John Baird

[Infrastructure, September 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we are making decisions in the province of Ontario working in co-operation with Premier Dalton McGuinty and his government and with municipal leaders in every corner of the country.

If the member opposite wants to talk to the mayor of Markham about the great partnership this federal government has had with the provincial Liberal government, I would invite him to do so.

The city of Markham made 14 requests for infrastructure funding for the riding of Markham—Unionville and it got every single one of them. We are delivering for Markham--Unionville just as we are delivering for ridings right across the country, like Kingston and the Islands, Mr. Speaker.

[Infrastructure, September 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we have put aside partisan politics and are working very well with every provincial government. They have done an outstanding job in response to this crisis, as have the municipalities throughout the country. All of the announcements we made are on the World Wide Web, on the Internet for Canadians to see.

However, if the member wants to talk about her province, let us look at this. The Quebec economy is in better shape than the rest of the country because its infrastructure spending is flowing. Who said that? Her premier, Jean Charest.

[Infrastructure, September 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, every detail of every project announced and implemented is already on the Internet. We feel we must report on progress to the people of every region of Canada and of Quebec.

But the real success is that we are working well with the government of Jean Charest; we are working well with municipalities; and we are taking action and producing real results for Quebeckers and for Canadians in every region of this country.

[Airport Safety, September 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I am supported by a great team of senior officials at the Department of Transport and a lot of folks who work on the ground. I have no hesitation in saying that we need to do a much better job at listening to their concerns as we move forward with changes.

What we are doing is increasing employee screening, which is important. A lot of good work has been done in the Senate by Senator Kenny and others. We are improving background checks for employees, launching an air cargo screening pilot program and launching efforts to further restrict access to the tarmac and those crucial areas that surround airports.

Allegations that our safety and security is being breached are being treated very seriously and we are working hard to improve the situation.

[The Economy, September 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in no unequivocal terms, I agree with the member for Burlington. I, too, was shocked and surprised that the leader of the Liberal Party would attack the provincial government in Ontario and attack the good city of Burlington and its mayor, Cam Jackson, for not moving quickly enough on infrastructure spending

Right across the province and in every corner of the country, infrastructure projects are under way. Tenders are being issued. Contracts are being signed. Steel, concrete and construction equipment are being ordered. We are seeing shovels in the ground. We are getting the job done.

I want to quote one Liberal MPP from Ontario who said, “I'm telling you, I get a lot more [money] from my Conservative seatmate than I ever got from the Liberal MP who--”.

[Youth, September 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, it is this government that put unprecedented infrastructure spending in every corner of this country, regardless of how a province or a riding votes.

This government is committed to the equal distribution of infrastructure spending and any proper and fair examination would show that. We are making substantial investments, such as the one the Prime Minister made last week in northwestern British Columbia of $137 million to support clean electricity, or the investments we are making right here in the city of Ottawa at the University of Ottawa and Carleton University so young people can have better access to a good education which will help them get the jobs they need to succeed in the future.

[Taxation, September 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, our government has been focused on reducing taxes. Our government has been focused on allowing more Canadians to keep more of their hard-earned revenue in their own pockets.

That is why it was this government that brought forward reductions in the goods and services tax. That is why it was this government that oversaw the update of tax freedom day. Tax freedom day now comes a few weeks early and that is thanks to the leadership of this government, thanks to the leadership of the finance minister and thanks to the leadership of the Prime Minister.

[The Economy, September 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals had 13 long years to make infrastructure investments in Toronto. If they had just got that fifth term, they would have got the job done.

[The Economy, September 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite has demonstrated the real goal of the Liberal Party. The Liberals want to move Canada into an opportunistic early election because it suits their political interests, not to fight for the interests of Canadians.

That is why this government is working hard on infrastructure projects. One of the biggest projects under way in the country, where money is being spent, is right in her riding. That is the expansion of the Spadina subway, which this government has committed more than $666 million to deliver.

Many will ask why the previous Liberal government would not make that type of investment in Toronto. I cannot explain it, but the Prime Minister is getting the job done.

[The Economy, September 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, while the Liberal Party is trolling the Internet looking for pictures of the Prime Minister, it is this Conservative government that is working hard to create jobs to inspire more hope, to inspire more opportunities for the Canadian economy. That is our priority, not logging on to the worldwide web in the middle of the night like the member opposite.