House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2011, with 35% of the vote.
Public Safety May 27th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, there is a pattern of reckless spending that needs to be recognized. This is a government that inherited a $13 billion surplus and turned into a deficit before the recession even began. Now it is spending more than a billion dollars of borrowed money on a summit because it could not even figure out where to hold it.
Why are Canadian taxpayers footing the bill for this kind of incompetence?
Public Safety May 27th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, security costs for the three-day Toronto summit have already exceeded those for the Vancouver Olympic Games that lasted 17 days.
What is going on? Why is the Toronto summit the most expensive to date? How can the Prime Minister explain such incompetence?
The Economy May 26th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the undertaking made by the government was to eliminate them in four years. I am talking about whether it will do it in three weeks, which is when it needs to do it.
The government needs to face the fact that Canadian families are among the most indebted in the world. Over 50% of their income goes to housing. That is going to increase as interest rates rise. Instead of helping those families, the government is giving another $6 billion gift to corporations and useless subsidies to oil corporations.
When will it change course, freeze those taxes, and start helping middle-class families?
The Economy May 26th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, he should tell that to the Canadian families who happen to be the most indebted group of families in the world. He should try that with them, because it will not work.
I asked a clear question in the House. Will he or will he not keep his promise to eliminate the useless fossil fuel subsidies that the G20 meeting at Pittsburgh promised to eliminate? Will he keep his promise in Toronto? Yes or no.
The Economy May 26th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, this government's economic choices are impossible to understand. The government is borrowing $6 billion in order to give tax cuts to businesses that are already profitable. What is more, the government is borrowing hundreds of millions of dollars in order to turn around and hand out subsidies to the oil industry when those subsidies are pointless.
At the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh, the Prime Minister promised to eliminate these useless subsidies. Will he keep his promises in Toronto?
The Economy May 25th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, there is only one party in the House that will actually raise taxes next year, and it is sitting opposite me, $14 billion of payroll taxes.
This is a question of choices. The government is choosing to ignore the learning deficit, the care deficit, the skills shortage deficit. This is what is zapping Canadian productivity.
Instead, the government is choosing to borrow money to lower the taxes of corporations that are already profitable. I still have not heard an answer as to why.
The Economy May 25th, 2010
However, Mr. Speaker, this side of the House cut taxes when we were in a surplus. Can Canadians understand why we are cutting taxes when we are in a deficit? That is the issue.
Canadian families are facing serious questions: the highest levels of personal indebtedness in the G7, high unemployment and only one in four Canadians has any kind of retirement security. On top of this, we have a $54 billion deficit. These are the economic facts of life.
Why is the government, then, borrowing money to lower taxes for corporations that are already profitable? No one can understand it.
The Economy May 25th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, we are in the midst of a sovereign debt crisis that is spreading throughout the world and getting worse by the day. The Canadian economy remains fragile with a high unemployment rate, an unprecedented level of household debt, and a $54 billion deficit.
Rather than protecting Canada's workers, the government is borrowing money to lower taxes for corporations that are already profitable. Why?
Former Prime Minister of Canada May 25th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, today I am sure all members of the House will want to join me in saluting a great Canadian and a master of this chamber, Jean Chrétien.
When Mr. Chrétien became prime minister in 1993, Canada was in crisis. Our economy was stalled, our finances were in deficit, and threats to our national unity loomed.
Ten years later, Jean Chrétien left Canada united, with the best public finances and the best economy in the G7. Thanks to him, we are a more equal and just society. This is a truly great record.
Today we are saluting the “little guy from Shawinigan” who served his country so well for 40 years.
Jean and Aline, welcome back to Parliament Hill. On behalf of all hon. members and all Canadians, we thank them both for everything they have done for Canada.
The Environment May 12th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is not answering the question. The question is whether he will make climate change a central issue at the G20 summit, not just one among many but a central issue.
The Secretary General is saying that Canada has a leadership role to play, especially in contributing to mitigating the catastrophic effects of climate change on poorer countries. This is a leadership issue.
Will the Prime Minister step up and commit today in the House of Commons to lead on the issue of climate change?