David Anderson

[New Democratic Party of Canada, October 18th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, today Canada's Minister of Finance introduced the second phase of our low-tax plan. What a contrast with the NDP's election promise to impose a $21 billion carbon tax. Our plan creates jobs, strengthens economic growth and ensures long-term prosperity. Theirs takes us back to high taxes, no growth and higher prices of absolutely everything.

Now the New Democrats do not want to talk about it. Even their pet bloggers will not acknowledge that they were very clear. On page four of the 2000 election platform, there it is, a proposal to bring in $21 billion in revenues with a carbon tax. The NDP leader mentioned his plan multiple times during his leadership campaign. He promised that if elected he would propose a system of carbon pricing that would produce billions. Now he wants to hide from it. However, last week the Broadbent Institute, already funded illegally by the NDP, backed up his plan.

The New Democrats are clear: Canadians must pay higher taxes. We are just as clear: our government will not support a job-killing tax hike and a backwards-looking carbon tax—

[Natural Resources, October 5th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, across this country we have a strong review process. We have a strong National Energy Board that looks at those applications. I am sure if the application is made, the board will be taking a look at it.

However, the pipelines are being reviewed. The member mentioned the Northern Gateway pipeline and that is being reviewed by an independent panel, and we are trying to ensure that is not a political process but one that is based on science, as with any other decision.

[The Economy, October 5th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Sault Ste. Marie knows, and Canadians are discovering, that the 2011 NDP campaign promise in which the NDP made a commitment to a carbon tax imposed through a cap and trade process would force Canadians to turn over $21 billion of their money.

Our policies have helped create 800,000 jobs across this country. Just last month alone there were another 50,000 new jobs. The NDP members would cancel those 50,000 jobs and hundreds of thousands of others if they got their way. That is why they cannot be allowed to implement their dangerous policies.

[New Democratic Party of Canada, October 5th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, our government has a low-tax plan to create jobs and to bring long-term prosperity and economic growth to this country. What does the opposition have? It has a tax plan and an election promise, a promise that would raise taxes on everything and a promise that would kill jobs and stop economic growth.

Page 4 of the NDP 2011 election platform lays it out: a carbon tax through a government-imposed cap and trade system with the intent of raising $21 billion from taxpayers and Canadian businesses. The present leader of the NDP promised at the leadership debates that he would go even further than the last leader, that his plan would raise billions more. That money comes directly from the wallets of hard-working Canadians. This plan could not have been laid out any more clearly. Now, for some reason, the NDP just does not want to talk about it.

Canadians cannot afford the no-development party and its hare-brained, high-tax schemes.

[Food Safety, October 3rd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I met with some representatives from the beef industry in Canada earlier this afternoon and they have a couple of requests. One request is that members of Parliament refrain from using exaggeration and hyperbole in discussing this issue. They said that the Canadian beef industry does not need to be threatened as it has had enough pressures over the last few years. They are asking if we would refrain from doing that and try to deal with the issue of food safety, which is the important issue here.

My first question tonight is to ask if the opposition will listen to the voices of beef producers across this country.

My second question is for the parliamentary secretary. He mentioned that the in-depth review of the plant actually determined that there was no single factor in the plant that led to the H7 E. coli contamination. Could he talk about some of the deficiencies that were identified and how the CFIA is now beginning to deal with those deficiencies in that plant?

[Natural Resources, September 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I have to thank the member for Cariboo—Prince George for his insightful question and his excellent work on this file. As the Minister of Industry pointed out so clearly, the NDP's dangerous carbon tax would increase prices for all Canadians. It would kill Canadian jobs in the resource sector. It would not just damage the west, as the leader of the NDP would claim, but all of Canada.

Ontario finance minister, Dwight Duncan, has this to say:

Alberta's oilsands are a valuable resource both here in Alberta and the entire country, a resource that helps fuel the Canadian economy.

When will the NDP abandon its reckless ideology, change its policies and join us as we create jobs for Canadians?

[Aboriginal Affairs, September 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, we are conducting an independent comprehensive science-based evaluation of the proposed northern gateway pipeline.

First nations are being consulted extensively during that. I have a list here of 41 first nations that we are helping with funding so that they can present before the northern gateway pipeline panel.

As I said earlier, when we hear from the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business that aboriginal companies do 1.3 billion dollars' worth of business with oil sands companies, we think the consultation on energy development is working for aboriginal communities.

[The Environment, September 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the only ones who have made their minds up about this project are the opposition members. They have opposed every development project that has ever been proposed in Canada and they oppose our trade deals. Everything they talk about, including their $21 billion carbon tax, works against Canadians. It is time they set aside their ideology, join with us and start to create jobs for Canadians across the country.

[The Environment, September 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I can tell the member who we are listening to. We are listening to the 41 first nations that we are providing funding for so that they can participate in the northern gateway pipeline review. Those are the Canadians we are listening to.

As I mentioned, we have an independent, comprehensive, science-based evaluation of the northern gateway pipeline taking place. The only ones who seem to want to interfere with that science-based process is the opposition and its House leader.

[Natural Resources, September 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, as usual, the member opposite has it wrong. When the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business estimates that oil sands companies do 1.3 billion dollars' worth of business each year with aboriginal-owned companies, I think that shows that consultation in energy development is working for those aboriginal communities.

An independent, comprehensive, science-based evaluation of the proposed northern gateway project is currently under way. First nations are being consulted extensively as part of that review.