House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2006, with 48% of the vote.
Budget Surplus November 16th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, that is just what we did in the last budget. We increased transfers to the provinces by $7 billion over five years, and the Bloc members voted in opposition.
When we look at what the Bloc proposes, we realize that they want to spend $15 billion this year and $15 billion next year. They want Canada to be back in a deficit position. This is certainly not what Canadians want.
Budget Surplus November 16th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, we have always said our projections would not be of our optimum performance, but of our minimum.
I am proud of Canada's victory over the deficit, and I am very happy to see that we have a $10 billion surplus for the first six months of this year. However, we still have another six months to go.
Employment Insurance November 16th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, let us simply take a look at the facts.
In the first 10 months of 1996, 321,000 new jobs were created. In the month of October 57,000 new jobs were created. The reason for that is that the nation's finances have been cleaned up and there is a feeling of confidence across the country.
That is what will lead to job creation. That is what will lead to lower taxes. The Reform Party ought to understand that Canadians are now on a roll and ought to stop trying to stop it.
Employment Insurance November 16th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will have a supplementary question so let him deal in the supplementary with the real difference of opinion.
We want to reduce taxes. We have demonstrated that. We want to reduce EI premiums. We have demonstrated that. This is not the issue. The issue is that we are not prepared to do it on the backs of low income Canadians. We are not prepared to do it on the backs of poor families with children. We are not prepared to do it by gutting the health care system.
That is the Reform Party agenda and at least its members ought to have the guts to stand and admit it.
Taxation November 16th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the current EI premiums, at $2.70, are substantially lower than the EI premiums that existed when the Tories were in office.
It is right that the surplus for the first six months is $10 billion higher than some people would have projected. However, I sat in this House when Tory finance minister after Tory finance minister made a mistake and it went the other way. If we are going to make a mistake I would rather make it our way.
Taxation November 16th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the last PC plan I saw had a $42 billion deficit in it.
We have made it very clear that it is our intention to reduce taxes. We did so in the last budget. We would hope to do so in every budget. We would also hope to continue to reduce EI premiums. We would also hope to see the kind of job creation that Canada is now coming forth with which is the strongest job creation of almost any of the G-7 countries.
Budget Surplus November 16th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, here is what this government is offering Canadians: shrinking deficits, lower taxes, a national debt that is growing smaller and a national unemployment rate that currently stands at 8.1%, compared to 11.9% when we took office.
Budget Surplus November 16th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, what we want to do is to ensure the fiscal stability of our country.
What the Bloc Quebecois is proposing is chronic deficits, a country that will neglect its responsibility to its own people. That is what the Bloc Quebecois is proposing. But our country is growing and will continue to grow.
Unemployment Insurance November 16th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the Reform members talk about their agenda. In their program they would take $3.5 billion out of health care. They would take $1 billion out of equalization for Manitoba and Saskatchewan. They would gut the amount of transfers that go to aboriginal Canadians. They would not support research and development.
They would pay for their tax cuts on the backs of the future of this country and we will not do that.
Unemployment Insurance November 16th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, let us understand what members of the Reform Party are advocating.
They are advocating $9 billion worth of tax reductions. They are advocating $9 billion worth of debt reduction, and now they are advocating $6 billion in terms of EI premium cuts. What they are advocating is $24 billion to $25 billion in cuts.
Where is that money going to come out of? It will come out of our health care system. It will come out of transfers to the provinces. It will come out of the things that count for Canadians. That is their real agenda.