House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 41% of the vote.
Federal-Provincial Relations June 13th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister must admit that the Atlantic premiers are quite concerned about the problems with Bill C-38. The western premiers have called for some strategies as well.
Does the Prime Minister not see the contradiction here? He goes to Europe demanding fiscal co-operation between the European countries, but when it comes to Canada, he refuses to even meet face-to-face with this country's premiers.
Federal-Provincial Relations June 13th, 2012
I have a question for the Prime Minister.
When the Atlantic premiers met a couple of weeks ago, they expressed strong concern about the impact of federal legislation on their jurisdiction. When the western premiers met, they called for a national energy strategy, something they felt was lacking with respect to the federal government.
I would like to ask the Prime Minister, in light of the fragile economic situation to which he refers so often, does he not think it is finally time to call the first ministers of this country together, to develop a national plan for our economy to get this country moving and to stop the divisiveness and lack of consultation—
Federal-Provincial Relations June 13th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, now they love me!
The Budget June 12th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister speaks complacently to his record.
Let us look at the record. The government has increased its net debt by $117 billion, unemployment since 2006 is up from 6.4% to 7.3% and 300,000 manufacturing jobs down the table. Bill C-38 is an unprecedented assault on Parliament, a dumping on the provinces, a dumping on people and without precedent in the history of our Parliament in terms of its abuse and the way he has acceded power to himself.
That is some record. The Prime Minister has no right to boast to other countries about the Canadian record.
The Budget June 12th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I suppose that since the Prime Minister did not respond to a direct question, it means that he agrees that since he took power, his approach has become more and more like a dictatorship.
Since he is looking at the notes he just received from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, once again giving him the substance for his response, I would like to ask the question again.
Can the Prime Minister deny that he has been corrupted by power?
The Budget June 12th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has stated over the years, and certainly back in 1994 as a member of the Reform Party, that omnibus legislation was in itself bad. He stated very clearly that this kind of legislation could not be carried out without abusing Parliament. He stated very clearly that this kind of an effort could not be made without causing a serious attack on the privileges and rights of members of Parliament.
Has the Prime Minister simply been corrupted by power?
The Economy June 11th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the sad reality is that the government has not been a leader in creating the new international—global—financial architecture that is needed to deal with the problems. There are no small problems in the world. We know very well that economic and financial viruses can travel from one country to another. No country is isolated, and it is ridiculous to say that Canada is an island in the world. Canada is involved in the world, and the government must start to realize that.
The Economy June 11th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, what has just been spoken reminds me very much of a distinguished Conservative predecessor of his, Neville Chamberlain, who said in 1938 at the time of Munich:
How horrible, fantastic, and incredible it is that we should be digging trenches and trying on gas masks here because of a quarrel in a far-away country between people of whom we know nothing.
That is the kind of isolationism—
The Economy June 11th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, it may be a convenient cartoon for the Minister of Finance to say that anybody is suggesting transferring Canadian tax dollars to European banks. Nobody is suggesting that.
I would just like to ask the Minister of Finance: what makes him think for a moment that Canada is, in fact, the island that he talked about on June 7?
The Economy June 11th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance knows full well that any Canadian transfer to the IMF is not a tax transfer, it is not an expenditure transfer, it goes on our books as an asset, and the Minister of Finance knows that perfectly well.