John Baird

[Status of Women, March 26th, 2013]

Kick her out.

[Fisheries and Oceans, March 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, it has long been a tradition that when we present a comprehensive budget and economic action plan it would get the focus of attention in the House. All the Liberals are doing is following scandals. We can look at the advertising spending of this government. This government spends $20 million less on advertising than the Liberal government did. We are focused on the priorities of Canadians: 950,000 net new jobs and more hope and more opportunity for the people of Labrador and all Canadians.

[Employment Insurance, March 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, let me tell members what this individual did. He worked hard for job creation and for economic growth. He was part of a team that saw the Canadian economy create hundreds of thousands of jobs since the bottom of the economic recession, someone who was working to transform the economy of Labrador to make it one of the economic engines of this country. We need strong leadership. We need people who can get the job done, like this individual did over the past two years.

[Search and Rescue, March 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, Peter Penashue was a great representative for Labrador, a strong voice for economic development and job creation. He was instrumental in getting support for the Muskrat Falls development, something that will transform the economy of Labrador. He fought to get increased Internet speed in Labrador. He fought against the wasteful long gun registry. All three of these things are something that could never be done by the third party. He delivered for the good people of Labrador.

[The Budget, March 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, let me tell the House about someone who is trying to hide the truth.

The leader of the NDP went to Washington and said he would not talk about Keystone and would not take a position. Then, behind closed doors with top American congressional leaders, he trash-talked the Canadian economy and lobbied against a Canadian project, one that would create literally thousands and thousands of jobs.

Will the leader of the NDP do the right thing: stand in his place, apologize and stop trash-talking Canada?

[The Budget, March 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP wants more taxes, higher deficits and more government spending.

On this side of the House, we want to ensure that every single dollar of taxpayer money is spent wisely and well and that we get real value. That is exactly what we are doing. We are focused on economic growth, on job creation and measures like the Canada jobs grant.

We want to know this. Will the NDP stand up and do the right thing and support the Canada jobs credit, something that will help create many jobs right across our country?

[Aboriginal Affairs, March 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the priority of budget 2013 is jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity for all Canadians.

We have brought forward a number of concrete measures to help first nations communities. These include significant investments in first nations infrastructure, the first nations policing program, the aboriginal justice strategy and enhancing health and mental health services for first nations and Inuit.

The question is this. Will the leader of the NDP do the right thing and stand up and support all these meaningful investments for our first nations?

[The Budget, March 22nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I did not even mention that we increased the transfers to the provinces to an unprecedented level, by 3%, to support post-secondary education. That is good news.

I can remember when the acting leader of the Liberal Party was premier of Ontario. He used to decry the cuts that the Liberal government made to provinces and territories, the cuts to post-secondary education, the cuts to health care. This government is there.

The Association of Canadian Community Colleges said:

Federal commitments...will encourage a reduction in barriers to Canada’s economic success, while maximizing the talents and advanced skills of Canadians.

Let us work together to help the unemployed get the skills and training they need to move to work.

[Employment, March 22nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, that is not the case at all. We have come forward with an economic action plan which is focused on fixing our country's skills shortage by getting Canadians new and better jobs. We are going to do something remarkable. We are going to ensure that people get trained for a job that actually exists. We are going to work co-operatively with the provinces and employers to get the job done. The initiatives put forward in this budget will make a real difference and help build upon the 950,000 net new jobs that this government has created since the bottom of the recession.

[Infrastructure, March 22nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, let us look at the facts. This is the largest long-term federal infrastructure commitment in Canada's history. We are investing in infrastructure to create jobs and long-term prosperity. Thanks to our investment infrastructures, we are making a real difference. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities stated that “[this] budget delivers significant gains for Canada's cities and communities”.

Why do the New Democrats not put aside their blind ideology, stand up and support municipalities and stand up and support the construction of bridges, roads and sewers? Why will they not do the right thing and finally redeem themselves?