John Baird

[Correctional Service Canada, November 7th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I think all of us agree this is very sad tragedy. The appalling actions we all saw on those videos remind us that we can do a lot more for mental health.

The government has done a lot with respect to mental health conditions in our prisons. As a result of this tragic accident, Correctional Service Canada has implemented the following new protocols: a comprehensive mental health strategy; training of more than 8,000 staff; and creating new policies for management and for staff. We have invested nearly $90 million to improve mental health in our prisons.

We have done a lot on mental health and we are prepared to continue to do more.

[The Economy, November 7th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, there he goes again talking down the Canadian economy.

Let us look at some other facts. KPMG ranked Canada the most tax-competitive economy among mature markets. Forbes magazine ranks Canada as the best place for business to grow and to create jobs. Exports of goods have grown by over $50 billion since 2009. The IMF and the OECD project Canada to have among the strongest growth in the G7. This is good news for Canada. The job is not done. That is why we remain focused on job creation and economic growth to ensure that every single Canadian has the dignity of a job.

[The Economy, November 7th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, we are pleased with the 820,000 net new jobs that have been created since the summer of 2009. However, let us look at what the managing director of the IMF said about Canada:

—Canada, a country with one of the strongest financial sectors in the world...can teach the rest of the world about how to build a stronger, safer financial system.

Look at what the secretary general of the OECD said. He said that Canada is well prepared. “You have been better prepared and therefore you’ve weathered the storm a lot better. You are well prepared now. Your fiscal policy, your monetary policy, your financial system [is] in better shape. And therefore, you are doing better in...the world economy.”

[The Economy, November 7th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, this is the first opportunity that I have had since the election in the United States to stand on behalf of the Government of Canada and on behalf of all Canadians to congratulate President Obama on a successful re-election as president of the United States.

With respect to the economy, this government has never said that we are immune from challenges in other parts of the world. However, when it comes to trade, when it comes to low taxes, when it comes to fiscal responsibility, when it comes to effective government policies, no country in the advanced world can compete with the economic leadership of the Prime Minister and especially of the best finance minister in the world.

[Foreign Investment, November 6th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I can tell the members what the Prime Minister discussed with our Indian friends during his visit. What he is discussing is how Canada is a magnate for jobs, investment and opportunity. He told them about our low tax plan to create jobs. He told them about our plans to ensure we have effective but not overly burdensome regulations. He told them about the fact that we do not have a large $21 billion carbon tax. He told them that the source of so much Indian wealth could be buying goods and services from this great country, that Canada is responding to the international trade challenges, and that we can create a lot of jobs together.

[Intergovernmental Affairs, November 6th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, under the Prime Minister's leadership, we have had unprecedented co-operation in tackling Canada's economic challenges over the past four years.

Every single provincial premier, Liberal, NDP, Conservative, all put politics aside. We brought forward one of the most ambitious economic action plans. We worked together quickly to roll that out, and great things happened. Since the bottom of the recession, we have seen the creation of some 800,000 net new jobs. That is an incredible accomplishment, and it happened through co-operation and through leadership by this Prime Minister.

[Intergovernmental Affairs, November 6th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister regularly meets with provincial premiers and territorial premiers from coast to coast to coast, all the time.

We have a constructive working relationship. At the bottom of the economic downturn, when the Canadian economy was really struggling, we had unprecedented co-operation with Conservative, Liberal and New Democratic governments, all working together to bring forward a stimulus plan to create more jobs and more opportunities.

I have good news: the plan worked. We have seen more than 800,000 net new jobs created. That is the Prime Minister's leadership.

[Government Accountability, November 6th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am tremendously proud, and all Canadians are tremendously proud, to see our Prime Minister representing our great country abroad, fighting for trade and jobs.

Operational security issues are dealt with by the RCMP, as we would expect them to be. I want to say that all of us on this side of the House, when we have to deal with terrorism, when we have to deal with security, are going to take the advice of the RCMP over the NDP every single time.

[Foreign Investment, November 6th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, there he goes again with his tinfoil hat predictions.

The foreign promotion and protection agreement is something that Canadian investors, Canadians, Canadian businesses and people who look at their pension plans and RRSPs want in order to ensure that with any investments made in China, Canadian operations have the same rights and privileges ensuring that those investments are safe and secure.

Canadian businesses are competing around the world. They are competing with the best and they are winning. We want to ensure that they enjoy the same legal protection. That is exactly what our government is doing, and that is creating a lot of jobs and opportunity.

[Foreign Investment, November 6th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I think that report has since been corrected.

The Prime Minister announced a foreign investment promotion and protection agreement to ensure that Canadian businesses enjoy in China the same rights and privileges that Chinese businesses have in Canada. He announced that in China after meeting with his Chinese counterpart and was able to sign it on the margins of an international conference.

We can all be very proud that Canadian businesses are competing around the world, and our government is doing all it can to ensure they are successful abroad so they can create more jobs here at home.