Jim Flaherty

[The Economy, March 3rd, 2009]

--including the Canadians who live in Wascana.

[The Economy, March 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his warm remarks. It is March now.

The biggest budget in recent Canadian history was introduced on January 27. The Liberal opposition members said they were going to support it. The budget implementation bill is still in the House today on March 3. Not one penny of stimulus has gone out to the Canadians who need the help--

[The Economy, February 25th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the member belongs to a party that has no economic plan.

This is the economic plan for Canada. I invite the member for Toronto Centre to read from pages 78 to 95. He will read all about how we will provide access to credit for Canadians families, for Canadian businesses, for Canadian entrepreneurs.

He should read the budget. It is a great read. He will want to support it even more after he has read it.

[The Economy, February 25th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, this is Canada's economic plan. It is over 500 pages, and the party opposite is going to support it.

It includes the extraordinary financing framework, where we will use the crown corporations, where we will deal with the most important problem facing Canadians today, which is access to credit.

I am glad the member opposite has the wisdom to support the plan to help Canadians.

[Business of Supply, February 24th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I commend the hon. member for Burlington for his erudite and persuasive argument in support of a national securities regulator for Canada.

I wonder if the member has taken into consideration the fact that we are in a global fiscal crisis and that we have seen developments over the course of the past 18 months that have resulted in cries around the world for greater regulation of activities and products in the financial sector. I wonder whether the member for Burlington would agree that the events of the last 18 months, including the efforts of the G7 and the G20, further support the compelling need for a national securities regulator in Canada.

[Automotive Industry, February 24th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the member opposite, we actually believe that we should consult with the industry, which is what we are doing now, in order to craft the credit facility appropriately.

We are also moving ahead with the entire credit facility of up to $200 billion, which is very important. As we know, the number one issue now is access to credit not only in Canada but internationally.

[The Economy, February 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we have been clear with Canadians. Four weeks ago in budget 2009, Canada's economic action plan, we laid out clearly what is necessary to be done over the next several years.

Yes, we are going to run deficits out two, three and four years. Why are we doing that? To help Canadians who are losing their jobs. I wish that the members opposite would help expedite the bill so that we could help Canadians.

[The Economy, February 23rd, 2009]

The rule has not changed, Mr. Speaker, that Parliament authorizes expenditures. What is important in the budget implementation act is that not only are there tax measures in the act but there are also expenditure measures to create various types of stimuli for our economy. This is vitally important. It is in the act. We need to have the act passed as quickly as possible to help Canadians while we are in the midst of a serious recession not only here but around the world.

[Automotive Industry, February 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as the member would know if he has reviewed the budget provisions, we are creating the extraordinary financing framework which would create a credit facility of up to $200 billion. This is very important to address what is the number one issue not only in Canada but elsewhere in the G7 and the G20, which is access to credit. We need to get on with the job of creating the framework, and I encourage the member opposite to support that process.

[Automotive Industry, February 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as soon as the opposition passes the budget implementation bill.