Jeff Watson

[Canada Post, May 27th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the member knows that in 2014 Canada Post delivered 1.4 billion fewer letters than it did in 2006, and that two-thirds of Canadians currently do not have door-to-door delivery. Canada Post must balance its finances without being a burden on Canadian taxpayers.

The NDP's so-called plan for Canada Post would cost taxpayers half a billion dollars a year, which means it would have to raise taxes on Canadians. We will not let it.

[The Environment, May 26th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, of course the Port of Quebec, as the member will know, is an independent, arm's-length organization that is responsible for its operational decisions. I know the member would like to make all of these decisions on the floor of the House of Commons, but that is what the agencies do. We expect, of course, that the Port of Quebec, like any port, would be in consultation with the communities that it is a part of.

[Canada Post, May 26th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, that member is spiking the proverbial football. Canada Post did not have to make a $1.3 billion special payment to a pension plan. The member can tell that to the retirees. Canada Post has structural problems. Letter mail is declining at staggering rates. It has a plan to address that, and the member should let Canada Post get on with delivering on that.

[Canada Post, May 26th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the member will know that in 2014 Canada Post delivered 1.4 billion fewer letters than it did in 2006 and that two-thirds of Canadians currently do not have door-to-door mail delivery.

Canada Post must of course balance its finances without being a burden to taxpayers.

The NDP's plan for Canada Post would cost taxpayers a half a billion dollars a year, which means it would raise taxes on every single Canadian. We will not do that. We are keeping taxes low on this side of the House.

[Rail Transportation, May 25th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I will let the minister make the appropriate appointments in due course, but the member will know that VIA Rail is an independent arm's-length crown corporation responsible for its operational decisions. Its primary objective is to provide safe and efficient passenger service. In keeping with this, VIA is responsible for providing services in as cost-effective a manner as possible. It must work to ensure it is not a burden to taxpayers.

[Canada Post, May 25th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, in 2014, Canada Post delivered 1.4 billion fewer letters than it did in 2006. Two-thirds of Canadians do not receive their mail at home, and Canada Post has to balance its finances without being a burden to Canadian taxpayers.

[Canada Post, May 25th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the member will know that in 2014 Canada Post delivered 1.4 billion fewer letters then it did in 2006. He should also know that two-thirds of Canadians currently do not receive door-to-door mail delivery.

Canada Post must balance its finances and not be a burden on taxpayers. We expect it to do that.

[Economic Action Plan 2015 Act, No. 1, May 15th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today on Bill C-59, our budget implementation act for economic action plan, 2015.

The good news is that the federal government has balanced its budget and now we are helping families to balance theirs. We are doing so by introducing the family tax cut, the enhanced universal child care benefit enhancements for children under 6, and a new universal child care benefit for those between 6 and 17 years. That would help families balance their budget and get ahead.

There are a number of things I like about the budget implementation bill before us today and in the short amount of time I have, I am going to try to lay them out as quickly as I possibly can and explain why I am supporting this particular measure.

Farm succession is an important issue, drawing in the younger generation of farmers in Essex county. We do about $1 billion-plus in agricultural GDP each and every year. Extending the lifetime capital gains exemption to $1 million for owners of farm businesses, which is contained in this act, would go a long way in succession planning and drawing in our young farmers.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister was in Windsor—Essex, talking about manufacturing. There is a lot to say in Bill C-59. We would be extending the accelerated capital cost allowance out to 10 years. That would give a lot of predictability. I encourage the opposition members, who said they supported that measure, to actually stand in their place to vote for it now.

[Economic Action Plan 2015 Act, No. 1, May 15th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the parliamentary secretary for his intervention.

Obviously, we know, those of us who come from farming districts, and I come from one of the better known ones in this country, that the average age of farmers is significantly high. Drawing in young farmers, that succession planning from one generation to the next, becomes important.

I wonder if the member would comment on the capital gains exemption we put in place in this bill and why the opposition should support that if it wants to support farmers.

[Economic Action Plan 2015 Act, No. 1, May 15th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, on the topic of concrete measures, this particular bill proposes lowering the small business tax rate to 9% and extending the accelerated capital cost writeoff for manufacturers out 10 years. I recall only weeks ago that members across the way were suggesting that this was the centrepiece of the NDP's manufacturing and job creation strategy.

Would the member now stand in her place and vote in favour of the bill?