House of Commons Hansard #38 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was impaired.
Dan Vandal Liberal Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB
Mr. Speaker, we know that the vast majority of middle-class Canadians pay their fair share of taxes, but that some wealthy individuals hide their money in offshore tax havens to avoid paying taxes. On Monday, the government committed to doing more to fight tax evasion.
Can the Minister of National Revenue tell the House what is being done to actually change things?
Diane Lebouthillier LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the situation described by my colleague from Saint Boniface is unfair and unacceptable. Indeed, this must change. On Monday, I announced historic investments of $444.4 million. As I intend to explain to the finance committee, these tools will help improve detection, investigations, and audits and will also make it possible to prosecute those who engage in tax evasion and organizations that create such schemes. The net is tightening.
Alice Wong Conservative Richmond Centre, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals love to make promises to Canadians, only to turn around and change their minds.
Instead of encouraging jobs and hiring, the Liberals have increased payroll taxes and EI premiums for small businesses. This does not affect just small business owners but also the millions of Canadians who work for them.
When will the Liberals stop killing jobs with higher taxes?
Bardish Chagger LiberalMinister of Small Business and Tourism
Mr. Speaker, once again, we have lowered taxes on small businesses; we have lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians. We are working with Canadians to ensure that we have a strong economy and that we create jobs. Budget 2016, which I encourage the member to read in its entirety, makes many investments, including $11.9 billion in infrastructure spending, which will help small businesses, and $500 million for broadband in rural and remote areas.
I see the Speaker's hand is waving, so I will stop, but the list goes on. I am thankful for the opportunity to stand to say how we are working with small businesses.
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
I guess I had better help members by letting them know that when I start doing that, it means they have 10 seconds and counting. I would ask them to keep that in mind.
The hon. member for Richmond Centre.
Alice Wong Conservative Richmond Centre, BC
Mr. Speaker, one thing is very clear: Liberals think borrowed money will somehow magically create jobs. Small businesses understand that jobs come from hard work and responsible spending. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business president Dan Kelly said, “Small business owners know that today’s deficits are tomorrow’s taxes”.
Why are the Liberals taxing job creators to pay for their reckless spending?
Bardish Chagger LiberalMinister of Small Business and Tourism
Mr. Speaker, what I have said in the House before is that saying it does not make it true.
Let us look at the facts. We are working with small-business Canadians. We are working with the Small Business Matters Coalition. We are working with stakeholders. There are 3.2 million Canadians whom we are representing on this side of the House. We are working with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and Dan Kelly himself. I have met with him and will continue to work with him.
We will continue to represent small businesses, and I encourage the member opposite to take some time to meet with me as well.
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, in September the Prime Minister really spoke his mind about small businesses.
He said, “We have to know that a large percentage of small businesses are actually just ways for wealthier Canadians to save on their taxes”.
I do not know who was in front of him when he said that, but he might have been looking in the mirror, because that is exactly what he did, use small businesses to save on taxes.
Will the Prime Minister do the honourable thing and stand up and apologize to Canadians?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question and I invite him to read —
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
Order. We know what day of the week it is today. We should not make fun of others. It is immature and inappropriate. Let us behave like adults.
The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance.
François-Philippe Champagne Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague.
Instead of fooling around, perhaps he should read the budget. If he had, he would know that we have lowered taxes for the middle class.
The small business tax has dropped and, just today, the governor of the Bank of Canada said that the measures set out in the budget would create economic growth in Canada, as the hon. Prime Minister was saying.
This budget is for families and the middle class. It is the right budget for Canada and we are going to continue doing exactly what we are doing.
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, unlike the Prime Minister, the Conservatives do not see SMEs as schemers. We see SMEs as creators of jobs and wealth.
This morning, Le Journal de Québec and Le Journal de Montréal reported that the Prime Minister personally owned four companies to save on taxes. That is unbecoming of a prime minister. He should rise and apologize immediately.
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his question.
Once again, I would invite him to read the budget. He would then understand that we are working for Canadians. The opposition has been trying to create a diversion.
We presented Canadians with a budget that works for families, the middle class, and small businesses. The governor confirmed that this morning. We are going to continue down that path and we are going to continue working for Canadians.
Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC
Mr. Speaker, on April 24, 2013, more than 11,000 textile workers, most of them women, lost their lives in the worst industrial disaster in the history of Bangladesh.
Three years later, there is still much to be done to protect workers. Kalpona Akter, a courageous activist, is here in Ottawa to ask Canada to do its part.
What will the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie do to ensure that Bangladeshi businesses that are exempt from duties respect workers' rights?
Karina Gould LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development
Mr. Speaker, I thank the individual from Bangladesh for being here and discussing this important issue with colleagues across the floor of the House to see what Canada can do to promote the human rights of people all across the world. I thank the member very much for this question.
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Azer children who are my constituents were abducted eight months ago. These four Canadian children were taken to Kurdistan in the middle of a war zone and they now may be in Iran. These children did not choose this. We need urgent action.
The Prime Minister has said that the safe return of these children is a priority of the government. Has the Prime Minister made contact with Kurdish President Barzani or members of the Iranian government to help bring these children home?
Omar Alghabra LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Consular Affairs)
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is very concerned about the well-being of the Azer children. We are engaged in this file. I have repeatedly met with Ms. Azer and our law enforcement agency and our consular affairs are providing services to the family. We will continue to be engaged on this file. We will do everything we can to bring the Azer family back home to their mother.
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker, Canadians I speak to are proud of our military history, a proud tradition of standing by our friends when called to do so. The Liberal budget is a deceitful betrayal to every Canadian who served, past, present, or future, who share our military history. The Liberal defence review is a shameful attempt at covering up the disdain the Liberals have for the military.
Why are the Liberals turning their backs on our friends and on the women and men who protect us by serving in Canada's Armed Forces?
Harjit S. Sajjan LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the hon. member, as I did my critic some time ago, that the only cuts to the budget happened during the Conservative government, some $3 billion. We have actually increased the planned spending with $360 million for the operational budget, plus $200 million for military infrastructure as well. The defence review is our way of actually committing to supporting our troops who serve us.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has already set a course that will weaken our armed forces.
He promised Canadians that he would replace our combat capabilities with peacekeeping operations. He promised to delay purchases of important equipment until after the next election. He promised that he would not purchase F-35s. Finally, he promised to implement the recommendations of the Report on Transformation 2011.
In light of all of this, how can the government claim that it wants to hold consultations on defence policy when the Prime Minister has already written that policy?
Harjit S. Sajjan LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to making sure that our men and women have the capabilities for the missions of the future. The defence review is a wonderful process to allow all Canadians to have a voice in where the military needs to go. We are committed to replacing our fighters. We are committed to supporting our navy and many other procurement projects. We are re-profiling the money so that we can have it at a time when the military needs to be able to write the cheques for the procurement projects.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in committee, we saw that the Liberals would rather write the defence policy behind closed doors without being disturbed.
That is dangerous because we are aware of the Liberals' intense hatred for the Canadian Armed Forces. The Liberals gave us submarines that take on water and helicopters that do not take off.
Can the minister confirm that Canada's defence policy is not cast in stone and that all interested parties will be heard by the Standing Committee on National Defence?
Harjit S. Sajjan LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, I find it very ironic that just yesterday all members of Parliament stood together at an important event and I stood up and said that all members of the House who are sitting and standing there support the military.
To hear this in the House is actually quite insulting, to be honest. I personally met with the member, so I do not think we need to get down to this level of question. I would be happy to meet with the member personally and explain in detail. I have opened up the department for briefings and have met personally with them. I would just like to stop this whole thing. Every member in the House supports our military. Let us not play this ridiculous game.
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government recently announced plans to invest heavily in arts and culture. That includes keeping its promise to double funding for the Canada Council for the Arts by 2020.
Can the minister explain how this investment in the Canada Council for the Arts will benefit not just artists but all Canadians?