Jim Flaherty

[Points of Order, March 6th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder when the member for Wascana will apologize to the Minister of Transport for his misogynist remarks.

[Consumer Protection, March 6th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would listen more closely to the member opposite and the other members opposite in the official opposition if they had not voted against every consumer protection initiative that was brought before the House over more than eight years, including the consumer protection code.

It is easy to say these things, but it is not easy to do them. We have been doing them, and we will continue to consult and to improve them.

[Consumer Protection, March 6th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, our government takes the issue of fraud very seriously. We have been consulting with Canadians to update the consumer protection code. It is very important. I am meeting with various bank executives tomorrow and on Monday in Toronto. It is a subject that we need to pay a lot of attention to, including the issue of identity fraud.

I am more concerned, actually, with the Liberal leader's idea of being able to balance the budget automatically. I know that we are taking a break and that St. Patrick's Day is coming up, so I hope that he catches that little person, that little leprechaun.

[Employment, March 4th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the fact remains that over one million net new jobs have been created since the end of the recession. Over 85% of them have been full time and 80% in the private sector, and the future looks good. Both the IMF and the OECD predict that Canada will be a major job creator in the future.

[Canada-U.S. Relations, March 3rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I was taught by Peter Hogg as well. I got an A in the tax course.

The question is an important one. It is important for about a million Canadians who also happen to be citizens of the United States.

The Americans initially proposed that there would be a 30% withholding tax and there would be direct reporting by Canadian banks to the IRS. We got rid of that. They have agreed that we will use our existing framework under the Canada-U.S. tax treaty, which has been successful.

No new taxes will be imposed. The CRA will not assist the IRS in collecting U.S. taxes.

[Finance, March 3rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I am still in Finance, unlike the member for Markham—Unionville.

We are all agreed on this side of the House that once the budget is balanced our government is committed to granting further tax relief to Canadian families. That tax relief, so far, averages $3,400 less for each Canadian family in 2014.

[Finance, March 3rd, 2014]

Once the budget—

[Finance, March 3rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, rather well.

There are a couple of provincial budgets this week, one in Alberta. I hope they have the advice of the leader of the Liberal Party who says that budgets can balance themselves, so they will not have to worry about all the details and expenses.

[Intergovernmental Affairs, February 13th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member from Peterborough, Ontario for the question.

Ontario received almost $19.2 billion in federal transfers this year, which is an increase of 76% from under the old Liberal government, including almost $2 billion for equalization; over $12.3 billion through the Canada health transfer, which is an increase of 60% since 2006; and $4.8 billion through the Canada social transfer, which is an increase of 53% since the Liberals. This support ensures that Ontario has the resources it needs, if properly spent, for health, education, and social services.

[Employment Insurance, February 13th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I think we made it quite clear that we have frozen EI rates because of fragility in the global economy and not wanting, at this time, to jeopardize the very modest economic recovery we have in this country, as well as in the United States, unlike Europe, so that we do have job growth, even though it is modest.

We will unfreeze the rates, and they will go to balance in the next few years. For the time being, we are not going to put a greater burden on employees and employers. We want to create jobs, not kill them.