Debates of Jan. 27th, 2009

Procedure and House Affairs

[Joe Preston, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move that the first report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs presented to the House earlier this day be concurred in. This report concerns the membership of committees of the House.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is there unanimous consent for the member to move the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Joe Preston, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

(Motion agreed to)

[Joe Preston, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move that the second report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs presented earlier this day be concurred in. This report concerns the disclosure forms for the Conflict of Interest Code.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Does the hon. member have unanimous consent to move the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Joe Preston, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

(Motion agreed to)

Interprovincial Bridge

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the citizens of the entire national capital region—in Ottawa, Aylmer and Orleans—I would like to present a petition regarding a proposed interprovincial bridge that would link the two shores of our community and possibly eliminate heavy-truck traffic in the downtown core.

The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to force the National Capital Commission to conduct an in-depth study regarding a possible bridge linking the Canotek industrial park and the Gatineau Airport, namely, option number 7 of the first phase of the environmental assessment of the interprovincial crossings.

I would point out that, in a motion passed on January 14, 2009, the City of Ottawa also supported this petition.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after the unexpected and premature prorogation of the House in December, I am so pleased to finally have the opportunity to table a petition on behalf of residents in my riding of Hamilton Mountain who are calling on the government to launch a full investigation into the granting of Canadian citizenship to Mr. Gideon McGuire Auger.

The petition is premised on the investigation by CTV's W-FIVE which raised serious questions about the Department of Citizenship and Immigration's handling of Gideon McGuire Auger's application for Canadian citizenship. It would appear that the ministry did not act with due diligence in investigating background information before granting citizenship to Mr. Auger and the integrity of Canada's entire citizenship process has been called into question.

The former minister of Citizenship and Immigration promised to investigate the handling of Mr. Auger's file and the petitioners are anxious to learn about the findings of that investigation and seek assurance from the government that the findings will be acted on forthwith by the minister.

Food and Drugs Act

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I already presented dozens of petitions regarding Bill C-51, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts. Today I have a petition on the same theme signed by 1,650 Canadians who are very concerned about the government's intentions to reintroduce legislation, supposedly in the name of protecting consumers from unsafe drugs and products, while in fact decreasing accessibility to natural health products.

The petitioners call on the government to reassess this legislation in light of serious flaws identified with this bill, particularly when it comes to natural health products, but also considering the fact that the bill may not do the job that is required with respect to pharmaceuticals that are now on the market or being considered for the marketplace. There are serious concerns by the petitioners that the bill may actually reintroduce a system of progressive licensing which may deny serious surveillance at the post-market end of the process.

The petitioners urge the government to prevent anyone in the government from reintroducing Bill C-51 and bringing forward a much more sensible package that will protect consumers.

Asbestos

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by literally thousands of Canadians from right across the country.

The petitioners bring to the attention of Parliament that asbestos is the greatest industrial killer the world has ever known, yet Canada remains one of the largest producers and exporters of asbestos in the world. They point out that last year more people died from asbestos than from all other industrial causes combined, and that Canada allows the exporting of 200,000 tonnes of asbestos per year into third world and underdeveloped nations. They also point out that Canada spends millions of dollars subsidizing the asbestos industry and even blocks international efforts to curb its use by other countries.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to ban asbestos in all its forms, to institute a just transition program for asbestos workers, to end all government subsidies with respect to asbestos, and to stop blocking international health and safety conventions which protect workers in other countries, such as the Rotterdam convention.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Suspension of Sitting

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Pursuant to order made on Monday, January 26, 2009, the sitting is suspended until 4 p.m.

(The sitting of the House was suspended at 3:40 p.m.)

(The House resumed at 4:07 p.m.)

Sitting Resumed

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Order. It being 4 p.m., the House will now proceed to the consideration of Ways and Means Proceedings No. 1 concerning the budget presentation.

Financial Statement of Minister of Finance

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

moved:

That this house approves in general the budgetary policy of the government.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the budget 2009 documents, including notices of ways and means motions. The details of the measures are contained in these documents.

I ask that an order of the day be designated for consideration of the motion. I also wish to announce that at the earliest opportunity the government will introduce bills to implement the measures in this budget.

Budget 2009 is Canada's economic action plan. It is Canada's plan to stimulate our economy, to protect Canadians during the global recession, and to invest in our long-term growth. It is Canada's response to the challenge of our time.

Since last fall the global economic situation has deteriorated further and faster than anyone predicted. The global economy has weakened since Canadians voted in the election last October. It has weakened further since Parliament met last month.

As the crisis emerged, our government took immediate action to ensure Canadian businesses could get the financing they need to reinvest, grow and maintain jobs.

But developments since then require further action. Canadians are feeling the effects of the global recession, and they are concerned. They are concerned about their jobs and their savings. They are concerned about their families, their businesses, and their communities. Our government has listened to these concerns.

We have consulted Canadians, including my economic advisory council. We have found a remarkable degree of consensus. From Corner Brook to Kamloops, from Iqaluit to Kitchener, Canadians agree we must do what it takes to keep our economy moving and to protect Canadians in this extraordinary time. Making new investments is more challenging in such a time, but it is also more necessary than ever.

Today we present Canada's economic action plan. It is our plan to protect Canadians during the global recession, to create new good jobs for the future, and to equip our country for success in the years ahead. In Canada's economic action plan we are helping families and stimulating consumer spending. We are providing additional tax relief, especially for lower and middle income Canadians. This will put more money in the hands of Canadian families to help them weather the current storm and to help stimulate our economy.

In Canada’s economic action plan we are helping those hit hardest by the global recession. We are providing extra support to Canadians who lose their jobs. We are strengthening employment insurance benefits and expanding skills-training opportunities.

In Canada's economic action plan, we are protecting jobs and supporting businesses.

We are supporting Canadian industries in difficulty, and the families and communities that depend on them for work.

We are helping these industries, including forestry, manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, fisheries and the automotive industry, to find long-term solutions to the challenges they face.

We are providing additional support for businesses and industries that play a unique role in Canada's regional economies.

In Canada's economic action plan, we are ensuring access to financing for businesses and the stability of our financial system.

We are providing new ways for businesses to get the financing they need, to innovate, expand and create new jobs for Canadians.

We are establishing the means to ensure consistent regulation in financial markets across Canada.

In Canada’s economic action plan we are taking immediate action to build infrastructure.

We are launching one of the largest building projects in Canada’s history.

In the next few months, we will start construction of roads, bridges, public transit, broadband Internet access, schools and social housing, in every region of the country.

We will create jobs for Canadians now, while providing the infrastructure Canada needs to grow in the years to come.

Let me say a few words about meeting short-term needs while serving long-term goals. In response to the global recession, the industrialized countries of the world are taking unprecedented action to inject money into their economies.

Our government will spend what is necessary to stimulate our economy and we will invest what is necessary to protect our future prosperity.

To finance Canada's economic action plan, our government is making a deliberate choice to run a substantial short-term deficit.

This temporary deficit is an investment which is necessary to stimulate our economy. It allows us to meet our short-term needs while serving our long-term goals.

The United States and many countries in Europe are in a much more difficult position. Having entered the recession after years of heavy deficits, the massive deficits they are undertaking now will continue for many years.

Fortunately, Canada has the freedom to respond effectively to the current crisis, without putting our long-term prosperity at risk. In fact, the situation provides an opportunity to speed up investments that are necessary for our future growth and quality of life. Canadians can be proud of this.

Together we made the right choices when times were good. Now, when times are difficult, together we can continue moving forward with confidence.

I want to say a few words about our economic and fiscal projections.

As a result of the global recession, we expect the Canadian economy to contract by 0.8% over the next year. This means that tax revenues will decrease.

At the same time, we will need to spend more to protect our economy and help Canadians hit hardest by the global recession. This in turn means that a temporary deficit cannot be avoided.

As a result, our government projects a budget deficit of $34 billion for the next fiscal year; and $30 billion the year after that.

With the participation of our provincial partners, the stimulus provided in Canada's economic action plan represents 1.9% of our economy for the next fiscal year; and for the year after that 1.4%.

Not only does this fulfill Canada's commitment at the G20 leaders summit in November, it exceeds the target recommended by the International Monetary Fund.

The stimulus initiatives in Canada's economic action plan are for this year and the next. There will be no long-running or permanent deficit. Our plan includes tax relief that is permanent but affordable over the long-term.

As the economy recovers, we fully expect to emerge from deficit and return to surplus within five years.

We will use future surpluses first of all to pay off the debt incurred during the recession.

By 2011 we project the deficit will fall to $13 billion; by 2012 it will fall to $7.3 billion. By 2013 we project a return to surplus, and for that year, a surplus of $700 million.

In spite of these temporary deficits, by the end of our program our total government net debt as a share of the economy will still be the lowest in the G7, by a wide margin.

While our projections are based on the best information available, we cannot guarantee them absolutely.

Forecasters all agree that there is substantial uncertainty, so some flexibility is advisable. If circumstances require it, our government will consider enhancements to the measures in Canada's economic action plan.

Canadians regret the need to run a deficit in order to invest in our economy. Our government shares that regret.

We have chosen this course because it is necessary and because we know it will be temporary. We have chosen it also because we know it is what Canadian families and businesses need.

In Canada's economic action plan, our government is taking action to help. We are taking action to protect Canadians during the global recession, to stimulate our economy, and to invest in our long-term prosperity.

I would now like to say a few words about action to help families and stimulate consumer spending. Since first coming into office, our government has provided substantial tax relief to Canadian families. This has given families more freedom to meet their needs. It has provided, and is continuing to provide, both short- and long-term stimulus to our economy.

In these difficult times, tax relief is more necessary than ever. It is necessary to help families. And it is necessary to help keep our economy moving. That is why Canada’s economic action plan includes additional tax relief for Canadians.

A few words about personal income tax relief and the need to stimulate consumer spending.

Canada's economic action plan provides immediate benefits, especially to low- and middle-income Canadians.

Effective January 1, 2009, we will increase the basic personal amount. This means that a greater portion of Canadians' earnings will not be subject to federal income tax.

Effective January 1, 2009, we will also increase the upper limit of the two lowest personal income tax brackets. This means that a greater proportion of Canadians' earnings will be taxed at a lower rate.

We will increase the amount that families could earn while still receiving the national child benefit supplement and the Canada child tax benefit.

As a result of these changes, a single parent with two children earning $35,000 will be ahead $500 per year. A two-income couple with two children earning $70,000 will be ahead $275 per year.

The tax relief would help low- and middle-income Canadians and it will stimulate consumer spending. This in turn will help stimulate our entire economy.

To provide additional help to low-income Canadians, we will also increase the working income tax benefit, or WITB.

Many low-income Canadians, especially those receiving social assistance, would like to take a job, but they face disincentives, in the form of higher taxes and reduced benefits. The WITB supplements the earnings of low-income workers to help ensure they are better off by taking a job.

Our increase to the WITB will effectively double the tax relief that this measure provides. We expect that for the 2009 tax year more than 1.5 million individuals and families, many of them single women with children, will benefit as a result.

In Canada's economic action plan, we will also provide further tax relief for Canadian seniors.

We will increase the age credit amount by an additional $1,000 dollars. This will provide each eligible senior additional savings of up to $150 per year. However, more is needed to help our seniors.

The global financial crisis has caused them added worry, as they see the effect on their retirement savings.

To provide some relief, we will reduce the amount seniors are required to withdraw from their RRIFs, by 25% for 2008. This will provide one-time tax relief of $200 million for Canadian seniors.

The personal income tax relief in Canada's economic action plan will put more money in the hands of Canadian families.

Most important, this year and over the next five years these measures will inject approximately $20 billion in stimulus into the Canadian economy.

Canadian workers benefit from relatively low payroll taxes. This allows them to keep more of what they earn; and it encourages businesses to create more jobs.

We need to keep these taxes low, especially during this difficult period. For many families, right now every dollar counts.

For many businesses, an increase in payroll taxes would make it harder to sustain existing jobs.

And so, in Canada's economic action plan we will freeze employment insurance payroll taxes for the next two years.

Let me now turn to home construction and home renovation; that is household infrastructure. There is more we can do to encourage spending and help create jobs. For the Canadian economy, the home construction and home renovation industries are major sources of jobs and growth.

First, to encourage home ownership and home construction, we will increase the amount first-time home buyers can withdraw from their RRSPs to purchase or build a new home from $20,000 to $25,000. We will also establish a first-time home buyers tax credit, saving Canadians up to $750 in closing costs in buying a new home.

To stimulate spending and to help Canadians invest in the long-term value of their homes, we will provide a temporary home renovation tax credit. Effective tomorrow and extending until January 31, 2010, this measure will provide tax relief for home renovation costs, saving Canadian families up to $1,350 on their 2009 taxes. The home renovation tax credit is available for renovations to the house or the cottage, for everything from a new furnace to energy efficient windows to a new deck. It may be claimed in addition to support from the existing eco-energy retrofit program and the medical expense tax credit.

These measures to support home construction and renovation will help stimulate our construction and building supplies industries. This in turn will support forestry and other Canadian industries.

The tax relief provided in Canada's economic action plan will encourage long-term economic growth. It will help working families to manage the effects of the recession. It will give an immediate boost to our economy and help to create jobs.

The global recession has begun to make things difficult for many Canadian workers and their families. Some have lost their jobs. More, we fear, will lose their jobs. In Canada's economic action plan we are taking action to help.

Many Canadians who find themselves out of work will look to employment insurance to help make ends meet. They will need greater support in this time of recession.

During the next two years, we will extend maximum EI benefits by five weeks, bringing the total to a maximum of 50 weeks.

This will give EI recipients more time to get the extra training they need and to find the right job.

We will extend work-sharing arrangements by an additional 14 weeks, to help employers avoid layoffs and to keep Canadians working.

We will provide better protection for workers whose employers go bankrupt, we will provide special assistance to long-tenured workers in transition and we will establish an expert panel to advise on the best way to provide maternal and paternal EI benefits to self-employed Canadians. This will be of special benefit to many Canadian women and families with young children.

Beyond this, we need to help Canadians who are out of work to find new, good jobs. For that, we need to increase our investment in skills development. In Canada's economic action plan we will provide new opportunities for short and long-term skills upgrading. This will include targeted programs for apprentices and older workers, additional support for skills development and training for aboriginal Canadians and new investments to create job opportunities for aboriginal Canadians. We will also provide support for workers who do not qualify for EI benefits. In the coming weeks we will announce a major, new youth summer job initiative.

I would now like to say a few words about protecting jobs and supporting businesses. The global recession has affected not only families, but also Canadian businesses. Many Canadian businesses are in a relatively strong position, compared to their foreign competitors. As a result of our government’s actions, by 2010 Canada will have the lowest overall tax rate on new business investment in the G7. But Canadians have agreed that we need to do more. We need to do more to encourage long-term growth. We need to help sustain Canadian jobs and to help all Canadian businesses to weather the current storm.

Sectors of our economy are facing special difficulties. These are industries upon which hundreds of thousands of Canadian families depend for their livelihood, upon which many communities and regions depend for their vitality. To help meet this challenge in Canada's economic action plan, we are creating a two year $1 billion community adjustment fund. The fund will support economic diversification in communities affected by distress or decline in their local industries. This will help communities across Canada facing unique challenges, from the mountain pine beetle infestation to the declining global demand for seafood.

Our government is taking action also to help sustain key sectors of the Canadian economy.

In Canada's economic action plan we will provide additional support for our forestry industry. Over the next two years, we will support the industry in developing new products and processes and in seizing new opportunities in the international marketplace.

We will invest new funds over the next five years to help Canadian farmers to innovate, to increase competitiveness and to achieve greater environmental sustainability.

We will support Canada's shipyards through the procurement of 98 new Coast Guard vessels and repairs to 40 aging vessels.

We will extend the mineral exploration tax credit by one year to help mining companies raise capital for exploration.

We will provide new support for the promotion of Canadian heritage and culture through events and exhibitions, national parks and heritage sites, broadcasting and community newspapers, the arts, tourism and sport.

To help all Canadian industries to reduce their impact on the environment, we will establish a new clean energy fund. We expect this funding will generate more than $2.5 billion in investments such as carbon capture and storage over the next five years.

Let me now say a few words about regional economic development.

Our government will also continue to foster economic development in the regions of Canada's most vulnerable in any downturn.

We will increase funding available to the regional development bodies for Atlantic Canada, Quebec and western Canada. For the first time, we will provide support for regional economic development across the province of Ontario.

While continuing our support for northern and eastern Ontario, we will provide $1 billion over the next five years to establish a new southern Ontario development agency.

We will invest $50 million over the next five years to establish a new regional economic development agency for Canada's north.

Let me now turn to tax relief for businesses.

To continue growing and creating jobs, Canadian businesses need to be free to invest. In our last two budgets our government temporarily accelerated the accelerated capital cost allowance treatment of investments in machinery and equipment. This has allowed manufacturers to restructure and retool their operations to remain competitive in the global economy.

In Canada's economic action plan we will extend the 50% accelerated CCA rate by two years. That is not all. We will also provide a temporary 100% CCA depreciation rate for eligible computer hardware and software acquired over the next two years.

Our government has already provided permanent tax relief to Canadian small businesses. We increased the amount of income eligible for the small-business tax rate, from $300,000 to $400,000.

In Canada’s economic action plan, we will increase that amount again, from $400,000 to $500,000. The result of all these measures will be greater freedom for Canadian businesses to create jobs and growth in communities across the country.

They will be better able to sustain jobs during the global recession, and to expand opportunities for Canadians in the years to come.

Allow me now to speak about action to ensure access to financing for businesses and stability in our financial system. The global financial crisis requires that we take further action to support Canadian families and businesses. The crisis in the United States financial system has sent shock waves around the world.

Canadian financial institutions have been less willing to lend. Families with a good credit history find it difficult to get a lease for a new car. Well run businesses find it harder to finance the purchase of new machinery. This shortage of financing can make a difficult economic situation much worse.

Our government took action to increase access to financing when the global crisis emerged in the fall. Because the situation has continued to deteriorate, our government is taking additional action.

In Canada's economic action plan we will build on our previous measures to increase access to financing. We will make available to Canadian businesses up to $200 billion in liquidity and financing to keep our economy moving. This new extraordinary financing framework will have several components. We will extend the insured mortgage purchase program through the first half of the next fiscal year to encourage private sector financial institutions to increase lending. We will also establish a new Canadian secured credit facility to help consumers and businesses in financing the purchase of vehicles and equipment.

In November, our government committed additional capital to our financial crown corporations: Export Development Canada and the Business Development Bank of Canada. EDC and BDC are key sources of financing for the small and medium size businesses which create so many of Canada's new jobs. They can now leverage this additional capital into billions of dollars of new lending ability.

In Canada's economic action plan our government will build on this success through the business credit availability program. This new program will give EDC and BDC greater lending powers. It will also encourage partnerships between the public and private sector financial institutions to ensure that credit-worthy borrowers can get access to financing.

We also will provide additional support for Canadian small businesses by expanding the Canada small business financing program and we will give greater flexibility to the Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation to enhance its role in safeguarding the stability of Canada's financial system.

Taken together, those measures will help restore confidence and encourage lending and that will encourage Canadian businesses to keep investing, growing and creating jobs.

I would like to say a few words about enabling quick protective action. Such action will help restore confidence. Even so, recent history tells us we must take nothing for granted.

Canadians need to be confident that their government has the ability to respond to unforeseen crises.

For that reason, our government proposes to give the Minister of Finance the authority required to act quickly to protect the country’s financial system, should it ever come under significant additional pressure. This will include the authority to provide loans and lines of credit, and the provision and payment of guarantees. And it will enable the government to inject capital directly into federal financial institutions, should such a measure ever be necessary.

We do not foresee the need to use this authority. But we have a duty to be prepared, should the unforeseen suddenly emerge.

For all its strengths, Canada's financial system does have one glaring weakness. Our patchwork system of 13 securities regulators spread across the provinces and territories causes uncertainty for investors and unnecessary red tape. In Canada's economic action plan, our government is providing a solution.

Following the recommendations of the expert panel, chaired by the hon. Tom Hockin, we will establish an office to manage the transition to a Canadian securities regulator.

Later this year, we will table a federal securities act for Canada and the transition office will deliver an administrative plan within 12 months.

We will respect constitutional jurisdiction and participation in the Canadian securities regulator will be voluntary. For those provinces, territories and companies that choose to participate, it will sharpen our competitive edge. It will put Canadians in a better position to seize new opportunities as the global economy begins to recover.

With respect to infrastructure, in Canada's economic action plan our government is taking immediate action to improve our roads, bridges, harbours, public transit, railways, border crossings, schools, universities, social housing, waste water treatment plants, recreation centres and broadband Internet access. These and other infrastructure form the backbone of our future prosperity.

Since Sir John A. Macdonald laid a railway across this continent, infrastructure has been both an immediate response to an urgent need and a hopeful act of nation-building. When chosen carefully, infrastructure projects can provide a much needed short-term stimulus to our economy.

Most important, infrastructure creates new, good jobs in construction, engineering, science and technology, and manufacturing. This in turn creates new opportunities in other industries.

In Canada's economic action plan we are launching one of the largest infrastructure building projects in our country's history. Over the next two years we will provide $4 billion in new funding for local and regional projects. We will provide $2 billion over the next two years for deferred maintenance at Canadian universities and advanced skill training facilities at community colleges. We will provide $1 billion for a green infrastructure fund to support projects such as sustainable energy.

Our government has already committed $33 billion for longer term projects under the building Canada plan. These new investments we are announcing today will be focused on projects ready to start construction. Most of this new funding will be available only for the next two years when our need for economic stimulus is greatest.

To make the money flow, we will need the continued cooperation of the provinces and municipalities. To break ground on these projects more quickly, we must take action now to reduce red tape and needless duplication.

Here are some examples of projects from coast to coast to coast.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, we will proceed with improvements to the Tshiuetin railway, which provides a rail link for communities lacking year-round road access.

In Nova Scotia, we will renew bridges on the national highway system.

In Prince Edward Island, we will invest in the Summerside wind energy project.

In New Brunswick, we will complete the Fundy Trail Parkway.

In Quebec, we will upgrade roads in the Quebec City metropolitan area, and upgrade water and sewer systems across the province.

In Montreal, the Champlain Bridge, Canada’s busiest, will be rehabilitated. Quebec City will see progress on plans for the future of its majestic armoury, the Manège Militaire.

In Ontario we will help twin key sections of the Trans-Canada Highway along northern Highways 11 and 17. Also, bridges at the crucial border crossings at Sarnia and Fort Erie will be rehabilitated, as will bridges in Burlington and Kingston, and bridges connecting Ontario and Quebec in the national capital region. Railway stations in Hamilton, Windsor and Belleville will be improved. The crucial commuter hub for the greater Toronto area, Toronto's landmark Union Station, will at last be revitalized.

In Ontario and Quebec we will take a big step forward in improving travel along the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal corridor. We will add a third railway track at key locations between Montreal and Toronto, which will allow more express trains and make the express trip shorter by 30 minutes.

In Manitoba work on Winnipeg's CentrePort project will accelerate, and the province's Keewatin Railway Company will receive new investments.

In Saskatchewan we will help build the Highway 39 truck bypass in Estevan.

In Alberta work will proceed on the TELUS science centre in Calgary, and we will help twin the Trans-Canada Highway through Banff National Park.

In British Columbia funds will flow for the Evergreen transit line and for a more modern railway station in Vancouver, key projects as the city prepares to host the Olympic Winter Games.

In Yukon investments will be made in water treatment projects.

In the Northwest Territories we will help build the city of Yellowknife bypass road.

In Nunavut we will speed up construction of the small-craft harbour at Pangnirtung.

We will upgrade key Arctic research facilities, and we will conduct a feasibility study for the proposed high Arctic research station.

Canada’s economic action plan will support additional infrastructure projects that transcend provincial boundaries. These are, quite literally, nation-building projects.

Over the next two years, we will make major, new investments in aboriginal communities, to build and renovate schools and health services facilities, to improve wastewater treatment, and to provide safe drinking water.

We will provide funding for urgently needed repairs at Canada’s universities and colleges. We will give priority to projects that will advance our universities’ work in research and development, and our colleges’ role in advanced skills training.

We will modernize Canada’s federal laboratories and scientific facilities. We will start work on extending broadband Internet access to every community in Canada.

We have a special initiative for our communities and hockey fans. We will launch a national project to renew thousands of community recreational centres across the country. Recreational Infrastructure Canada, which has the lovely acronym RInC, will provide $500 million over the next two years to build and renovate hockey arenas, swimming pools and other recreational facilities. RInC funding will help leverage non-profit and community fundraising efforts. It will encourage all Canadians to get involved in renewing Canada's infrastructure right in their own neighbourhoods.

In Canada's economic action plan we are also investing in social housing facilities, another key part of our country's infrastructure. Many of our social housing units need general renovations, energy efficiency upgrades and improved accessibility features. Our government will invest $2 billion in new funding over the next two years to meet these needs.

We have designed this measure to ensure quick implementation through co-operation with the provinces. It will include new funding over the next two years to build homes for low income seniors and Canadians with disabilities and to build and renovate housing in aboriginal communities and in Canada's north. As well, over the next two years we will make available another $2 billion in lost cost loans to municipalities to invest in sewers, water lines and other housing related renewal projects.

The result of all of these investments will be a better quality of life for Canadians in need and safer, healthier and more modern communities. Like our other infrastructure investments, our investments in social housing will help stimulate our economy and create jobs across the country.

Finally, we will make ourselves accountable to Canadians in following through on these projects. Over the spring and summer of this year our government's focus will be on implementing Canada's economic action plan. The ministers responsible will provide progress reports in the fall.

Canada's economic action plan is consistent with our government's long term plan to strengthen Canada's economy, Advantage Canada, to allow Canadian businesses to succeed in the world economy. We are developing a competitive edge, a Canadian advantage in five areas: lower taxes; a smaller debt burden; better regulation and a better climate for growth; a highly educated workforce; and modern infrastructure.

We have already made great progress in implementing this long term strategy. Canada's economic action plan is consistent with it and advances it on key fronts. We are, as the experts say, building capacity. We are making the investments that are needed to ensure our long term quality of life, investments that would be required regardless of the current global crisis.

In Canada's economic action plan we are meeting the challenge of our time. We are stimulating our economy to protect Canadians during the global recession and to ensure our country's long term prosperity. We are meeting our short term needs while serving our long term goals.

Most important, Canada's economic action plan meets the needs of Canadians. It helps Canadians who are out of work, it protects Canadian jobs and businesses, it builds up our communities and it puts more money in the hands of Canadian families. Canada's economic action plan is a truly national plan, a strong consensus among Canadians on the way forward.

Our government will lead, but our country's success depends on all of us, all levels of government, business and financial leaders, community leaders and all Canadians.

We must work together in this House. The representatives of the Canadian people assembled here in Parliament must make a decision. Deciding whether and how to spend the resources of our fellow Canadians is one of our most serious responsibilities. In this extraordinary time in our history it is also one of our most urgent responsibilities.

Our government has presented Canada's economic action plan. I invite and urge the hon. members to support it for the good of the country.

[Siobhan Coady, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the minister has given us a budget. We will be reviewing it with the care and consideration that Canadians and these economic circumstances demand and deserve.

What we do know from the minister is that Canada will face a $34 billion deficit this year. This from the same Minister of Finance who told Canadians before Christmas that our country was in surplus, an astounding reversal from the minister. This from the same government that told us in September that there would not even be a recession in Canada and that falling stock prices meant good buying opportunities, not cause for concern.

We now know we were in deficit and the government delayed in developing a plan for the crisis. We know that 100,000 Canadian jobs have been lost since the government prorogued Parliament rather than act to protect Canadians.

How will the minister explain his inaction to Canadians whose jobs, pensions and savings have vanished while his government has failed to act?

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Whitby—Oshawa, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as I am sure the hon. member knows, we are living in an extraordinary time. We are presenting the budget at the first available opportunity. As members know, Parliament resumed yesterday. This is one of the earliest budgets in Canadian history.

We have also consulted widely, as I am sure the hon. member has consulted with her constituents. Assuming she has, then the hon. member will know that the provisions in the budget today are provisions which she should support on behalf of her constituents for the good of the country, and I trust she will.