Maurizio Bevilacqua

[Infrastructure, February 24th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, it is typical of the NDP to have a very narrow view of what it takes to build a city, very narrow indeed.

Of course infrastructure is important. That is why we invested over $8 billion. When we ask the small business people who want to generate greater wealth for the city, they say they are benefiting from the higher deduction. When we ask people if cities are in fact benefiting from the fact that disposable income in this country is going up, cities benefit from that. If we ask whether they benefit from greater health investments, cities benefit from that.

We understand what it takes to build a city. We understand what it takes to build a country.

[Infrastructure, February 24th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I do not understand what the hon. member is saying about tax cuts. After all, when we travelled the country and listened to Canadians, what they wanted us to do was in fact to cut the taxes and we have. We have done it with income tax brackets. We have done it with capital taxes. We have raised the small business deduction from $200,000 to $300,000 so that small business can prosper.

Regarding the commitment we have had to infrastructure and roads, anybody can check the record. Indeed it is a very good one.

[Infrastructure, February 24th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows that our three infrastructure programs are approximately $8 billion.

In reference to the issue of tax cuts, the hon. member must remember the fact that we were the party that introduced $100 billion in tax cuts. The average family is saving approximately 27%. That to me is responsible governing.

[Gasoline Prices, February 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows that in fact we have taken measures to help people in the past. I just want to once again tell the hon. member, as I told the member who spoke earlier, that in fact the budget is coming up next Tuesday and so he should just be patient.

[Government Spending, February 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I hope that the hon. member can be a little bit patient. There will be a budget on Tuesday and perhaps he will get his answer then.

[Government Spending, February 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I think that the government is very close to the fifty-fifty mark when it comes to spending.

Quite frankly I also think that the hon. member should look at the results of our economic plan, which has seen people's incomes rise and over 300,000 children get off the poverty roll.

We have seen immense examples of how life has been better with our economic plan. I do not understand why the hon. member cannot take joy in progress.

[National Defence, February 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I do not understand where the member has been. What the government has been able to do is get this country out of a mess. In 1993 we were faced with a $42 billion deficit. The IMF was knocking on our door. Now the situation has totally changed. We are leading the G-7 in economic growth and bringing about positive change to people's lives.

[Gasoline Prices, February 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, it is surprising that the opposition would be asking a question that is really the strength of the Liberal government. We were the government that reduced taxes by $100 billion, including corporate as well as personal. It is clear to me that the economic plan of the government is working well and it is working well for Canadians.

[Taxation, February 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows that we have worked very hard to build a very competitive economy. It has resulted in us leading the G-7 countries in the creation of 560,000 jobs.

We are determined, as we were on the corporate tax rate, to make sure that we have a globally competitive tax regime, including for the natural resources sector.

[Government Spending, February 11th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder what he finds so unclear. The reality is that the Prime Minister was very clear. He injected billions and billions of dollars to make sure that Canada's health care system will be accessible, high quality and provide the type of service that Canadians demand and deserve.

Now we just have to get the provinces to work hard and bring about positive change in the health care system.