Evidence of meeting #67 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was federal.
A video is available from Parliament.
Communication Policy, Canadian Media Guild
Are you suggesting that the federal government has a dollar to spend?
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
I'm using that as an example, so you can twist it if you want.
I'm saying the reality is that we have a limited number of dollars to spend, so we have to divide it up—
Communication Policy, Canadian Media Guild
Of course. This whole budgeting process is about setting priorities.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
So you would put more priority on culture over health care?
Communication Policy, Canadian Media Guild
No. I don't think your budget has only health care and culture in it, and I think they're both essential parts of the budget.
Unfortunately, I think culture has become somewhat diminished in priority-setting, and that's all I'm saying. I don't think it takes a lot of money. If you only had one dollar, you probably wouldn't even need ten cents of that to put towards boosting culture and increasing youth employment, and all kinds of other things.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Again, unfortunately, everybody says that. Where it gets frustrating for me is that we've increased health care spending 6%, but then I go to the provinces and look at what they've done for expected growth in health care, and it's 2% or 3%. In fact, if you look at the Nova Scotia government, for example, they're forecasting spending 2.5%. We're going to spend 6%, but they're only going to increase their spending by 2.5%. So how am I supposed to react when I see that the provinces don't even take...and give the increases that we're giving them?
President, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
If I can answer, with all due respect to Mr. Hoback, it is a question of priorities. It's not a question of culture, the environment, or health care.
President, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
You have a role as parliamentarians to look at the priorities of Canadians in every community equally.
Conservative
President, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
But when we look at priorities, it's also about how you collect that one dollar.
Since 2006, you've lost over $200 billion in tax cuts. Why? So the provinces get less.
The provinces have done the same thing—don't get me wrong. They've also done the same thing, so everyone's guilty here. Then we say health care doesn't have enough or culture doesn't have enough.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Again, the question was that the provinces are not spending what the feds are spending.
If you look at our role, it's to ensure jobs during a recession. There's a global recession.
Again, what's important is actually ensuring that you set the environment so that jobs and families are benefiting, and that's what we've done through the tax reductions. So you can either send your money to Ottawa and we can distribute it out blindly, or you can leave it in the families' pockets and they can spend it wisely, and that's what we've chosen. That's a difference in philosophy—
President, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
If you hadn't cut your taxes, you could have had a national drug plan. You could have had child care for every child in this country. You could have done that.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
No, that's wrong.
If we hadn't cut taxes, we would have had more people laid off. We would have had higher unemployment.
President, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
No. They saved about $1,000 a year each, and they're on unemployment now.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
No, we would have had way more layoffs.
Again, this is a philosophy difference, and the greatness of our country is that we can debate things.
President, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
I'm a proud New Brunswicker, and I know what's happening at home.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Again, you have your theories, and we have our theories. I know that our country is doing very well. Look at Canada's position in the world. I don't think you can argue with that.
President, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
I need more than 30 seconds, Mr. Hoback.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hoback.
Mr. Nantel, you have the floor, if you will.
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I cannot believe that you came here voluntarily to have a member of Parliament lay into you like that. But he is paid to do it; that is unbelievable. I think all six of you are very brave.
When we hear these people's views, we realize that Mr. Moore is not being completely accurate when he talks about all the knives in the back. We can plainly see here that it is not unusual for people to go after the CBC.
Go ahead, raise a point of order so we can keep at it a little more.