Debates of Sept. 19th, 2014

Natural Resources

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, six years ago TransCanada put its application for the Keystone XL pipeline forward to the United States. This pipeline would create tens of thousands of jobs on both sides of the border, enhance energy security and emit fewer greenhouse gas emissions than alternative transportation methods.

The Canada-U.S. energy relationship is the most important in the world, with the value of our energy exports last year being roughly $118 billion. Our government supports this pipeline because it is an important project on both sides of the border.

Canada is a reliable, environmentally-responsible friend and neighbour. Let us hope that this year we can finally celebrate the construction of Keystone XL.

Iraq

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the tragedy continues to unfold in Iraq. The Bush invasion of 2003 has left a toll of hundreds of thousands dead, millions of people displaced and infrastructure destroyed. According to an editorial in the Chicago Tribune, if Bush and the neo-conservatives had not pushed to topple Saddam, the Islamic State would not have been born.

So here we have it. Bush created this mess and the U.S. is now asking other countries for help. No Arab country has offered boots on the ground, and Turkey has refused to let coalition warplanes fly bombing missions from its territory.

As Jeffrey Simpson stated in today's Globe and Mail:

The West, once again, has stepped into these minefields without having properly identified the nature of the struggle, the ends sought by military intervention and the means necessary to bring those ends about.

Our troops should only be put into harm's way as a very last resort. The terms of the current mission are unclear. Deployment of our military to a war zone requires full debate and a vote in Parliament. Canadians deserve better.

Royal 22nd Regiment

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

Mr. Speaker, established during the early days of the First World War, the Royal 22nd Regiment fought in the battlefields of France, notably in the legendary battles of the Somme and Vimy.

During the Second World War, the Royal 22nd Regiment drove the Nazi forces out of Sicily and northwestern Europe. They captured enemy positions and paved the way for victory.

For 100 years, the Royal 22nd Regiment has struck fear in the hearts of the enemy, from Korea to Afghanistan. It has been the pride of Canada.

We congratulate the Royal 22nd Regiment as it celebrates its 100th anniversary.

Your country salutes you, is proud of you and thanks you.

Lest we forget.

Birthday Congratulations

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

Mr. Speaker, Helen Saipe was born Helen Dworkin in Ottawa, and will celebrate her 100th birthday this Sunday, September 21. Her father, Abraham Dworkin, was the founder of Ottawa's well-known Dworkin Furs, which he started at the family home.

Helen is the mother of Dorothy, Marcia, Geri and Barb. She is a grandmother to 10 grandchildren and proud great-grandmother to 19.

She became involved in charity work, supporting women and children in Israel through Hadassah-WIZO. She presided over a chapter of this organization for decades. Her management and communication skills made her a natural leader.

Helen learned how to play bridge very well, and is still playing at least three times a week in her retirement home.

Her family is proud of the strength she has shown throughout her life. I am told Helen never talks about yesterday, but always has a plan for today and tomorrow. Her longevity is a work of amazing personal fortitude, positive thinking and a daily cocktail.

My colleagues and I wish Helen a happy birthday, and also our best wishes for all her tomorrows.

Liberal Party of Canada

[Ryan Leef, Conservative, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, there are dark and dangerous corners in the world that we live in, and protecting Canadians from barbaric terrorists is a fundamental responsibility of any government.

Rather than take a stand when an important question on national security was posed to him, the leader of the Liberal Party said, “next question”. He turned his tail and ran. We already know he thinks revoking passports from Canadian terrorists is an affront to Canadian values. We know the Liberal member for Kingston and the Islands sees the light and beauty inside of ISIL terrorists. We also know the Liberal member for Westmount—Ville-Marie thinks convicted terrorists should remain Canadian.

With radical and out-of-touch positions like these on important issues of national security, it is no wonder the Liberals do not want to come clean on what their position is. On important issue after important issue, the Liberal leader is in over his head.

Resumption of Parliament

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

Mr. Speaker, as this first week back to Parliament draws to a close, we already have a strong record.

The NDP worked for Canadians with proposals on minimum wage, health, pensions and public day care. We cannot say the same about the Liberals. Let us just say that with them, it seemed more like back to school than back to Parliament.

The leader of the Liberal Party was scolded by his colleagues on abortion, an issue that his party does not agree on. Then, he refused to take a clear position on the Champlain Bridge. He was all over the place on that issue. He wants a toll and he does not want a toll. He wants more details, but we have been talking about this for three years. What is more, he tried to have us believe he was standing up for unemployed workers affected by the cuts to employment insurance, but he got his numbers mixed up. What an amateur.

I do not need to say any more to convince hon. members that this first week back was rather tough for the Liberals and their leader. We in the NDP have an experienced leader and a team that is ready to replace a tired old government.

In 2015, Canada will have its first NDP government.

Government Priorities

[Bradley Trost, Conservative, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the Liberal leader who suggested that income splitting for seniors is an ideological tax cut that he would reverse, forcing seniors and families to pay more in taxes, this Conservative government believes that seniors, and all Canadians, deserve to keep more of their hard-earned dollars. That is why it cut the GST, introduced pension income splitting, created tax-free savings accounts that are now benefiting more than 10 million Canadians by allowing them to save tax free, and removed almost 400,000 seniors from the tax rolls completely.

It will not stop there. We recently announced the small business hiring credit, which will lower EI taxes by 15% and save small businesses over $500 million.

While a Liberal government would introduce a carbon tax and run up deficit budgets, this Conservative government will continue to stand up for seniors and small business owners by building an economy that is envied by the world while keeping taxes low for all Canadians.

Industry

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we saw the Conservative ministers across the way simply wash their hands of the U.S. Steel tragedy. There is no new help for the people whose jobs are on the line. There is no new help for pension funds. And the minister from Nanticoke has been silent.

The government has failed to enforce the Investment Canada Act and failed to protect employees' pensions. Why will the Conservatives not stand up and protect these jobs and pensions?

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, our government's thoughts are with the workers and their families during this restructuring process.

While this process is ongoing, U.S. Steel has indicated that it will continue to operate, pay employees, service customers, and make pension contributions. We are monitoring the situation closely, but the member knows this is a provincially regulated industry, and so too are the pensions.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government's answers continue to be muddy, but what is clear is that this is a deliberate attempt to shut down operations and evade pension obligations.

U.S. Steel's plan could see 15,000 retirees lose up to half of their pension. What is the Conservative government going to do about it? Why is it turning its back on the people of this region?

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member was a provincial member. He knows that this is a provincially regulated industry. He knows that so too are the pensions.

On the issue of jobs, this government has created over one million net new jobs since 2009. Of those, 90% are full-time and 80% are in the private sector. We will continue with steps to improve that job creation even more, and we hope the member will support some of those steps.

Canada Revenue Agency

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in typically twisted Conservative logic, they are going hard on pensioners but easy on tax cheats.

There are new reports today that the Canada Revenue Agency has decided to eliminate 220 auditors, who are responsible for going after tax cheats. Senior auditors, who aggressively root out tax evaders, are being given the boot.

Why is the government focusing on going after the David Suzuki Foundation instead of going after tax dodgers hiding in the Cayman Islands?

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue and for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, let me clear: the CRA is not reducing the number of auditors, nor the number of tax evasion and tax avoidance experts. Between April 1, 2006, and April 1, 2014, the overall number of auditors has actually increased by 750. The hon. member is simply wrong.

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, G20 leaders are meeting in Australia to come up with a plan to fight tax evasion. Meanwhile, 220 Canada Revenue Agency auditors have received layoff notices because of the Conservative government's blind, ideological cuts. This is ridiculous. Once again, the Conservatives are making life easy for white collar criminals.

Why is the government dismantling its teams of tax evasion experts?

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue and for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, the CRA is not reducing the number of auditors, nor the number of tax evasion and tax avoidance experts.

Again, since 2006, we have substantially increased the amount of auditors at the CRA, and tax cheats are feeling the pressure like never before. In fact, since 2006, the CRA has seen a 400% increase in the use of its voluntary disclosure program, proof that there are fewer places than ever before for tax cheats to hide.

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the problem is the Conservatives' double standard. On the one hand, they are conducting a witch hunt against charitable organizations that do important work for our society, and on the other, they are dismantling teams of experts that combat international tax evasion and cutting auditors' jobs.

This is all happening at a time when every dollar counts and everyone should be doing their part to support our social programs.

Why is the Conservative government protecting white collar criminals?

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue and for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, quite frankly, that question is just nonsense. I will go back to my first answer.

First of all, let us be clear. One thing that the NDP hates are the facts, so let me be clear. The CRA is not reducing the number of auditors, nor the number of tax evasion and tax avoidance experts. As a matter of fact, our audit team has been increased by 750 individuals.

The NDP may not like numbers, but the numbers do not lie.

Taxation

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

Mr. Speaker, the small business hiring credit is flawed. According to Jack Mintz, it will discourage growth. It gives businesses $180 for every new hire and over $2,200 for every layoff.

Why does the minister not recognize the flaw in his plan and switch to the Liberal plan, a plan that works?

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are out of touch with small business. We are lowering EI payroll taxes by 15%, saving small businesses over $550 million. CFIB called the move a big deal for small business and good news for people looking for jobs.

The last thing the Liberals are qualified to talk about is EI. They used EI premiums as a political slush fund and raided the account of nearly $60 billion when they were in government.

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

Mr. Speaker, economists like Jack Mintz and Mike Moffatt are slamming the Conservatives new EI credit. Moffatt said it has “...structural flaws that...give firms an incentive to fire workers and cut salaries”.

Instead of going ahead with this flawed scheme, the government should adopt the Liberal plan to provide employers with an EI holiday on new jobs. It would fix the problem and help create new jobs.

Will the minister listen to reason and introduce an EI holiday on new jobs?

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, during their time in office, the Liberals used EI premiums paid by hard-working employees and businesses as a political slush fund. They raided and completely wiped out the EI account of nearly $60 billion. The Liberals also support a 45-day work year that would drastically increase EI premiums by 35%, at a cost of $4 billion. We will not take lessons from the Liberals.

What we will do, however, is listen to stakeholders like the CFIB, which said, “This...is fantastic news for Canada’s entrepreneurs and their employees, and as such, can only be a positive for the Canadian economy”.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian economy has stalled. Only 15,000 net new full-time jobs were created last year. Our growth has fallen behind Australia, the U.K., and the U.S. The Conservatives are hurting the economy further by cutting infrastructure and keeping EI taxes high to pad their books. Even with the small business tax credit, the Conservatives will continue to collect over $3 billion in excess EI premiums next year.

Will the Conservatives reverse their anti-growth agenda of high EI taxes and infrastructure—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, our government understands that small businesses create jobs and support families and our communities. That is why we froze EI rates for three years, saving job creators and workers $660 million in 2014 alone. We have taken further action with the new small business job credit which will lower EI payroll taxes by 15% and save small businesses over $555 million over the next two years.

Beginning in 2017, premiums will be set according to a seven-year break-even rate, ensuring that premiums are no higher than they need to be.

Health

[Dany Morin, NDP, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this week, the minister acknowledged that Health Canada was unable to prevent the importation of drugs that could pose a threat to Canadians. The minister has provided no reassurance as to Health Canada's ability to fulfill its responsibilities. They have to take people's health seriously.

Once and for all, can the minister reassure Canadians and explain to us how she will ensure that drugs on the market in Canada are safe?