House of Commons Hansard #50 of the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was producers.
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, like the Manley report, this government is very clear: we do not want a never-ending mission. We said as much in the Speech from the Throne.
We said in the throne speech that our intent was to end the mission in 2011. We said the same thing in our motion on the mission.
Once again, I have told the opposition leader that the government will examine the Liberal proposals very carefully and respond to them.
Michael Ignatieff Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday we made our position clear on Afghanistan, but it is the government's position that remains confused.
We say begin a training mission in 2009. The Conservatives say begin training later. When exactly?
We say end the military mission in 2011. They cannot make up their minds when.
We say there is no military solution in Afghanistan. They say stick with the status quo.
We have spoken clearly on Afghanistan. When will the Prime Minister begin to catch up?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I think this government's and this party's support for the mission in Afghanistan has been clear from day one, when the Liberal Party first committed Canadian troops to the Afghan mission. We have been clear on that.
I think we are also clear in our motion, as is the Liberal Party, that the mission should continue beyond 2009, and we are both seeking an end to the mission around 2011. I noted before that the Liberal Party has proposed some very specific language in this regard. We are taking a careful look at that language.
Michael Ignatieff Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party's position on Afghanistan is clear. The mission must evolve. The mission must end in 2011. Military solutions are no longer enough and national reconciliation in Afghanistan is essential. There is a definite difference between our position and that of the government.
Will the Prime Minister acknowledge that he has to reach out to us if he wants to find a reasonable and realistic solution?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member indicated that the Liberal Party wanted a mission that would train Afghan forces. We already said as much in the throne speech. In addition, in the Manley report, Mr. Manley and his colleagues documented government efforts to train Afghan troops, which were meeting with increasing success.
As I said yesterday, the Canadian public is not looking for a Conservative mission or a Liberal mission. It is looking for a Canadian mission and this government will work towards establishing this consensus.
Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Quebec's Minister of Finance, Monique Jérôme-Forget, lowered her economic growth forecast. She even talked about a possible recession. Meanwhile, the federal government is talking about spending the entire surplus—$10.6 billion in 2007-08—on the debt. The Prime Minister certainly has the means to put $3 billion toward the debt—we agree with that—and to spend the rest on measures to help businesses, families, workers and the regions, as the Bloc Québécois has suggested.
Does the Prime Minister realize that Quebec's Minister of Finance has sounded the alarm, that he must act now, and that he has the means to do so?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I read Ms. Jérôme-Forget's statement. She expressed some concern about the uncertainty emanating from the American economy. Ms. Jérôme-Forget said that the Government of Quebec is determined not to have a deficit. That is also this government's policy.
I would like to congratulate the finance minister on his efforts to develop a balanced policy in order to avoid the deficit that the opposition parties are asking for.
Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am not talking about a deficit. I am talking about the $10.6 billion surplus for this fiscal year. I am not even talking about the next budget. I am talking about the multi-billion-dollar surplus in the current budget. We have $10.6 billion, and everyone agrees that we should put $3 billion of that toward the debt. I am talking about a balanced approach. Ms. Jérôme-Forget and the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, with which I met yesterday, are asking for immediate measures to help the regions, businesses and workers right now.
The government has the means. Will it shake off its ideological yoke?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, this government's policy is balanced. I know that the Bloc and the other opposition parties always want to spend more. We are spending faster than the economy is growing, and we cannot continue to do that.
In last year's budget and the fall economic statement, this government said that it was determined to reduce taxes, invest in certain programs, and lower the debt. The House passed those measures.
Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Mr. Speaker, Tembec recorded a loss of $60 million in its first quarter and the Conservatives' tax cuts, which are lining the pockets of the oil and gas companies, will do nothing to help Tembec maintain its investments in research and development. Tembec's situation is a good illustration of the difficulties facing the manufacturing and forestry sectors.
Will the Minister of Finance finally realize that it takes more than tax cuts, that it takes other assistance measures such as a refundable tax credit for research and development, as called for by Tembec and the Forest Products Association of Canada?
Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, what the hon. member is suggesting is that his party would run a deficit in 2008-09. It would have to be in government to do that.
We intend to continue to balance the budget, as we committed to do. We are going to continue to reduce the public debt. Every time we reduce the public debt, we reduce personal taxes in Canada by the tax back guarantee; that is, the interest saved on that public debt goes back to the people of Canada.
Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Mr. Speaker, these numbers are from the minister and, every year, we have a surplus in the end. The government must try to stop spreading this misinformation.
Over the past five years, Quebec has lost approximately 150,000 manufacturing jobs, the majority since the Conservatives came to power. In 2007 alone, nearly 50,000 jobs were lost. The economic slowdown in the United States now extends to the service sector and Quebec's finance minister is even talking about a possible recession.
Will the Minister of Finance take the only responsible action in light of the deteriorating situation and put $3.5 billion towards an assistance plan for the manufacturing and forestry sectors, especially considering the $10.6 billion surplus expected this year?
Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, once again, the proposals that come from the Bloc would mean that the government would run a deficit in 2008-09. The assumption is that there will be a $10 billion surplus, at least, in 2008-09, which is unlikely. That means we would go back to the bad old days of running deficits and running up public debt in Canada. We are not going to do that.
Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, the 10th report card on cancer in Canada shows that Canadian patients are suffering under the Conservative government because of deficiencies in the system. Drug costs are on the rise. The costs to the public sector are doubling every three years. The Cancer Advocacy Coalition paints a disturbing picture: serious problems regarding standards, wait lists and access to drugs.
When will the Prime Minister make good on his so-called promise about wait lists? When?
Tony Clement ConservativeMinister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, we have invested in the fight against cancer and the fight against wait times.
This government has invested in wait time reductions. It has invested through a unique partnership called the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. This is the first instance in the history of this country that there has been a national campaign with the federal government at the table to tackle cancer once and for all.
Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, I remember a time in the last election when the Prime Minister was happy to talk about questions of health. In fact, he was going to make them a priority, but the answers we are getting right now are not good enough for Canadian families.
It certainly is not good enough for the fire marshal in New Westminster, who, at the Royal Columbian Hospital this morning, had to take the patients out of the waiting room because it was overcrowded. The ambulance attendants who bring people to that hospital now are forced to phone the nurse to see if there is any room. Guess what happens if there is not. They have to wait outside with their patients in the ambulances for the waiting list to wind down.
When is the Prime Minister going to tell Canadians what happened to his guarantee on wait times?
Tony Clement ConservativeMinister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member is well aware, under the previous Liberal government, delays and wait times doubled in this country.
When we came to power, we were the first government to work with the provinces and territories to institute the first patient wait time guarantees in this country, putting the focus on the patient, making sure the patient has recourse in the system. We are proud of that innovation and it will mean better health care for Canadians across the country.
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
Mr. Speaker, in 1993 the Liberals inherited a $42 billion Conservative deficit and then cleaned up the mess.
In 2003 the finance minister was a top minister in a Conservative government that lied about a $5.8 billion deficit, which Dalton McGuinty's Liberals then had to clean up.
How can the minister--
The EconomyOral Questions
The Speaker Peter Milliken
The hon. member for Markham—Unionville has considerable experience and using the word “lied” does create disorder in the House and I would invite him to refrain from such conduct. He can use other words that implicate similar thoughts, but he does not need to use that kind of language.
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
Mr. Speaker, how can the minister possibly deny, given his own sad record, that Tory times are tough times, Tory times are deficit times, and Canadians then turn to Liberals to fix up the mess?
Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, unlike the member opposite, Tory times are balanced budget times in Canada. Tory times are paying down debt in Canada. Tory times are reducing taxes for individuals in Canada. Tory times are reducing the GST by two full percentage points. Tory times are supporting families in Canada. We did not do what the member's government did which was to reduce health and education sharing with the provinces. That is what the Liberals did to Canada.
The EconomyOral Questions
The Speaker Peter Milliken
Order. Perhaps we can all work to make question time quiet time.
The hon. member for Markham—Unionville has the floor.
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
Mr. Speaker, selective memory. Last year the economy created one private sector job for every four public sector jobs. If this continues for a decade, Canada will have one public sector worker for every two in the private sector. Big government job growth is economic Viagra for the NDP leader.
Why does the biggest spending finance minister in Canadian history not simply join the NDP and leave finance to someone who does not combine illegal contracts, economic incompetence, and just last night, tollgating at $500 a head?