Deepak Obhrai

[Business of Supply, October 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am talking about Canada's economic action plan and he is talking about business investment in this country. That is exactly what I am talking about. If he does not like my using the word Nexen or something else, that is his problem. However, what I am talking about is the business investment climate in this country, and investment in this country is exactly what this motion is about. I am on topic even if he does not want to listen to how well Canada's economic action plan has been doing and how this government has been acting. That is what bothering him. Too bad for him.

Let me also tell him in no uncertain terms that the Minister of Industry, whom we fondly call Captain Canada, is going to do what is best for Canada whether the New Democrats like it or not. The NDP's policy has always been for higher taxes and now a carbon tax. They would make sure there were no investment in this country.

It is amazing that they moved a motion that talks about investment in this country but when we talk about how great our banking system and tax regime are, which is why people like to invest in this country, they have a problem. They have a problem because it is contrary to what they are proposing in their economic plan, which is all about taxes, a carbon tax and no investment. I would remind the member that if he listened very carefully to what I have just said, he would actually support this motion. He would say yes to investment.

I will say once again that the Minister of Industry will make a decision that is in the best interest of this country.

[Business of Supply, October 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to speak to the motion before the House. In my brief remarks today, I would like to give members an overview of our economy and what our government is doing to keep our country strong and competitive in what is a volatile and uncertain global environment.

I will be splitting my time, Mr. Speaker, with the member for Souris—Moose Mountain.

Canada's current economic and fiscal health record is the envy of many other nations today. Thanks to the prudent fiscal and economic decisions made by our government before the recession hit in 2008-09, Canada's economic and fiscal health today is stronger than most other developed nations.

When faced with an unprecedented global crisis, our government responded with an economic action plan, which stimulated the economy, protected Canadian jobs during the recession and invested in the long-term growth. It is also been both outstanding and widely recognized.

For example, the Canadian economy has achieved one of the best performances on jobs and growth among the G7 in recent years. We have recovered and exceeded all the output and all the jobs lost during the recession. Since July 2009, almost 770,000 net new jobs have been created. Virtually all jobs created since then have been full-time positions. Real GDP is now also well above the pre-recession levels.

In addition, Canada has the distinction of the world's soundest banking system for the fifth year in a row, as affirmed three weeks ago by the World Economic Forum. Forbes magazine has ranked Canada as number one in its annual review of the best countries for business. Three credit rating agencies, Moody's, Fitch and Standard & Poor's, have reaffirmed the top rating for Canada and it is expected that we will maintain their AAA rating in the year ahead.

Canada is still growing, but we are not immune to the downside risks originating outside our country or, in fact, of the economic challenges faced by some of our largest trading partners.

Our continued response to the global economic uncertainty has been our economic action plan. To ensure that Canada's finances remain sustainable over the long term, our government has introduced a host of strong, economic measures to foster more growth, more jobs and continued long-term prosperity.

These actions to improve conditions for business investment include: expanding trade and opening new markets for Canadian businesses; keeping taxes low for job-creating businesses; strengthening business competitiveness; and further strengthening Canada's financial sector.

Our government is also determined to return to balanced budgets in the medium term. Our government is taking a balanced approach based on prudent economic growth presumptions between supporting jobs growth and implementing our plan to return to balanced budgets over the medium term. It is a goal that we are all well on our way to achieving and at a pace other developed countries cannot match.

In two years we have already cut the deficit in half. We did it by ending our targeted and temporary stimulus measures and by controlling the growth of new spending.

Canada expects to achieve its G20 commitments to halve the deficit by 2013.

We also plan to stabilize or reduce total government debt-to-GDP ratios by 2016, as agreed by the G20 leaders at the summit in Toronto in June 2010.

Finally, I will say a few words about Canada's tax advantage.

To prosper in a competitive global economy, entrepreneurs and businesses also need a competitive and efficient tax system. That is why early on our government introduced the tax relief required to create jobs and growth throughout the economy. In 2007, prior to the global crisis, we passed a bold tax deduction plan that would help brand Canada as a low tax destination for business investment. The final stage of our step-by-step reduction in the fiscal business tax rate came into force at the beginning of this year. It is a culmination of a process that has seen the business tax rate fall from 22.12% in 2007, when we set our goal, to just 15% today.

I do not have to tell anyone in this room what this investment-friendly tax environment means to the future of Canada's economy and jobs. It is a broad-based, fiscally durable and structurally sound—

[Foreign Affairs, September 26th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, three treaties.

The first is entitled “Protocol to the Agreement Between the Government Of Canada and the Government Of The People’s Republic Of China for Co-operation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy”, done at Beijing on July 19.

The second is the entitled “Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the People's Republic of China for the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments”, done at Vladivostok on September 9.

The third is entitled “Agreement on Social Security between Canada and the Kingdom of Norway”, done at Ottawa on June 20.

A explanatory memorandum is included with each treaty.

[Human Rights, September 26th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, we are deeply disappointed by the decision of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court to convict and sentence to lengthy prison terms Mr. Nguyen Van Hai, Ms. Ta Phong Tan and Mr. Phan Thanh Hai for peacefully exercising their democratic rights. All three are prominent bloggers and are members of the Free Journalists Club.

Canada urges the Vietnamese authorities to respect all of its international obligations, including freedom of expression, and to release these three bloggers and the many others imprisoned for peacefully expressing their opinions.

Yesterday at the United Nations, I made an announcement of $500,000 to the Lifeline initiative to assist NGO activities that promote freedom of expression, among others, as this is one of the objectives of our foreign policy.

[Foreign Affairs, September 20th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear to my colleague and friend on the other side: the policy that we have towards Cuba is made in Canada, not in the U.S.A. This is our policy.

The member is absolutely right that we have not closed our mission and we have not closed diplomatic relations with Cuba. Thousands and thousands of Canadians go every day to Cuba; Cuba is a destination of choice for many Canadians.

In reference to China, the member talked about human rights and the sale of natural resources that she is claiming we are going to be selling off. Let me be very clear that the government engages with China on all issues of human rights. Whenever we meet with them, we talk bilaterally about issues of human rights and bring them to the Chinese leader.

Again, engaging with the Chinese leader is more important. As far as the resources are concerned, let me be very clear: they will comply with the investment act of Canada, not the investment act of China. They will follow our rules, our regulations, and that would become a key element, should that happen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to answer the questions.

[Foreign Affairs, September 20th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, before I respond, may I take this opportunity to congratulate you on being elected to the office of Deputy Speaker. We are looking forward to working constructively with you, having known you for many years.

In reply to my colleague from the Green Party, let me say there is absolutely no contradiction between our policies towards China and towards Cuba. We treat both of them with four Canadian values. We raise the issues of human rights when we have bilateral meetings with them, and Canada's foreign policy includes promotion of democracy, rule of law and human rights.

Canada has had with a relationship with Cuba that goes back to 1945, and not only that: Canada maintains a relationship as one of the only two countries in the hemisphere never to have broken diplomatic relations with the island.

Canada's policy on Cuba is different from that of the United States. We do not have an embargo against Cuba and we do not support their isolation. We believe that by engaging Cuba, we can support its move towards democracy and greater human rights. It is the same policy that we apply to China.

Canada supports democracy and human rights. It is very important for the member to understand what happened at the Summit of the Americas in 2001 in Quebec City, when the Conservative government was not in power. The leaders unanimously agreed that countries would only be joining OAS if they had showed movement toward democracy.

At this current time, the movement to democracy has not gone forward. That is why we are very adamant, but that does not mean that there is isolation toward Cuba; rather, we believe what we are doing here will open up Cuba.

On what the member is talking about, the great things that are happening in Cuba, this will encourage all of that. We will be partners with Cuba in trade and development and we will also be partners in the promotion of democracy and human rights in Cuba.

[Foreign Affairs, September 19th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaties entitled: Mutual Recognition Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the State of Israel for Conformity Assessment of Telecommunications Equipment done at Tel Aviv on June 24, 2012; an agreement concerning the interpretation of Article 25 of the Convention between the Government of Canada and the Swiss Federal Council for the avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on Income and on capital done at Berne on May 5, 1997, as amended by the protocol done at Berne on October 22, 2010, done at Ottawa on June 28 and July 23, 2012; the Food Assistance Convention done at London on April 25, 2012; and the Final Acts of the World Radio Communication Conference of the International Telecommunication Union, WRC-12, done at Geneva on February 17, 2012.

An explanatory memorandum is included with each treaty.

[Korea, June 15th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, 25 years ago at the Brandenburg Gate in June 1987, President Reagan called on Gorbachev to “tear down this wall”.

Germany was able to reunite as a democracy and showed that Soviet communism was a failed experiment.

Sadly, more than 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, there remains a place where a nation and people are divided, where one side enjoys freedom while the other side lives under repression. The demilitarized zone between South and North Korea is the last visible scar of the Cold War. It reminds us how the North Korean regime continues to forcibly stop its population from finding a better life.

The unification of the Koreas will one day become a reality.

Canada calls on North Korea to close this sad chapter in its history and work toward promoting the well-being of its people and stability on the Korean peninsula.

[New Democratic Party of Canada, June 13th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, our government has a plan to keep Canada's economic recovery on track. Unfortunately, the NDP has opposed and attempted to delay that plan at every turn. Sadly, this comes as no surprise from a party that is anti-jobs, anti-trade and anti-economic growth.

NDP members have opposed our pro-trade plan by voting against free trade agreements that we have brought before this House. They also, shamefully, sent an anti-trade delegation to the U.S. to advocate against Canadian jobs. The NDP's anti-jobs and anti-growth views were further revealed when the NDP leader called Canada's resource industries a disease.

When will the NDP members realize that they should be standing with us to support jobs and economic growth instead of against Canadian jobs?

[Foreign Affairs, June 6th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaties entitled: Protocol Amending the Convention between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital, done in Luxembourg on September 10, 1999, and done in Montreal on May 8, 2012; Exchange of Notes concerning the Convention between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital, done in Luxembourg on September 10, 1999, and done again in Luxembourg on May 8, 2012, and in Brussels on May 11, 2012; Convention between Canada and New Zealand for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income, done in Wellington on May 3, 2012; Convention between Canada and the Republic of Poland for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income, done in Ottawa on May 14, 2012; and Convention between Canada and the Republic of Serbia for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital, done in Belgrade on April 27, 2012.

An explanatory memorandum is included with each treaty.