House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2006, with 48% of the vote.
Chst June 12th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, that is not what I said.
I was asked a question about whether the government would be open to such a consideration. What I said was that there will be ongoing negotiations, as there always will be, with the provinces. If the provinces put that forth, I am sure the government would be prepared to listen.
Taxation June 12th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member had looked at the budget, what she would have seen is that a large part of our tax cuts was the reintroduction of indexation, which helps low and middle income Canadians.
We cut the middle income rate from 26% to 24%, on its way to 23%. We are increasing the child tax benefit, the very people the hon. member refers to, from $1,800 to $2,400 a year.
We have brought in massive tax reductions and we are increasing the amount of money we are giving to middle income and low income Canadians. We will continue to do that.
Taxation June 12th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, the government's priorities are very clearly health care, education and taxes. In the tax area, the government said in the budget—and in fact I repeated this last week before the House of Commons finance committee—personal income taxes.
The best proof is that of the $58 billion minimum tax cut that we will be providing over the course of the next five years, $54 billion is for personal income tax and employment insurance premium reductions.
Finance June 6th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has asked me this question and I told him that the matter was under discussion by officials.
It is under discussion by officials. Since he has asked me the question I have not had an opportunity to meet with my colleagues, the other ministers of finance, but as soon as I do so I will be able to provide him with their reaction.
Taxation June 6th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will note that whatever disadvantages may exist within the tax system they were introduced by the previous Tory government, but we have in every budget eliminated and reduced those taxes.
The member can rest assured that we will continue to eradicate the terrible, terrible mistakes that were inflicted upon the country by the Tory government.
Taxation June 6th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will certainly note that in the last budget the government for the first time in a long time reduced the capital gains taxes.
I congratulate the industry committee, the finance committee before it and the Senate committee for the great work that they have done and are doing. The hon. member can rest assured that we will take the recommendations and give them every due consideration.
Regional Development June 2nd, 2000
Mr. Speaker, yes the Canadian government is certainly interested in any project which might benefit Quebec. I can say that discussions are under way and that this matter is under consideration.
Chst June 2nd, 2000
Mr. Speaker, may I say that it is a good question and I hope he will continue in that vein.
On health care and education, a per capita basis is the historic way in which those transfers have always been made to the provinces. The compensation, as the hon. member will know, is made through the equalization program, a program that when this government was forced to make cuts did not cut in any way, shape or form. In fact next year it will be at an all time high.
Chst June 2nd, 2000
Mr. Speaker, I know that I speak for all of us on this side of the House when I congratulate the member on his first question here in the House of Commons.
The Debt June 2nd, 2000
Mr. Speaker, we are one of the very few government's that is reducing its debt. The debt to GDP ratio was 71% when we took office. It is now 61%. That is the strongest drop in the debt to GDP ratio of any industrial country. In four years it will be down to below 58% and it will keep going down. We are the only G-7 country that can say that.