Debates of April 19th, 2013

Taxation

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, it is a naked money grab, and it is incoherent. Hockey pads might cost less, maybe, but the most vital hockey equipment, hockey helmets, will cost more, and so will half of a jockstrap. The Conservatives cannot blame the Chinese or India. They did not impose the tax, nor will they pay the tax. This is self-inflicted Conservative stupidity, and will they--

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. government House leader.

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, again, when the Liberals had a chance to vote to reduce the GST for Canadians, they voted against it. They voted against cuts for children's arts programs. They voted against cuts for Canadian children's fitness programs. They voted for taxes on Canadian children's textbooks. They voted for tax cuts for Canadian volunteer firefighters. They voted against all those tax cuts for Canadians, but now they are at the table demanding there is one place where we should be giving a tax break. Where is that one place they want to see a tax break happen, after opposing all those tax breaks for Canadians? They want a tax break for Chinese companies.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we voted against lousy budgets. Canadians are paying the tax, not the Chinese.

Once again, we see how much this Conservative government lacks substance. It announced reduced tariffs on hockey equipment in order to score points with those who play our national sport, but because of its lack of substance, it has scored on its own net instead. While on the offensive, it forgot about hockey helmets, taxes on which will go up by 70%.

Will the Conservatives revise their game plan and ensure that our young people will be protected while playing their sport?

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

Mr. Speaker, perhaps my colleague did not hear me the first time, so I will repeat myself in French to be perfectly clear. Hockey helmets will be covered under the tariff relief in the budget.

Once again, our government has brought in tax relief for Canadians, like cutting the GST.

Why are the Liberals fighting to obtain special tax breaks for Chinese companies? It makes no sense. On this side of the House, we are fighting for Canadian companies and Canadian families.

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the number of products whose prices are going to increase because of new taxes introduced by the Conservatives in budget 2013 is staggering.

Over 1,200 everyday products will be more expensive. This money will go directly from taxpayers' pockets into the coffers of the Conservative government, which will use it to pay for ads to say that everything is fine.

Will the Conservatives put an end to this offensive charade and admit what everyone already knows—that tariff increases are the same as a hike on import taxes? When will they finally tell Canadians the truth?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, for the past seven years, this government has been trying to lower taxes for Canadians. This is important, because companies need our consumers to have the advantage.

What does the NDP want to do? It wants to give the advantage to Chinese companies. It makes no sense. Here on this side of the House, we will continue to fight for Canadian companies and Canadian families.

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it does not appear as though the offensive charade I spoke about is going to end any time soon.

The Minister of Finance even felt the need to explain himself in an op-ed piece that appeared in this morning's Globe and Mail. In the piece, he denied the existence of a new tax on iPods. This flies in the face of everything that economists' investigations have shown to date. It has gotten to the point where the Reform Party is turning over in its grave. Now even that will be more expensive because of the new tax on coffins.

Why do the Conservatives want to impose a tax on death?

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

Once again, Mr. Speaker, what the member has said is absolutely false. iPods have been coming into Canada tariff-free for many years, and this government intends to ensure that they continue to come into Canada tariff-free in the years to come.

We are not going to do as the NDP is doing. We are not going to support providing special breaks to Chinese companies, Indian companies or Brazilian companies that have booming economies. We are going to help Canadian companies. We are going to help Canadian families. It is the right thing to do.

[Annick Papillon, NDP, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are not only imposing new taxes, but they are also denying that there are any. That is pretty sad. The perfect example of the Conservatives' two-faced attitude is the tax on MP3 players. The Conservative ministers strutted about accusing the opposition of wanting to impose a tax on iPods. They were trying to outdo each other with their ranting and raving. Yet what do they do as soon as they have the chance? They impose a tariff on iPods.

Do the Conservatives realize how hypocritical they are being by imposing this new tax?

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

Mr. Speaker, once again, the members opposite are not listening. Here are the facts. iPods have been coming into Canada tariff-free for many years, and this government intends to ensure that they continue to do so.

Speaking of a two-faced attitude, the NDP is talking out of both sides of its mouth. Our government has lowered Canadians' taxes a number of times. The NDP voted against the family caregiver tax credit and the children's fitness tax credit. What is more, it voted against the tax-free savings account.

[Andrew Cash, NDP, Davenport, ON]

It is an iPod tax, Mr. Speaker, and that is a fact.

In a city with a crisis in affordable housing, the Conservatives are making it harder for the people in Toronto to afford their mortgage or their rent. They have raised the price of paint, varnish, bathtubs and sinks. One cannot even make soup without paying the Conservatives more because they have even raised the price of wooden spoons.

Why are the Conservatives making life more expensive for already squeezed urban Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have to admit that when I listen to that kind of nonsense I think Canadians at home are laughing.

The truth of the matter is that the NDP is the party that suggested a $21 billion carbon tax. That party also suggested a $34 billion increase on our corporations, our employers, and a $10 billion increase to the GST. Let us not forget the 45 day work year, which would be another $4 billion.

We will not do as that party is doing. We will protect Canadians.

Ethics

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, two months ago, Mike Duffy, the Prime Minister's hand-picked senator from Kanata, promised Canadians that he would pay back the money and put an end to his rent-and-address housing scheme, but he has broken that promise. He seems to be taking on the “catch me if you can” attitude of his fellow senators, who continually treat the taxpayers as chumps.

The Prime Minister personally appointed Mike Duffy, just like he appointed Patrick Brazeau. What steps is he going to take to get the taxpayers' money back from Mike Duffy?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the hon. member is referring to in terms of Senator Duffy. I do not believe he made those comments. We will wait for the findings of the report, of course, but our government has been clear. We have committed to ensuring that all expenses are appropriate at the Senate, that the rules governing expenses are appropriate and that the Senate does follow through on that.

We will wait for that report. However, when it comes to people not keeping their word, I think the reason the member knows so much about it is because he is the champion of that. When we look at that member's record, he campaigned to abolish the gun registry and then stood in this House and voted to maintain it. That tells us everything we need to know about his commitment to keeping promises.

Canada Revenue Agency

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Please, put the popgun down.

Mr. Speaker, let us get back to the facts, which are that the Conservatives are defending the entitlements of their buddies in the Senate while we are standing up for the taxpayer.

Speaking of which, we now understand that the Conservatives' favourite voter contact firm, RMG, owes about $1 million in back taxes. This is the firm that handles the Conservatives' database. They are almost a virtual appendage of the Conservative Party of Canada.

We heard the Minister of National Revenue talk about going after taxpayer deadbeats. What steps are the Conservatives going to take to make sure they pay up the money, or are they going to protect them because they know all of the secrets of the Conservative Party? Bang, bang.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, the minister has no responsibility whatsoever in the administration of individual tax cases. Non-partisan public servants of the Canada Revenue Agency are responsible both for the administration and enforcement of the tax legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, members opposite seem to be quite touchy when it comes to their fundraisers.

We know that RMG is buddy-buddy with the Conservative Party. This is the firm that calls to collect donations for the Conservatives' latest hare-brained ideas. RMG also manages the party's database, which was used to make fraudulent calls. But its close ties to the Conservative Party should not come into play. RMG owes nearly $1 million in taxes to the Canadian people.

Can the Minister of National Revenue assure us that RMG will not get a free pass from the Conservative government?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the rules will be applied fairly and equally to all Canadian companies. The government does not oversee that.

Yesterday the NDP tried to accuse others of selling out to communists, which is interesting because that member made comments about the First World War in which he suggested that if there had just been more 20th century European communists we would not have had a First World War at all. The comments have been interpreted as insulting to our veterans and to the millions of victims of communism. I invite him now to stand in his place and apologize.

Ethics

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

Mr. Speaker, my grandfather served in the Canadian Armed Forces during World War II. He was a proud soldier, and I am proud of him. When they take a shot at me like that, they are dishonouring the memory of my grandfather and all veterans.

Speaking of people who get a free pass, Mike Duffy has still not paid taxpayers back for the allowances that he should not have received in the first place. It has been weeks since the senator promised to pay the money back.

Canadians are paying for him to live in luxury, simply because the Prime Minister appointed him as a senator.

Will the Conservatives stop protecting their friend Mike Duffy and make him understand that he has to pay Canadians back, not in two years, not in two months, not in two weeks, but now?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think the member does himself any favours by screaming, hollering and tearing his shirt off on the floor of the House of Commons. He made comments about communism and about our veterans that have angered veterans across the country, and wounded them. I have given him the occasion to stand, do the honourable thing and apologize. Instead, he lost his temper. I invite him, once again, to stand and apologize and do the honourable thing for our veterans.

Democratic Reform

[Alexandrine Latendresse, NDP, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives really have nothing to teach us about veterans. In fact, they are the ones closing Veterans Affairs Canada offices.

Last October, I even had to stand in for the Minister of Veterans Affairs, who failed to show up at a ceremony. He did not even have the decency to inform the department that he would not be attending.

They are making a lot of noise to hide the truth. When it comes to RMG, Mike Duffy and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Conservatives' only concern is hiding the truth and their own role in these scandals.

Last Tuesday, the Minister of State for Democratic Reform announced with much fanfare his long-awaited bill on electoral reform. Yesterday, he went back to the same old talking point: they will take the time necessary to get the legislation right.

The time for waiting is over. The changes must be in place by the next—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. Minister of State for Democratic Reform.

[Tim Uppal, Conservative, Minister of State (Democratic Reform)]

Mr. Speaker, this is another example of the NDP saying one thing and doing another.

It was the NDP that accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of illegal donations from unions.

We are making changes to Canada's election laws, and we will take the time to get it right.

Taxation

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the government is intent on taxing middle-income Canadians, but a tax on toothbrushes? Health is no luxury. The link between dental health and disease is clear.

What possessed the Conservatives to raise the tax on hockey helmets by 70%? Sports-related injuries ruin lives and cost the health care system $100 million a year.

Why will the Conservatives not cancel these punitive taxes on middle-class Canadians?