Debates of March 24th, 2016

The Budget

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we know that the way to deal with an economy that had low growth and the way to deal with demographic challenges is to make investments in the future. We know that by making investments in the future, we can have a better fiscal situation for our children and our grandchildren. That is exactly what Canadians asked us to do, and that is exactly what we have started now. We know that the investments we are making this year and next year will help us to grow the economy, and that is exactly the right thing to do.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals missed a good opportunity to use their budget to reduce economic inequalities.

The government went back on its word and is maintaining a tax loophole for stock options that benefits the well-off. In the meantime, seasonal workers who need employment insurance get nothing.

Why did the Minister of Finance choose to help millionaires at the expense of workers in need?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of our budget. We started with major tax measures for the middle class. We also want an innovative economy. We listened to people who have innovative companies and we decided to make investments that can help our economy become more innovative in the future.

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

Mr. Speaker, actually, I do not think he listens to the seasonal workers who come to Canada.

Budgets are about choices. The Liberals chose tax breaks for wealthy CEOs over helping Canadians. During the campaign, Liberals made a big deal about the importance of immediate spending on infrastructure. However, Tuesday's budget turned out to be a shell game: no stable practicable funding, and many investments are delayed for years. Over $3.4 billion is missing from the first two years alone.

Why are they backtracking from their signature promise of immediate investments in infrastructure?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to get that question because it gives me the chance to acknowledge the leadership of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. Under his leadership, we have created the largest infrastructure program in Canada's history. There is an extra $60 billion for green and social infrastructure and public transit. Why? Because it is good for the economy, good for job creation, and good for Canada.

Small Business

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, some of the Liberal broken promises are good news. I want to thank the government for heeding my advice to abandon its plan to double taxation on stock options.

Yet, another broken promise will kill jobs by targeting small business with an additional $1 billion in taxation.

Why has the budget betrayed the middle class by breaking promises to the tune of a billion dollars to our small business job creators?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we have decided to maintain the small business tax rate where it is, at 10.5%. We have decided to focus on how we can grow the economy so that small and medium-sized businesses can have a successful opportunity to grow their businesses. We have decided to help the middle class so they can buy the goods and services from small businesses that small businesses want to sell, and that middle-class Canadians need.

This is a budget that will make a huge difference for businesses across this country in a positive way.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, small businesses are middle class, as Stats Canada data demonstrates. The average full-time, self-employed person in Canada earned about $40,000 a year, which is not enough to qualify for the Liberals' so-called middle-class tax plan but apparently enough to pay higher taxes because of this billion-dollar broken promise.

The Liberal government promises that the rate would be 9%; instead, it is 10.5%.

Why has the Liberal government betrayed the middle class with this billion-dollar broken promise to small businesses?

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague of a few details in the budget that make us proud that we are supporting small businesses.

We know they are strong and vibrant part of our economy. Our government is making very important investments which will directly help small businesses, like the $11.9 billion in infrastructure spending. We want to make sure that goods and services and clients can get to these businesses. We are spending $500 million in broadband in rural and remote areas that is going to have an impact on small businesses, $15 million for the industrial research program, another $4 million for the Canadian technology acceleration initiative, and $800 million for—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please.

The hon. member for Richmond Centre.

[Alice Wong, Conservative, Richmond Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals broke their promise to business owners by suspending the tax cut to small businesses.

On December 11, the Minister of Small Business and Tourism stood in this House and stated:

I will be working closely with the Minister of Finance to ensure that our commitment to lower the tax burden on small businesses is fulfilled.

Why did the minister decide to flip-flop and lobby her own government for higher taxes?

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my hon. colleague of the list of items that I just read off to help small businesses.

We do understand the impact to small business. We understand that they represent 90% and contribute over 40% of our GDP. That is why we are working hard with them to ensure they can avail of all the programs and initiatives that we announced in our budget that we are proud of. We will work with small and medium-sized businesses from coast to coast to coast to ensure they get the support they need going forward.

[Alice Wong, Conservative, Richmond Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals misled Canadian small businesses. They said one thing and did the other.

Conservatives believe that the best way to help small businesses is trade, training, and tax cuts. Instead, the Liberals are killing small businesses with taxes, taxes, and more taxes.

When will the Liberals stop raising taxes on job creators?

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my hon. colleague of another initiative we had in our budget that we are very proud of, which was the increased marketing money for Destination Canada, increasing it by $50 million.

We know that most of these tourism industries are small and medium-sized businesses. What that $50 million is going to do is bring more customers to them, driving across our new roads and bridges too, I might add.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Long Range Mountains, NL]

The investment in Destination Canada is going to have a huge impact from coast to coast to coast in our tourism industries.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I am starting to get the impression that members may have been into the Easter chocolate a bit early. Maybe they could try to calm down a little and listen carefully to the questions and answers.

Health

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, all experts and stakeholders agree that we need to start making strategic investments in home care now. We have seniors being kept in hospital beds simply because we do not have the resources to care for them in our communities.

During the last campaign, the Liberals told Canadians they would invest $3 billion over four years in home care. What does the Liberal budget commit? Absolutely nothing.

Why are Liberals abandoning their promise to invest in home care when this money is so badly needed?

[Jane Philpott, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I stand with my colleagues on this side of the House, proud of the budget that we presented this week, proud of the fact that the Canada health transfer is the largest in Canadian history, in the amount of $36 billion.

I have committed, as this House knows, to working with my counterparts in the provinces and territories. We are working every day toward a new long-term agreement that will include a number of initiatives, including a $3-billion investment in home care. We look forward to announcing that once the agreement has been undertaken.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there they go, a lofty campaign promise on health, another Liberal promise broken.

The budget was also very disappointing for farmers in the agricultural sector. There is nothing for farmers who face significant losses under CETA. Let us compare it to Liberal promises.

The budget slashed research funding, cut new CFIA investments, and dropped any mention of the value added investment fund. The agricultural sector is a pillar of the economy in many regions of our country, including southwestern Ontario.

Why did Liberals break their promise to our nation's farmers?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague's question gives me a chance to indicate that our government took essential steps to help grow the middle class, revitalize the economy, and put money in people's pockets.

We also announced $500 million for rural broadband Internet, which is vitally important.

I think the House must realize that we farmers live in rural areas. We farmers are business people. We farmers have business to conduct.

The Budget

[Karen Ludwig, Liberal, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Mr. Speaker, during the last election, Canadians voted for a plan to ensure that those who need the help the most are able to receive it.

Instead of helping the wealthiest, Canadians chose a progressive plan that will give the most help to those who really need it, and help to the middle class.

Can the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development update the House on the latest developments regarding the monthly tax-free Canada child benefit?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, I am so delighted and so proud to be part of a team that will be implementing the most significant social policy innovation in a generation.

This new Canada child benefit will be simpler, non-taxable, and will benefit nine families out of ten. It will take 300 children out of poverty. It will mean up to $6,400 per child under six, and $5,400 for other children.

Public Safety

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister began his budget speech acknowledging the terrible attack in Belgium, which shows the risks that countries like Canada face from global terror. He then went on to announce billions in new spending: $12 million for lawyers to sue the federal government, $85 million for union managers, $675 million for the CBC, but how much for front-line public safety agencies keeping us safe? It was zero.

When will the Liberal government make the safety of Canadians a priority?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, I begin by noting that, since 2010, Conservative investment in the RCMP fell by $245 million. We are in the process of repairing the damage that was done by the previous administration. Program integrity support for the RCMP will ensure funding sufficiency while overall support for the force is reassessed by Treasury Board. We are investing $128 million over two years to improve the physical infrastructure for law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and we are investing $60 million in forensic labs.