House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 58% of the vote.
Securities May 3rd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I compliment the provinces that have been engaged in this discussion, working toward a common regulator and simplifying the red tape involved in persons and corporations wanting to invest in Canada.
I commend the member for the question, because that is where we want to go. We want to move toward common regulations, and allow fewer barriers to investment in Canada.
Securities May 3rd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, there is general concern in the business community about attracting more capital to Canada, more equity capital, more investment in our businesses. One of the concerns that the community expresses repeatedly across Canada is the fact that we have multiple regulators in our security system.
That is an issue in the interests of the Economic Union that we should have on the table for discussion, not necessarily that the federal government would get involved, but that we work toward a common regulator in Canada.
Taxation May 3rd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I would not presume to set out an agenda for all the discussions. There are a number of issues that ought to be discussed, including post-secondary education.
We made a recommendation or a suggestion, at least, in the fiscal balance paper yesterday about how unanticipated federal surplus could be handled with respect to the QPP and the CPP. Those ideas are there.
We will follow a process, awaiting the O'Brien report, the federal report on equalization, which should be released in the middle of May, followed by a meeting of finance ministers, followed by other meetings by other ministers and eventually a meeting of first ministers in the fall.
Taxation May 3rd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to announce yesterday the increased payments with respect to equalization for this year for a number of the provinces. I was also pleased to set out the principles upon which we will move forward in the debate about the fiscal balance, including equalization, and the steps that we will follow in order to arrive at a solution to these challenging issues this year.
The Budget May 3rd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the fact, as we are on this side of the aisle, that this budget reduces income taxes, reduces the GST, reduces small business taxes, and reduces corporate taxes. Ninety per cent of the reductions go to individuals and families in Canada, almost $20 billion over two years. Compare that to what the Liberals were proposing. They never passed it, but what they proposed was something less than $9 billion. I say again, 20 is more than 9, even to an economist.
The Budget May 3rd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, Canadians--
The Budget May 3rd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for the question, as wrong as he is. I looked at the numbers again because I heard what he was saying yesterday and I thought that he had not had a chance to read the budget. Now he has apparently had a chance.
The personal tax cuts in the budget are $5.3 billion. In the fall update, which I think is what he was talking about, the figure was a little over $4 billion. Last time I looked, five is more than four, and I welcome the hon. member to have a look at that.
The Budget May 2nd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite asks how and when? As soon as the budget implementation bill is passed, we will get on to that. I am sure that the member opposite will want to support the budget implementation bill, so that these benefits can get to farmers quickly.
As members know, the commitment we had in our platform was $500 million a year over five years equaling $2.5 billion. We intend to honour that commitment.
We certainly heard from farmers and the Prime Minister heard from members of our caucus who represent farming communities here in the House of Commons about the dire straits that many farmers find themselves in. To that end, the budget allows an additional $1 billion this year for farming communities.
The Budget May 2nd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of measures in the budget that relate to workers, including lower taxes, such as the reduction in the GST and the personal income tax reductions. Employed people will also have the benefit of the Canada employment credit, which is a new initiative.
I am sure members have heard from workers in their ridings that feel they are not on a level playing field with people who are self-employed in terms of being able to write off certain types of expenses and so on. That will be corrected by the Canada employment credit of $500 as of July 1 and $1,000 as of January 1, 2007.
The member opposite also raised the issue of workers and training. The apprenticeship initiatives in this budget will affect hundreds of thousands of tradespeople and apprentices. It will create more apprenticeship opportunities in Canada, which we need. The tools tax credit is something that people who work have long asked for and are finally going to receive.
The Budget May 2nd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the member asked a few questions. One related to the issue of fiscal balance and the date. The date under discussion was February 2007, a year from now.
As outlined in the budget papers, the plan is that we would proceed with a federal, provincial and territorial finance ministers conference in the spring. By that time, we would have the benefit not only of the report by the Council of the Federation, which has been received already but also the federal report, the O'Brien report, which is to come.
A report by big city mayors is still to come. The finance ministers will meet. Other ministers are to be involved as set out in the documents that all members have received. A fall meeting or a meeting later this year of first ministers will be held. All of this is designed to move this agenda forward, so that we can create more rational relationships and a well functioning Canadian economic federation.
The second question related to manufacturers and whether there was anything in the budget for them. There certainly is. With respect to small businesses, and many manufacturers are small businesses, we have fulfilled our commitments of moving from $300,000 to $400,000 plus the reduction in the tax.
With respect to larger corporations, there are corporate tax reductions that the party opposite had in its budget last year but somehow disappeared. Another imaginary tax reduction by the former Liberal government, among other tax promises, that never saw fruition.
The member raised another important point relating to some industries in which older workers have difficulty retraining and what could be done in that regard. We had input from some of the members of his party with respect to this. As I mentioned in the budget speech, we are going to have a feasibility study on this issue to look for possible solutions. I hope the hon. member will assist us in that effort.