Justin Trudeau

[Taxation, February 21st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the previous government gave tax breaks to the wealthiest and not enough help to those who actually need it. That is why we got elected on the commitment to help the middle class by lowering their taxes and raising them on the wealthiest 1%.

We brought in a Canada child benefit that gives more money to nine out of 10 Canadian families by doing less for the families that do not need the help and more for those who do. On top of that, we have ensured that we are raising the GIS for our most vulnerable single seniors by close to $1,000 a year, on top of many other initiatives we are doing that will help students, seniors, and workers.

[Taxation, February 21st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, if members opposite really cared so much about the middle class, they would not have voted against lowering taxes on the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest 1%, which is a commitment we made that is part of the core of our focus, which is helping the middle class and those working hard to join it.

That is entirely going to be the focus of the budget we are going to be bringing forward in the coming weeks. That, we can be assured, will focus on helping the middle class and those working hard to join it.

[Justice, February 21st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, again, our justice minister is currently looking at sentencing laws in our criminal justice system and ensuring that we fulfill the responsibilities Canadians expect of our system and of our government, which is to keep Canadians safe, and to ensure that we have the right system in place for people who break the law. That is exactly what we are looking at. That is exactly the work we are doing, and that is where I have entire confidence in our justice minister.

[Justice, February 21st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the justice minister is currently reviewing our criminal justice system to ensure that it is fair, that it keeps Canadians safe, and that it is doing things responsibly.

On mandatory minimums, it was the Liberal Party that brought in mandatory minimums for the most severe of penalties, and we have demonstrated time and time again that we will not flinch from doing what is necessary to keep our communities safe.

I look forward to the hard work our justice minister is going to be doing in making sure that we have the best justice system possible.

[Democratic Reform, February 14th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, in the last election, Canadians voted for a change from a government that had been unable to deliver on economic growth for the middle class, had been unable to deliver the kind of vision for this country that Canadians need.

We made commitments to grow the middle class, to work to restore faith in our democracy, and to continue to demonstrate that Canada deserves better. That is exactly what we are delivering every day, working very hard for Canadians.

[Democratic Reform, February 14th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect their government to act responsibly and do things right. That is exactly what we are focusing on. We are going to protect our democracy. We are going to strengthen cybersecurity for the parties, make fundraising more transparent, and work to ensure that it is easy to vote by cleaning up the mess the Conservative Party made of our electoral system.

We are going to improve our democracy, and we are going to do it the right way for Canada.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, February 14th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, as Canadians know, there are always times when we do not agree with our partners and allies and, in this case, with the United States.

We will always be respectful, clear, and honest when we express our disagreement. We will also continue to focus on what unites our countries and the concerns we share. This includes shared concerns about jobs and a shared desire to help the middle class. We talked a lot about how we will build a prosperous economy for the middle class on both sides of the border.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, February 14th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect any Prime Minister to do two things: both defend Canadian values and stand up for the jobs and growth that we need. That is exactly what I have been doing, and that is what I will always do.

We were able to make sure that Americans understood fully and completely how many good jobs on both sides of the border depend on the close working relationship we have. That is what we will continue to focus on.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, February 14th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, unlike some other people in this House, I always say the same thing, regardless of where I am. I will say the same thing in Ottawa as I say in Washington.

[Taxation, February 14th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, again, the members opposite are demonstrating that they do not understand that building a strong economy for the future means also protecting the environment. That is how we get good jobs. That is how we create opportunities in the future for young people and for future generations.

We have brought forward a carbon pricing framework that will be revenue neutral, which means in every single province in which it is collected, it will be returned to the people who need that support. That is what we have guaranteed, that we will not be doing anything but helping the middle class and supporting them with the kinds of jobs and economic growth that we need in the future.