Debates of May 4th, 2016

Taxation

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it took the Liberals only a month to squander the $7.5-billion surplus left by the Conservatives. Even worse, they have spent another $5 billion and are left with a $13-billion deficit. This behaviour shows a lack of respect for Canadian taxpayers.

Can the Prime Minister tell us when he expects to return to a balanced budget?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the previous Conservative government had plenty of opportunities to invest in the middle class and help Canadians with a higher growth rate, but they failed to do so. They did not promote the economic growth that Canadians so needed.

That is why, during the election campaign, we promised to invest in Canadians' future and put more money into the pockets of the middle class, instead of investing in the wealthy, which is what the Conservatives did. Canadians chose a better way forward and rejected the old Conservative way.

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the average family had an extra $7,000 in its pockets. The tax rate in Canada was the lowest it had been in 50 years. We will see what is coming, but it is worrisome.

The government is borrowing money we do not have. It is investing in infrastructure, but running deficits to do so. It is announcing infrastructure deficits where no investments have been made. This is extremely worrisome. Spending is out of control.

When will we return to a balanced budget?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as we have always said, this government's priority is to invest in the middle class, create growth for our communities, and invest in tangible things such as public transit, green infrastructure, and social infrastructure such as affordable housing.

We know that these are the types of investments that will boost economic growth and allow Canadians to get to work and get better jobs.

These are the types of investments Canadians expect from this government, and that is exactly what we are delivering.

Disaster Assistance

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are heartbroken by the suffering and devastation caused by the wildfires and our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Fort McMurray. They need urgent help and the NDP fully supports all federal emergency response and encourages Canadians to give to the Red Cross.

Going forward, will the Prime Minister work with the provinces to bring back the funding for the joint emergency preparedness program and strengthen the disaster financial assistance agreements?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are responding to Alberta's request for the provision of air assets in support of evacuations, firefighters, and delivery of essential aid in the short term. The Government Operations Centre, including the Department of National Defence, is in touch on an hourly basis. All Canadians can rest assured that we are supporting Alberta in this difficult time.

The Minister of Public Safety is already reviewing long-term emergency preparedness and federal support programs. This experience will further inform how we move forward in the future.

In the meantime, I encourage all Canadians to make donations to the Red Cross, which is helping out so many of our fellow Albertans.

Canada Revenue Agency

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister said that he was concerned about favouritism within the Canada Revenue Agency.

Millions of Canadians have just filed their taxes and paid their fair share. If they make a mistake, they are going to be hit with audits and penalties, but when at least 15 multi-millionaires were caught stashing money in a KPMG offshore tax scam, they were let off with no penalty.

Is this KPMG sweetheart deal the type of favouritism the Prime Minister was talking about, and if so, why is he continuing to protect KPMG?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect this government to pursue tax fairness and make sure that everyone pays their own taxes, and that is exactly what we are doing.

It was a Liberal MP who moved the motion to launch a study on tax avoidance at KPMG and who proposed that the minister and KPMG officials appear to testify. This is part of what we are doing to make sure that everyone pays their fair share and it is what we will continue to do.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there is no explanation for the fact that multi-millionaires, in collusion with KPMG, can hide money in a tax haven and face no consequences.

As we just heard, the Prime Minister says that he wants to fight tax evasion. It is time for him to walk the talk.

The NDP moved a motion at the Standing Committee on Finance to obtain the names of the people involved in this scandal. For six months, the Liberals have been harping on about how they are more open and transparent. This is their opportunity to prove it.

Will the Liberals support our motion to obtain these names, yes or no?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, this issue is now before the courts in order to ensure that all Canadians and all institutions pay their share of taxes.

However, I would like to point out that it was a Liberal MP who moved the motion to initiate a study on tax avoidance and KPMG and to have the minister and a KPMG representative appear before the committee. We take our responsibility to ensure that everyone pays their fair share very seriously.

Quebec

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this matter is not before the courts, and that is the problem. If it were before the courts, we would have names.

The fact that the Liberals managed to win 40 seats in Quebec does not show. Dairy producers are losing hundreds of millions of dollars because of the Liberals' inaction. A total of 2,600 aerospace workers are losing their jobs, and the Liberal members remain silent. There is complete radio silence on Bombardier and Lac-Mégantic. Six months later, nothing has changed.

When will the Prime Minister, who claims to be the Quebec lieutenant, finally stand up for Quebeckers?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as a Quebecker, I am extremely proud of the fact that six months ago, the people of Quebec chose to become part of a federal government for the first time in a long time. Most Quebeckers made that choice.

Right now, we have strong Quebeckers in cabinet and throughout our caucus. They are working on keeping our commitments to Quebec. Quebec's reaction was the same reaction we got all across Canada. We are very proud of that and we are building on it.

Finance

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance said that Conservatives are stuck in this whole balanced budget thing, but during the campaign, the Liberals promised that after running several small deficits, they would return to a balanced budget at the end of their term.

So much for the small deficits. That is one promise completely written off, but now we wait for that second promise of a balanced budget.

Does the Minister of Finance have any intention of honouring any of the promises that he made to Canadians, or is that just another thing?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, it is particularly ironic that the member from the other side, who was part of a government that added billions and billions of dollars of debt with no results other than the lowest growth rate in decades and a couple of gazebos, is talking about debt.

Our intention is to make investments in Canadian families. We started with the Canada child benefit, which is helping Canadian families. We will be investing in infrastructure that will make our economy more productive over the long run so that, yes, we can get to balanced budgets.

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I find it ironic that the member seemed to love what we were doing when he was the president of C.D. Howe; did he not?

The Liberal budget says the government remains committed to returning to balanced budgets, but on the next page of the budget it actually says that the balanced budget legislation enacted under the previous government is inconsistent with the government's plan.

I know they try it all the time, but Liberals cannot have it both ways. Is the Minister of Finance willing to admit their commitment to balanced budgets is just another broken Liberal promise?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, our commitment is to making life better for Canadians. I know that the members opposite have an opinion on our budget, but I have had the very good fortune to travel across this country and listen to the opinions of Canadians.

I was in Sydney, Nova Scotia, where families told me that they appreciated the Canada child benefit. I was in Toronto, where people in downtown Toronto told me that affordable housing is what they need, and that is what we are putting in our budget. I was in Vancouver, where clean technology entrepreneurs told us the investments we are making will help the Canadian economy.

We will make the economy better for Canadians.

[Phil McColeman, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the credibility of the Minister of Finance took another big hit this week when he admitted that he does not care about this whole balanced budget thing. Let us flash back to what he said on his very first day in this House:

We intend on getting to a balanced budget during the term of our mandate.

Five months later, he is laughing it off.

Why does he not understand that Canadians deserve a finance minister who takes the job of managing their money seriously?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, in my opinion, Canadians need a finance minister who invests in our economy. That is very important.

For example, when I was in Quebec, I heard that rural Quebec needs investments in high-speed Internet. That is one of our measures. In Quebec City, I heard Mayor Labeaume say that the city needs investments in infrastructure. That is another measure we have taken.

We are going to continue with our agenda, which involves investing in our economy for the future of our country.

Small Business

[Alice Wong, Conservative, Richmond Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, just this week, Stats Canada showed what Conservatives have known all along, small businesses are the middle class.

Unfortunately, the Liberals do not seem to understand. Instead, they abandoned our small business owners when they broke their promise to lower the small business tax rate to 9%. This broken promise will cost our middle class $2.2 billion.

Why do Liberals continue to abandon our hard-working small business owners?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in the House as a small business owner and operator in Newfoundland and Labrador for over 25 years. I am proud to stand with a government that understands small business owners need and want a robust economy to succeed.

We know that the small business tax rate is there to help companies grow, but we also know there is a loophole, as I mentioned yesterday. That is costing taxpayers an estimated $500 million a year. We are going to fix that problem and I look forward to being part of the team that will fix that.

Finance

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in a previous life, the Minister of Finance was an experienced businessman who gave excellent financial advice.

I would like to take him back to the good old days. Back when he was a financial advisor, if he had had a client who earned $100,000 a year but spent $110,000, would the financial advisor have told his client to keep up this lifestyle or to be careful and live within his means?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, as members on this side of the House have said many times, now is the time to make investments. When we have a very good balance sheet and interest rates are very low, that is the time to invest in our country's future. This is exactly what we have done. We decided to invest in the future of Canadian families, to help improve their future.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, no one here is against investments, but we still need to invest within our means. It is not a good idea to make an investment with a deficit, because other people end up footing the bill.

Earlier, the minister talked about his meeting with Mayor Labeaume. Does he know that municipalities in Quebec are not allowed to run deficits? Could he take a page from their book and stop running deficits?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the problem is when you make investments without getting results. That is exactly what members on the other side of the House did over the past decade. They invested, but did not get any results. Our plan, on the other hand, makes investments in the future and in families. For example, we are investing in the family allowance and in infrastructure for the future of our country.

Health

[Brigitte Sansoucy, NDP, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this is Mental Health Week. Mental illness affects one in five Canadians. During the election campaign, the Liberals made the following promise: “We will make high-quality mental health services more available to Canadians who need them, including our veterans and first responders.”

There was not one penny for mental health in the budget though. This being mental health week, what has to happen for the government to keep its promise?