Mr. Chair, the experts disagree with her, but I am going to ask her this question again. How much more money does the minister plan to spend on the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and how much has she spent so far?
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2021, with 48% of the vote.
Business of Supply May 26th, 2021
Mr. Chair, the experts disagree with her, but I am going to ask her this question again. How much more money does the minister plan to spend on the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and how much has she spent so far?
Business of Supply May 26th, 2021
Just to recap, Mr. Chair, I asked the minister when we would return to balanced budgets and she had no answer. I asked her about productivity investments in this budget and she could not answer that question.
I am going to ask her about the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Her government made the decision to join and make an investment in this China-led bank, the AIIB. How much of Canadian taxpayers' money has the government invested in that bank so far?
Business of Supply May 26th, 2021
Mr. Chair, with respect, this is not a growth budget. In fact, numerous experts, including the minister's friend, Robert Asselin, David Dodge and the Parliamentary Budget Officer have all suggested this budget does nothing to position Canada for long-term growth.
Does the minister agree with them?
Business of Supply May 26th, 2021
Mr. Chair, no plan to return to balance. I will assume there is no future in Canada under a Liberal government that would lead us to a balanced budget.
In her recent budget, the minister claimed that this was a growth budget. What specific structural investments, beyond regulated day care, has the minister made to enhance productivity within our economy?
Business of Supply May 26th, 2021
Mr. Chair, with respect, she did not answer my question, twice.
Does the government have any plan to return to balance at any time in the future?
Business of Supply May 26th, 2021
Mr. Chair, when will Canada's budget return to balance?
Business of Supply May 26th, 2021
Mr. Chair, I welcome the Minister of Finance to this committee of the whole. I will get right into it just by saying this, I will not be giving a speech. I will be asking questions of the minister.
The minister has just tabled the biggest spending budget in Canadian history. Many have questioned the sustainability of the massive financial burden that future generations will be burdened with.
Minister, when will Canada's budget return to balance?
The Budget May 13th, 2021
Mr. Speaker, last month, Canada lost 200,000 jobs. The recent budget was not about economic growth. It was about an avalanche of spending to re-elect the Prime Minister. Now we read troubling reports about officials who were asked to come up with excuses for millions of dollars of spending after that spending had already been announced. It turns out this budget was not about growth. It was about a “ready, fire, aim” approach to policy-making that is not about serving Canadians. It is about serving the Prime Minister.
Who is left holding the bag? Canadians are, of course. The Prime Minister has failed us. Why?
The Budget May 13th, 2021
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised a growth budget. Instead, all he gave us was bigger government, bigger debt and bigger deficits. More and more experts are piling on. Kevin Lynch, the former deputy finance minister, said that the budget missed “an urgent opportunity to rebuild our longer-term growth post-pandemic”. He said that this intergenerational transfer of debt and risk was unprecedented. By any measure, the biggest spending budget in our history was a bust.
Why did the Prime Minister miss this opportunity to secure our economic future?
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act May 12th, 2021
Madam Speaker, I listened very carefully to my colleague's speech, and I want to ask her a question about free, prior and informed consent. Some people have characterized FPIC, as it is known, as an absolute veto. Others have said no, it is not a veto. This is of course of concern, as we have to know what free, prior and informed consent really means.
The courts have spent decades defining the duty to consult, which informs Canadians, who want to develop and build our country, about our duty to consult with first nations. Now we have introduced the new concept called free, prior and informed consent. Is the member not afraid that when the courts start to interpret this new standard and judicial creep sets in, FPIC is going to become a veto right that would dramatically undermine Canada's ability to get things done, develop our economy, etc.? I would like her comments on that.