Lisa Raitt

[Taxation, February 6th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, low-income families do not benefit from tax breaks because “they do not pay taxes”; so declared the Prime Minister yesterday. However, low-income Canadians actually beg to differ with that postulation. Ann is a single woman who works in Milton, Ontario. She makes minimum wage and she pays approximately $2,600 in federal income tax.

Will the Prime Minister stand today and tell us he stands by his statement that low-income Canadians do not pay taxes?

[Ethics, January 30th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, Vice-Admiral Norman was the second highest ranking officer in the Canadian military. So far we have heard that documents have been withheld from him and access to information requests have been deliberately sabotaged so as not to turn up any documents. We have learned today about private dinners, conversations and little meetings that happened with the Prime Minister and his inner circle, which had, surprisingly, no notes or documentation to go along with them. This is very concerning.

The fact that the Prime Minister stands here and says that there is no political interference when he himself cast Mark Norman in guilt before the charges were even laid is ridiculous.

[Ethics, January 30th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, the former president of the Treasury Board told the House that the only document he had with respect to the Mark Norman case was a letter on which he was copied. He probably told the RCMP the exact same thing when he was interviewed by it.

It is interesting though that just days after he steps back from cabinet, he suddenly has his lawyers going into court and singing a quite different tune on this issue, which is he has many personal documents that he wishes to submit.

When did the Prime Minister know that the former president of the Treasury Board had personal documents and was withholding this—

[Taxation, January 29th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, it is the end of the month, and in the normal world, families are taking a look at their personal budgets and trying to figure out how they are going to balance their own, because they know, unlike the Prime Minister, that budgets do not balance themselves. They also know that if they are short this month, they cannot just borrow their way out of debt, unlike the Prime Minister, who thinks that the country can. Finally, Canadians know that they will be the ones paying for the mistakes of the government and this Prime Minister.

Therefore, at the very least, Canadians deserve a clear answer before the election. Will the Prime Minister impose massive tax hikes on these Canadian citizens?

[Ethics, January 29th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, a minister of this Prime Minister's government is withholding personal emails from the lawyers of Mark Norman. In October, the former minister said that the only contact he had with Irving was being copied on a letter, but there would appear to be copious documents that are relevant, and as a result, he has lawyered up to try to work his way out of this cover-up. This is all very concerning, and it lies at the feet of this Prime Minister.

Once again, when did the Prime Minister learn that his minister was withholding personal documents relevant to the Mark Norman case?

[Ethics, January 29th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman served his country with distinction and deserves every opportunity to defend himself, and the Liberals have done everything they can to deny this right. The Prime Minister has refused to release documents needed for the defence case. Now we know that code names were being used to evade access to information laws within the ministry. Today we have learned that the former president of the Treasury Board has withheld personal emails from Mr. Norman's lawyers. When did the Prime Minister know that the minister was withholding personal emails in this case?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, January 28th, 2019]

With regard to communication sent or received by Statistics Canada since January 1, 2017: (a) what are the details of all communication between Statistics Canada and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, the Office of the Minister or the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, including (i) date, (ii) sender, (iii) recipient, (iv) title, (v) subject matter, (vi) summary of contents, (vii) format (email, letter, teleconference, etc.); (b) what are the details of all communication between Statistics Canada and banks or other financial institutions, including (i) date, (ii) sender, (iii) recipient, (iv) title, (v) subject matter, (vi) summary of contents, (vii) format (email, letter, teleconference, etc.); and (c) what are the details of all communication between Statistics Canada and the Office of the Prime Minister or the Privy Council Office, including (i) date, (ii) sender, (iii) recipient, (iv) title, (v) subject matter, (vi) summary of contents, (vii) format (email, letter, teleconference, etc.)?

[Taxation, January 28th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, his talking points are all an attempt to make sure that they do not panic the flock before the fleecing. That is what it is all about.

How can the finance minister stand here and honestly say that Canadians are doing better when 46% of Canadians feel that they are $200 away from insolvency?

I know the Prime Minister and the finance minister have not felt this, but I can tell them that people lose sleep and that the anxiety is crushing. Canadians know that they are not in good shape, and they are afraid of these new taxes.

When will the Prime Minister level with them and just tell them that more taxes are coming?

[Taxation, January 28th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister promised Canadians that they would get rid of the deficit by this year, and they have clearly failed. We find ourselves in a situation where the rich are actually paying less taxes, and in their spending review, the Liberals did not find any ways to save money but did find ways to spend more. Fail.

Canadians will ultimately pay for these mistakes. Will the Prime Minister admit to Canadians that his higher deficits will lead to higher taxes for Canadians?

[Points of Order, December 11th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I ask for unanimous consent to table the results of the government's analysis of how hard it is working for itself that was found in the last financial economic update.