Maxime Bernier

[Tourism Industry, May 31st, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased--

[Bicycle Industry, May 30th, 2006]

Does this government believe in the ability of Canadian businesses to be competitive on the international stage?

[Bicycle Industry, May 30th, 2006]

Does the government want all Canadian consumers to pay 30% more for their bicycles?

[Bicycle Industry, May 30th, 2006]

Does a surtax benefit Canadian consumers?

[Bicycle Industry, May 30th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his question, but the questions this government has answered on this matter are as follows. Is imposing a surtax on foreign bicycles a good solution for competition in Canada in the long term?

[Bicycle Industry, May 30th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I am very surprised to learn that the Bloc Québécois is opposed to a decision that is good for Canadian consumers. I am surprised to learn that the Bloc Québécois wants this new government to impose a 30% surtax on bicycles and wants Canadians to pay 30% more for their bicycles.

This new government is on board with all consumers. We responded to the request by consumers to make these bicycles, here in Canada, affordable for all Canadians.

[Textile Industry, May 18th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question, which the minister will answer.

The Government of Canada is aware of the difficulties facing the textile industry. This is why, in the last budget, we reduced the tax burden for such businesses, cutting their taxes by $20 billion over two years.

Canadians voted for change and change is what they are currently witnessing, namely, a reduction in taxes for all businesses, particularly textile businesses.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2006, May 15th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I simply wish to point out that in my speech I said that the amount of $400 million was allocated to three granting agencies for research and development. The actual figure is $40 million per year.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2006, May 15th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, to answer my colleague's first question on the advantages to Quebec in this budget with respect to equalization, the new budget ensures that Quebec will get $185 million more than it did last November, if we look at the state of public finances at the time. If we compare this to the previous budget of the former Liberal government, Quebec will receive $741 million more. This is quite advantageous.

As far as the fiscal imbalance is concerned, we are turning over a new leaf to resolve it. It should be noted that in our budget, the budget of the new government, in 2005-06, there is an $8 billion surplus, but we also have non-allocated surpluses. In an effort to be transparent, we are thereby showing all Canadians that the surpluses that were not allocated in our budget can be allocated to resolve the fiscal imbalance, resolve problems of productivity, problems the environment might cause, problems in several sectors. These non-allocated surpluses represent $600 million for this year and $1.4 billion for next year. This bodes well for the negotiations to resolve the fiscal imbalance.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2006, May 15th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, our latest budget contains tax cuts of $20 billion over two years. As I said earlier, it is very important for the competitiveness of the Canadian economy. If we make a comparison with the U.S. and the rest of the countries in the world, we realize that Canada is in a very competitive situation where corporate tax rates are concerned. This is a very important fact. As you know, capital is mobile in Canada; it goes where performance is the best. By having the lowest tax rates, rates that are competitive with the Americans, we are able to attract foreign and Canadian money that can be invested and that can create wealth in Canada. The tax cuts proposed in the budget will thus enable Canadians to keep an appreciable and substantial advantage over the U.S.

Regarding corporate tax rates, the reductions will also end up making our corporate tax system more competitive overall and not just on tax rates, which will enable our Canadian companies to increase their productivity.