Justin Trudeau

[The Economy, February 12th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, economic growth balances budgets, not the worst record on growth since R. B. Bennett.

Economic growth is what will help Canadians prosper, not a vote-seeking surplus swiped from the pockets of middle-class workers.

Can the Prime Minister explain why his budget does not include a plan to generate economic growth?

[The Economy, February 12th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, economic growth in 2013 was down from the year before, which was down from the year before that, which was down from the year before that.

Yet we saw in the budget that this year's plan is the same as last year's, which was the same as the year before that, which was the same as the year before that.

When will the government offer a real plan for economic growth and prosperity for the middle class?

[Veterans Affairs, February 12th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Finance admitted he had not heard the loud and repeated calls for help from our veterans.

He said that he had not “...been asked for money for post-traumatic stress disorder...”.

My question is for the Prime Minister. Why did he not ask for more help for our veterans?

[Government Advertising, February 11th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, in the last federal budget, the government was awfully proud of its Canada job grant, a program that is still not up and running. Even so, the government spent vast sums of money advertising it during the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Will the Prime Minister commit to not wasting taxpayers' money on useless ads during the Olympic Games?

[Government Advertising, February 11th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, even though the Canada job grant is still not in place a year later, the government wasted millions in taxpayers' money advertising it during the Stanley Cup playoffs last year.

Will the government commit that it will not advertise any budget 2014 initiatives that are not yet available to Canadians, particularly during the Olympics?

[Intergovernmental Relations, February 11th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, last budget day a job grant was introduced that was paid for by cutting provincial job training for the most vulnerable. The provinces rejected it, there is still no agreement, and funding for vital job training organizations is in doubt.

When will this economic problem created by last year's budget be solved?

[Finance, February 5th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the IMF reports that our economy grew only 1.6% last year. It also projects that Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, and the U.S. will all grow faster than us this year. This Prime Minister has the worst economic record on growth since R.B. Bennett in the depths of the great depression. After eight years of anemic growth, will we see anything new in next week's budget to help Canada's middle class?

[Finance, February 5th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, a math teacher should not have to explain to an economist the impact on import tariffs when the dollar falls.

Last year's budget did nothing for the middle class. Instead, it contained absurd taxes on imports such as tricycles and toothbrushes.

The lower dollar makes these tax hikes on imports even more expensive.

Will the government eliminate these tax increases for the middle class in next week's budget?

[Finance, February 5th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, last year's budget introduced millions in new taxes on imports, ranging from saris to wigs for cancer patients. With the lower dollar, these tax increases on Canadians will cost us even more. Will the government repeal its tax increases on middle-class Canadians in next week's budget?

[Democratic Reform, February 4th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, Elections Canada repeatedly sought the ability to ask judges to compel testimony in cases of election fraud. As we know, the Conservative government did not even consult with Elections Canada on its bill, so this reasonable and effective reform to strengthen our system was left out.

Why?