Jim Flaherty

[Employment, March 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, this is rich. This is from the party that did not even understand that if it did not pass the budget promptly, employment insurance would not have been available. The Liberals did not even understand that until we raised it in the House a couple of weeks ago. Then, they did the flip-flop and told the senators that they had better pass the bill, which the Liberal senators did.

We are on track. This is a difficult time. There is a global recession. However, we have a plan to help Canadians, which is more than I can say for the members opposite.

[Employment, March 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as members know, the difference between the Liberal opposition and the government is that we have an economic action plan. All we hear from the opposition is criticism and talking down the Canadian economy. That is not what Canada needs now.

We need to pull together as Canadians to comfort those and help those hardest hit by the recession, and to build for the future. That is exactly what our economic action plan does. We are implementing it. We are building Canada's future.

[Financial Institutions, March 11th, 2009]

We will be able to move forward, Mr. Speaker, with respect to the regulatory aspect as soon as the budget bill is passed, which is being delayed by the Liberal senators in the other place and is going to be voted against by the member who just asked the question.

[Financial Institutions, March 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows, if the member has reviewed the bill, in the budget bill there are provisions that we want to have passed to give the regulatory power to deal with some of these credit card issues that are of concern to Canadians. As soon as the bill is passed we will be able to move forward with that. I hope the Liberal senators will stop delaying the bill in the other place.

[The Economy, March 11th, 2009]

I certainly can, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the member for Edmonton—Leduc for the question. He of course has done an excellent job shepherding the budget bill on an expeditious basis through the finance committee in his role as chair of that committee. Would that it could be said of the finance committee in the Senate, chaired by a Liberal senator.

We have a plan. The Liberals are delaying the economic plan in the Senate, all the worse because—I know the member for Wascana will want to know this—the International Monetary Fund said this today:

Canada is better placed than many countries to weather the global financial turbulence and worldwide recession. Its resilience can be attributed to—

[The Economy, March 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, if the members opposite cared about unemployed people in Canada, the budget bill would be law by now. This is an action that is within their control.

The difference is there is a plan on this side of the House and no plan on the other side of the House. We have a bill that is ready to pass. We want it to become law. The other side wants to delay it from becoming law.

We want to help unemployed Canadians on this side of the House. The other side of the House does not care about unemployed Canadians. We have a positive plan. Those members offer nothing in terms of a plan, only a negative attitude toward those in need in Canada.

[The Economy, March 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's economic action plan was announced on January 27. We want to implement it with the stimulus that is in the first budget bill. The Leader of the Opposition says that he has told the Liberal senators to pass the bill. When? It can be passed today. It can receive royal assent. It can help the unemployed people in Canada right now.

It is very plain that this additional time for unemployed Canadians is available now. Where is the plan on the other side? Where is the courage on the other side to help unemployed Canadians?

[Canada's Economic Action Plan, March 10th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to an order of the House dated February 3, 2009, I have the honour to table the first report to Canadians entitled, “Canada's Economic Action Plan: A First Report to Canadians”.

[Pensions, March 10th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as far as the one-man show goes, I could not think of a better man for the job, quite frankly, than the member being asked to do it.

Pensions are a complex issue. Federally we only regulate about 10% of pension plans in this country. The provincial ministers and I have worked carefully together on this issue. The member opposite is correct that the pension issue needs to be addressed carefully, thoughtfully and thoroughly, and I am happy that my parliamentary secretary has undertaken this work.

[Pensions, March 10th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, pensions are a matter of significant concern. There are pressures on pension plans across the country. As we know, many of the pension plans rely on their equity investments as part of the funding for their pension plans. This is the reason we took certain steps in the budget to assist the pension plans in terms of what is called “smoothing” and providing longer periods of time to repay capital to pension plans.

It is also why my parliamentary secretary is conducting a consultation that is starting soon all across Canada to gather information. It is a complex issue and must be handled carefully.