House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2015, with 43% of the vote.
Consumer Protection June 1st, 2015
Mr. Speaker, we have already introduced tough measures to protect Canadians from predatory bank practices, including obtaining commitments from the banks to end pay-to-pay practices for bills in the mail, implementing low-cost bank accounts and expanding no-cost banking options for more than seven million Canadians. We are very proud of our record.
Consumer Protection June 1st, 2015
Mr. Speaker, our government understands the concerns of Canadians who feel they are not getting their money's worth from bank fees.
That is why we are supporting the opposition motion. Banning the pay-to-pay fees imposed by banks is the kind of measure we plan to include in the mandatory financial consumer protection framework, which we promised to establish in economic action plan 2015.
The Economy June 1st, 2015
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite understands, I said no such thing.
At the G7 meeting in Dresden, finance ministers and governors of the banks discussed Europe's slow growth. It is especially acute in several countries, which have adopted the type of high-tax and high-deficit policies that the Liberals and NDP are advocating here in Canada.
Our government's low-tax plan for jobs and growth will benefit Canadians right across the country.
The Economy June 1st, 2015
Mr. Speaker, this is another indication of global economic uncertainty, which the G7 ministers of finance and governors of the central banks discussed in Dresden at the G7 meeting.
Since the depths of the recession, we have created over 1.2 million net new jobs. However, the Liberals and the NDP propose to hike payroll taxes, which would kill jobs. The CFIB survey of employers in Ontario said that 69% would have to freeze or cut salaries, and 53% would have to lay off workers if their job-killing plan was introduced.
The Economy June 1st, 2015
Mr. Speaker, this is a further indication of global economic uncertainty—
Taxation May 26th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that Canadians want low taxes and the freedom to make their own financial decisions. Building on our record of creating options for Canadians to save, like the tax-free savings account, I am pleased to inform the House that we are open to giving Canadians the option to voluntarily contribute more to the Canada pension plan to supplement their current CPP retirement savings.
What we will not do is reach into the pockets of middle-class Canadians with a mandatory payroll tax like the Liberals and NDP would do.
Taxation May 26th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, 600,000 seniors with incomes below $60,000 are currently maximizing their TFSA accounts and they benefit from this measure. The Canadian Association of Retired Persons, CARP, strongly supports this measure.
I wonder what the member opposite will tell them. How will he explain why he wants to cancel this extremely important tax saving measure for retired people and for people in the lower and middle-income brackets? Why would the Liberals take this money away rather than give an opportunity for Canadians to save?
Taxation May 26th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, I spent four hours yesterday evening answering questions, and some from the hon. member. I am happy to do it again and repeat the answers I gave before.
The TFSA is a wonderful way for Canadians to save for their first home, for their education and for their retirement. That is why 11 million Canadians have TFSAs, the vast majority middle and lower-income Canadians, with 60% who have maximized their contributions earning less than $60,000 a year and those earning $42,000 represent half of those who have accounts in TFSAs.
Business of Supply May 25th, 2015
Mr. Chair, we have been communicating with Canadians on a variety of important measures that we have introduced to benefit Canadians across the country. It is very important that they have these measures in mind because, just to take one example, the UCCB is very beneficial for Canadian families, but there are over 200,000 families that do not have the information they would need in order to register, and they have to be alerted to the potential benefits for them.
Business of Supply May 25th, 2015
Mr. Chair, as I have said, we have taken many measures to improve employment. We have job-matching services. We have a variety of programs for youth internships. We have the student loan programs. We have programs to help people get the training they need for Red Seal accreditation and Blue Seal accreditation. We will continue to provide benefits to job-creating companies right across this country.