Evidence of meeting #45 for Finance in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was subamendment.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Mike Lake Conservative Leduc—Wetaskiwin, AB
Madam Chair, I'm not sure. Are we in open debate right now? His microphone is on.
Conservative
Pat Kelly Conservative Calgary Crowfoot, AB
Yes.
We are not permitted to interrupt members while they're speaking, and Mr. Turnbull is interrupting Mr. Lake. I get the thread of his argument, and I'm eager to hear it.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
Thank you, Mr. Kelly.
I ask everyone to please be respectful.
Mr. Lake, you may continue.
Conservative
Mike Lake Conservative Leduc—Wetaskiwin, AB
I am also glad to cede the floor to Mr. Turnbull if he wants to take some time to weigh in on the conversation. I'd like to hear more about how the current fiscal situation of the government will not have any impact on anything down the road for the future of Canadians.
I will go back to the history lesson that the Liberals don't need, apparently. The history lesson tells us that when you undertake spending and when you put forward policies that lead to a fiscal crisis, an energy crisis.... We saw this in the late 1970s and 1980s. We saw an affordability crisis and certainly an interest crisis. All of those things are going to have an impact down the road on programs that are important to Canadians.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
Mr. Lake, just remember that this is about the subamendment about a report on the CPP. Make sure you tie this back to the subamendment, please.
Conservative
Mike Lake Conservative Leduc—Wetaskiwin, AB
Absolutely, Madam Chair.
I was mentioning that we're in a situation where our interest payments are now higher than the Canada health transfer. We're going to be in a situation that will absolutely affect our ability to fund—
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
I have a point of order, Madam Chair.
I'm sorry, but the member is not speaking to the issue at hand, which is the Canada pension plan, our reduction of the contribution amount by 40 basis points and the Conservatives asking for a subamendment to their amendment about reporting on that. It's not relevant to the actual subamendment that's been proposed. There's no tie-in. I don't hear any link.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
Thank you, Mr. Turnbull.
I would just ask Mr. Lake to please focus on the subamendment to the amendment, which is about the report. We are in clause-by-clause. It is important to stick to the focus of the subamendment, please.
Conservative
Mike Lake Conservative Leduc—Wetaskiwin, AB
I will look forward to Mr. Turnbull's next turn answering questions in the House of Commons and to hearing him stick to the topic that's asked in a question in the House of Commons during question period. I look forward to seeing the results of his raising this—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
As per the Standing Orders—and we've gone over this a number of times in committee today—members need to be relevant in their arguments. I'm going to ask that we continue to stick to relevancy when it comes to the particular subamendment we are debating right now to CPC-13.
Thank you, Mr. Lake.
Conservative
Mike Lake Conservative Leduc—Wetaskiwin, AB
The subamendment speaks to reporting. The subamendment speaks to the importance of reporting. I think at this point in time, Canadians are losing trust. They're losing trust in this government—many Canadians. In my part of the country, many Canadians are losing faith in this government. They're losing trust in this government. Increased reporting would lead to a rebuilding of that trust. I would note that the chair is nodding with me. I appreciate your agreement.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
Mr. Lake, I'll have to interrupt there to just clarify the record, because you shouldn't put words in the mouth of the chair. I'll ask you to retract that, please.
Conservative
Mike Lake Conservative Leduc—Wetaskiwin, AB
I retract that. I appreciate that. We're both honourable members.
I point out the importance of that reporting and the importance of building trust because Canadians are looking at the situation and have seen reports that say by 2030, our interest payments will actually be higher than the amount of the deficit.
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
Relevance is a point of order.
Again, the member opposite is speaking to interest payments. We're talking about Canada pension plan contributions and the sustainability of the pension plan. That's the only thing that's relevant to this particular section of the spring economic update implementation act, Bill C-30. Does the member opposite not realize that he's making comments in a universe all around it that have nothing to do with the actual...? This is what relevance is all about in this committee.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
Thank you, Mr. Turnbull.
Mr. Lake, again, if you could, please focus on the subamendment.
Conservative
Mike Lake Conservative Leduc—Wetaskiwin, AB
This conversation is really important. I'm glad to hear Liberal members weighing in with their thoughts on this. I would argue that as you see a potential for economic collapse and as you see the potential that fewer Canadians will be working and paying into the system, one might question whether the system is sustainable. When you see that we're going to be paying more on interest payments—
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
The system being sustainable is not what we're talking about. We're talking about the Canada pension plan, the pension plan that Canadians contribute to out of their paycheque.
Conservative
Conservative