House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 58% of the vote.
The Budget March 26th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, if we want to talk about tax fairness in Canada, we do not need any lessons from the party opposite that has made it clear that it will vote against the income trust legislation.
The Liberal Party along with the Leader of the Opposition also made it clear, without reading or even knowing what was in the budget, that when we went after tax havens, they would be in favour of tax havens for Canadian businesses. That is what they know about tax fairness.
Points of Order March 22nd, 2007
If I may, Mr. Speaker, in reply to the comments made by the Liberal member for Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca. I was referring to the quotes in the press that he planned to vote for the budget.
I am sorry to hear that I gather he has been intimidated by the expulsion from caucus of the member for Thunder Bay—Superior North who was exercising his independent view as a member of Parliament.
I am sorry that the member for Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca values his membership in that caucus more than the independence of his vote in the House.
The Budget March 22nd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I just do not understand why the Liberal member is so negative and lacks enthusiasm for the budget like the member for Thunder Bay—Superior North, but let us not forget the Liberal member for Halton who says that ending the so-called marriage penalty is a good thing, a small tax cut but a worthwhile one. Is that not interesting? There is enthusiasm for the budget.
I also know that the member for Halton is an enthusiastic supporter of pension splitting, which we also have in this budget. I am sure he will vote in favour of that.
The Budget March 22nd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I do not know why that Liberal member is so grumpy. She ought to be enthusiastic.
Be enthusiastic like the member for Thunder Bay—Superior North who says he likes the optimism in the budget.
Be enthusiastic like the member for Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca who says he plans to vote for the budget.
Be enthusiastic like the Liberal member for Charlottetown who praises the infrastructure investment for the province of Prince Edward Island.
Be enthusiastic like the Liberal member for Halton who--
The Budget March 22nd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, British Columbia and the people of British Columbia have done very well in this budget. Just in infrastructure alone, over the course of the next seven years, the investments are well over $4 billion.
We know what that means, and my colleague, the Minister of Transport has helped me on this with leverage with the province, the municipalities and the P3s. It means that will be tripled. It will be more like $10 billion to $15 billion in new infrastructure in British Columbia, including the gateway. It is great news for the people of British Columbia.
The Budget March 21st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, in addition to the universal child benefit, there is also the benefit, costing $1.4 billion, introduced for children under the age of 18 in budget 2007. This is a major reform and a major step forward to encourage families.
Lots of families in Canada struggle. At the end of the month, they have trouble paying their bills, with the cost of gas, the cost of energy and the cost of electricity in many places in Canada. We understand that struggle by middle class families in Canada
Seventy-five per cent of the tax reductions in the budget go to people earning less than $75,000, about 50% to people earning less than $33,000—
The Budget March 21st, 2007
Does the former goaltender not want me to answer or does he want me to answer?
The Budget March 21st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows, in last year's budget we introduced the $100 per month universal child tax benefit, which would be received. We have also now introduced the benefit for the—
Transfer Payments March 20th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, it was about three weeks ago that a historic announcement was made in the greater Toronto area with respect to infrastructure. That is a commitment of about $1.5 billion for urban transit issues, public transit, subway in Toronto, subway into York region, city of Mississauga, city of Brampton, region of York, region of Durham. These are all major infrastructure investments in transit.
I think that is what the member for Hamilton Centre is talking about. There are $33 billion in infrastructure funding that is budgeted now and I am sure some of it will be spent in the area of Hamilton.
Securities March 20th, 2007
Absolutely not, Mr. Speaker. That is not the intention at all. The intention is to try to make the Canadian economic union work as well as it can.
The IMF and the World Bank have looked at the issue and in their report they recommended that we, as governments in Canada, continue to pursue this option of making our capital markets more effective and more efficacious, which creates more liquidity in Canada, which creates more investment, more jobs for Canadians and more jobs in Quebec. This is all progress.
As I say, this is all about creating a common regulator to make the markets work more efficiently, not creating a national--