Bev Shipley

[Business of Supply, February 4th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I find it quite interesting. We delivered a $1 billion surplus to the current government. The theme through the campaign was transparency and accountability. The concern of the member for Beauce, who I thank for his commitment to his constituents and Canada over a number of years, is that the Liberals need something to cover up the tracks of their irresponsible spending. That is their responsibility as a government. They were given a surplus, but even though in the election a modest $10 billion deficit was projected, they have absolutely no idea now what that number will be. They know how much revenue will come in but have absolutely no idea what the deficit will be.

Is that not the responsibility of the Minister of Finance to know, who in his former position in the private sector believed the total opposite of what he is now preaching to Canadians? Does he not have the responsibility as a minister to listen to his department and understand that when it says there is a surplus there is one? Second, is it not his responsibility to know what the deficit will be, and when is he going to talk about being able to bring back a balanced budget?

[Business of Supply, February 4th, 2016]

First, Mr. Speaker, let me thank the member for Niagara Falls for his years of service, not only to his constituents, but to Canadians, for all of his efforts and accomplishments.

We have a big problem. The Liberal government projected a modest deficit of $10 billion. The Liberals said they would have a tax cut that would be neutral. We have a math problem, because it is not only not neutral, it was not $1 billion, but $2 billion out.

All of us have the greatest respect for the Minister of Finance, particularly in his past role, but the policies he is bringing forward now are different from those he talked about in his private life.

I want to ask my colleague from Niagara Falls, is it not the responsibility of the government to one, talk about and know what the deficit is, and two, as the Liberals talked earlier in their platform about balancing the budget, know when will they actually be able to do that?

[Business of Supply, January 28th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Lakeland for a great presentation. It is interesting that the Liberal government at this stage is looking at not supporting our Canadian economy and not supporting jobs in Canada but is wanting to ship those jobs to countries like Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and Venezuela, which do not have energy assessments anything like Canada's. They are nothing like Canada's.

I am wondering what her constituents say about supporting foreign investment and turning their heads against Canadian investment, when we have such strong environmental support here?

[Public Safety, December 10th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government is punishing law-abiding gun owners again by bringing in a needless permit regime that would require gun owners to get a permit every time they go hunting or go to the range. Clearly, it is a gateway to bringing back the billion dollar gun registry and make life as difficult as possible for rural Canadians.

Why do the Liberals always target law-abiding gun owners? Why do they not go after criminals for a change?

[Resumption of debate on Address in Reply, December 7th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I have known my colleague from Humber River—Black Creek for my 10 years here. We both have had the opportunity to spend a number of years before we arrived here in municipal politics or some other political field, and I thank my colleague for her service.

The member stated that everything in the throne speech focused on the middle class, or the middle-income group as I like to call it, which in Canada right now is the wealthiest it has ever been. Agriculture is one of the largest industries in this country. I do understand that there is likely not a lot of agriculture in that member's riding. However when the Prime Minister stands up and says that the small businesses of this world—and I look at the member for Malpeque sitting next to my colleague, who I think would agree—and all the agriculture businesses in this world, except for maybe on one hand, are all families in small business, he says this is a venue where rich people go in order to save paying taxes.

I wonder if the member could explain why agriculture is being looked at in such a detrimental manner by the Prime Minister.

[Retirement Congratulations, June 11th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the extraordinary life, career and community commitment of Mr. Dave Babbitt. He has been the music teacher Wallaceburg District Secondary School for the past 39 years and is retiring at the end of June. Last night, a packed crowd honoured Mr. Babbitt at a moving concert tribute performed by current and former students.

In addition to being an exemplary teacher, Dave Babbitt is an outstanding musician in his own right. He has freely given thousands of hours of his time over the years to local community groups. He has kept the sound of the big band music alive and his own brass ensemble is known as The Brass Factory.

Every Remembrance Day, we will find Mr. Babbitt at the Wallaceburg Legion honouring our fallen heroes with Taps and the Last Post.

We thank Dave for all he has done and offer him congratulations in his retirement and all the best.

[Committees of the House, June 4th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the ninth report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food in relation to its study on promoting domestic trade in agriculture and agri-food products by reducing interprovincial trade barriers.

This is pursuant to Standing Order 109 of the House of Commons. The committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

[Taxation, June 2nd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government has a great story to share. As I go door to door this summer in Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, I cannot wait to tell every single family with children about our enhanced and expanded universal child care benefit. I cannot wait to tell hard-working families that only our Conservative government has put and left more of their tax dollars in their pocket. I look forward to sharing with law-abiding gun owners that they can continue to count on our Conservative government to protect their rights. What a joy it will be to talk to small business owners and tell them that we have cut the small business tax rate, inform farmers that we have increased the lifetime capital gains exemption, and to tell seniors we have doubled the tax-free savings account.

I will also have to tell 100% of my constituents that the Liberal leader, if given the chance, would turn all of that good news into a horror story. Thankfully, we will not give him the chance, nor will hard-working Canadians.

[Taxation, May 13th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Liberal Party's high-tax and high-debt plan is a disaster for the middle class.

The Liberal leader admitted that he would have to raise taxes on Canadians by replacing our family tax cut with a family tax hike. He will take away the universal child care benefit, take away the tax-free savings account and, yes, take away income splitting. The Liberal leader is a take-away leader.

Yesterday, regarding taxes, he said, “benefiting every single family is not what is fair”. On this side of the House, unlike the Liberal leader, we believe it is fair to provide support to 100% of Canadian families with children, and so we are.

[Anti-Terrorism Act, 2015, May 4th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my great colleague from Medicine Hat for his intervention on today's topic.

If members go back to the blues, I will not repeat it all, but certainly the threat that comes from ISIS itself to Canada to kill Canadians is not something that we take lightly, nor should we.

The opposition parties across the way have not supported anything for our veterans, for our military, for any of the judicial legislation that we have. Therefore, their speaking today not about the victims, which would be Canadians, is understandable I guess.

How in Canada or any country can one actually have freedom if one does not have security? That is actually what the opposition is saying about this. The opposition members are so concerned about it that they are saying not to worry about security because it would take away some of our freedoms. I would ask my colleague if he thinks as I do, that that is backwards.