Cathy McLeod

[South Cariboo Afghanistan Project, October 21st, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to the South Cariboo Afghanistan project. A decade ago, Mr. Jack Witty of 100 Mile House was moved by stories of the rebuilding effort in Afghanistan to ask the question: “What would happen if a rural community like the South Cariboo helped a rural community in Afghanistan to rebuild?”

In partnership with Mr. Esmat Nazaryar, an Afghan Canadian from the village of Jeloucha in northern Afghanistan, the South Cariboo Afghanistan project set out to help rebuild Mr. Nazaryar's community.

Since 2004, with support from Hope International, the Aga Khan Foundation and CIDA, this project has helped to construct a medical clinic, clean water system, roads, a seed and animal bank and a school.

Mr. Nazaryar and his family visited 100 Mile House last month to convey the thanks of the community of Jeloucha to all those in the South Cariboo who supported the rebuilding process. For many in northern Afghanistan, Canada is a place called 100 Mile House.

[Keeping Canada's Economy and Jobs Growing Act, October 17th, 2011]

Madam Speaker, my ears perked up at the conversation around health care.

We were all back in our ridings this last week. As I travelled into my rural communities, my constituents were looking at the movement we made in terms of forgiving loans for students as being very positive and they were starting to see very positive results.

They talked about the 6% that we would maintain on transfers. There are many positive things happening in health care.

Would the member perhaps like to reflect on really provincial jurisdiction as being very important to respect, but also how important these movements are to ensure physicians are available and health transfers continue to be protected?

[Keeping Canada's Economy and Jobs Growing Act, October 17th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I look at how things were in 2008 and I look at how things are in 2011. Certainly we do have some concerns as we look at the global economy. However, we take some great comfort in terms of where Canada is and our position in the world. I can look at the riding of Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, where the headlines today were focused on the increased shipments to China of our forestry products, and we see the mills reopening.

Perhaps I could ask the member to reflect on how things have changed in his riding over the last couple of years through economic action plan part one, and how phase two would actually help the constituents of his riding.

[Keeping Canada's Economy and Jobs Growing Act, October 17th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, while listening to the debate today I heard many opposition members talk about there being no plan or that it is not working. One need only look at the results of seven periods of economic growth and an employment rate that while still not as good as we would like it to be is certainly better.

Could the member speak to the fact that we indeed have a plan and share it again with opposition members? Perhaps they have not heard but phase two of the economic action plan is working.

[Keeping Canada's Economy and Jobs Growing Act, October 17th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his very articulate words in support of moving this important bill forward. He talked about seven quarters of growth. The unemployment rate in 2008 was high, but it is much lower now, although it is still higher than we want it to be.

The opposition has said there is no plan, but we have a plan. Could the member talk about our plan in terms of moving the economy forward?

[September 29th, 2011]

Madam Speaker, while I appreciate the member opposite finally expressing an interest in this file, I would note that it comes about a decade later than it should have.

I would also remind hon. members and the fishers affected that the hon. member for Cardigan actually sat at the cabinet table where the decisions affecting the fishers, who we are discussing today, were first made. The vast majority of these cases date back from 1998 to 2001.

If the member, indeed, feels so strongly about this file, why was he a partner at the cabinet table and why did he participate in the policy that was brought forward, which he now, all of a sudden, criticizes?

Fishers work hard. Our government has the absolute expectation that CRA administers Canadian tax law in a manner that is fair and consistent for all.

[September 29th, 2011]

Madam Speaker, I must first say that the Canada Revenue Agency must safeguard the confidential information it receives according to the confidentiality provisions of the Income Tax Act. Therefore, we cannot comment on any specific cases.

Since the inception of the Atlantic groundfish licence retirement program, the matter before us today has received considerable attention by the CRA. The application of the Income Tax Act to these types of payments is a matter of some complexity and disputes.

In general, when a taxpayer disagrees with an assessment, the act provides objections and appeal rights that must be exercised in the manner and within the time frame specified in the act. If a taxpayer fails to exercise his or her objection or appeal right, he or she may choose to request consideration under the taxpayer relief provisions, which are also contained in the Income Tax Act. The court also provide Canadians with an independent review of disputed issues and serves to clarify the law or resolve differences of opinions with the CRA.

The matter considered by the Federal Court was whether the fishers, who had not disputed the tax treatment of the compensation amounts through the objection and appeal process, could benefit from the same tax treatment accorded to the other fishers who had disputed CRA's position.

On May 16, 2011, the Federal Court directed the CRA to reconsider these fishers' requests.

As the minister informed the House on June 21, 2011, “the government will not appeal this decision, and CRA will now reconsider the fishers' claim as requested by the Federal Court”.

The CRA has now reconsidered the fishers' requests and concluded that exceptional circumstances exist to allow a re-examination of the income tax returns of the 752 affected fishers.

The CRA will now review the fishers' income tax returns for the 1999, 2000 and 2001 tax years on a case-by-case basis and this will start October 2011. The CRA will notify each fisher of its decision in due time.

Our government has the absolute expectation that the CRA administers Canadian tax law in a manner that is fair and consistent for all.

[Business of Supply, September 29th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, again I thank the member for asking what I think is a very important question.

The best thing we can do for Canadians to change the distribution of wealth is to create jobs. That is what phase two of our economic action plan would do. We know that providing people with opportunities to have the jobs they want and need is the best thing we can do for Canadians and for the economy.

[Business of Supply, September 29th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I think there are two important things to look at here. One is that the Forest Products Association of Canada put the highest priority on that particular fund in terms of encouraging innovation.

When I talk about abroad, I am talking about the development of markets. One of the companies in my riding of Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, for the first time ever, was looking to ship its products over to China. We are talking about expanding markets, which is absolutely critical for our forestry industry and its ability to innovate at home.

[Business of Supply, September 29th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, that is a very important question. It not only is about the industries putting back, but people also often do not follow what happens with the profits from our corporations. Those profits from our corporations are part of what funds our Canada pension plan and part of what funds the investments of our grandmothers' RRSPs. They count on companies that are successful in Canada.

If companies are profitable and can make more money, they pay more taxes. Ultimately, what we have to ask is what happens to those profits, and they help everyday Canadians in many ways.