Debates of Nov. 28th, 2007

Raynald Blais Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC

Mr. Speaker, the rising dollar is also affecting the revenues of manufacturers and fishermen, and this industry has been hard hit. The minister raised a lot of hopes when he promised the world at his big show at the Forum québécois des partenaires des pêches at the end of 2006.

We are nearing the end of 2007. What is he waiting for to present a strategy to the Quebec fishing industry, which is facing the additional problem of the rising dollar? What is the minister waiting for to present the aid plan he promised over a year ago?

Loyola Hearn Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, we had a tremendous meeting in Quebec several months ago. A report on that meeting has been presented to the minister in Quebec. I met with the minister last week. We are working very closely together, as we are with other fisheries ministers, to ensure we look after the people for whom we are responsible, and that includes the fishermen in Quebec.

Jim Flaherty Minister of Finance

It is unfortunate, Mr. Speaker, that the member opposite has not read advantage Canada, which is the economic plan for Canada. He has failed to note the accelerated capital cost allowance that we did in March this year, the $1.3 billion to assist manufacturers and the historic tax reductions that we did on October 30. Now we do need tax reductions but we need them in Ontario.

As Jack Mintz said yesterday from the Rotman School of Management:

Ontario has one of the highest effective tax rates on capital not just in Canada but around the (industrialized) world.

The [Ontario] government has not understood that its policies have hurt capital--

The Speaker Peter Milliken

The hon. member for Vaughan.

Maurizio Bevilacqua Vaughan, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am quite aware of the disadvantage that workers and businesses in the manufacturing sectors have obtained as a result of the Conservative government. All over the country people are losing their jobs and it is not right to keep repeating that employment rates are high when, in the manufacturing sector, they are falling. It is not right to declare that the government is achieving positive results when more plants will be closing and more jobs will be lost.

Is the minister telling Canadian workers, businesses and families that they should give up--

The Speaker Peter Milliken

The hon. Minister of Finance.

Jim Flaherty Minister of Finance

Not at all, Mr. Speaker. What we are saying, of course, is that the Government of Canada has taken dramatic steps to reduce the taxation burden on business in Canada: the accelerated capital cost allowance and the elimination of the federal capital tax which the provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba have not done yet. Those are important steps--

Ralph Goodale Wascana, SK

There's not a tax that can fix every problem, Jim.

Jim Flaherty Whitby—Oshawa, ON

--relax, relax for a while, Ralph. These are important steps that need to be taken in order to reduce the tax burden on businesses so they can reinvest and prosper in Canada.

The Speaker Peter Milliken

Order, please. I wish more hon. members would relax but using names is unnecessary.

The hon. member for Honoré-Mercier.

Pablo Rodriguez Honoré-Mercier, QC

Mr. Speaker, the manufacturing sector, particularly in Quebec, is facing the worst crisis it has seen in the last decade, while the government just idly sits back and does nothing. This sector plays an important structural role within our economy, but this means nothing to them. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are at stake, directly and indirectly; this also means nothing to them. They are completely washing their hands of the situation.

The Government of Quebec has just announced real measures, concrete measures. Why is the federal government hesitating to cooperate with it?

Jim Flaherty Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the hon. member bases his facts on. In fact, since this government was elected, 655,000 new jobs have been created in Canada, 345,000 jobs this year alone.

In Quebec, in particular, job creation has been thriving. The unemployment rate is as low as it has been since December 1974.

To quote the Leader of the Opposition, “the Canadian economy is doing very well”.

Pablo Rodriguez Honoré-Mercier, QC

Mr. Speaker, they should go tell that to unemployed workers and their families.

The Government of Quebec has grasped the seriousness of the crisis rocking the manufacturing sector. It is doing its job. It is taking concrete action to help that sector. Yesterday, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs announced somewhat hastily that she was going to try to organize a meeting with some tea and a few cookies in January, but that is too little, too late. The Conservative government must also provide concrete, significant support as soon as possible, before more jobs are lost.

Where is the Conservative government when Quebec needs it?