Jim Flaherty

[Jobs and Economic Growth Act, March 29th, 2010]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-9, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 4, 2010 and other measures.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Taxation, March 29th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House we have a jobs and growth budget. Members on the other side of the House are proposing job-killing tax increases for Canadians.

I know the Liberals do not like listening to Canadians but perhaps they will listen to the Liberal finance critic who said that deeper business cuts are the “primary means of achieving the investment, the rising living standards and the jobs, jobs, jobs that we all want for ourselves and our children”.

The budget is pro-jobs. Raising taxes is against jobs. Canada needs jobs, especially our small and medium-sized businesses.

[Canada Pension Plan, March 29th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, there are differences of opinion with respect to how one can improve the Canada pension plan and how one can involve the private sector.

The member opposite and her party seem to think they have a monopoly on the only thing that will work. The Canadian Labour Congress does not agree with the Liberals. The Ontario Federation of Labour does not agree with them. I spoke with them in Toronto on Saturday and they have a rather different idea.

I suggest that the official opposition stops acting as if it has a monopoly on the truth.

[The Budget, March 29th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, let me try to understand the oxymoronically named thinkers conference.

They are going to increase business taxes on small and medium size businesses. The official opposition members are going to do that. They are going to raise the GST and they are going to impose a carbon tax on everybody, at a time that we are trying to come out of the great recession.

It is just shocking, the insensitivity of the Liberal Party, the tax and spend party, to the needs of Canadians, especially small business people in Canada.

[The Budget, March 29th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, there is no change in the tax policy on GST with respect to financial services.

There were a couple of court cases late last year that obscured the definition and we clarified it in a couple of clarifying memos. The intention, as with the previous government, is to maintain the same definition of financial services.

Having said that, I want to thank the member for Markham—Unionville and his party for agreeing that we need to get to a $17 billion deficit within two years. I thank them for adopting our government's policy with respect to that.

[Securities, March 25th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, we have a terrific financial system in Canada in many areas, and we are the envy of the world for the stability of our system.

We do not have that in the securities area. However, I do thank the chief of the Bloc opposite for his investments in the pétroliers in Alberta.

[Securities, March 25th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, we do respect the jurisdictions of the provinces and the Government of Canada with respect to securities.

[Taxation, March 25th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the fact that by 2013 we will have one of the lowest corporate tax rates, between the provinces and the territories, in the G7. We have the lowest overall tax rate on new business investment in the G7 by this year, 2010.

This is important for business in Canada, for small and medium size businesses to create jobs in our country. I am sure the NDP member wants to create jobs in Canada.

[The Budget, March 25th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the budget is accurate.

[Pensions, March 25th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, as was stated in the Speech from the Throne, work is being done on that issue. It is an important issue for Canadians and we have to try to move forward on that issue. But on the broader pension issue, again I say to the member opposite, we have one of the best pension systems in the world in Canada, something we can be proud of and we will make it better.