Debates of June 9th, 2015

Pensions

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance himself confirmed last week that CPP premiums are not payroll taxes. They do not belong to the government, he said. They always belong to the individual pensioner, he said. The CPP Investment Board gets impressive results, he said.

The finance minister must agree with the late Jim Flaherty, who reported:

...strong support for the Canada Pension Plan and the central role that it plays in our government-supported retirement income system.

Why not work with the provinces on a strong, comprehensive CPP?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, we already have that, but that is not what the Liberals are proposing. They are proposing a new $1,000 payroll tax on every single worker in Canada. They want to take the Kathleen Wynne plan, which again, is $1,000 in new taxes for the average worker earning $60,000 a year. Then, they say they will invest that in so-called infrastructure programs.

We do not want the Canadian people to have their pension plan raided to pay for Liberal pork-barrel politics and pay higher job-killing taxes.

Ethics

[Ève Péclet, NDP, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's Office did everything in its power to protect senators and cover up the expense scandal every step of the way. The Senate became a treasure trove for Conservative Party fundraisers. At the very beginning, when we were talking about Mike Duffy's place of residence in 2013, the Prime Minister stood up for him. The member for Nepean—Carleton said that Nigel Wright did the honourable thing by giving Mr. Duffy a cheque.

Who in the Prime Minister's Office was in contact with the senators about the Auditor General's report?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as members know, the Auditor General has released his report. Just today it was tabled in the Senate. It was the Senate that called in the Auditor General to review its expenses, and we expect that it will implement the recommendations of the Auditor General.

At the same time, what is clear is that deliberate misuse of taxpayer dollars is completely unacceptable. There is one taxpayer and, whether it is a member of Parliament or a Senator, Canadians expect their money to be used wisely. There are 68 members of the NDP caucus who deliberately misused taxpayers' dollars to the tune of $2.7 million. That is three times the amount the Auditor General identified in the Senate, and they should pay that money back.

[Ève Péclet, NDP, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what the member is refusing to say is that, when the scandal broke, the Prime Minister came to Mike Duffy's defence. He defended Pamela Wallin, and he said that he had complete confidence in Nigel Wright before going back on his word. Now, the Speaker of the Senate is saying that he has done nothing wrong, even though he plans to repay his expenses, and he is asking Canadians to thank him for that. Well done. That is a first-rate apology.

Will the Prime Minister finally keep the promise that he made to Canadians or is he going to continue to defend the indefensible in the Senate?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we obviously expect that the Senate will implement the recommendations of the Auditor General.

However, the member of Parliament opposite who just asked the question owes the Canadian taxpayer $27,000. Members of the NDP think it is funny to owe the taxpayers $2.7 million. The Canadian taxpayers do not think it is funny because they work too hard for the money they send to us. They expect it to be used in a responsible fashion, and when it is not, they expect it to be repaid. Therefore, the NDP members could do the right thing. They should look at the Auditor General's report, do the right thing for taxpayers, and pay back the millions of dollars—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. member for Alfred-Pellan.

[Rosane Doré Lefebvre, NDP, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives tried to lead us to believe that Nigel Wright acted alone, until the RCMP found otherwise. They also tried to lead us to believe that there was no agreement with Mike Duffy, until the RCMP found otherwise. It is not surprising that people do not believe what the government says. The member for Nepean—Carleton said that they were going to maximize accountability and minimize costs.

What does the government plan to do to really clean up the Senate?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we know what the NDP agenda is with respect to the Senate. The New Democrats said yesterday that they want to hold a referendum and open up the Constitution. They said it was their priority to open up the Constitution, hold negotiations, and ultimately have a referendum. That is not the priority of Canadians. The priority of Canadians is that we continue to focus on jobs and economic growth. That is what we will continue to do.

At the same time, Canadians want their money to be used wisely. There are 68 members of that caucus who owe Canadians close to $3 million, and I hope they will repay the Canadian taxpayers the money they owe them.

[Rosane Doré Lefebvre, NDP, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General is an independent arbitrator. He gave us facts, not his opinions. It has never been more clear: it is time to do away with this outdated institution. The Auditor General recommends a serious housecleaning to resolve the problems with the expense claim system in the Senate.

Will the government finally support the NDP's proposal to stop the Senate spending spree and put an end to partisanship in the upper chamber once and for all?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we have put a number of reforms on the table. It is now up to the Council of the Federation to take a look at those reforms. What we will not do, of course, is reopen the Constitution and set Canada on this course, which would culminate in a referendum. This is what the NDP has suggested it would do. That is not what we will do. We will continue to focus on jobs and economic growth.

At the same time, the Auditor General has come forward with some recommendations. We hope the Senate will follow those recommendations, and we hope the New Democrats will do the right thing for taxpayers, and refund the $2.7 million they owe them.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, they will say anything.

The Auditor General has issued a dire warning about Senate spending. There are 30 senators implicated, and a whole system of oversight has been declared a failure. After two years of digging through the expenses of current and former senators, Canadians certainly do not need a cooked-up appeals process designed to get senators off the hook. Do the government members not understand that the Auditor General is an independent third-party arbiter? Is it not clear that he is supplying a finding of fact, not opinions, as they do?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we welcome the Auditor General's report, and we expect that the Senate will follow the recommendations of the report.

However, the height of arrogance is coming from the NDP right now. There are 68 members of the NDP who owe $2.7 million to the Canadian taxpayer. They are being taken to court to repay that $2.7 million, and they have refused to do it.

They should do the right thing: repay the taxpayers the $2.7 million they owe them. We will continue to focus on jobs and economic growth.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is crystal clear today that the status quo in the Senate is not acceptable. It cannot go on.

There are simple steps that do not involve the Constitution that could be taken today to bring in reform, but the government and its Liberal friends steadfastly refuse to take any action.

Will the Conservatives either agree to make changes to the Senate or else explain to Canadians why they think it is okay for senators to spend thousands of dollars flying first class across the country on the taxpayers' dime to raise money for the Conservative Party of Canada?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, we will not open up the Constitution and engage in constitutional battles, which would culminate in a referendum, as the NDP is proposing.

The member could help me, if she would have the member for Louis-Hébert repay the $31,000 he owes, the member for Beauport—Limoilou repay the $31,000 he owes, the member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles pay the $35,000 she owes, the member for Scarborough Southwest repay the $141,567 he owes, the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent pay back—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we go from fiction to fact. The Auditor General of Canada has shown a damning exposé of the Senate.

We are learning that they were flying first class to do corporate business and personal pet projects. The Auditor General has once again flagged that we have to end this issue of self-policing.

This report belongs at the feet of the Prime Minister. He promised Canadians reform, and instead his staff delivered cover-ups, whitewash, and a bribe.

Why has the Prime Minister gone to ground when Canadians are looking to him to show some leadership in dealing with this corrupt institution?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we had speaker after speaker from the NDP, and not one of them admitted it. Not until the very end, when they were asked how they would actually reform the Senate, did they actually admit they would have a constitutional conference and they would ultimately have a referendum.

That is not the priority of Canadians. We know there is not unanimous support to modify the Senate. What we are going to continue to do is focus on jobs and economic growth.

In the meantime, I am going to see if I could get the member for LaSalle—Émard to pay back the $27,866 she owes, and the member for Rivière-des-Mille-Îles to pay back the $29,845. The member for Brossard—La Prairie could help us out by repaying the—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order. The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives really have lost their way. They hide behind that poisonous sideshow, which is really just to run cover for their insider friends.

What happened to the Conservative Party? It is the Prime Minister's appointed senators who are defying hard-working Canadians who pay their way and play by the rules.

The senators are saying that they are not going to listen to the audit, that they will look at the findings. I am sorry, but the Auditor General's report is not an opinion. This is a forensic audit.

Why is the government standing in solidarity with the corruption in the Senate, rather than standing with the Canadian taxpayers?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that when Canadian taxpayers' money is abused, they expect actions to be taken. That is what we have been fighting for since we were elected in 2006.

The member does not seem to understand that there is only one taxpayer. Maybe the member and the caucus should look at the people in the gallery who send their money here and expect it to be used wisely, and explain to them why they refuse to pay back the $2.7 million.

Why does the member for Chicoutimi—Le Fjord refuse to pay back the $28,152? Why does the member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine not pay back the $169,000—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, order. The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I think that rant explains the story of the demise of the Conservative-Reform agenda. Remember a Prime Minister who came to Ottawa riding a white horse? Instead he will be leaving flogging a dead horse, taking Duffy and Wallin and the member for Oak Ridges—Markham with him. What changed?

Remember that Reform agenda? It was the member for Nepean—Carleton who said they would maximize accountability and minimize the cost. Instead they have maximized partisan abuse by their crony insider friends, and they have no willingness to stand up to the disgrace that is the Senate, because the Prime Minister appointed them.

Why will they not be accountable to the Canadian public?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, there is only one taxpayer, and it does not matter whether it is senators or members of Parliament; when they abuse the taxpayers, they should pay that money back. That is why I encourage the member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot to repay the $30,023. The member for Outremont, the Leader of the Opposition, owes $400,000 to the Canadian taxpayer.

Standing up for the taxpayer is what we have done since day one, and we will continue to do it. Whether it is a senator or a member of Parliament, they should pay back the $2.7 million they owe.