House of Commons Hansard #128 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was quebec.

Topics

(Return tabled)

Question No. 590Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

3:40 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

With regard to capital gains tax exemptions for donations of publicly-traded shares to registered charities, broken down by year from 2006 to 2015: (a) how many taxpayers have used this exemption; (b) what was the total value of the donations to which this exemption applied; (c) how many registered charities benefited from these donations; and (d) by how much did this exemption reduce government revenues?

(Return tabled)

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB

Mr. Speaker, I would ask that the remaining questions be allowed to stand.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

Is that agreed?

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

3:40 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Motions for PapersRoutine Proceedings

3:40 p.m.

Winnipeg North Manitoba

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all notices of motions for the production of papers be allowed to stand.

Motions for PapersRoutine Proceedings

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

Is that agreed?

Motions for PapersRoutine Proceedings

3:40 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

Bardish Chagger Liberal Waterloo, ON

moved the second reading of, and concurrence in, amendments made by the Senate to Bill C-29, A second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 22, 2016 and other measures.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

3:45 p.m.

Saint-Maurice—Champlain Québec

Liberal

François-Philippe Champagne LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I would like to add my voice to all of the others and wish you a Merry Christmas and to thank you for enlightening us every day that we spend with you. I would also like to thank my amazing colleagues on this momentous day.

I think that the people who watch this debate will understand why this is so important on the last sitting day of the House before Christmas. We are doing something special for Canadians, and something they will remember.

My speech this afternoon might interest all parliamentarians because it is a speech in favour of the middle class, Canadian families, and people in every one of Canada's ridings who sent us here to Ottawa.

I am very pleased to be here to talk about Bill C-29, budget implementation act, 2016, No. 2. Before going over the many major benefits of this bill for Canadians across the country, I would just like to reiterate the government's commitment to strengthening the current protection system for consumers of financial products and services. We have talked about this at length and in this speech I want to clarify the government's position.

Part of our commitment is to ensure that there is a solid, effective, and consistent system in Canada that guarantees the highest protection standards for all consumers of financial services in the country, regardless of where they live in Canada and regardless of the bank they do business with.

As a member from Quebec, I would like to commend the extraordinary work of the 40 Liberal members of the government, who do a great job of championing Quebeckers and their position on this important issue. I thank them for that. They have done the work their constituents sent them here to Ottawa to do. They greatly contributed to ensuring that we consider every point of view that was expressed in this important file. I sincerely thank my colleagues.

As everyone knows, we have listened to our colleagues from Quebec and to Quebeckers, who told us how important it is for them to have a high level of protection in the banking sector, in Quebec and across the country. We have listened to the Quebeckers who sent us here, to the House. That is why the leader of the Senate, the hon. Senator Harder, has tabled an amendment that will remove from the bill the current provisions for the banking sector, namely the consumer protection measures, so that we can ask the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, the FCAC, to ensure that the federal protection system is as solid as any provincial protection system. That way we can see to it that our objective, the one we have had since the beginning, of having the highest overall level of protection for Canadians all over the country, can absolutely be achieved in a way that will meet our goals and ensure that Canadian consumers are protected.

What has driven us from the beginning is that, thanks to the work of all my colleagues, we succeed in putting in place the best possible system, in order to defend the higher interest of consumers.

Canadians deserve to have access to a consistent national banking system that is easy to understand, a banking system that has high consumer protection standards, is designed to meet the needs of consumers of financial products and services, and is applied in the same way regardless of where consumers may live.

We remain strongly committed to organizing and strengthening consumer protection measures, making access to basic banking services easier, and improving the rules surrounding current business practices governing the way that banks deal with their customers.

We must not forget the creation of new obligations for the banks to strengthen disclosure provisions, improve complaint processing, and reinforce governance and organizational accountability for consumer protection.

Our objective is simple. It is to make the consumer protection system easier to understand and to prevent consumers from having to consult several sets of rules that apply to the same financial products and services, whether they are doing business in person or online.

We want to increase the obligations imposed on banks and hold them accountable for improving outcomes for consumers and for treating those consumers fairly all across the country.

That is why we will be working together with stakeholders and the provinces to ensure that the framework is strengthened so as to meet the highest standards, as was our initial objective, and we are going to achieve this with the sole objective of protecting consumers all over the country.

Under the Constitution, the banks lie within federal jurisdiction, and that is how it has been in this country for 150 years. This responsibility includes that of ensuring that the banks are solid and that of establishing standards governing their operation to ensure they meet the needs of Canadians, of course.

To that end, we have to oversee the establishment of a rigorous system for protecting consumers of financial products and services that is applicable in the same way throughout the country. I know that this is an issue that the House fully understands. The proposed improvements would make it possible to employ a broader spectrum of personal identification documents to open an account or cash Government of Canada cheques, and this is one of the measures that affect the people who sent us here, to Ottawa.

I can say that this measure is going to benefit people in the regions north of my riding, including certain indigenous communities, because they are having difficulty accessing banking services and cashing federal government cheques. This system will give them easier access to certain banking services.

The rules we are introducing also add a new prohibition on imposing undue pressure on consumers, and apply cancellation periods to a wider range of products and services.

Summary information boxes would be mandatory for a larger number of banking products and services, and accountability would be improved, notably thanks to requirements for banks to report on measures taken to meet the challenges faced by the most vulnerable Canadians.

Improvements would also strengthen the current complaint management requirements, so as to require banks and external complaint processing bodies to report on the number and nature of complaints received. All of these measures would guarantee that the banks are answerable for their actions.

We know that consumers are better protected when rules and rights are clearly laid out for all stakeholders. Similarly, it is easier to ensure that banks are accountable when the rules to be followed are clear and exhaustive, when they are national in application and when compliance is ensured by a designated federal regulatory agency such as the FCAC.

Our government has promised to protect the interests of middle-class Canadians and those of persons working hard to join the middle class, and we will continue to do so, particularly with regard to the protection of consumers of financial products and services.

I would also like to note how the amended budget implementation act, 2016, No. 2 would continue to make a very substantial contribution to the achievement of our objective of growing the economy, to the benefit of families, workers, and the most vulnerable members of our society.

The strengthening of the middle class and the establishment of conditions conducive to sustainable economic growth are the main priorities of our government. Tax fairness is an important part of our commitments in this regard, as is the adoption of a tax system that functions as planned and contributes to fostering an economy that works for the entire population.

As there are only a few moments left in this momentous day, I invite all members to reflect about who sent them to Ottawa, whether they are young, old, workers, families, or the people working in their riding, because these people all sent us here with a mission, and that is to properly represent their interests.

Members will find in C-29, budget implementation act, 2016, No. 2, measures that will help the people who sent us to Ottawa. All members should vote for this bill as they will be voting to support the people who sent them here.

This is a momentous day for Canada, and everyone will remember the day when we rose to work for Canadians.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

3:55 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Madam Speaker, in a few minutes, I will respond to the parliamentary secretary's arguments, which were rather creative at times.

I would like to put a question to the minister, or I should say the parliamentary secretary. That was a Freudian slip. Two days ago, the minister did say that he would come back later with new legislation on banks and consumer protection.

Can the parliamentary secretary assure us that the next time he rises in the House to introduce a bill, he will have first obtained, if only in principle, the consent of all the provinces, especially Quebec, which, as he knows, has the most rigorous and robust consumer protection framework?

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

François-Philippe Champagne Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent, for whom I have tremendous respect, and send my best wishes to his family this holiday season. I would also like to thank my colleagues, who have been working for Canadians all year long.

Although my colleague is well informed about current issues, I must remind him about something in response to his question. From day one, our goal has been to provide Canadians with the best regulatory framework for consumer protection in both Quebec and the rest of Canada.

I can assure my colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent that we have been consulting with the provinces and various organizations all along. We will continue to hold consultations to ensure that we develop the best possible legislative framework.

Every time we have risen in the House, we have sought to protect consumers because what they need is a framework that will protect them. That has been our goal, it is our goal, and it will continue to be our goal when we introduce the next bill.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

3:55 p.m.

NDP

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

Madam Speaker, I would like to talk more about that.

The member for Louis-Saint-Laurent asked a straightforward question. For two or three weeks, the government did not listen to the arguments of the opposition, the Senate, the Chambre des notaires du Québec, or consumer protection groups who were saying that Bill C-29 decreased consumer protection and infringed on Quebec's jurisdiction.

What the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent was saying in his question is that the minister seems to be suggesting that he is going to come back with new consumer protection legislation, even though this is an area of provincial jurisdiction.

We did not want to know whether the government was going to introduce new consumer protection legislation or not. What we wanted to know was whether the government was going to get the consent of the provinces, including Quebec, before doing so, so as not to infringe on provincial jurisdiction.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

François-Philippe Champagne Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC

Madam Speaker, on this memorable day, I would like to recognize my colleague because he is an important member of the Standing Committee on Finance. He, too, had the opportunity to examine this bill.

I can assure him that departmental officials have always consulted the stakeholders from the various provinces, including Quebec, obviously. I can assure him that we listened to Quebec consumers. We also listened to the 40 Liberal government MPs on this side of the House, who shared the concerns they were hearing from their constituents.

That is why we agreed to take a step back to ensure that we are providing Canadians, including Quebeckers, with the best financial consumer protection framework in the country.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

4 p.m.

Bloc

Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC

Madam Speaker, my colleague spoke of a federal protection framework that is as solid as the one in Quebec. Does he intend to put in place legislation as extensive as the Quebec Consumer Protection Act, which is 117 pages long and has more than 400 pages of schedules and regulations?

Will he also institute a system of civil law at the federal level, since class actions come under the Civil Code?

Can the member assure us today that his statement that the federal protection framework will be as solid as that of Quebec is true?

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

4 p.m.

Liberal

François-Philippe Champagne Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC

Madam Speaker, I would first like to say hello to my colleague and thank him for his contribution.

In short, I can say that we will continue to listen to all stakeholders in the provinces in order to establish the best consumer protection framework. That has been our goal from the beginning, and my colleague knows it. We will continue to listen and to work together to offer the best possible framework to Quebeckers.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

4 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

Before we continue, I would also like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year because I do not know if I will have another opportunity to do so. I enjoy working with everyone. I know that we do not always agree, but what is important is that this is the time of year that we wish one another all the best.

Resuming debate. The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

4 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Madam Speaker, on behalf of all of my colleagues, thank you for your good wishes. We also extend our best wishes to everyone who helps keep the House of Commons running smoothly.

As everyone knows, it gives me great pleasure to rise and speak in the House. Today especially, I am pleased to vote and speak in favour of the amendment presented by the Senate regarding Bill C-29. I do not like anything about this bill, but the proposed amendment is a fine moment for the House of Commons.

The politicking has been really obvious these past few days. Everyone is tugging on the blanket, saying that they are the ones who got things done. The reality is that all Canadians are the winners. Well done.

First, I want to commend the work of my colleague from Joliette, who on November 17, 2016, if I am not mistaken, was the first to raise the issue and bring the debate to parliamentary committee and to the House of Commons. I also want to commend my NDP colleague from Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques who is doing a great job, as well as the Chair for its co-operation.

I would also like to commend the government for finally listening to reason and making the right decision, after admittedly creating some unfortunate uncertainty. It is never easy in politics to backtrack, to take a step back and admit that the first step was not the right one and that we have to take another. The government did that, and that is good.

I also commend our Senate colleagues, Senator Carignan, leader of the official opposition, and Senator Pratte, a new independent senator, who also alerted the government to the problems related to consumer protection in Bill C-29.

In short, Bill C-29 contained what we would call a constitutional virus. There were several clauses, division 5 in its entirety, that directly affected consumer protection. From our perspective, that is a provincial jurisdiction.

There was input galore from the opposition parties here in the House, in the Senate, and also from the National Assembly, which, in a unanimous motion appealed to the government on this, on behalf of Quebec's justice minister and the member for the Outaouais region, and on behalf of the Premier of Quebec, who even warned the government that if by some misfortune this bill were passed, it was highly likely that the Government of Quebec would challenge it in court. Finally, each individual's efforts and sacrifice for the good of the many and this government's understanding, albeit a bit delayed, are why we are gathered here today.

Let me explain some of the history of this bill. We have to go back to 2012. At that time, the federal government tabled in the House of Commons a bill that covered and addressed a lot of issues about the banking system.

As members know, the banking system belongs to the federal government, but in 2012, this bill addressed some of the issues concerning consumer protection. Then, also in 2012, we were aware of that in the National Assembly. I am using the word “we” because I was there at the time. I was a member of the National Assembly. That may remind many colleagues of some bad memories.

However, I was one of those who voted for a unanimous resolution in the National Assembly, calling on the House of Commons, saying that consumer protection was a provincial jurisdiction, not a federal one.

In 2014, the Supreme Court, in the Marcotte decision, clearly identified that consumer protection was a provincial jurisdiction, not a federal one.

At the time, our government, having acknowledged the 2014 Supreme Court ruling, was preparing to make changes to prevent what has been happening over the past few weeks, and that is a law that allows the federal government to once again infringe on the provinces' jurisdiction.

Bill C-29 is the bill that will implement the Liberal's bad budget, which I will come back to later. Sadly, this bill contained what we call a constitutional virus, one that would have sent us straight for a brick wall. The only thing this bill would have accomplished is to give hundreds of thousands of dollars to lawyers who already knew it was a lost cause.

In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled that consumer protection was an area of provincial jurisdiction, not federal. The federal government was trying to take it over with Bill C-29. We were headed for constitutional disaster. That was not a good thing because it would have cost money and taken time to get back to where we started.

As I was saying earlier, everyone's hard work and sacrifices on behalf of Canadians have made the government see reason. Bill C-29 contained a constitutional virus, but that is going to be remedied today, which is wonderful.

However, this is still a bad bill because it implements bad measures from the Liberal's bad budget. I would like to talk more about that.

I want to remind members that this budget provides for a $30-billion deficit, which is three times the amount promised by the Liberals. During the election, the Liberal Party promised that it would run small $10-billion deficits and that it would balance the budget at the end of three years. However, the reality is quite different. We are talking about a $30-billion deficit. When will the budget be balanced? It will only be balanced when the Conservatives return to power in three years.

Is this not the government that was boasting about taking a balanced approach, promising to change the tax code, promising that Canadians would be more fairly treated? Is the government aware that 65% of Canadians are not affected by the so-called tax cuts and that anyone earning $45,000 or less per year is not affected by the Liberal measures? Is the government aware that the people who will benefit the most from these supposed tax cuts are those earning between $144,000 and $199,000 per year? Are those people part of the middle class? No.

I confess that I am in conflict of interest on this. As a member, I am among Bill C-29's privileged few, which means that I will be paying less income tax. I do not feel that this is a good thing. The people who earn $44,000 are members of the middle class. Yet the government is granting them no tax cuts.

The government sees itself as a sort of noble Robin Hood figure, taking aim at the poor souls who have the misfortune of earning $200,000 a year. A word of caution, sometimes bowstrings can snap, as seems to have happened in this case. Those who are in greatest need are not affected by the proposed measures.

Time is passing, the last thing I want is to get carried away. That never happens to me. The holiday season is upon us, so let us play nice. The holidays are coming and we all realize that we are in politics for the benefit of future generations. As inheritors of our parents' legacy, we now work for our children's future.

I have been elected four times, and have served four terms as a member, whether of the National Assembly or the House of Commons. Tradition has it that I should appear at the ballot box accompanied by my parents and my children; that is part of my political commitment. I am there thanks to my parents and for my children.

In closing, then, allow me to salute those without whom I would not be here, namely my parents, who tomorrow, December 15, will be celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary.

We all get carried away sometimes. That said, it will now be my pleasure to take my colleagues’ questions.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

4:10 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

I wish a very happy wedding anniversary to the parents of the hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent. Sixty-five is a good many years.

The honourable Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance has the floor.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

4:10 p.m.

Saint-Maurice—Champlain Québec

Liberal

François-Philippe Champagne LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I salute my colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent's parents. I hope they are listening.

The only virus people were afflicted with was the Conservative virus. They found the antidote on October 19 when they elected a Liberal government. Canadians have spoken loud and clear.

People are watching us on television right now, and I know some of them in the riding of Louis-Saint-Laurent.

What does Bill C-29 mean? It means lower taxes for nine million Canadians, some of which live in my colleague's riding and are watching us right now. They will see if the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent is going to vote for or against this tax cut that will affect them. Some of these people live in Louis-Saint-Laurent, and also in Lévis—Lotbinière, a riding I know very well because my mother lives there.

Nine out of ten families from coast to coast will benefit from the Canada child benefit, including some who call the riding of Louis-Saint-Laurent home. Will the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent say yes or no to these families receiving a much needed cheque?

We enhanced seniors' pensions. Seniors in Louis-Saint-Laurent will be watching him . Will the member vote for or against seniors in his riding? I know him. He will do the right thing.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, one thing is for sure: I will never vote for a budget that creates a deficit that is three times larger than expected, especially considering that the government has never been able to tell us when the books will be balanced again, even if I asked 14 times and would ask again if I had more time.

I will vote against a budget that purports to help the have-nots while giving no tax breaks to the 65% of Canadians who earn $45,000 or less a year. Those who benefit the most from these so-called tax cuts are those who earn $199,000 a year.

I will vote against a budget that sends any kind of control over family benefits flying out the window. We Conservatives had four family benefits programs in place and we still managed to balance the budget.

This government introduced family benefits that are not even indexed. In any business, bookkeepers who did not index their numbers would be shown the door, which is not the case for this government.

However, in three years, this government will be the one to be shown the door.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

4:10 p.m.

NDP

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent, who is always so entertaining. His parents are celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary tomorrow, and mine are celebrating their 50th in six months. A most pleasant coincidence!

I would like to ask him a question which, once again, concerns areas of jurisdiction. He has made a good statement, and I am going to make mine in the ensuing speech. I am truly concerned at the fact that the government seems not to understand the message that it has been sent.

The consumer protection that the Liberals want to strengthen at the federal level lies within provincial jurisdiction. So I have a great deal of difficulty reconciling the federal government’s willingness to continue proposing such legislation even though it deals with a matter of provincial jurisdiction.

Would my colleague care to add something to this exchange, one which will hopefully significantly influence the direction that the government wishes to take on this issue?

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

What wonderful news, Mr. Speaker. I offer my respects to the half-century of love between the parents of the hon. member for Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques.

My colleague raises a very good and very important point. The government will have understood over the last few hours that consumer protection is a provincial responsibility. The banks are within federal jurisdiction, and consumer protection is within provincial jurisdiction.

Will there be flowery speeches about appropriate consultations and taking the time we need even though this will not be on our radar come April or May? If that is the case, then fine. Let us buy some time, friends. If that is what they want, no problem. We are not opposed. Let us keep consulting.

I have one bit of advice for my colleague: let him call minister Jean-Marc Fournier, whom the people in his riding know very well since he is the former senior advisor to the former leader. I advise the hon. member to call Jean-Marc Fournier, a good friend of mine. He is so Liberal he is redder than the Canadian flag. He would advise the Liberals to let this go, because it is an area of provincial jurisdiction.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2Government Orders

4:15 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

This is the most active day we have seen in a good while, and it is our last. It is incredible. Everyone seems reinvigorated.

Resuming debate, the member for Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques has the floor.