House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2006, with 48% of the vote.
Taxation April 20th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, let there be no doubt the government's revenues are up. They are up because there are a million and a half Canadians who are working, more than were working before. They are up because corporate profitability is up. They are up because our exports are up. Our revenues are up because Canada's economy is up. That is why.
Taxation April 15th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the question is, if the hon. member objected to the $3.5 billion which his party was going to cut in transfers, why did he not stand up and say so? If the hon. member objected to reductions in transfers when his party was going to cut $16 billion out of transfers to the provinces for health care, why did he not stand up in this House and say so?
Taxation April 15th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member was against that, then why is it that after we put $11.5 billion into the transfers to the provinces the hon. member stood up and—
Taxation April 15th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, I have said, and I will say again, that we want to lower taxes and that we have lowered them substantially, by $16.5 billion over 36 months.
That is not the question. The question is this: Is the member, who is his party's health critic, saying that he does not approve of our decision to earmark $11.5 billion in federal transfers for health? Is he saying that he is not in favour of our investments in medical research and development? Is he now going back on everything he has said in the last two or three weeks?
Taxation April 15th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, that is not the issue at all. The issue is the fact that that woman will be able to go to a hospital and get decent health care which she would not get if she followed the Reform agenda. That woman will get decent medical research for breast cancer which she would not get if she listened to the Reform Party. And that woman's daughter will get decent prenatal nutrition. There will be children's programs which they would not get if they listened to the Reform Party.
The Reform Party wants to cut taxes. It wants to cut taxes on the backs of the poor and low income people. That is its agenda and we will never follow it.
Taxation April 15th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, it is unseemly to see the crocodile tears of the Reform Party members when they talk about poverty. They never talk about poverty and it is not part of their agenda.
The basic issue is that we want to cut taxes as much as anybody. In fact we have cut taxes substantially for that person.
The member has a supplementary question and she could tell us. Three quarters of our spending was on health care and education. Would she not do that? We spent money on equalization. Would she not do that? We spent money on medical research. Would she not do that? If her questions are to have any credibility, she should stand up and say what she would cut.
Taxation April 15th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the fact is, I simply repeat, that it is $16.5 billion over the next 36 months. That is substantial tax relief.
The Reform Party is now revealing its true colours. What it says is a lame excuse is $11.5 billion going into the health care system. That is not an excuse; that is Canada's priority.
Taxation April 15th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the government has made it very clear time and time again that we want to bring down taxes. In fact, we did bring down taxes substantially in the last budget.
If the hon. member wants to quote polls, surely to heaven he would like to quote the poll of 6% of Ontarians who support the gutting of health care like the Reform Party would do.
Taxation April 14th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member spent a little less time memorizing nursery rhymes and a little more time doing his basic research what he would see, as an example, is that the average income for single income families headed by women is up by $1,000. What he would see, as a result of the child tax benefit brought in by this government, is that the situation facing low income families and single families headed by mothers has improved substantially, and his party voted against it.
Taxation April 14th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's numbers are wrong. Family incomes had been declining, but since this government has taken office they have stabilized. Where they have declined is in the United States.
In addition to that, we should point out, and I am delighted to say, that the number of children living in poor or low income families has declined by 100,000.