Jim Flaherty

[Finance, March 1st, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, we have a low tax plan. We want to reduce taxes. This low tax plan was passed by Parliament with the support of the official opposition two or three years ago. If the hon. member were here, she would remember that her party voted in favour of this low tax plan.

Now the Liberals say they want a high tax plan. They say they want a law brought into the House of Commons, which I guess they would support, to increase taxes.

We are going to stay with our low tax plan.

[Electricity, March 1st, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, PPP Canada Inc. deals with applications from all across the country. I am sure the member noticed the announcement the other day in Lachine, Quebec, with respect to the maintenance yard and for the commuter trains in the greater Montreal region: a P3 Canada application, approved by PPP Canada Inc. I did not hear any complaints elsewhere in Canada about that approval.

[Electricity, March 1st, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, there are two matters relating to the Lower Churchill. One is an application for a loan guarantee, and that is being discussed by officials in the federal government with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. The other is a P3 application to PPP Canada Inc. with respect to a proposed transmission connection, and that is being dealt with in the normal way by PPP Canada Inc.

[Pensions, February 16th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, we have cut taxes for seniors and pensioners by over $2 billion annually since becoming the government, including the very important reform and saving for retired persons of pension splitting, which we brought in.

We are working on the new pooled registered pension plan proposal with the provinces. This is an area in which the provinces and the federal government are obliged to and do work together. We look forward to implementing that.

There is no present consensus with the provinces with respect to proposed reforms to the Canada pension plan.

[The Economy, February 14th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' economic policy, as everyone knows now, is to hike taxes by $6 billion. They say that if we do not hike taxes by $6 billion, they will force an election.

It seems that nothing has changed, something the member for Kings—Hants would understand. He said that neither the Liberal caucus nor the Liberal Party had ever encountered a problem that they did not believe to be best solved by throwing copious quantities of taxpayer money at. They are tax and spendaholics.

For once, I can only agree--

[Securities, February 14th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, this is a voluntary initiative that has always respected the provinces' jurisdictions and will continue to do so in the future.

We have a group of 10 provinces and territories that, for well over a year now, has been working with the Government of Canada in the development of the new Canadian securities regulator.

As members know, the bill was tabled in the House. It has been referred, by the government, to the Supreme Court of Canada. The argument will take place in April. We look forward to receiving the decision of the court.

[Sales Tax Harmonization, February 14th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, there is no agreement. Negotiations between Quebec and the federal government are going well. We are making progress, but both parties acknowledge that there remains work to be done. If the Government of Quebec decides to adopt this tax, we will be ready to enter into discussions with it, but not with the Liberal Party.

[Harmonization of Sales Taxes, February 7th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the negotiations are between the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec. As I said, we wish to continue the discussions between the two parties. I have had some good discussions with the Quebec finance minister directly. However, the Quebec government must provide the technical document.

[Harmonization of Sales Taxes, February 7th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, negotiations between the governments of Quebec and Canada are going well. Over two months ago, the Government of Quebec promised to provide us with a technical document on sales tax harmonization, but it has not yet done so. We will continue to work with the Government of Quebec; however, at this point, the puck is in Quebec's zone.

[Taxation, February 4th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, Canada created over 69,000 net new jobs in the month of January, over 460,000 net new jobs since the end of the recession, which means we have recovered the jobs lost during the course of the recession.

Too many Canadians are still looking for work. The economic recovery is fragile. Canadian families know that our Conservative government's low tax plan means the creation of more jobs and that the high tax plan of the Liberal Party means fewer jobs in our country.

We need to continue with our job-creating low tax plan, not the dangerous—