Debates of Sept. 20th, 2011

Marthe Asselin-Vaillancourt

[Claude Patry, NDP, Jonquière—Alma, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to pay tribute today to Marthe Asselin-Vaillancourt, a pioneer in social involvement in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean.

Ms. Asselin-Vaillancourt's career has been exceptional in many ways. Since 1976, she has been dedicated to the issue of women who are victims of violence. She has been director of a Crime Victims Assistance Centre, co-chair of the Canadian Panel on Violence Against Women, and regional and provincial vice-president of the Association québécoise de la défense des droits des retraités in Jonquière.

I would also like to point out that as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean, she was recognized for being the woman who has made the greatest and most consistent contribution over the past 25 years.

Mr. Speaker, as you probably know, her most recent distinction was receiving the Order of Canada.

She is a great woman whose commitment to her community has been a source of inspiration for over 50 years and will continue to be for future generations. Today, I would like to express my admiration for Ms. Asselin-Vaillancourt. Her contribution to our community is invaluable.

On behalf of the people of Jonquière—Alma, I congratulate Ms. Asselin-Vaillancourt on receiving the Order of Canada and offer my sincere thanks for all of the work that she has done—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. member for Prince Albert.

The Economy

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government is squarely focused on what matters most to Canadians, jobs and economic growth.

Canada's economy has created nearly 60,000 net new jobs since July 2009, the strongest job growth on record in the G7. We are working hard to implement the next phase of Canada's economic action plan and its job-creating measures, like the hiring credit for small businesses.

The global economic recovery, especially in the U.S. and Europe, does remain fragile. The last thing Canada's economy needs now are the massive NDP and Liberal job-killing tax hikes that would kill jobs and set Canadian families back.

Staying the course with our prudent low-tax plan will support Canada in completing the economic recovery and help create jobs for Canadians.

Prostate Cancer

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this week is Prostate Cancer Awareness Week, and I would like to take the time to mention the 25,000 men who will be diagnosed in 2011 as well as the 4,000 of them that we could lose to this disease.

I think about the families and friends of those who will have to face this immense challenge. In particular I am thinking about our political family, which suffered such a huge loss this summer.

However, I cannot help but think about the Canadian men and women who participate in initiatives such as Movember and other fundraisers, because, despite all of the great accomplishments, we must still work to raise awareness amongst men 50 and older. We encourage them to talk to their health care professionals to learn more about the disease.

We demonstrated it just this morning in Parliament, where I had a screening test. With research, awareness and the generosity of Canadians, we will one day beat this disease and improve the lives of our families.

International Co-operation

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the year since the Prime Minister launched the Muskoka initiative at the G8, Canada has worked toward real results, saving the lives of mothers and children around the world.

The lives of countless women and their newborns depend on simple solutions: strengthening health systems, training midwives, fighting childhood diseases and improving nutrition.

Canada is a leader on the humanitarian stage and keeps its commitments when it makes a pledge. We recognize that we must entrench accountability in everything we do and deliver on our promises.

The World Health Organization and the World Bank estimate that by 2015 the G8 Muskoka initiative will prevent the deaths of 1.3 million children under the age of 5, and prevent the deaths of 64,000 mothers.

I stand to applaud the Prime Minister and the Minister of International Cooperation for leading the world and saving the lives of the most vulnerable mothers and newborn children.

Prostate Cancer

[Bruce Hyer, NDP, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, prostate cancer will afflict one in seven men in this House of Commons and across Canada. This disease is the most common cancer among Canadian men. As many as 25,000 Canadians are diagnosed with it every single year. Last year, our friend and colleague, Jack Layton, was one of them and faced the disease with courage and determination.

As a cancer survivor myself, I joined Jack in encouraging Canadian men over 40 to get checked, because the earlier it is detected the better chance they have of beating it.

September is prostate cancer month. This year the Prostate Cancer Canada Network wants us men to know that it is our time as men to take charge of our own health. I ask all members of this House and all men in Canada to join in the fight against prostate cancer.

The Economy

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the New Democratic Party apparently has a miracle solution to get the economy back on track: tax increases and irresponsible spending. She is wrong. Canada's economy does not need job-killing tax hikes, nor does it need spending that would slow the economic recovery and mean a step backwards for Canadian families.

The global economic recovery remains fragile. We must not underestimate the impact of problems beyond our borders on the Canadian economy.

The NDP is acting irresponsibly by claiming that tax increases are the answer. On the contrary, they would jeopardize our recovery.

This is just one more troubling example of how ill-equipped the NDP is to govern Canada. Our government will stay on course with our prudent plan to keep taxes low, thereby bolstering our economic recovery.

Our Conservative government remains firmly focused on what matters to Canadians: jobs and economic growth.

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservative government, President Obama gets it. He knows that his government has to invest in the economy because the private sector is not doing so. The same is true here in Canada. The Conservatives are making bad choices. The tax cuts for big corporations and big banks have not created jobs.

Why is the government refusing to face facts and accept that it is up to the government to stimulate the economy and create jobs?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture)]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians gave us a strong mandate and we are focused on economic growth and job creation. Again today, the IMF has predicted that Canada will lead the G7 economies. This shows that our plan is the right plan. We will keep taxes low. I want to remind hon. members that 600,000 net new jobs have been created since we came to power. We will continue to implement the budget. There will be a new small business hiring tax credit. That is what creates wealth.

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, there is more bad economic news. The Conference Board of Canada dropped Canada's rating on income equality. The middle class is falling further behind. Inequality has increased in the past 10 years. Surprise, surprise; it is the same 10 years of the big tax cuts for big corporations.

Is this not another example of the Conservatives' economic inaction plan?

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government is focused on what actually matters to Canadians: creating jobs and economic growth. Just today the IMF forecasted that Canada's overall economic growth will lead the G7 over the next two years. This is another example of our economic leadership, which includes nearly 600,000 net new jobs since the end of the recession in July 2009, which is the strongest job record in the G7.

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' economic action plan is simply not working. The unemployment rate went up last month. Canada is on the brink of another recession. The gap between the rich and the poor keeps growing. Yesterday the Prime Minister showed that he not only does not understand the principle of social justice, but he refuses to see the economic dangers on the horizon, as they were in 2008.

When will he open his eyes and take action?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture)]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our economic action plan is working very well. Again, some 600,000 net new jobs have been created since the end of the recession. If that is a failure, then it is hard to say what plan would work better. The worst part is that the NDP voted against the plan.

We will stay the course. The state of our country's public finances is the most enviable of the G7 countries. This shows that our plan of keeping taxes low and emphasizing economic growth and job creation is a winning formula.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, inequality is not only a moral outrage in any democracy, but it also makes for a bad economic foundation. Inequality means lower family incomes, young people and workers not being given the opportunity to pursue their studies, consumers spending less, and fewer good jobs being created.

Why does this government refuse to take economic inequality seriously? Why does it refuse to act?

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the most important equality plan for Canadians is a job. We have created more than 600,000 net new jobs in Canada since the end of the recession. Canadians gave us a strong mandate in the general election to protect and complete Canada's economic recovery.

The way to go is not what the member opposite suggests. It is not to run up more deficits and more debt. We see clearly around the world what that brings down on countries that follow that course, including the course recommended by the official opposition of a $10 billion tax hike in Canada.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, clearly Conservatives are out of touch. Canadian households have never been so deeply in debt, never. Scotiabank says Canada will likely be the first country to go back into a recession. Now the International Monetary Fund projects Canada's unemployment rate will keep rising and is downgrading Canada's economic prospects.

When will the Minister of Finance finally wake up to our economic reality, or is he happy just to watch from the sidelines as Canadians face another economic downturn?

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, there the member goes again, badmouthing our country and trying to reduce confidence in our economy. In fact, Canadian consumers have confidence in our economy and that is why we have economic growth.

If the member opposite bothered to read the report the IMF issued today, she would see that according to the IMF we are going to have the best economic growth in the G7 over the course of the next two years. That is because we have sound fiscal and economic fundamentals, but she would have us move away from that.

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the warm applause from the Conservative Party.

The Minister of Finance has to face the harsh fact that the IMF report today, which he has quoted very selectively from, states very clearly that the IMF is changing its growth projections for Canada. He has to recognize very clearly that the IMF said something else quite significant at the end of its report and he said that it is precisely because Canada has the fiscal room to move that it is important for Canada to look hard at the need for flexibility in the face of changed circumstances. This is where we part company with the government. Will the minister not admit that the world is--

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I will have to stop the hon. member there.

The hon. Minister of Finance.

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the IMF report set out the anticipated rates of growth in Canada at 2.1% in 2011 and 1.9% in 2012, which would be the best in the G7 over the course of the next two years. The IMF “Fiscal Monitor” also noted that Canada will continue to have by far the lowest total government net debt to GDP ratio in the entire G7: 33.3% in 2016 compared to--and I know the member opposite loves debt--the G7 average of 92.9%.

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I did not hear the love in the minister's answer.

What I would like to say to the minister is very simple: circumstances have changed. The circumstances relevant to the minister's budget are no longer relevant today. That is the problem. That is the challenge facing Canada. Yes, we have some flexibility. We do have some leeway, but will the minister take advantage of that leeway? That is the important question we are asking him.

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we have indicated that if we are faced with a large external shock to our economy from Europe or elsewhere, we would, of course, be pragmatic and flexible. We have said that before, and I say it again here today. We would act as we have acted before.

What we would not do is run the Government of Canada like the member opposite ran the Government of Ontario between 1990 and 1995. He ran the Province of Ontario into massive debt and deficit from which that province is still trying to recover.

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I did not hear the love in that response, but let us just look at the facts of what the government is doing.

It says that it is focusing on the economy and jobs. We have just been faced with two pieces of legislation that have already dramatically increased the size of the debt and deficit in Canada, and according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, they are going to increase Canada's debt by $15 billion over the next five years. That is the agenda is being foisted upon the country by a government that claims to be worried about the economy.

The government has to show some flexibility and leadership in the face of these changed circumstances.

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we are on track to balance the budget. We ran substantial deficits in 2009 and 2010. We have reduced that deficit by about half and we will continue to do that.

This is in stark contrast to what the hon. member opposite did in the Province of Ontario over five years. Year after year he was in denial and continued raising the deficit, accumulating a massive public debt in the Province of Ontario.

We are not going to go that route. We are going to stay the course and go back to a balanced budget.

G8 Summit

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to reassure the President of the Treasury Board. I am not going to ask him a question about the G8 Summit today. I hope that this will motivate him to stand and speak.

A total of $20 million was granted to a private company to study the cuts to public services. That is $90,000 a day being wasted! The President of the Treasury Board is throwing taxpayers' money out the window while cutting jobs.

Why is the government paying contractors top dollar to do its dirty work?