House of Commons Hansard #202 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was tax.

Topics

EthicsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

The hon. member for Wetaskiwin.

TaxationOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Wetaskiwin, AB

Mr. Speaker, we know Canadians cannot afford the reckless plans of the NDP and the Liberals. We know the NDP and Liberals would hike taxes on middle-class families, middle-class consumers, and middle-class businesses. Whether they want to purchase a new home or car, start a new business or save for their retirement, Canadians have many reasons to save at every stage of life. Can the Minister of State for Finance tell this House what the Conservative government is doing to help Canadians save for their own priorities?

TaxationOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Crowfoot Alberta

Conservative

Kevin Sorenson ConservativeMinister of State (Finance)

Mr. Speaker, that is why our Conservative government introduced the tax-free savings account. Nearly 11 million Canadians have opened a tax-free savings account. Of those who have maximized their tax-free savings account, 60% earn under $60,000 a year. Budget 2015, provides Canadians with a greater opportunity to save on a tax-free basis. We know that the Liberals and the New Democrats would take that away and raise taxes. We will not let that happen.

HealthOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

NDP

Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC

Mr. Speaker, it has become a habit for the Conservatives. They deliberately refuse to keep their promises.

In the case of thalidomide victims, they do not have the right to create false hope. As a result of an NDP motion, the House unanimously voted to provide financial compensation. However, five months later there is nothing in the budget. Not only is Health Canada not releasing its assistance plan to the public, but it is even refusing to provide the details to thalidomide victims.

When will the minister finally treat these victims with dignity?

HealthOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Edmonton—Spruce Grove Alberta

Conservative

Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, we are working closely with TVAC, the organization. It was always our understanding after we announced the historic assistance to cover the survivors' needs that we would be working with the organization on the tax-free, ongoing yearly support. We have already, obviously, and as identified by the organization, given a cheque of $125,000 to every individual in TVAC so that they can deal with any urgent needs immediately.

HealthOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

Mr. Speaker, the government's behaviour is simply inexcusable. Five months after the House voted unanimously to provide thalidomide survivors with full support the Conservatives have offered them nothing but half measures and broken promises. Survivors need financial certainty now. They deserve to know now that their needs will be met, but the government is flatly refusing to answer their questions and there is no sign of the annual compensation the government promised.

Why are the Conservatives failing to keep their promise? Will the minister announce today that she will fully implement the program approved by all of us in the House?

HealthOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Edmonton—Spruce Grove Alberta

Conservative

Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, we announced historic assistance to cover survivors' needs and that includes up to $180 million that will be distributed throughout the survivors, until every last living survivor is taken care of. We have already given each survivor $125,000 tax-free cash. They received that payment already to get them through the next year. We also have $168 million tax-free, ongoing yearly support, and in addition, the extraordinary medical assistance fund.

Right now, Health Canada is working out the particular issues around dealing with a third party administrator and working out details of the yearly compensation.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

NDP

Fin Donnelly NDP New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC

Mr. Speaker, a lot of talk, but no action.

The Vancouver oil spill was a wake-up call, and it is not just Canadians who are ringing the alarm bell. Newly released documents show that U.S. officials are worried. A briefing note for Washington state's governor said Canada's oil spill response is probably a couple of decades behind the system in place in Washington state and that our weaker standards could cost Washington alone billions of dollars in harm.

Will the Conservatives stop making excuses and start protecting our coasts?

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Halton Ontario

Conservative

Lisa Raitt ConservativeMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, we are pursuing the most ambitious trade agenda that Canada has ever seen. However, we are also taking it very seriously that in order to deliver our goods to the world we have to make sure that we are ready for the increase in traffic. That is why we have embarked upon a world-class tanker safety system. We have made significant investments. We have worked with many partners in British Columbia to deliver on these promises.

These are actions. These are real, and that is very contrary to what the party over there does, making empty promises it can never deliver on.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Outremont Québec

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, they closed the Kitsilano Coast Guard station. What is the minister talking about when she tells us that they made investments?

They say that we have a world-class oil spill response system. They forgot to give us the year, 1970. Let us try to get something that corresponds to 2015.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Halton Ontario

Conservative

Lisa Raitt ConservativeMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the animation from the opposite side of the House. However, the reality is this. We have increased Coast Guard funding by 27%. That is one thing this government has done.

I can also indicate that we are ensuring that there is enough money to pay in a polluter pay principle to ensure that spills can be dealt with in an effective manner.

We have expanded the national aerial surveillance program by 55% to ensure that we have a watchful eye on tankers moving through Canadian waters. We are adopting area response plans. These are real things, not the fantasies of the NDP.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON

Mr. Speaker, today the Auditor General outlined the government's total failure to provide access to quality health care for first nations. According to the Auditor General, nursing stations in first nations communities are in poor repair and are chronically understaffed. The health care workers lack the very training mandated by Health Canada to work in these communities. The government has known many of these issues since 2010 and done nothing. Why?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Edmonton—Spruce Grove Alberta

Conservative

Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, I had a chance to meet with the Auditor General to assure him that we are working on every single issue that he has raised in his report. Our number one priority is to make sure that aboriginal people on first nations have access to health care providers. That is where our nurses come in. Nurses on first nations are all highly educated, qualified individuals, and a big part of the community. We are working to make sure that they are all trained with the additional credentials that they may need to work out of scope in terms of their scope of practice.

In addition, we need to encourage more people to come to work on first nations. We have our Canada student loan forgiveness and we have a new nurse recruitment strategy.

Correctional Service of CanadaOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Yvonne Jones Liberal Labrador, NL

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General today revealed that the Conservatives are releasing hundreds of inmates from prisons directly into the community, before rehabilitation and safe integration programs are even completed. The AG said that 1,500 offenders were released directly into the community from medium and maximum security prisons last year without the full benefit of a gradual re-entry program into society or proper supervision.

I ask the Conservatives: why are they gutting programs that ensure the safety of Canadian communities?

Correctional Service of CanadaOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Lévis—Bellechasse Québec

Conservative

Steven Blaney ConservativeMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Mr. Speaker, this question is coming from a party that did not want to cut the old age security for inmates.

Let me reassure the member that we agree with the Auditor General that “if you do the crime, you do the time”. I am pleased that the Auditor General found that our truth in sentencing measures have worked, because more prisoners are staying behind bars for a greater portion of their sentence, where they can have rehabilitation and where we can make sure that our communities are safer.

We will make sure that Correctional Services Canada has accepted the recommendation of the Auditor General and are working to address some issues raised by the Auditor General. However, let us be sure that we will keep our communities safer.

Canada Revenue AgencyOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

NDP

Rathika Sitsabaiesan NDP Scarborough—Rouge River, ON

Mr. Speaker, they have done it again. The minister of the Canada Revenue Agency has managed to fail at one of the most basic functions of government. This time, the CRA managed to create mass confusion about when the tax filing deadline actually is and now, for the second year in a row, has been forced to extend the filing deadline.

Will the minister explain how this latest failure occurred, and take some responsibility for the sorry state of affairs at the CRA?

Canada Revenue AgencyOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Delta—Richmond East B.C.

Conservative

Kerry-Lynne Findlay ConservativeMinister of National Revenue

Mr. Speaker, due to a CRA error, an incorrect notification was sent around to tax preparers on Friday, indicating that the CRA filing deadline is May 5.

Our government has made it clear that providing this incorrect information was unacceptable. Therefore, I have directed my officials to ensure that no Canadians are penalized for the CRA's error. Canadians who file their taxes before May 5 will not face any penalties.

Our government remains committed to ensuring a fair tax system for all Canadians.

Canada Revenue AgencyOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

NDP

Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Mr. Speaker, Canadians no longer know what to make of this agency.

The Canada Revenue Agency has dropped the ball so many times that it should be awarded the Jerry Lewis prize. First, it lost personal data and sent envelopes chock full of personal information to the wrong people. Now a press release has spawned total confusion among taxpayers by mistakenly extending the deadline for filing tax returns.

My question is simple: is anyone at the controls?

Canada Revenue AgencyOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Delta—Richmond East B.C.

Conservative

Kerry-Lynne Findlay ConservativeMinister of National Revenue

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, our priority is to ensure that Canadians are not negatively affected by the unacceptable, incorrect information sent out by the CRA. As such, I have directed my officials to ensure that Canadians will have until May 5 to file their taxes. This is what Canadians would expect.

Our government will not tolerate Canadians paying a price for a CRA mistake. That is why these actions have been taken in the interest of fairness to all taxpayers.

NepalOral Questions

3 p.m.

Conservative

Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK

Mr. Speaker, the loss of life that has occurred in Nepal and the surrounding region is devastating. This government has acted swiftly, deploying additional consular staff and pledging $5 million in humanitarian aid.

Can the Minister of National Defence update the House on further resources deployed in response to this disaster?

NepalOral Questions

3 p.m.

Calgary Southeast Alberta

Conservative

Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of National Defence and Minister for Multiculturalism

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to indicate to the House that the Canadian Armed Forces dispatched on Sunday a C-17 Globemaster with some 40 personnel and an enormous amount of equipment, including an ambulance, rescue equipment, humanitarian supplies, tents, et cetera, to Kathmandu. We hope that it will be arriving tomorrow, Canadian time.

Earlier today, we dispatched a second Royal Canadian Air Force C-17 bound for Nepal. Both of these airplanes will be available to help bring Canadians out of Nepal and back into New Delhi.

Canadians are acting, and I want to thank the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

3 p.m.

Liberal

Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC

Mr. Speaker, many Canadians are stuck in Nepal, where they are exposed to significant risks.

Denis Prud'homme, a Canadian tourist in Kathmandu, said, “The American embassy is doing an excellent job, but we haven't heard anything from our fine government...We aren't doing very well on the world stage when it comes to helping to Canadian nationals caught in disasters.”

The minister can say whatever he wants, but frankly, the government has been slow to react.

Where is the plan to bring Canadians back to Canada?

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

3 p.m.

Niagara Falls Ontario

Conservative

Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, that is completely wrong and unfair with respect to the Canadian efforts in that part of the world.

We just heard from my colleague, the Minister of National Defence. In addition to that, we are sending hundreds of emergency travel documents to assist Canadians who may need them. We have consular services established at the American Club in Kathmandu. I would encourage Canadians and their families to contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre for further information.

People are doing an outstanding job and they should have the support of the Liberals.

Canadian Coast GuardOral Questions

3 p.m.

NDP

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

Mr. Speaker, let us get back to the Canadian Coast Guard. A former maritime lawyer said that if the United States Coast Guard scored an eight or nine on a worldwide 10-point scale, Canada would score a one or two, which is far from a passing grade.

This is particularly critical for my riding, since a crab fishing boat, the Frédérike.C. II, is currently on fire off the coast of Rimouski. It took more than three hours for the Canadian Coast Guard to respond with its ship the Cap-Percé, based in Tadoussac. We can only imagine what would have happened if the search and rescue centre in Quebec City had been shut down, as the Conservatives planned.

When will this government take action?

Canadian Coast GuardOral Questions

April 28th, 2015 / 3 p.m.

Egmont P.E.I.

Conservative

Gail Shea ConservativeMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, we have improved our ability to respond to these events, including new funding, new tools and ensuring that the companies responsible are the ones who pay. Under our government, investments in the Canadian Coast Guard have increased by 27%. By the way, the opposition voted against this.

The situation in Quebec that the member speaks of is currently being monitored by the Coast Guard.