Debates of Oct. 1st, 2010

Rob Oliphant Don Valley West, ON

Mr. Speaker, I seem to be having a recurring nightmare: a borrow and spend government, slush fund spending--

The Speaker Peter Milliken

Order, please. Members are not going to be able to hear about the nightmare if they do not listen. We will have some order, please.

The hon. member for Don Valley West has the floor.

Rob Oliphant Don Valley West, ON

Mr. Speaker, some of us are actually kept up at night, worrying about the fiscal management of this country.

We have a borrow and spend government, slush fund spending, tax breaks for the rich, burdens placed on the middle class, increased payroll taxes, and fiscal incompetence leading to a record-breaking deficit.

Last time, it was the dark ages of the Mike Harris government. Now his old finance minister is in charge of the public purse.

What assurance can the minister give that there is any difference this time around?

Ted Menzies Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, the difference this time around is that we actually fared better than most during this global recession. In fact, we are in the best fiscal position in the G7. I know that upsets the Liberals opposite because they seem to focus on talking down the economy and making Canadians nervous about the plan that we have coming out of the recession.

With nearly 430,000 net new jobs in this country, that is leadership. That is what we are seeing.

Rob Oliphant Don Valley West, ON

Mr. Speaker, this party does not need to take any lessons from that party about fiscal management.

That is the party that blew a $13 billion surplus, increased federal spending by 18%, authorized over $1 billion for fake lakes and glow sticks, and has no control over spending on prisons, planes and self-promotion. It is déjà vu all over again.

Does the government really think it can borrow and spend its way into fiscal health without any good management?

Ted Menzies Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, talking about fiscal responsibility and financial responsibility, which go hand in hand, I believe it was the leader of the Liberal opposition who suggested to his caucus that it should not support a private member's bill that would increase EI premiums by 35%, that would cost $7 billion in the first year and that would kill jobs in Canada. Unfortunately that caucus must not have received the message because the Liberals, the Bloc and the NDP came in here and voted to raise EI premiums.

The Speaker Peter Milliken

The hon. Minister of Natural Resources.

Christian Paradis Minister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, the National Hockey League and the Canadian Football League are calling for the construction of new facilities across the country and the renovation of existing facilities. Our position is clear: we are all big sports fans, but the private sector has to do its part. The role of the federal government is to show fairness across the country and to respect budgetary constraints.

Diane Bourgeois Terrebonne—Blainville, QC

Mr. Speaker, the federal government did not hesitate to invest $500 million to boost Toronto's Olympic bid. What is good for Toronto should be good for Quebec City.

Accordingly, does this government intend to follow in the footsteps of the Government of Quebec and fund up to 45% of construction of a multi-purpose arena in Quebec City?

John Baird Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear: if Quebec City becomes an official candidate for the Olympic Games, our government and all of Canada will support it whole-heartedly.

Long live Bonhomme!

André Bellavance Richmond—Arthabaska, QC

Mr. Speaker, more than 10,000 agricultural jobs in Quebec have been lost in the past 22 months according to Statistics Canada. The UPA's chief economist, Charles-Félix Ross, says that one of the possible causes of this dramatic loss is that the farmers' safety net, particularly that provided through federal programs, has been shrinking.

Why does the government not change its agri-stability program to take production costs into account, as called for by Quebec's farmers?

Jean-Pierre Blackburn Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State (Agriculture)

Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the difficulties that the agriculture sector can face. I would like to remind the member that we have invested more than $2 billion to support our farmers since coming to power. In addition, with regard to the advance payment programs, pork producers, cattle producers, those who had difficulties with SRM, and slaughterhouses, in all these files we have been praised for providing rapid assistance to our farmers.