Alex Nuttall

[Canada's Contribution to the Effort to Combat ISIL, February 22nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, there are a couple of things that we need to recognize first of all. While the motion is proposing a comprehensive change to the mission, it backs down from a comprehensive approach to the mission, meaning that while the government is increasing our ability to train troops on the ground, it has stepped back from a piece of the mission that has been highly successful to date with over 400 successful missions.

There is one key item that boggles my mind when I look at the government's approach to this. I will read a bit from the throne speech: “In this Parliament, all members will be honoured, respected and heard, wherever they sit. For here, in these chambers, the voices of all Canadians matter.” That is except for one thing: the government has already changed the mission, so no matter what is said here about a reduction in the bombing mission, it does not matter because the decision was made by one person during a campaign without any information to support it.

Therefore, could the member stand in his place and please tell us how this would be any different? Does this change mean that this chamber does not matter any more?

[Foreign Affairs, February 19th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said his only goal was “to free every Canadian in trouble around the world”.

Ernest Fenwick Macintosh is a Canadian and a convicted pedophile. He is in jail in Nepal right now for sexually assaulting a child. In 1997, the government issued a passport when it should not have done so.

Is this someone that the Liberals want to bring back to Canada?

[Nicole Marchand, February 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, on February 16, after a long battle with cancer, Barrie resident Nicole Marchand passed away at the young age of 30. She was born the same year as I was and was a fellow student at Innisdale Secondary School.

Nicole has been recognized as a hero, her positive attitude, her constant fervour to give others hope, and the number of lives she has changed through the courage shown and displayed in such a public fight in Barrie.

I do not believe it is quite fitting just to say that her memories will live on, for it is the legacy Nicole has left of courage in the face of fear, strength to give even more when so much has been taken, and positivity in times that have been cut far too short that will live on in the lives of those whom she has touched.

I thank Nicole and her incredible family.

[Business of Supply, February 18th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I find it interesting listening to the Minister of Foreign Affairs talk about divisions being created and saying that the Conservative motion today is creating division. It is not creating division. We are responding to a group that is creating division. That is what leadership is: it seeks to unify when others seek to divide.

As we move forward, I think we need to make sure that what we do in the House matters, and that when we stand up, we stand strong and firm. We welcome the support of the Liberals wholeheartedly, and we thank them for that support, but we ask them to tone down the rhetoric. When will they do that?

[Business of the House, February 4th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, a couple of speeches in a row by hon. members have mentioned that the timing of the General Motors share sale was not ideal. I find it interesting that the members would provide this information to the House considering that the very month that the shares were sold, the price, according to statistics, was $36.63. They said that they should be sold about six months down the road, with the advice they had been given from an economist, and six months down the road it had dropped $6 per share. Today, it has dropped even further.

My question is this. Is that the type of economic management we could expect from the NDP?

[Business of the House, February 4th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, one of the things my colleague from Barrie—Innisfil outlined is the surplus that was left for the Liberals. A month later the Liberal government outlined a deficit of over $3 billion.

Has the Liberal government communicated to my colleague where or how it is spending the money? Has it provided any transparency or accountability to the House or to my colleague as a member of Parliament to date?

[Business of Supply, February 4th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot help but take issue with some of the comments that were just made.

In the comments regarding picking which reports members on this side of the House want to accept from the finance department and which ones we do not, the member is referring to a December report that was issued by the ministry of finance, which outlined a Liberal deficit. Subsequently, a report was issued last week outlining that there was a surplus in November. The question is not which report we accept. We accept both reports. We agree that the Liberals have turned a Conservative surplus into a Liberal deficit. There is no question about it.

Second, in terms of squandering a $13 billion surplus that was left, I do not believe giving Canadians their hard-earned money back would be considered squandering. It would be putting money back where it belongs. We introduced the TFSA. We lowered the GST. We increased the personal exemption, which most affects those who earn the least. We are proud of these things.

We believe money belongs in people's pockets. Could the member stand in the House and explain why he does not believe that?

[Government Appointments, February 2nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, we have seen this government fill its offices with former Dalton McGuinty staffers. McGuinty has cost Ontario taxpayers billions of dollars in higher taxes, big spending, and gas plant scandals.

After hiring every McGuinty staffer it could find, will the government at least promise that Dalton McGuinty never gets a patronage appointment, yes or no?

[Government Appointments, February 2nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the government House leader cannot answer a question on ethics because he does not know what they are.

This letter was sent on behalf of the Prime Minister of Canada. It is right there in black and white. It is not enough that the Liberal House leader appears to be breaching ethical rules, but the Prime Minister himself is involved.

Will the Prime Minister stand and tell this House how he will fix the obvious ethical breach?

[Income Tax Act, February 1st, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is absolutely correct, not just with respect to the flexibility that is given through the tax-free savings account for younger Canadians; but it is ideal to take advantage of it because, the older one gets, usually the greater one's salary—there is an increase in revenue earned—and that point in life is the best opportunity to take advantage of an RRSP. That is 100% correct.

I am not sure why our colleagues across the aisle do not realize this. However, if they do not realize it, I can certainly see where the coffers of the government are going in the future.