House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2015, with 29% of the vote.
Tax Harmonization March 18th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is saying that Quebec has not harmonized its tax with the GST. In the 2006 budget, the Conservatives said that Quebec did so. In one of these instances, they were not telling the truth, to put it mildly
Quebec has resolved all the issues that were raised. Why not provide compensation? Is collecting the tax the real problem? The Prime Minister should say so clearly.
Tax Harmonization March 18th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, no progress is being made in the matter of tax harmonization. The Prime Minister told us yesterday that Quebec had not harmonized its tax. And yet, the 2006 budget clearly indicates that it has.
The federal government also used the excuse that Quebec was collecting a tax on a tax. That has also been resolved. We were also told that Quebec did not charge the sales tax on certain goods, such as books. There are similar exceptions in other provinces, and that has not prevented the government from concluding agreements with them.
Will the Prime Minister acknowledge that what he really wants is to collect the GST instead of Quebec?
Tax Harmonization March 17th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, I am asking the Prime Minister to give us a clear answer. One of the two governments will have to manage this money. Under the 1992 agreement, Quebec manages it. In all of the other agreements between the federal government and other provinces, Ottawa manages it.
I simply want an answer. Is this why negotiations have stalled? Is the current government questioning the 1992 agreement? Is it saying that if Quebec wants to receive that $2.2 million, then Ottawa must be allowed to manage the money?
Will Quebec be allowed to continue managing this money, yes or no? The question could not be any clearer.
Tax Harmonization March 17th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, when asked about tax harmonization yesterday, the Prime Minister said, “We will continue to work to reach an agreement similar to those reached with other provinces”. But the agreement reached between the federal government and provinces such as Ontario and British Colombia clearly states that the federal government collects the GST, not the provinces.
Can the Prime Minister tell us if he agrees with the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance who, in April 2009, said that an agreement with Quebec about the GST would mean that the federal government would manage this tax?
Tax Harmonization March 16th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister just said he wants an agreement similar to those reached with the other provinces. This means he would like to collect the tax, instead of allowing the province to collect it, as it was decided in 1992. If that is the reason, he should make that clear. If it is because he does not want to hand over the $2.2 billion, based on the formula used for Ontario and British Columbia, he should also say so.
Is it the $2.2 billion that is posing a problem? Does he still want to collect the tax, instead of Quebec?
Tax Harmonization March 16th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, on the issue of harmonizing the GST, negotiations between the federal government and the Government of Quebec have stalled. The federal government is coming up with all kinds of excuses for not compensating Quebec.
In particular, we were told that the Quebec sales tax should not apply to the GST. Quebec agreed. Then the federal government indicated in the House that it does not agree that Quebec should be the one to collect the GST.
Can the Prime Minister confirm for us today that he relinquished the collection of the GST, and that negotiations have not stalled because of this point?
The Economy March 15th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, as usual, he is not answering the question. What I said to him was that several years ago, these people were saying the exact opposite. They wanted to deregulate everything and accused everyone of not doing things like the Americans. Today, they are patting themselves on the back for not having deregulated the banking system. It is lucky they were not in power back then.
They have the same philosophy when it comes to telecommunications. Do they realize that deregulating telecommunications could have repercussions that would be just as serious as if the House had agreed several years ago to deregulate the banking system?
The Economy March 15th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister constantly reiterates that the Canadian economy is coming out of the recession thanks primarily to the regulations that govern our banking institutions. There was a time when the Conservative Party was calling loudly for deregulation of the banks. In 2000, the present Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs complained that the banks had to comply with rules from the previous century, referring to the stringent regulations concerning banks.
Does the Prime Minister realize that if we had listened to his party at that time and deregulated the banking system, that would have been a major mistake in both political and economic terms?
Government Spending March 11th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the restrictions on increased spending apply to his department as they do to the others, but his spending is increasing. I am trying to understand the logic.
Come to think of it, it is not surprising that only the Prime Minister's Office is spared from the budgetary restrictions, knowing what kind of man he is. Is the increased budget for his office not more evidence of his obsession with wanting to control everything?
Government Spending March 11th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister preaches fiscal restraint, new revelations have come to light about this government's excessive spending.
After announcing the abolition of positions that were already vacant, after paying thousands of dollars to replace lights and doorbells in federal buildings, now we learn that the budget for the Prime Minister's Office will increase by nearly 22% in 2010-11.
Has the Prime Minister become a proponent of “Do as I say, not as I do”?