Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance and the exempt staff are subject to proactive disclosure. The details of their travel and hospitality expenses can be seen on the Department of Finance’s website at the following link: www.fin.gc.ca.
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 58% of the vote.
Questions on the Order Paper January 31st, 2011
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance and the exempt staff are subject to proactive disclosure. The details of their travel and hospitality expenses can be seen on the Department of Finance’s website at the following link: www.fin.gc.ca.
Questions on the Order Paper January 31st, 2011
Mr. Speaker the Canada Development Investment Corporation has not awarded any grants and contributions under $25,000 from January 1, 2009 to present.
Questions on the Order Paper January 31st, 2011
Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), projected employment insurance, EI, revenues and expenses, presented on a fiscal year basis, April 1 to March 31, from 2010-11 to 2015-16 were included in the 2010 Update of Economic and Fiscal Projections, pages 35 and 37. For more information, please visit http://www.fin.gc.ca/ec2010/pdf/efp-pef-eng.pdf.
In response to (b), the aforementioned projection included funding for pilot projects.
In response to (c), all pilot projects announced on or before October 12, 2010 were included.
Questions on the Order Paper January 31st, 2011
Mr. Speaker, In response to (a), details on the spending of the federal government can be found in the Public Accounts of Canada. The Public Accounts of Canada are archived in the Library and Archives Canada's electronic collection at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/electroniccollection/index-e.html. For information on planned expenses for 2010-11, please consult the main and supplementary estimates at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/index-eng.asp. The main and supplementary estimates provide a breakdown of planned spending by standard object of expenditure that can be compared to previous years Public Accounts.
In response to (b), budget 2010, see pages 156 to 168, implemented a number of targeted measures to bring the budget back to balance by reducing the rate of spending growth over the medium term. For more information, please visit http://www.budget.gc.ca/2010/home-accueil-eng.html.
In response to (c), the Bank of Canada does not publish revenue or expenditure projections for the federal government.
In response to (d), budget 2010, see page 12, was clear: “The Government will not raise taxes and will not cut major transfers to persons and other levels of government.”
In response to (e), budget 2009 announced a review of corporate assets. No decisions have been taken to date and no savings booked. A systematic review of corporate assets is a normal part of good governance and contributes to the ongoing reallocation of financial resources from low to high priorities in order to maximize economic benefits to taxpayers.
The Economy December 14th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite can trust the government to continue to take responsible action, as we have done.
We set up the financial literacy task force. We introduced credit card reform and a voluntary code of conduct with respect to credit cards. As I indicated, we have tightened the insured mortgage rules twice. Of course, we have encouraged Canadians to save through the tax-free savings accounts, and many thousands of Canadians have taken advantage of that.
The Economy December 14th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, we clearly do not want Canadians over-extended.
With respect to residential mortgages, which is what I think the member is referencing, twice we have tightened the rules for residential mortgages, insured mortgages, once in 2008 and earlier this year in 2010.
If the rules need to be tightened again, we will do so.
Financial Institutions December 13th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, we clearly do not want Canadians to be overextended on credit. Ensuring Canadians can make financial decisions is a priority for our government. That is why in the budget in 2009 we created the financial literacy task force. It has been hard at work the past almost two years and will report early in the new year.
We also introduced credit card reform to ensure Canadians would have the information they needed. Canadians can see that now on their credit card forms they get every month. They can see exactly what it costs to carry balances and so on. Information is power.
Gasoline Prices December 8th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, somewhere in there, there was mention of the HST. The HST is a provincial responsibility. The provinces decide what they will do with their sales tax. A couple of provinces have decided to harmonize their sales tax. A group of provinces did so under the Liberal government back in the 1990s.
What we will not do in the provinces is imitate the NDP in Nova Scotia and increase the sales tax by 2%.
Banks December 8th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, we have done substantial credit card reforms. We have also brought in a code of conduct for credit card companies. Again, the NDP is against consumers. Every time we do something for consumers or want to do something in a bill before the House, it votes against it.
Here is what the Consumers Association of Canada said, “All of the things that [the Finance Minister] has done [re: credit cards]are actually just what we asked for...overall, 'I've got to congratulate [him]'”.
Banks December 8th, 2010
Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, the NDP voted against Bill C-47, which is a budget bill. That budget bill contains important protections for consumers, the highest level of protection that bank customers have ever had in the history of Canada.
However, here comes the NDP. Every time it gets an opportunity to help consumers, it votes against the interests of consumers in Canada.