as it has done for the past two years?
Mr. Speaker, during the last election, the Liberals made a specific commitment to support justice and reconciliation in Sri Lanka following terrible crimes committed at the end of the civil war and in light of ongoing human rights concerns for the Tamil community today. Instead of acting, the Liberals cancelled the office of religious freedom, undercutting existing initiatives to promote pluralism and human rights, and their new office has been completely absent on this. Why has the government failed to take any concrete action to implement its commitment with respect to human rights in Sri Lanka?
Mr. Speaker, if it were legal to rob a store, putting more police officers in front of the door would change absolutely nothing. The same logic applies to tax havens. We are being robbed, but it is legal. How great is that? The revenue minister's answers are basically spin. The government is not getting at the root of the problem. We need to review and renegotiate our tax agreements with a number of countries. Will the Liberals reconsider our agreements with tax havens? If they cannot say yes, that means they do not want to change anything.
Mr. Speaker, we know the excuse writers in the Prime Minister's Office are working overtime as new Liberal ethics and conflict issues accumulate. However, Canadians are still waiting for a few meaningful answers from the Minister of Finance.He was found guilty and fined by the Ethics Commissioner for hiding his French corporation for two years. He has effectively admitted guilt for hiding his shares in Morneau Shepell for two years. Now the minister still owns other numbered companies.What new conflicts might we find if the contents were revealed to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, instead of going after his own friend, the Prime Minister has decided to target Canadians with autism, mental health disabilities, and diabetes.Stephen Bronfman, the Prime Minister's close friend and chief Liberal bagman, is the poster boy for tax avoidance schemes.When will the Prime Minister stop targeting Canada's most vulnerable citizens and stop making excuses for tax avoiders like Mr. Bronfman?
Mr. Speaker, who would advise the Liberals to raise taxes on people suffering with diabetes while allowing multi-millionaire party fundraisers to shelter their money away in tax havens? Who would advise the Liberals to impose higher taxes on farmers while protecting Morneau Shepell? We know it is the finance minister whose family business has assets in Barbados, the former finance minister who we know now puts his assets in Bermuda, and of course the Liberal fundraiser, Mr. Bronfman.Why is it that, when the Liberals raise taxes, it only affects everyone but them?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians get the tax credits they are entitled to. Eligibility for that tax credit has not changed.It is important to recognize that far too many Canadians are living with challenges like these and need help. To help people who earn modest incomes keep more of their hard-earned dollars, we are enhancing the working income tax benefit to the tune of $500 million per year as of 2019. We are keeping the promises we made during the election campaign.
Mr. Speaker, you will find that during question period, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons seems to have inadvertently misled the House, since we know that eight out of 10 families in Canada are paying more in taxes. I am calling on the hon. member to withdraw her statement. I am seeking unanimous consent to table the Fraser Institute report that shows that Canadian families are paying more in taxes under the Liberals.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In our last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion to crack down on tax cheats. Our plan is yielding results. We have had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions. The Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate action. We will continue to work for a fair and equitable tax system for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.We have invested close to $1 billion over the past two years. We have targeted four jurisdictions per year and hired 100 auditors. Our plan is working. We have transferred 627 cases to criminal investigation, executed 268 search warrants, and obtained 78 convictions.Nobody has accomplished as much as our government has over the past two years. Certainly not the Bloc Québécois.
Mr. Speaker, I really cannot figure out what the Minister of National Revenue does not understand.While she drags her feet, the Liberal Party's cronies continue to take advantage of the system that she is keeping in place. The Liberal Party of Canada's bagman, for example, sheltered millions of dollars from taxes in the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands are a notorious tax haven with which Canada has signed a tax information exchange agreement. This agreement should have made the Canada Revenue Agency aware of the scheming Liberal cronies have been involved in.Why do we have agreements with tax havens such as the Cayman Islands if they let the Liberal clique dodge their tax obligations?
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to take this opportunity to say how important the right to decent housing is in Canada for everyone, and in particular for more vulnerable Canadians. We know how important housing is for life in communities and for life in a proper home to participate in the lives of everyone else around us.I have good news to announce in a very short time. I invite our colleague to listen very carefully.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister told us that the CRA would be looking into allegations of tax evasion, but he stopped short of confirming that this would be the case for Stephen Bronfman. This is the same CRA that is constantly under fire by tax experts for going hard against everyday Canadians, but for throwing back the big fish. This is the same CRA that forgave the clients who made millions from the KPMG scheme, and this is the same CRA that failed to act on the Panama papers.When will the minister stop defending the CRA and start standing up for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report to the House that I have and will continue to disclose all my assets to the Ethics Commissioner. What that does is allow us to get on with the work we want to do for Canadians.I am also pleased to report to the House that this work is having a real impact. We have now passed 500,000 new jobs in the country since we were elected. We have the lowest unemployment rate in a decade. Canadians are more confident than they have been in years, and it is showing up in the growth rate we are seeing across our country.Our plan is working, and we are going to continue the hard work on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, this is an issue that we take very seriously. We respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We know that more work needs to be done, and that is exactly why we will continue to engage with Canadians to ensure that we are delivering for them.This government knows that Canadians have a role in this place. We will engage with them. We will make sure we do it right.
Mr. Speaker, our government is working very hard to combat tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We have invested nearly $1 billion. We are seeing meaningful results, including warrants, criminal investigations, and even convictions.We are working on this file, unlike the Conservatives who, for 10 years and even according to one of their own former revenue ministers, did nothing. It was not even a priority for their government.
Mr. Speaker, while accusing local small business owners of being tax cheats, the Prime Minister has gone out of his way to protect the interests of his rich, well-connected Liberal friends.The paradise papers expose the Prime Minister's close friend and chief political fundraiser as having sheltered millions of dollars offshore. The Bronfmans are also known for being very effective at lobbying against closing offshore tax loopholes.When did the Prime Minister learn that his friend and chief fundraiser had these offshore holdings, and that his lawyers had lobbied so hard to protect these tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, to be or not to be, that is the question. In this tragic comedy entitled, The latest Liberal scandal, we wonder who has the lead role. Is it the Minister of Finance or the Prime Minister? We have not gotten any answers to simple questions for weeks. What exactly are they hiding? Why will they not answer? Are they rewriting a new chapter to the story, Gomery 2, or will they finally answer this simple question. What is the Minister of Finance hiding with his companies?
Mr. Speaker, last week, we learned that the U.S. commerce department has made its final decision regarding the duties that will be imposed on Canadian softwood lumber.Export duties of up to 21% will jeopardize 11,000 jobs in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean. The government knew that this decision was imminent, but the Liberals continue to slip up and have made little to no progress when it comes to protecting the softwood lumber industry.When will they take charge of the situation and save these jobs?
Mr. Speaker, unlike my colleague opposite, at least we have results to announce.Over the past two years, we have invested more than $1 billion and our plan is bearing fruit. Four jurisdictions are identified each year. More than 100 auditors have been hired and 627 cases have been transferred to criminal investigation. There have been 268 search warrants and 78 convictions. That is just for starters. We are continuing our work as we promised Canadians in the last campaign. We will continue with this work all through our mandate.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I wanted to provide a response to the question of privilege raised by the member for Thornhill on November 2, respecting the Prime Minister's response to an oral question on Tuesday, October 31. I submit that the matter is a dispute as to the facts, and therefore does not meet the criteria for finding a prima facie question of privilege. Page 86 of the House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition, sets out the criteria for establishing whether a member has deliberately misled the House. It states: it must be proven that the statement was misleading;...it must be established that the Member making the statement knew at the time that the statement was incorrect;...that in making the statement, the Member intended to mislead the House. I submit, these criteria have not been met. On October 31, 2017, in response to an oral question from the member for EdmontonStrathcona, the Prime Minister stated the following: ...two ministers had controlled assets held indirectly. The finance minister has announced that he is moving forward, going above and beyond what was originally asked. In the case of the other minister, those assets were divested 18 months ago. The Ethics Commissioner has confirmed that there is no difference of opinion on this issue between her and the Prime Minister. In fact, on November 2, 2017, the Ethics Commissioner released a statement that refutes the allegation that the commissioner is at odds with the statement made by the Prime Minister. I agree with the member for SkeenaBulkley Valley who intervened on this issue. Now the reasons she has as Ethics Commissioner to keep the number somewhat vague, as less than five but more than one, is something that is at her discretion. That is not for us to judge. Allegations of breach of privilege are often dismissed as disputes as to the facts. There are numerous precedents in support of this. Most recently, on May 5, 2016, the Speaker ruled: As members can appreciate, the threshold is very high, purposely so given the seriousness of the allegation and its potential consequences for members individually and collectively. From this, it stands to reason that a finding of a prima facie case of privilege is an exceedingly rare occurrence in cases with respect to disputed facts. I submit that the matter is a dispute as to the facts and therefore does not meet the conditions for a prima facie question of privilege.
Mr. Speaker, we promised Canadians that we would look into the tax gap, and that is exactly what we are doing. Unlike the previous government, which systematically refused to look at the tax gap, we have opted for an evidence-based approach. To date, the Canada Revenue Agency has proven its commitment to estimating the tax gap by producing three studies since June 2016. We are pursuing our efforts on this issue. That is what Canadians expect, and in the summer of 2018, we will be publishing a report on the international aspect of the tax gap.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In our first two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, allowing us to hire 100 auditors and achieve record results. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions.The work has only just started. We will see it through.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister took great pains this summer explaining that hard-working fishers, farmers, and small business owners were really not paying their fair share and were in fact tax cheats, all the while we had the Liberal bagman and the Prime Minister's close friends stashing $60 million away in the Cayman Islands tax scheme. My question is very simple. Why is the government so adamant to make life more difficult for honest tax-paying citizens and letting its friends off scot-free?
Mr. Speaker, as I said, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance, which the Conservative Party failed to do for 10 years. A former Canada Revenue Agency minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even said that it was not a priority for his government.Our government took office two years ago and in that time we have invested $1 billion. We are seeing results. We are working internationally. There have been charges, criminal investigations, and warrants. We continue to work for Canadians and for a fair tax system.
Mr. Speaker, residents living on the shores of Lake Saint-Louis are concerned about the notorious Kathryn Spirit. The former government took no action with respect to this ship, which has been abandoned since its arrival in Beauharnois, and it was our government that got the dismantling process started. One year ago today, the Prime Minister announced our oceans protection plan.Could the minister tell us how this plan will affect abandoned vessels like the Kathryn Spirit in future?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure my colleague opposite that I have a lot more experience in fishing than he does. Our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance, and last year's historic investment of $1 billion proves it. Our plan is working. We had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, executed 268 search warrants, and obtained 78 convictions. We promised Canadians that we would get the job done, and no one is above the law.
Mr. Speaker, the latest Liberal budget, which joins Canada to the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, will send up to $500 million overseas for infrastructure, yet the Liberals are not delivering on infrastructure at home. Just several weeks ago, Toronto said that Ottawa was making unreasonable demands and could pull $121 million in TTC funding from the federal government. Why are the Liberals so eager to send infrastructure money overseas, while neglecting to spend on desperately needed roads and transit right here at home?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for ChâteauguayLacolle for her question and for her hard work.Our government is especially proud of what our oceans protection plan has done for abandoned vessels, not just in Beauharnois, but across the country. We are passing legislation strengthening owner responsibility and liability for their vessels. We are funding the removal of small high-risk vessels and empowering the government to address problem vessels more proactively. We take this work very seriously.
Mr. Speaker, what we are doing on this side of the House is we are very focused on ensuring Canadians are successful. The good news is that it is absolutely working. Canadians have a higher level of confidence because they actually have more money. The Canada child benefit and the tax reductions we have put in place have allowed people to put money back into our economy, which is helping all of us to succeed. It is a good news story for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Canada has the longest coastline in the world and the health and protection of our coasts are critical to our environment, our economy, and to all Canadians. Our Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans hears many different views on how to prosper, but everyone agrees we have to protect our waters and our shorelines. It was a year ago today that the Prime Minister introduced the oceans protection plan. Could the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard update us on our progress?
Mr. Speaker, our government is working internationally to combat tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We are an important international partner in the BEPS project. Our efforts are paying off. When I talk about the 627 cases that have been transferred to criminal investigations, the 268 search warrants, and the 78 convictions, I am not sure what the member opposite does not understand. That is what it means to take action and get the job done.
Mr. Speaker, let us try this again.This government is a government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians. This government is a government that recognizes that small businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy and that they are community builders. We want to see them succeed. That is exactly why we are committed to lowering the small business tax rate to 9% by 2019. I really look forward to members opposite recognizing that small businesses are the backbone of the economy and that they should be paying a lower tax rate.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that billions of dollars are at stake. We made an historic investment of nearly $1 billion in the Canada Revenue Agency to combat this problem. The CRA uses the information it receives through lists disclosed by countries that are part of the BEPS project. That is why the agency, as of September 30, 2017, was conducting more than 990 audits and 42 criminal investigations related to offshore financial structures. We are reviewing the links between corporations and we will keep at it.
Mr. Speaker, as Minister of National Revenue, I can say that tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance are global problems that call for a global solution.The OECD brought nations together to collaborate on the development of a new global standard for the automatic exchange of information. We fully adopted this standard, and starting July 1, 2017, Canadian financial institutions began taking steps to identify accounts held by non-residents and report these accounts to the Canada Revenue Agency.We are taking concrete action.
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about privilege. It pays to be part of the Liberal leader's inner circle.When the hon. member for Papineau told his friend, Stephen Bronfman, that he wanted to become leader of his party, the response was, Anything I can do to help. In the same interview, he said that the goal was to raise a pile of money to help the Liberal leader become the next prime minister. That was very telling. It seems that tax fairness does not apply to those who helped the Liberal leader become prime minister.Why is the Prime Minister going after farmers and the real job creators and refusing to do anything about tax avoidance in his circle of close friends?
Mr. Speaker, this government made a commitment to Canadians to ensure that we were engaging with them. That is exactly why we have taken historic consultations to ensure that the programs and the laws that we pass actually benefit them. This is the government that increased taxes on the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians by lowering taxes on middle-class Canadians. This is the government that is committed to lowering taxes on small businesses to 9% by 2019. This government will continue to ensure that their voices are being heard. This government will continue fighting for middle-class Canadians and those who
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague opposite that I was a social worker for 25 years. I have always helped the most vulnerable members of our society and worked to protect them.Our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits they are entitled to. We are moving forward with a national disability law that will remove barriers and focus on accessibility. We have simplified the forms and made it possible to hire specialized nurse practitioners to help people fill out the applications.We promised to do that during the election campaign, and we are going to continue to work to help the most vulnerable members of our society, those who need it most.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we do not play games and we do not use semantics. What we do is we disclose what we need to disclose in order to make sure we can get on with the work. By disclosing all my assets to the Ethics Commissioner
Mr. Speaker, tax havens are one of the priorities in my mandate letter and a priority for this government. That is why, in the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, with which we hired auditors and have been targeting four jurisdictions per year. We are working with our international partners to tackle BEPS. Our plan is working. Our initiatives are working. We will continue to work for Canadians, just as we promised.
Mr. Speaker, our government is strongly committed to combatting tax evasion and abusive tax avoidance and making the tax system fair and equitable for all Canadians. I am proud that we are playing a leading role on the international stage. Collaboration between tax administrations, including the exchange of tax information, is an essential tool to protect the integrity of Canada's tax base. That is why, as of September 30, 2017, the Canada Revenue Agency had more than 990 audits and 42 criminal investigations under way focusing on offshore financial structures.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's network of protected areas help to mitigate the impacts of climate change. They protect and restore healthy, resilient ecosystems and assist in the recovery of species at risk. Canada is committed to conserve at least 17% of our country's land and fresh water by 2020, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, indigenous peoples, and other key partners. Can the government please update this House on the recent progress towards this target?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is incorrect. I have disclosed what is in all my companies to the Ethics Commissioner. From day one, I have disclosed 100% of my assets to the Ethics Commissioner.That is what allows us to do the work that we are doing on behalf of Canadians, the work that we started two years ago when we found ourselves with an economy that was not growing fast enough. We decided that we had a choice, and the choice was to create jobs for Canadians. It is working, with more than 500,000 new jobs over the last two years, a situation where our economy is growing faster than it has grown in a decade. This is helping Canadian families to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, human rights is a foundational part of Canada's international work. I will correct the record, because the member knows full well that this government tripled funding to the new Office of Human Rights, Freedoms and Inclusion.When it comes to human rights around the world, this government is taking a leadership role. We are doing this in all of our engagements. I hope the Conservative opposition will join us in helping to promote and defend human rights, as we are doing around the world.
Mr. Speaker, one of the four pillars of our oceans protection plan is strengthening partnerships with indigenous communities, including building local emergency response capacity. Just last week, the first session under the indigenous community response training project wrapped up in Bamfield, British Columbia. Nine members from seven northern first nations graduated from the coastal nations search and rescue course, enhancing this important capacity for the Canadian Coast Guard.Mr. Speaker, as you know, we will do what it takes to protect Canada's oceans.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians love our national parks and national heritage places, and we saw that clearly this year with record attendance at our parks and historic places with free entry for Canada 150. On Friday, October 27, I was extremely pleased to be joined by the member for KelownaLake Country as Canada, British Columbia, and representatives of the southern communities of the Syilx Okanagan Nation announced a renewed commitment to move forward together to establish a new national park reserve in the south Okanagan. After many years, we are pleased to be moving forward to protect this iconic place, and I want to thank the member for his help.
Mr. Speaker, LGBTQ+ communities have responded favourably to the Liberal government's commitment to apologize for past injustices against them. However, we want to ensure that the apology will be sincere.Will the Liberal government today confirm that the Prime Minister himself will apologize, that the apology will be on the record of the House of Commons, and that there will be reparation?
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits to which they are entitled. We are moving forward with a national disability law that will remove barriers by focusing on accessibility for all Canadians living with a disability.We have made it easier for people with disabilities to access tax credits. We have simplified the forms and, in budget 2017, we allowed specialized nurse practitioners to complete patients' applications. We will continue to work with the most vulnerable and with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is a strong supporter of progressive trade and the Asia-Pacific is a priority market for our government. We are actively engaged with the remaining TPP countries and the minister is in Vietnam right now working hard to deliver real change and better results for Canadians and the middle class. We are discussing options for a possible agreement and we are also discussing ways to improve the terms of trade for Canadian businesses. This work is critical, we are taking our time, and we are pressing for a better deal. We feel we owe this to Canadians to diversify markets abroad and to create jobs for people at home.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, some months ago, appointed the hon. member for Edmonton Centre to consult broadly across the country with the community to make sure that all elements of this issue were properly heard and known and taken into account, so that the apology when given can be thorough and complete and the other appropriate actions around that apology can reinforce the basic message of rights and freedoms in this country.
Mr. Speaker, delivering timely benefit decisions is an area where we can and we must do better. In 2015-16, we saw a 25% increase in the number of disability claims, and that is a good thing, because that means more veterans are coming forward for the help they need.To address this increase, we are simplifying the benefits process, hiring more staff, and giving the benefit of the doubt to the veterans. When it comes to veterans' care, we can always strive for excellence, and we will.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud to have approved, as the member well knows, more than 4,000 projects since taking office, with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. Federal investments are enabling these projects to move forward. As the hon. member knows, the federal contributions are paid when the expense claims are submitted by our partners. We will continue to work with our partners to move their priorities forward and provide the flexibility necessary to meet those requirements. We are in ongoing discussions with the province, and we trust its judgment in telling us what the priorities are.
Mr. Speaker, I will say it again: as the member well knows, we are proud to have approved more than 4,000 projects since taking office, with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. Federal investments are enabling these projects to move forward. As the hon. member knows, the federal contributions are paid when the expense claims are submitted by our partners. We will continue to work with our partners to move their priorities forward, and provide the flexibility necessary to meet those requirements. I am very proud to announce that several hundred projects are in the works in Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, is it also our fault that Stephen Bronfman fundraises for the Liberals? This is yet another instance of Liberal hypocrisy. The Liberals see nothing wrong with raising taxes on people with disabilities. They think it is fair game to tax employee discounts. They go after farmers and small business owners, claiming they are tax cheats who are not paying their fair share.However, the Prime Minister is willing to let anything slide if it will protect his millionaire friends, like Stephen Bronfman.When will the Prime Minister put an end to this fiscal hypocrisy?
Mr. Speaker, high-tax hypocrisy is not a new sport for these Liberals. It has been perfected over the generations. While Paul Martin was the finance minister, he put foreign flags on his ships to avoid the very taxes he was imposing on everyone else. Now the paradise papers expose that his family business has moved its assets into zero-tax Bermuda, and he is advising the Prime Minister as part of the Liberal economic team. Now that he has been exposed once again for avoiding paying his fair share, will the finance minister fire Paul Martin from his economic team?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is making Canadians pay more and more taxes to cover his reckless spending. Meanwhile, Liberal Party cronies are putting money in tax havens and weaseling out of their tax obligations here at home. Unlike middle-class families, they are not paying their fair share. Why are the Liberals going after people with disabilities, people with diabetes, people with mental health issues, and people with autism? Why are they treating them like tax cheats instead of going after Liberal Party friends who are hiding money in tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his finance minister are on the hunt for Canadians to tax. If someone owns a small business, they will tax it. If someone is suffering from diabetes, they will tax that individual. If someone is dealing with autism or mental health issues, they will tax that person. However, if someone is a billionaire close friend of the Prime Minister, he or she can avoid paying taxes with impunity.When will the Prime Minister stop treating hard-working Canadians like tax cheats and go after his own crew?
Mr. Speaker, nobody is above the law, but the law is the problem.We now know that the Liberal Party fundraising chair, Stephen Bronfman, put money in tax havens. He claims that he always acted properly...including fully complying with all applicable laws. That is exactly the problem. That excuse sounds awfully familiar to me, actually. Oh right, it is the stock reply we hear from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance whenever a scandal crops up.Will the Liberals stop thumbing their noses at everyone and actually do something to fight tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, I am going to use some numbers, so that the government understands the hypocrisy of what it is talking about. As I said, a Liberal bagman stashed $60 million away in a tax-free account in the Cayman Islands. Let us pretend that this $60 million was put into a passive investment account by a small business person here in Canada. That would be a tax bill of $43 million. Why is the Prime Minister allowing his friends to get off on a tax bill of $43 million?
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister claims that he is making the wealthiest 1% pay, he is paying his Christmas holiday with taxpayers' money, off-loading the deficit to the middle class, and attacking job creators across the country. He is being hypocritical to the point of turning a blind eye to the paradise papers scandal. I almost slipped and talked about the sponsorship scandal.To be clear, letting one's close friends put money into tax havens and not pay any taxes, is that the Liberals' plan to make the wealthy pay?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to know what the Minister of Finance has been hiding from them over the past two years. They know he hid his stocks in Morneau Shepell. They know he hid his ownership in a French corporation, an act for which he was found guilty by the Ethics Commissioner. Over the last two years, he has not disclosed what he has owned in his various numbered companies. I have a simple question. He may have disclosed yesterday, but the previous two years he has not disclosed to Canadians what is in his numbered companies. What is he hiding?
Mr. Speaker, it is very typical of the Minister of Finance, playing games with words and semantics. However, the spirit of disclosing his assets, by which he was found guilty by the Ethics Commissioner, he is absolutely guilty of and he does not have the decency to admit it to Canadians. This is why they do not trust him.I have a very simple question. If the Minister of Finance had nothing to hide over the last two years when he was regulating industries that he may have owned shares in, why does he not tell Canadians what he owned in the last two years in his numbered companies? No semantics.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The hypocrisy of the members across the aisle is stunning. Former minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn admitted in an interview
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they are going after tax havens, but that is hypocritical.For the past 30 years, nobody has done more to facilitate tax evasion than Canada. The loopholes that the Liberals claim to be tackling now were created by Ottawa in the first place. Tax evasion is actually legal. When the Bloc Québécois exposed these loopholes, all of the Liberals voted against our bill.Why does the government hide when we ask it to change the law? Is it trying to protect its Liberal bagmen?
Mr. Speaker, during the first quarter of this year, opioids killed over 900 Canadians. The government needs to help. The Liberals gave only $10 million to fight the opioid crisis but has no problem giving $500 million to the Asian infrastructure bank.Why is the government sending $500 million to foreign billionaires, when we have Canadians dying in our streets by the hundreds? Canada is our home.
Mr. Speaker, tax cheats must be subject to fines and prison sentences. We are fed up with the government's rhetoric. Ordinary Canadians are the ones who are suffering because the wealthy are using tax havens to avoid paying taxes.The money that Stephen Bronfman has hidden away in the Cayman Islands is not being used to help our hospitals and schools. It is staying in his pocket, with this government's blessing. Our taxes are paying for the roads that these tax cheats are driving around on in their big limousines.When will this government stop thumbing its nose at Canadians and put an end to the use of tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister put in an unconvincing performance yesterday.The Liberals love picking on local businesses, middle-class families, and even the sick. However, when the Minister of Finance and the Liberal bagman try to hide their assets or avoid paying taxes, all we get from the Prime Minister is radio silence.How long has the Prime Minister known that his chief fundraiser stashes money in tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that the member opposite has given us an opportunity to talk about some of the things our government is doing to address the opioid crisis. For example, our government has provided $10 million in urgent support to our provincial partners in British Columbia and $6 million to the Province of Alberta to assist with its response. That is in addition to $22.7 million ongoing of the $100-million commitment in budget 2017 to support national measures associated with the Canadian drugs and substances strategy to respond to this terrible health crisis.
Mr. Speaker, over 235,000 people are without a home in our country. In Canada, housing should be a right. Liberals like to talk about the right to housing but are unwilling to enshrine it in law. Maybe this explains why not a single Liberal spoke on my bill, Bill C-325, during its second hour of debate.Are the Liberals keeping silent because they are just too ashamed to speak against the human right to housing?
Mr. Speaker, I was just about to mention the minister's department. Today, we learned that the Canada Revenue Agency is deliberately failing to disclose how much money is lost to tax evasion each year. However, yesterday, the Minister of National Revenue assured us that everything was under control.Rather than just talking nonsense, will the Prime Minister give a clear answer for once and tell us how long he has known that his friend, the Liberal Party's bagman, has been using tax havens to avoid paying taxes?
Mr. Speaker, the revenue minister keeps telling us she is so proud that her tax collectors are targeting Canadians. Her tax collectors are systematically raising taxes on type 1 diabetics, Canadians with mental health issues, and autism. Her tax collectors are so busy targeting the most vulnerable, they seem to have forgotten about the Prime Minister's wealthy friends. When will the minister finally tell her tax collectors to lay off sick and vulnerable Canadians and focus on real tax cheats?
Mr. Speaker, we all wondered how the Liberals were going to try to change the channel from the Morneau Shepell fiasco. Who knew they would be using a massive tax haven scandal to get our minds off their massive ethics scandal. To make matters worse, the Liberals have been hiding how much money is lost to these tax havens. For years they fought against the release of the so-called tax gap in Canada. Just like Bill C-58, their no access to information bill, the Liberals deny basic information that is owed to Canadians.Therefore, I have a very simple question. Will the government finally tell Canadians how much money its millionaire and billionaire friends actually owe this country?
Mr. Speaker, it is clear the government has a problem knowing who is in charge of this one.What we are asking is that the Liberals make a commitment today to a just apology for the past injustices to the LGBTQ community. That means an apology by the Prime Minister in the House and one that includes redress measures. Those who were kicked out of the Canadian Forces still have dishonourable discharges on their records. Those who were convicted because of who they love still have criminal records for things that are no longer illegal, and this continues to limit their ability to volunteer, travel, and work.Will the Liberal government commit today to a just apology for my community, to righting past wrongs and not just expressing regret?
Mr. Speaker, former minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, admitted in an interview that tax evasion was not a priority for the Conservative government. That is why we need no lessons from the party that works every day to secure special privileges for the wealthy. Canadians expect to have a fair and equitable tax system.
Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers are in Ottawa today and many of them are concerned. They have a right to be concerned because even though the Liberals campaigned on being inclusive and different and transparent, they continue to negotiate the TPP in the dark, just like the Conservatives. Dairy farmers and Canadians believed this deal was dead, but we have learned an agreement could be reached this week. This agreement will contain a breach in supply management, and the new NAFTA could do exactly the same thing.How much market access will the government allow in our supply-managed sectors?
Mr. Speaker, I find it rather odd to hear Conservative members say that we are not working on closing tax loopholes when for 10 years their government did nothing about tax evasion. A former national revenue minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even said so publicly.I find the hypocrisy of my colleagues across the way to be quite something. We have no lessons to learn from the former government.
Mr. Speaker, tax evasion is a priority for our government.I would remind the Conservative party that we voted in favour of the Canada child benefit to lift children out of poverty. We lowered taxes for the middle class. We increased the guaranteed income supplement. We abolished the Harper reform that attacked employment insurance claimants and we invested in infrastructure. These are all things that we have undertaken and that the party across the way opposed. We are the government that works for the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, like the issues surrounding the Minister of Finance, it is funny that things only start to happen when the Liberals get caught.While looking out for his friends and insiders, the Prime Minister put a target on the pocketbooks of hard-working Canadians. He accuses local business owners of being tax cheats even while he is raising their taxes, and he turns a blind eye to the loopholes his friends enjoy using. It is almost as if there is one set of rules for the Prime Minister and his wealthy friends, and another set of rules for everybody else.Why is it that every time the Prime Minister makes changes, it always benefits those in the jet-set life, and it always makes life harder for those in the road-trip life?
Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite is the one who is talking nonsense. Our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance, and we are tackling this problem from all sides. In our first two budgets, we invested a historic amount of nearly $1 billion. Last year, the CRA imposed $44 million in penalties on proponents and tax advisers. We are continuing the work that we promised Canadians we would do during the election campaign.
Mr. Speaker, the punitive duties imposed by the U.S. commerce department are unfair and deeply troubling. Our forestry industry has never been found guilty in previous cases. We will challenge this decision before the courts and we will win, as we have done on every past occasion. We want a good agreement for Canada, not just any deal.
Mr. Speaker, despite promising not to do so in the last election, these Liberals took veterans back to court. Now we have learned that veterans are being forced to wait longer and longer to get the benefits they have earned.Today the Prime Minister is hurrying off to Asia to deliver on his priority: infrastructure handouts to the world's wealthy. Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs tell us why veterans are being shortchanged while the Prime Minister sends half a billion dollars to wealthy bankers in Asia?
Mr. Speaker, I repeat, after 10 years of inaction by the former government, the opposition member's hypocrisy is staggering. The OECD, of which Canada is a member, brought nations together to collaborate on the development of a new global standard for the automatic exchange of information. We fully adopted this standard. We have invested $1 billion, hired auditors, launched criminal investigations, and laid charges. We are taking action.
Mr. Speaker, I want my colleague opposite to know that the issue of tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance is a priority for the Canada Revenue Agency.Here is what I can tell him. For the last fiscal year alone, the CRA's work resulted in 37 convictions with sentences totalling over 50 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines imposed by the courts. That is on top of the $44 million in penalties that were imposed on tax advisers last year. We are getting the job done, and we are going to see this through to the end.
Mr. Speaker, the municipalities have yet to enjoy the benefits of this supposed flexibility.After receiving some generous donations from Asian proponents, the Liberal Party is going to invest $480 million in the Asian infrastructure bank. It is sad to see this government unwilling to give our infrastructure here in Canada the same attention.The Liberals are dangling tons of money before the municipalities, but some projects have been cancelled because of all of the unnecessary conditions being imposed.Instead of prancing around Asia and working against our taxpayers and our municipalities, will the Prime Minister be a true partner to our municipalities?
Mr. Speaker, instead of relying on meaningless stats, she should understand one thing. We are lawmakers. Instead of hiding behind the bogus excuse that it felt legal anyway, we can roll up our sleeves and do something about it. We can change the laws. We can especially change laws that allow the wealthy and the well connected to pay less tax than middle-class Canadians. The question is this. Will the government do that or will it block these efforts, as it has done for the past two years?
Mr. Speaker, during the last election, the Liberals made a specific commitment to support justice and reconciliation in Sri Lanka following terrible crimes committed at the end of the civil war and in light of ongoing human rights concerns for the Tamil community today. Instead of acting, the Liberals cancelled the office of religious freedom, undercutting existing initiatives to promote pluralism and human rights, and their new office has been completely absent on this. Why has the government failed to take any concrete action to implement its commitment with respect to human rights in Sri Lanka?
Mr. Speaker, if it were legal to rob a store, putting more police officers in front of the door would change absolutely nothing. The same logic applies to tax havens. We are being robbed, but it is legal. How great is that? The revenue minister's answers are basically spin. The government is not getting at the root of the problem. We need to review and renegotiate our tax agreements with a number of countries. Will the Liberals reconsider our agreements with tax havens? If they cannot say yes, that means they do not want to change anything.
Mr. Speaker, we know the excuse writers in the Prime Minister's Office are working overtime as new Liberal ethics and conflict issues accumulate. However, Canadians are still waiting for a few meaningful answers from the Minister of Finance.He was found guilty and fined by the Ethics Commissioner for hiding his French corporation for two years. He has effectively admitted guilt for hiding his shares in Morneau Shepell for two years. Now the minister still owns other numbered companies.What new conflicts might we find if the contents were revealed to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, instead of going after his own friend, the Prime Minister has decided to target Canadians with autism, mental health disabilities, and diabetes.Stephen Bronfman, the Prime Minister's close friend and chief Liberal bagman, is the poster boy for tax avoidance schemes.When will the Prime Minister stop targeting Canada's most vulnerable citizens and stop making excuses for tax avoiders like Mr. Bronfman?
Mr. Speaker, who would advise the Liberals to raise taxes on people suffering with diabetes while allowing multi-millionaire party fundraisers to shelter their money away in tax havens? Who would advise the Liberals to impose higher taxes on farmers while protecting Morneau Shepell? We know it is the finance minister whose family business has assets in Barbados, the former finance minister who we know now puts his assets in Bermuda, and of course the Liberal fundraiser, Mr. Bronfman.Why is it that, when the Liberals raise taxes, it only affects everyone but them?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians get the tax credits they are entitled to. Eligibility for that tax credit has not changed.It is important to recognize that far too many Canadians are living with challenges like these and need help. To help people who earn modest incomes keep more of their hard-earned dollars, we are enhancing the working income tax benefit to the tune of $500 million per year as of 2019. We are keeping the promises we made during the election campaign.
Mr. Speaker, you will find that during question period, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons seems to have inadvertently misled the House, since we know that eight out of 10 families in Canada are paying more in taxes. I am calling on the hon. member to withdraw her statement. I am seeking unanimous consent to table the Fraser Institute report that shows that Canadian families are paying more in taxes under the Liberals.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In our last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion to crack down on tax cheats. Our plan is yielding results. We have had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions. The Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate action. We will continue to work for a fair and equitable tax system for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.We have invested close to $1 billion over the past two years. We have targeted four jurisdictions per year and hired 100 auditors. Our plan is working. We have transferred 627 cases to criminal investigation, executed 268 search warrants, and obtained 78 convictions.Nobody has accomplished as much as our government has over the past two years. Certainly not the Bloc Québécois.
Mr. Speaker, I really cannot figure out what the Minister of National Revenue does not understand.While she drags her feet, the Liberal Party's cronies continue to take advantage of the system that she is keeping in place. The Liberal Party of Canada's bagman, for example, sheltered millions of dollars from taxes in the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands are a notorious tax haven with which Canada has signed a tax information exchange agreement. This agreement should have made the Canada Revenue Agency aware of the scheming Liberal cronies have been involved in.Why do we have agreements with tax havens such as the Cayman Islands if they let the Liberal clique dodge their tax obligations?
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to take this opportunity to say how important the right to decent housing is in Canada for everyone, and in particular for more vulnerable Canadians. We know how important housing is for life in communities and for life in a proper home to participate in the lives of everyone else around us.I have good news to announce in a very short time. I invite our colleague to listen very carefully.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister told us that the CRA would be looking into allegations of tax evasion, but he stopped short of confirming that this would be the case for Stephen Bronfman. This is the same CRA that is constantly under fire by tax experts for going hard against everyday Canadians, but for throwing back the big fish. This is the same CRA that forgave the clients who made millions from the KPMG scheme, and this is the same CRA that failed to act on the Panama papers.When will the minister stop defending the CRA and start standing up for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report to the House that I have and will continue to disclose all my assets to the Ethics Commissioner. What that does is allow us to get on with the work we want to do for Canadians.I am also pleased to report to the House that this work is having a real impact. We have now passed 500,000 new jobs in the country since we were elected. We have the lowest unemployment rate in a decade. Canadians are more confident than they have been in years, and it is showing up in the growth rate we are seeing across our country.Our plan is working, and we are going to continue the hard work on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, this is an issue that we take very seriously. We respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We know that more work needs to be done, and that is exactly why we will continue to engage with Canadians to ensure that we are delivering for them.This government knows that Canadians have a role in this place. We will engage with them. We will make sure we do it right.
Mr. Speaker, our government is working very hard to combat tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We have invested nearly $1 billion. We are seeing meaningful results, including warrants, criminal investigations, and even convictions.We are working on this file, unlike the Conservatives who, for 10 years and even according to one of their own former revenue ministers, did nothing. It was not even a priority for their government.
Mr. Speaker, while accusing local small business owners of being tax cheats, the Prime Minister has gone out of his way to protect the interests of his rich, well-connected Liberal friends.The paradise papers expose the Prime Minister's close friend and chief political fundraiser as having sheltered millions of dollars offshore. The Bronfmans are also known for being very effective at lobbying against closing offshore tax loopholes.When did the Prime Minister learn that his friend and chief fundraiser had these offshore holdings, and that his lawyers had lobbied so hard to protect these tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, to be or not to be, that is the question. In this tragic comedy entitled, The latest Liberal scandal, we wonder who has the lead role. Is it the Minister of Finance or the Prime Minister? We have not gotten any answers to simple questions for weeks. What exactly are they hiding? Why will they not answer? Are they rewriting a new chapter to the story, Gomery 2, or will they finally answer this simple question. What is the Minister of Finance hiding with his companies?
Mr. Speaker, last week, we learned that the U.S. commerce department has made its final decision regarding the duties that will be imposed on Canadian softwood lumber.Export duties of up to 21% will jeopardize 11,000 jobs in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean. The government knew that this decision was imminent, but the Liberals continue to slip up and have made little to no progress when it comes to protecting the softwood lumber industry.When will they take charge of the situation and save these jobs?
Mr. Speaker, unlike my colleague opposite, at least we have results to announce.Over the past two years, we have invested more than $1 billion and our plan is bearing fruit. Four jurisdictions are identified each year. More than 100 auditors have been hired and 627 cases have been transferred to criminal investigation. There have been 268 search warrants and 78 convictions. That is just for starters. We are continuing our work as we promised Canadians in the last campaign. We will continue with this work all through our mandate.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I wanted to provide a response to the question of privilege raised by the member for Thornhill on November 2, respecting the Prime Minister's response to an oral question on Tuesday, October 31. I submit that the matter is a dispute as to the facts, and therefore does not meet the criteria for finding a prima facie question of privilege. Page 86 of the House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition, sets out the criteria for establishing whether a member has deliberately misled the House. It states: it must be proven that the statement was misleading;...it must be established that the Member making the statement knew at the time that the statement was incorrect;...that in making the statement, the Member intended to mislead the House. I submit, these criteria have not been met. On October 31, 2017, in response to an oral question from the member for EdmontonStrathcona, the Prime Minister stated the following: ...two ministers had controlled assets held indirectly. The finance minister has announced that he is moving forward, going above and beyond what was originally asked. In the case of the other minister, those assets were divested 18 months ago. The Ethics Commissioner has confirmed that there is no difference of opinion on this issue between her and the Prime Minister. In fact, on November 2, 2017, the Ethics Commissioner released a statement that refutes the allegation that the commissioner is at odds with the statement made by the Prime Minister. I agree with the member for SkeenaBulkley Valley who intervened on this issue. Now the reasons she has as Ethics Commissioner to keep the number somewhat vague, as less than five but more than one, is something that is at her discretion. That is not for us to judge. Allegations of breach of privilege are often dismissed as disputes as to the facts. There are numerous precedents in support of this. Most recently, on May 5, 2016, the Speaker ruled: As members can appreciate, the threshold is very high, purposely so given the seriousness of the allegation and its potential consequences for members individually and collectively. From this, it stands to reason that a finding of a prima facie case of privilege is an exceedingly rare occurrence in cases with respect to disputed facts. I submit that the matter is a dispute as to the facts and therefore does not meet the conditions for a prima facie question of privilege.
Mr. Speaker, we promised Canadians that we would look into the tax gap, and that is exactly what we are doing. Unlike the previous government, which systematically refused to look at the tax gap, we have opted for an evidence-based approach. To date, the Canada Revenue Agency has proven its commitment to estimating the tax gap by producing three studies since June 2016. We are pursuing our efforts on this issue. That is what Canadians expect, and in the summer of 2018, we will be publishing a report on the international aspect of the tax gap.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In our first two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, allowing us to hire 100 auditors and achieve record results. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions.The work has only just started. We will see it through.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister took great pains this summer explaining that hard-working fishers, farmers, and small business owners were really not paying their fair share and were in fact tax cheats, all the while we had the Liberal bagman and the Prime Minister's close friends stashing $60 million away in the Cayman Islands tax scheme. My question is very simple. Why is the government so adamant to make life more difficult for honest tax-paying citizens and letting its friends off scot-free?
Mr. Speaker, as I said, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance, which the Conservative Party failed to do for 10 years. A former Canada Revenue Agency minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even said that it was not a priority for his government.Our government took office two years ago and in that time we have invested $1 billion. We are seeing results. We are working internationally. There have been charges, criminal investigations, and warrants. We continue to work for Canadians and for a fair tax system.
Mr. Speaker, residents living on the shores of Lake Saint-Louis are concerned about the notorious Kathryn Spirit. The former government took no action with respect to this ship, which has been abandoned since its arrival in Beauharnois, and it was our government that got the dismantling process started. One year ago today, the Prime Minister announced our oceans protection plan.Could the minister tell us how this plan will affect abandoned vessels like the Kathryn Spirit in future?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure my colleague opposite that I have a lot more experience in fishing than he does. Our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance, and last year's historic investment of $1 billion proves it. Our plan is working. We had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, executed 268 search warrants, and obtained 78 convictions. We promised Canadians that we would get the job done, and no one is above the law.
Mr. Speaker, the latest Liberal budget, which joins Canada to the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, will send up to $500 million overseas for infrastructure, yet the Liberals are not delivering on infrastructure at home. Just several weeks ago, Toronto said that Ottawa was making unreasonable demands and could pull $121 million in TTC funding from the federal government. Why are the Liberals so eager to send infrastructure money overseas, while neglecting to spend on desperately needed roads and transit right here at home?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for ChâteauguayLacolle for her question and for her hard work.Our government is especially proud of what our oceans protection plan has done for abandoned vessels, not just in Beauharnois, but across the country. We are passing legislation strengthening owner responsibility and liability for their vessels. We are funding the removal of small high-risk vessels and empowering the government to address problem vessels more proactively. We take this work very seriously.
Mr. Speaker, what we are doing on this side of the House is we are very focused on ensuring Canadians are successful. The good news is that it is absolutely working. Canadians have a higher level of confidence because they actually have more money. The Canada child benefit and the tax reductions we have put in place have allowed people to put money back into our economy, which is helping all of us to succeed. It is a good news story for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Canada has the longest coastline in the world and the health and protection of our coasts are critical to our environment, our economy, and to all Canadians. Our Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans hears many different views on how to prosper, but everyone agrees we have to protect our waters and our shorelines. It was a year ago today that the Prime Minister introduced the oceans protection plan. Could the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard update us on our progress?
Mr. Speaker, our government is working internationally to combat tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We are an important international partner in the BEPS project. Our efforts are paying off. When I talk about the 627 cases that have been transferred to criminal investigations, the 268 search warrants, and the 78 convictions, I am not sure what the member opposite does not understand. That is what it means to take action and get the job done.
Mr. Speaker, let us try this again.This government is a government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians. This government is a government that recognizes that small businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy and that they are community builders. We want to see them succeed. That is exactly why we are committed to lowering the small business tax rate to 9% by 2019. I really look forward to members opposite recognizing that small businesses are the backbone of the economy and that they should be paying a lower tax rate.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that billions of dollars are at stake. We made an historic investment of nearly $1 billion in the Canada Revenue Agency to combat this problem. The CRA uses the information it receives through lists disclosed by countries that are part of the BEPS project. That is why the agency, as of September 30, 2017, was conducting more than 990 audits and 42 criminal investigations related to offshore financial structures. We are reviewing the links between corporations and we will keep at it.
Mr. Speaker, as Minister of National Revenue, I can say that tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance are global problems that call for a global solution.The OECD brought nations together to collaborate on the development of a new global standard for the automatic exchange of information. We fully adopted this standard, and starting July 1, 2017, Canadian financial institutions began taking steps to identify accounts held by non-residents and report these accounts to the Canada Revenue Agency.We are taking concrete action.
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about privilege. It pays to be part of the Liberal leader's inner circle.When the hon. member for Papineau told his friend, Stephen Bronfman, that he wanted to become leader of his party, the response was, Anything I can do to help. In the same interview, he said that the goal was to raise a pile of money to help the Liberal leader become the next prime minister. That was very telling. It seems that tax fairness does not apply to those who helped the Liberal leader become prime minister.Why is the Prime Minister going after farmers and the real job creators and refusing to do anything about tax avoidance in his circle of close friends?
Mr. Speaker, this government made a commitment to Canadians to ensure that we were engaging with them. That is exactly why we have taken historic consultations to ensure that the programs and the laws that we pass actually benefit them. This is the government that increased taxes on the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians by lowering taxes on middle-class Canadians. This is the government that is committed to lowering taxes on small businesses to 9% by 2019. This government will continue to ensure that their voices are being heard. This government will continue fighting for middle-class Canadians and those who
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague opposite that I was a social worker for 25 years. I have always helped the most vulnerable members of our society and worked to protect them.Our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits they are entitled to. We are moving forward with a national disability law that will remove barriers and focus on accessibility. We have simplified the forms and made it possible to hire specialized nurse practitioners to help people fill out the applications.We promised to do that during the election campaign, and we are going to continue to work to help the most vulnerable members of our society, those who need it most.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we do not play games and we do not use semantics. What we do is we disclose what we need to disclose in order to make sure we can get on with the work. By disclosing all my assets to the Ethics Commissioner
Mr. Speaker, tax havens are one of the priorities in my mandate letter and a priority for this government. That is why, in the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, with which we hired auditors and have been targeting four jurisdictions per year. We are working with our international partners to tackle BEPS. Our plan is working. Our initiatives are working. We will continue to work for Canadians, just as we promised.
Mr. Speaker, our government is strongly committed to combatting tax evasion and abusive tax avoidance and making the tax system fair and equitable for all Canadians. I am proud that we are playing a leading role on the international stage. Collaboration between tax administrations, including the exchange of tax information, is an essential tool to protect the integrity of Canada's tax base. That is why, as of September 30, 2017, the Canada Revenue Agency had more than 990 audits and 42 criminal investigations under way focusing on offshore financial structures.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's network of protected areas help to mitigate the impacts of climate change. They protect and restore healthy, resilient ecosystems and assist in the recovery of species at risk. Canada is committed to conserve at least 17% of our country's land and fresh water by 2020, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, indigenous peoples, and other key partners. Can the government please update this House on the recent progress towards this target?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is incorrect. I have disclosed what is in all my companies to the Ethics Commissioner. From day one, I have disclosed 100% of my assets to the Ethics Commissioner.That is what allows us to do the work that we are doing on behalf of Canadians, the work that we started two years ago when we found ourselves with an economy that was not growing fast enough. We decided that we had a choice, and the choice was to create jobs for Canadians. It is working, with more than 500,000 new jobs over the last two years, a situation where our economy is growing faster than it has grown in a decade. This is helping Canadian families to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, human rights is a foundational part of Canada's international work. I will correct the record, because the member knows full well that this government tripled funding to the new Office of Human Rights, Freedoms and Inclusion.When it comes to human rights around the world, this government is taking a leadership role. We are doing this in all of our engagements. I hope the Conservative opposition will join us in helping to promote and defend human rights, as we are doing around the world.
Mr. Speaker, one of the four pillars of our oceans protection plan is strengthening partnerships with indigenous communities, including building local emergency response capacity. Just last week, the first session under the indigenous community response training project wrapped up in Bamfield, British Columbia. Nine members from seven northern first nations graduated from the coastal nations search and rescue course, enhancing this important capacity for the Canadian Coast Guard.Mr. Speaker, as you know, we will do what it takes to protect Canada's oceans.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians love our national parks and national heritage places, and we saw that clearly this year with record attendance at our parks and historic places with free entry for Canada 150. On Friday, October 27, I was extremely pleased to be joined by the member for KelownaLake Country as Canada, British Columbia, and representatives of the southern communities of the Syilx Okanagan Nation announced a renewed commitment to move forward together to establish a new national park reserve in the south Okanagan. After many years, we are pleased to be moving forward to protect this iconic place, and I want to thank the member for his help.
Mr. Speaker, LGBTQ+ communities have responded favourably to the Liberal government's commitment to apologize for past injustices against them. However, we want to ensure that the apology will be sincere.Will the Liberal government today confirm that the Prime Minister himself will apologize, that the apology will be on the record of the House of Commons, and that there will be reparation?
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits to which they are entitled. We are moving forward with a national disability law that will remove barriers by focusing on accessibility for all Canadians living with a disability.We have made it easier for people with disabilities to access tax credits. We have simplified the forms and, in budget 2017, we allowed specialized nurse practitioners to complete patients' applications. We will continue to work with the most vulnerable and with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is a strong supporter of progressive trade and the Asia-Pacific is a priority market for our government. We are actively engaged with the remaining TPP countries and the minister is in Vietnam right now working hard to deliver real change and better results for Canadians and the middle class. We are discussing options for a possible agreement and we are also discussing ways to improve the terms of trade for Canadian businesses. This work is critical, we are taking our time, and we are pressing for a better deal. We feel we owe this to Canadians to diversify markets abroad and to create jobs for people at home.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, some months ago, appointed the hon. member for Edmonton Centre to consult broadly across the country with the community to make sure that all elements of this issue were properly heard and known and taken into account, so that the apology when given can be thorough and complete and the other appropriate actions around that apology can reinforce the basic message of rights and freedoms in this country.
Mr. Speaker, delivering timely benefit decisions is an area where we can and we must do better. In 2015-16, we saw a 25% increase in the number of disability claims, and that is a good thing, because that means more veterans are coming forward for the help they need.To address this increase, we are simplifying the benefits process, hiring more staff, and giving the benefit of the doubt to the veterans. When it comes to veterans' care, we can always strive for excellence, and we will.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud to have approved, as the member well knows, more than 4,000 projects since taking office, with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. Federal investments are enabling these projects to move forward. As the hon. member knows, the federal contributions are paid when the expense claims are submitted by our partners. We will continue to work with our partners to move their priorities forward and provide the flexibility necessary to meet those requirements. We are in ongoing discussions with the province, and we trust its judgment in telling us what the priorities are.
Mr. Speaker, I will say it again: as the member well knows, we are proud to have approved more than 4,000 projects since taking office, with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. Federal investments are enabling these projects to move forward. As the hon. member knows, the federal contributions are paid when the expense claims are submitted by our partners. We will continue to work with our partners to move their priorities forward, and provide the flexibility necessary to meet those requirements. I am very proud to announce that several hundred projects are in the works in Quebec.
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Mr. Speaker, I am going to use some numbers, so that the government understands the hypocrisy of what it is talking about. As I said, a Liberal bagman stashed $60 million away in a tax-free account in the Cayman Islands. Let us pretend that this $60 million was put into a passive investment account by a small business person here in Canada. That would be a tax bill of $43 million. Why is the Prime Minister allowing his friends to get off on a tax bill of $43 million?
Mr. Speaker, LGBTQ+ communities have responded favourably to the Liberal government's commitment to apologize for past injustices against them. However, we want to ensure that the apology will be sincere.Will the Liberal government today confirm that the Prime Minister himself will apologize, that the apology will be on the record of the House of Commons, and that there will be reparation?
Mr. Speaker, it is very typical of the Minister of Finance, playing games with words and semantics. However, the spirit of disclosing his assets, by which he was found guilty by the Ethics Commissioner, he is absolutely guilty of and he does not have the decency to admit it to Canadians. This is why they do not trust him.I have a very simple question. If the Minister of Finance had nothing to hide over the last two years when he was regulating industries that he may have owned shares in, why does he not tell Canadians what he owned in the last two years in his numbered companies? No semantics.
Mr. Speaker, it is clear the government has a problem knowing who is in charge of this one.What we are asking is that the Liberals make a commitment today to a just apology for the past injustices to the LGBTQ community. That means an apology by the Prime Minister in the House and one that includes redress measures. Those who were kicked out of the Canadian Forces still have dishonourable discharges on their records. Those who were convicted because of who they love still have criminal records for things that are no longer illegal, and this continues to limit their ability to volunteer, travel, and work.Will the Liberal government commit today to a just apology for my community, to righting past wrongs and not just expressing regret?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to know what the Minister of Finance has been hiding from them over the past two years. They know he hid his stocks in Morneau Shepell. They know he hid his ownership in a French corporation, an act for which he was found guilty by the Ethics Commissioner. Over the last two years, he has not disclosed what he has owned in his various numbered companies. I have a simple question. He may have disclosed yesterday, but the previous two years he has not disclosed to Canadians what is in his numbered companies. What is he hiding?
Yesterday, the Prime Minister told us that the CRA would be looking into allegations of tax evasion, but he stopped short of confirming that this would be the case for Stephen Bronfman. This is the same CRA that is constantly under fire by tax experts for going hard against everyday Canadians, but for throwing back the big fish. This is the same CRA that forgave the clients who made millions from the KPMG scheme, and this is the same CRA that failed to act on the Panama papers.When will the minister stop defending the CRA and start standing up for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that the member opposite has given us an opportunity to talk about some of the things our government is doing to address the opioid crisis. For example, our government has provided $10 million in urgent support to our provincial partners in British Columbia and $6 million to the Province of Alberta to assist with its response. That is in addition to $22.7 million ongoing of the $100-million commitment in budget 2017 to support national measures associated with the Canadian drugs and substances strategy to respond to this terrible health crisis.
Mr. Speaker, instead of relying on meaningless stats, she should understand one thing. We are lawmakers. Instead of hiding behind the bogus excuse that it felt legal anyway, we can roll up our sleeves and do something about it. We can change the laws. We can especially change laws that allow the wealthy and the well connected to pay less tax than middle-class Canadians. The question is this. Will the government do that or will it block these efforts, as it has done for the past two years?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister put in an unconvincing performance yesterday.The Liberals love picking on local businesses, middle-class families, and even the sick. However, when the Minister of Finance and the Liberal bagman try to hide their assets or avoid paying taxes, all we get from the Prime Minister is radio silence.How long has the Prime Minister known that his chief fundraiser stashes money in tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, last week, we learned that the U.S. commerce department has made its final decision regarding the duties that will be imposed on Canadian softwood lumber.Export duties of up to 21% will jeopardize 11,000 jobs in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean. The government knew that this decision was imminent, but the Liberals continue to slip up and have made little to no progress when it comes to protecting the softwood lumber industry.When will they take charge of the situation and save these jobs?
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.We have invested close to $1 billion over the past two years. We have targeted four jurisdictions per year and hired 100 auditors. Our plan is working. We have transferred 627 cases to criminal investigation, executed 268 search warrants, and obtained 78 convictions.Nobody has accomplished as much as our government has over the past two years. Certainly not the Bloc Québécois.
Mr. Speaker, I find it rather odd to hear Conservative members say that we are not working on closing tax loopholes when for 10 years their government did nothing about tax evasion. A former national revenue minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even said so publicly.I find the hypocrisy of my colleagues across the way to be quite something. We have no lessons to learn from the former government.
Mr. Speaker, let us try this again.This government is a government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians. This government is a government that recognizes that small businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy and that they are community builders. We want to see them succeed. That is exactly why we are committed to lowering the small business tax rate to 9% by 2019. I really look forward to members opposite recognizing that small businesses are the backbone of the economy and that they should be paying a lower tax rate.
Mr. Speaker, during the last election, the Liberals made a specific commitment to support justice and reconciliation in Sri Lanka following terrible crimes committed at the end of the civil war and in light of ongoing human rights concerns for the Tamil community today. Instead of acting, the Liberals cancelled the office of religious freedom, undercutting existing initiatives to promote pluralism and human rights, and their new office has been completely absent on this. Why has the government failed to take any concrete action to implement its commitment with respect to human rights in Sri Lanka?
Mr. Speaker, as I said, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance, which the Conservative Party failed to do for 10 years. A former Canada Revenue Agency minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even said that it was not a priority for his government.Our government took office two years ago and in that time we have invested $1 billion. We are seeing results. We are working internationally. There have been charges, criminal investigations, and warrants. We continue to work for Canadians and for a fair tax system.
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits to which they are entitled. We are moving forward with a national disability law that will remove barriers by focusing on accessibility for all Canadians living with a disability.We have made it easier for people with disabilities to access tax credits. We have simplified the forms and, in budget 2017, we allowed specialized nurse practitioners to complete patients' applications. We will continue to work with the most vulnerable and with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, I repeat, after 10 years of inaction by the former government, the opposition member's hypocrisy is staggering. The OECD, of which Canada is a member, brought nations together to collaborate on the development of a new global standard for the automatic exchange of information. We fully adopted this standard. We have invested $1 billion, hired auditors, launched criminal investigations, and laid charges. We are taking action.
Mr. Speaker, our government is working internationally to combat tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We are an important international partner in the BEPS project. Our efforts are paying off. When I talk about the 627 cases that have been transferred to criminal investigations, the 268 search warrants, and the 78 convictions, I am not sure what the member opposite does not understand. That is what it means to take action and get the job done.
Mr. Speaker, the municipalities have yet to enjoy the benefits of this supposed flexibility.After receiving some generous donations from Asian proponents, the Liberal Party is going to invest $480 million in the Asian infrastructure bank. It is sad to see this government unwilling to give our infrastructure here in Canada the same attention.The Liberals are dangling tons of money before the municipalities, but some projects have been cancelled because of all of the unnecessary conditions being imposed.Instead of prancing around Asia and working against our taxpayers and our municipalities, will the Prime Minister be a true partner to our municipalities?
Mr. Speaker, residents living on the shores of Lake Saint-Louis are concerned about the notorious Kathryn Spirit. The former government took no action with respect to this ship, which has been abandoned since its arrival in Beauharnois, and it was our government that got the dismantling process started. One year ago today, the Prime Minister announced our oceans protection plan.Could the minister tell us how this plan will affect abandoned vessels like the Kathryn Spirit in future?
Mr. Speaker, tax cheats must be subject to fines and prison sentences. We are fed up with the government's rhetoric. Ordinary Canadians are the ones who are suffering because the wealthy are using tax havens to avoid paying taxes.The money that Stephen Bronfman has hidden away in the Cayman Islands is not being used to help our hospitals and schools. It is staying in his pocket, with this government's blessing. Our taxes are paying for the roads that these tax cheats are driving around on in their big limousines.When will this government stop thumbing its nose at Canadians and put an end to the use of tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, during the first quarter of this year, opioids killed over 900 Canadians. The government needs to help. The Liberals gave only $10 million to fight the opioid crisis but has no problem giving $500 million to the Asian infrastructure bank.Why is the government sending $500 million to foreign billionaires, when we have Canadians dying in our streets by the hundreds? Canada is our home.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In our first two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, allowing us to hire 100 auditors and achieve record results. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions.The work has only just started. We will see it through.
Mr. Speaker, tax evasion is a priority for our government.I would remind the Conservative party that we voted in favour of the Canada child benefit to lift children out of poverty. We lowered taxes for the middle class. We increased the guaranteed income supplement. We abolished the Harper reform that attacked employment insurance claimants and we invested in infrastructure. These are all things that we have undertaken and that the party across the way opposed. We are the government that works for the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, we all wondered how the Liberals were going to try to change the channel from the Morneau Shepell fiasco. Who knew they would be using a massive tax haven scandal to get our minds off their massive ethics scandal. To make matters worse, the Liberals have been hiding how much money is lost to these tax havens. For years they fought against the release of the so-called tax gap in Canada. Just like Bill C-58, their no access to information bill, the Liberals deny basic information that is owed to Canadians.Therefore, I have a very simple question. Will the government finally tell Canadians how much money its millionaire and billionaire friends actually owe this country?
Mr. Speaker, unlike my colleague opposite, at least we have results to announce.Over the past two years, we have invested more than $1 billion and our plan is bearing fruit. Four jurisdictions are identified each year. More than 100 auditors have been hired and 627 cases have been transferred to criminal investigation. There have been 268 search warrants and 78 convictions. That is just for starters. We are continuing our work as we promised Canadians in the last campaign. We will continue with this work all through our mandate.
Mr. Speaker, the punitive duties imposed by the U.S. commerce department are unfair and deeply troubling. Our forestry industry has never been found guilty in previous cases. We will challenge this decision before the courts and we will win, as we have done on every past occasion. We want a good agreement for Canada, not just any deal.
Mr. Speaker, to be or not to be, that is the question. In this tragic comedy entitled, The latest Liberal scandal, we wonder who has the lead role. Is it the Minister of Finance or the Prime Minister? We have not gotten any answers to simple questions for weeks. What exactly are they hiding? Why will they not answer? Are they rewriting a new chapter to the story, Gomery 2, or will they finally answer this simple question. What is the Minister of Finance hiding with his companies?
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister claims that he is making the wealthiest 1% pay, he is paying his Christmas holiday with taxpayers' money, off-loading the deficit to the middle class, and attacking job creators across the country. He is being hypocritical to the point of turning a blind eye to the paradise papers scandal. I almost slipped and talked about the sponsorship scandal.To be clear, letting one's close friends put money into tax havens and not pay any taxes, is that the Liberals' plan to make the wealthy pay?
Mr. Speaker, we promised Canadians that we would look into the tax gap, and that is exactly what we are doing. Unlike the previous government, which systematically refused to look at the tax gap, we have opted for an evidence-based approach. To date, the Canada Revenue Agency has proven its commitment to estimating the tax gap by producing three studies since June 2016. We are pursuing our efforts on this issue. That is what Canadians expect, and in the summer of 2018, we will be publishing a report on the international aspect of the tax gap.
Mr. Speaker, the revenue minister keeps telling us she is so proud that her tax collectors are targeting Canadians. Her tax collectors are systematically raising taxes on type 1 diabetics, Canadians with mental health issues, and autism. Her tax collectors are so busy targeting the most vulnerable, they seem to have forgotten about the Prime Minister's wealthy friends. When will the minister finally tell her tax collectors to lay off sick and vulnerable Canadians and focus on real tax cheats?
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that billions of dollars are at stake. We made an historic investment of nearly $1 billion in the Canada Revenue Agency to combat this problem. The CRA uses the information it receives through lists disclosed by countries that are part of the BEPS project. That is why the agency, as of September 30, 2017, was conducting more than 990 audits and 42 criminal investigations related to offshore financial structures. We are reviewing the links between corporations and we will keep at it.
Mr. Speaker, tax havens are one of the priorities in my mandate letter and a priority for this government. That is why, in the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, with which we hired auditors and have been targeting four jurisdictions per year. We are working with our international partners to tackle BEPS. Our plan is working. Our initiatives are working. We will continue to work for Canadians, just as we promised.
Mr. Speaker, as Minister of National Revenue, I can say that tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance are global problems that call for a global solution.The OECD brought nations together to collaborate on the development of a new global standard for the automatic exchange of information. We fully adopted this standard, and starting July 1, 2017, Canadian financial institutions began taking steps to identify accounts held by non-residents and report these accounts to the Canada Revenue Agency.We are taking concrete action.
Mr. Speaker, the latest Liberal budget, which joins Canada to the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, will send up to $500 million overseas for infrastructure, yet the Liberals are not delivering on infrastructure at home. Just several weeks ago, Toronto said that Ottawa was making unreasonable demands and could pull $121 million in TTC funding from the federal government. Why are the Liberals so eager to send infrastructure money overseas, while neglecting to spend on desperately needed roads and transit right here at home?
Mr. Speaker, we know the excuse writers in the Prime Minister's Office are working overtime as new Liberal ethics and conflict issues accumulate. However, Canadians are still waiting for a few meaningful answers from the Minister of Finance.He was found guilty and fined by the Ethics Commissioner for hiding his French corporation for two years. He has effectively admitted guilt for hiding his shares in Morneau Shepell for two years. Now the minister still owns other numbered companies.What new conflicts might we find if the contents were revealed to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure my colleague opposite that I have a lot more experience in fishing than he does. Our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance, and last year's historic investment of $1 billion proves it. Our plan is working. We had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, executed 268 search warrants, and obtained 78 convictions. We promised Canadians that we would get the job done, and no one is above the law.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his finance minister are on the hunt for Canadians to tax. If someone owns a small business, they will tax it. If someone is suffering from diabetes, they will tax that individual. If someone is dealing with autism or mental health issues, they will tax that person. However, if someone is a billionaire close friend of the Prime Minister, he or she can avoid paying taxes with impunity.When will the Prime Minister stop treating hard-working Canadians like tax cheats and go after his own crew?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's network of protected areas help to mitigate the impacts of climate change. They protect and restore healthy, resilient ecosystems and assist in the recovery of species at risk. Canada is committed to conserve at least 17% of our country's land and fresh water by 2020, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, indigenous peoples, and other key partners. Can the government please update this House on the recent progress towards this target?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague opposite that I was a social worker for 25 years. I have always helped the most vulnerable members of our society and worked to protect them.Our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits they are entitled to. We are moving forward with a national disability law that will remove barriers and focus on accessibility. We have simplified the forms and made it possible to hire specialized nurse practitioners to help people fill out the applications.We promised to do that during the election campaign, and we are going to continue to work to help the most vulnerable members of our society, those who need it most.
Mr. Speaker, human rights is a foundational part of Canada's international work. I will correct the record, because the member knows full well that this government tripled funding to the new Office of Human Rights, Freedoms and Inclusion.When it comes to human rights around the world, this government is taking a leadership role. We are doing this in all of our engagements. I hope the Conservative opposition will join us in helping to promote and defend human rights, as we are doing around the world.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite is the one who is talking nonsense. Our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance, and we are tackling this problem from all sides. In our first two budgets, we invested a historic amount of nearly $1 billion. Last year, the CRA imposed $44 million in penalties on proponents and tax advisers. We are continuing the work that we promised Canadians we would do during the election campaign.
Mr. Speaker, our government is working very hard to combat tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We have invested nearly $1 billion. We are seeing meaningful results, including warrants, criminal investigations, and even convictions.We are working on this file, unlike the Conservatives who, for 10 years and even according to one of their own former revenue ministers, did nothing. It was not even a priority for their government.
Mr. Speaker, like the issues surrounding the Minister of Finance, it is funny that things only start to happen when the Liberals get caught.While looking out for his friends and insiders, the Prime Minister put a target on the pocketbooks of hard-working Canadians. He accuses local business owners of being tax cheats even while he is raising their taxes, and he turns a blind eye to the loopholes his friends enjoy using. It is almost as if there is one set of rules for the Prime Minister and his wealthy friends, and another set of rules for everybody else.Why is it that every time the Prime Minister makes changes, it always benefits those in the jet-set life, and it always makes life harder for those in the road-trip life?
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about privilege. It pays to be part of the Liberal leader's inner circle.When the hon. member for Papineau told his friend, Stephen Bronfman, that he wanted to become leader of his party, the response was, Anything I can do to help. In the same interview, he said that the goal was to raise a pile of money to help the Liberal leader become the next prime minister. That was very telling. It seems that tax fairness does not apply to those who helped the Liberal leader become prime minister.Why is the Prime Minister going after farmers and the real job creators and refusing to do anything about tax avoidance in his circle of close friends?
Mr. Speaker, this government made a commitment to Canadians to ensure that we were engaging with them. That is exactly why we have taken historic consultations to ensure that the programs and the laws that we pass actually benefit them. This is the government that increased taxes on the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians by lowering taxes on middle-class Canadians. This is the government that is committed to lowering taxes on small businesses to 9% by 2019. This government will continue to ensure that their voices are being heard. This government will continue fighting for middle-class Canadians and those who
Mr. Speaker, I was just about to mention the minister's department. Today, we learned that the Canada Revenue Agency is deliberately failing to disclose how much money is lost to tax evasion each year. However, yesterday, the Minister of National Revenue assured us that everything was under control.Rather than just talking nonsense, will the Prime Minister give a clear answer for once and tell us how long he has known that his friend, the Liberal Party's bagman, has been using tax havens to avoid paying taxes?
Mr. Speaker, is it also our fault that Stephen Bronfman fundraises for the Liberals? This is yet another instance of Liberal hypocrisy. The Liberals see nothing wrong with raising taxes on people with disabilities. They think it is fair game to tax employee discounts. They go after farmers and small business owners, claiming they are tax cheats who are not paying their fair share.However, the Prime Minister is willing to let anything slide if it will protect his millionaire friends, like Stephen Bronfman.When will the Prime Minister put an end to this fiscal hypocrisy?
Mr. Speaker, who would advise the Liberals to raise taxes on people suffering with diabetes while allowing multi-millionaire party fundraisers to shelter their money away in tax havens? Who would advise the Liberals to impose higher taxes on farmers while protecting Morneau Shepell? We know it is the finance minister whose family business has assets in Barbados, the former finance minister who we know now puts his assets in Bermuda, and of course the Liberal fundraiser, Mr. Bronfman.Why is it that, when the Liberals raise taxes, it only affects everyone but them?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I wanted to provide a response to the question of privilege raised by the member for Thornhill on November 2, respecting the Prime Minister's response to an oral question on Tuesday, October 31. I submit that the matter is a dispute as to the facts, and therefore does not meet the criteria for finding a prima facie question of privilege. Page 86 of the House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition, sets out the criteria for establishing whether a member has deliberately misled the House. It states: it must be proven that the statement was misleading;...it must be established that the Member making the statement knew at the time that the statement was incorrect;...that in making the statement, the Member intended to mislead the House. I submit, these criteria have not been met. On October 31, 2017, in response to an oral question from the member for EdmontonStrathcona, the Prime Minister stated the following: ...two ministers had controlled assets held indirectly. The finance minister has announced that he is moving forward, going above and beyond what was originally asked. In the case of the other minister, those assets were divested 18 months ago. The Ethics Commissioner has confirmed that there is no difference of opinion on this issue between her and the Prime Minister. In fact, on November 2, 2017, the Ethics Commissioner released a statement that refutes the allegation that the commissioner is at odds with the statement made by the Prime Minister. I agree with the member for SkeenaBulkley Valley who intervened on this issue. Now the reasons she has as Ethics Commissioner to keep the number somewhat vague, as less than five but more than one, is something that is at her discretion. That is not for us to judge. Allegations of breach of privilege are often dismissed as disputes as to the facts. There are numerous precedents in support of this. Most recently, on May 5, 2016, the Speaker ruled: As members can appreciate, the threshold is very high, purposely so given the seriousness of the allegation and its potential consequences for members individually and collectively. From this, it stands to reason that a finding of a prima facie case of privilege is an exceedingly rare occurrence in cases with respect to disputed facts. I submit that the matter is a dispute as to the facts and therefore does not meet the conditions for a prima facie question of privilege.
Mr. Speaker, while accusing local small business owners of being tax cheats, the Prime Minister has gone out of his way to protect the interests of his rich, well-connected Liberal friends.The paradise papers expose the Prime Minister's close friend and chief political fundraiser as having sheltered millions of dollars offshore. The Bronfmans are also known for being very effective at lobbying against closing offshore tax loopholes.When did the Prime Minister learn that his friend and chief fundraiser had these offshore holdings, and that his lawyers had lobbied so hard to protect these tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, despite promising not to do so in the last election, these Liberals took veterans back to court. Now we have learned that veterans are being forced to wait longer and longer to get the benefits they have earned.Today the Prime Minister is hurrying off to Asia to deliver on his priority: infrastructure handouts to the world's wealthy. Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs tell us why veterans are being shortchanged while the Prime Minister sends half a billion dollars to wealthy bankers in Asia?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for ChâteauguayLacolle for her question and for her hard work.Our government is especially proud of what our oceans protection plan has done for abandoned vessels, not just in Beauharnois, but across the country. We are passing legislation strengthening owner responsibility and liability for their vessels. We are funding the removal of small high-risk vessels and empowering the government to address problem vessels more proactively. We take this work very seriously.
Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers are in Ottawa today and many of them are concerned. They have a right to be concerned because even though the Liberals campaigned on being inclusive and different and transparent, they continue to negotiate the TPP in the dark, just like the Conservatives. Dairy farmers and Canadians believed this deal was dead, but we have learned an agreement could be reached this week. This agreement will contain a breach in supply management, and the new NAFTA could do exactly the same thing.How much market access will the government allow in our supply-managed sectors?
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In our last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion to crack down on tax cheats. Our plan is yielding results. We have had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions. The Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate action. We will continue to work for a fair and equitable tax system for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, instead of going after his own friend, the Prime Minister has decided to target Canadians with autism, mental health disabilities, and diabetes.Stephen Bronfman, the Prime Minister's close friend and chief Liberal bagman, is the poster boy for tax avoidance schemes.When will the Prime Minister stop targeting Canada's most vulnerable citizens and stop making excuses for tax avoiders like Mr. Bronfman?
Mr. Speaker, I want my colleague opposite to know that the issue of tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance is a priority for the Canada Revenue Agency.Here is what I can tell him. For the last fiscal year alone, the CRA's work resulted in 37 convictions with sentences totalling over 50 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines imposed by the courts. That is on top of the $44 million in penalties that were imposed on tax advisers last year. We are getting the job done, and we are going to see this through to the end.
Mr. Speaker, over 235,000 people are without a home in our country. In Canada, housing should be a right. Liberals like to talk about the right to housing but are unwilling to enshrine it in law. Maybe this explains why not a single Liberal spoke on my bill, Bill C-325, during its second hour of debate.Are the Liberals keeping silent because they are just too ashamed to speak against the human right to housing?
Mr. Speaker, our government is strongly committed to combatting tax evasion and abusive tax avoidance and making the tax system fair and equitable for all Canadians. I am proud that we are playing a leading role on the international stage. Collaboration between tax administrations, including the exchange of tax information, is an essential tool to protect the integrity of Canada's tax base. That is why, as of September 30, 2017, the Canada Revenue Agency had more than 990 audits and 42 criminal investigations under way focusing on offshore financial structures.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is incorrect. I have disclosed what is in all my companies to the Ethics Commissioner. From day one, I have disclosed 100% of my assets to the Ethics Commissioner.That is what allows us to do the work that we are doing on behalf of Canadians, the work that we started two years ago when we found ourselves with an economy that was not growing fast enough. We decided that we had a choice, and the choice was to create jobs for Canadians. It is working, with more than 500,000 new jobs over the last two years, a situation where our economy is growing faster than it has grown in a decade. This is helping Canadian families to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, nobody is above the law, but the law is the problem.We now know that the Liberal Party fundraising chair, Stephen Bronfman, put money in tax havens. He claims that he always acted properly...including fully complying with all applicable laws. That is exactly the problem. That excuse sounds awfully familiar to me, actually. Oh right, it is the stock reply we hear from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance whenever a scandal crops up.Will the Liberals stop thumbing their noses at everyone and actually do something to fight tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, some months ago, appointed the hon. member for Edmonton Centre to consult broadly across the country with the community to make sure that all elements of this issue were properly heard and known and taken into account, so that the apology when given can be thorough and complete and the other appropriate actions around that apology can reinforce the basic message of rights and freedoms in this country.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is a strong supporter of progressive trade and the Asia-Pacific is a priority market for our government. We are actively engaged with the remaining TPP countries and the minister is in Vietnam right now working hard to deliver real change and better results for Canadians and the middle class. We are discussing options for a possible agreement and we are also discussing ways to improve the terms of trade for Canadian businesses. This work is critical, we are taking our time, and we are pressing for a better deal. We feel we owe this to Canadians to diversify markets abroad and to create jobs for people at home.
Mr. Speaker, one of the four pillars of our oceans protection plan is strengthening partnerships with indigenous communities, including building local emergency response capacity. Just last week, the first session under the indigenous community response training project wrapped up in Bamfield, British Columbia. Nine members from seven northern first nations graduated from the coastal nations search and rescue course, enhancing this important capacity for the Canadian Coast Guard.Mr. Speaker, as you know, we will do what it takes to protect Canada's oceans.
Mr. Speaker, I really cannot figure out what the Minister of National Revenue does not understand.While she drags her feet, the Liberal Party's cronies continue to take advantage of the system that she is keeping in place. The Liberal Party of Canada's bagman, for example, sheltered millions of dollars from taxes in the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands are a notorious tax haven with which Canada has signed a tax information exchange agreement. This agreement should have made the Canada Revenue Agency aware of the scheming Liberal cronies have been involved in.Why do we have agreements with tax havens such as the Cayman Islands if they let the Liberal clique dodge their tax obligations?
Mr. Speaker, Canada has the longest coastline in the world and the health and protection of our coasts are critical to our environment, our economy, and to all Canadians. Our Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans hears many different views on how to prosper, but everyone agrees we have to protect our waters and our shorelines. It was a year ago today that the Prime Minister introduced the oceans protection plan. Could the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard update us on our progress?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they are going after tax havens, but that is hypocritical.For the past 30 years, nobody has done more to facilitate tax evasion than Canada. The loopholes that the Liberals claim to be tackling now were created by Ottawa in the first place. Tax evasion is actually legal. When the Bloc Québécois exposed these loopholes, all of the Liberals voted against our bill.Why does the government hide when we ask it to change the law? Is it trying to protect its Liberal bagmen?
Mr. Speaker, high-tax hypocrisy is not a new sport for these Liberals. It has been perfected over the generations. While Paul Martin was the finance minister, he put foreign flags on his ships to avoid the very taxes he was imposing on everyone else. Now the paradise papers expose that his family business has moved its assets into zero-tax Bermuda, and he is advising the Prime Minister as part of the Liberal economic team. Now that he has been exposed once again for avoiding paying his fair share, will the finance minister fire Paul Martin from his economic team?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister took great pains this summer explaining that hard-working fishers, farmers, and small business owners were really not paying their fair share and were in fact tax cheats, all the while we had the Liberal bagman and the Prime Minister's close friends stashing $60 million away in the Cayman Islands tax scheme. My question is very simple. Why is the government so adamant to make life more difficult for honest tax-paying citizens and letting its friends off scot-free?
Mr. Speaker, this is an issue that we take very seriously. We respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We know that more work needs to be done, and that is exactly why we will continue to engage with Canadians to ensure that we are delivering for them.This government knows that Canadians have a role in this place. We will engage with them. We will make sure we do it right.
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to take this opportunity to say how important the right to decent housing is in Canada for everyone, and in particular for more vulnerable Canadians. We know how important housing is for life in communities and for life in a proper home to participate in the lives of everyone else around us.I have good news to announce in a very short time. I invite our colleague to listen very carefully.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The hypocrisy of the members across the aisle is stunning. Former minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn admitted in an interview
Mr. Speaker, Canadians love our national parks and national heritage places, and we saw that clearly this year with record attendance at our parks and historic places with free entry for Canada 150. On Friday, October 27, I was extremely pleased to be joined by the member for KelownaLake Country as Canada, British Columbia, and representatives of the southern communities of the Syilx Okanagan Nation announced a renewed commitment to move forward together to establish a new national park reserve in the south Okanagan. After many years, we are pleased to be moving forward to protect this iconic place, and I want to thank the member for his help.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report to the House that I have and will continue to disclose all my assets to the Ethics Commissioner. What that does is allow us to get on with the work we want to do for Canadians.I am also pleased to report to the House that this work is having a real impact. We have now passed 500,000 new jobs in the country since we were elected. We have the lowest unemployment rate in a decade. Canadians are more confident than they have been in years, and it is showing up in the growth rate we are seeing across our country.Our plan is working, and we are going to continue the hard work on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, if it were legal to rob a store, putting more police officers in front of the door would change absolutely nothing. The same logic applies to tax havens. We are being robbed, but it is legal. How great is that? The revenue minister's answers are basically spin. The government is not getting at the root of the problem. We need to review and renegotiate our tax agreements with a number of countries. Will the Liberals reconsider our agreements with tax havens? If they cannot say yes, that means they do not want to change anything.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians get the tax credits they are entitled to. Eligibility for that tax credit has not changed.It is important to recognize that far too many Canadians are living with challenges like these and need help. To help people who earn modest incomes keep more of their hard-earned dollars, we are enhancing the working income tax benefit to the tune of $500 million per year as of 2019. We are keeping the promises we made during the election campaign.
Mr. Speaker, what we are doing on this side of the House is we are very focused on ensuring Canadians are successful. The good news is that it is absolutely working. Canadians have a higher level of confidence because they actually have more money. The Canada child benefit and the tax reductions we have put in place have allowed people to put money back into our economy, which is helping all of us to succeed. It is a good news story for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, former minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, admitted in an interview that tax evasion was not a priority for the Conservative government. That is why we need no lessons from the party that works every day to secure special privileges for the wealthy. Canadians expect to have a fair and equitable tax system.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is making Canadians pay more and more taxes to cover his reckless spending. Meanwhile, Liberal Party cronies are putting money in tax havens and weaseling out of their tax obligations here at home. Unlike middle-class families, they are not paying their fair share. Why are the Liberals going after people with disabilities, people with diabetes, people with mental health issues, and people with autism? Why are they treating them like tax cheats instead of going after Liberal Party friends who are hiding money in tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud to have approved, as the member well knows, more than 4,000 projects since taking office, with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. Federal investments are enabling these projects to move forward. As the hon. member knows, the federal contributions are paid when the expense claims are submitted by our partners. We will continue to work with our partners to move their priorities forward and provide the flexibility necessary to meet those requirements. We are in ongoing discussions with the province, and we trust its judgment in telling us what the priorities are.
Mr. Speaker, I will say it again: as the member well knows, we are proud to have approved more than 4,000 projects since taking office, with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. Federal investments are enabling these projects to move forward. As the hon. member knows, the federal contributions are paid when the expense claims are submitted by our partners. We will continue to work with our partners to move their priorities forward, and provide the flexibility necessary to meet those requirements. I am very proud to announce that several hundred projects are in the works in Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we do not play games and we do not use semantics. What we do is we disclose what we need to disclose in order to make sure we can get on with the work. By disclosing all my assets to the Ethics Commissioner
Mr. Speaker, you will find that during question period, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons seems to have inadvertently misled the House, since we know that eight out of 10 families in Canada are paying more in taxes. I am calling on the hon. member to withdraw her statement. I am seeking unanimous consent to table the Fraser Institute report that shows that Canadian families are paying more in taxes under the Liberals.
Mr. Speaker, delivering timely benefit decisions is an area where we can and we must do better. In 2015-16, we saw a 25% increase in the number of disability claims, and that is a good thing, because that means more veterans are coming forward for the help they need.To address this increase, we are simplifying the benefits process, hiring more staff, and giving the benefit of the doubt to the veterans. When it comes to veterans' care, we can always strive for excellence, and we will.
Mr. Speaker, I am going to use some numbers, so that the government understands the hypocrisy of what it is talking about. As I said, a Liberal bagman stashed $60 million away in a tax-free account in the Cayman Islands. Let us pretend that this $60 million was put into a passive investment account by a small business person here in Canada. That would be a tax bill of $43 million. Why is the Prime Minister allowing his friends to get off on a tax bill of $43 million?
Mr. Speaker, LGBTQ+ communities have responded favourably to the Liberal government's commitment to apologize for past injustices against them. However, we want to ensure that the apology will be sincere.Will the Liberal government today confirm that the Prime Minister himself will apologize, that the apology will be on the record of the House of Commons, and that there will be reparation?
Mr. Speaker, it is very typical of the Minister of Finance, playing games with words and semantics. However, the spirit of disclosing his assets, by which he was found guilty by the Ethics Commissioner, he is absolutely guilty of and he does not have the decency to admit it to Canadians. This is why they do not trust him.I have a very simple question. If the Minister of Finance had nothing to hide over the last two years when he was regulating industries that he may have owned shares in, why does he not tell Canadians what he owned in the last two years in his numbered companies? No semantics.
Mr. Speaker, it is clear the government has a problem knowing who is in charge of this one.What we are asking is that the Liberals make a commitment today to a just apology for the past injustices to the LGBTQ community. That means an apology by the Prime Minister in the House and one that includes redress measures. Those who were kicked out of the Canadian Forces still have dishonourable discharges on their records. Those who were convicted because of who they love still have criminal records for things that are no longer illegal, and this continues to limit their ability to volunteer, travel, and work.Will the Liberal government commit today to a just apology for my community, to righting past wrongs and not just expressing regret?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to know what the Minister of Finance has been hiding from them over the past two years. They know he hid his stocks in Morneau Shepell. They know he hid his ownership in a French corporation, an act for which he was found guilty by the Ethics Commissioner. Over the last two years, he has not disclosed what he has owned in his various numbered companies. I have a simple question. He may have disclosed yesterday, but the previous two years he has not disclosed to Canadians what is in his numbered companies. What is he hiding?
Yesterday, the Prime Minister told us that the CRA would be looking into allegations of tax evasion, but he stopped short of confirming that this would be the case for Stephen Bronfman. This is the same CRA that is constantly under fire by tax experts for going hard against everyday Canadians, but for throwing back the big fish. This is the same CRA that forgave the clients who made millions from the KPMG scheme, and this is the same CRA that failed to act on the Panama papers.When will the minister stop defending the CRA and start standing up for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that the member opposite has given us an opportunity to talk about some of the things our government is doing to address the opioid crisis. For example, our government has provided $10 million in urgent support to our provincial partners in British Columbia and $6 million to the Province of Alberta to assist with its response. That is in addition to $22.7 million ongoing of the $100-million commitment in budget 2017 to support national measures associated with the Canadian drugs and substances strategy to respond to this terrible health crisis.
Mr. Speaker, instead of relying on meaningless stats, she should understand one thing. We are lawmakers. Instead of hiding behind the bogus excuse that it felt legal anyway, we can roll up our sleeves and do something about it. We can change the laws. We can especially change laws that allow the wealthy and the well connected to pay less tax than middle-class Canadians. The question is this. Will the government do that or will it block these efforts, as it has done for the past two years?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister put in an unconvincing performance yesterday.The Liberals love picking on local businesses, middle-class families, and even the sick. However, when the Minister of Finance and the Liberal bagman try to hide their assets or avoid paying taxes, all we get from the Prime Minister is radio silence.How long has the Prime Minister known that his chief fundraiser stashes money in tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, last week, we learned that the U.S. commerce department has made its final decision regarding the duties that will be imposed on Canadian softwood lumber.Export duties of up to 21% will jeopardize 11,000 jobs in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean. The government knew that this decision was imminent, but the Liberals continue to slip up and have made little to no progress when it comes to protecting the softwood lumber industry.When will they take charge of the situation and save these jobs?
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.We have invested close to $1 billion over the past two years. We have targeted four jurisdictions per year and hired 100 auditors. Our plan is working. We have transferred 627 cases to criminal investigation, executed 268 search warrants, and obtained 78 convictions.Nobody has accomplished as much as our government has over the past two years. Certainly not the Bloc Québécois.
Mr. Speaker, I find it rather odd to hear Conservative members say that we are not working on closing tax loopholes when for 10 years their government did nothing about tax evasion. A former national revenue minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even said so publicly.I find the hypocrisy of my colleagues across the way to be quite something. We have no lessons to learn from the former government.
Mr. Speaker, let us try this again.This government is a government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians. This government is a government that recognizes that small businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy and that they are community builders. We want to see them succeed. That is exactly why we are committed to lowering the small business tax rate to 9% by 2019. I really look forward to members opposite recognizing that small businesses are the backbone of the economy and that they should be paying a lower tax rate.
Mr. Speaker, during the last election, the Liberals made a specific commitment to support justice and reconciliation in Sri Lanka following terrible crimes committed at the end of the civil war and in light of ongoing human rights concerns for the Tamil community today. Instead of acting, the Liberals cancelled the office of religious freedom, undercutting existing initiatives to promote pluralism and human rights, and their new office has been completely absent on this. Why has the government failed to take any concrete action to implement its commitment with respect to human rights in Sri Lanka?
Mr. Speaker, as I said, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance, which the Conservative Party failed to do for 10 years. A former Canada Revenue Agency minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even said that it was not a priority for his government.Our government took office two years ago and in that time we have invested $1 billion. We are seeing results. We are working internationally. There have been charges, criminal investigations, and warrants. We continue to work for Canadians and for a fair tax system.
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits to which they are entitled. We are moving forward with a national disability law that will remove barriers by focusing on accessibility for all Canadians living with a disability.We have made it easier for people with disabilities to access tax credits. We have simplified the forms and, in budget 2017, we allowed specialized nurse practitioners to complete patients' applications. We will continue to work with the most vulnerable and with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, I repeat, after 10 years of inaction by the former government, the opposition member's hypocrisy is staggering. The OECD, of which Canada is a member, brought nations together to collaborate on the development of a new global standard for the automatic exchange of information. We fully adopted this standard. We have invested $1 billion, hired auditors, launched criminal investigations, and laid charges. We are taking action.
Mr. Speaker, our government is working internationally to combat tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We are an important international partner in the BEPS project. Our efforts are paying off. When I talk about the 627 cases that have been transferred to criminal investigations, the 268 search warrants, and the 78 convictions, I am not sure what the member opposite does not understand. That is what it means to take action and get the job done.
Mr. Speaker, the municipalities have yet to enjoy the benefits of this supposed flexibility.After receiving some generous donations from Asian proponents, the Liberal Party is going to invest $480 million in the Asian infrastructure bank. It is sad to see this government unwilling to give our infrastructure here in Canada the same attention.The Liberals are dangling tons of money before the municipalities, but some projects have been cancelled because of all of the unnecessary conditions being imposed.Instead of prancing around Asia and working against our taxpayers and our municipalities, will the Prime Minister be a true partner to our municipalities?
Mr. Speaker, residents living on the shores of Lake Saint-Louis are concerned about the notorious Kathryn Spirit. The former government took no action with respect to this ship, which has been abandoned since its arrival in Beauharnois, and it was our government that got the dismantling process started. One year ago today, the Prime Minister announced our oceans protection plan.Could the minister tell us how this plan will affect abandoned vessels like the Kathryn Spirit in future?
Mr. Speaker, tax cheats must be subject to fines and prison sentences. We are fed up with the government's rhetoric. Ordinary Canadians are the ones who are suffering because the wealthy are using tax havens to avoid paying taxes.The money that Stephen Bronfman has hidden away in the Cayman Islands is not being used to help our hospitals and schools. It is staying in his pocket, with this government's blessing. Our taxes are paying for the roads that these tax cheats are driving around on in their big limousines.When will this government stop thumbing its nose at Canadians and put an end to the use of tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, during the first quarter of this year, opioids killed over 900 Canadians. The government needs to help. The Liberals gave only $10 million to fight the opioid crisis but has no problem giving $500 million to the Asian infrastructure bank.Why is the government sending $500 million to foreign billionaires, when we have Canadians dying in our streets by the hundreds? Canada is our home.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In our first two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, allowing us to hire 100 auditors and achieve record results. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions.The work has only just started. We will see it through.
Mr. Speaker, tax evasion is a priority for our government.I would remind the Conservative party that we voted in favour of the Canada child benefit to lift children out of poverty. We lowered taxes for the middle class. We increased the guaranteed income supplement. We abolished the Harper reform that attacked employment insurance claimants and we invested in infrastructure. These are all things that we have undertaken and that the party across the way opposed. We are the government that works for the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, we all wondered how the Liberals were going to try to change the channel from the Morneau Shepell fiasco. Who knew they would be using a massive tax haven scandal to get our minds off their massive ethics scandal. To make matters worse, the Liberals have been hiding how much money is lost to these tax havens. For years they fought against the release of the so-called tax gap in Canada. Just like Bill C-58, their no access to information bill, the Liberals deny basic information that is owed to Canadians.Therefore, I have a very simple question. Will the government finally tell Canadians how much money its millionaire and billionaire friends actually owe this country?
Mr. Speaker, unlike my colleague opposite, at least we have results to announce.Over the past two years, we have invested more than $1 billion and our plan is bearing fruit. Four jurisdictions are identified each year. More than 100 auditors have been hired and 627 cases have been transferred to criminal investigation. There have been 268 search warrants and 78 convictions. That is just for starters. We are continuing our work as we promised Canadians in the last campaign. We will continue with this work all through our mandate.
Mr. Speaker, the punitive duties imposed by the U.S. commerce department are unfair and deeply troubling. Our forestry industry has never been found guilty in previous cases. We will challenge this decision before the courts and we will win, as we have done on every past occasion. We want a good agreement for Canada, not just any deal.
Mr. Speaker, to be or not to be, that is the question. In this tragic comedy entitled, The latest Liberal scandal, we wonder who has the lead role. Is it the Minister of Finance or the Prime Minister? We have not gotten any answers to simple questions for weeks. What exactly are they hiding? Why will they not answer? Are they rewriting a new chapter to the story, Gomery 2, or will they finally answer this simple question. What is the Minister of Finance hiding with his companies?
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister claims that he is making the wealthiest 1% pay, he is paying his Christmas holiday with taxpayers' money, off-loading the deficit to the middle class, and attacking job creators across the country. He is being hypocritical to the point of turning a blind eye to the paradise papers scandal. I almost slipped and talked about the sponsorship scandal.To be clear, letting one's close friends put money into tax havens and not pay any taxes, is that the Liberals' plan to make the wealthy pay?
Mr. Speaker, we promised Canadians that we would look into the tax gap, and that is exactly what we are doing. Unlike the previous government, which systematically refused to look at the tax gap, we have opted for an evidence-based approach. To date, the Canada Revenue Agency has proven its commitment to estimating the tax gap by producing three studies since June 2016. We are pursuing our efforts on this issue. That is what Canadians expect, and in the summer of 2018, we will be publishing a report on the international aspect of the tax gap.
Mr. Speaker, the revenue minister keeps telling us she is so proud that her tax collectors are targeting Canadians. Her tax collectors are systematically raising taxes on type 1 diabetics, Canadians with mental health issues, and autism. Her tax collectors are so busy targeting the most vulnerable, they seem to have forgotten about the Prime Minister's wealthy friends. When will the minister finally tell her tax collectors to lay off sick and vulnerable Canadians and focus on real tax cheats?
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that billions of dollars are at stake. We made an historic investment of nearly $1 billion in the Canada Revenue Agency to combat this problem. The CRA uses the information it receives through lists disclosed by countries that are part of the BEPS project. That is why the agency, as of September 30, 2017, was conducting more than 990 audits and 42 criminal investigations related to offshore financial structures. We are reviewing the links between corporations and we will keep at it.
Mr. Speaker, tax havens are one of the priorities in my mandate letter and a priority for this government. That is why, in the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, with which we hired auditors and have been targeting four jurisdictions per year. We are working with our international partners to tackle BEPS. Our plan is working. Our initiatives are working. We will continue to work for Canadians, just as we promised.
Mr. Speaker, as Minister of National Revenue, I can say that tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance are global problems that call for a global solution.The OECD brought nations together to collaborate on the development of a new global standard for the automatic exchange of information. We fully adopted this standard, and starting July 1, 2017, Canadian financial institutions began taking steps to identify accounts held by non-residents and report these accounts to the Canada Revenue Agency.We are taking concrete action.
Mr. Speaker, the latest Liberal budget, which joins Canada to the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, will send up to $500 million overseas for infrastructure, yet the Liberals are not delivering on infrastructure at home. Just several weeks ago, Toronto said that Ottawa was making unreasonable demands and could pull $121 million in TTC funding from the federal government. Why are the Liberals so eager to send infrastructure money overseas, while neglecting to spend on desperately needed roads and transit right here at home?
Mr. Speaker, we know the excuse writers in the Prime Minister's Office are working overtime as new Liberal ethics and conflict issues accumulate. However, Canadians are still waiting for a few meaningful answers from the Minister of Finance.He was found guilty and fined by the Ethics Commissioner for hiding his French corporation for two years. He has effectively admitted guilt for hiding his shares in Morneau Shepell for two years. Now the minister still owns other numbered companies.What new conflicts might we find if the contents were revealed to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure my colleague opposite that I have a lot more experience in fishing than he does. Our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance, and last year's historic investment of $1 billion proves it. Our plan is working. We had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, executed 268 search warrants, and obtained 78 convictions. We promised Canadians that we would get the job done, and no one is above the law.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his finance minister are on the hunt for Canadians to tax. If someone owns a small business, they will tax it. If someone is suffering from diabetes, they will tax that individual. If someone is dealing with autism or mental health issues, they will tax that person. However, if someone is a billionaire close friend of the Prime Minister, he or she can avoid paying taxes with impunity.When will the Prime Minister stop treating hard-working Canadians like tax cheats and go after his own crew?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's network of protected areas help to mitigate the impacts of climate change. They protect and restore healthy, resilient ecosystems and assist in the recovery of species at risk. Canada is committed to conserve at least 17% of our country's land and fresh water by 2020, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, indigenous peoples, and other key partners. Can the government please update this House on the recent progress towards this target?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague opposite that I was a social worker for 25 years. I have always helped the most vulnerable members of our society and worked to protect them.Our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits they are entitled to. We are moving forward with a national disability law that will remove barriers and focus on accessibility. We have simplified the forms and made it possible to hire specialized nurse practitioners to help people fill out the applications.We promised to do that during the election campaign, and we are going to continue to work to help the most vulnerable members of our society, those who need it most.
Mr. Speaker, human rights is a foundational part of Canada's international work. I will correct the record, because the member knows full well that this government tripled funding to the new Office of Human Rights, Freedoms and Inclusion.When it comes to human rights around the world, this government is taking a leadership role. We are doing this in all of our engagements. I hope the Conservative opposition will join us in helping to promote and defend human rights, as we are doing around the world.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite is the one who is talking nonsense. Our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance, and we are tackling this problem from all sides. In our first two budgets, we invested a historic amount of nearly $1 billion. Last year, the CRA imposed $44 million in penalties on proponents and tax advisers. We are continuing the work that we promised Canadians we would do during the election campaign.
Mr. Speaker, our government is working very hard to combat tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We have invested nearly $1 billion. We are seeing meaningful results, including warrants, criminal investigations, and even convictions.We are working on this file, unlike the Conservatives who, for 10 years and even according to one of their own former revenue ministers, did nothing. It was not even a priority for their government.
Mr. Speaker, like the issues surrounding the Minister of Finance, it is funny that things only start to happen when the Liberals get caught.While looking out for his friends and insiders, the Prime Minister put a target on the pocketbooks of hard-working Canadians. He accuses local business owners of being tax cheats even while he is raising their taxes, and he turns a blind eye to the loopholes his friends enjoy using. It is almost as if there is one set of rules for the Prime Minister and his wealthy friends, and another set of rules for everybody else.Why is it that every time the Prime Minister makes changes, it always benefits those in the jet-set life, and it always makes life harder for those in the road-trip life?
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about privilege. It pays to be part of the Liberal leader's inner circle.When the hon. member for Papineau told his friend, Stephen Bronfman, that he wanted to become leader of his party, the response was, Anything I can do to help. In the same interview, he said that the goal was to raise a pile of money to help the Liberal leader become the next prime minister. That was very telling. It seems that tax fairness does not apply to those who helped the Liberal leader become prime minister.Why is the Prime Minister going after farmers and the real job creators and refusing to do anything about tax avoidance in his circle of close friends?
Mr. Speaker, this government made a commitment to Canadians to ensure that we were engaging with them. That is exactly why we have taken historic consultations to ensure that the programs and the laws that we pass actually benefit them. This is the government that increased taxes on the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians by lowering taxes on middle-class Canadians. This is the government that is committed to lowering taxes on small businesses to 9% by 2019. This government will continue to ensure that their voices are being heard. This government will continue fighting for middle-class Canadians and those who
Mr. Speaker, I was just about to mention the minister's department. Today, we learned that the Canada Revenue Agency is deliberately failing to disclose how much money is lost to tax evasion each year. However, yesterday, the Minister of National Revenue assured us that everything was under control.Rather than just talking nonsense, will the Prime Minister give a clear answer for once and tell us how long he has known that his friend, the Liberal Party's bagman, has been using tax havens to avoid paying taxes?
Mr. Speaker, is it also our fault that Stephen Bronfman fundraises for the Liberals? This is yet another instance of Liberal hypocrisy. The Liberals see nothing wrong with raising taxes on people with disabilities. They think it is fair game to tax employee discounts. They go after farmers and small business owners, claiming they are tax cheats who are not paying their fair share.However, the Prime Minister is willing to let anything slide if it will protect his millionaire friends, like Stephen Bronfman.When will the Prime Minister put an end to this fiscal hypocrisy?
Mr. Speaker, who would advise the Liberals to raise taxes on people suffering with diabetes while allowing multi-millionaire party fundraisers to shelter their money away in tax havens? Who would advise the Liberals to impose higher taxes on farmers while protecting Morneau Shepell? We know it is the finance minister whose family business has assets in Barbados, the former finance minister who we know now puts his assets in Bermuda, and of course the Liberal fundraiser, Mr. Bronfman.Why is it that, when the Liberals raise taxes, it only affects everyone but them?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I wanted to provide a response to the question of privilege raised by the member for Thornhill on November 2, respecting the Prime Minister's response to an oral question on Tuesday, October 31. I submit that the matter is a dispute as to the facts, and therefore does not meet the criteria for finding a prima facie question of privilege. Page 86 of the House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition, sets out the criteria for establishing whether a member has deliberately misled the House. It states: it must be proven that the statement was misleading;...it must be established that the Member making the statement knew at the time that the statement was incorrect;...that in making the statement, the Member intended to mislead the House. I submit, these criteria have not been met. On October 31, 2017, in response to an oral question from the member for EdmontonStrathcona, the Prime Minister stated the following: ...two ministers had controlled assets held indirectly. The finance minister has announced that he is moving forward, going above and beyond what was originally asked. In the case of the other minister, those assets were divested 18 months ago. The Ethics Commissioner has confirmed that there is no difference of opinion on this issue between her and the Prime Minister. In fact, on November 2, 2017, the Ethics Commissioner released a statement that refutes the allegation that the commissioner is at odds with the statement made by the Prime Minister. I agree with the member for SkeenaBulkley Valley who intervened on this issue. Now the reasons she has as Ethics Commissioner to keep the number somewhat vague, as less than five but more than one, is something that is at her discretion. That is not for us to judge. Allegations of breach of privilege are often dismissed as disputes as to the facts. There are numerous precedents in support of this. Most recently, on May 5, 2016, the Speaker ruled: As members can appreciate, the threshold is very high, purposely so given the seriousness of the allegation and its potential consequences for members individually and collectively. From this, it stands to reason that a finding of a prima facie case of privilege is an exceedingly rare occurrence in cases with respect to disputed facts. I submit that the matter is a dispute as to the facts and therefore does not meet the conditions for a prima facie question of privilege.
Mr. Speaker, while accusing local small business owners of being tax cheats, the Prime Minister has gone out of his way to protect the interests of his rich, well-connected Liberal friends.The paradise papers expose the Prime Minister's close friend and chief political fundraiser as having sheltered millions of dollars offshore. The Bronfmans are also known for being very effective at lobbying against closing offshore tax loopholes.When did the Prime Minister learn that his friend and chief fundraiser had these offshore holdings, and that his lawyers had lobbied so hard to protect these tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, despite promising not to do so in the last election, these Liberals took veterans back to court. Now we have learned that veterans are being forced to wait longer and longer to get the benefits they have earned.Today the Prime Minister is hurrying off to Asia to deliver on his priority: infrastructure handouts to the world's wealthy. Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs tell us why veterans are being shortchanged while the Prime Minister sends half a billion dollars to wealthy bankers in Asia?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for ChâteauguayLacolle for her question and for her hard work.Our government is especially proud of what our oceans protection plan has done for abandoned vessels, not just in Beauharnois, but across the country. We are passing legislation strengthening owner responsibility and liability for their vessels. We are funding the removal of small high-risk vessels and empowering the government to address problem vessels more proactively. We take this work very seriously.
Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers are in Ottawa today and many of them are concerned. They have a right to be concerned because even though the Liberals campaigned on being inclusive and different and transparent, they continue to negotiate the TPP in the dark, just like the Conservatives. Dairy farmers and Canadians believed this deal was dead, but we have learned an agreement could be reached this week. This agreement will contain a breach in supply management, and the new NAFTA could do exactly the same thing.How much market access will the government allow in our supply-managed sectors?
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In our last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion to crack down on tax cheats. Our plan is yielding results. We have had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions. The Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate action. We will continue to work for a fair and equitable tax system for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, instead of going after his own friend, the Prime Minister has decided to target Canadians with autism, mental health disabilities, and diabetes.Stephen Bronfman, the Prime Minister's close friend and chief Liberal bagman, is the poster boy for tax avoidance schemes.When will the Prime Minister stop targeting Canada's most vulnerable citizens and stop making excuses for tax avoiders like Mr. Bronfman?
Mr. Speaker, I want my colleague opposite to know that the issue of tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance is a priority for the Canada Revenue Agency.Here is what I can tell him. For the last fiscal year alone, the CRA's work resulted in 37 convictions with sentences totalling over 50 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines imposed by the courts. That is on top of the $44 million in penalties that were imposed on tax advisers last year. We are getting the job done, and we are going to see this through to the end.
Mr. Speaker, over 235,000 people are without a home in our country. In Canada, housing should be a right. Liberals like to talk about the right to housing but are unwilling to enshrine it in law. Maybe this explains why not a single Liberal spoke on my bill, Bill C-325, during its second hour of debate.Are the Liberals keeping silent because they are just too ashamed to speak against the human right to housing?
Mr. Speaker, our government is strongly committed to combatting tax evasion and abusive tax avoidance and making the tax system fair and equitable for all Canadians. I am proud that we are playing a leading role on the international stage. Collaboration between tax administrations, including the exchange of tax information, is an essential tool to protect the integrity of Canada's tax base. That is why, as of September 30, 2017, the Canada Revenue Agency had more than 990 audits and 42 criminal investigations under way focusing on offshore financial structures.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is incorrect. I have disclosed what is in all my companies to the Ethics Commissioner. From day one, I have disclosed 100% of my assets to the Ethics Commissioner.That is what allows us to do the work that we are doing on behalf of Canadians, the work that we started two years ago when we found ourselves with an economy that was not growing fast enough. We decided that we had a choice, and the choice was to create jobs for Canadians. It is working, with more than 500,000 new jobs over the last two years, a situation where our economy is growing faster than it has grown in a decade. This is helping Canadian families to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, nobody is above the law, but the law is the problem.We now know that the Liberal Party fundraising chair, Stephen Bronfman, put money in tax havens. He claims that he always acted properly...including fully complying with all applicable laws. That is exactly the problem. That excuse sounds awfully familiar to me, actually. Oh right, it is the stock reply we hear from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance whenever a scandal crops up.Will the Liberals stop thumbing their noses at everyone and actually do something to fight tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, some months ago, appointed the hon. member for Edmonton Centre to consult broadly across the country with the community to make sure that all elements of this issue were properly heard and known and taken into account, so that the apology when given can be thorough and complete and the other appropriate actions around that apology can reinforce the basic message of rights and freedoms in this country.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is a strong supporter of progressive trade and the Asia-Pacific is a priority market for our government. We are actively engaged with the remaining TPP countries and the minister is in Vietnam right now working hard to deliver real change and better results for Canadians and the middle class. We are discussing options for a possible agreement and we are also discussing ways to improve the terms of trade for Canadian businesses. This work is critical, we are taking our time, and we are pressing for a better deal. We feel we owe this to Canadians to diversify markets abroad and to create jobs for people at home.
Mr. Speaker, one of the four pillars of our oceans protection plan is strengthening partnerships with indigenous communities, including building local emergency response capacity. Just last week, the first session under the indigenous community response training project wrapped up in Bamfield, British Columbia. Nine members from seven northern first nations graduated from the coastal nations search and rescue course, enhancing this important capacity for the Canadian Coast Guard.Mr. Speaker, as you know, we will do what it takes to protect Canada's oceans.
Mr. Speaker, I really cannot figure out what the Minister of National Revenue does not understand.While she drags her feet, the Liberal Party's cronies continue to take advantage of the system that she is keeping in place. The Liberal Party of Canada's bagman, for example, sheltered millions of dollars from taxes in the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands are a notorious tax haven with which Canada has signed a tax information exchange agreement. This agreement should have made the Canada Revenue Agency aware of the scheming Liberal cronies have been involved in.Why do we have agreements with tax havens such as the Cayman Islands if they let the Liberal clique dodge their tax obligations?
Mr. Speaker, Canada has the longest coastline in the world and the health and protection of our coasts are critical to our environment, our economy, and to all Canadians. Our Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans hears many different views on how to prosper, but everyone agrees we have to protect our waters and our shorelines. It was a year ago today that the Prime Minister introduced the oceans protection plan. Could the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard update us on our progress?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they are going after tax havens, but that is hypocritical.For the past 30 years, nobody has done more to facilitate tax evasion than Canada. The loopholes that the Liberals claim to be tackling now were created by Ottawa in the first place. Tax evasion is actually legal. When the Bloc Québécois exposed these loopholes, all of the Liberals voted against our bill.Why does the government hide when we ask it to change the law? Is it trying to protect its Liberal bagmen?
Mr. Speaker, high-tax hypocrisy is not a new sport for these Liberals. It has been perfected over the generations. While Paul Martin was the finance minister, he put foreign flags on his ships to avoid the very taxes he was imposing on everyone else. Now the paradise papers expose that his family business has moved its assets into zero-tax Bermuda, and he is advising the Prime Minister as part of the Liberal economic team. Now that he has been exposed once again for avoiding paying his fair share, will the finance minister fire Paul Martin from his economic team?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister took great pains this summer explaining that hard-working fishers, farmers, and small business owners were really not paying their fair share and were in fact tax cheats, all the while we had the Liberal bagman and the Prime Minister's close friends stashing $60 million away in the Cayman Islands tax scheme. My question is very simple. Why is the government so adamant to make life more difficult for honest tax-paying citizens and letting its friends off scot-free?
Mr. Speaker, this is an issue that we take very seriously. We respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We know that more work needs to be done, and that is exactly why we will continue to engage with Canadians to ensure that we are delivering for them.This government knows that Canadians have a role in this place. We will engage with them. We will make sure we do it right.
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to take this opportunity to say how important the right to decent housing is in Canada for everyone, and in particular for more vulnerable Canadians. We know how important housing is for life in communities and for life in a proper home to participate in the lives of everyone else around us.I have good news to announce in a very short time. I invite our colleague to listen very carefully.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The hypocrisy of the members across the aisle is stunning. Former minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn admitted in an interview
Mr. Speaker, Canadians love our national parks and national heritage places, and we saw that clearly this year with record attendance at our parks and historic places with free entry for Canada 150. On Friday, October 27, I was extremely pleased to be joined by the member for KelownaLake Country as Canada, British Columbia, and representatives of the southern communities of the Syilx Okanagan Nation announced a renewed commitment to move forward together to establish a new national park reserve in the south Okanagan. After many years, we are pleased to be moving forward to protect this iconic place, and I want to thank the member for his help.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report to the House that I have and will continue to disclose all my assets to the Ethics Commissioner. What that does is allow us to get on with the work we want to do for Canadians.I am also pleased to report to the House that this work is having a real impact. We have now passed 500,000 new jobs in the country since we were elected. We have the lowest unemployment rate in a decade. Canadians are more confident than they have been in years, and it is showing up in the growth rate we are seeing across our country.Our plan is working, and we are going to continue the hard work on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, if it were legal to rob a store, putting more police officers in front of the door would change absolutely nothing. The same logic applies to tax havens. We are being robbed, but it is legal. How great is that? The revenue minister's answers are basically spin. The government is not getting at the root of the problem. We need to review and renegotiate our tax agreements with a number of countries. Will the Liberals reconsider our agreements with tax havens? If they cannot say yes, that means they do not want to change anything.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians get the tax credits they are entitled to. Eligibility for that tax credit has not changed.It is important to recognize that far too many Canadians are living with challenges like these and need help. To help people who earn modest incomes keep more of their hard-earned dollars, we are enhancing the working income tax benefit to the tune of $500 million per year as of 2019. We are keeping the promises we made during the election campaign.
Mr. Speaker, what we are doing on this side of the House is we are very focused on ensuring Canadians are successful. The good news is that it is absolutely working. Canadians have a higher level of confidence because they actually have more money. The Canada child benefit and the tax reductions we have put in place have allowed people to put money back into our economy, which is helping all of us to succeed. It is a good news story for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, former minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, admitted in an interview that tax evasion was not a priority for the Conservative government. That is why we need no lessons from the party that works every day to secure special privileges for the wealthy. Canadians expect to have a fair and equitable tax system.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is making Canadians pay more and more taxes to cover his reckless spending. Meanwhile, Liberal Party cronies are putting money in tax havens and weaseling out of their tax obligations here at home. Unlike middle-class families, they are not paying their fair share. Why are the Liberals going after people with disabilities, people with diabetes, people with mental health issues, and people with autism? Why are they treating them like tax cheats instead of going after Liberal Party friends who are hiding money in tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud to have approved, as the member well knows, more than 4,000 projects since taking office, with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. Federal investments are enabling these projects to move forward. As the hon. member knows, the federal contributions are paid when the expense claims are submitted by our partners. We will continue to work with our partners to move their priorities forward and provide the flexibility necessary to meet those requirements. We are in ongoing discussions with the province, and we trust its judgment in telling us what the priorities are.
Mr. Speaker, I will say it again: as the member well knows, we are proud to have approved more than 4,000 projects since taking office, with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. Federal investments are enabling these projects to move forward. As the hon. member knows, the federal contributions are paid when the expense claims are submitted by our partners. We will continue to work with our partners to move their priorities forward, and provide the flexibility necessary to meet those requirements. I am very proud to announce that several hundred projects are in the works in Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we do not play games and we do not use semantics. What we do is we disclose what we need to disclose in order to make sure we can get on with the work. By disclosing all my assets to the Ethics Commissioner
Mr. Speaker, you will find that during question period, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons seems to have inadvertently misled the House, since we know that eight out of 10 families in Canada are paying more in taxes. I am calling on the hon. member to withdraw her statement. I am seeking unanimous consent to table the Fraser Institute report that shows that Canadian families are paying more in taxes under the Liberals.
Mr. Speaker, delivering timely benefit decisions is an area where we can and we must do better. In 2015-16, we saw a 25% increase in the number of disability claims, and that is a good thing, because that means more veterans are coming forward for the help they need.To address this increase, we are simplifying the benefits process, hiring more staff, and giving the benefit of the doubt to the veterans. When it comes to veterans' care, we can always strive for excellence, and we will.
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Mr. Speaker, delivering timely benefit decisions is an area where we can and we must do better. In 2015-16, we saw a 25% increase in the number of disability claims, and that is a good thing, because that means more veterans are coming forward for the help they need.To address this increase, we are simplifying the benefits process, hiring more staff, and giving the benefit of the doubt to the veterans. When it comes to veterans' care, we can always strive for excellence, and we will.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we do not play games and we do not use semantics. What we do is we disclose what we need to disclose in order to make sure we can get on with the work. By disclosing all my assets to the Ethics Commissioner
Mr. Speaker, you will find that during question period, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons seems to have inadvertently misled the House, since we know that eight out of 10 families in Canada are paying more in taxes. I am calling on the hon. member to withdraw her statement. I am seeking unanimous consent to table the Fraser Institute report that shows that Canadian families are paying more in taxes under the Liberals.
Mr. Speaker, I will say it again: as the member well knows, we are proud to have approved more than 4,000 projects since taking office, with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. Federal investments are enabling these projects to move forward. As the hon. member knows, the federal contributions are paid when the expense claims are submitted by our partners. We will continue to work with our partners to move their priorities forward, and provide the flexibility necessary to meet those requirements. I am very proud to announce that several hundred projects are in the works in Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud to have approved, as the member well knows, more than 4,000 projects since taking office, with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. Federal investments are enabling these projects to move forward. As the hon. member knows, the federal contributions are paid when the expense claims are submitted by our partners. We will continue to work with our partners to move their priorities forward and provide the flexibility necessary to meet those requirements. We are in ongoing discussions with the province, and we trust its judgment in telling us what the priorities are.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is making Canadians pay more and more taxes to cover his reckless spending. Meanwhile, Liberal Party cronies are putting money in tax havens and weaseling out of their tax obligations here at home. Unlike middle-class families, they are not paying their fair share. Why are the Liberals going after people with disabilities, people with diabetes, people with mental health issues, and people with autism? Why are they treating them like tax cheats instead of going after Liberal Party friends who are hiding money in tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, former minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, admitted in an interview that tax evasion was not a priority for the Conservative government. That is why we need no lessons from the party that works every day to secure special privileges for the wealthy. Canadians expect to have a fair and equitable tax system.
Mr. Speaker, what we are doing on this side of the House is we are very focused on ensuring Canadians are successful. The good news is that it is absolutely working. Canadians have a higher level of confidence because they actually have more money. The Canada child benefit and the tax reductions we have put in place have allowed people to put money back into our economy, which is helping all of us to succeed. It is a good news story for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians get the tax credits they are entitled to. Eligibility for that tax credit has not changed.It is important to recognize that far too many Canadians are living with challenges like these and need help. To help people who earn modest incomes keep more of their hard-earned dollars, we are enhancing the working income tax benefit to the tune of $500 million per year as of 2019. We are keeping the promises we made during the election campaign.
Mr. Speaker, if it were legal to rob a store, putting more police officers in front of the door would change absolutely nothing. The same logic applies to tax havens. We are being robbed, but it is legal. How great is that? The revenue minister's answers are basically spin. The government is not getting at the root of the problem. We need to review and renegotiate our tax agreements with a number of countries. Will the Liberals reconsider our agreements with tax havens? If they cannot say yes, that means they do not want to change anything.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report to the House that I have and will continue to disclose all my assets to the Ethics Commissioner. What that does is allow us to get on with the work we want to do for Canadians.I am also pleased to report to the House that this work is having a real impact. We have now passed 500,000 new jobs in the country since we were elected. We have the lowest unemployment rate in a decade. Canadians are more confident than they have been in years, and it is showing up in the growth rate we are seeing across our country.Our plan is working, and we are going to continue the hard work on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians love our national parks and national heritage places, and we saw that clearly this year with record attendance at our parks and historic places with free entry for Canada 150. On Friday, October 27, I was extremely pleased to be joined by the member for KelownaLake Country as Canada, British Columbia, and representatives of the southern communities of the Syilx Okanagan Nation announced a renewed commitment to move forward together to establish a new national park reserve in the south Okanagan. After many years, we are pleased to be moving forward to protect this iconic place, and I want to thank the member for his help.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The hypocrisy of the members across the aisle is stunning. Former minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn admitted in an interview
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to take this opportunity to say how important the right to decent housing is in Canada for everyone, and in particular for more vulnerable Canadians. We know how important housing is for life in communities and for life in a proper home to participate in the lives of everyone else around us.I have good news to announce in a very short time. I invite our colleague to listen very carefully.
Mr. Speaker, this is an issue that we take very seriously. We respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We know that more work needs to be done, and that is exactly why we will continue to engage with Canadians to ensure that we are delivering for them.This government knows that Canadians have a role in this place. We will engage with them. We will make sure we do it right.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister took great pains this summer explaining that hard-working fishers, farmers, and small business owners were really not paying their fair share and were in fact tax cheats, all the while we had the Liberal bagman and the Prime Minister's close friends stashing $60 million away in the Cayman Islands tax scheme. My question is very simple. Why is the government so adamant to make life more difficult for honest tax-paying citizens and letting its friends off scot-free?
Mr. Speaker, high-tax hypocrisy is not a new sport for these Liberals. It has been perfected over the generations. While Paul Martin was the finance minister, he put foreign flags on his ships to avoid the very taxes he was imposing on everyone else. Now the paradise papers expose that his family business has moved its assets into zero-tax Bermuda, and he is advising the Prime Minister as part of the Liberal economic team. Now that he has been exposed once again for avoiding paying his fair share, will the finance minister fire Paul Martin from his economic team?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they are going after tax havens, but that is hypocritical.For the past 30 years, nobody has done more to facilitate tax evasion than Canada. The loopholes that the Liberals claim to be tackling now were created by Ottawa in the first place. Tax evasion is actually legal. When the Bloc Québécois exposed these loopholes, all of the Liberals voted against our bill.Why does the government hide when we ask it to change the law? Is it trying to protect its Liberal bagmen?
Mr. Speaker, Canada has the longest coastline in the world and the health and protection of our coasts are critical to our environment, our economy, and to all Canadians. Our Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans hears many different views on how to prosper, but everyone agrees we have to protect our waters and our shorelines. It was a year ago today that the Prime Minister introduced the oceans protection plan. Could the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard update us on our progress?
Mr. Speaker, one of the four pillars of our oceans protection plan is strengthening partnerships with indigenous communities, including building local emergency response capacity. Just last week, the first session under the indigenous community response training project wrapped up in Bamfield, British Columbia. Nine members from seven northern first nations graduated from the coastal nations search and rescue course, enhancing this important capacity for the Canadian Coast Guard.Mr. Speaker, as you know, we will do what it takes to protect Canada's oceans.
Mr. Speaker, I really cannot figure out what the Minister of National Revenue does not understand.While she drags her feet, the Liberal Party's cronies continue to take advantage of the system that she is keeping in place. The Liberal Party of Canada's bagman, for example, sheltered millions of dollars from taxes in the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands are a notorious tax haven with which Canada has signed a tax information exchange agreement. This agreement should have made the Canada Revenue Agency aware of the scheming Liberal cronies have been involved in.Why do we have agreements with tax havens such as the Cayman Islands if they let the Liberal clique dodge their tax obligations?
Mr. Speaker, Canada is a strong supporter of progressive trade and the Asia-Pacific is a priority market for our government. We are actively engaged with the remaining TPP countries and the minister is in Vietnam right now working hard to deliver real change and better results for Canadians and the middle class. We are discussing options for a possible agreement and we are also discussing ways to improve the terms of trade for Canadian businesses. This work is critical, we are taking our time, and we are pressing for a better deal. We feel we owe this to Canadians to diversify markets abroad and to create jobs for people at home.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, some months ago, appointed the hon. member for Edmonton Centre to consult broadly across the country with the community to make sure that all elements of this issue were properly heard and known and taken into account, so that the apology when given can be thorough and complete and the other appropriate actions around that apology can reinforce the basic message of rights and freedoms in this country.
Mr. Speaker, nobody is above the law, but the law is the problem.We now know that the Liberal Party fundraising chair, Stephen Bronfman, put money in tax havens. He claims that he always acted properly...including fully complying with all applicable laws. That is exactly the problem. That excuse sounds awfully familiar to me, actually. Oh right, it is the stock reply we hear from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance whenever a scandal crops up.Will the Liberals stop thumbing their noses at everyone and actually do something to fight tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is incorrect. I have disclosed what is in all my companies to the Ethics Commissioner. From day one, I have disclosed 100% of my assets to the Ethics Commissioner.That is what allows us to do the work that we are doing on behalf of Canadians, the work that we started two years ago when we found ourselves with an economy that was not growing fast enough. We decided that we had a choice, and the choice was to create jobs for Canadians. It is working, with more than 500,000 new jobs over the last two years, a situation where our economy is growing faster than it has grown in a decade. This is helping Canadian families to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, our government is strongly committed to combatting tax evasion and abusive tax avoidance and making the tax system fair and equitable for all Canadians. I am proud that we are playing a leading role on the international stage. Collaboration between tax administrations, including the exchange of tax information, is an essential tool to protect the integrity of Canada's tax base. That is why, as of September 30, 2017, the Canada Revenue Agency had more than 990 audits and 42 criminal investigations under way focusing on offshore financial structures.
Mr. Speaker, over 235,000 people are without a home in our country. In Canada, housing should be a right. Liberals like to talk about the right to housing but are unwilling to enshrine it in law. Maybe this explains why not a single Liberal spoke on my bill, Bill C-325, during its second hour of debate.Are the Liberals keeping silent because they are just too ashamed to speak against the human right to housing?
Mr. Speaker, instead of going after his own friend, the Prime Minister has decided to target Canadians with autism, mental health disabilities, and diabetes.Stephen Bronfman, the Prime Minister's close friend and chief Liberal bagman, is the poster boy for tax avoidance schemes.When will the Prime Minister stop targeting Canada's most vulnerable citizens and stop making excuses for tax avoiders like Mr. Bronfman?
Mr. Speaker, I want my colleague opposite to know that the issue of tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance is a priority for the Canada Revenue Agency.Here is what I can tell him. For the last fiscal year alone, the CRA's work resulted in 37 convictions with sentences totalling over 50 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines imposed by the courts. That is on top of the $44 million in penalties that were imposed on tax advisers last year. We are getting the job done, and we are going to see this through to the end.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In our last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion to crack down on tax cheats. Our plan is yielding results. We have had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions. The Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate action. We will continue to work for a fair and equitable tax system for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers are in Ottawa today and many of them are concerned. They have a right to be concerned because even though the Liberals campaigned on being inclusive and different and transparent, they continue to negotiate the TPP in the dark, just like the Conservatives. Dairy farmers and Canadians believed this deal was dead, but we have learned an agreement could be reached this week. This agreement will contain a breach in supply management, and the new NAFTA could do exactly the same thing.How much market access will the government allow in our supply-managed sectors?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for ChâteauguayLacolle for her question and for her hard work.Our government is especially proud of what our oceans protection plan has done for abandoned vessels, not just in Beauharnois, but across the country. We are passing legislation strengthening owner responsibility and liability for their vessels. We are funding the removal of small high-risk vessels and empowering the government to address problem vessels more proactively. We take this work very seriously.
Mr. Speaker, despite promising not to do so in the last election, these Liberals took veterans back to court. Now we have learned that veterans are being forced to wait longer and longer to get the benefits they have earned.Today the Prime Minister is hurrying off to Asia to deliver on his priority: infrastructure handouts to the world's wealthy. Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs tell us why veterans are being shortchanged while the Prime Minister sends half a billion dollars to wealthy bankers in Asia?
Mr. Speaker, while accusing local small business owners of being tax cheats, the Prime Minister has gone out of his way to protect the interests of his rich, well-connected Liberal friends.The paradise papers expose the Prime Minister's close friend and chief political fundraiser as having sheltered millions of dollars offshore. The Bronfmans are also known for being very effective at lobbying against closing offshore tax loopholes.When did the Prime Minister learn that his friend and chief fundraiser had these offshore holdings, and that his lawyers had lobbied so hard to protect these tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I wanted to provide a response to the question of privilege raised by the member for Thornhill on November 2, respecting the Prime Minister's response to an oral question on Tuesday, October 31. I submit that the matter is a dispute as to the facts, and therefore does not meet the criteria for finding a prima facie question of privilege. Page 86 of the House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition, sets out the criteria for establishing whether a member has deliberately misled the House. It states: it must be proven that the statement was misleading;...it must be established that the Member making the statement knew at the time that the statement was incorrect;...that in making the statement, the Member intended to mislead the House. I submit, these criteria have not been met. On October 31, 2017, in response to an oral question from the member for EdmontonStrathcona, the Prime Minister stated the following: ...two ministers had controlled assets held indirectly. The finance minister has announced that he is moving forward, going above and beyond what was originally asked. In the case of the other minister, those assets were divested 18 months ago. The Ethics Commissioner has confirmed that there is no difference of opinion on this issue between her and the Prime Minister. In fact, on November 2, 2017, the Ethics Commissioner released a statement that refutes the allegation that the commissioner is at odds with the statement made by the Prime Minister. I agree with the member for SkeenaBulkley Valley who intervened on this issue. Now the reasons she has as Ethics Commissioner to keep the number somewhat vague, as less than five but more than one, is something that is at her discretion. That is not for us to judge. Allegations of breach of privilege are often dismissed as disputes as to the facts. There are numerous precedents in support of this. Most recently, on May 5, 2016, the Speaker ruled: As members can appreciate, the threshold is very high, purposely so given the seriousness of the allegation and its potential consequences for members individually and collectively. From this, it stands to reason that a finding of a prima facie case of privilege is an exceedingly rare occurrence in cases with respect to disputed facts. I submit that the matter is a dispute as to the facts and therefore does not meet the conditions for a prima facie question of privilege.
Mr. Speaker, I was just about to mention the minister's department. Today, we learned that the Canada Revenue Agency is deliberately failing to disclose how much money is lost to tax evasion each year. However, yesterday, the Minister of National Revenue assured us that everything was under control.Rather than just talking nonsense, will the Prime Minister give a clear answer for once and tell us how long he has known that his friend, the Liberal Party's bagman, has been using tax havens to avoid paying taxes?
Mr. Speaker, is it also our fault that Stephen Bronfman fundraises for the Liberals? This is yet another instance of Liberal hypocrisy. The Liberals see nothing wrong with raising taxes on people with disabilities. They think it is fair game to tax employee discounts. They go after farmers and small business owners, claiming they are tax cheats who are not paying their fair share.However, the Prime Minister is willing to let anything slide if it will protect his millionaire friends, like Stephen Bronfman.When will the Prime Minister put an end to this fiscal hypocrisy?
Mr. Speaker, who would advise the Liberals to raise taxes on people suffering with diabetes while allowing multi-millionaire party fundraisers to shelter their money away in tax havens? Who would advise the Liberals to impose higher taxes on farmers while protecting Morneau Shepell? We know it is the finance minister whose family business has assets in Barbados, the former finance minister who we know now puts his assets in Bermuda, and of course the Liberal fundraiser, Mr. Bronfman.Why is it that, when the Liberals raise taxes, it only affects everyone but them?
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about privilege. It pays to be part of the Liberal leader's inner circle.When the hon. member for Papineau told his friend, Stephen Bronfman, that he wanted to become leader of his party, the response was, Anything I can do to help. In the same interview, he said that the goal was to raise a pile of money to help the Liberal leader become the next prime minister. That was very telling. It seems that tax fairness does not apply to those who helped the Liberal leader become prime minister.Why is the Prime Minister going after farmers and the real job creators and refusing to do anything about tax avoidance in his circle of close friends?
Mr. Speaker, this government made a commitment to Canadians to ensure that we were engaging with them. That is exactly why we have taken historic consultations to ensure that the programs and the laws that we pass actually benefit them. This is the government that increased taxes on the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians by lowering taxes on middle-class Canadians. This is the government that is committed to lowering taxes on small businesses to 9% by 2019. This government will continue to ensure that their voices are being heard. This government will continue fighting for middle-class Canadians and those who
Mr. Speaker, like the issues surrounding the Minister of Finance, it is funny that things only start to happen when the Liberals get caught.While looking out for his friends and insiders, the Prime Minister put a target on the pocketbooks of hard-working Canadians. He accuses local business owners of being tax cheats even while he is raising their taxes, and he turns a blind eye to the loopholes his friends enjoy using. It is almost as if there is one set of rules for the Prime Minister and his wealthy friends, and another set of rules for everybody else.Why is it that every time the Prime Minister makes changes, it always benefits those in the jet-set life, and it always makes life harder for those in the road-trip life?
Mr. Speaker, our government is working very hard to combat tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We have invested nearly $1 billion. We are seeing meaningful results, including warrants, criminal investigations, and even convictions.We are working on this file, unlike the Conservatives who, for 10 years and even according to one of their own former revenue ministers, did nothing. It was not even a priority for their government.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite is the one who is talking nonsense. Our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance, and we are tackling this problem from all sides. In our first two budgets, we invested a historic amount of nearly $1 billion. Last year, the CRA imposed $44 million in penalties on proponents and tax advisers. We are continuing the work that we promised Canadians we would do during the election campaign.
Mr. Speaker, human rights is a foundational part of Canada's international work. I will correct the record, because the member knows full well that this government tripled funding to the new Office of Human Rights, Freedoms and Inclusion.When it comes to human rights around the world, this government is taking a leadership role. We are doing this in all of our engagements. I hope the Conservative opposition will join us in helping to promote and defend human rights, as we are doing around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague opposite that I was a social worker for 25 years. I have always helped the most vulnerable members of our society and worked to protect them.Our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits they are entitled to. We are moving forward with a national disability law that will remove barriers and focus on accessibility. We have simplified the forms and made it possible to hire specialized nurse practitioners to help people fill out the applications.We promised to do that during the election campaign, and we are going to continue to work to help the most vulnerable members of our society, those who need it most.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his finance minister are on the hunt for Canadians to tax. If someone owns a small business, they will tax it. If someone is suffering from diabetes, they will tax that individual. If someone is dealing with autism or mental health issues, they will tax that person. However, if someone is a billionaire close friend of the Prime Minister, he or she can avoid paying taxes with impunity.When will the Prime Minister stop treating hard-working Canadians like tax cheats and go after his own crew?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's network of protected areas help to mitigate the impacts of climate change. They protect and restore healthy, resilient ecosystems and assist in the recovery of species at risk. Canada is committed to conserve at least 17% of our country's land and fresh water by 2020, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, indigenous peoples, and other key partners. Can the government please update this House on the recent progress towards this target?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure my colleague opposite that I have a lot more experience in fishing than he does. Our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance, and last year's historic investment of $1 billion proves it. Our plan is working. We had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, executed 268 search warrants, and obtained 78 convictions. We promised Canadians that we would get the job done, and no one is above the law.
Mr. Speaker, we know the excuse writers in the Prime Minister's Office are working overtime as new Liberal ethics and conflict issues accumulate. However, Canadians are still waiting for a few meaningful answers from the Minister of Finance.He was found guilty and fined by the Ethics Commissioner for hiding his French corporation for two years. He has effectively admitted guilt for hiding his shares in Morneau Shepell for two years. Now the minister still owns other numbered companies.What new conflicts might we find if the contents were revealed to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the latest Liberal budget, which joins Canada to the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, will send up to $500 million overseas for infrastructure, yet the Liberals are not delivering on infrastructure at home. Just several weeks ago, Toronto said that Ottawa was making unreasonable demands and could pull $121 million in TTC funding from the federal government. Why are the Liberals so eager to send infrastructure money overseas, while neglecting to spend on desperately needed roads and transit right here at home?
Mr. Speaker, as Minister of National Revenue, I can say that tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance are global problems that call for a global solution.The OECD brought nations together to collaborate on the development of a new global standard for the automatic exchange of information. We fully adopted this standard, and starting July 1, 2017, Canadian financial institutions began taking steps to identify accounts held by non-residents and report these accounts to the Canada Revenue Agency.We are taking concrete action.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that billions of dollars are at stake. We made an historic investment of nearly $1 billion in the Canada Revenue Agency to combat this problem. The CRA uses the information it receives through lists disclosed by countries that are part of the BEPS project. That is why the agency, as of September 30, 2017, was conducting more than 990 audits and 42 criminal investigations related to offshore financial structures. We are reviewing the links between corporations and we will keep at it.
Mr. Speaker, tax havens are one of the priorities in my mandate letter and a priority for this government. That is why, in the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, with which we hired auditors and have been targeting four jurisdictions per year. We are working with our international partners to tackle BEPS. Our plan is working. Our initiatives are working. We will continue to work for Canadians, just as we promised.
Mr. Speaker, the revenue minister keeps telling us she is so proud that her tax collectors are targeting Canadians. Her tax collectors are systematically raising taxes on type 1 diabetics, Canadians with mental health issues, and autism. Her tax collectors are so busy targeting the most vulnerable, they seem to have forgotten about the Prime Minister's wealthy friends. When will the minister finally tell her tax collectors to lay off sick and vulnerable Canadians and focus on real tax cheats?
Mr. Speaker, we promised Canadians that we would look into the tax gap, and that is exactly what we are doing. Unlike the previous government, which systematically refused to look at the tax gap, we have opted for an evidence-based approach. To date, the Canada Revenue Agency has proven its commitment to estimating the tax gap by producing three studies since June 2016. We are pursuing our efforts on this issue. That is what Canadians expect, and in the summer of 2018, we will be publishing a report on the international aspect of the tax gap.
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister claims that he is making the wealthiest 1% pay, he is paying his Christmas holiday with taxpayers' money, off-loading the deficit to the middle class, and attacking job creators across the country. He is being hypocritical to the point of turning a blind eye to the paradise papers scandal. I almost slipped and talked about the sponsorship scandal.To be clear, letting one's close friends put money into tax havens and not pay any taxes, is that the Liberals' plan to make the wealthy pay?
Mr. Speaker, to be or not to be, that is the question. In this tragic comedy entitled, The latest Liberal scandal, we wonder who has the lead role. Is it the Minister of Finance or the Prime Minister? We have not gotten any answers to simple questions for weeks. What exactly are they hiding? Why will they not answer? Are they rewriting a new chapter to the story, Gomery 2, or will they finally answer this simple question. What is the Minister of Finance hiding with his companies?
Mr. Speaker, the punitive duties imposed by the U.S. commerce department are unfair and deeply troubling. Our forestry industry has never been found guilty in previous cases. We will challenge this decision before the courts and we will win, as we have done on every past occasion. We want a good agreement for Canada, not just any deal.
Mr. Speaker, unlike my colleague opposite, at least we have results to announce.Over the past two years, we have invested more than $1 billion and our plan is bearing fruit. Four jurisdictions are identified each year. More than 100 auditors have been hired and 627 cases have been transferred to criminal investigation. There have been 268 search warrants and 78 convictions. That is just for starters. We are continuing our work as we promised Canadians in the last campaign. We will continue with this work all through our mandate.
Mr. Speaker, tax evasion is a priority for our government.I would remind the Conservative party that we voted in favour of the Canada child benefit to lift children out of poverty. We lowered taxes for the middle class. We increased the guaranteed income supplement. We abolished the Harper reform that attacked employment insurance claimants and we invested in infrastructure. These are all things that we have undertaken and that the party across the way opposed. We are the government that works for the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, we all wondered how the Liberals were going to try to change the channel from the Morneau Shepell fiasco. Who knew they would be using a massive tax haven scandal to get our minds off their massive ethics scandal. To make matters worse, the Liberals have been hiding how much money is lost to these tax havens. For years they fought against the release of the so-called tax gap in Canada. Just like Bill C-58, their no access to information bill, the Liberals deny basic information that is owed to Canadians.Therefore, I have a very simple question. Will the government finally tell Canadians how much money its millionaire and billionaire friends actually owe this country?
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In our first two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, allowing us to hire 100 auditors and achieve record results. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions.The work has only just started. We will see it through.
Mr. Speaker, during the first quarter of this year, opioids killed over 900 Canadians. The government needs to help. The Liberals gave only $10 million to fight the opioid crisis but has no problem giving $500 million to the Asian infrastructure bank.Why is the government sending $500 million to foreign billionaires, when we have Canadians dying in our streets by the hundreds? Canada is our home.
Mr. Speaker, residents living on the shores of Lake Saint-Louis are concerned about the notorious Kathryn Spirit. The former government took no action with respect to this ship, which has been abandoned since its arrival in Beauharnois, and it was our government that got the dismantling process started. One year ago today, the Prime Minister announced our oceans protection plan.Could the minister tell us how this plan will affect abandoned vessels like the Kathryn Spirit in future?
Mr. Speaker, tax cheats must be subject to fines and prison sentences. We are fed up with the government's rhetoric. Ordinary Canadians are the ones who are suffering because the wealthy are using tax havens to avoid paying taxes.The money that Stephen Bronfman has hidden away in the Cayman Islands is not being used to help our hospitals and schools. It is staying in his pocket, with this government's blessing. Our taxes are paying for the roads that these tax cheats are driving around on in their big limousines.When will this government stop thumbing its nose at Canadians and put an end to the use of tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, our government is working internationally to combat tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We are an important international partner in the BEPS project. Our efforts are paying off. When I talk about the 627 cases that have been transferred to criminal investigations, the 268 search warrants, and the 78 convictions, I am not sure what the member opposite does not understand. That is what it means to take action and get the job done.
Mr. Speaker, the municipalities have yet to enjoy the benefits of this supposed flexibility.After receiving some generous donations from Asian proponents, the Liberal Party is going to invest $480 million in the Asian infrastructure bank. It is sad to see this government unwilling to give our infrastructure here in Canada the same attention.The Liberals are dangling tons of money before the municipalities, but some projects have been cancelled because of all of the unnecessary conditions being imposed.Instead of prancing around Asia and working against our taxpayers and our municipalities, will the Prime Minister be a true partner to our municipalities?
Mr. Speaker, I repeat, after 10 years of inaction by the former government, the opposition member's hypocrisy is staggering. The OECD, of which Canada is a member, brought nations together to collaborate on the development of a new global standard for the automatic exchange of information. We fully adopted this standard. We have invested $1 billion, hired auditors, launched criminal investigations, and laid charges. We are taking action.
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits to which they are entitled. We are moving forward with a national disability law that will remove barriers by focusing on accessibility for all Canadians living with a disability.We have made it easier for people with disabilities to access tax credits. We have simplified the forms and, in budget 2017, we allowed specialized nurse practitioners to complete patients' applications. We will continue to work with the most vulnerable and with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance, which the Conservative Party failed to do for 10 years. A former Canada Revenue Agency minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even said that it was not a priority for his government.Our government took office two years ago and in that time we have invested $1 billion. We are seeing results. We are working internationally. There have been charges, criminal investigations, and warrants. We continue to work for Canadians and for a fair tax system.
Mr. Speaker, during the last election, the Liberals made a specific commitment to support justice and reconciliation in Sri Lanka following terrible crimes committed at the end of the civil war and in light of ongoing human rights concerns for the Tamil community today. Instead of acting, the Liberals cancelled the office of religious freedom, undercutting existing initiatives to promote pluralism and human rights, and their new office has been completely absent on this. Why has the government failed to take any concrete action to implement its commitment with respect to human rights in Sri Lanka?
Mr. Speaker, let us try this again.This government is a government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians. This government is a government that recognizes that small businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy and that they are community builders. We want to see them succeed. That is exactly why we are committed to lowering the small business tax rate to 9% by 2019. I really look forward to members opposite recognizing that small businesses are the backbone of the economy and that they should be paying a lower tax rate.
Mr. Speaker, I find it rather odd to hear Conservative members say that we are not working on closing tax loopholes when for 10 years their government did nothing about tax evasion. A former national revenue minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even said so publicly.I find the hypocrisy of my colleagues across the way to be quite something. We have no lessons to learn from the former government.
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.We have invested close to $1 billion over the past two years. We have targeted four jurisdictions per year and hired 100 auditors. Our plan is working. We have transferred 627 cases to criminal investigation, executed 268 search warrants, and obtained 78 convictions.Nobody has accomplished as much as our government has over the past two years. Certainly not the Bloc Québécois.
Mr. Speaker, last week, we learned that the U.S. commerce department has made its final decision regarding the duties that will be imposed on Canadian softwood lumber.Export duties of up to 21% will jeopardize 11,000 jobs in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean. The government knew that this decision was imminent, but the Liberals continue to slip up and have made little to no progress when it comes to protecting the softwood lumber industry.When will they take charge of the situation and save these jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister put in an unconvincing performance yesterday.The Liberals love picking on local businesses, middle-class families, and even the sick. However, when the Minister of Finance and the Liberal bagman try to hide their assets or avoid paying taxes, all we get from the Prime Minister is radio silence.How long has the Prime Minister known that his chief fundraiser stashes money in tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, instead of relying on meaningless stats, she should understand one thing. We are lawmakers. Instead of hiding behind the bogus excuse that it felt legal anyway, we can roll up our sleeves and do something about it. We can change the laws. We can especially change laws that allow the wealthy and the well connected to pay less tax than middle-class Canadians. The question is this. Will the government do that or will it block these efforts, as it has done for the past two years?
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that the member opposite has given us an opportunity to talk about some of the things our government is doing to address the opioid crisis. For example, our government has provided $10 million in urgent support to our provincial partners in British Columbia and $6 million to the Province of Alberta to assist with its response. That is in addition to $22.7 million ongoing of the $100-million commitment in budget 2017 to support national measures associated with the Canadian drugs and substances strategy to respond to this terrible health crisis.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister told us that the CRA would be looking into allegations of tax evasion, but he stopped short of confirming that this would be the case for Stephen Bronfman. This is the same CRA that is constantly under fire by tax experts for going hard against everyday Canadians, but for throwing back the big fish. This is the same CRA that forgave the clients who made millions from the KPMG scheme, and this is the same CRA that failed to act on the Panama papers.When will the minister stop defending the CRA and start standing up for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to know what the Minister of Finance has been hiding from them over the past two years. They know he hid his stocks in Morneau Shepell. They know he hid his ownership in a French corporation, an act for which he was found guilty by the Ethics Commissioner. Over the last two years, he has not disclosed what he has owned in his various numbered companies. I have a simple question. He may have disclosed yesterday, but the previous two years he has not disclosed to Canadians what is in his numbered companies. What is he hiding?
Mr. Speaker, it is clear the government has a problem knowing who is in charge of this one.What we are asking is that the Liberals make a commitment today to a just apology for the past injustices to the LGBTQ community. That means an apology by the Prime Minister in the House and one that includes redress measures. Those who were kicked out of the Canadian Forces still have dishonourable discharges on their records. Those who were convicted because of who they love still have criminal records for things that are no longer illegal, and this continues to limit their ability to volunteer, travel, and work.Will the Liberal government commit today to a just apology for my community, to righting past wrongs and not just expressing regret?
Mr. Speaker, it is very typical of the Minister of Finance, playing games with words and semantics. However, the spirit of disclosing his assets, by which he was found guilty by the Ethics Commissioner, he is absolutely guilty of and he does not have the decency to admit it to Canadians. This is why they do not trust him.I have a very simple question. If the Minister of Finance had nothing to hide over the last two years when he was regulating industries that he may have owned shares in, why does he not tell Canadians what he owned in the last two years in his numbered companies? No semantics.
Mr. Speaker, I am going to use some numbers, so that the government understands the hypocrisy of what it is talking about. As I said, a Liberal bagman stashed $60 million away in a tax-free account in the Cayman Islands. Let us pretend that this $60 million was put into a passive investment account by a small business person here in Canada. That would be a tax bill of $43 million. Why is the Prime Minister allowing his friends to get off on a tax bill of $43 million?
Mr. Speaker, LGBTQ+ communities have responded favourably to the Liberal government's commitment to apologize for past injustices against them. However, we want to ensure that the apology will be sincere.Will the Liberal government today confirm that the Prime Minister himself will apologize, that the apology will be on the record of the House of Commons, and that there will be reparation?
Mr. Speaker, delivering timely benefit decisions is an area where we can and we must do better. In 2015-16, we saw a 25% increase in the number of disability claims, and that is a good thing, because that means more veterans are coming forward for the help they need.To address this increase, we are simplifying the benefits process, hiring more staff, and giving the benefit of the doubt to the veterans. When it comes to veterans' care, we can always strive for excellence, and we will.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we do not play games and we do not use semantics. What we do is we disclose what we need to disclose in order to make sure we can get on with the work. By disclosing all my assets to the Ethics Commissioner
Mr. Speaker, you will find that during question period, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons seems to have inadvertently misled the House, since we know that eight out of 10 families in Canada are paying more in taxes. I am calling on the hon. member to withdraw her statement. I am seeking unanimous consent to table the Fraser Institute report that shows that Canadian families are paying more in taxes under the Liberals.
Mr. Speaker, I will say it again: as the member well knows, we are proud to have approved more than 4,000 projects since taking office, with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. Federal investments are enabling these projects to move forward. As the hon. member knows, the federal contributions are paid when the expense claims are submitted by our partners. We will continue to work with our partners to move their priorities forward, and provide the flexibility necessary to meet those requirements. I am very proud to announce that several hundred projects are in the works in Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud to have approved, as the member well knows, more than 4,000 projects since taking office, with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. Federal investments are enabling these projects to move forward. As the hon. member knows, the federal contributions are paid when the expense claims are submitted by our partners. We will continue to work with our partners to move their priorities forward and provide the flexibility necessary to meet those requirements. We are in ongoing discussions with the province, and we trust its judgment in telling us what the priorities are.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is making Canadians pay more and more taxes to cover his reckless spending. Meanwhile, Liberal Party cronies are putting money in tax havens and weaseling out of their tax obligations here at home. Unlike middle-class families, they are not paying their fair share. Why are the Liberals going after people with disabilities, people with diabetes, people with mental health issues, and people with autism? Why are they treating them like tax cheats instead of going after Liberal Party friends who are hiding money in tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, former minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, admitted in an interview that tax evasion was not a priority for the Conservative government. That is why we need no lessons from the party that works every day to secure special privileges for the wealthy. Canadians expect to have a fair and equitable tax system.
Mr. Speaker, what we are doing on this side of the House is we are very focused on ensuring Canadians are successful. The good news is that it is absolutely working. Canadians have a higher level of confidence because they actually have more money. The Canada child benefit and the tax reductions we have put in place have allowed people to put money back into our economy, which is helping all of us to succeed. It is a good news story for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians get the tax credits they are entitled to. Eligibility for that tax credit has not changed.It is important to recognize that far too many Canadians are living with challenges like these and need help. To help people who earn modest incomes keep more of their hard-earned dollars, we are enhancing the working income tax benefit to the tune of $500 million per year as of 2019. We are keeping the promises we made during the election campaign.
Mr. Speaker, if it were legal to rob a store, putting more police officers in front of the door would change absolutely nothing. The same logic applies to tax havens. We are being robbed, but it is legal. How great is that? The revenue minister's answers are basically spin. The government is not getting at the root of the problem. We need to review and renegotiate our tax agreements with a number of countries. Will the Liberals reconsider our agreements with tax havens? If they cannot say yes, that means they do not want to change anything.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report to the House that I have and will continue to disclose all my assets to the Ethics Commissioner. What that does is allow us to get on with the work we want to do for Canadians.I am also pleased to report to the House that this work is having a real impact. We have now passed 500,000 new jobs in the country since we were elected. We have the lowest unemployment rate in a decade. Canadians are more confident than they have been in years, and it is showing up in the growth rate we are seeing across our country.Our plan is working, and we are going to continue the hard work on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians love our national parks and national heritage places, and we saw that clearly this year with record attendance at our parks and historic places with free entry for Canada 150. On Friday, October 27, I was extremely pleased to be joined by the member for KelownaLake Country as Canada, British Columbia, and representatives of the southern communities of the Syilx Okanagan Nation announced a renewed commitment to move forward together to establish a new national park reserve in the south Okanagan. After many years, we are pleased to be moving forward to protect this iconic place, and I want to thank the member for his help.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The hypocrisy of the members across the aisle is stunning. Former minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn admitted in an interview
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to take this opportunity to say how important the right to decent housing is in Canada for everyone, and in particular for more vulnerable Canadians. We know how important housing is for life in communities and for life in a proper home to participate in the lives of everyone else around us.I have good news to announce in a very short time. I invite our colleague to listen very carefully.
Mr. Speaker, this is an issue that we take very seriously. We respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We know that more work needs to be done, and that is exactly why we will continue to engage with Canadians to ensure that we are delivering for them.This government knows that Canadians have a role in this place. We will engage with them. We will make sure we do it right.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister took great pains this summer explaining that hard-working fishers, farmers, and small business owners were really not paying their fair share and were in fact tax cheats, all the while we had the Liberal bagman and the Prime Minister's close friends stashing $60 million away in the Cayman Islands tax scheme. My question is very simple. Why is the government so adamant to make life more difficult for honest tax-paying citizens and letting its friends off scot-free?
Mr. Speaker, high-tax hypocrisy is not a new sport for these Liberals. It has been perfected over the generations. While Paul Martin was the finance minister, he put foreign flags on his ships to avoid the very taxes he was imposing on everyone else. Now the paradise papers expose that his family business has moved its assets into zero-tax Bermuda, and he is advising the Prime Minister as part of the Liberal economic team. Now that he has been exposed once again for avoiding paying his fair share, will the finance minister fire Paul Martin from his economic team?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they are going after tax havens, but that is hypocritical.For the past 30 years, nobody has done more to facilitate tax evasion than Canada. The loopholes that the Liberals claim to be tackling now were created by Ottawa in the first place. Tax evasion is actually legal. When the Bloc Québécois exposed these loopholes, all of the Liberals voted against our bill.Why does the government hide when we ask it to change the law? Is it trying to protect its Liberal bagmen?
Mr. Speaker, Canada has the longest coastline in the world and the health and protection of our coasts are critical to our environment, our economy, and to all Canadians. Our Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans hears many different views on how to prosper, but everyone agrees we have to protect our waters and our shorelines. It was a year ago today that the Prime Minister introduced the oceans protection plan. Could the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard update us on our progress?
Mr. Speaker, one of the four pillars of our oceans protection plan is strengthening partnerships with indigenous communities, including building local emergency response capacity. Just last week, the first session under the indigenous community response training project wrapped up in Bamfield, British Columbia. Nine members from seven northern first nations graduated from the coastal nations search and rescue course, enhancing this important capacity for the Canadian Coast Guard.Mr. Speaker, as you know, we will do what it takes to protect Canada's oceans.
Mr. Speaker, I really cannot figure out what the Minister of National Revenue does not understand.While she drags her feet, the Liberal Party's cronies continue to take advantage of the system that she is keeping in place. The Liberal Party of Canada's bagman, for example, sheltered millions of dollars from taxes in the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands are a notorious tax haven with which Canada has signed a tax information exchange agreement. This agreement should have made the Canada Revenue Agency aware of the scheming Liberal cronies have been involved in.Why do we have agreements with tax havens such as the Cayman Islands if they let the Liberal clique dodge their tax obligations?
Mr. Speaker, Canada is a strong supporter of progressive trade and the Asia-Pacific is a priority market for our government. We are actively engaged with the remaining TPP countries and the minister is in Vietnam right now working hard to deliver real change and better results for Canadians and the middle class. We are discussing options for a possible agreement and we are also discussing ways to improve the terms of trade for Canadian businesses. This work is critical, we are taking our time, and we are pressing for a better deal. We feel we owe this to Canadians to diversify markets abroad and to create jobs for people at home.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, some months ago, appointed the hon. member for Edmonton Centre to consult broadly across the country with the community to make sure that all elements of this issue were properly heard and known and taken into account, so that the apology when given can be thorough and complete and the other appropriate actions around that apology can reinforce the basic message of rights and freedoms in this country.
Mr. Speaker, nobody is above the law, but the law is the problem.We now know that the Liberal Party fundraising chair, Stephen Bronfman, put money in tax havens. He claims that he always acted properly...including fully complying with all applicable laws. That is exactly the problem. That excuse sounds awfully familiar to me, actually. Oh right, it is the stock reply we hear from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance whenever a scandal crops up.Will the Liberals stop thumbing their noses at everyone and actually do something to fight tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is incorrect. I have disclosed what is in all my companies to the Ethics Commissioner. From day one, I have disclosed 100% of my assets to the Ethics Commissioner.That is what allows us to do the work that we are doing on behalf of Canadians, the work that we started two years ago when we found ourselves with an economy that was not growing fast enough. We decided that we had a choice, and the choice was to create jobs for Canadians. It is working, with more than 500,000 new jobs over the last two years, a situation where our economy is growing faster than it has grown in a decade. This is helping Canadian families to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, our government is strongly committed to combatting tax evasion and abusive tax avoidance and making the tax system fair and equitable for all Canadians. I am proud that we are playing a leading role on the international stage. Collaboration between tax administrations, including the exchange of tax information, is an essential tool to protect the integrity of Canada's tax base. That is why, as of September 30, 2017, the Canada Revenue Agency had more than 990 audits and 42 criminal investigations under way focusing on offshore financial structures.
Mr. Speaker, over 235,000 people are without a home in our country. In Canada, housing should be a right. Liberals like to talk about the right to housing but are unwilling to enshrine it in law. Maybe this explains why not a single Liberal spoke on my bill, Bill C-325, during its second hour of debate.Are the Liberals keeping silent because they are just too ashamed to speak against the human right to housing?
Mr. Speaker, instead of going after his own friend, the Prime Minister has decided to target Canadians with autism, mental health disabilities, and diabetes.Stephen Bronfman, the Prime Minister's close friend and chief Liberal bagman, is the poster boy for tax avoidance schemes.When will the Prime Minister stop targeting Canada's most vulnerable citizens and stop making excuses for tax avoiders like Mr. Bronfman?
Mr. Speaker, I want my colleague opposite to know that the issue of tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance is a priority for the Canada Revenue Agency.Here is what I can tell him. For the last fiscal year alone, the CRA's work resulted in 37 convictions with sentences totalling over 50 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines imposed by the courts. That is on top of the $44 million in penalties that were imposed on tax advisers last year. We are getting the job done, and we are going to see this through to the end.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In our last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion to crack down on tax cheats. Our plan is yielding results. We have had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions. The Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate action. We will continue to work for a fair and equitable tax system for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers are in Ottawa today and many of them are concerned. They have a right to be concerned because even though the Liberals campaigned on being inclusive and different and transparent, they continue to negotiate the TPP in the dark, just like the Conservatives. Dairy farmers and Canadians believed this deal was dead, but we have learned an agreement could be reached this week. This agreement will contain a breach in supply management, and the new NAFTA could do exactly the same thing.How much market access will the government allow in our supply-managed sectors?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for ChâteauguayLacolle for her question and for her hard work.Our government is especially proud of what our oceans protection plan has done for abandoned vessels, not just in Beauharnois, but across the country. We are passing legislation strengthening owner responsibility and liability for their vessels. We are funding the removal of small high-risk vessels and empowering the government to address problem vessels more proactively. We take this work very seriously.
Mr. Speaker, despite promising not to do so in the last election, these Liberals took veterans back to court. Now we have learned that veterans are being forced to wait longer and longer to get the benefits they have earned.Today the Prime Minister is hurrying off to Asia to deliver on his priority: infrastructure handouts to the world's wealthy. Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs tell us why veterans are being shortchanged while the Prime Minister sends half a billion dollars to wealthy bankers in Asia?
Mr. Speaker, while accusing local small business owners of being tax cheats, the Prime Minister has gone out of his way to protect the interests of his rich, well-connected Liberal friends.The paradise papers expose the Prime Minister's close friend and chief political fundraiser as having sheltered millions of dollars offshore. The Bronfmans are also known for being very effective at lobbying against closing offshore tax loopholes.When did the Prime Minister learn that his friend and chief fundraiser had these offshore holdings, and that his lawyers had lobbied so hard to protect these tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I wanted to provide a response to the question of privilege raised by the member for Thornhill on November 2, respecting the Prime Minister's response to an oral question on Tuesday, October 31. I submit that the matter is a dispute as to the facts, and therefore does not meet the criteria for finding a prima facie question of privilege. Page 86 of the House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition, sets out the criteria for establishing whether a member has deliberately misled the House. It states: it must be proven that the statement was misleading;...it must be established that the Member making the statement knew at the time that the statement was incorrect;...that in making the statement, the Member intended to mislead the House. I submit, these criteria have not been met. On October 31, 2017, in response to an oral question from the member for EdmontonStrathcona, the Prime Minister stated the following: ...two ministers had controlled assets held indirectly. The finance minister has announced that he is moving forward, going above and beyond what was originally asked. In the case of the other minister, those assets were divested 18 months ago. The Ethics Commissioner has confirmed that there is no difference of opinion on this issue between her and the Prime Minister. In fact, on November 2, 2017, the Ethics Commissioner released a statement that refutes the allegation that the commissioner is at odds with the statement made by the Prime Minister. I agree with the member for SkeenaBulkley Valley who intervened on this issue. Now the reasons she has as Ethics Commissioner to keep the number somewhat vague, as less than five but more than one, is something that is at her discretion. That is not for us to judge. Allegations of breach of privilege are often dismissed as disputes as to the facts. There are numerous precedents in support of this. Most recently, on May 5, 2016, the Speaker ruled: As members can appreciate, the threshold is very high, purposely so given the seriousness of the allegation and its potential consequences for members individually and collectively. From this, it stands to reason that a finding of a prima facie case of privilege is an exceedingly rare occurrence in cases with respect to disputed facts. I submit that the matter is a dispute as to the facts and therefore does not meet the conditions for a prima facie question of privilege.
Mr. Speaker, I was just about to mention the minister's department. Today, we learned that the Canada Revenue Agency is deliberately failing to disclose how much money is lost to tax evasion each year. However, yesterday, the Minister of National Revenue assured us that everything was under control.Rather than just talking nonsense, will the Prime Minister give a clear answer for once and tell us how long he has known that his friend, the Liberal Party's bagman, has been using tax havens to avoid paying taxes?
Mr. Speaker, is it also our fault that Stephen Bronfman fundraises for the Liberals? This is yet another instance of Liberal hypocrisy. The Liberals see nothing wrong with raising taxes on people with disabilities. They think it is fair game to tax employee discounts. They go after farmers and small business owners, claiming they are tax cheats who are not paying their fair share.However, the Prime Minister is willing to let anything slide if it will protect his millionaire friends, like Stephen Bronfman.When will the Prime Minister put an end to this fiscal hypocrisy?
Mr. Speaker, who would advise the Liberals to raise taxes on people suffering with diabetes while allowing multi-millionaire party fundraisers to shelter their money away in tax havens? Who would advise the Liberals to impose higher taxes on farmers while protecting Morneau Shepell? We know it is the finance minister whose family business has assets in Barbados, the former finance minister who we know now puts his assets in Bermuda, and of course the Liberal fundraiser, Mr. Bronfman.Why is it that, when the Liberals raise taxes, it only affects everyone but them?
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about privilege. It pays to be part of the Liberal leader's inner circle.When the hon. member for Papineau told his friend, Stephen Bronfman, that he wanted to become leader of his party, the response was, Anything I can do to help. In the same interview, he said that the goal was to raise a pile of money to help the Liberal leader become the next prime minister. That was very telling. It seems that tax fairness does not apply to those who helped the Liberal leader become prime minister.Why is the Prime Minister going after farmers and the real job creators and refusing to do anything about tax avoidance in his circle of close friends?
Mr. Speaker, this government made a commitment to Canadians to ensure that we were engaging with them. That is exactly why we have taken historic consultations to ensure that the programs and the laws that we pass actually benefit them. This is the government that increased taxes on the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians by lowering taxes on middle-class Canadians. This is the government that is committed to lowering taxes on small businesses to 9% by 2019. This government will continue to ensure that their voices are being heard. This government will continue fighting for middle-class Canadians and those who
Mr. Speaker, like the issues surrounding the Minister of Finance, it is funny that things only start to happen when the Liberals get caught.While looking out for his friends and insiders, the Prime Minister put a target on the pocketbooks of hard-working Canadians. He accuses local business owners of being tax cheats even while he is raising their taxes, and he turns a blind eye to the loopholes his friends enjoy using. It is almost as if there is one set of rules for the Prime Minister and his wealthy friends, and another set of rules for everybody else.Why is it that every time the Prime Minister makes changes, it always benefits those in the jet-set life, and it always makes life harder for those in the road-trip life?
Mr. Speaker, our government is working very hard to combat tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We have invested nearly $1 billion. We are seeing meaningful results, including warrants, criminal investigations, and even convictions.We are working on this file, unlike the Conservatives who, for 10 years and even according to one of their own former revenue ministers, did nothing. It was not even a priority for their government.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite is the one who is talking nonsense. Our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance, and we are tackling this problem from all sides. In our first two budgets, we invested a historic amount of nearly $1 billion. Last year, the CRA imposed $44 million in penalties on proponents and tax advisers. We are continuing the work that we promised Canadians we would do during the election campaign.
Mr. Speaker, human rights is a foundational part of Canada's international work. I will correct the record, because the member knows full well that this government tripled funding to the new Office of Human Rights, Freedoms and Inclusion.When it comes to human rights around the world, this government is taking a leadership role. We are doing this in all of our engagements. I hope the Conservative opposition will join us in helping to promote and defend human rights, as we are doing around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague opposite that I was a social worker for 25 years. I have always helped the most vulnerable members of our society and worked to protect them.Our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits they are entitled to. We are moving forward with a national disability law that will remove barriers and focus on accessibility. We have simplified the forms and made it possible to hire specialized nurse practitioners to help people fill out the applications.We promised to do that during the election campaign, and we are going to continue to work to help the most vulnerable members of our society, those who need it most.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his finance minister are on the hunt for Canadians to tax. If someone owns a small business, they will tax it. If someone is suffering from diabetes, they will tax that individual. If someone is dealing with autism or mental health issues, they will tax that person. However, if someone is a billionaire close friend of the Prime Minister, he or she can avoid paying taxes with impunity.When will the Prime Minister stop treating hard-working Canadians like tax cheats and go after his own crew?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's network of protected areas help to mitigate the impacts of climate change. They protect and restore healthy, resilient ecosystems and assist in the recovery of species at risk. Canada is committed to conserve at least 17% of our country's land and fresh water by 2020, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, indigenous peoples, and other key partners. Can the government please update this House on the recent progress towards this target?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure my colleague opposite that I have a lot more experience in fishing than he does. Our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance, and last year's historic investment of $1 billion proves it. Our plan is working. We had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, executed 268 search warrants, and obtained 78 convictions. We promised Canadians that we would get the job done, and no one is above the law.
Mr. Speaker, we know the excuse writers in the Prime Minister's Office are working overtime as new Liberal ethics and conflict issues accumulate. However, Canadians are still waiting for a few meaningful answers from the Minister of Finance.He was found guilty and fined by the Ethics Commissioner for hiding his French corporation for two years. He has effectively admitted guilt for hiding his shares in Morneau Shepell for two years. Now the minister still owns other numbered companies.What new conflicts might we find if the contents were revealed to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the latest Liberal budget, which joins Canada to the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, will send up to $500 million overseas for infrastructure, yet the Liberals are not delivering on infrastructure at home. Just several weeks ago, Toronto said that Ottawa was making unreasonable demands and could pull $121 million in TTC funding from the federal government. Why are the Liberals so eager to send infrastructure money overseas, while neglecting to spend on desperately needed roads and transit right here at home?
Mr. Speaker, as Minister of National Revenue, I can say that tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance are global problems that call for a global solution.The OECD brought nations together to collaborate on the development of a new global standard for the automatic exchange of information. We fully adopted this standard, and starting July 1, 2017, Canadian financial institutions began taking steps to identify accounts held by non-residents and report these accounts to the Canada Revenue Agency.We are taking concrete action.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that billions of dollars are at stake. We made an historic investment of nearly $1 billion in the Canada Revenue Agency to combat this problem. The CRA uses the information it receives through lists disclosed by countries that are part of the BEPS project. That is why the agency, as of September 30, 2017, was conducting more than 990 audits and 42 criminal investigations related to offshore financial structures. We are reviewing the links between corporations and we will keep at it.
Mr. Speaker, tax havens are one of the priorities in my mandate letter and a priority for this government. That is why, in the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, with which we hired auditors and have been targeting four jurisdictions per year. We are working with our international partners to tackle BEPS. Our plan is working. Our initiatives are working. We will continue to work for Canadians, just as we promised.
Mr. Speaker, the revenue minister keeps telling us she is so proud that her tax collectors are targeting Canadians. Her tax collectors are systematically raising taxes on type 1 diabetics, Canadians with mental health issues, and autism. Her tax collectors are so busy targeting the most vulnerable, they seem to have forgotten about the Prime Minister's wealthy friends. When will the minister finally tell her tax collectors to lay off sick and vulnerable Canadians and focus on real tax cheats?
Mr. Speaker, we promised Canadians that we would look into the tax gap, and that is exactly what we are doing. Unlike the previous government, which systematically refused to look at the tax gap, we have opted for an evidence-based approach. To date, the Canada Revenue Agency has proven its commitment to estimating the tax gap by producing three studies since June 2016. We are pursuing our efforts on this issue. That is what Canadians expect, and in the summer of 2018, we will be publishing a report on the international aspect of the tax gap.
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister claims that he is making the wealthiest 1% pay, he is paying his Christmas holiday with taxpayers' money, off-loading the deficit to the middle class, and attacking job creators across the country. He is being hypocritical to the point of turning a blind eye to the paradise papers scandal. I almost slipped and talked about the sponsorship scandal.To be clear, letting one's close friends put money into tax havens and not pay any taxes, is that the Liberals' plan to make the wealthy pay?
Mr. Speaker, to be or not to be, that is the question. In this tragic comedy entitled, The latest Liberal scandal, we wonder who has the lead role. Is it the Minister of Finance or the Prime Minister? We have not gotten any answers to simple questions for weeks. What exactly are they hiding? Why will they not answer? Are they rewriting a new chapter to the story, Gomery 2, or will they finally answer this simple question. What is the Minister of Finance hiding with his companies?
Mr. Speaker, the punitive duties imposed by the U.S. commerce department are unfair and deeply troubling. Our forestry industry has never been found guilty in previous cases. We will challenge this decision before the courts and we will win, as we have done on every past occasion. We want a good agreement for Canada, not just any deal.
Mr. Speaker, unlike my colleague opposite, at least we have results to announce.Over the past two years, we have invested more than $1 billion and our plan is bearing fruit. Four jurisdictions are identified each year. More than 100 auditors have been hired and 627 cases have been transferred to criminal investigation. There have been 268 search warrants and 78 convictions. That is just for starters. We are continuing our work as we promised Canadians in the last campaign. We will continue with this work all through our mandate.
Mr. Speaker, tax evasion is a priority for our government.I would remind the Conservative party that we voted in favour of the Canada child benefit to lift children out of poverty. We lowered taxes for the middle class. We increased the guaranteed income supplement. We abolished the Harper reform that attacked employment insurance claimants and we invested in infrastructure. These are all things that we have undertaken and that the party across the way opposed. We are the government that works for the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, we all wondered how the Liberals were going to try to change the channel from the Morneau Shepell fiasco. Who knew they would be using a massive tax haven scandal to get our minds off their massive ethics scandal. To make matters worse, the Liberals have been hiding how much money is lost to these tax havens. For years they fought against the release of the so-called tax gap in Canada. Just like Bill C-58, their no access to information bill, the Liberals deny basic information that is owed to Canadians.Therefore, I have a very simple question. Will the government finally tell Canadians how much money its millionaire and billionaire friends actually owe this country?
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In our first two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, allowing us to hire 100 auditors and achieve record results. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions.The work has only just started. We will see it through.
Mr. Speaker, during the first quarter of this year, opioids killed over 900 Canadians. The government needs to help. The Liberals gave only $10 million to fight the opioid crisis but has no problem giving $500 million to the Asian infrastructure bank.Why is the government sending $500 million to foreign billionaires, when we have Canadians dying in our streets by the hundreds? Canada is our home.
Mr. Speaker, residents living on the shores of Lake Saint-Louis are concerned about the notorious Kathryn Spirit. The former government took no action with respect to this ship, which has been abandoned since its arrival in Beauharnois, and it was our government that got the dismantling process started. One year ago today, the Prime Minister announced our oceans protection plan.Could the minister tell us how this plan will affect abandoned vessels like the Kathryn Spirit in future?
Mr. Speaker, tax cheats must be subject to fines and prison sentences. We are fed up with the government's rhetoric. Ordinary Canadians are the ones who are suffering because the wealthy are using tax havens to avoid paying taxes.The money that Stephen Bronfman has hidden away in the Cayman Islands is not being used to help our hospitals and schools. It is staying in his pocket, with this government's blessing. Our taxes are paying for the roads that these tax cheats are driving around on in their big limousines.When will this government stop thumbing its nose at Canadians and put an end to the use of tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, our government is working internationally to combat tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We are an important international partner in the BEPS project. Our efforts are paying off. When I talk about the 627 cases that have been transferred to criminal investigations, the 268 search warrants, and the 78 convictions, I am not sure what the member opposite does not understand. That is what it means to take action and get the job done.
Mr. Speaker, the municipalities have yet to enjoy the benefits of this supposed flexibility.After receiving some generous donations from Asian proponents, the Liberal Party is going to invest $480 million in the Asian infrastructure bank. It is sad to see this government unwilling to give our infrastructure here in Canada the same attention.The Liberals are dangling tons of money before the municipalities, but some projects have been cancelled because of all of the unnecessary conditions being imposed.Instead of prancing around Asia and working against our taxpayers and our municipalities, will the Prime Minister be a true partner to our municipalities?
Mr. Speaker, I repeat, after 10 years of inaction by the former government, the opposition member's hypocrisy is staggering. The OECD, of which Canada is a member, brought nations together to collaborate on the development of a new global standard for the automatic exchange of information. We fully adopted this standard. We have invested $1 billion, hired auditors, launched criminal investigations, and laid charges. We are taking action.
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits to which they are entitled. We are moving forward with a national disability law that will remove barriers by focusing on accessibility for all Canadians living with a disability.We have made it easier for people with disabilities to access tax credits. We have simplified the forms and, in budget 2017, we allowed specialized nurse practitioners to complete patients' applications. We will continue to work with the most vulnerable and with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance, which the Conservative Party failed to do for 10 years. A former Canada Revenue Agency minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even said that it was not a priority for his government.Our government took office two years ago and in that time we have invested $1 billion. We are seeing results. We are working internationally. There have been charges, criminal investigations, and warrants. We continue to work for Canadians and for a fair tax system.
Mr. Speaker, during the last election, the Liberals made a specific commitment to support justice and reconciliation in Sri Lanka following terrible crimes committed at the end of the civil war and in light of ongoing human rights concerns for the Tamil community today. Instead of acting, the Liberals cancelled the office of religious freedom, undercutting existing initiatives to promote pluralism and human rights, and their new office has been completely absent on this. Why has the government failed to take any concrete action to implement its commitment with respect to human rights in Sri Lanka?
Mr. Speaker, let us try this again.This government is a government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians. This government is a government that recognizes that small businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy and that they are community builders. We want to see them succeed. That is exactly why we are committed to lowering the small business tax rate to 9% by 2019. I really look forward to members opposite recognizing that small businesses are the backbone of the economy and that they should be paying a lower tax rate.
Mr. Speaker, I find it rather odd to hear Conservative members say that we are not working on closing tax loopholes when for 10 years their government did nothing about tax evasion. A former national revenue minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even said so publicly.I find the hypocrisy of my colleagues across the way to be quite something. We have no lessons to learn from the former government.
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.We have invested close to $1 billion over the past two years. We have targeted four jurisdictions per year and hired 100 auditors. Our plan is working. We have transferred 627 cases to criminal investigation, executed 268 search warrants, and obtained 78 convictions.Nobody has accomplished as much as our government has over the past two years. Certainly not the Bloc Québécois.
Mr. Speaker, last week, we learned that the U.S. commerce department has made its final decision regarding the duties that will be imposed on Canadian softwood lumber.Export duties of up to 21% will jeopardize 11,000 jobs in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean. The government knew that this decision was imminent, but the Liberals continue to slip up and have made little to no progress when it comes to protecting the softwood lumber industry.When will they take charge of the situation and save these jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister put in an unconvincing performance yesterday.The Liberals love picking on local businesses, middle-class families, and even the sick. However, when the Minister of Finance and the Liberal bagman try to hide their assets or avoid paying taxes, all we get from the Prime Minister is radio silence.How long has the Prime Minister known that his chief fundraiser stashes money in tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, instead of relying on meaningless stats, she should understand one thing. We are lawmakers. Instead of hiding behind the bogus excuse that it felt legal anyway, we can roll up our sleeves and do something about it. We can change the laws. We can especially change laws that allow the wealthy and the well connected to pay less tax than middle-class Canadians. The question is this. Will the government do that or will it block these efforts, as it has done for the past two years?
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that the member opposite has given us an opportunity to talk about some of the things our government is doing to address the opioid crisis. For example, our government has provided $10 million in urgent support to our provincial partners in British Columbia and $6 million to the Province of Alberta to assist with its response. That is in addition to $22.7 million ongoing of the $100-million commitment in budget 2017 to support national measures associated with the Canadian drugs and substances strategy to respond to this terrible health crisis.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister told us that the CRA would be looking into allegations of tax evasion, but he stopped short of confirming that this would be the case for Stephen Bronfman. This is the same CRA that is constantly under fire by tax experts for going hard against everyday Canadians, but for throwing back the big fish. This is the same CRA that forgave the clients who made millions from the KPMG scheme, and this is the same CRA that failed to act on the Panama papers.When will the minister stop defending the CRA and start standing up for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to know what the Minister of Finance has been hiding from them over the past two years. They know he hid his stocks in Morneau Shepell. They know he hid his ownership in a French corporation, an act for which he was found guilty by the Ethics Commissioner. Over the last two years, he has not disclosed what he has owned in his various numbered companies. I have a simple question. He may have disclosed yesterday, but the previous two years he has not disclosed to Canadians what is in his numbered companies. What is he hiding?
Mr. Speaker, it is clear the government has a problem knowing who is in charge of this one.What we are asking is that the Liberals make a commitment today to a just apology for the past injustices to the LGBTQ community. That means an apology by the Prime Minister in the House and one that includes redress measures. Those who were kicked out of the Canadian Forces still have dishonourable discharges on their records. Those who were convicted because of who they love still have criminal records for things that are no longer illegal, and this continues to limit their ability to volunteer, travel, and work.Will the Liberal government commit today to a just apology for my community, to righting past wrongs and not just expressing regret?
Mr. Speaker, it is very typical of the Minister of Finance, playing games with words and semantics. However, the spirit of disclosing his assets, by which he was found guilty by the Ethics Commissioner, he is absolutely guilty of and he does not have the decency to admit it to Canadians. This is why they do not trust him.I have a very simple question. If the Minister of Finance had nothing to hide over the last two years when he was regulating industries that he may have owned shares in, why does he not tell Canadians what he owned in the last two years in his numbered companies? No semantics.
Mr. Speaker, I am going to use some numbers, so that the government understands the hypocrisy of what it is talking about. As I said, a Liberal bagman stashed $60 million away in a tax-free account in the Cayman Islands. Let us pretend that this $60 million was put into a passive investment account by a small business person here in Canada. That would be a tax bill of $43 million. Why is the Prime Minister allowing his friends to get off on a tax bill of $43 million?
Mr. Speaker, LGBTQ+ communities have responded favourably to the Liberal government's commitment to apologize for past injustices against them. However, we want to ensure that the apology will be sincere.Will the Liberal government today confirm that the Prime Minister himself will apologize, that the apology will be on the record of the House of Commons, and that there will be reparation?