House of Commons Hansard #228 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.

Topics

EthicsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

I want to remind the hon. parliamentary secretary to address his comments to the chair and not directly at his colleagues.

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

EthicsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister used to say that senators do not represent anybody but the prime minister who appointed them, and the current Prime Minister has been found doing damage control for the Senate scandal every step of the way.

How does he feel now that we have found out that his hand-picked Senate speaker was billing taxpayers for a St. Valentine's ball in Montreal and that his previous Senate leader flew to Vancouver for a wedding anniversary on the taxpayers' dime?

These senators are refusing to show any contrition, and the government is refusing to show any responsibility. When will it stop defending its friends in the Senate and start defending the Canadian taxpayer?

EthicsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Oak Ridges—Markham Ontario

Conservative

Paul Calandra ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Speaker, the absolute nerve of that member to get up and talk about defending the Canadian taxpayer when there are 68 members of his caucus who owe the Canadian taxpayer three times as much as has been identified in the auditor's report.

I will not stand up to try to protect anybody who has deliberately used taxpayers money inappropriately, and I certainly will not defend the members of the NDP caucus who owe $2.7 million to taxpayers.

It is up to you to tell Canadian taxpayers why you refuse—

EthicsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order, please. I ask the hon. member to address his comments to the Chair. He will do well to do that in future.

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

EthicsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

Mr. Speaker, that was certainly pitiful: a once-proud government that will say anything and do anything in its dying days as it is tied to the corruption in the Senate. No wonder the Prime Minister has gone to ground.

Let us get back to reality. Let us talk about the former president of the Liberal Party, Senator Poulin, who refused to even co-operate with the Auditor General. Her case has been referred to the RCMP.

Canadians are sick of this sense of entitlement. Why does the Prime Minister refuse to show any leadership, and let that member defend the indefensible? Why are the Conservatives defending corruption in the Senate rather than standing up for the Canadian taxpayer?

EthicsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Oak Ridges—Markham Ontario

Conservative

Paul Calandra ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Speaker, we are standing up for Canadian taxpayers every single day. I will not defend people who deliberately misuse taxpayers dollars, whether they are a member of the Senate or whether they are a member of the House of Commons.

Canadians deserve better, and with this government they always get better. However, it is up to that member and that caucus to explain why, when specifically asked on September 22 where these offices would be, whether they would be in Ottawa in Montreal, they said, specifically, that they would be in Ottawa, but instead funnelled it to the illegal office in Montreal.

Canadians deserve better from everybody, including those 68 members who owe money.

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

NDP

Craig Scott NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON

Mr. Speaker, it is not only about abusing public money for fishing trips and wedding anniversaries. The Senate is also an undemocratic institution that has blocked important legislation passed by elected members of the House.

The Senate killed Jack Layton's climate change accountability act. It is quietly doing away with a bill to bring equality to transgendered people.

Last night it passed Bill C-51 with no sober second thought whatsoever, despite overwhelming public opposition. Not a single amendment was proposed.

Why are Conservatives defending this illegitimate institution that rejects the democratic will of Canadians?

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Lévis—Bellechasse Québec

Conservative

Steven Blaney ConservativeMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that for the entire session the NDP has been complacent and not taken terrorism seriously. This has been their attitude with respect to all the measures our government has put in place to protect Canadians. Whether it was our counter-terrorism strategy, the revocation of passports or the revocation of citizenship, the NDP did not back practical measures to support Canadians.

Fortunately, I was able to count on the support of Conservative members and senators. I thank them because their support means that Canada will have better protection against terrorists.

International TradeOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal Toronto Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, the formal trade deal between Europe and Ukraine goes into force at the beginning of 2016, but the EU actually understands Ukraine's pivotal role and has therefore pre-emptively and unilaterally lifted tariffs for Ukrainian companies.

In contrast, despite much rhetoric about Ukraine, Canada has held back, awaiting the completion of inevitably time-consuming, formal, bilateral trade talks.

Why does the Prime Minister not do as much for Ukraine on trade right now as Angela Merkel has already done?

International TradeOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Abbotsford B.C.

Conservative

Ed Fast ConservativeMinister of International Trade

Mr. Speaker, no one has done more for Ukraine than this Conservative government.

The Prime Minister has visited Ukraine on a number of occasions. We have hosted President Poroshenko here in the House. I have been to Ukraine on two occasions to see for myself the situation on the ground.

It is this government that began free trade negotiations with the Ukrainian government. We continue to pursue those negotiations. Our negotiators are at the table, hoping to complete negotiations in the short term so Ukrainians can benefit from more open markets.

In the meantime, we are also stepping in, supporting democracy, transparency and governance within that country.

PensionsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Emmanuel Dubourg Liberal Bourassa, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has finally admitted it: Canada pension plan contributions are not taxes. Thank goodness.

Just because the Conservatives keep repeating falsehoods does not all of a sudden turn them into the truth. Pension income is money that always goes into the pockets of retirees. In the private sector, 75% of workers do not have a company pension plan.

Why does the government not work with the provinces to establish a better pension plan for all Canadians?

PensionsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Crowfoot Alberta

Conservative

Kevin Sorenson ConservativeMinister of State (Finance)

Mr. Speaker, again, the Liberal plan has a plan for all Canadians. It is higher taxes. In fact, the Liberal leader has confirmed that he would implement the Ontario Liberal payroll tax on every worker and every small businessman and woman in Canada. For workers earning $60,000 a year, the Liberal policy means they would lose $1,000 in take-home pay. That is a $1,000 tax hike. This mandatory payroll tax increase would kill jobs and force small businesses to cut hours and wages.

By contrast, under the strong leadership of our Prime Minister, we have lowered taxes, created new options for Canadians—

PensionsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order, please. The hon. member for Wascana.

PensionsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Ralph Goodale Liberal Wascana, SK

Mr. Speaker, the late Jim Flaherty said “the Canada Pension Plan plays a central role in our government-supported retirement system”, and should be “enhanced”.

The current Minister of Finance has confirmed that CPP premiums are not payroll taxes. He says that the money always belongs to individual pensioners, and the CPP Investment Board gets impressive results.

Fragmented schemes in bits and pieces here and there do not cover most Canadians and they are not portable. Therefore, why not work with the provinces and a strong majority of Canadians to expand the CPP?

PensionsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Crowfoot Alberta

Conservative

Kevin Sorenson ConservativeMinister of State (Finance)

Mr. Speaker, under the strong leadership of our Prime Minister, our government has lowered taxes and created new voluntary opportunities for Canadians to save. Consistent with our record of creating voluntary options for Canadians to save their own money, we are open to giving Canadians the option to contribute more to the Canada pension plan on a voluntary basis.

By contrast, we know that, given the chance, both the Liberals and the NDP would take away pension income splitting and shut down tax-free savings account.

The Liberal plan is that for someone earning $60,000 a year, it would impose another $1,000 of taxes on it. Canadians cannot afford that.

Canada Revenue AgencyOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

Mr. Speaker, two new Swiss banks are now facing fines from the United States for helping wealthy clients evade taxes. Still there is no action from the Conservatives to actually charge Canadians found to be stashing millions overseas.

We are losing up to $8 billion a year to tax havens. That money could help pay for child care, health care, transit or boosting economic innovation. However, the Conservatives have totally failed to get serious on cracking down on tax havens. Why do they keep letting the wealthy and well connected avoid paying their fair share?

Canada Revenue AgencyOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

South Shore—St. Margaret's Nova Scotia

Conservative

Gerald Keddy ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture

Mr. Speaker, that question is absolute nonsense. Our government has always had zero tolerance for tax evasion.

Let the numbers and the record speak for themselves. From 2006 to March 31, 2014, CRA audited over 8,600 international tax cases, identified over $5.6 billion in additional taxes, taxes that are being collected.

Canada Revenue AgencyOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

NDP

Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Mr. Speaker, the United States has just imposed hefty fines on two Swiss banks that were helping American taxpayers hide more than $660 million from the taxman. Here, people in the middle class are working harder and harder to make ends meet and are paying their taxes in Canada. However, Canadian corporations have sheltered almost $200 billion in tax havens.

When will the Conservatives take action to ensure that corporations pay their fair share here?

Canada Revenue AgencyOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

South Shore—St. Margaret's Nova Scotia

Conservative

Gerald Keddy ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture

Mr. Speaker, CRA and our government expect all Canadians and all corporations to pay their fair share of Canadian tax.

What the hon. member is talking about is again sheer nonsense. We have more international auditors. We have a greater effort to catch tax evaders, not just individuals but companies as well, who are using offshore shelters to protect themselves from paying Canadian tax.

We expect everyone to pay their fair share of tax and we intend to ensure that happens.

International TradeOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

NDP

Laurin Liu NDP Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC

Mr. Speaker, farmers no longer know who to believe in the Conservative Party when it comes to the future of supply management in Canada. The member for Edmonton Centre called supply management an anachronism that needs to disappear. The Prime Minister said that Canada would have to make difficult choices, and his Quebec lieutenant has already talked about compensating Canadian producers for the losses they will sustain as a result of the trans-Pacific partnership.

Will the Conservatives protect supply management, yes or no?

International TradeOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Beauce Québec

Conservative

Maxime Bernier ConservativeMinister of State (Small Business and Tourism

Mr. Speaker, our government has signed free trade agreements with nearly 37 countries and we have always protected the supply management system.

It is also important to point out that we signed those agreements because they were good for consumers, small businesses and families, in other words, for all Canadians. We will continue to apply that same logic in the future.

We are going to continue to sign free trade agreements that are good for all Canadians and all industrial sectors.

International TradeOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

NDP

Malcolm Allen NDP Welland, ON

Mr. Speaker, it seems that the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing in that caucus over there. Out of one side of its mouth, it says yes. The member for Edmonton Centre was clear. He said that it was an “anachronism that needs to disappear” when he was talking about supply management. Even the Prime Minister, when he was referring to supply management, said that Canada would face difficult decisions when it ratified the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Down in the corner we have prominent Liberals who say that we need to end supply management. One wonders why farmers in the country are nervous.

Why is there so much doublespeak from the Conservative benches when it comes to protecting supply management? The Conservatives are either for it or they are against it.

International TradeOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Abbotsford B.C.

Conservative

Ed Fast ConservativeMinister of International Trade

Mr. Speaker, the only doublespeak is from the NDP. Our government will continue to promote Canadian trade interests across all sectors of our economy, including supply management. That has never prevented us from successfully concluding trade agreements with countries like the United States, with the European Union, with South Korea.

We make no apologies for ensuring that any deal reached must be in Canada's best interests. That is the standard we have set and we will only sign a trade agreement if it significantly benefits Canadian workers and families.

TaxationOral Questions

June 10th, 2015 / 2:50 p.m.

Conservative

Joan Crockatt Conservative Calgary Centre, AB

Mr. Speaker, our government has consistently lowered taxes. In fact, as a result, we have the lowest personal tax burden than we have had in 50 years, and that is more money in the pockets of families.

Meanwhile, the Liberal leader keeps pushing reckless spending, which we know would actually kill jobs and take money out of the pockets of people. It is clear that the Liberals have only one plan for the economy, and that is to raise taxes.

Will the Minister of Finance please tell the House and Canadians what our government is doing to deliver on our promise to make life more affordable for Canadians?

TaxationOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Eglinton—Lawrence Ontario

Conservative

Joe Oliver ConservativeMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, today, Canadians are celebrating tax freedom day, when families start working for themselves, not the government. We are helping by cutting taxes to where they were almost 50 years ago by doubling the TFSA and increasing benefits for families.

We have been delivering on our promises to make life more affordable, while balancing the budget. Tax freedom day is proof that now is not the time for the Liberal leader's plan for reckless spending and tax hikes.