House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2008, with 64% of the vote.
Points of Order December 3rd, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I will start by stating the obvious about our new spirit of decorum in the House. During your election, Mr. Speaker, on the first day when this 40th Parliament met, I thought all parties and all 308 members of Parliament committed themselves to greater civility in this chamber, greater decorum—
Economic and Fiscal Statement November 28th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I appreciated my hon. colleague's remarks from across the way, especially the concern she expressed for the seniors in our country, but I want to correct a couple of things to which she made reference.
She indicated that when she votes next week, as she put it, against the economic and fiscal update, she will be voting on behalf of seniors. She should be aware, and I hope she is, that when we vote Monday on the ways and means motion to implement certain provisions from budget 2008, which I think was passed last February or March, which was a long time ago, by a previous Parliament, and certain provisions from the economic and fiscal update, those provisions will have to do with taxation measures.
Many of those taxation measures deal directly with seniors, the very people she says that she wants to help, measures like RRIFs and the reduction in the amount they must pull out of their RRIFs. That measure will help them considerably. She should be aware that and that is what is contained in the ways and means motion that we will be voting on.
Speech from the Throne November 28th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I move:
That the address be engrossed and presented to Her Excellency the Governor General by the Speaker.
Points of Order November 27th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, the hon. minister has left the chamber, but I will certainly approach her and make sure that we are able to provide that.
Business of the House November 27th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I would like to focus on one week at a time if that is all right.
Today, we will wrap up the debate on the address in reply to the Speech from the Throne. In addition and pursuant to an order made Tuesday of this week, at 4 p.m. today regular proceedings will be interrupted for the Minister of Finance to deliver his fiscal economic update.
Following the statement, each opposition party will be given an opportunity to respond to that statement. After the responses, the House will resume consideration of the address in reply to the Speech from the Throne.
Tomorrow, we will be debating the substance of the economic fiscal update.
I would like to designate Monday, December 1 as an allotted day pursuant to the order I mentioned earlier. Following the consideration of the opposition motion on Monday, we will propose to the House a ways and means motion, which the member mentioned, relating to the economic fiscal update. A bill will then be tabled that is based on that ways and means motion. That bill, which will have the designation as C-2, will be debated for the remainder of next week.
Government Spending November 27th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, the member talks about the size of our cabinet, so let us talk about some facts.
At the end of Jean Chrétien's time in government, he had 39 members in cabinet, as did Paul Martin, this with only 133 Liberal members of Parliament in the House. Statistically that was the largest cabinet in Canadian history. His cabinet was almost 30% of his caucus.
The member might also be interested to know that the cost of our cabinet today is still millions of dollars less than when the Liberals were last in office.
The Economy November 26th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for the P.E.I. wheat board over there.
What I have already said is true. We have added ministers of state for specific policy areas. We do not apologize for that at all. Our cabinet has not increased. Our ministers of state are focused on addressing the needs of Canadians. I urge the member to wait until tomorrow and we will see who wants to lead by example.
The Economy November 26th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I will try again. We have added ministers of state for specific policy areas. It is important in this time of economic challenge that we have ministers who are focused on seniors' issues, focused on women's issues, focused on business and tourism, science and technology, and regional development.
Is the hon. member actually suggesting that these particular Canadians are not worthy of a minister?
The Economy November 26th, 2008
So much for the new decorum, Mr. Speaker.
The facts are that the size of our cabinet has not increased. What we have done is add ministers of state--
The Economy November 26th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, that is pretty rich coming from the Liberals.
The facts are that the size—