John Baird

[Foreign Affairs, September 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister will be in New York. He will be meeting with a number of colleagues to discuss the important issues of the day. He will also be accepting the World Statesman of the Year award by a very well-respected group.

Every Canadian can be proud of the principled foreign policy and the leadership of our Prime Minister.

[Children's Rights, September 24th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, governments at both the federal and provincial levels as well as our municipal partners do a lot to support the rights of children, do a lot to provide services for children, whether they be children in care at the provincial level or children in care in our first nations. Whether it be in supporting parents in their child care obligations, whether in income support with the substantial amounts that Canada spent providing income support for children, be they in judicial and public security areas where we deal with children, or when they have encounters with the law, this government has made this a priority.

All Canadians can be proud of the great efforts that this government has taken and the successes we have made in supporting our young people.

[Foreign Affairs, September 24th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I think I very clearly answered that question.

For this member to talk about policy assimilation, someone who sought election to the House of Commons proudly as a New Democrat only to cross the floor mere months after election, that is a real bait and switch.

[Official Languages, September 24th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear.

There has been no change to the Official Languages Act with respect to services provided by the Government of Canada or the buildings in which we work in countries around the world.

I cannot make it clearer than that.

[Official Languages, September 24th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is coming to conclusions before she has even read the agreement. I would commend it to her. We will be announcing it in a very short period of time.

Let me give an example. In Haiti, we are going to allow a U.K. official to work out of our embassy. In Rangoon, the U.K. is going to allow a Canadian official to work out of theirs. This is something that Canada has done for many years, and it has absolutely no effect whatsoever on the French language services act.

[Foreign Affairs, September 24th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, that is an absolutely ridiculous question. The fact that the once great Liberal Party of Canada could ask such a ridiculous question is probably the best example of why its members are sitting in the far corner.

[The Economy, September 24th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the government is hard at work every day pushing for economic growth and has brought forth initiatives to help tackle income inequality. I will name a number of areas where we have done just that: the labour market agreements for persons with disabilities; working while on claim changes; working income tax benefit; increasing old age security and GIS benefits; increasing Canada's social transfer, 6% to support health care and 3% to support post-secondary education; the universal child tax benefit; the child tax credit; and expanding economic opportunities for aboriginals.

Every time we brought forward those initiatives, the Liberal Party fought them tooth and nail. Maybe the Liberals should stand in their place and apologize and support these good initiatives.

[The Economy, September 24th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, very much. We agree with the governor when he says that we need to do more job creation, have more economic growth and inspire more hope for opportunity in Canada's economy. That is why our government has done so many things to help people with limited incomes. We have taken hundreds of thousands of low-income Canadians off the table. We reduced the GST by two points and cut taxes for every Canadian, including those of modest incomes.

That is why we remain focused on job creation and economic growth. As long as there is one Canadian out there looking for work, the government will be hard on the job to ensure we provide everyone with the opportunities that they and their families so desperately need.

[Foreign Affairs, September 24th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I welcome the member for Toronto Centre back. We are excited to see him back here in Ottawa.

Obviously the Prime Minister of Canada continues to play a leading role on the world stage. He will be visiting New York later this week where he will have the opportunity to represent Canada at a number of very important bilaterals.

I am going to go out on a limb and invite the member for Toronto Centre, the leader of the Liberal Party. The Prime Minister, in New York, will be celebrated and honoured as the best statesman of the year. There will be a seat in the front row for the leader of the Liberal Party, the member for Toronto Centre.

[Foreign Affairs, September 24th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, Canada will continue to pursue a strong, principled, value-based, independent Canadian foreign policy.

When the member opposite talks about amalgamation and borrowing one from the other, it is funny because the New Democratic Party finally had to turn to the Liberal Party to find itself a new leader.