House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2006, with 55% of the vote.
Employment Insurance November 4th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, for the last four years the sole obsession of the Reform Party has been to get us out of deficit. Now that we are out of it, it wants to put us back into deficit by irresponsible tax reductions.
We refuse to follow these irresponsible policies. We will act in a balanced and sane way for the benefit of all Canadians.
Employment Insurance November 4th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I find it passing strange coming from the Tory party a call for EI cuts which under its regime went from $1.95 up to $3.30. I find it passing strange it is criticizing us for having acted to secure the Canada pension plan for all Canadians when it ignored it totally for nine years and stuck its head in the sand.
Employment Insurance November 4th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, when we looked at this issue together with the provinces we did not agree with the short term impacts cited by the hon. member.
One thing we did agree with in terms of the report was that had we not taken steps together with the provinces we would not have been able to secure the Canada pension plan for our retirees today and for future generations of Canadians. We acted and we are very proud we did.
Year 2000 November 2nd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, that is a very important question.
I am assured by the Superintendent of Financial Institutions that they have had extensive discussions with the banks to ensure that they will be compliant by the year 2000.
Moreover, they have encouraged the banks in dealing with their customers to also pass on the message that it is critical that all Canadian businesses be compliant by the year 2000.
Canada Pension Plan November 2nd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, every one of the directors was selected by a joint federal board. They were not appointed unless they had provincial approval.
If the member has a difficulty, maybe he should take it up with the provinces.
Employment Insurance November 2nd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the excuse is very simple. If we were to cut payroll taxes to the extent advocated by hon. members opposite we could very well be in a deficit, and we will not do it.
Employment Insurance November 2nd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I again find unusual what the Reform Party is saying because in securing the dividend of January 1998, last year, the Reform Party urged the government to use the EI surplus to pay down the debt.
In Fresh Start the Reform Party said we should only cut EI premiums by 28% and cut them for the employers only.
Employment Insurance November 2nd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I find this new found concern for the poor a little unusual coming from that leader.
If he has such profound concern for these people, why did he not support our bill last year when we cut 400,000 low income Canadians right off the tax rolls? Why did he not support the $1.7 billion we gave to the child tax benefit to help the poor working families?
Employment Insurance November 2nd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, very simply, every announcement the government has made on EI premiums has been welcomed by employers and by employees and they will be in the future.
Employment Insurance November 2nd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, quite the contrary. We are very pleased with our record in EI.
When we took office in 1993, EI premiums were at $3.07 and going to $3.30. We froze them. Since then we have reduced them every year to $3 to $2.95 to $2.90 and to $2.70. We will continue those reductions in EI premiums.