Alan Tonks

[BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION ACT, 2009, February 10th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I think my colleague and the House would agree that the government has come a long way since the budget update, which was presented in the House a few months ago. It does not seem that long ago, but it is.

I listened last night, and I am sure other members did as well, to President Obama. He talked about the emergency nature of the global crisis in which we have found ourselves. The member has balanced his comments against that reality and has indicated the emergency nature of it and why we must respond on behalf of Canadians.

I know the member comes from an urban community in Montreal, similar to Toronto. The Toronto mayor has talked very positively, on the one hand, about the many benefits and multipliers that come from the infrastructure and the investment in our social capital, the people.

Is the member satisfied, on the basis of the experience of Montreal, Toronto and urban communities across the country, that the cost-sharing arrangements as put forward can be met by municipalities? If they cannot be met, and we have heard that some cannot, then the stimulus possibilities will be negated and held back.

Has the member given any consideration to a concept that, through CMHC, municipalities that need their one-third share could borrow it and in good times start to pay it back, the kind of accounting process that would allow municipalities to add and take up the opportunities in the stimulus package?

[Elio Rosati, February 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the House to mark the life of Elio Rosati, who recently passed away.

Elio was a first generation Italian immigrant who was only a young man when his father's homeland went to war with his new-found country. Elio joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and flew submarine patrols over the Atlantic before engaging Canada's enemies in the skies above Burma.

For nearly half a century Elio Rosati was a fixture in Toronto's Italian community. In 1976 he and his wife, Jackie, helped to build and open the beautiful Columbus Centre and Villa Columbo, a community centre and seniors complex.

Elio was a veteran, a leader and a doer. He pursued no task without passion, yet he was often most proud to speak to me about his gardening. The roots that Elio planted in York South—Weston will continue to benefit our community and our country.

I say grazie mille to Elio for a life well lived. I know that members of the House join with me in extending our nation's thanks and condolences to his wife Jackie.

[Trade, February 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in the Prime Minister's own backyard, Evraz has just announced it will be laying off 400 steelworkers. That is across western Canada. The sharpest cuts will be in Calgary and Camrose.

Again, on behalf of the House, what will the government do so our steelworkers will not lose their jobs?

[Trade, February 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in view of the very serious consequences that may occur from the proposed buy American policy, I wonder if we could approach it from a bit of a different perspective.

Could the minister acknowledge that what we have failed to do, or it appears we have failed to do, is coordinate the special nature of the government's stimulus package with our largest trading partner?

In view of the fact that thousands of steelworkers' jobs are at risk, does the government have a plan to coordinate those two stimulus packages?

[Canada–EFTA Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, February 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House I would like to thank the minister for a very excellent overview with respect not only to the agreement but some of the associated issues. He has mentioned the foreign investment protection agreements. He has mentioned the science and technology agreements. He has talked about the infrastructure that we are going to invest in to make our regions more competitive.

I wonder if the minister could address two issues. The first is the matter of equity. In talking about the sense of fairness on the issue with respect to Korea, where I understand there are ongoing discussions, the automotive industry here is extremely concerned about the inequity with respect to the import of Kia and other vehicles and no reciprocity with respect to that sector.

The other question is with respect to transportation technologies. The minister talked about the agreement with Brazil, but every time we have been to the WTO in terms of access and competitiveness with respect to Bombardier and transportation products, we win those hearings but we do not seem to be able to reinforce that international agreement that there has to be fairness through the ongoing statutory and quasi-judicial processes.

I wonder if the minister could comment on those two particular areas.

[The Budget, January 29th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I congratulate, again, the member for bringing forward these issues that have been raised by his constituents. It seems to me, and I hope it seems to the House, that here we have a budget that has some funds and programs that would reach the objectives that we want to see with respect to the development of the north. The member has spoken about these. He has spoken about where he would like to see changes. However, he has also spoken about the process of accountability, monitoring the accountability, and how effectively those funds would be used and those programs would be utilized.

When these quarterly reports come forward, from his perspective of being able to respond on behalf of his residents and northern development, does the member see these reports being streamed into the relevant committee and then the committee recommending particular action? Is that the kind of responsive mechanism that he sees would be in the interests of regions across this country, in terms of extracting the very best of this budget, and doing the things that the budget intends to do and thereby improving it where that might be possible?

[The Budget, January 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the minister of state for her overview of the advantages of having the western redevelopment mechanism. We in Ontario, particularly southern Ontario, have been saying that kind of mechanism should exist. This budget places that as a priority and I take it, with funding.

Does the minister of state have any problems with the amendment that has been made with respect to monitoring the kinds of progressive investments that are being made, those investments which she has already talked about? Has she any problem with a quarterly report monitoring and assessing the success of those investments?

Can the minister see if that same approach would have a great advantage with respect to the same issues being faced in southern Ontario in terms of creating the kind of stimulus that she has very aptly alluded to in her speech? Action is going to have to be taken to lock into other funds that will invest in infrastructure, innovation, and so on, just as has happened in the economic region for which she is responsible.

Can the minister advise the House that the same experience is going to be brought four-square behind the initiatives that are absolutely necessary for southern Ontario?

[Economic and Fiscal Statement, December 3rd, 2008]

Madam Speaker, I congratulate my colleague on his re-election. He, indeed, does come from a beautiful part of Ontario.

The budget makes some very strong recommendations to create credit for the manufacturing sector and our exports, in particular in the automotive industry and aerospace, which are equally important right across the country. The expansion of the EDC and BDC to allow for additional credit is a step in the right direction.

However, both the aerospace and automotive industries have required more credit to accelerate a stimulus. Why would the government not have come forward immediately when it was apparent that there was a crisis in those sectors with suggestions as to how they could make a difference? That is what was being looked for—

[Economic and Fiscal Statement, December 3rd, 2008]

Madam Speaker, it is not only a question of bringing in a budget but it is a question of what is in the budget. Mr. Obama, the president-designate of the U.S., has talked about tax credits for new workers to the tune of $175 billion to stimulate the economy. He has talked about liability for designated benefits, which is of great concern.

My question for the member is: Is it not a question of enhancing the budget and coming forward with it quickly so that it would benefit all Canadians, not just those who are in the province of Quebec; therefore, the issue of who we are dealing with in terms of serving those people is really not an issue, to the extent that all Canadians would benefit through this coalition?

[Economic and Fiscal Statement, December 2nd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the member from Scarborough, who was the parliamentary secretary to the minister of finance, has spoken with a great understanding of the fundamentals of our budgetary and fiscal situation.

My question is related to the sense of urgency around the economic update. We have heard that young families are depleting their RRSPs just to pay mortgages. Yesterday in the Financial Post there was an article concerning the whole question of designated benefits and the need for pension insurance. We are talking about a liability of hundreds of billions of dollars.

Does the member think that, within the context of the independent budgetary officer and what he has heard from the Minister of Finance, it is possible to put a counter-proposal through a budget that would deal with the urgency of these issues? Does he not think that is what the people of Canada are looking for?