Debates of Feb. 9th, 2011

Scott Armstrong Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the government operations committee accommodated an NDP request to hear from the Church Council on Justice and Corrections.

When asked if those who rape children should be put in prison, the NDP witness said, “Not necessarily.” That position represents a disturbing glimpse into the ideology which underpins the coalition soft-on-crime approach.

Unlike the NDP, our Conservative government believes that those who commit heinous crimes against our children should not be free to roam the streets and victimize others.

Sadly, we see a pattern emerging here. The member for Ajax—Pickering cares more about inmate morale than he does about victims rights. The member for Vancouver Kingsway tried to remove all references to victims of crime legislation. The member for Outremont tried to block any legislation which would allow fraudsters to have extended parole.

When will the coalition care more about victims than they do about criminals?

Michael Ignatieff Leader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, the government is pressing ahead with corporate tax cuts that Canadians do not support and the country cannot afford.

Borrowing $6 billion to hand out to the richest corporations in the country makes no sense when it has just landed the country in a $56 billion deficit.

When will the Prime Minister listen to Canadians, reverse those corporate tax cuts, and give middle-class Canadians a break instead?

Stephen Harper Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, what the Liberal leader proposes is a $6 billion tax hike in order to pay for his spending proposals that the country cannot afford, and that makes absolutely no sense.

We have an economy that is creating jobs. We have a low tax plan. We are going to move forward, creating jobs for Canadian families.

Michael Ignatieff Leader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister will have to explain to the country how the country cannot afford family care, but it can afford billions on prisons and billions on jails.

The Conservatives' tax cuts will benefit only 5% of Canada's richest corporations. Small businesses are not getting anything. Worse yet, their payroll expenses are going up. Small businesses are paying more so that corporations can pay less.

How does the Prime Minister justify that?

Stephen Harper Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary. The Liberal Party leader is proposing a $6 billion tax hike in order to pay for his election promises that the country cannot afford. We do not have to raise taxes on employers in this country. Our economy is creating jobs for Canadian families thanks to our low tax plan. We will continue to secure Canada's recovery.

Michael Ignatieff Leader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, we have tax breaks for the richest corporations. We have tax hikes for small business. We have no break for the ordinary middle-class family. Family care is too expensive. The government is spending 40% more over the last five years and has no credible plan to get this deficit under control.

The whole story just does not add up. When will the Prime Minister listen to Canadians and reverse these reckless economic choices?

Stephen Harper Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the story that does not add up is the plan of the Liberal Party leader to raise taxes on employers, to raise billions of dollars of taxes on Canadian consumers, and to use that to increase spending even further. None of that makes sense.

Our spending has been targeted at creating jobs. It is succeeding. We do not need $6 billion more in tax hikes from the Liberal Party.

Scott Brison Kings—Hants, NS

Mr. Speaker, the CFIB has said that cutting corporate taxes is not a priority for small business. Instead, small businesses want payroll taxes to be held where they are or cut, and they want help to hire more Canadians.

On January 1, the Conservatives ignored small business and hiked the EI tax rate by 5%. Why are the Conservatives punishing small businesses with job-killing payroll tax hikes in order to cut taxes for the richest corporations?

Stephen Harper Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately for the hon. member, he has raised an issue of fact. The fact is that the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the small- and medium-sized businesses of this country, is absolutely opposed to the tax hikes proposed by the Liberal Party that would raise taxes on over 100,000 Canadian small businesses, absolutely opposed. He can check with Catherine Swift if he is not sure about it.

Scott Brison Kings—Hants, NS

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is misleading Canadians once again. CFIB's Vice-President Corinne Pohlmann has said publicly, “corporate tax cuts are not in our top 11 [priorities]”.

More than 80% of CFIB members will not benefit from the Prime Minister's corporate tax cuts. Instead, small businesses want lower payroll taxes and they need help with training.

Why are the Conservatives giving away $6 billion to Canada's biggest, most profitable corporations while killing jobs and punishing small businesses with an $8 billion tax hike?

Stephen Harper Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, everybody here can do exactly what I did. He can talk to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and its president, Catherine Swift, who is absolutely on the record saying it is opposed to the tax hikes proposed by the Liberal Party on business, absolutely opposed.

There is not a single business organization, not a single credible voice in this country, that supports the tax hikes proposed by the Liberal Party.

Christian Paradis Minister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, public hearings and an additional round of written submissions took place throughout the fall, and the Government of Quebec did not signal any concerns at that time.

I spoke to my colleague, Minister Arcand, this morning and I offered to have the commission give briefings to all the appropriate officials. I extend the same offer to members of the House of Commons. Perhaps they will finally understand the facts and stop manipulating perceptions, as the leader of the Bloc Québécois has done for too long.

Gilles Duceppe Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC

Mr. Speaker, according to the Conservative government and this ineffable minister, all those opposed to shipping waste by water are waging a campaign of fear. The Bloc Québécois is waging a campaign of fear, the Government of Quebec is waging a campaign of fear, international experts are waging a campaign of fear, even American senators are waging a campaign of fear.

Does the Prime Minister realize that the only person who is comfortable with the idea of shipping radioactive waste on the St. Lawrence River is his minister? And that is not a comforting thought.