House of Commons photoLost her last election, in 2011, with 14% of the vote.
Violence Against Women November 29th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the hon. member that Canada of course is taking a lead role in Afghanistan, where we see many women who have been living through 30 years of tyranny and violence, and often we hear the NDP calling for us to abandon those women in Afghanistan. I think the hon. member might want to reconsider her question.
Darfur November 29th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member failed to listen to the response that I had previously given. Let me remind him that Canada is the fourth largest donor to the mission. That is significant.
I also think the hon. member would recognize the importance of ensuring individual accountability that does not vary according to the category of crime. Impunity is no more tolerable for crimes against humanity or war crimes than it is for genocide. We have been and will continue to be on the forefront of efforts, both diplomatically and financially.
Darfur November 29th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, we continue to be deeply concerned about the dire humanitarian situation in Darfur. As the hon. member knows, we are part of an international effort. In fact, Canada is the fourth largest donor to this mission.
The situation in Darfur has been referred to the International Criminal Court, which has issued arrest warrants for crimes against humanity and war crimes. The determination of the crimes as genocide is a matter for the court to decide.
We, the Government of Canada, continue to call on the Government of Sudan to cooperate with the International Criminal Court and to turn over the suspects.
Human Rights November 29th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, Canada does have a strong and vibrant relationship with Russia. The hon. member also knows that the Prime Minister has been very clear on issues of human rights abuses and he will always stand up for issues of human rights.
I cannot comment on exactly what is going on in the conversation at this very moment but I am sure the Prime Minister will relate that to Canadians as soon as it is complete.
Human Rights November 29th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I will remind the hon. member that the Prime Minister is meeting at this moment with the president of Russia.
Zahra Kazemi November 27th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, Canada has long called for a new and credible investigation into the death of Ms. Kazemi.
Iran has an obligation to the Kazemi family to ensure that the perpetrators of this terrible crime are brought to justice and the rights of the family are upheld.
Today the media reports suggest that the Iranian supreme court has made a decision to reopen the case. Our government would welcome any decision to reopen this case and hope that it offers justice to Ms. Kazemi's family and to her memory.
Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply October 23rd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, with respect to issues for our natives in this country, we do have a new minister who is very dedicated to the file and of course we have seen some incredible progress from the former minister on that issue.
What is really important here is that we can have a debate in the House and talk about how we can improve situations, but I think it would be nice just every once in a while if the opposition were able to recognize some of the support the federal government does give to low income Canadians. I happen to have a list of that support with me and I would not mind going over it.
Budget 2007 proposed significant benefits for low income Canadians. It included $550 million annually through the working income tax benefit to make work more rewarding for more than 1.2 million individual Canadians. There was also a working families tax plan that will remove 230,000 low income taxpayers from the tax rolls. That is a substantial number. I have just one more, which is the introduction of a new registered disability savings plan program to improve the financial security and the well-being of children with severe disabilities. This is just part of what we are doing.
Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply October 23rd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I want to let the member know that I honestly do look forward to working very closely with him on a number of consular cases where Canadians are in difficult situations abroad.
I think the hon. member knows very well, as he did stand in my shoes--and I can pull out Hansard, media reports, correspondence and such--that he himself very often in the past has said two very important things, one being that I am bound by the Privacy Act with respect to speaking in detail about a case. I can assure him that on any consular case I will do my ultimate, my very best, to work with our consular officials to ensure that every Canadian is being provided the consular services he or she is entitled to.
I am very aware that he has a keen interest in this case. I will continue to follow up with him. However, I do also want to point out one more thing with respect to consular services. He made a comment about getting involved in the judicial system. Again, I have endless quotes and endless pieces of correspondence in which he has said that very thing himself: we do not have the authority to intervene in the judicial system in another country.
Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply October 23rd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to join in the debate on the Speech from the Throne.
A little over a year and a half ago Canadians made a choice. It was a choice to end the reign of a tired, scandal plagued and directionless Liberal government. Canadians seized the opportunity to elect a government with clear goals, focused determination and a willingness to make tough but very necessary decisions.
Our government is achieving real results. Our government is being accountable to the people. We are putting the needs of individuals, families, workers and seniors first.
Canadians elected a Conservative government with a bold new vision for Canada, a government that is continually aspiring to further growth and greater prosperity for the benefit of all Canadians. At the centre of this vision is our long term economic plan called Advantage Canada. It is a plan to give Canada and Canadians the key advantages to be able to compete effectively and attract new growth and investment.
Advantage Canada focuses on creating five key advantages: a tax advantage, reducing taxes for all Canadians and establishing the lowest tax rate on new business investment in the G-7; a fiscal advantage, eliminating Canada's total government net debt in less than a generation; an infrastructure advantage, building modern, world-class infrastructure that promotes economic growth, a clean environment and international competitiveness; a knowledge advantage, creating the best educated, most skilled and most flexible workforce in the world; and an entrepreneurial advantage, reducing unnecessary regulation and red tape, and increasing competition in the Canadian marketplace.
This is an ambitious, forward thinking plan. It is, as Thomas d'Aquino of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives remarked, a strategy that will “enable Canadians to take on the world and win”.
Advantage Canada was laid out before the Canadian people last fall. Since then we have not let this plan collect dust on a shelf. Canadians elected a government that would act and not deliberate ad nauseam. We have begun taking concrete action to create the advantages to build a strong economy for today and for tomorrow.
Over the past 20 months, we have been creating an environment for further investment by reducing taxes significantly for individuals, families and business. It is a total of $41 billion in reduction of taxes over three years.
We are paying down the national mortgage by an amount equivalent to $1,142 for each man, woman and child in Canada. In fact, in September the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance announced an additional debt payment of $14.2 billion for 2006-07. This moves the federal debt to GDP ratio to its lowest level in a quarter century.
We are dedicating all of the interest savings from the shrinking federal debt to further reduce personal income taxes as part of our tax back guarantee. To date, we have provided Canadians with over $1.5 billion in annual personal income tax relief.
We are limiting the growth on spending. We are balancing the books and improving our environment with a plan that is not only responsible but is achievable. After years of debate we have also restored fiscal balance in Canada.
While advantage Canada is the road map guiding our way, the Speech from the Throne gets us closer to our destination. The Speech from the Throne outlined five core priorities for this session: strengthening Canada's sovereignty and place in the world; strengthening the federation and our democratic institutions; providing effective economic leadership for a prosperous future; tackling crime and strengthening the security of Canadians; and improving the environment and health for all Canadians.
These priorities do not respond to the needs of politicians and bureaucrats in Ottawa. These priorities were not imagined through a top-down, paternalistic approach. Those of course are the hallmarks of a Liberal government.
Responding to and acting on the needs of everyday Canadians, these are the hallmarks of a Conservative government. We are putting Canadians and their families first. We are building a proud legacy of tax relief by committing to broad base tax reductions for all Canadians. We are giving all Canadians real choice in child care through the universal child care benefit. We are working to ensure Canadians get the medical care they need faster. We are making historic investments in infrastructure and post-secondary education. We are creating safer neighbourhoods through tough new legislation on crime.
These are all issues that matter to everyday Canadians and we are taking real action to tackle these issues. That is what Canadians want: a government that responds to their needs and gets the job done. This government understands that.
The opposition, especially the Liberal Party of Canada, does not understand that. In government, the last Liberal leader, the member for LaSalle—Émard, was routinely derided for his lack of direction. In opposition, the current Liberal leader, the member for Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, has carried on this legacy, waffling on issue to issue to such a degree that even some of his Liberal colleagues have openly criticized him. I raise this not simply as partisan rhetoric, but to contrast our decisive leadership with that of the Liberals. We do not waffle and dither. We get the job done.
We are getting the job done on cutting taxes, but taxes in Canada are still too high. That is why, as I mentioned earlier, the Speech from the Throne made a commitment of further broad based tax relief for individuals, businesses, and families. This, in addition to a further cut in the GST, is something that constituents in my riding of Simcoe—Grey cannot praise enough.
Further tax cuts will help make a strong Canadian economy even stronger. Indeed, since we took office, over half a million new jobs have been created. Even better news is that not only is the economy is creating a lot of jobs, but it is creating good, high paying jobs as well.
Quoting from a July 2007 CIBC World Markets report, I note, “The good news is that the Canadian economy created almost 200,000 new jobs in the first 6 months of 2007”. In even better news, the quality of those jobs is on the rise and, states the report, “the combination of rising employment and improving quality is a sure recipe for rising personal income”.
The significance of such employment numbers should not be minimized. As Eleni Bakopanos, former Liberal MP and now new chief adviser to the present Liberal leader, once noted in this very House, “The best economic and social program is job creation”.
We believe in the value of work, but we acknowledge that some people need support to succeed in the labour market. For many low income Canadians, taking a job can mean being financially worse off. Some individuals who receive social assistance benefits often lose in-kind benefits such as subsidized housing if they get a job.
Having had eight and a half years at the provincial level working as a political staffer and having spent a great deal of time in constituency work, I can relate and I can recall this as an issue. Of course our Minister of Finance also worked provincially, and I am so pleased to see that this is why he has addressed this issue. That is why we are implementing the working income tax benefit. This new benefit will make working more profitable for low income Canadians, helping them over the so-called welfare wall.
We have also acted to support low income Canadians on other fronts. We have provided $1.4 billion in funding to increase the affordable housing supply. We launched the nearly $270 million homelessness partnering strategy to help homeless and at-risk individuals build a better future.
Canadians made a choice a year and a half ago. They chose a government with goals and a vision responding to their needs. We have delivered results. We have put the needs of everyday families first. To quote a recent Macleans editorial, “It's been a long time since we've had a prime minister so closely attuned to the interests and priorities of the Canadian main street”.
Yet there is still work to be done, with opportunities and challenges ahead, but Canadians can rest assured that this Conservative government will provide the leadership needed to ensure a strong and secure economic future for Canada.
Canada Account Annual Report October 19th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, on behalf of the Minister of International Trade, the Canada Account Annual Report for 2005-06, prepared by Export Development Canada.