House of Commons Hansard #244 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was terrorist.
Lisa Raitt Conservative Milton, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister wrote the Minister of Finance that “As Minister, you must ensure that you are aware of and fully compliant with the Conflict of Interest Act”. However, the minister was fined by the Ethics Commissioner for not being in compliance with the ethics act. I wonder if the minister realizes that he has failed the most basic, fundamental requirement of his mandate letter and the express desire of the Prime Minister.
My question is simple. Why is he still minister?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalMinister of Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, my colleague continues on the useless fishing trip they have been on for a number of weeks.
Canadians and members of this House know that the Minister of Finance, upon assuming office, worked with the Ethics Commissioner proactively to ensure that he was in compliance. He has followed all of her recommendations and, as this House and Canadians know well, he has gone above and beyond that advice and will continue to work with the Ethics Commissioner. That is why we support the important work he is doing on behalf of Canadians.
Lisa Raitt Conservative Milton, ON
Mr. Speaker, if the Ethics Commissioner gave her recommendations to the Minister of Finance, why is she now investigating him in three different cases?
Just days after the minister was found not to be in compliance, the Ethics Commissioner actually opened up yet another investigation. This time it has to do with whether he should have introduced Bill C-27, specifically since it would have directly benefited his family business. Again, this is another investigation of another conflict. How many more investigations must there be for this minister to step aside?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalMinister of Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, again, my hon. colleague knows that the Minister of Finance, as he has always done, is working with the Ethics Commissioner with respect to this particular circumstance and will be happy to answer any and all questions she may have.
The reason why he is continuing his important work as the Minister of Finance is that the Canadian economy is growing at a faster rate than it has in a decade, with an average growth of 3.7% over the last four quarters. When the hon. member was in a cabinet of the previous Conservative government, she would have loved economic results like that.
Lisa Raitt Conservative Milton, ON
Mr. Speaker, one thing is for sure. The Minister of Finance will be answering a lot more questions of the Ethics Commissioner in the coming days, because she now has launched yet another inquiry. This time she would like to discuss with the minister the timely sale of 680,000 shares in Morneau Shepell, which happened on November 30, because this actually was of value to the seller to the tune of half a million dollars.
My question is simple, and I think it is the one the Ethics Commissioner will be asking. Was it the minister's 680,000 shares that were sold on November 30?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalMinister of Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, again, the fishing effort continues. The Minister of Finance has been very clear. As part of the normal compliance upon his taking office, he assumed a number of decisions. That is not a surprise to this House. All of that was done in consultation with the Ethics Commissioner.
Why we, on this side of the House, want the minister to continue his important work for Canadians is that since he has taken office, the economy has created more than 600,000 jobs, most of them full time. The unemployment rate is now at 5.9%, its lowest level in a decade, which is something the previous party could not achieve.
Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Conflict of Interest Commissioner has asked for another meeting with the Minister of Finance to discuss whether he is in conflict of interest. This is becoming a habit for the Minister of Finance.
I would like the Minister of Finance to answer this simple little question: is he the one who sold 680,000 shares worth more than $10 million just before introducing tax measures that he himself would benefit from?
The question is simple: did he do this while he was both the Minister of Finance and a shareholder of that company?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalMinister of Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, I would reiterate to my hon. colleague that, as usual, the minister followed the advice of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner at all times.
It is time to stop thinking that there is some big mystery around the moment when the tax cut came into effect. As government House leader, I was the one who announced on November 5 that Parliament would return in December and bring in this measure effective January 1. No one was kept in suspense.
Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect their finance minister to have integrity and to be accountable and transparent.
However, over the past two years, the minister has been fined for having hid his French villa in one of his foreign companies; he is under full investigation by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner; he refuses to disclose the content of his many numbered companies to Canadians; and he forgot to put his shares in a blind trust.
Now, the question everyone is asking is this: When will the Minister of Finance step down?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalMinister of Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect the Minister of Finance to continue the important work he is doing to create jobs for the middle class.
We have the highest economic growth in the G7. What does that mean in practical terms? It means that the economy has created more than 600,000 jobs over the past two years, most of them full-time.
We have an economic record that the Conservative Party would have been proud to have when it was in government a few years ago.
Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is not out of the woods.
For the third time, the minister will have to work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, who spends her time investigating the scandals surrounding him.
The minister keeps saying he did nothing wrong and followed the rules, blah, blah, blah.
If he did nothing wrong, why is it that no other parliamentarian spends as much time explaining themselves to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner as he does?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalMinister of Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, as we all did when we were elected to the House or were invited to serve in cabinet, the Minister of Finance accepted the responsibility of working with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure that his affairs are in order and that he is following the commissioner's guidelines. That is what the minister has always done.
The Minister of Finance also has the important responsibility of working for economic growth in order to improve Canadians' economic situation. We believe he has done an excellent job on that score and should continue to do so.
Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, one problem is that working with the Ethics Commissioner does not mean the same thing as being under investigation by the Ethics Commissioner.
The finance minister has responded to criticism with the classic Liberal sense of entitlement. He has dismissed the questions asked by the opposition and journalists, threatening legal action against to those who would even dare challenge him. Well, the Ethics Commissioner does not think these questions are absurd, because for the third time she will be following up with the finance minister.
How can the finance minister stand there and say with a straight face that everything is fine when everything obviously is not fine?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalMinister of Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague may not want to accept the answer that the Minister of Finance, the Prime Minister, and our government have given consistently, that it is the responsibility of all members of this House to work with the commissioner, as the Minister of Finance did, at all times to ensure that we are in compliance with the rules that are applicable.
One thing this government is focused on is improving the economic condition of middle-class Canadians, and that is why the almost 600,000 full-time jobs is an impressive economic record for any government, and certainly one that Canadians should be proud of—
Alexandre Boulerice NDP Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is not just the finance minister who is having a rough time. The revenue minister is also in hot water. Not only can nobody find the $25 billion she keeps talking about, but also this morning two diabetes organizations held a press conference saying that either the CRA is giving them wrong information or there is a massive lack of communication between the minister and her own agency. There are two different stories, but the same incompetence.
Does the minister know what she is talking about?
Diane Lebouthillier LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, our government pledged that the Canada Revenue Agency would administer measures for persons with disabilities in a fair, transparent, and accessible way.
I was proud to announce that the disability advisory committee, which was disbanded by the former Conservative government in 2006, was being reinstated. By reinstating the committee, the agency will benefit from its advice about enhancing the quality and accessibility of the services it provides to persons with disabilities and their families.
Alexandre Boulerice NDP Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, for weeks, the Minister of National Revenue has repeatedly said that she has recovered $25 billion that was lost to tax evasion. The only problem is that no one knows where that number came from. Where did she get that number, from the inside of a Cracker Jack box?
Even the CRA international tax services branch has no idea what the minister is talking about. It is unbelievable. It is like a fairy tale.
Does the minister know the difference between the money identified and the money recovered? How much credibility does the minister have when she utters such nonsense that her own department does not know what she is talking about?
Diane Lebouthillier LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The CRA has an effective recovery process. This process was strengthened through our historic investments in 2016 to ensure that the CRA has all the tools it needs to effectively combat tax cheats.
We are on track to recover $25 billion in the wake of the audits that were conducted over the past two years. Every company or individual affected has been notified of the changes made by these audits and sent reassessments.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, the Minister of Finance was asked yet again if he sold his shares in Morneau Shepell on November 30, 2015. Here is what he said, “ I do not know on what exact date those shares were sold.” He has also said in the House that he gave the transaction records to a journalist.
How is it possible that a journalist knows the date on which he sold the shares but he does not?
Joël Lightbound LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, the minister has never denied it. He has always been clear that he did sell shares when he came to office in November 2015.
I wonder what the member is alleging. What is the story there? If the member had read the newspapers this weekend, he would have read, “Tories can stop blowing smoke because there's nothing suspicious about Morneau share selloff.” That was in the National Post.
I know the member enjoys reading Rebel Media. He should broaden his horizons.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Actually, Mr. Speaker, I enjoy reading the transaction ledgers that show on which date what shares were sold. That is where I found that the minister appears to have sold his shares on November 30, 2015. His father sold shares at roughly the same time. They both sold millions of dollars just before the minister introduced tax measures on the floor of the House of Commons.
The minister said that there was no coordination in this matter between him and his father. Did they use the same stock brokerage firm, yes or no?
Joël Lightbound LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, let me quote something else I read recently in the papers. The Financial Post said, “The attacks on [the finance minister] ethics are beginning to look unethical in themselves.” That is precisely what the member is doing. It is beginning to look disgraceful to see the Tories engaged again and again in a smear campaign, focusing on everything that does not really matter to Canadians. What Canadians care about are the jobs we have created, 600,000 in the last two years, and the fastest growth in the G7.
The minister has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner. We will always work with the Ethics Commissioner.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, the kindest thing we can say about our millionaire finance minister's conduct in the sale of these shares before he introduced his tax measures is that by selling those shares at that time, he avoided paying the same tax increases that he would impose on others at the end of the month.
Unfortunately, low-income people suffering from diabetes do not have access to the same kind of sophisticated tax manoeuvres the minister used.
Why does the Liberal government continue to raise taxes on those with the least while letting the wealthy get off scot-free?
Diane Lebouthillier LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, our government pledged that the agency would administer measures for persons with disabilities in a fair, transparent, and accessible way.
Last week, I was proud to announce that the disability advisory committee, which our colleagues opposite disbanded in 2006 when they were in government, was being reinstated. By reinstating the committee, the agency will benefit from its advice about enhancing the quality and accessibility of the services it provides to persons with disabilities and their families.
