Paul Martin

[The Economy, October 18th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the opinions expressed by the majority of the economists whom I met yesterday evening are that, given the substantial tax reductions already in place, given the infrastructure program that is about to begin, and given the lower interest rates, the Canadian government has done what it intended to do and that is a lot more than the United States.

[The Economy, October 18th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I already told the hon. member many times that I am very open to a budget, but that we will need the necessary data on the short term thrust of the economy, on the global initiative against terrorism and on the overall plan of the Canadian government concerning national security.

[Money Laundering, October 17th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, as far as financing terrorism is concerned, the Government of Canada, with the Minister of Justice's omnibus bill and by freezing terrorists assets from the start, as the United Nations required, led the way and will continue to do so.

When we look at the OECD initiative on tax havens and the Government of Canada's ability to act in the area, we see very clearly that, of all the G-7 countries, Canada is the one providing leadership, and we will continue to do so.

[Money Laundering, October 17th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, it is fairly clear that the Minister of Finance, in his capacity as Minister of Finance, certainly does not have this information. If it does exist, it is a matter for the police.

[Poverty, October 17th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, in 1995 when the government brought down the deficit busting budget the one piece of funding that was never cut and was in fact increased was funding for aboriginal Canadians for health care and aboriginal housing.

The fact is that the government has brought in the most far reaching piece of new legislation in terms of helping young families with children. The national child benefit has now arrived at a record level. Our transfers to the provinces for health care and education are at a record level. Our transfers in terms of equalization for basic services today are at a record level. That is what the government--

[The Economy, October 17th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member should go back and take a look at what those tax cuts did. Overwhelmingly, those tax cuts were for medium income and low income Canadians. For example, the national child benefit was substantially increased. That was for medium and low income families with children.

The whole question of indexation, which protects Canadians against taxation by stealth and which provides low income Canadians with a guarantee that they will live comfortably, we are not going to cancel that.

[The Economy, October 17th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I do not need to bring in a budget to tell the hon. member and the House that the government remains loyal to its commitments and to its obligations.

There is no doubt the events of September 11 have certainly changed some of the priorities. National security is a number one priority. We will provide the funding that is required to protect Canadians.

As the hon. member knows full well, I will be bringing down either a budget or a fiscal statement. I am very open to bringing down a budget, but I want to make sure I have all the facts at hand before doing so.

[National Defence, October 16th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, on an urgent demand of the minister of defence, I am taking the question.

Let me say that in addition to my other colleagues, I congratulate the minister of defence who in last October's statement received a substantial increase in his funding. In fact the Department of National Defence has been one of the departments receiving the most new spending.

I understand the hon. member getting exercised but what she ought to get exercised about is terrorism because we are going to fight it and defeat it.

[The Budget, October 16th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, first I want to congratulate my colleagues in the government on the series of announcements demonstrating just how clearly Canada has taken a leadership role in dealing with terrorism.

I also want to point out to the hon. member that it was last October that the government brought down an economic statement in which the largest tax cuts in Canadian history were presented, the largest transfers to the provinces for health care and education were presented, and in which there was the largest debt paydown.

[Terrorism, October 15th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the member knows very well that Canada has taken the lead of all countries by putting a method in place to freeze the assets of terrorists.

I would like to congratulate my colleagues, the Minister of Justice, and the Solicitor General of Canada for their initiatives in this area.