Bev Shipley

[Criminal Code, May 2nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, one thing I can say about my colleague from Sarnia—Lambton is that we always know where she stands. Quite honestly, this debate is about just that. She certainly would not offend anyone, because we either live or we die. Let us be frank about it. The Supreme Court has given medical people the right to kill people. That is what has happened.

I did not see anything in this bill with respect to the following. Let us say that there are people who are terminally ill and are dying of severe cases of cancer. They might not die of the cancer; rather, they could die because of the poison that is given to them. I am wondering what the death certificates would say in terms of the cause of death. If we are to track any of the statistics, if we do not have some indication of what they actually died from, then we lose track of what this bill would accomplish.

[Criminal Code, May 2nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, we have moved 180 degrees, from a criminal activity which was under the Criminal Code to now, where actually we can kill somebody and call it assisted suicide, and at the same time get the health care to pay for it.

I wonder if the member would comment about doctors and nurses who have an ethical or moral gauge within their own soul that will not allow them to do this. Would the bill protect them?

[Business of Supply, April 21st, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, we have agreement on this motion, without a doubt; many times we do not because of our political affiliation.

My background is in agriculture and dairy, and today we are talking about diafiltered milk, or liquid protein concentrates.

We used to also talk about supply management and support for it. Actually, we did not just talk about it, we took action, not only in article 18 of GATT, we did it for cheese standards in WTO. We approved CETA, and before the election, we were trying for the trans-Pacific partnership. In that was an agreement to deal with the issue around border security. That has not happened. This government has decided not to deal with TPP. It is likely a year away, so now there is no protection.

I am wondering if the member has had any talks with anyone who would give her any sense of security about it, or does she think this is just hollow talk about supply management with no action?

[Petitions, April 21st, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, this is a petition that I think touches just about anyone who has read about it.

Members might remember a tragic story that happened to Cassandra Kaake. She was 31 weeks pregnant when she was murdered in an area close to me in Windsor, Ontario.

Tragically, there will be no justice for Cassandra's pre-born child, a little girl named Molly, who was also killed in this violent attack. Because our criminal law does not protect the pre-born child, it is not recognized as a separate victim in attacks against its mother.

This petition comes from across Canada, and basically Canadians are asking that we start to consider justice for victims like Molly.

[The Budget, April 12th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, in short, there is always a problem. We just went through this budget. One of the big issues is that we gave the current government a surplus of $3.4 billion. It has blown through that, and now it is projecting a deficit of $30 billion. The Liberals' platform was that we would have a moderate deficit of $10 billion, pay off the balance, and have a balanced budget in three years. By the way, Liberals would take money from rich people and give it to the middle class.

We have to understand that the middle class in Canada under the Conservative Party is the wealthiest it has ever been. Canada is the second most preferable country in which to do business. However, who will benefit most? It is people who make just under $200,000 a year. Now the Liberals are 300% out on their budget. The tax break was neutral, but it would now cost $2 billion per year.

Could the member give us an idea of how Canadians can trust the budget and the Liberals' accountability?

[The Budget, April 12th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I know everyone is proud of their budget. Budgets are what governments do, I guess.

It is interesting that they talk about the middle class, actually the middle-income group, which under our government was actually the wealthiest in not only the developed countries but one of the wealthiest in the world. What is interesting is that the Liberals are actually going to tax them $1.3 billion over this coming year and another $2.4 billion over the next year. It is going to increase the taxes on Lambton—Kent—Middlesex agriculture and small businesses. The Liberals will also increase the payroll taxes and EI, and they did not drop the small business tax as promised.

I have always believed that it is not what people say but what they do. The Liberals said they would have a modest $10 billion deficit; it is now $30 billion plus. They said the tax shift from the top to the middle class would be revenue neutral, but the biggest benefit is if someone makes just under $200,000, so I guess that is an indication of middle class. However, they were out by $2 billion a year. Then they said they would balance the budget. That is at least three within the first six months. If they cannot make any predictions come true in their budget, I am wondering why Canadians would believe them about finishing their mandate in the next year until the next budget comes along.

[Swimming Canada Champion, March 8th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, today is International Women's Day. Each and every day, women in Lambton—Kent—Middlesex establish new standards of excellence, in business, at home, in sports, and in many other fields.

Today I want to recognize the outstanding achievements of 15-year-old Madison Broad from Wallaceburg, Ontario. When I first met Maddy in 2014, she had won two gold and two silver medals at the Swimming Canada Canadian Age Group Championships. Since then, she has won many more gold and various medals in various competitions. Just last week, Madison finished first in the Orlando grand prix 100-metre backstroke.

Maddy is now focused on the Olympic trials, and they happen in April of this year. Let us join my constituents of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex and give her the support she deserves to reach Olympic gold.

[Canada Labour Code, February 16th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I would also like to welcome the member for Newmarket—Aurora.

It is interesting. I was hoping that they would be having a free vote on this. The Liberals talked about transparency and accountability, and yet they do not have free votes anymore.

I do not think they can afford it. They are collecting $5.4 billion a year in fees, getting close to $500 million in taxable benefit, and they do not want to have a vote, as we have to have, to get elected here or to be Speaker. I am wondering what part of the accountability you are missing when it is all about accountability and showing the taxpayers where their dollars are actually being spent.

[Business of Supply, February 4th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting. Canadians have a big problem on their hands with the current government. What they have is a government that does not seem to be able to understand and manage money. There is no accountability. When the Liberals ran, as the member mentioned, they were going to run a modest deficit of $10 billion. I would ask that the member clarify whether that, in fact, is the number that the deficit will be.

When the Liberals talked about this great tax relief, they said it would be revenue neutral. Even the private business that the finance minister was formerly involved with says it is actually not neutral. It is about a $2 billion deficit. What has happened over the years is that, when Liberals get into trouble, they go back to the people, as they did in the 1990s when they cut the transfers to the provinces, and health care for municipalities, gutted the military, and then took a little swipe out of EI for some $50 billion, which makes it really easy to start to balance budgets.

I am wondering if the member could help us understand if that is the route the Liberals are going to go now to help with the deficit and balance the budget at some point.

[Business of Supply, February 4th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I always enjoy the discussion that comes from the other side, from the member for Winnipeg North.

The member brought up the issue of government image. One of the things the Liberals never talk about is that, shortly after the Conservatives came into government, we went into the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

One of the things that Canadians appreciate—although very few Canadians were seriously impacted by that great recession we had, because of the policies the government brought in—is that over our term we saved families some $6,600 for a family of four. Our belief was that the money should be left in the pockets of families. They are the ones who generate the economy.

We were the second-best country in the world in which to do business. We had a finance minister recognized as the best finance minister in the world. There was the creation of more than one million net new jobs.

Let me talk about image. In the 1990s, when there was also a blip, the Liberals gutted the military. I was in municipal government, as the hon. member was. There was basically no funding in small rural municipalities for infrastructure. There were health care cuts in my province of Ontario of some 20% to 25%.

When it has a serious spending problem, which the Liberal government does, should it not be able to tell us what the deficit is going to be and when it is going to be able to balance the budget?