House of Commons Hansard #156 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was als.

Topics

Financial Statement of Minister of FinanceThe BudgetGovernment Orders

5 p.m.

Liberal

Judy Sgro Liberal Humber River—Black Creek, ON

Mr. Speaker, I first want to acknowledge my hon. colleague and her approach to the issue of the budget. She uses it as an approach on many other things. As always, the member looks for what is good, recognizes the positives, and then says where she would like to see some additional improvements.

I would like to suggest that certainly the issue of housing is an important issue in the member's area, as it is throughout Canada. There is a real need for serious renovations in social housing, but more importantly for seniors housing. I would like to hear more comments from the hon. member.

Financial Statement of Minister of FinanceThe BudgetGovernment Orders

5 p.m.

Conservative

Marilyn Gladu Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for all the great work she does. Certainly infrastructure for social housing is key. Affordable housing is one thing.

With respect to seniors housing, there is a huge need for long-term care facilities, especially in my riding, and I think that would be true across the country. I would hope that the government would consider in its fall budget perhaps devoting some of the infrastructure money to long-term care facilities for seniors. This is infrastructure that will create jobs, but at the same time, it is going to address a real need. We are in a horrible position in my riding, because the average age in Sarnia—Lambton is now 55, and with the aging demographic, it is projected that we are going to have another 10,000 people over the age of 65 in the next four years, and we simply do not have the infrastructure to house them. I appreciate the question.

Financial Statement of Minister of FinanceThe BudgetGovernment Orders

5 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to finally have a chance to speak in the House to the budget tabled by the government.

I would like to do something a little different. For the past three days, I have been fortunate to have at my office two interns from the École de politique appliquée of Sherbrooke University, Stéphanie Bourque and Pascale Salvail, who are studying law and international relations respectively. I have to say that they are excellent representatives of Quebec's future politicians. I congratulate them for their passion, their interest, and the work they have done in just three short days. They have been fantastic.

They have experienced a memorable week in the House, where all sorts of things happened. They have had the opportunity to see members rise to defend the right of MPs and Canadians to speak and to participate in debates. They have also had the good fortune, or misfortune, to witness the tabling of a budget. They would have been fortunate had it been a Conservative budget. However, unfortunately, it was a Liberal budget with everything that goes with it. They shared with me their concerns regarding the Liberals' second budget. Therefore, I asked them to write part of my speech about yesterday's budget.

They are particularly concerned about the future of small and medium-size businesses. Growing deficits will affect their generation for many years to come, even though they are already facing the loss of many full-time jobs, specifically 42,000 jobs over the past year.

The Minister of Finance began this year's budget presentation by saying that he wanted to promote a more innovative and competitive economy. In the present circumstances, we think it is unthinkable to even consider achieving such objectives if the government does not plan to make tax cuts and get back to zero deficits.

According to the Huffington Post, the government broke its promise to lower taxes for small and medium-size businesses by 0.5% per year, as originally planned by the previous government and promised by the Liberals in 2015, during the election campaign.

The government's failure to come up with a clear and concrete plan to help small businesses makes it difficult to envision ever having an environment ripe for economic development, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Support for such measures promotes economic diversification and job creation, which could benefit young Canadians. What the Liberals do not seem to understand is that today's deficits are tomorrow's taxes. Again, let me remind you that this speech was written by two interns who worked with me.

We are therefore asking the government how small businesses are supposed to grow in the absence of tax relief. We believe that creating the right conditions for businesses to hone their competitive edge is the only way to help Canadian businesses hold their own against U.S. competitors. Here is what the vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business had to say:

Economic stimulus is vital to Canada's continued collective prosperity. Let us hope the government will send signals that give small business leaders the confidence to grow their businesses.

My interns did a great job because they found quotes to support their assertions.

The government likes to talk about its massive investments in public transit, but it is also planning to cut the 15% non-refundable tax credit for transit passes, which means a bigger expense for young Canadians. My interns spotted the government's contradictory message themselves, a message that makes it clear the government does not really care about transit riders. Two hundred dollars can have a noticeable impact on a student's budget.

In conclusion, Pascale and Stéphanie think it is time the Liberal government got public finances under control and stopped ratcheting up the tax burden. Stimulating the economy and supporting job creation are the only ways to tackle the unemployment crisis plaguing 15- to 24-year-olds. We expect nothing less than concrete measures from the government, assuming it cares about young Canadians, many of whom are our future entrepreneurs.

Our two interns deserve a round of applause. This was their first experience here in Parliament and they were able to put their finger on some real flaws in the budget in no time at all.

On another note, but on the same theme, I have to say that now that the government has presented its second budget, not much is going to change in our lives. Life will go on for the federal government, which continues to spend our money. It has not managed to get any deeper into our pockets so now it is going to take money out of our children's pockets. That is where the Minister of Finance found his source of revenue to satisfy his insatiable appetite.

We will remember a promise that was made in 2015 and it is important to keep bringing it up. The Liberals promised a series of small deficits totalling $10 billion to stimulate the economy and a return to balanced budgets in 2019. Budget 2017 confirms that the Prime Minister's Liberals are the worst managers of public finances that Canada has ever known.

I have much more to say, but in closing, seconded by the hon. member for St. Albert—Edmonton, I move the following motion:

That the debate be now adjourned.

Financial Statement of Minister of FinanceThe BudgetGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton

The question is on the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

Financial Statement of Minister of FinanceThe BudgetGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

No.

Financial Statement of Minister of FinanceThe BudgetGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton

All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.

Financial Statement of Minister of FinanceThe BudgetGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

Some hon. members

Yea.

Financial Statement of Minister of FinanceThe BudgetGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton

All those opposed will please say nay.

Financial Statement of Minister of FinanceThe BudgetGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

Some hon. members

Nay.

Financial Statement of Minister of FinanceThe BudgetGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton

In my opinion the nays have it.

And five or more members having risen:

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the motion, which was negatived on the following division:)

Vote #238

The BudgetGovernment Orders

5:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton

I declare the motion lost.

Questions and comments. The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.

The BudgetGovernment Orders

5:50 p.m.

Winnipeg North Manitoba

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I think what we just witnessed surprised a lot of Canadians. We saw the official opposition try to adjourn debate on the budget, but the good news is that, during that time in which the bells rang, they had a road-to-Damascus experience and they have understood that they made a mistake and have recognized that it was not a good idea.

There is so much good news in this budget for Canada's middle class and those who are aspiring to be a part of it. I like to think of it as an extension of the first budget, where we saw tax breaks for the middle class, we saw a special tax on the wealthiest one per cent, we saw the Canada child benefit program, we saw—

The BudgetGovernment Orders

5:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

The BudgetGovernment Orders

5:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton

Order. I remind hon. members that we are under questions and comments. This is part of the debate. I see the hon. member for Windsor West is rising on a point of order.

The BudgetGovernment Orders

5:50 p.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

Mr. Speaker, I just ask that if we have continued votes that the Liberals at least ask their drivers and their chauffeurs to stop idling vehicles while we come in and vote. That would be appreciated because often it is the case, as with this vote, that we have numerous vehicles that are idling outside of Parliament and the Liberals were often very critical of previous administrations for that.

The BudgetGovernment Orders

5:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton

I do not think that fits under the category of points of order.

Will the hon. parliamentary secretary just sort of finish up on his question?

The BudgetGovernment Orders

5:50 p.m.

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB

Absolutely, Mr. Speaker.

One of the criticisms that the opposition members across the way have made is on the issue of deficit. My question for the member across the way is this. Why does he believe that this government should take any advice from the Conservatives when they had a record $150 billion-plus deficit and Mr. Harper was unsuccessful in balancing the budget in the first place?

The BudgetGovernment Orders

5:50 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by responding to the first comment that the Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons made.

We did that for one very simple reason: to allow all the backbenchers on the other side to understand what is happening in the other room. The members opposite are violating the rights of members, taking away their right to speak, denying them the right to speak in committee. That is what the members opposite are doing. They are trying to take away the reason why members were elected—

The BudgetGovernment Orders

5:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

The BudgetGovernment Orders

5:50 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC

Mr. Speaker, what we have seen today is once again a government that is unaware of why the House has gone into this sort of thing, where there are votes like this. It is because we are standing up to protect the rights of all members of Parliament, including those Liberals over there who should know better. Many of them do. Many of them sat down in the window seats in the last Parliament as opposition members and they were afforded the rights to debate at committee and to keep speaking at committee without limits. They were afforded every right of the opposition members in this House and now they want to take it all away, so we will continue to stand here and defend the rights of all members of Parliament for as long as it takes.

I would like to ask the hon. member about the Conservative record of 1.3 million net new jobs and two balanced budgets in a row, and if the current government could learn any lessons from that previous government.

The BudgetGovernment Orders

5:55 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Mr. Speaker, we were all elected here to represent our constituents. We are here to represent all Canadians. We were elected to stand up for their ideas and proposals. We are here, in each of our seats, because people back home in our ridings asked us to speak for them. What we are hearing today is that the members of the House, on the government side, particularly the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, want to deny us this right.

That is why I believe it is important to stand up and give the backbenchers on the other side of the House an opportunity as well to stand up and realize what is happening on their side: their leader is pulling a real fast one on them.

Getting back to the budget, we have a $28.5-billion deficit this year. We had been promised a very small deficit of $10 billion and a return to balance in 2019. It will be in 2055. There is no desire to balance the budget, to hear from members, or to give Parliament back to Canadians.

The BudgetGovernment Orders

5:55 p.m.

Winnipeg North Manitoba

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, what a privilege it is to be able to stand in my place and address the House of Commons in this wonderful Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings and talk about something that is really important to the constituents I represent.

The Prime Minister has made it very clear to parliamentarians of all political stripes, and he has emphasized this within our own caucus, that he wants members of Parliament to look at what is happening in their constituencies and to represent their constituents here in Ottawa, as opposed to what happened in the Stephen Harper era when there was more of a move toward representing Ottawa in their constituencies. It is important for us to recognize that.

Whether we are looking at the budget we presented yesterday or we are looking at the budget that was introduced just last year, we will see they reflect what Canadians truly want and believe is important.

The Liberal Party has made it very clear not only since we were elected but even prior to being elected to government that we want to ensure that Canada's middle class and those aspiring to be a part of the middle class are priority one. This government has made that possible, but we have not stopped there. There are so many other things we have done as a government. The constituents I represent, and in fact all Canadians in every region of our country, can be proud of the things we have done.

There are things that happen between budgets and I would like to provide comments on some of those things.

One of them is health care. Our Minister of Health has done an incredible job working with the provinces and territories. There are now 11 or 12 out of the group that have signed on to the new health care agreement. That means billions of dollars going from Ottawa to the provinces and territories. We are going to see more money being spent on palliative care, hospice care, mental health issues, so many issues that are critically important to the people we represent. This government made these things a priority and our Minister of Heath got the job done. I am very proud of that fact.

This is a government with a vision, a government that goes beyond health care and covers many other issues.

I want to talk specifically about the CPP, which is yet another agreement that was achieved by this Liberal government working with the provincial governments. We are talking about helping those individuals who are in the workforce now and will be retiring in the future. It is not only proper for us to talk about what is happening today but also to make plans into the future.

The environment is another important area. The price on pollution will have a positive impact on all political parties—

The BudgetGovernment Orders

5:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

The hon. parliamentary secretary will have seven minutes remaining when the debate resumes.

It being 5:59 p.m., the House will now proceed to consideration of private members’ business as listed on today’s Order Paper.

The House resumed from February 21 consideration of the motion.