Debates of Feb. 27th, 2007

Bev Oda Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women

Mr. Speaker, as we have reiterated, this government believes that we have to help women directly in their daily lives. Therefore, any application for funding and support that will do that in every community through organizations will be supported if they qualify.

Jim Flaherty Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if there was a question there.

I agree with the hon. member opposite that Canadians are overtaxed. He said it this weekend. I agree with him. We took great strides last year in budget 2006 with $20 billion in tax reduction for Canadians over the course of two years. There will be more tax reductions as we move forward with budget 2007.

I agree with the member for Markham—Unionville. Canadians are overtaxed.

John McCallum Markham—Unionville, ON

Mr. Speaker, not even a raving socialist finance minister would raise income tax when he is drowning in money, but when the--

The Speaker Peter Milliken

Order. The hon. member for Markham—Unionville seems to have got into some difficulty by using the word “raving”, so perhaps we could avoid this kind of adjective and just proceed with the question and we would have less noise, if I may use that term. The hon. member for Markham—Unionville has the floor. We will have a little order, please.

John McCallum Markham—Unionville, ON

Mr. Speaker, when the tax hike is imposed by a man who says Canadians are overtaxed and who far from being a socialist is a neo-conservative who wants to jail the homeless, then one is truly at a loss to explain such bizarre behaviour.

Does the minister of gimmicks regret that he ballooned his already massive surplus by raising income tax?

Jim Flaherty Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I insist that the member opposite apologize for calling me a raving socialist finance minister. I have family; I have children. This cuts to the bone.

I do agree with the member for Markham—Unionville that Canadians are overtaxed. We are working to fix that.

Yasmin Ratansi Don Valley East, ON

Mr. Speaker, the behaviour of the minister of gimmicks grows even more bizarre. Why do he and the Prime Minister claim that they cut income tax when every Canadian who is filling out his or her income tax form this year knows that the tax rate went up, not down? Does he think that Canadians are stupid?

The government axed programs that supported the most vulnerable, literacy and youth programs, as well as those that helped minorities, such as the court challenges program. Will the finance minister promise to reinstate funding to these programs?

Jim Flaherty Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker--

Ralph Goodale Wascana, SK

Cut taxes for the first time.

Jim Flaherty Whitby—Oshawa, ON

Ralph, relax, we are going to deal with it. I am going to answer the question.

The Speaker Peter Milliken

Whether the minister is going to answer the question or not is not the issue. He will respond, but he will address the Chair, I am sure, in his remarks, rather than the former minister of finance.

Jim Flaherty Whitby—Oshawa, ON

Mr. Speaker, not only did we reduce income taxes last year so that every Canadian in every tax category would pay less income tax this year on average than they did in preceding years, but also we reduced the GST by a full percentage point and we also created a $100 payment for each child under the age of six across the country, all of which are most welcomed by Canadians.