House of Commons Hansard #232 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was billion.
Diane Lebouthillier LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.
The hypocrisy of the members opposite is really quite astounding. Even a former Conservative revenue minister publicly stated that investigating tax havens was not a priority for his government.
Neither I nor our government needs any lessons from the party opposite. Canadians expect to have a fair and equitable tax system, and that is what we are giving them.
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC
Mr. Speaker, we can understand that the Liberals do not like these investigations into their ethics. The Minister of Finance has already been found guilty of breaking the ethics code by the Ethics Commissioner, and the Prime Minister is under investigation as well. Now the Prime Minister has undermined an active investigation into Liberal billionaire fundraiser, Stephen Bronfman.
How can Canadians trust the Liberal government to conduct an impartial investigation when it is more interested in protecting its friends than finding the truth?
Diane Lebouthillier LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, we made investments of nearly $1 billion in our first two budgets. We have a plan and it is working. We are targeting four jurisdictions per year, and we are working to finalize the hiring of 100 auditors. There were 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions.
We tightened the rules governing the voluntary disclosures program, imposed $44 million in fines on proponents and tax advisers, and—
Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC
Mr. Speaker, I imagine that the government is also fully committed to combatting climate change. However, Canada still has one of the worst records in the world on this matter.
The UN says that member countries must take more, urgent action if we are to meet the Paris targets.
The minister played world leader yesterday when she congratulated Nicaragua and Syria for signing the agreement even though her own government is failing to meet the targets it set for itself.
Can the minister set aside her tired, old talking points and tell us what more she plans to do to meet the targets?
Catherine McKenna LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. We are certainly committed to combatting climate change.
I was so proud to see the Prime Minister announce our plan with the provincial premiers and territorial representatives. Under this plan, we will put a price on carbon, eliminate coal, and make historic investments in clean infrastructure and public transportation.
I am very pleased to go to Bonn next week, where I will work with the whole world to combat climate change. We have a lot of work to do.
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, Canada announced $2.65 billion over five years to support efforts for the poorest and most vulnerable countries to adapt to climate change. While welcomed, this promise delivers just a portion of Canada's fair share.
This week, leading into COP22, the OECD criticized Canada for failing to deliver on its meagre target to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Will the Liberals commit today to real action on our nation's promises to act on climate change?
Catherine McKenna LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, we are all in when it comes to climate action. We understand that we need to be taking action, that we have an economic opportunity to do this, and that we have an obligation to our children.
I am very pleased that I will be in Bonn next week where I will be working with countries around the world. We know we need to be helping support the poorest countries that are fearing the impacts of climate change, and many countries will be under water should we not stay under 2°C. We will be supporting them and we will be working with them.
I wish the party opposite would understand how important it is to listen and take action against climate change.
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
Order. Most members in all parties are able to sit through question period, hear things they do not always like, and yet not react. The public does not like at all when it hears that kind of thing, so I would ask the hon. member for Cypress Hills—Grasslands and others not to react and not to interrupt.
The hon. member for Carleton.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, earlier today, the revenue minister said that it is inappropriate for ministers to comment on individual tax cases. She said she would not comment today, tomorrow, or later, because the credibility of CRA is at stake, yet her boss, the Prime Minister, did exactly that. He publicly exonerated Stephen Bronfman, his top fundraiser, who may be under CRA investigation as part of the leaked paradise papers.
Can the hon. member assure us that CRA will ignore the Prime Minister's directive to acquit Mr. Bronfman?
Diane Lebouthillier LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, the historic investments of nearly $1 billion we have made in the Canada Revenue Agency show how dedicated we are to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance.
This government has taken steps to help the agency crack down on wealthy individuals who are not paying their fair share and on tax professionals who facilitate non-compliance. The CRA has levied $44 million in penalties on tax advisors, and a number of criminal cases are under way.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, the minister mentioned criminal investigations that are under way. Her department announced that it is doing a full review as to whether to pursue such investigations against 3,000 people named in the paradise papers, one of whom is the Liberal Party's top fundraiser, but the Prime Minister, the head of the entire government, has already exonerated him and signalled down to CRA that he did nothing wrong.
I ask again. Will the minister direct CRA to ignore the Prime Minister's political interference in this case?
Diane Lebouthillier LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, in the last fiscal year alone, investigations by the Canada Revenue Agency led to 37 convictions, more than 50 years of jail time, and millions of dollars in court-imposed fines. Thanks to this government's actions, starting in 2018, Canada will be able to automatically exchange financial information with other countries, allowing it to identify taxpayers with foreign bank accounts. As I said, no one is above the law.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister protects his wealthy friends from paying taxes, we learned yesterday in the finance committee that the government continues to target people with diabetes with higher taxes.
Diabetes Canada testified that the government knew four months ago that the tax department was stripping away the disability tax credit from type 1 diabetics, and to this day, it is not aware of a single person who has had this credit reinstated.
Why is the government targeting hard-working Canadians and suffering diabetics with higher taxes while letting top Liberal fundraisers off scot-free?
Diane Lebouthillier LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the credits and benefits they are entitled to. The eligibility criteria for the disability tax credit for people with diabetes have not changed. It is important to recognize that far too many Canadians are struggling and need help. We are allowing low-income workers to keep more of their hard-earned money from every paycheque by further enhancing the working income tax benefit by an additional $500 million per year, starting in 2019. We are keeping the promises we made to the middle class and to those most in need.
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Diabetes Canada said at the finance committee that the Canada Revenue Agency is refusing to release valuable information that would help determine the impact of the mass refusal of disability tax credits for diabetics. Now diabetics have to pry, pull, and rip the information out of the minister's hands just to prove their case. Why will the minister not release this information, or does she have something to hide?
Diane Lebouthillier LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits and benefits they are entitled to. We are moving forward with a national disability act that will remove barriers and improve access for all Canadians living with disabilities. We have made tax credits more accessible. Benefits are now the highest Canadians have ever received. We have simplified the forms for tax credits. We have hired specialized nurse practitioners, who are allowed to fill out the forms—
Sheri Benson NDP Saskatoon West, SK
Mr. Speaker, CBC has reported that public servants at the Miramichi pay centre are working in a toxic environment. These workers deal with understaffing, a lack of training, and little support.
Hard-working, experienced public servants are crucial to solving the Liberals' pay system debacle. The Liberals do not seem to understand that workers need the proper tools to fix this fiasco. When will the government help these workers so that hard-working Canadians can get paid?
Carla Qualtrough LiberalMinister of Public Services and Procurement
Mr. Speaker, on day two of my new job as public services and procurement minister, I was with the Prime Minister in Miramichi meeting the hard-working public servants who are leaving no stone unturned to make sure their colleagues get paid. We are doing everything to support them. Their health and well-being as they pursue this goal is of paramount importance to us, and we are doing everything we can to support them in that endeavour.
Karine Trudel NDP Jonquière, QC
Mr. Speaker, according to a CBC/Radio-Canada report today, not only do public servants in Miramichi have to cope with the extra workload brought on by this government's Phoenix fiasco, but also, the working environment at the public service pay centre is just plain toxic. There is a lack of training, there is not enough support to answer employees' questions, and so on. Those workers are dealing with Phoenix problems while handling paycheques for two-thirds of all public servants.
When will the Liberals give them the resources they need to do their jobs properly?
Carla Qualtrough LiberalMinister of Public Services and Procurement
Mr. Speaker, on day two of my new job as Minister of Public Services and Procurement, I was in Miramichi with the Prime Minister to see just how hard public servants are working to fix the Phoenix problems. The well-being of those workers is of paramount importance to this government.
We will leave nothing to chance as we work to solve this problem.
Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON
Mr. Speaker, we know that harassment and sexual violence are simply unacceptable. As we saw in the report that came out last week, many people experience harassment or sexual violence at work.
Canadians deserve to feel safe at work. Can the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour please update the House on actions taken by our government to make workplaces safer for all Canadians?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Employment
Mr. Speaker, we know that harassment and sexual violence are simply unacceptable.
This week our government took the very first step toward making our workplaces and federally regulated industries and Parliament Hill free from harassment and sexual violence. No government, however, can eradicate harassment and sexual violence alone. We live in a culture, especially here, where power imbalances and gender norms create tolerance for these unacceptable behaviours. I look forward to working with everyone, here and throughout the federally regulated sectors, to ensure that all Canadians are safe at work.
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Speaker, with great power comes great privilege for the Liberals.
It seems that the Minister of National Revenue likes to go over the record of the past two years. Let me join in: vacation on a private island, a villa in France, profits in numbered companies, and the chief Liberal fundraiser who hides millions of dollars in the Cayman Islands.
In the meantime, people with diabetes are being denied their tax credit for no reason and without warning. It is shameful. The Prime Minister is turning a blind eye to the tax avoidance in his own back yard and emptying the pockets of the most vulnerable.
When will he give back the tax credit these people are entitled to?