John Baird

[The Budget, March 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I think I join all members of the House to say that we are pleased to see the NDP leader is still full of energy and fight with respect to his important work here.

The budget we presented yesterday is a jobs and economic growth budget. We are moving forward, full speed ahead, firing on all eight cylinders, with Canada's economic action plan. Since July, we have seen 135,000 net new jobs created. With the economy beginning to fire on all eight cylinders through our economic action plan, we see more jobs, more hope, more opportunity. That is why we are moving forward with more stimulus, more construction and more hope.

[Pensions, March 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has been doing a lot of good work with his provincial colleagues in recent months. He will continue to work on this important initiative.

That is why we are working so hard to ensure that we create an economy that will create jobs so that we will have more hope and more opportunity. A growing economy where we are creating jobs is the best defence against poverty.

The government has made an unprecedented commitment, and I will repeat it today, to ensure that our old age security, the guaranteed income supplement, the Canada pension plan and the additional measures we brought forward will be there for seniors so they can count on them and live a life of retirement they have so richly deserved.

[Pensions, March 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the government has brought in pension splitting, something that is benefiting seniors from coast to coast to coast. The government has made significant changes to the age credit. The initiatives the government has taken have seen seniors living in poverty decline by almost 50% in four short years.

We are a government that is committed to Canada's pension system, old age security, the guaranteed income supplement. It is a major priority of our government and we will continue to deliver for those men and women who built this country.

[Pensions, March 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the government has done no such thing. We have an unprecedented commitment to support seniors, those men and women who helped build this great country.

Poverty among seniors in this country has fallen by almost 50% since this government came to office, and we are very proud of that effort.

[Infrastructure, March 4th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to tell this member that there are more than 16,000 infrastructure projects underway in every corner of this country. Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, we have cut red tape. We have had an unprecedented amount of collaboration and co-operation with provincial and territorial governments. We are working well with municipalities in every corner of the country.

Last week, we were thrilled to see the good news that, in the fourth quarter of the economy last year, we surpassed even the most optimistic projections. Since last July, more than 135,000 new jobs have been created. That is nothing more than a good start. We are committed to doing more.

[Infrastructure, December 10th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, once again this government has been delivering for the people of British Columbia.

This morning, with the province, we announced $25 million for the construction of a new ferry terminal in Klemtu, British Columbia. This work will start immediately. It is a great project in the riding of Skeena—Bulkley Valley. It will create jobs and open opportunities and improve the lives of the first nations community who live there.

Step by step, we are delivering for British Columbia like no other government has in Canadian history.

[Provincial Choice Tax Framework Act, December 8th, 2009]

Dalton couldn't get any work done. I had to come here to help him. Dalton couldn't get any help from the Liberals. I had to come here and help him.

[Infrastructure, December 8th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hard-working member for Selkirk—Interlake. If the Liberals do not believe what I say, they should believe what was in the Globe and Mail. This is what I read in the Globe and Mail this morning, “Ottawa's infrastructure money is lighting a fire under parts of Canada's construction industry.The value of non-residential building permits jumped 42 per cent in October”. It said that institutional spending, some of the good work being done by the Minister of Industry on his knowledge infrastructure program, jumped 51% in October. But—

[Public Transit, December 8th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, this government is taking the issue of public transit incredibly seriously. We are matching our talk with action. We are putting substantial new investments in British Columbia, whether it is the Canada Line or the Evergreen Line. We are making substantial investments in Toronto with regard to the subway extension on the Spadina line to the new Scarborough LRT.

This government is making significant investments in public transit. We are transferring more money to the municipalities to support these types of activities than any government in Canadian history.

Finally, public transit has a strong voice on the government side of the House.

[The Environment, December 8th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to sustainable transport, our government has taken more action in the last four years than any government in Canada's history.

Under the leadership of the previous minister, we took substantial actions with respect to public transit. This past year, despite difficult circumstances, the government doubled the gas tax transfers to the municipalities. We are investing in public transit, whether it is the Canada Line in British Columbia, whether it is in Montreal, whether it is in Toronto or right across this country.

The government is making unprecedented capital investments in public infrastructure and we are proud to do it.