Gérard Deltell

Mr. Speaker, in your case, when you travel, you properly assume your responsibilities.Can the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons set the record straight for Canadians? How many people were there and how much did it cost? When they say that it cost $25,000, they are taking Canadians for fools.

Mr. Speaker, this sad story is about common sense. Canadians want people found guilty of murdering children to be behind bars in prison. Unfortunately, in this particular case that has outraged all Canadians, this woman was transferred from a traditional penitentiary to a healing lodge. That is not right. Just imagine. She has her own bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room. This is a total failure of common sense.The Liberals do have the power. The minister can reverse this decision. Why is he not doing so?

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure whether you noticed this, but Canadians have. Any time we ask a question about the deficit, the government members make no mention of it in their response. I can understand that because the Liberals were elected on the promise of a zero deficit in 2019. They took their platform and chucked it in the garbage. We have no idea when Canada will get back to a balanced budget.The minister likes talking about plans. What is his plan to balance the budget?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government wants to implement marijuana legalization as quickly as possible, which is really not a good thing. Another one of the Liberals' rubbish ideas is to allow the cultivation of four pot plants in every household in Canada. Fortunately, the Liberal government's mad obsession is going to hit a wall, since two provinces, Quebec and Manitoba, are opposed. Can this Liberal government respect jurisdictions and respect the provinces?

Mr. Speaker, last Friday the Minister of Finance was in Toronto and said, “we will continue to be fiscally responsible”.Fiscally responsible? Is it fiscally responsible to run up a $30-billion deficit, or three times the amount projected? Is it fiscally responsible to make announcements about family benefits and forget to index them? Is it fiscally responsible to impose a Liberal tax on carbon?Is it fiscally responsible to do such stupid things?

Mr. Speaker, what is ridiculous is that the Minister of National Revenue claims she cannot comment on this issue, yet her boss, the Prime Minister, did not seem too concerned when he commented on the whole bagman story. That is ridiculous.The minister is an honourable woman, so she must see how ludicrous this all is. Can she rise and assure Canadians that the Bronfman case will get the appropriate scrutiny?

Mr. Speaker, it pains me to see such an honourable man stand up for the architect of the monumentally stupid and ridiculous expenditures we have been talking about.The minister just said, “We were elected.” Sure they were elected. They were elected because they promised a wee little $10-billion deficit, but now that deficit is up to $30 billion.The example comes from the top. Can the minister, the MP for Québec, honestly say he is proud of that, or will he stand up and say that enough is enough and the government must get spending under control because that is what Canadians want?

Okay, Mr. Speaker, let us talk about Canadian workers.Canadians who work hard day after day and watch half their pay disappear into government coffers want their money's worth. Canadian workers and taxpayers hate it when the government wastes their money on worthless stuff. The list that the member for Sarnia—Lambton just read us? Taxpayers will not be happy about that.Will anyone over there say enough with this nonsense and make it clear that the Government of Canada will be managing the public purse properly from now on?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal's greed keeps eating into the wallets of Canadian workers and it knows no bounds.What is the Liberals' latest scheme? They want to tax health insurance and dental insurance, which is very bad news. What will that accomplish? This has existed in Quebec for a few years now. Does the minister know what happened? Unfortunately, 20% of Quebec's workers no longer have private dental and health insurance.Does the minister want 2.6 million Canadians to lose their insurance?

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, Canadians know that the Liberals have an insatiable appetite for taxpayers' money. The Liberals have gone after business owners and Canadians, and now they are going after people who are sick. Last week, it was people with diabetes, and now it is those with mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia, who are being targeted by the Liberal government. The Liberals have made it much more difficult for these people to get access to tax credits.I have a very simple question. Does the Liberal Party have no heart? Why is the government going after sick people?

Mr. Speaker, the facts speak for themselves. When we were in government, we were facing the worst economic crisis in the world. Our government was the first in the G7 to come through that crisis with its head held high, and we left a surplus, as the Parliamentary Budget Officer said.What did the people over there do the minute they came to power? They took their platform and chucked it in the garbage, because a zero deficit in 2019 is not happening.What is the government's plan for balancing the budget?

Mr. Speaker, many will recall the sad day when the Liberal government and the Prime Minister cancelled the public transit tax credit, claiming that it favoured only wealthy Canadians. Not only is that stupid, but let us talk about some really wealthy folks.Loblaws is a company that made over $3 billion in profits last year. Yesterday the government announced that it is giving Loblaws $12 million to purchase refrigerators. Wow. That means $3 billion in gross profits and $12 million in subsidies. Only the Liberals could possibly see the logic in that.Why is the Prime Minister taking money out of the pockets of Canadian workers and giving it to people who really do not need it?

Mr. Speaker, I do not know about you, but does the government realize that its approach to electoral reform is completely ridiculous? Does it not realize that? Because Canadians certainly do.The minister set aside the parliamentary report that called for a referendum, the only right thing to do. Now the Liberals have come up with a postcard approach to democracy and launched a survey that is all over the map. People can provide just about any answer they want. It is ridiculous.Why is the government refusing to do what Canadians want and hold a referendum?

Mr. Speaker, the government has completely lost control of public finances, to say the least.Now we really have seen it all. To make up for its mismanagement and after attacking our SMEs, now the Liberal government is attacking people who are sick and who have diabetes. This is unheard of, unprecedented, and completely unacceptable.The government decided to eliminate a tax credit for these people, who are suffering enormously. Meanwhile the Minister of Finance is benefiting from certain things he forgot to disclose in paying his taxes and, more importantly, in managing the public purse properly.Why does the minister support this double standard? Why is he going after people who have diabetes?

Mr. Speaker, the minister said something interesting. He just said that their plan will make a real difference for future generations.In fact, future generations will be stuck paying for your poor decisions and your mismanagement of public funds. That is what you are giving future generations.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to refresh the memories of the Prime Minister and all his Liberal henchmen.Four years ago, he promised that they would run three small deficits and then balance the budget in 2019. Four years later we know what really happened: they ran three big deficits and then a $20-billion deficit in their so-called zero-deficit year.Again, I ask the Prime Minister: Will he stand in his place, look Canadians in the eye and tell them, “I lied to you”, since that is what he did?

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians know that under the Conservatives, immigrants followed the rules. They obeyed the law. There was no Roxham Road under the Conservatives. Under the Conservatives, 19,000 people did not enter illegally into Canada. Under the Conservatives, 7,612 people were not acting illegally.I have a simple question for the Prime Minister. Does he regret his infamous tweet?

Mr. Speaker, it is clear to Canadians that the Prime Minister's word is worthless. Members will recall that, in 2015, the Liberals promised to run three small deficits and then balance the budget. The reality is that they ran three big deficits, three times higher than promised. They planned to balance the budget in 2019, but in 2019, there will be a $20-billion deficit. That is a colossal failure. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister has failed Canadians.My question for the Prime Minister is simple. Can he give us his word on when we will return to a balanced budget?

Mr. Speaker, it is truly a shame that a man as distinguished and honourable as the Minister of Finance should become the architect of the Liberal government's dirty work.The government house leader just said that the government remains open to good ideas. We happen to have one. Would the government kindly remove from the omnibus bill all clauses pertaining to the independence of the parliamentary budget officer? I imagine that several Liberal ministers know that attacking the independence of the parliamentary budget officer makes no sense. If they know that, then let them do something about it.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' track record on energy matters is nothing short of disastrous. Since they took office, the energy sector has lost 125,000 jobs and over $60 billion in investment.What is the Liberal government's miracle solution? Take money from taxpayers and buy a Texas company for $4.5 billion. That is the Liberal solution.My question for my friend, the Minister of Finance, is very simple. A fat lot of good Bay Street experience does us. Why is he making such bad decisions?

Mr. Speaker, one million voter cards were inaccurate, and the government thinks it is a good idea to go in that direction? Come on. That makes no sense.The other nonsensical measure the government is proposing involves allowing foreign funds to fill party coffers during Canadian elections. It is ridiculous. Canadian elections belong to Canadians.Why are the Prime Minister and his government proposing measures that will allow foreigners to send millions of dollars to Canada?

Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that the Prime Minister did not have the opportunity to repeat his economic theory that is far-fetched, ridiculous and, above all, inapplicable for Canadians.We know that the Liberal carbon tax will be applied from coast to coast in a few weeks. We also know that the government has in hand a study that it commissioned to find out how far it would be willing to go to pay the carbon tax, which could be as much as $300. That means almost $5,000 more that Canadian families will have to pay.Will the Prime Minister’s ridiculous theory apply once again and will Canadians not pay any tax? That cannot be.

Mr. Speaker, it seems that only the Liberals are proud of what Michaëlle Jean is doing. Michaëlle Jean has become an embarrassment to Canada. She has been irresponsible in her management of the organization, doing exactly what the Liberal government is doing now: spending recklessly. Her attitude is completely irresponsible. However, things have just gotten serious, as France has withdrawn its support for Michaëlle Jean. How is it that only the Liberal government is defending the indefensible?

Mr. Speaker, there he goes again. He cannot answer the question. This is bad. If there is really a dodger-in-chief of the government, he must be the MVP of the year. The reality is that today the National Post took another shot against him, talking about an even bigger pot of money for the Liberals, which is the age amount tax credit.Can we have just once a crystal-clear answer, yes or no, does his government intend to attack his bad judgment and inadequacy to address the issue of finance and public money against the—

Mr. Speaker, as you know, the parliamentary budget officer released a scathing report last week that confirmed what all Canadians know, which is that the Liberals have just broken their election promise to balance the budget in 2019. What is even worse, and this will be of interest to everyone, even those who are talking, is that the Liberals have absolutely no idea when we will return to a balanced budget. The current government is acting like a compulsive gambler who refuses to face the facts. It keeps plunging further and further into debt, but sooner or later, the bill will come due. I have one perfectly simple question for the Prime Minister: when will we return to a balanced budget? On what date?

Mr. Speaker, the minister just said, “That is our plan”. Two days ago, Global Television aired a clip of the Prime Minister making a statement that was completely irresponsible. He said he had no idea when Canada would return to a balanced budget. This is the first time in the history of Canada that a Prime Minister has uttered such nonsense. The Minister of Finance is a serious man who has a great deal of experience in the private sector.When the Minister of Finance worked in the private sector, would he have tolerated such an insipid remark from the Prime Minister?

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-29 is a bad bill that implements bad measures from a bad Liberal budget. That is a fact.However, it gets even worse. This bill contains a constitutional virus, since it attacks the Quebec Consumer Protection Act, which falls under provincial jurisdiction. The Supreme Court said so in 2014, and yet the government is bulldozing ahead anyway. We are heading for a big constitutional fight. Canada needs this like it needs a hole in the head.Why is the Liberal government interfering yet again in provincial jurisdictions?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are outraged, and rightly so. Statistics Canada wants to poke around the personal bank accounts of honest Canadians. We in the Conservative Party find that completely unacceptable. It is an utterly inappropriate invasion of Canadians' privacy. Unfortunately, the Liberal government is washing its hands of the issue. It does not see a problem and will not stop Statistics Canada from proceeding.Fortunately, the Privacy Commissioner is on the ball and has launched an investigation. Why does the Liberal government continue to defend the indefensible?

Mr. Speaker, let us not forget that 65% of Canadians were not affected by these so-called tax breaks, and that those who benefited the most from these so-called tax breaks are people who earn between $140,000 and $200,000.If that is what this government calls the middle class, I can understand why it is incapable of managing the country's finances properly and balancing the budget, and above all, why it is constantly punishing the middle class.Will there be any good news for the middle class in tomorrow's budget?

Mr. Speaker, omnibus Bill C-44, introduced by the Minister of Finance, contains a virus. That virus directly attacks the independence of the parliamentary budget officer, which defies reason. The parliamentary budget officer is independent and must stay that way. With this bill, the Speaker of the Senate, who is not elected but appointed by the Prime Minister, will have veto power over the work of the parliamentary budget officer.Can the Minister of Finance, who is an honourable man, explain such an unacceptable situation?

Mr. Speaker, never in the history of Canada have we had a prime minister with such contempt for the oil sector and for Canadian workers as our current Prime Minister.Remember when he was in Calgary and said we need to phase out Alberta oil? Then, in Paris, he said it was not happening fast enough. Later he even said that higher gas prices were exactly what he wanted. Perhaps that is what he wants, but that is not what Canadians want. What is his latest bright idea? It is to send $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to Texas. My question for the Prime Minister is very simple.How much is the Kinder Morgan project going to cost taxpayers in the long run because of the Liberal Prime Minister's ineptitude?

Mr. Speaker, the power to stop what is unacceptable does exist. In November 2001, a Liberal minister used this power when an offender who had murdered a police officer was to be transferred to another prison. The minister at the time put his foot down and prevented the transfer. He is now the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.Will the current Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness follow the example set by the current Minister of Agriculture who did the right thing in 2001?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in the House, we had a very important debate about the genocide that ISIS is committing against the people of the world. During that debate, the Liberal member for Pierrefonds—Dollard said, “we should not rush to judgment”. Nineteen young women were burned alive, journalists are being beheaded on YouTube, and the U.S. Secretary of State has said that this is a genocide. Does he still think that we are rushing to judgment?When will the Liberals finally face up to the reality that this is indeed a genocide? When will they admit it?

Mr. Speaker, what lack of respect. I am not the one who said that. It was the Quebec Liberal minister, Jean-Marc Fournier, who is proudly fighting tooth and nail for provincial governments.Quebec and Manitoba do not want marijuana to be grown at home. It is sad to say, but the reality is that the government is doing what it wants and not listening to anyone. The government did not listen to first nations and it is not listening to Quebec and Manitoba.Can the Prime Minister at least guarantee one thing, that no pot will be grown at 24 Sussex?

Mr. Speaker, yes, Ms. Jean was a good choice, but her management skills leave much to be desired. That is the problem with Ms. Jean. She has abused the trust Canadians placed in her. She has abused the trust La Francophonie placed in her. For a year now, Canada and the entire world have been aware that Ms. Jean is mismanaging La Francophonie's finances, just as the current government is mismanaging Canada's finances. Why is the Liberal government continuing to lend its support to a person who is so irresponsible with public funds?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are becoming acutely aware that this government has completely lost control of public spending.A massive deficit, a minister who rents limos from her Liberal pal but slams on the brakes as soon as she is caught with her hand in the cookie jar, and a friend of the Prime Minister's who claims $126,000 in moving expenses. Canadians are fed up. It has become increasingly obvious that these people are superheroes when it comes to spending money but abject failures at creating wealth.How does this government plan to create jobs for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are not fools.What the Minister of Finance said at the beginning of question period is very simple: he has been in a direct conflict of interest for the past two years and he is taking action only because he was caught. That is what is really happening with the finance minister, and it is unacceptable. He may be smiling, but Canadians are not fools.For the past few days, he has been repeating that everything is okay because there is an ethical screen in place to prevent him from doing anything stupid. However, I can see why he is smiling because the person in charge of his ethical screen is his chief of staff, who, of course, does not have any idea what ethics are, as we learned this morning in The Globe and Mail.When will the minister finally act in the interest of all Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, it is really too bad that a member with so much experience in this House would make such unacceptable comments.This is not the first time, either. The people in Vegreville are not the only ones in Canada who are suffering. Hard-working Canadians from all across the country can see the government digging ever deeper into their wallets.The government cancelled tax credits for school supplies, and children's fitness and arts courses. The government raised taxes on liquor, alcohol, beer, wine and more.Why is this government so greedy when it comes to taxpayers' wallets?

Mr. Speaker, the only parliamentarian who was subject to a personal attack yesterday in committee was the member for Milton. That is the truth. We did not know that these people could be aggressive towards women. What we now know is that they are poor managers and, even worse, secretive.Today, iPolitics reported that the President of the Treasury Board decided to set aside $7 billion in the budget to be used when he deems it necessary, and to not provide any follow-up information. This is anything but transparent.Why is the President of the Treasury Board being so secretive?

Mr. Speaker, in our glorious 152 years of existence, never in the history of Canada has a sitting Prime Minister been found guilty of ethics violations. This Prime Minister has been found guilty of violating the ethics code five times, four of which involved his relationship with the Aga Khan.The Aga Khan Foundation is lobbying the government. That is why we are calling for an RCMP investigation.Could the government ensure that the Prime Minister fully co-operates with this investigation?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the government had a golden opportunity to turn Canada's economic situation around and grab the bull by the horns. Instead, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance decided to make matters worse.The minister announced $32 billion in additional spending over the coming years. Our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will have to foot the bill for those billions of dollars and this mismanagement.Earlier, in committee, I asked the minister four times to tell me when the budget would be balanced again. I am a good sport. I am prepared to give the minister a gold medal as soon as he tells us exactly when the budget will be balanced for all Canadians.

Madam Speaker, it is always nice to hear someone on the government side talking about Paul Martin, who, unlike the current government, hated deficits.Moving on to another issue, the Minister of Transport has been doing a lot of improvising with regard to Bill C-10, and that is putting it mildly. Yesterday morning, he was accusing the NDP. In the afternoon, he was saying that the Quebec minister did not understand, and in the evening, he had another answer.Will the minister at least give us a clear and solid explanation today? Why is he imposing a gag order on Bill C-10? Is he going to rattle off yet another answer?

Mr. Speaker, the Trans Mountain project is extremely important to Canada, to Canada's economy, and to all Canadians. Unfortunately, we have two provinces that are bickering and unable to come to terms in the interest of our national economy, which is a shame. The Prime Minister's job is to be a leader, on behalf of all Canadians. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister went off to the United States for some photo ops instead of dealing with the real problems facing Canadians today.Will someone in government rise and ask the Prime Minister to act like a real head of state?

Mr. Speaker, every Canadian knows that the Liberal carbon tax will have a direct impact on their wallets. The government knows it, the government did the calculations, but the government is hiding it from Canadians. That is rather cowardly.The question is simple: how will this tax directly impact middle-class families, those who work hard, and those who want something to show for their money? What will the Liberal carbon tax cost Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, what is ordinary behaviour is the Liberal government wanting to stick its nose in the bank accounts of honest Canadians. That has no place in our democracy.The government says this is a pilot project. Whether it is a pilot project or not, it is wrong. A pilot project means that it is a trial, but there is no point in trying this out because Canadians want none of it. Canadians in my riding told me on the weekend that they do not want this.The Canadian Chamber of Commerce told Global News this weekend that this could have an adverse effect on our trade relations with Europe.Why is the government continuing down this road?

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-44 features some foolish legislation, including one that is particularly underhanded. I am speaking of the so-called tax escalator. We know that the government decided to raise taxes on alcohol, but oddly enough, this tax will continue to automatically increase year after year. This is known as a tax escalator. Why is this government so greedy when it comes to Canadian taxpayers' wallets?

Mr. Speaker, I think the Liberals simply do not understand the seriousness of the situation they themselves have created.Honest Canadians do not want people from the Liberal government snooping around their bank accounts. It is simple, but the Liberal government refuses to see it. It is a direct attack on people's integrity and privacy. The Liberal government has no business sticking its nose in Canadians' bank accounts.Why does the Liberal government insist on going down this road?

Mr. Speaker, we will see how the Liberal MPs vote at the end of the day. We still have a chance.The Liberals’ proposed reform, which will increase the tax burden on our businesses, is a complete disgrace, and above all, hypocritical. On the one hand, entrepreneurs will pay dearly, while on the other, the businesses owned by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance will not be affected. The Liberal government's policy is “do as I say, not as I do”.My question to the Minister of Finance is simple. We know that these new measures are meant to take an extra $250 million from the pockets of entrepreneurs. Did the minister check, analyze, and study the real impact of these measures on—

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Finance met with his provincial counterparts. What did he talk about? Taxing marijuana. Wow. What a way to help society. That sort of thing is pretty low on Canadians' list of priorities.I will be a good team player and recognize that my friend, the Minister of Finance, has a particular expertise when it comes to taxes. He invented the Liberal carbon tax and he raised taxes on alcohol, the Friday and Saturday night tax. He has also done many other things, like doing away with certain tax credits.Is taxing marijuana really a good thing for Canadians?

That is quite the track record, Mr. Speaker. The northern gateway project was not approved and energy east did not go ahead because of Liberal measures.Now, the Liberals are proposing to impose a Liberal tax on carbon and to send $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to Texas. Again, I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister.How much will the Kinder Morgan project end up costing taxpayers because of the Liberal government's ineptitude?

Mr. Speaker, this morning, 3,000 Canadians woke up to very bad news: Bombardier is going to cut 3,000 jobs, with 2,500 of them in Quebec. Our thoughts are with these people.Members will recall that the Liberal government decided to lend $375 million to Bombardier two years ago. Bombardier has 30 years to repay this loan, but unfortunately it was never required to preserve jobs. Today, 3,000 workers are losing their jobs. Can the Prime Minister tell us why, when he decided to lend taxpayers' money to Bombardier, he did not attach a guarantee—

Mr. Speaker, that may be their plan, but it does not match reality at all.Canada is still in shock after GM's announcement yesterday that 2,500 workers, 2,500 breadwinners, are going to lose their jobs in the coming year. Suppliers will also be affected. Thousands of Canadians woke up to this sad reality this morning. The government's role is to help the workers.What is the government's plan to help Canadian workers who are dealing with this crisis?

Mr. Speaker, in our glorious 152 years of existence, never in the history of Canada has a sitting Prime Minister been found guilty of ethics violations. This Prime Minister has been found guilty of violating the ethics code five times, four of which involved his relationship with the Aga Khan.The Aga Khan Foundation is lobbying the government. That is why we are calling for an RCMP investigation.Could the government ensure that the Prime Minister fully co-operates with this investigation?

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-29 is a bad bill that implements bad measures from a bad Liberal budget. That is a fact.However, it gets even worse. This bill contains a constitutional virus, since it attacks the Quebec Consumer Protection Act, which falls under provincial jurisdiction. The Supreme Court said so in 2014, and yet the government is bulldozing ahead anyway. We are heading for a big constitutional fight. Canada needs this like it needs a hole in the head.Why is the Liberal government interfering yet again in provincial jurisdictions?

Mr. Speaker, the cat is out of the bag. Members will recall that just hours before Christmas, the Department of Finance published a devastating report on this government's extremely bad management. The report indicated that, if nothing is done, Canada will be $1.5 trillion in debt in 2050 and will not have a balanced budget until 2055. Today, we learned from The Globe and Mailthat the minister was actually given the report on October 12 but that he kept it under wraps until just before Christmas. For 10 weeks, the Minister of Finance hid the report, which harshly criticizes the government's poor management of the public purse.Why is the government hiding things from taxpayers?

Mr. Speaker, many will recall the sad day when the Prime Minister insulted our job creators, our small business owners, by saying that they were trying to avoid paying taxes by incorporating. It was insulting. He insulted hundreds of thousands of Canadians again yesterday when he said, and I quote, “low-income families do not benefit from tax breaks because they do not pay taxes.” That is false. Thousands of Canadians were appalled by his statement. A student named Geneviève posted on Facebook yesterday that she has to pay taxes.Is the Prime Minister going to tell Geneviève that that is not true, that she does not pay taxes?

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer released a report this week, which, once again, is devastating to the government. Even worse, the PBO again indicated that he is finding it difficult to obtain the important information that he needs to do his job.Why is the government hindering the parliamentary budget officer's work?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Prime Minister and his government detest and despise Canadian oil. That is the truth. I would remind you that with regard to Alberta oil, on January 12, 2017, in Calgary, the Prime Minister said that “we need to phase them out.” It is unacceptable for a Prime Minister of Canada to say that. Today, the Prime Minister is saying that there is nothing to worry about and that the western pipeline will go forward, but it is not, because the person supposed to sell the project is doing a bad job. Can the Prime Minister acknowledge that he does not believe in Alberta oil?

Mr. Speaker, a few hours before Christmas, on December 23, the Department of Finance published a document that stated that if nothing changes, Canada is headed toward a $1.5 trillion debt by 2050 and, if nothing changes, we will return to a balanced budget by 2055. The Liberal government is missing its target by 36 years. That is Liberal management. The worst part is that our children and grandchildren will be footing the bill.My question is simple. For the 15th time, I am asking the Minister of Finance, when will we return to a balanced budget?

Mr. Speaker, a few days ago, the Minister of Environment was caught saying something that was insulting, to say the least. She said, and I quote, “we've learned in the House of Commons, if you repeat it, if you say it louder, if that is your talking point, people will totally believe it.” Basically, repeating and shouting works. That is utterly insulting to Canadians and to the members of the House of Commons.In light of that situation, how can the Minister of Environment have any credibility when it comes time to talk about our Paris targets?

Mr. Speaker, a few days ago, the Minister of Environment was caught saying something that was insulting, to say the least. She said, and I quote, “we've learned in the House of Commons, if you repeat it, if you say it louder, if that is your talking point, people will totally believe it.” Basically, repeating and shouting works. That is utterly insulting to Canadians and to the members of the House of Commons.In light of that situation, how can the Minister of Environment have any credibility when it comes time to talk about our Paris targets?

Mr. Speaker, this week I took the bus in Ottawa and in Quebec City, in the riding of the member for Louis-Hébert, and I can assure him that I did not meet any millionaires on the bus.I do not want to be a killjoy this morning, but, unfortunately, I have two pieces of bad news. First, unfortunately for the Prime Minister, a budget does not balance itself. Second, unfortunately for Canadians, they have been had by the Liberals, who led them to believe that the deficit would be eliminated in 2019. It is not true.How does the government plan to balance the budget?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians actually expected these tariffs to be eliminated during the negotiations with the United States, but they are still in place.In Quebec alone, the aluminum sector represents 20,000 jobs, the steel sector represents 15,000 jobs, and the softwood lumber sector represents 46,000 jobs.Need I remind the Prime Minister that he has been the member for Papineau, Quebec, for 10 years?What does he have to say to workers in the industries targeted by the U.S. tariffs, given that he has failed to do anything for them?

Mr. Speaker, once again yesterday, the Minister of Finance undermined his Prime Minister by tabling a deficit budget. That is the truth. The Prime Minister went on and on about how budgets will balance themselves. The Minister of Finance contradicted him yesterday. We were supposed to have a zero-deficit year in 2019. The deficit will be $20 billion.Can the Minister of Finance at least assure Canadians that he knows when Canada's budget will be balanced?

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately I have some very bad news for our friend the Prime Minister of Canada.Sadly, we all remember when he suggested that budgets balance themselves. I have bad news for him, but especially for Canadians: in the four years he has been Prime Minister, there have been four budgets and four consecutive deficits. That is the hallmark of this Prime Minister.Since he promised exactly the opposite four years ago, could he stand in his place, on this last day when we can ask him questions, look Canadians in the eye and tell them, “I was wrong”?

Mr. Speaker, the minister will agree with me. This is a very serious subject. Not as serious as the rivalry between the Canadiens and the Nordiques, of course. We know that.However, what I want to say to the minister is very serious. Sadly, this government's record so far is one of failure after failure. First there was northern gateway, which the Liberal government said no to. Then there was energy east, which was cancelled by the company because of the Liberals' policies. Now the issue is Trans Mountain, and the outcome is uncertain.Does the minister realize that when his boss, the Prime Minister, says we need to phase out Alberta oil, he is sending a terrible message not only to Canadians, but to the world?

Mr. Speaker, this government keeps cutting tax credits for Canadians. Who would have thought that the Liberal government would cut the public transit tax credit one day? That is what the Liberal government did. Who would have thought that the government, who was elected on a promise to run small deficits, would run astronomical deficits one day?Why does the government keep hitting taxpayers so hard in the wallet?

Mr. Speaker, across the country, people are speaking out against Bill C-69. This bill is bad for the Canadian economy, bad for natural resource development and bad for federal-provincial relations.A few days ago, Quebec's environment and climate change minister, Benoit Charette, spoke out against this bill because it gives the federal government more control over provincial jurisdictions and it would duplicate assessment work. He said that it would be an uphill battle for developers.Why is the government fighting with people who want to help our economy thrive?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government's economic and energy policies are absolutely disastrous for the Canadian economy.The Liberal carbon tax will cost the Canadian economy $10 billion. The worst of it is that, since the Liberals have been in power, $80 billion less has been invested in energy, 125,000 jobs have been lost, and two pipeline projects have been scuttled while another remains in limbo. That is the Liberal government's track record on the energy file.When will someone in this government step up and do the right thing for the Canadian economy and Canadian energy?

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives support Canadian investments abroad, provided they make sense. The Liberal government has decided to invest $256 million of taxpayer money over the next five years in an infrastructure investment bank in China. Need I remind the government that China has decided to boycott and embargo canola and is blatantly violating the rights of Canadians in China? Members may recall the Liberal leader's unfortunate remarks expressing a level of admiration for China's basic dictatorship.Will he acknowledge that it makes no sense to send $256 million of taxpayer money over there?

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians know that under the Conservatives, immigrants followed the rules. They obeyed the law. There was no Roxham Road under the Conservatives. Under the Conservatives, 19,000 people did not enter illegally into Canada. Under the Conservatives, 7,612 people were not acting illegally.I have a simple question for the Prime Minister. Does he regret his infamous tweet?

Mr. Speaker, on a different note, we know that, through their government, Canadians lent hundreds of millions of dollars to Bombardier. How did the company thank them? It laid off 14,000 people and gave its executives hefty pay hikes.We gave both the CEO of Bombardier and the Minister of Innovation the chance to explain themselves before a parliamentary committee, but, unfortunately, the Liberals voted against that in committee yesterday.Can the Prime Minister tell us why he is against transparency and accountability?

Mr. Speaker, the worst thing for Canadians, our seniors, and all Canadian workers is the invention and introduction of a new tax. That is exactly what the Prime Minister announced last Monday in the House of Commons, even though he should have been working with the provinces and even though three environment ministers walked out of the meeting.Can the Prime Minister rise and acknowledge that inventing and imposing a new tax is the worst thing for Canadians? Why is he taking money out of taxpayers' pockets?

Mr. Speaker, there he goes again. He cannot answer the question. This is bad. If there is really a dodger-in-chief of the government, he must be the MVP of the year. The reality is that today the National Post took another shot against him, talking about an even bigger pot of money for the Liberals, which is the age amount tax credit.Can we have just once a crystal-clear answer, yes or no, does his government intend to attack his bad judgment and inadequacy to address the issue of finance and public money against the—

Mr. Speaker, this sad story is about common sense. Canadians want people found guilty of murdering children to be behind bars in prison. Unfortunately, in this particular case that has outraged all Canadians, this woman was transferred from a traditional penitentiary to a healing lodge. That is not right. Just imagine. She has her own bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room. This is a total failure of common sense.The Liberals do have the power. The minister can reverse this decision. Why is he not doing so?

Mr. Speaker, it is not that the minister's comments are uninteresting, but she is not answering my question at all.The Minister of National Revenue said that some cases were being investigated as a result of the paradise papers. One of the individuals implicated in those documents is the Liberal Party's chief fundraiser or bagman, Stephen Bronfman, who also happens to be a long-time close personal friend of the Canadian Prime Minister.Can the minister finally confirm to Canadians that Stephen Bronfman and all Canadians implicated in the paradise papers are being seriously investigated?

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, Canadians know that the Liberals have an insatiable appetite for taxpayers' money. The Liberals have gone after business owners and Canadians, and now they are going after people who are sick. Last week, it was people with diabetes, and now it is those with mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia, who are being targeted by the Liberal government. The Liberals have made it much more difficult for these people to get access to tax credits.I have a very simple question. Does the Liberal Party have no heart? Why is the government going after sick people?

Mr. Speaker, a few minutes ago during question period the hon. Minister of Small Business and Tourism said that we were “misinforming Canadians”. I want to inform the House that I never misinformed anyone.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal's greed keeps eating into the wallets of Canadian workers and it knows no bounds.What is the Liberals' latest scheme? They want to tax health insurance and dental insurance, which is very bad news. What will that accomplish? This has existed in Quebec for a few years now. Does the minister know what happened? Unfortunately, 20% of Quebec's workers no longer have private dental and health insurance.Does the minister want 2.6 million Canadians to lose their insurance?

Mr. Speaker, in the matter of the illegal financing of the Liberal Party of Canada by the unions, the government is not being transparent, to say the least.Last week, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons said they were in the dark. Yesterday, we submitted a document here, but unfortunately the government refused to have it tabled. We showed that this document proves that it was the Liberal Party that asked the union boss to fill the room.Since the Prime Minister is here, could he tell us at what point he knew that the union paid its members $100 to pretend to be Liberal supporters?

Mr. Speaker, here is another story we heard Friday morning in Quebec City. Ms. Lapierre is a business woman. She and her spouse started a business three years ago. For 10 months, they drew no salary so they could pay their employees. That is how it is for Canadian entrepreneurs. That is not how it is for people on Bay Street or for Morneau Shepell. That is how it is for Canadian entrepreneurs.Given how it might affect his own family business, why did the minister not recuse himself from the discussion on his terrible tax reform?

Mr. Speaker, here are the facts: two years and a few months ago, the Prime Minister published his mandate letter to his Minister of Finance. On page 4 of this letter, penned by the Prime Minister himself, he refers to “balancing the budget in 2019/20”. These are not my words, they are the words of the Prime Minister himself. Could the Prime Minister stand up and tell Canadians that he is going to keep the promise he made to them in this letter he wrote himself?

Mr. Speaker, last week, in the infamous story of illegal union financing, the government said that at the very moment that this was brought to its attention, the party followed the law. The problem is that it is leaving out one detail—

Mr. Speaker, a few minutes ago the Minister of Finance said “facts are the facts”. We agree with that. For that reason I ask for the consent of the House to table the “Fiscal Monitor”, a Department of Finance publication.It states, “April to November 2015: budgetary surplus of $1.0 billion”.

Mr. Speaker, this is the worst case scenario. Five times I have asked the minister when we will we get back to equilibrium. No answer at all. That is a clear message to hard-working Canadians.When we are not paying what we have to, well, we will be sending the bill to our children and grandchildren.It is curious. The government is spending billions of dollars. It can borrow billions of dollars. However, when we talk to ordinary Canadians, it is tougher for them to borrow money and get mortgages, thanks to the Minister of Finance.What does that mean? Is it do as I say, not as I do?

Mr. Speaker, again, the question is very serious. For months we have been saying that the Minister of Finance is in conflict of interest. The conflict of interest is glaringly obvious.Can the minister tell us who sold shares in Morneau Shepell just days before the Minister of Finance brought in a tax policy that caused a 5% drop in the company's value?Can the minister seriously set the record straight for Canadians?Is he the one who sold those shares or not?

Mr. Speaker, there is not even the faintest hint of the timeline. The reason is simple. We all know that the Prime Minister of Canada does not like Canadian oil. That is the problem. When President Obama said no to Keystone XL, the Prime Minister said that he understood. When energy east shut down its project for all of Canada, the Prime Minister said that it was too bad. In this case, he is standing on the sidelines. He is not getting directly involved.Worse than that, a year ago in Alberta, he said that it's time to “phase them out”. He said it was time to shut off Canadian oil. That makes no sense.When will the Prime Minister act in the interests of all Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, what is unacceptable is a Prime Minister who shows contempt for Canadians by saying one thing and doing the opposite.Let us not forget that the Globe and Mail broke the SNC-Lavalin scandal two months ago and the day after, the Prime Minister said that it was completely false. Since then, four people have resigned. The other thing the Prime Minister said was that he had never been informed of the dangers of political influence in this matter. That is what he maintained up until two weeks ago when, here, in the House, he acknowledged that he was informed of those dangers on September 17.Will the Prime Minister follow through on his threat to sue? If yes, when will he do so?

Mr. Speaker, not even a hint of a response telling us when we are going to return to a balanced budget. When my colleague worked in the private sector, he would never have tolerated such a weak answer like that.I will ask the question again on behalf of all Canadian business owners and all Canadian taxpayers: when will the government finally return to a balanced budget?Will it be in 2019, like my colleague promised, or will it be in 2055, as the officials at the Department of Finance are sadly predicting?

Mr. Speaker, it is clear to Canadians that the Prime Minister's word is worthless. Members will recall that, in 2015, the Liberals promised to run three small deficits and then balance the budget. The reality is that they ran three big deficits, three times higher than promised. They planned to balance the budget in 2019, but in 2019, there will be a $20-billion deficit. That is a colossal failure. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister has failed Canadians.My question for the Prime Minister is simple. Can he give us his word on when we will return to a balanced budget?

Mr. Speaker, the results are not exactly stellar. This week it is 2,500 workers at GM. A few weeks ago, it was 3,000 workers at Bombardier. Over the past three years, 19,000 workers in Alberta's oil and gas industry have been affected the government's bad policies. The government is supposed to help companies invest, not leave. What is the government's plan to keep Canada's economy strong?

Mr. Speaker, this all seems highly unlikely. The Liberal government is taking the jobs of 34 Canadians with disabilities who work in the archives, jobs that cost the Canadian government a mere $500,000. More than money, the government is also taking away their honour, pride, and dignity.Will the Prime Minister stand up and apologize, or will it take another six months to resolve the situation?

Mr. Speaker, this morning's jobs numbers do not bode well for the coming year for Canadians who want to work. Apparently, 23,000 full-time jobs were lost. It is bigger than a snapshot. This is a reality. My colleague from Cape Breton—Canso said this is just a snapshot. This is a reality.Meanwhile, the government keeps borrowing and will grow the deficit by $32 billion over the next five years. When will the government see that its plan is not working and will be disastrous for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the only parliamentarian who was subject to a personal attack yesterday in committee was the member for Milton. That is the truth. We did not know that these people could be aggressive towards women. What we now know is that they are poor managers and, even worse, secretive.Today, iPolitics reported that the President of the Treasury Board decided to set aside $7 billion in the budget to be used when he deems it necessary, and to not provide any follow-up information. This is anything but transparent.Why is the President of the Treasury Board being so secretive?

Mr. Speaker, Norsat does not make shoes. It makes high-tech components that it sells to the U. S. Department of Defense and other NATO countries. This very valuable, very sensitive information is now in the hands of Chinese investors. The worst part is that this deal was not even subject to a national security review.Why did the government drop the ball on this?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have been waiting at least three years for the Liberals to keep their promise to return to a balanced budget in 2019. Unfortunately, the reality is altogether different. In 2019, we have a $30-billion deficit.The Prime Minister is quite likely the only person in the world who believes that budgets balance themselves. Canadians know that budgets do not balance themselves. On the contrary, when we run deficits we have to pay them off one day.What is the government's plan to return to a balanced budget?

Mr. Speaker, no one here is against investments, but we still need to invest within our means. It is not a good idea to make an investment with a deficit, because other people end up footing the bill. Earlier, the minister talked about his meeting with Mayor Labeaume. Does he know that municipalities in Quebec are not allowed to run deficits? Could he take a page from their book and stop running deficits?

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. All members of the House of Commons want the truth. Therefore, you will undoubtedly find the unanimous consent of the House for the tabling of a Natural Resources Canada document concerning greenhouse gas emissions, which indicates that, between 2005 and 2015, Canada's greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector decreased 2.2% while GDP grew by 16.9%.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians working in the world of finance and mortgages are worried. Alternative mortgage lender Home Capital Group saw its shares plummet over the past few days because of an investigation into its operations. This is causing concern in Canada's finance sector, which is losing confidence in the company.In these types of situations, it is the duty and responsibility of the Minister of Finance to reassure Canadians and set the record straight.Therefore, could the Minister of Finance tell the House when he found out about this situation, what he knows about how this financial tragedy started, and what he intends to do to ensure that this situation does not—

Mr. Speaker, small business owners in Canada clearly remember two years ago when the Minister of Finance mounted an all-out assault against them. The Prime Minister sees small business owners as people who try to get out of paying their share of taxes. That may be the Prime Minister's approach, but that is not the approach of Canadian workers and it is certainly not the approach of small business owners.Will the government finally realize that small businesses are the backbone of our economy? We have to help them, not hinder them like the government has been for four years.

Mr. Speaker, does the government realize that this project will supply both of the oil refineries that we have in Quebec? Does this government also realize that this project could help Quebec's petrochemical industry? I am talking about 70,000 good, well-paying jobs in Quebec. Will the government commit to standing up for Quebec's economy?

Mr. Speaker, the best way to have a conversation with Canadians is to hold a referendum. The best way to determine what Canadians think of the electoral system is to hold a referendum. The best way to take politicians out of the equation and to give the power to Canadians is to hold a referendum.When will the government see reason? When will the government agree with the Minister of Foreign Affairs who said, not so long ago, that they had to hold a referendum? The best way to know what people want is to hold a referendum. The government must hold a referendum and it will find out.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the minister to go out and repeat that to the workers who just lost their jobs.It is nice to see the minister on his feet, however.Since the minister can rise and answer the question, can he tell us whether he met the RCMP, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, the minister says that she is proud of Michaëlle Jean, but journalist Alexandre Robillard just broke the story of a four-day stay at the Waldorf Astoria for $50,000. Are you proud of that?Half a million dollars to renovate her apartment, including a grand piano, for double the estimated costs—are you proud of that?

Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, the solemn acts we perform, like voting or signing a document, are very important. When we put our signature to a document, we are putting our honour on the line. Consequently, I am seeking unanimous consent to table a document signed by the Prime Minister's own hand. It is his mandate letter to the Minister of Finance, dated November 12, 2015, in which he refers to “balancing the budget in 2019/20”.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to hear the member for Papineau talking about Quebec and the environment. I am very proud of my Conservative colleagues and I am very proud to be a member of a party that was able to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 2.2% when it was in office. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand that. The facts speak for themselves.Meanwhile, while more and more clouds are gathering in Canada's economic sky, the only thing the Liberal government is proposing is a carbon tax.Why is it doing that?

Mr. Speaker, the best way to feel better is to ask Canadians where they stand on electoral reform, and it is called a referendum.In a democratic society, we are not afraid to engage with the people. In a democratic society, we are not afraid to hear what people think. In a democratic society, when we are entirely confident in our position, we know we can count on the trust of Canadians. Why is the government refusing to ask Canadians what they think? Why is the government refusing to hold a referendum on electoral reform?

Mr. Speaker, last Friday, we five Conservative members from Quebec City held a town hall meeting with the city's business community. One business owner named Steeve Marin told us, in a voice choked with emotion, that after all the sacrifices he has made, these reforms are incredibly disrespectful. That is the reality faced by Canadian business owners.Meanwhile, the minister has chosen to shield his family business instead of abstaining from decision-making.Why is the Minister going after entrepreneurs like Steeve Marin while protecting his own business?

Mr. Speaker, I agree with you, but what people say in the House must be accurate.Contrary to what the minister just said, we support the Paris agreement, but not the Liberals' approach.The fact is that the government's floor price is $10 per tonne. We all know what floor price means: you can bet it will not be any lower, but the sky is the limit. The tax will go up, that is for sure.I am going to ask my question again, and I would like to get an answer. How much more will Canadian families have to pay because of the Liberal carbon tax?

Mr. Speaker, that is why greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 2.2% under our government. That is the Conservative track record, and we are very proud of it. Respecting institutions mainly involves preventing partisan politics from interfering in the judicial process. That is exactly what these people did in the SNC-Lavalin case. The Conservatives need to be re-elected. Why? Because the Liberals are inserting partisan politics into the justice system.When will the Prime Minister stand up and tell Canadians the truth?

Mr. Speaker, years ago, a Canadian prime minister acted with the dignity befitting his position, and the minister knows him quite well. In 2004, the Right Hon. Paul Martin, a Liberal prime minister, released evidence connected to the sponsorship scandal. Why did he do this? He did it because it was in the best interests of Canada and Canadians.Will the Prime Minister rise in the House to clearly state that he will act with the dignity befitting his position and release the evidence pertaining to the trial of a Canadian vice-admiral?

Mr. Speaker, everyone in the francophonie recognizes that she was the best Liberal available for the job.On another topic, we know that Bill C-44 is an omnibus bill that goes against the Liberals' campaign promises. This bill also provides for the creation of the infrastructure bank. The bill has not even been passed and the government is already in the process of appointing the chair of this bank.Does the Prime Minister realize that not only is he breaking his election promises, but, more importantly, that he is flouting Parliament's authority?

Mr. Speaker, what the numbers are telling us is that Canadians will have to pay more.Unfortunately, if the government went ahead with this new tax on dental and health insurance, families would have to pay $2,000 more. Then we have the Liberal carbon tax, at $2,500, not to mention CPP increases, for another $2,200.That is $6,700 more that Canadians have to pay because of the Liberals, and you think that is a good thing?

Mr. Speaker, we are pleased to see that the Prime Minister acted on the recommendation we made yesterday and went to visit his old Liberal pal this morning. We hope that the Prime Minister talked about the economy and the pipeline project that will create 3,000 jobs and generate $1 billion in spinoffs.The Prime Minister is the member for Papineau, which is in Montreal. There are Quebeckers in this government. Is this government committed to standing up for Quebec's economy and proposing and promoting this project, which is good for the economies of Quebec and Canada?

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals took office, they inherited a budget surplus, as the Parliamentary Budget Officer mentioned, and the best situation in the G7. That is the record the Liberals inherited.Three years later, the debt is $60 billion, three times higher than what had been announced. The government has no idea when it will address the issue of balancing the budget. The question is still open.Can anyone in the government reassure Canadians and tell them when they can expect the budget to be balanced?

Mr. Speaker, I will always be proud to be a member of a party that guided Canada through the worst recession since the Great Depression, and ensured that the country had the best record in the G7. That is the Conservative Party's record.I would remind my friend from Louis-Hébert that he was elected in 2015 by stating, hand on his heart, that the budget would be balanced in 2019. The member for Louis-Hébert and the 185 Liberal members did not keep their promise.Since the Prime Minister refused to answer, would the member for Louis-Hébert rise and tell Canadians when the budget will be balanced?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister took hundreds of millions of dollars from Canadian taxpayers and loaned that money to Bombardier. To show its gratitude, Bombardier cut 14,000 jobs while its senior executives gave themselves tens of millions of dollars in raises. This makes no sense at all, and is quite the departure from the spirit of the company's founder Joseph-Armand Bombardier, who was a great Canadian.Those people are filling their pockets while the current government is emptying Canadian taxpayers' pockets.Can the Prime Minister stand in his place and tell us whether he picked up his phone and called the CEO of Bombardier to tell him that what Bombardier is doing makes no sense?

Mr. Speaker, the 2,400 breadwinners in Quebec who are going to lose their jobs have just realized that the Prime Minister is not thinking about them because he has not said a word about Bombardier.If he does not have any ideas, we have one: he should let CSeries jets land at the Billy Bishop airport in Toronto. Yesterday, I listened to the Minister of Transport say that this was the best airplane in the world and describe how nice it was inside the cockpit. I take him at his word.Will the Prime Minister allow the Minister of Transport to take back the orders preventing CSeries jets from landing at the Billy Bishop airport? He will see that it is possible, that it will not cost taxpayers anything, and that it will create jobs.

Mr. Speaker, the election system is one of the aspects, perhaps the most important aspect, of a democracy. There is no playing games with that. The debate must be serious and balanced, and it must be fair for everyone. That is why we support a referendum at the end of the year.Meanwhile, to ensure that the debate will be fair and balanced, can the government assure us that its cronies from the sponsorship scandal, those who lined their pockets, will not be returning with the Liberal Party?

Mr. Speaker, in answering my question, the minister talked about the jobs in Canada. Just to be sure that all Canadians have the right numbers, I would like to table a document, “Labour Market Assessment 2016,” produced by the office of the parliamentary budget officer—

Mr. Speaker, obviously the government does not have a plan because, whatever it is doing, no full-time jobs have been created. What is more, according to the government's own forecasts, there will be a 1.9% drop in job creation. That is completely unacceptable. We know that the government is good at keeping secrets.I have asked the government 13 times when it plans to balance the budget. I want to take this opportunity to ask the Prime Minister to reassure Canadians.When will Canada balance the budget?I know it is not a $1,500 question. It is a $30-billion question.

Mr. Speaker, if it was that good, why did they keep the document under wraps for 10 weeks?Because it is not that good. According to the projections, if the Liberals do not change course, there will be a deficit and the budget will not be balanced until 2055. The deficit will be $1.5 trillion in 2050.I do not really understand how they can see that as a good thing. If it were, they would have fallen all over themselves to release the document. That is exactly what did not happen. They kept it quiet for 10 weeks. Why is the government so hypocritical?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the government had a golden opportunity to turn Canada's economic situation around and grab the bull by the horns. Instead, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance decided to make matters worse.The minister announced $32 billion in additional spending over the coming years. Our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will have to foot the bill for those billions of dollars and this mismanagement.Earlier, in committee, I asked the minister four times to tell me when the budget would be balanced again. I am a good sport. I am prepared to give the minister a gold medal as soon as he tells us exactly when the budget will be balanced for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk facts and figures, no problem. For 10 weeks, the Minister of Finance sat on a report by his own officials. It said that, if the government does not change course, the national debt will reach $1.5 trillion in 2050 and the budget will not be balanced until 2055, which is 36 years later than the Liberals projected.Why would Canadians trust people who hide such important information?

Mr. Speaker, just because the minister does not agree with the report's findings does not mean that she must set it aside.Thousands of Canadians across the country participated in these consultations. The Conservative Party touched base with 80,000 people. People wrote to us that the government must hold a referendum, and 80% of the people said that a referendum was required. The best way to move forward with sound electoral reform is to ask for Canadians to express their opinions.Will the government do what Canadians want, act in their best interests, and hold a referendum, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, thank you, because I know you are a man that takes pride in responsibility, not like that government over there. Madame Jean rented a limousine to go half a kilometre. Is the government proud of that? She spent $2 million on travel, 40% over budget. Is the government proud of that?

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honoured to stand in the House with a document prepared by the Quebec ministry of the environment, which indicates that between 2014 and 2016 the carbon exchange did not lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. I cannot say in the House that the minister lied, but she did not tell the truth.I have a simple question for the minister: how much more will Canadians have to pay for gas?Will gas go up by 25¢ per litre, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, the best way for that to happen and for the system to be fair is if small business owners were not penalized by this greedy government that just wants more taxes from small businesses.Once again, the reality in my riding is that a businesswoman, Manon, who owns a restaurant in Loretteville, not too far from where I live, is going to have to pay a 73% tax, while Bay Street billionaires like Morneau Shepell will not pay 73%.Does the Minister of Finance think that is fair?

Mr. Speaker, the government seems to forget that the pipeline is the safest and most environmentally friendly way to transport oil. It is important, and it is part of the equation. We know that it is very important to Quebec's economy. We are talking about 3,000 jobs and economic spinoffs of more than $1 billion. Quebec's economy and Canada's economy need this project. When will the Prime Minister take his position seriously? When will the Prime Minister take responsibility and call the mayor of Montreal?

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians know that the minister sometimes forgets things. For two years, he forgot that he owned a villa in Provence. Now, he seems to have forgotten who sold 680,000 shares in his company, worth $10 million. Just now, referring to the Minister of Finance, the parliamentary secretary said, and I quote: “he sold all his shares”. Can the parliamentary secretary tell us when the Minister of Finance sold all his shares?

Mr. Speaker, the scandal surrounding the sale of a high-tech company to Chinese interests has now taken on international proportions because of this government's negligence. This morning, The Globe and Mail reported that a commission is looking into the matter. Commissioner Michael Wessel said that Canada is “jeopardizing its own security interests to gain favour with China”, and that “the U.S. military...should immediately review their purchases...to determine what security risks might arise.”Now the Americans are the ones lecturing us. This is ridiculous.Will the Prime Minister stand up and own up to yet another mistake?

Mr. Speaker, the question is for the Minister of Finance. His own department reported in the Fiscal Monitor that from April to November 2015 there was a $1 billion budget surplus. We post surpluses, while they post deficits. Yesterday, we voted on a motion to express confidence in the Deputy Minister of Finance and his team. The Liberals voted against it. The question is simple.If the Minister of Finance does not have confidence in his deputy minister and his team, who does he trust with public finances?

Mr. Speaker, that is precisely the problem.If it was so important, if this was the first time this had happened since 1997, then why did you leave the Minister of Natural Resources here in Ottawa? Why did you choose—

Mr. Speaker, that was interesting and all, but it had absolutely nothing to do with the question.The issue is this: last week, Canada's top bureaucrat testified that the Liberal scandal was never ever discussed in cabinet. That is what the top bureaucrat said last week, but two weeks ago, the Minister of National Revenue said on the radio that it had indeed been discussed in cabinet, and three weeks ago, when the scandal broke, the Prime Minister said nobody could talk about it because of cabinet confidence. Which government member is telling the truth?

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary claims that the Minister of Finance is working hand in hand with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, but that he just forgot to mention that he owns a company and a villa in France. A minor oversight, to be sure. He and the commissioner may indeed work well together, but he is forgetting to mention the important stuff.Will the Minister of Finance promise not to hide anything else from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner?

Mr. Speaker, before I begin, on behalf of my party, I want to offer our most sincere condolences to the family of the great Canadian Gordie Howe.We can never say it enough, but to sit here in the House of Commons is a great privilege for all 338 of us Canadians. We have this privilege because we received a mandate from the Canadian public. That is why we as Conservatives feel so strongly that any potential change to the Canada Elections Act on the right to vote, should be done through a referendum. As the prestigious and very distinguished Minister of Foreign Affairs put it so well, it is unavoidable.Will the government finally understand that we must hold a referendum if we are going to change the voting system?

Mr. Speaker, now more than ever, we are seeing how the government has become an expert at frivolous, outlandish spending. When the Prime Minister isn't ordering $2,000 life-sized cut-outs of himself or spending $30,000 on tickets to Broadway shows for his billionaire friends, the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs is buying a $14,000 big screen TV, and the Minister of Canadian Heritage is spending $20,000 on customized Snapchat filters.Is there a single minister or member of this government who can stand up and give us a good explanation for this outlandish, frivolous spending?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister met with his provincial counterparts yesterday.He probably noticed that the Premier of Quebec gave him a bit of a cool reception, and with good reason. Like millions of Canadians, the Premier of Quebec recognizes that the Liberal government's tax reform is going to directly affect middle-class Canadians.Even Premier Couillard, the Liberal Premier of Quebec, said that it will also affect truly middle-class people, not just the super rich. This is not coming from a Conservative, but rather from the Liberal Premier of Quebec. Will the Prime Minister finally admit that his reform is going to affect middle-class Canadians directly, while neither his family businesses nor he, himself, will be affected at all?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Finance met with his provincial counterparts. What did he talk about? Taxing marijuana. Wow. What a way to help society. That sort of thing is pretty low on Canadians' list of priorities.I will be a good team player and recognize that my friend, the Minister of Finance, has a particular expertise when it comes to taxes. He invented the Liberal carbon tax and he raised taxes on alcohol, the Friday and Saturday night tax. He has also done many other things, like doing away with certain tax credits.Is taxing marijuana really a good thing for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the government appears to agree with the Conservatives' dissenting report on the sensitive issue of physician-assisted dying, since the bill does not deal with minors or people suffering from mental illness. Good. It is also clear that the government will finally allow its members to vote freely, which we support. Good. Now, we must take action.On this side of the House, we think it is important that all members who want to speak to this sensitive issue be allowed to do so. However, we are running out of time. We want the government to know that it has our full co-operation.Is the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons prepared to review our parliamentary sitting hours?

Mr. Speaker, what we just heard is unbelievable.The green credit for public transit benefited the rich? I have never seen any one of Bombardier's board of directors using public transit, even though the company made great subway cars at its La Pocatière plant.Will the government finally acknowledge that targeting this excellent initiative for public transit and for the average Canadian is an incredible mistake on its part?

Mr. Speaker, if ever we needed one, here is a crystal clear demonstration that this government never tells Canadians the truth. The question was clear: when will business people find out when this government will make tax changes? There is not even a hint of an answer.Therefore, I will repeat the question: is there someone in this government that can give our Canadian job creators an honest answer?

Mr. Speaker, living beyond our means and sending the bill to our grandchildren is nothing to be proud of. There is absolutely nothing to be proud of here.If we look at Quebec City, there is nothing to create wealth or jobs, nothing for expanding the National Optics Institute, nothing for the Institut nordique du Québec, and nothing for the Port of Québec. The mayor of Quebec City has said that he is very concerned.All of this shows that this government has no plan to create jobs or wealth. Why is it leaving our job and wealth creators high and dry? Why is it abandoning small businesses?

Mr. Speaker, once again, the government is going on and on saying all the right things but doing exactly the opposite.Yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board introduced rules to prevent elected officials from using government advertising for partisan purposes. What do you know? The Prime Minister was the first to break the rule. Destination Canada is a crown corporation, and it made a video with the Prime Minister.Will the government acknowledge that it broke yet another of its promises to Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, never in the history of Canada has it gone backwards on international relations or international trade. Never, that is, until the Liberal Prime Minister signed NAFTA 2.0, or rather NAFTA 0.5, as it should be called.Never before has Canada gone backwards, yet that is what happened under the current government. It has taken a step backwards on auto manufacturing, on medication and on agriculture. The government touts this as a win for Canada, but it is no such thing.How can the government celebrate? Mr. Pence is thrilled today, and it is easy to see why.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue said something very interesting a few minutes ago.She said that, as minister, she cannot comment on specific cases. Is the minister aware that her boss, the Prime Minister, was more than willing to comment on the Stephen Bronfman case this morning? That is what is unacceptable.If the Prime Minister has no problem talking about Stephen Bronfman, can the Minister of National Revenue pick up the phone, call the Prime Minister, and tell him to mind his own business because that guy is currently being investigated?

Mr. Speaker, we all know that things can get pretty heated in question period sometimes. That never happens to me, but some people get excited. To avoid such excesses, it is important for all parliamentarians to have the correct documents in hand. I therefore seek the consent of the House to table the Fiscal Monitor, a Department of Finance publication.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party is, and always will be, associated with the sponsorship scandal.Canadians believed that the Liberals got the message, but they did not get it at all. The Liberal government is introducing a bill on access to information that would prevent the excellent work of journalists, people like Daniel Leblanc and others, from revealing things like the sponsorship scandal. We are not the ones saying so. Yesterday, the Information Commissioner said: ...I went back to the request...that uncovered the sponsorship scandal and that request would not meet their new requirement under [this bill]. Why does the Liberal Party want to hide other sponsorship scandals?

Mr. Speaker, that is some more wishful thinking by the Liberals. The result is that 2,500 people lost their jobs in the auto sector this week and 3,000 others lost their jobs in the aerospace sector two weeks ago.Let us talk about the wishful thinking of the Liberals, who claim that budgets balance themselves. I will give this government a chance to tell us when the budget will finally balance itself.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Finance once again succeeded in not giving a clear answer to Canadians when I asked him whether his government intended to attack pension splitting.Our fears were justified. Today, the National Post referred to another revenue-hungry strategy of the Minister of Finance, which this time concerns the age amount tax credit. The Leader of the Opposition asked the Prime Minister twice about this. The Prime Minister did not answer him.Can the Minister of Finance tell us, yes or no, whether he intends to correct the errors in administration that his government has made at the expense of seniors?