House of Commons Hansard #210 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was women.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform
Mr. Speaker, we have a training plan that includes the Canada job grant. We also introduced an apprenticeship grant. Thanks to the deal with Europe, international trade will create 80,000 jobs. Lastly, we are lowering taxes for job creators. We have introduced the largest tax reduction for small and medium-sized businesses in the past 25 years.
The NDP will vote against it, and the Liberal leader has already announced that he will raise taxes for small businesses.
Rosane Doré Lefebvre NDP Alfred-Pellan, QC
Mr. Speaker, youth were particularly hard hit in April. The youth unemployment rate went from 0.6% to 13.6%, which is more than double Canada's unemployment rate. More than 13,000 jobs disappeared in just one month. Furthermore, there is nothing in the Conservative budget to create jobs for youth.
Will young people have to wait for a new government for this situation to turn around?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform
Mr. Speaker, we have already announced the apprenticeship grant, which will help get young workers into skilled trades that are in demand. We also established the Canada job grant, which, in partnership with employers, will create jobs and train future young employees. We have also reduced taxes for small and medium-sized businesses, which are job creators. Our budget delivered the largest tax cut in 25 years for small business.
The NDP will vote against it, and the Liberal leader has already announced that he wants to increase small business taxes.
Rosane Doré Lefebvre NDP Alfred-Pellan, QC
Mr. Speaker, there are little things that the government can do sometimes to help people, and a very simple thing that the Conservatives could do to support women in Canada would be to support the NDP proposal to remove the GST from feminine hygiene products. It is simple because these products are far from being luxury items. They are as essential as other products that are tax-exempt.
Is the government prepared to adopt this very simple measure in order to help women across Canada?
Susan Truppe ConservativeParliamentary Secretary for Status of Women
Mr. Speaker, our government does support this motion and will consider this proposal in future budgets. I would just like to point out that our Conservative government has spent nine years reducing taxes on Canadian families. They know it is our government that puts money back in their pockets.
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, the latest Conservative budget is full of tax breaks and loopholes for the wealthy few. The Conservatives are trying to actually ram through income splitting and TFSA increases that cost billions, and they are ramming it through because they know it is unfair policies that will spend billions on those wealthy few. At a time when so many Canadian families are struggling to make ends meet, we should be looking for every and any way we can to help make life more affordable.
Just a simple yes or no question. They have got billions for the wealthy, will Conservatives support the NDP motion to take the tax off feminine hygiene products and make everyday necessities more affordable for Canadian women and Canadian families?
Susan Truppe ConservativeParliamentary Secretary for Status of Women
Mr. Speaker, I just said our government does support the motion and we will consider the proposal in future budgets.
I would also like to point out again that the federal tax burden is at its lowest level in 50 years, and a typical Canadian family is saving $6,600.
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, Conservative priorities are to spend billions on the wealthy rather than lift a finger to help make life more affordable for Canadian families. The Conservatives' so-called plan is failing-middle class families and working Canadians. The Conservatives are failing our economy. New job numbers show that the Canadian economy shed another 20,000 jobs just last month. That is 20,000 more Canadians looking for work on top of the 1.3 million already unemployed.
Young Canadians still have not recovered from the depths of the last recession. Why did the Conservatives cynically refuse to spend tens of millions of dollars to help young Canadians find jobs?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform
Mr. Speaker, the long-term trend is positive with 1.2 million net new jobs. Our plan for tax cuts, training and trade is creating jobs.
The member across the way said that people earning less than $60,000 a year are wealthy. Let me quote from the Financial Post today, “Working-class finds ways to max out TFSAs” and “60% of Canadians who earn less than $60K”.
The NDP's plan to roll back tax-free savings accounts would raise taxes on thousands of Canadians earning less than $60,000 a year. That is an attack on the middle class, and we will not allow it.
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's videos revealed the identity of Special Operations troops to terrorists. The PMO staff broke DND protocols that protect our Armed Forces. They said they had DND's consent; they did not.
We now know PMO staff received two briefings on operational security protocols, yet they still published these propaganda videos. Why has not anyone in the PMO been fired for putting our troops and their families at risk?
James Bezan ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, as we have already said in here, we regret this error. We have apologized and we are reviewing all the protocols to ensure it does not happen again. These videos should not have been posted.
However, General Tom Lawson, who is the Chief of the Defence Staff, said:
Following a CAF assessment of the photos and video in question, we have determined, though the risk is assessed as low, to recommend two not be posted. There is certainly no requirement for any CAF personnel to be withdrawn from Op IMPACT.
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
Mr. Speaker, RCMP documents directly implicate PMO officials in helping Mike Duffy by interfering in what was supposed to be a strictly confidential and independent Senate audit. The PMO was into this up to its elbows, but the Senate's director of internal audit was not even told that changes were being made; nor were the opposition senators on the committee.
Why was this audit shared with PMO officials without the knowledge of the Senate, and who ultimately ordered the Duffy whitewash?
Paul Calandra ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, as I have said on a number of occasions, this is before the courts so it would be inappropriate to comment.
However, last night somebody did tell me a joke about four Liberals. They are in a $1-million convertible Mercedes driving around Rockcliffe. They find a $2-million mansion and they get it for a really good deal. They decide to sit around the table and one says to the others, “How can we take money out of the pockets of middle-class Canadians?” Actually, it is not a joke because it is reality. It is they who want to take millions of dollars from Canadians' pockets.
We are going to do just the opposite. We are going to continue to fight to keep money in Canadians' pockets every single day, and focus on jobs and economic growth because that is what we do.
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
Mr. Speaker, we know that Nigel Wright had Conservative senator, Irving Gerstein, call Deloitte to tamper with the Duffy audit. We also know that the Prime Minister's former press secretary, Senator Carolyn Stewart Olsen was the perfect accomplice to help carry out the PMO's orders on the coverup.
Will the Prime Minister now admit that he masterminded the efforts of his henchmen to save his star Conservative fundraiser, Mike Duffy?
Paul Calandra ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, again it is the same answer: the case is before the courts and we will allow the process to unfold as it will.
At the same time, later on this year, disgraced former Liberal senator Mac Harb will be in front of the courts. We understand that he served in the Liberal caucus for many years. We know it was the leader of the Liberals' father who appointed the senator for Puerto Vallarta. They did nothing about it for over 30 years.
We are bringing accountability to the Senate. We are helping the Crown in its case against Mr. Duffy. Anybody found guilty will suffer the severest consequences.
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB
Mr. Speaker, an internal report compiled by the RCMP shows clearly how closely the government is keeping tabs on first nation protestors. Even more troubling, the report calls the Idle No More movement “bacteria that” could “spread across the country..”. We are talking about events that included ceremony, drum circles, and round dances.
Would the minister stand in this House, apologize, and clearly tell Canadians that this kind of discriminatory language toward first nations is unacceptable?
Roxanne James ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know and recognize that it is this party, the Conservative government, that has brought in measures, both legislative as well as funding, for national security agencies. I absolutely reject the premise of that question. Painting the RCMP in that light is absolutely unacceptable. These are men and women who risk their lives on a day-to-day basis in order to keep Canadians safe. I find it absolutely abhorrent that she would bring that up and say that in this place.
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB
Mr. Speaker, I suggest that the parliamentary secretary look at the documents that have come forward and recognize the severity of this situation. These words are discriminatory and only serve to further damage the relationship between the RCMP, the current government, and first nations. This is on top of ramming through Bill C-51, a dangerous bill that would limit Canadians' rights and freedoms, and target first nations for simply defending their rights.
The question, again, is, what will the minister do to ensure that the RCMP clears the record and treats first nations with respect instead of hostility?
Roxanne James ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, again, the misinformation about Bill C-51 from the opposition party, the NDP, is absolutely unacceptable. At the very heart of that particular bill, which I am very proud to say passed through this House this week, is the national security of this country and the protection of all Canadians.
Unfortunately for the NDP, the only measures it would support is if the RCMP had handcuffs on and CSIS was blindfolded.
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government still has not responded to the disturbing allegations of mistreatment of Afghan detainees during the Canadian mission in 2010 and 2011. At least two investigations were launched, but the reports were not made public and no charges were laid. We still do not know who was aware of this at the Department of National Defence.
Can the minister confirm whether or not his predecessor had been informed of these allegations?
James Bezan ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, we have already addressed this in the House. We take all of these allegations very seriously, and anything like this would be inappropriate if there were any conduct in this way.
However, we have been informed that there was an investigation several years ago by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, and it found that there was no mistreatment of Taliban prisoners. On April 18, 2011, after a thorough and complete investigation, the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service concluded that the evidence did not warrant the laying of any charges.
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Mr. Speaker, we are talking about serious allegations of mistreatment of prisoners.
As well as secrecy, we also have disinformation coming from the current government. The truth is that military officials did not pre-approve the videos of soldiers on the Prime Minister's propaganda website, despite what the Prime Minister's Office said on Tuesday.
This is an important security matter involving the safety of Canadian Armed Forces members and their families. Why did the Prime Minister's officials lie to Canadians?
James Bezan ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, we have apologized. These videos should never have been posted. We are reviewing all of the protocols.
I can tell members that according to the Chief of the Defence Staff, no Canadian Armed Forces personnel are at risk. I can also tell members that all of us on this side of the House are extremely proud of men and women in uniform who are serving on Operation Impact.
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Mr. Speaker, the strong leadership of this Conservative government has steered Canada out of the global recession. It has created over 1.2 million new jobs. They are overwhelmingly full-time private-sector jobs, in high-wage industries.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance please tell the House the next steps that this government will take in this year's budget to create more jobs?
Andrew Saxton ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Burlington for that excellent question.
Our government is continuing to introduce job-creating measures in budget 2015, such as reducing the small business tax rate down to 9%, providing manufacturers with an accelerated capital cost allowance for another 10 years, supporting young entrepreneurs through Futurpreneur Canada, and introducing the new public transit fund.
However, the Liberals and the NDP want higher taxes on the middle class. We know that would kill jobs and harm the Canadian economy.