John Baird

[Government Priorities, October 4th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I can say to the woman with whom the opposition leader met that our government has made an unprecedented commitment to our veterans, our men and women in uniform, to ensure they get the care they need after they so bravely served our country.

The recent announcement by the Minister of Veterans Affairs underlines and demonstrates the huge priority we have given them, once again going further than any government ever has in Canadian history.

At the same time, we recognize that people who need health care and the important public health care system that we enjoy need the federal government to be there as a financial partner, which is why the Minister of Finance, again in this year's budget, increased the transfers to the provinces by 6%, to support important health care services operated by the provinces.

[Quebec City Arena, October 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear: if Quebec City becomes an official candidate for the Olympic Games, our government and all of Canada will support it whole-heartedly.

Long live Bonhomme!

[Seniors, October 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, we value the role that seniors play. They helped build this country. That is why we have initiatives that are important to them. This government has always been responsive.

When we hit some hard economic times and hard fiscal times, the one thing this government did not do was cut $25 billion from health care. We have been able to increase that transfer to the provinces by 6% a year to cover the important issues that matter to seniors.

We have also fully indexed the OAS four times a year. That has happened in this country since 1972.

[Ministerial Responsibility, October 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, as the minister has told this House, the individual in question has offered his resignation, and the minister has immediately accepted it. He has also taken the other action of asking the Minister of Public Works and Government Services to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner so that she can do her work.

[Ministerial Responsibility, October 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I think the minister has taken the appropriate action.

The individual in question has submitted his resignation and the minister has accepted it. The minister has asked the Minister of Public Works and Government Services to transfer the file to the Information Commissioner so that she can do her important work.

[Government Spending, October 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, if the member opposite wants to take any lessons on the economy, he should take them from his leader.

Just the other day his leader called the Bloc Québécois' proposal to institute a 45-day work year and the accompanying 35% payroll tax increase fiscally irresponsible. One would think his caucus would follow its leader. However, later that day, the Liberals all trotted in here and voted for that Bloc Québécois proposal and the accompanying 35% payroll tax increase.

When the Liberal leader calls a bill fiscally irresponsible, his MPs should vote against it.

[Government Spending, October 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, we are running the most fiscally responsible government in the western world. All OECD countries look at the Canadian economy, look at the management of the economy by the government, with great admiration.

We have seen a tentative, fragile recovery beginning to take hold, but by no means are we out of the water.

We remain focused on job creation. We remain focused on the important priorities of Canadian families, and that is ensuring that they have jobs so they can provide for themselves. The dignity of a job is very important. We remain focused on the economy.

[Government Spending, October 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. This government has been focusing on the economy. It has been focusing on job creation. We have seen great success over the past 15 months. The Canadian economy has created some 430,000 net new jobs.

Canada's economic action plan has been a central part of that success. For the first time in my lifetime I see an unemployment rate substantially lower in Canada than in the United States, and that has happened because of good economic management by this government.

[Canada-Panama Free Trade Act, September 30th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, an agreement could not be reached under the provisions of Standing Order 78(1) or 78(2) with respect to the second reading stage of Bill C-46, An Act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the Republic of Panama, the Agreement on the Environment between Canada and the Republic of Panama and the Agreement on Labour Cooperation between Canada and the Republic of Panama.

Under provisions of Standing Order 78(3), I give notice that a minister of the Crown will propose at the next sitting a motion to allot a specific number of days or hours for consideration and disposal of proceedings at the said stage.

[Privilege, September 30th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments from my friend from Ottawa South. He mentioned releasing economic updates, the action plan and the like, outside of this place.

Of course, the motion adopted by this House, moved by the member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore, and coincidentally seconded by the member for St. Paul's, said that on the condition that the government table reports in Parliament no later than five sitting days before the last allotted day in each of the supply periods ending March 26, 2009, June 23, 2009 and December 10, 2009, and obviously we are past that. That is why it was not tabled in the House.