House of Commons Hansard #103 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was veterans.

Topics

EmploymentOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

EmploymentOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

Order. I know that members have lots of enthusiasm today, but I hope they would save that for when we have the athletes come into the chamber. Remember that we are supposed to listen to the other side, even if we do not like what they say.

The hon. leader of the opposition.

EthicsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Sturgeon River—Parkland Alberta

Conservative

Rona Ambrose ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, I would point out to the Prime Minister that these people have jobs. They want to keep them. They do not want EI. They want to keep the jobs they have.

We now have new bribery charges against one of Kathleen Wynne's top advisers. This is the same person who once held a fundraiser for the Prime Minister.

Now we have our Prime Minister and the cabinet refusing to acknowledge their own ethical violations with their cash to access scheme.

This is a lesson for the Prime Minister. He can enforce his own ethical guidelines, or he can end up one day like Kathleen Wynne.

What is it going to be?

EthicsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, it is important to reassure, and remind Canadians that at the federal level we have some of the toughest rules on fundraising of any level of government across the country, indeed the continent.

There are very strict limits on personal donations, and a total ban on union or corporate donations. It is important to draw Canadians into the political process. It is important to go out and meet with them, and be accessible, as we are, to record levels.

However, it is also important that people be able to donate and support the political parties of their choice. We are respecting all the rules and, indeed, we have opened up the level of openness.

EthicsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

EthicsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

It appears that the hon. members for Edmonton Centre and Chilliwack—Hope did not hear what I said. I would remind them not to interrupt. Let us listen, please.

Let us have a little order in the House. We actually have some teachers here today. Let us show them how we can behave.

The hon. leader of the opposition.

EthicsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Sturgeon River—Parkland Alberta

Conservative

Rona Ambrose ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, the problem with what the Prime Minister just said is that, in fact, he is not following all the rules. He is not following his own rules.

He came into office saying he was going to raise the ethical standards. He brought in his own ethical guidelines for himself and for his ministers, and they are all violating them.

Will he follow his own rules?

EthicsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we are absolutely following our own rules. We are following all the rules in place.

This government is doing more open engagements with Canadians, more listening to Canadians, and more connection with stakeholders than any previous government.

At the same time, when it comes to political fundraising, we are following all the very important and clear rules around limits on personal donations, on banning corporate and union donations.

Canadians need to be reassured that we actually have an extremely strong and robust political fundraising system at the federal level, one in which Canadians can be confident.

EthicsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister wrote in the mandate letter to every one of his ministers the following:

...you must uphold the highest standards of honesty and impartiality...This is an obligation that is not fully discharged by simply acting within the law.

What did the Prime Minister mean by that?

EthicsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of a government that did not do a good job of living up to Canadians' expectations, we know people needed and wanted a government that was more open, transparent, and mostly accessible.

That is exactly what we have been in terms of pre-budget consultations that the minister has done, in terms of consultations that we have done right across the country, and been roundly criticized for for talking too much with Canadians, for listening too much to Canadians.

We have demonstrated a level of openness and accountability that no government up until ours has ever had, and we are proud of that.

EthicsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC

Mr. Speaker, cash for access fundraisers do affect the impartiality of his ministers, and yet, the Liberals keep defending themselves as the Prime Minister just did because they are in technical compliance with the law. That is not what he promised.

Cash for access fundraising is a form of corruption, and this country has had it with Liberal corruption.

The Prime Minister must choose: either he can claim they are adhering to standards that are even stricter than the law or he can assert that they have done nothing wrong because, technically, they are complying with the law. Which is it?

EthicsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, Canadians can be assured that the federal government has extremely strict rules around fundraising.

This is important to all Canadians, and we are following the rules because we know that people need to have confidence in their government, in their ministers, and in how our political parties operate. That is why we are always transparent, accountable, and open about our fundraisers.

That is what people expect, and that is what we are doing.

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has signalled that he may also break his promise on changing the electoral system. The reason he gave is that the Liberals won the last election with the current system. That is actually what he said.

I would like to ask the Prime Minister about his own private town hall on electoral reform. Can he tell everyone here today, among those attending, which electoral system had the most support?

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, as many members in the House know, and indeed people across the country, the minister and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Democratic Institutions have been out across the country doing many town halls.

I was fortunate enough to drop into a town hall for a few minutes in my riding and encouraged people to express themselves. The report on that consultation along with all the other consultations done by the minister and MPs will be part of the deliberations coming up.

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC

Mr. Speaker, I know the Prime Minister has a hard time admitting this, but most of the people at his secret town hall supported proportional representation. The Prime Minister has repeatedly stated that he believes in evidence-based decision making. Well, 90% of the experts who testified before the parliamentary committee were in favour of proportional representation.

Will the Prime Minister look to the evidence in deciding how to proceed with electoral reform?

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we know that there are many expert opinions and perspectives on how to reform our electoral system. That is why we have a committee and are holding consultations.

I am looking forward to the results of all of these consultations and ideas about reforming our electoral system in a way that reflects the values and desires of all Canadians.

FinanceOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Conservative

Denis Lebel Conservative Lac-Saint-Jean, QC

Mr. Speaker, as we welcome our Olympic athletes here today, the only medal that government over there deserves is a medal for the worst public administration.

The Liberals promised a $10-billion deficit, which was already pretty huge, but now it looks like it could be double or even triple that amount by the end of the fiscal year. Furthermore, the government does not have a plan for returning to a balanced budget.

Why is there no plan for returning to a balanced budget?

FinanceOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Toronto Centre Ontario

Liberal

Bill Morneau LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I am confident that Canadian families who have benefited from the Canada child benefit and a tax cut would give us a gold medal, because they now have more money in their pockets.

We started with a very important first step: making life better for Canadian families now. This means that we can now focus on investing in the future for their children and grandchildren. That is what the program we announced yesterday is all about, and we are implementing that.

FinanceOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Conservative

Denis Lebel Conservative Lac-Saint-Jean, QC

Mr. Speaker, my former colleague, Jim Flaherty, was once named the best finance minister in the world. I cannot wait to see who will be named next.

The only medal our children might get is a medal for hope, because they will be the ones left to pay off the Liberal deficit for generations to come. We will never see the end of this story.

Why is there no plan for returning to a balanced budget? Canadians cannot trust this Prime Minister.

FinanceOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Toronto Centre Ontario

Liberal

Bill Morneau LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of the economic statement we delivered yesterday, because we explained to Canadians how we are going to improve their situation with our plan for economic growth. It is very important.

We are going to make investments in infrastructure to stimulate our economy and create more jobs and future opportunities for young people and future generations. It is an important plan for the future of Canada.

EmploymentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is a corporate guy who knows all about returns on investments, so maybe he can explain this. He says we need to borrow $26 billion this year to spend on creating jobs, yet since the borrowing binge began, we have actually lost 6,000 full-time jobs. If it costs $26 billion to kill 6,000 jobs, how much would it cost to create one?

EmploymentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Toronto Centre Ontario

Liberal

Bill Morneau LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I think Canadians can agree that the challenges we are facing as a nation require a long-term plan. We have started, with budget 2016, making a real and measurable difference for Canadian families, improving their lives and improving the lives of their children. We are now moving forward with a long-term plan, one we are going to execute responsibly by ensuring that we make investments in infrastructure that can improve our economy over the long term and can help Canadian families, with more jobs, in the short term.

EmploymentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

Mr. Speaker, what the finance minister does not understand is that every dollar he adds to the economy in new spending he must first subtract through borrowing and by taxing it out of the economy in the first place. As Churchill would say of the finance minister, he is like the man who tried to lift himself up and fly by standing in a bucket and pulling up on the handle. In reality, he is pushing down, 6,000 jobs down, since the borrowing binge began.

When will the government stop pushing down on our economy, our workers, and our taxpayers?

EmploymentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Toronto Centre Ontario

Liberal

Bill Morneau LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment to Canadians that we are actually going to invest in the long term. We are going to make a real difference to the future growth of our economy. Canadians knew that the last decade of low growth meant that we needed to take a different tack, a tack that improves the lives of middle-class Canadians today, a tack that means we are going to have a better future tomorrow. We are going to make responsible investments that are going to make a real difference for our children and our grandchildren.

FinanceOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the government had a golden opportunity to turn Canada's economic situation around and grab the bull by the horns. Instead, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance decided to make matters worse.

The minister announced $32 billion in additional spending over the coming years. Our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will have to foot the bill for those billions of dollars and this mismanagement.

Earlier, in committee, I asked the minister four times to tell me when the budget would be balanced again. I am a good sport. I am prepared to give the minister a gold medal as soon as he tells us exactly when the budget will be balanced for all Canadians.