House of Commons Hansard #138 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was ukraine.
Ginette Petitpas Taylor LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to helping the middle class and those working so hard to join it. The reports, which we tabled in an open and transparent way, show that our fiscal situation is sustainable over the long term. The report supports our plan to invest in the economy and grow the middle class.
As we implement this plan, we will make every dollar count, and we will be fiscally responsible with every decision we make.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is like a human Roomba, hovering in all directions, trying to vacuum up any money he can find. He started by borrowing twice as much as he promised, then gas taxes, payroll taxes, and higher small business taxes. Now he is trying to raise taxes by thousands of dollars on the soldiers who are fighting ISIS in the Middle East.
When will the government realize that its spending is the problem, and take its hands out of the pockets of hard-working Canadians?
Jean-Yves Duclos LiberalMinister of Families
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to take this opportunity to provide reliable facts to the House, and to all Canadians. One thing that is certainly well known is that we have put into place a reduction in middle-class taxes, benefiting nine million middle-class taxpayers, and increasing taxes on the top 1% of Canadians. One thing that is also well known is that we have stopped sending cheques to families of millionaires, and increased family support to nine families out of 10.
These are not only strong figures, but extremely important figures for Canadians who want to confide in the will and the ability of our government to work for middle-class families.
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, the cat is out of the bag. Members will recall that just hours before Christmas, the Department of Finance published a devastating report on this government's extremely bad management. The report indicated that, if nothing is done, Canada will be $1.5 trillion in debt in 2050 and will not have a balanced budget until 2055. Today, we learned from The Globe and Mailthat the minister was actually given the report on October 12 but that he kept it under wraps until just before Christmas. For 10 weeks, the Minister of Finance hid the report, which harshly criticizes the government's poor management of the public purse.
Why is the government hiding things from taxpayers?
Ginette Petitpas Taylor LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
The update of long-term economic and fiscal projections shows that our government's fiscal situation is sustainable over the long term. The analysis presented in the report supports our government's plan, which involves making sound decisions regarding investments in the economy for the middle class in order to improve the productivity and competitiveness of the Canadian economy.
Our government will continue to invest in the economy while ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, if it was that good, why did they keep the document under wraps for 10 weeks?
Because it is not that good. According to the projections, if the Liberals do not change course, there will be a deficit and the budget will not be balanced until 2055. The deficit will be $1.5 trillion in 2050.
I do not really understand how they can see that as a good thing. If it were, they would have fallen all over themselves to release the document. That is exactly what did not happen. They kept it quiet for 10 weeks.
Why is the government so hypocritical?
Ginette Petitpas Taylor LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
Our government's priority is to focus on the middle class and those working hard to join it. Our government implemented the middle-class tax cut, we created the Canada child benefit, and we have helped seniors.
Our government is heading in the right direction, and we will keep going forward.
Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC
Mr. Speaker, even though he broke his promise on electoral reform, the Prime Minister refused to apologize to Canadians. On top of that, he is trying to use misinformation to defend this betrayal. He said we need to keep our current voting method in order to prevent a right-wing government from coming to power. Really? A Conservative government in Canada?
My question is simple. Did the Prime Minister sleep right through the 10 years of the Stephen Harper government?
Karina Gould LiberalMinister of Democratic Institutions
Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Democratic Institutions, it is my job to strengthen, enhance, and protect democracy in Canada. I look forward to working with all members of the House. Fundraising will be done in a more open and transparent manner in order to ensure that Canadians who are eligible to vote can do so. I look forward to working with everyone to improve Canadian democracy.
Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister of Canada is spreading alternative facts on democratic reform. According to the Prime Minister, it was not his fault that he broke his promise, it was the NDP's. Talk about desperate.
Let us talk about real facts. The current system provides 100% of the power to a party that gets 39% of the vote. The Prime Minister promised to change all that, and then he broke that promise.
Do the Liberals not understand that blaming everyone else for their broken promises is exactly what breeds cynicism in politics?
Karina Gould LiberalMinister of Democratic Institutions
Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure for me to rise today as the Minister of Democratic Institutions, because it is my job, in fact, as many members in this House know, to improve, to enhance, and to secure our democracy in this country.
Our job, as I have said time and time before, as leaders in our communities, as politicians, and those who care and are deeply embedded in the democratic process, is to do all that we can to combat cynicism, to encourage citizens to participate, and to ensure that everybody who has the right to vote has access to that vote.
Romeo Saganash NDP Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is broken promise after broken promise with the government.
A new report from the David Suzuki Foundation states, “Almost one year after the budget announcement, the process for attaining clean and safe drinking water for First Nations remains flawed.”
I wrote to the Prime Minister yesterday to thank him for his interest in our youth's storage capacity for canoes and paddles, but the real question here is, will the government respect its election promise to end water boiling advisories in all communities?
Yvonne Jones LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs
Mr. Speaker, our government is very proud of the relationship we have established with young indigenous Canadians across this country. We will continue to build on that relationship.
In terms of the Suzuki report released yesterday, I think it is important to note that our government stands by our commitment to end long-term drinking water advisories within five years. Already we have lifted 18 long-term drinking water advisories on first nations in this country that had not been dealt with in decades.
In addition, I want to point out that some of the projects highlighted in the report yesterday are near completion, despite what the report says.
Romeo Saganash NDP Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised to lift all 130 of them, not just 18.
This week the commissioners charged with overseeing the inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women suggested that it was up to the families to decide whether to participate in the inquiry.
I have to wonder how many families know that it is up to them to contact the officials involved in the inquiry in order to participate. We have heard stories about how frustrated and confused the families are feeling.
Can the minister explain to us the changes that have been made to the inquiry process, in the spirit of greater transparency and inclusivity?
Yvonne Jones LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs
Mr. Speaker, we were very proud to meet our commitment to Canadians and launch a truly national independent inquiry into the ongoing tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in this country.
In August of 2016, we announced the terms of reference that would guide the inquiry, and the five commissioners who have been appointed are now leading that process. We are hoping that this inquiry will also make recommendations on urgent action that is needed, such as the known root causes, with investments in women's shelters, housing, education, and children across indigenous Canada.
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked why the Liberals took away CMHC insurance when Canadian families refinance their mortgages. The talking point in response was about the mortgage stress tests and long-term affordability. My question had nothing to do with stress test changes. It is alarming that Liberals do not seem to know the difference between stress test requirements and taking away CMHC insurance for those who refinance.
Increasing interest costs on refinanced mortgages hurt middle-class Canadians and hurt affordability. Will the Liberals reverse this punitive and damaging change?
Ginette Petitpas Taylor LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to helping the middle class and those working so hard to join it. We will continue to monitor the market to protect middle-class Canadians.
Our government is also taking a long-term view of the way that the mortgage markets are functioning, by reviewing the distribution of risk in mortgage lending. To support affordability in housing, we have committed $2.3 billion in budget 2016 for affordable housing, and the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development is leading the development of this national housing strategy.
Our government will continue to closely monitor the housing market, and we will continue to work with provinces and municipalities to tackle affordability and financial stability.
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Mr. Speaker, it has been over a year since this government was elected, and already several campaign promises have been broken.
The Liberals can pat themselves on the back all they want and pretend that they put more money back in the pockets of nine out of ten families, but the reality is that the middle class and families have less money now that the Liberals are in power.
This government wastes money like there is no tomorrow and is not creating any full-time jobs.
When will this Liberal government assume its responsibilities, start governing like a good parent and stop putting Canadians further into debt?
Ginette Petitpas Taylor LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
I am always happy to stand in the House and talk about the great things our government has done to help the middle class.
First, it was our government that lowered taxes for the middle class. Nine million Canadians benefited from that tax break, and yet the member's party voted against that bill.
Our government also introduced the Canada child benefit, which means, on average, $2,400 more in the pockets of families every month. The member's party voted against that too.
Shannon Stubbs Conservative Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, tens of thousands of Albertans are out of work. There is a new crippling carbon tax on everything, and now apparently a plan to phase out world-class energy production. The oil sands provides 425,000 jobs for Canadians and partnerships with thousands of businesses across Canada. Every one job in the oil sands creates 2.5 jobs from coast to coast. Any other world leader would value this strategic asset and long-term energy security, but the Liberals have turned their backs on Alberta.
When will the Prime Minister finally champion Canadian energy and Canadian jobs?
Kim Rudd LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, as a government, we understand the challenges that workers and their families across the country in the energy sector have experienced over the past three years. We did in one year what the previous government could not do in a decade. We are protecting our oceans, we are pricing carbon pollution, all the while putting middle-class Canadians back to work.
We said that major pipelines could only get built if we had a price on carbon pollution and strong environmental protection in place. Our support for getting our resources to market reflects a balanced approach that ensures the environment is protected, a fair price for commodities is received, and creates good, well-paying jobs for Canadians.
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have been in office for a year and a half.
For a year and a half, the economy has been mismanaged, no full-time jobs have been created, and SMEs have been abandoned. What is the government's solution? It is overtaxing SMEs, which is cutting into their revenue and preventing them from hiring middle-class workers, all so that it can finance its out-of-control spending.
Why is the Prime Minister directly attacking those that contribute the most to our economy?
Gudie Hutchings LiberalParliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism
Mr. Speaker, this government does understand the importance of small and medium-size businesses. We understand that they are the backbone of the economy. They are proud of the work that they do, especially in the tourism industry where we have seen a boom of $90 billion this summer for 192,000 small and medium-size businesses. And they are small businesses.
Also, with the investments we have done in infrastructure, they, too, are small and medium-size businesses. We are doing a lot to help them, and we will continue to do so.
Marilyn Gladu Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON
Mr. Speaker, in my riding, the chamber of commerce is worried about all the things the Liberals are doing to kill small business and eliminate job expansion, like the carbon tax, higher taxes for business, more regulation, and concerns about being uncompetitive with our neighbour south of the border. Then, when the Liberals could give us infrastructure money to create 3,000 jobs in my riding, the infrastructure minister has done nothing about it in a year and a half.
When will the Liberals put their money where they mouths are and support creation of jobs in my riding?
David Lametti LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question, because it gives me an opportunity to remind the House that we have invested $12 million in Sarnia—Lambton, in Bioindustrial Innovation Canada, for 478 jobs. This is a pattern that is repeating itself across the country, with the innovation ministry, with the infrastructure ministry. We are investing in Canadian technology. We are creating Canadian jobs, including in Sarnia—Lambton.