Blake Richards

[Taxation, June 6th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, notwithstanding the fact that was totally inaccurate, I also find it quite curious that the Minister of National Revenue does not feel fit to agree with those statements, because they were made by her Liberal colleagues, the member for Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook and the Minister of Fisheries, in letters that were written to her.

I ask the Minister of Fisheries this. Does he still stand by the letter that he wrote to the Minister of National Revenue in June 2016? Does he still believe that “the tax treatment of campgrounds [should] be reviewed taking into account their specific circumstances” with regard to the small business tax rate? Does he still suggest a moratorium on assessments while a review is undertaken?

[Taxation, June 6th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to the small business tax rate, would the revenue minister agree that due to the seasonal nature of the camping industry it would not make sense for these businesses to have five year-round employees. Therefore, they are subject to a higher tax rate. As a result of this financial burden, many campground owners are struggling to keep their businesses. Consideration should also be given to the fact that owners of campgrounds are in most instances full-time employees, no different than full-time, self-employed in other small businesses.

Would the minister agree?

[Petitions, May 31st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition with a whole slew of signatures from my constituency, places like Crossfield, Airdrie, Canmore, Cochrane, also from Calgary, and other places in Alberta and Saskatchewan. There is a large number of signatures. It is about an issue that arose prior to the last federal budget, when the government was discussing the idea of taxing the medical and dental benefits of Canadian.

It is a good reminder for the House, given that there always seems to be another attempt by the Liberals to find a way to raise the taxes of Canadians, that Canadians push back when Liberals try to raise their taxes. This was another example of when they were seeking to raise taxes on medical and dental benefits and Canadians said no way, that the Liberals could not raise their taxes. That is what this petition is about.

I believe that sentiment would apply to all of the attempts the Liberals make, and continue to make, to try to raise taxes.

[Tourism Week, May 29th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's tourism sector is an important contributor to our country's economy. It is a $90-billion-a-year industry that employs more than 1.7 million Canadians in every region and is important to every community across the country.

Every year at this time, we celebrate Tourism Week in Canada. The purpose of this grassroots initiative is to promote the many benefits that tourism brings to the Canadian economy and to explore opportunities for the industry.

We are blessed to live in such a beautiful country that has so much to offer, from the mountains to our oceans to the Northern Lights. We have great food and wine, aboriginal tourism, vibrant cities, and every outdoor activity one can imagine.

As we celebrate tourism, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the operators and workers across this country in the hospitality industry who make, with all of their hard work, Canada such a great place and welcoming place to vacation. People from all over the world come here to visit and are treated to first-class experiences that they will remember for a lifetime.

Happy Tourism Week.

Happy Tourism Week.

[Committees of the House, May 18th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 31st report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs in relation to its study of the main estimates 2017-18.

[Natural Resources, May 17th, 2017]

Where's the pipeline?

[Natural Resources, May 17th, 2017]

Where's the one you rejected? Tell me about that.

[Standing Orders of the House of Commons, May 2nd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal House leader claims she is having discussions with all MPs about substantive changes to our democracy. What she is actually doing is ramming through a motion to make the Liberals less accountable to Canadians.

The Liberal member for Malpeque thinks there should be all-party consensus. Even the Liberal platform itself says so:

We will look at...ways to make Question Period more relevant...and will work with all parties to recommend and bring about these changes.

Did she actually read their platform, or is she taking communications lessons from the defence minister?

[Standing Orders of the House of Commons, May 1st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they wanted to have a supposed discussion on the Standing Orders, but it turns out that it was just a Trojan Horse for what they really wanted, for the Prime Minister to only have to show up once a week. Now they are trying to ram through changes to the House that they could make without amending the Standing Orders. Even the Liberal member for Malpeque said, “I strongly believe that you have to have at least consensus from the main parties to change the rules of the House.”

If the Prime Minister will not listen to common sense on this side of the House, will he at least listen to reason from one of his own Liberal MPs?

[Standing Orders of the House of Commons, April 12th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, can members spell “hypocrisy”?

Let me fill the Prime Minister in on something else. Parliament belongs to Canadians and not to him. It will not be changed to suit his selfish needs.

Canadians certainly see through the Prime Minister's blatant disrespect for our democracy. They will simply not stand for the Liberals' ramming through substantive changes to how their democracy works, especially when they are changes that will remove any ability to hold him accountable.

Will the Prime Minister drop his “me, me, me” attitude and actually respect Canadian democracy for a change?