Andrew Cash

[Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, May 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I listened intently to my hon. colleague's speech. First, he referenced Frank's & Son Barber Shop, and I am wondering if Frank and his son have extended benefits at their place of employment—a workplace pension, in fact, and job security. These are all important measures that any government that cared about working people would be focused on.

I want to draw the member's attention to a comment made by the Minister of Finance on March 1, 2008, when he stated:

If you're going to make a new business investment in Canada...the last place you will go is the province of Ontario.

That is your province. How can you go back to your riding in Ontario and defend your government when it trash talks—

[Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, May 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I am going to rise on that one because, quite frankly, I am a little concerned that the member is going to explode over there with anger and rage. We are here until midnight and we are here for a respectful debate, and that member should wind it back to that way of talking in this House.

[Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, May 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I always find the member opposite incredibly entertaining, both in camera and in public. I am looking forward to his winding up the soliloquy and preamble and meandering speech and getting back to the issue at hand.

[Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, May 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, during this debate we have heard the government side consistently trumpet their supposed handling, in a good way, of the economy.

In light of current scandals, some of the other scandals have sort of gone down the list, making way for bigger scandals. One is the missing $3.1 billion. There is a responsibility to disclose and reveal where that $3.1 billion is. We are not even talking about $50 million for gazebos.

I wonder if my hon. colleague would like to comment on some of the fiscal mismanagement of the government in light of the comments the government has made during this debate about their so-called prowess in the field of fiscal management.

[Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, May 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague talked about how having the lowest business taxes in the G7 allows businesses to hire. Could she explain this to all the young people in Toronto and across the country who cannot find any kind of permanent job? In fact they are relegated to an endless cycle of unpaid internships and short-term contract employment. In Toronto right now the official unemployment rate for young people is above 15%, but we know that the unofficial rate is well above that. It is over 20%. What can the member say to young people about the government's abysmal record on job creation for young people? It is in the statistics. It is not in the speaking notes, but the stats are there.

[Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, May 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her passion and the conviction she always brings to debate.

She was talking about fiscal responsibility and the lack of proper economic management on the government's side. We have a situation, for example, in my city in Toronto, where about 50% of all workers cannot find stable full-time jobs. That is an economic failure on the part of the federal government.

I wonder if my hon. colleague would comment on that and on whether she sees similar situations like that in her city of Québec.

[Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, May 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his speech in which he framed some of these issues around justice and fairness in the tax system and then extrapolated beyond that to discuss a more fair and balanced Canada.

Today is World Hunger Day. Scanning some of the media attention, I note that in Ontario, post-secondary schools, universities and colleges have food banks on campus. This, to me, is an indictment of whatever the government has to say about its economic progress.

I wonder if my hon. colleague would comment on that in the context of the debate today.

[Petitions, May 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, several months ago now, the members of my community in Davenport awoke to the news that for 50 years, there had been a nuclear processing facility operating in close proximity, in fact right across the road from many of my residents of my community, and no one knew of its existence. Whereas the licence for this nuclear facility clearly stated that they were to have pursued a comprehensive public engagement program with the community, this has never been done.

This petition calls on the government to reopen the licence so the community can have its due say and follow due course in this process.

[Committees of the House, May 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, as my hon. colleague from Timmins—James Bay has pointed out, this is also a question of judgment. It is a question of the judgment of the Prime Minister.

I think it is worth noting that while scandals are engulfing the government, another close ally to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance is also engulfed in his own scandals, and that is the mayor of Toronto.

I am wondering if my hon. colleague could comment on whether it is important to draw that connection and remind Canadians that indeed the mayor and the Prime Minister are political allies and friends, and whether he may find it useful to remind Canadians that this is a question of judgment on the part of the Prime Minister.

[Canadian Museum of History Act, May 22nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest to my colleague's speech. Some of it was very touching, I have to say, and I would like to thank him for that. He does talk about how he wants to see Canadians have access to their history.

However, I am having a hard time squaring the circle of the minister's rhetoric on the one hand and the government's actions on the other, particularly with respect to the deep cuts in the arts and culture and heritage funds. We have had deep cuts at Library and Archives Canada. In fact, the interlibrary loan program at Library and Archives Canada, which allowed Canadians to have access to a treasure trove of books and documents, was cut by the government. That is no longer available.

How is the member saying on the one hand that he wants to see Canadians have access to Canadian history, when the government cut those institutions that protect, share and collect Canadian heritage to the bone?