Mike Lake

[The Economy, February 13th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I have already answered the question regarding the Sudbury issue. We are very concerned about Canadians who lose their jobs due to this global economic slowdown.

However, I would point out that in Canada we have a situation that is very different from other parts of the world. In fact, the Canadian economy is stronger than other parts as we go into the global economic slowdown and we will come out sooner and stronger than other countries.

I would urge members of all parties to carefully consider the measures in the budget implementation act and quickly pass it in the interests of all Canadians.

[The Economy, February 13th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I already answered that question.

However, it is interesting to note that on January 29, during the budget discussion and before we voted on the budget, the NDP member for Hamilton Mountain said:

Every single important piece that people in the community were looking for is mentioned.

She was speaking about the budget. However, the NDP decided beforehand that it would vote against the budget. I would ask the hon. member and his party to carefully consider how the steps in the budget will help all Canadians and to quickly pass this budget.

[The Economy, February 13th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, of course we are disappointed by the layoffs in Sudbury and the impact they will have on the families in the surrounding region. These are challenging times for mining companies around the world due to the global economic crisis.

At the direction of the minister, Industry Canada officials have been in extensive discussions with Xstrata over the last several days, which have resulted in further commitments to Sudbury. As a result, Xstrata has committed to invest between $290 million and $390 million in the Sudbury area over the next two years and that will secure at least 300 jobs.

This government acted quickly to stand up for the people of Sudbury and will continue to do so.

[The Economy, February 6th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, this week we had a vote on the government's economic action plan. The opposition leader allowed his party, in an unheard of measure, to have a free vote. Over 90% of Liberal members voted in favour of the government plan.

We would encourage the Liberal members to support us as we try to implement this plan quickly.

[Business of Supply, February 5th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I do not often find myself nodding along with the hon. member when he is speaking. Usually I find myself with a bit of a contrasting opinion. In this case I do agree with most of what the hon. member said.

I noted that he spent a good deal of his time strongly criticizing the NDP position and particularly the member for Burnaby—New Westminster, but I would note that until very recently the hon. member was the strongest advocate within his party for a coalition agreement with the NDP that probably would have seen the leader of the NDP as the industry minister, and might very well have seen the hon. member for Burnaby—New Westminster as the minister for international trade.

I am wondering if the hon. member could square that circle for us.

[Business of Supply, February 5th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, it is interesting to hear the rant from the hon. member.

Speaking of understanding, I understand from his speech that he quoted that middle income Canadians have lost 10% of real income “for each and every year” since NAFTA was implemented. As near as I can tell, that would result in a 100% negative real income for middle income Canadians. I would like to understand. He did not document where he got those numbers and I would like to hear where he got the numbers.

Second, it is curious that the hon. member is promoting a buy Canada solution to everything. By extension, I would imagine that he would be even more in favour of a buy B.C. provision or perhaps a buy Burnaby provision in terms of trade. Maybe he would like to go back to the days when families made their own clothes, grew their own food and built their own homes. Perhaps that would be the solution to the problems we are facing right now.

[The Budget, January 29th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate the hon. member on her speech and I look forward to serving with her on the industry committee.

In her speech she used words like “ugly truth” and talked about catching up with the rest of the world. Obviously we have heard that same political language for strategic Liberal purposes over the course of their speeches today.

I want to clarify a few things. I have mentioned this quote from London's Daily Telegraph before, but it is a great quote about our Prime Minister in comparison with other G8 leaders:

Of all the leaders, only...the Canadian Prime Minister is able to point to a popular and successful record in office.

Some will regard it as alarming that, in current times, world leadership should rest with Canada. But the Canadian Tories are a model of how to behave during a downturn.

They have kept spending in check and reduced taxes....

It goes on to say at the end:

If the rest of the world had comported itself with similar modesty and prudence, we might not be in this mess.

Organizations like the OECD, the IMF and the World Economic Forum have ranked Canada as a world leader in terms of our ability to come out of the recession and the stability of our banking system.

I would like to give the hon. member a chance to articulate some of the things that she likes about the budget since I anticipate she might be voting in favour of it. I know her party is going to anyway.

[The Budget, January 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, it was very interesting to listen to the hon. member's comments and her rather fuzzy view of history. I seem to recall, when I look back to those dark, cold Liberal years, that $54 billion was basically stolen from the EI program, from employers and employees, cuts in transfer payments for health and social services to the provinces, and a promise to abolish the GST which was quickly forgotten.

Moving to the recent history of our country for the three years that the Conservatives have been in government, what do we have now? Of the G8 countries, we are the only country that has run a surplus over the last three years. Every one of the other countries has run deficits in each of the last three years. The World Economic Forum has ranked our banking system as the number one most secure system in the world.

It is interesting to listen to the comments from the other side. The Liberals might remember that back when they were in government it was so long ago that their leader had not even lived in Canada at that point for 36 years. It was a long time ago.

Now we are in a situation where the IMF and the OECD are projecting that Canada will be the first country to emerge from this global recession stronger than other countries.

I would like to hear the hon. member's comments on those points.

[The Budget, January 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to extend my appreciation for the hon. member's support of the budget and the decision to agree with commentators from around the world who have lifted Canada up as an example to the rest of the world in terms of how we conduct ourselves in the difficult global times that we face.

The London Telegraph wrote an article during the recent G8 summit that lamented the lack of leadership among G8 leaders. The paper singled out our Prime Minister saying that if the rest of the world had comported itself with similar modesty and prudence we might not be in this mess.

The World Economic Forum ranked our banking system as the number one most secure banking system in the world.

The OECD and IMF have indicated that Canada will be the strongest country coming out of this global economic downturn.

Our government has been recognized as the only government in the G8 over the past three years that has run a surplus. Other governments have all run deficits in each of the last three years.

I thank the Liberal Party for its support of our budget. We look forward to working with those members in the future.

[Economic and Fiscal Statement, December 2nd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I thought I had seen everything when I saw the member for Papineau, the son of Pierre Trudeau, actually join his leader in a standing ovation for the leader of the separatist Bloc. A few minutes ago, I heard him speak and, in defending this separatist coalition, he talked about putting aside the question of national unity. It is pretty astounding stuff.

I actually want to turn my attention to the economy. The member was talking about the economy. I noted that during the election her leader, the Leader of the Opposition, said that he would never form a coalition with the federal NDP. He stated:

--because its economic policies are based on “Monopoly money”.

they...have a platform that is full of Monopoly money that will come from nowhere except for the ability of our industry to become competitive in the world and it will cost jobs to Canadians.

He said that on September 24, 2008. Does the hon. member agree with her leader?