House of Commons Hansard #189 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was music.
Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC
Mr. Speaker, the credibility of the Canada Revenue Agency is at stake.
The Conservatives are spending $13.4 million of taxpayers' money to target charities the Conservatives do not like at the same time as they are cutting $200 million from the overall budget of the CRA. It is very troubling.
The recommendations in this report deserve serious attention. Instead, we just hear more denials from this minister. But she is responsible for the credibility of the CRA. Will she ever take action?
Kerry-Lynne Findlay ConservativeMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, as the director general of the charities directorate has stated:
As I have made clear in the past, the process for identifying which charities will be audited (for any reason) is handled by the Directorate itself and is not subject to political direction.
The CRA audits 1% of the charitable sector every year. This means, on average, only 0.4% of all charities end up having their status revoked, for whatever reason.
The only politics in this story are the shameful political motivations of the NDP.
Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the minister's talking points, but the University of Victoria's Environmental Law Centre raised some troubling facts in its report. Some 52 organizations, mainly environmental and advocacy groups, are being monitored by the Canada Revenue Agency. It is a veritable witch hunt for purely political purposes.
Will the Conservatives get their priorities straight and deal with tax evasion instead of going after charities?
Kerry-Lynne Findlay ConservativeMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows full well that the CRA conducts audits independently and without political interference or motivation.
The rules regarding charities and political activities have been in place for a long time. Charities must obey the law. The CRA is legally responsible for ensuring that charitable cash donations made by charitable Canadians are used for charitable purposes.
Charmaine Borg NDP Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Mr. Speaker, when the Canada Revenue Agency is not wasting its time going after environmental groups, it gets mailing addresses mixed up and sends personal information to the wrong people.
In 2014, CRA employees used the wrong mailing address 3,800 times. In other words, more than 1 million Canadians' personal information has been compromised since the Conservatives came to power.
When will this government fix this problem?
Kerry-Lynne Findlay ConservativeMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, we agree with Canadians who rightfully expect that their personal information should be protected when dealing with the CRA. We expect the CRA to have a close working relationship with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and to act on all his recommendations. Ninety-five percent of the reported privacy issues are related to misdirected mail, as the CRA handles over 150 million pieces of correspondence every year.
That said, we expect the CRA to improve on how it deals with the personal information of Canadians.
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, check this out. In the last two years, the Canada Revenue Agency has had more data breaches than all other government agencies combined over the last 10 years.
Now, that minister just does not seem to understand the importance of protecting the personal financial information of Canadians.
I have a simple question. Why is the minister using the tax department as the political enforcement arm of the Conservative Party? Why is she attacking birdwatchers, environmentalists, and Oxfam, when she should be dealing with the appalling record of lost, stolen, and compromised data that is happening in her department under her incompetent nose?
Kerry-Lynne Findlay ConservativeMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, 95% of the privacy incidents reported by CRA are related to misdirected mail. That being said, more serious incidents related to lost or stolen data and unauthorized accesses are completely unacceptable. My expectation is that CRA work closely with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and implement all his recommendations to ensure confidential information remains protected.
As I said before, that party knows there is no political interference in charitable audits, as has been stated over and over again.
Chrystia Freeland Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, over the past week, both the OECD and TD have sharply cut their economic outlook for Canada. TD's new forecast for 2015 has Canada losing $22 billion from our economy compared to the bank's projections from just three months ago. TD warns unemployment will rise, wage growth will stall and household debt will mount.
When will the Minister of Finance stop playing hide and seek with the House and personally tell us what his plan is to reverse this painful economic decline?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform
Mr. Speaker, it is called the low-tax plan for jobs, and it is working. There were 1.2 million net new jobs, with 85% of them in the full-time category and two-thirds of them in high-wage sectors.
The Liberal plan is to raise taxes on those who create jobs and to raise taxes on middle-class families. That would send shockwaves throughout our economy. It would kill jobs and set families back. We will not let the Liberals do it.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I would ask members at the far end of the chamber to come to order when the minister is answering the question.
The hon. member for Bourassa.
Emmanuel Dubourg Liberal Bourassa, QC
Mr. Speaker, the mayors of Montreal and Toronto met today, and what did they talk about? They talked about infrastructure. The late Jim Flaherty himself said that it is the best way to stimulate job creation and growth.
The Conservatives have since cut 90% of these expenditures, and reports are showing that employment in Canada is precarious. This government does not have a plan, and the minister is missing in action in this matter.
When will the Conservatives commit to reversing the cuts in infrastructure?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Infrastructure
Mr. Speaker, I met with the mayors of Montreal and Toronto. What did they talk to me about? They talked about infrastructure and they congratulated us on our plan, the longest and largest infrastructure plan in Canada's history. That is why I met with them.
Adam Vaughan Liberal Trinity—Spadina, ON
Mr. Speaker, they like the plan, but they would rather have the money.
The mayors of Toronto and Montreal met today. The cities are often seen as rivals, but what has them united? Mayor Tory and Mayor Coderre. The great cities have been united because they got absolutely nothing from the federal government for the last two years from the new infrastructure build fund. However, they do have a lot of photo ops, a lot of billboards, but nothing when it comes to a cheque being cashed.
When will the Conservative government send a budget to the cities? Why will the Minister of Finance not come out from under his desk, quit hiding and deliver a budget that funds infrastructure, creates jobs and creates growth?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Infrastructure
Mr. Speaker, as we have said before, the new building Canada fund is very important. The infrastructure plan is there.
I will explain the gas tax fund. As a former city councillor, he probably already knows, but I will repeat it. Two times a year, in July and November, we transfer to the provinces and territories the money from the gas tax fund. Two billion dollars a year have been transferred to municipalities and provinces.
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Mr. Speaker, the government's utter disregard for veterans continues to take its toll. Over the past three years, the Conservatives have cut the number of case managers for veterans by 20%. Those who are left are struggling to deal with unmanageable case loads. This has a major impact on the quality of care and services that veterans receive.
Veterans and members of Parliament warned that this would be the outcome of Conservative cuts. Why did the Conservatives fail to listen? When will they make amends?
Veterans AffairsOral Questions
Erin O'Toole Minister of Veterans Affairs, CPC
Mr. Speaker, we will continue to make investments in front-line services and support our case managers for veterans. By the end of this year, due to our investments, the veterans and their families will have up to 26 operational stress injury clinics scattered throughout the country.
In the last few weeks I have also expressed our interest to bring out the retirement income security benefit. We are bringing respect and parity for our reserve forces. We are providing the family caregiver relief benefit.
We are moving to support our veterans and their families. I hope the opposition finally stops the rhetoric and gets behind it.
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not know what “respect for our veterans” means. Our soldiers who suffered traumatic injuries while protecting our country deserve to have access to the services they need.
However, the government had no qualms about reducing the number of case workers from 309 to 254. That is a 20% reduction. The people who help our soldiers are overwhelmed.
What is the government waiting for to reverse that senseless decision?
Veterans AffairsOral Questions
Erin O'Toole Minister of Veterans Affairs, CPC
Mr. Speaker, as that member would know, in the last two weeks we have actually expanded benefits and programs for our most seriously injured. We have made a major expansion for eligibility to the permanent impairment allowance for our critically injured. For their families, we are giving the family caregiver relief benefit. These are real benefits that will come to the House. I hope that member will stand in the House and vote for these outstanding benefits for veterans and their families.
Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, all the parties voted unanimously for the NDP motion that would eliminate microbeads and put an end to the pollution of our waterways.
Now, we need to follow the example of the American states and the other countries that have taken action in this regard. Promising to organize a meeting on the issue is not enough. That is not taking action.
What is the government's concrete plan to put an end to the use of microbeads and protect our environment?
Colin Carrie ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, yesterday's motion received unanimous consent.
Environment Canada is initiating a scientific review to assess the effects of microbeads on the environment. This panel of experts will document future action on microbeads. Our government has come up with an innovative chemicals management plan to prioritize microbeads for assessment, which will benefit all Canadians.
We are going to work in co-operation with the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, and we support including the issue of microbeads on the agenda for the council meeting this summer.
Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS
Mr. Speaker, we did not agree to more study; we agreed to action. The motion was clear and it called on the government to list microbeads as a toxic substance under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Instead of promising real action, all the Conservatives are saying is that they are going to try to add it to the agenda of a meeting. We did not vote on that.
Do the Conservatives plan to stand by their vote or are they just trying to weasel their way out of responsibility for protection of the environment?
Colin Carrie ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, the only weaseling is by the NDP members who will not respect science. We are taking a leadership role when it comes to protecting our environment. Environment Canada is initiating a scientific review to assess the effects of microbeads on the environment. It is this expert advice that will inform future potential actions on microbeads.
Joyce Bateman Conservative Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, now that we are balancing our budget, we are helping all families balance theirs. On that side of the House, the Liberal leader says that he will raise taxes on every family. The only ones who benefit from the NDP plan are big bureaucracies.
Could the Minister of Employment and Social Development please tell us what our government is doing to help all Canadian families?