Debates of Oct. 30th, 2012

The Economy

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, it will not come as any surprise to the leader of the NDP that I totally reject the premise of that question.

Let us look at the reality. We have seen economic growth month after month, we have seen more jobs, more hope and more opportunity created because of the thoughtful policies pursued by the Minister of Finance and the Minister of State (Finance), who have done an extraordinary job. We have seen, because of the fiscal discipline exercised by this government, a gradual return to balanced budgets and the creation of more jobs to help Canadians who are looking for work.

The job is not done. We remain focused on economic growth so that every single Canadian looking for work can find a job.

Employment

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the recession hit very hard, particularly among young people. Four years after the 2008 crisis, Canada's youth unemployment rate is at 15%.

The Certified General Accountants Association of Canada is reporting that even among those who find jobs, one out of four university graduates is underemployed. The CGAs explain that this systematic underemployment results in loss of revenue, health problems, and that, of course, it has a negative impact on economic growth.

Why not give young people a chance to contribute to Canada's economy through good jobs and real careers?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, this government will not be satisfied until every single Canadian who is looking for work has employment. That is why we have come forward with initiatives to support small business, we have come forward with initiatives to reduce taxes, we have come forward with initiatives on infrastructure. These initiatives, as part of our economic action plan, have helped create more than 800,000 net new jobs.

Our work is not done. We remain focused on economic action that is seeing real results. Canada's economy will grow by more than any other G7 country, and every single time we come forward with a measure to support job creation, the NDP stands in its place and votes against it. All it wants is a big $20 billion carbon tax.

Poverty

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives only wish they had an ounce of Mr. Page's credibility. The report from the PBO makes it clear that the Conservative approach to the economy will cost 125,000 jobs. That is bad enough, but adding to that is today's report from Food Banks Canada, which shows that the number of families needing help is up 31% over pre-recession levels. The picture is even worse.

Does the government have any response to hunger, other than tax cuts for its big business friends?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for the question about the economy because it gives me an opportunity to clarify the record.

Despite what the opposition would have us believe, the PBO report actually says some good things about our job market. It states: “Canada's labour market is currently significantly outperforming some countries with struggling economies (e.g., the U.S., and the Euro area) and Canada also scores above average among the G7 and OECD countries”.

Just like the minister said earlier, 820,000 net new jobs is the best job growth record in the G7. We are going to continue—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. member for Vancouver East.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. The Conservatives' budget did not help the 880,000 Canadians using food banks. That is what we voted against on this side of the House.

Conservative cuts in EI did not help anyone either. Nor did a budget bill that raids vacation pay and health insurance.

Why will the government not act to help the hundreds of thousands of Canadians living in poverty? Why are these Canadians being left behind by the government?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development]

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we are doing. We are acting to help those who are struggling, because our heart goes out to them. The difference between us and the NDP is we are acting.

In fact, let us take a look at the record. We brought in the working income tax benefit and increased it. That helps over one million people get over the welfare wall. We brought in the largest increase in the guaranteed income supplement for our poorest of seniors, the largest increase in a generation. We have also put in programs to help disadvantaged youth get ready for a job, get the job, to help them get over that welfare wall.

Once in a while, it would be nice if the NDP supported us in those efforts.

Canada Revenue Agency

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal 2005 budget increased CRA's funding by $30 million to crack down on international tax havens. A recent ATIP of CRA records shows us that this $30 million investment allowed the government to collect an additional $2.5 billion that would have been lost to international tax havens.

Therefore, why are the Conservatives cutting the budget of CRA? Why are the Conservatives being hard on CRA and soft on tax evasion?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, different from the Liberal Party, when we are government, the federal government presents one budget a year, not as many as three budgets that were presented when the Liberals were in power.

The reality is we have taken a thoughtful approach to balance—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please.

The hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs has the floor.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we have taken the thoughtful approach to find efficiencies within government spending so we can return to balanced budgets--

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs has the floor.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we have taken a thoughtful approach to find efficiencies to balance the budget.

What we will not do is return to the days when the Liberals were in power, when they gutted health care and gutted funding for our provinces and municipalities.

I can remember the leader of the Liberal Party criticizing the Liberal Party when he was premier of Ontario. We will not go back to those dark days when the Liberals cut health care.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians remember the fact that those were balanced Liberal budgets.

When the Liberals increased the Canada Revenue Agency's funding by $30 million, this allowed the government to collect an additional $2.5 billion.

With this kind of return on investment, why are the Conservatives making cuts to the agency?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals come into the House day after day, asking for more government spending, more taxes and more debt. This government is taking a thoughtful approach to find efficiencies within government and to return Canada to a surplus. We have one of the best--

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs has the floor. It is eating up a lot of time that I have to keep giving him the floor back because of the interruptions. I hope we do not have to find that time somewhere else.

The hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this government has one of the best fiscal records in the developed world because of the strong leadership and the fiscal discipline. More jobs are being created, more hope, more opportunity. We are on the right track and we are going to continue to stay focused on job creation.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it would be great if the government would start focusing on tax collection from those who are putting their money into offshore tax havens.

The reality is Australia is doing a better job than the Conservative government in terms of cracking down on tax evasion. It created Project Wickenby to fight the illegal use of tax havens. It has collected hundreds of millions of dollars of lost revenues as a result. It has charged 67 people and convicted 26.

Why will the government not follow the Australian government's lead and actually crack down on tax evaders who use these tax havens?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, this government and the Minister of National Revenue have done an extraordinarily good job in ensuring that every Canadian pays his or her fair share, and that is tremendously important. Good, honest, hard-working taxpayers pay their fair share and they expect all Canadians to do so. That is exactly what the very talented and capable Minister of National Revenue and her team are doing for this great country.

The Environment

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, members opposite must be getting dizzy from all the spin around their talking points on the Navigable Waters Protection Act.

First, they claimed that the changes had nothing to do with environment. They were just reducing red tape for cottagers. However, even Conservatives knew that this law actually did have a role in environmental protection, although they did try to deny it by rewriting websites and history.

Yesterday, the Minister of Finance changed his tune again and said that these changes were actually about austerity.

What is the real answer here? Why is the government gutting environmental protection from this bill?

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, for years, provinces and municipalities have asked us to cut the red tape associated with the Navigable Waters Protection Act. The act has created a bureaucratic black hole, holding up simple projects that do not impede navigation.

Under our plan, only projects likely to offset navigation require approval to changes about navigation.