Paul Martin

[Human Resources Development, February 23rd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member ought to know that the time to lay out the government's budgetary plans will be next Monday in the House when the budget is presented.

I announced a week ago that the budget would be next Monday. I can understand that not all members of the Reform Party would know that because, after all, the announcement was made in the House.

[Human Resources Development, February 23rd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, let us understand what this issue is all about. Absolutely the country requires sound financial management and we have provided it, but that is not the difference of opinion.

The difference of opinion is that the Reform Party does not believe that there is role for government in working with Kinsmen clubs, Richelieu clubs, Optimists clubs, Lions clubs and Rotary clubs. We believe there is a responsibility of the federal government to work with communities across the country, and we will continue to do so.

[The Budget, February 9th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to get in practice.

It is true that there was a bit of speculation last week from an unknown source as to the date of the budget, and I am pleased to announce that speculation was accurate.

It is my pleasure to announce that the budget will be tabled in the House on Monday, February 28, at 4.00 p.m.

[Transfers To Provinces, December 14th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member must realize that, including the tax points, or in other words all transfers together, we are already where we were five years ago.

[Taxation, December 13th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, when the previous government established these lines, obviously there were those who won and those who did not.

In fact, the hon. member is right. In a meeting with people in his riding I discussed this and we did undertake to review it.

[Canada Health And Social Transfer, December 13th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, one of the first things which the government did as we began to approach the elimination of the deficit was to restore and introduce a new floor protecting the Canada health and social transfer. In last year's budget we put $11.5 billion toward the Canadian health and social transfer.

At the same time, the government has invested close to $2 billion in the national child tax benefit. We have put money into CAPC. We have put money into prenatal nutrition. The government understands full well the problems that families have in raising young children, especially low income families. The government has stepped up to the mark.

[Taxation, December 13th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, speaking of Christmas fruitcakes, it is a pleasure to respond to the Reform Party. This government brought taxes down in the last budget and in the budget before that.

The basic issue that Canadians want to know is why the Reform Party stands up in the House and pretends that it is in favour of tax cuts when a clear statement in its own election platform, Fresh Start, says that it would not cut taxes before the year 2000.

[Taxation, December 13th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has made it very clear, as have the Liberals on the finance committee and grassroots Liberals from coast to coast, that they support the necessity of bringing down tax cuts. They support the government and the last two budgets have brought down tax cuts.

In terms of who is moving whose way, we brought them down. The Reform Party policy in Fresh Start was not to bring down taxes.

[Social Programs, December 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, it would take a lot more than that.

The Government of Canada has acted in much the same way that previous governments in Saskatchewan have acted. It was Tommy Douglas who said that no government should ever allow itself to be put in the hands of its bondholders because if it is, it does not have the ability to make the kinds of decisions that we have made. For instance, last year the government put $11.5 billion back into the health care system. There was the Canadian opportunities strategy in the 1998 budget and the child tax benefit.

I can assure the hon. member that we will continue to invest in the future of Canadians.

[Taxation, December 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, if the Reform Party is sincere in its desire to help middle income taxpayers, why is it that despite the fact that the government has cut taxes in each of the last two budgets, the Reform Party's official position is that there be no tax cuts prior to the year 2000?

I simply ask the hon. member, why does he stand up in the House and give a position that bears no relationship to his party's official policy?