Finance committee  We also believe, Mr. Szabo, that there needs to be a fundamental reform of the EI system and of the system that's used to calculate how to bring the account back into balance.

Finance committee  Mr. Szabo, the commitment that was made by Parliament was that the program would expire at the end of this fiscal year. All of the applicants understood that at the time they made their applications. In some cases, because of circumstances that weren't their responsibility, the

Finance committee  It's making me feel very much at home, Mr. Chairman.

Finance committee  Mr. Chairman, I'm detecting a certain partisan overtone in some of the questions.

Finance committee  I hope everybody will play nice today because it bruises my ears if I hear this. In principle, obviously there's none. The net impact is the same. If I can also go back on the issue of the $4.5 billion versus $5 billion or $6 billion, I understand the Department of Finance uses

Finance committee  I see where you're coming from. Your concern is the stimulus as opposed to the tax cut. What's important for the economy at this point is that we move away from a government-led or stimulus-led recovery to one that's private sector driven. We need to create the jobs in the priv

Finance committee  The single most important or most damaging thing the government could do at this point to stall the recovery would be to cancel the planned tax reductions. Business has been planning on them. The private sector has been hiring based on them. The private sector has been investing

Finance committee  I'm glad you voiced it, if you're uncertain about it, because I'm glad to have the opportunity to respond to it. You've raised two issues. The first is the question of should we be lowering taxes at this point and will this have a damaging impact on Canada's fiscal position. We

Finance committee  The Canadian Chamber of Commerce was very active in the fight against the employment insurance increases, and that's why we were very pleased with our success. Mr. Chairman, as you're well aware, what was recommended was an increase three times the size of what was approved by t

Finance committee  --win for small business across the country.

Finance committee  Thank you for the question, Mr. Paillé. Please interrupt me if I don't fully understand your question. I'm trying to respond to it as accurately as I can.

Finance committee  If I understand you correctly, your concern is that lowering taxes may put a brake on the economy?

Finance committee  Thank you very much, Ms. Coady, and let me go one step beyond you. Not only were you a former chair of the Canadian Chamber, but you were also a revered former chair of the Canadian Chamber and somebody who still has many friends within the chamber movement across the country. So

Finance committee  Sorry, I'm just trying to answer your question. The Liberal government was correct in taking that action. It was an action that was advocated by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce indeed at the time that you were there. We pressed for a better tax treatment for business to enhance

Finance committee  Considerably higher than that.