Debates of Feb. 5th, 2018

Taxation

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, from lowering taxes on the middle class to raising them on the wealthiest 1% to aggressively going after tax avoidance and evasion, this government is working very hard to make sure that our tax system is fair.

We recognize that EDC is a crown corporation that operates independently from the government, but we are committed to the base erosion and profit-shifting project, which addresses the aggressive international tax avoidance strategies used by some multinational companies.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians deserve a straight answer. It is as simple as that.

Speaking of letting the wealthy off the hook, the government seems more than happy to let web giants continue to make huge profits without contributing to the Canadian economy. While the rest of the world is trying to make these companies pay, the Liberals are doing the opposite. They are making deals with Netflix and other companies, and offering massive tax breaks.

Canadians pay their taxes and expect companies to do the same. When will the Liberals start making web giants pay their fair share?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP is proposing to raise taxes on the middle class, which is something we promised we would not do and have not done. We explicitly promised in the 2015 election campaign that we would not be raising taxes on Netflix. People may remember Stephen Harper's attack ads on that. They were false. We actually moved forward in demonstrating that we were not going to raise taxes on consumers, who pay enough for their Internet at home.

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, is it fair that Netflix, Facebook, and other web giants have to pay neither sales nor income tax whereas Canadian companies in the same sector do? Around the world, other countries are trying to make sure that these web giants pay their fair share. Australia and the European Union are excellent examples. After all, it is those giants that are going to monopolize the advertising market and suck the lifeblood out of our print media. They are also responsible for the challenges facing print media. Instead of reining in the web giants and ensuring a level playing field for everyone, the Liberals want to make this preferential treatment official.

When will the Liberals show some backbone and level the playing field?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are not going to raise taxes on Canadians. That is what the NDP is asking us to do. We recognize that the media environment and television viewing and production are changing rapidly. That is why we reached out and got Netflix to make historic investments in our content creators here in Quebec and Canada, to help them succeed in this changing universe. We have a great deal of confidence in our creators; the approach we have chose is a testament to that.

Ethics

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, on page 20 of the objective and non-partisan Ethics Commissioner's report, we learned that while he was taking this illegal vacation, the Prime Minister received an additional gift from the Aga Khan in December 2016.

Could the Prime Minister explain the nature of the gift he received?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister has clearly said and as has been said numerous times in this place, immediately after—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I get the feeling the members did not hear what I said earlier. Each side will get its chance, and the members should wait patiently and listen to the answers, as well as the questions, not just one but both.

Order, please. The hon. government House leader has the floor.

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as I was trying to say, immediately after the report had been tabled, the Prime Minister accepted responsibility and accepted the findings.

It is interesting, because it was the opposition that was asking for the commissioner to investigate. Now that the commissioner has investigated and the commissioner has tabled the report, the Conservatives, just like they did when they were in government, refuse to accept the findings.

We on this side respect the work of the office. We respect the work she did. We accept the findings. We will continue to work with her office.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I am going to have to ask the hon. member for Banff—Airdrie to remember what I said a moment ago, and keep it in mind.

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I will just point out that it is shameful that the Prime Minister cannot answer these questions for himself when it comes to his conduct.

Perhaps the Prime Minister could explain to the House leader who can then inform the House why he failed to report that gift from the Aga Khan, as he was required to do by law?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, I respect officers of Parliament, as do all members of the government. We will continue to do that good work.

Immediately after the report was tabled, the Prime Minister accepted responsibility, accepted the findings. We know the commissioner did important work to investigate, as the opposition demanded. For weeks, for months, for a year even, the Conservatives demanded the report be tabled. Now that it has been tabled, they refuse to accept the conclusions of it.

We thank the commissioner for the work.

Veterans Affairs

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, during the last election, the Prime Minister claimed “no veteran will be forced to fight their own government for the support and compensation that they have earned.” The Prime Minister has broken that promise. Last week he said that veterans “are asking for more than we are able to give.”

The Prime Minister has managed to find money for convicted terrorists. He has managed to find billions of dollars for infrastructure banks funded by wealthy investors. He has managed to find a way to bill the taxpayers for the cost of his illegal trip.

When will the Prime Minister apologize for his insulting and demeaning comments to our veterans, and apologize for breaking his promise?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to the well-being of veterans and their families. We promised to deliver a pension for life, and we are delivering on that promise.

It is designed to help veterans live a full and productive life post-service. It is monthly. It is a payment for life to recognize pain and suffering. It is a payment that is tax free. It streamlines six existing income-related benefits into a single benefit, payable at 90% of a veteran's pre-release salary.

The Conservatives had 10 years to make changes that veterans were asking for, and they did nothing. They did nothing but ignore the voices of veterans.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, that question was for the Prime Minister to answer for his insulting comments. Why is it that every time he makes a mistake or says something stupid, he has to leave it to other ministers to defend his—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Members should understand the distinction between when someone says something about someone's words as opposed to that person. There is a distinction to be made.

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, he told wounded Canadian heros that the Liberals did not have enough money to keep the Liberal promise, yet he found millions for an Asian infrastructure bank to build projects in other countries. He found $10.5 million for a convicted terrorist. When his friends at Bombardier ask for a bailout, he says “Yes.”

Why does the Prime Minister say “no” to Canada's veterans?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I relish every opportunity I can get to stand in the House and compare this government's record over two and a half years to our veterans to the 10 years that the other side had.

Under our pension for life option, let us take a young corporal who served for six years before becoming severely injured, with mental and physical injuries. He or she would receive nearly $6,000 in financial support each month, partly in recognition of pain and suffering and partly in income replacement. However, a pension for life is about so much more than just money. It is about respect. It is also about receiving up to $40,000 in financial assistance. I could go on.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please. The hon. member for Durham knows about not interrupting and I would ask him not to interrupt.

The hon. member for Richmond—Arthabaska.

Ethics

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told veterans that he has no money for them, but he has no trouble finding more than $1 million to renovate a minister's office. He has no trouble finding more than $8 million for a temporary skating rink in front of the Parliament buildings. He has no trouble finding more than $200,000 to pay for an illegal vacation, which the former ethics commissioner said was a blatant violation of the Conflict of Interest Act.

Will the Prime Minister do the right thing and repay the $215,000 he took out of the pockets of hard-working Canadians?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister took responsibility as soon as the former commissioner's report was tabled. He accepted the findings and committed to having the commissioner clear his personal or family vacation plans in the future.

The former commissioner recognized that these costs were incurred as part of the role of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister will continue to work with the commissioner to clear future vacation plans.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was found guilty of violating four sections of the Conflict of Interest Act. That is not nothing. It is a first in Canada.

If the Prime Minister is so aware of what he did, then he should pay the consequences of his actions and repay the $215,000 he took out of the pockets of honest, hard-working Canadians. If the Prime Minister needs more convincing, I took a poll this weekend and 94% of those who responded felt that the Prime Minister should pay them back.

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times, the Prime Minister accepts responsibility and the findings of the former commissioner's report, a report that the opposition asked for. Now that the report has been tabled, the opposition is refusing to accept its recommendations and findings. On this side of the house, we respect the work of the former commissioner and we accept her findings.