House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2006, with 48% of the vote.
Employment Insurance May 28th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I would simply point out to the hon. member that last year we cut the premiums by $1.4 billion. That is a real cut. It is real money. In fact since we have taken office the premiums, which were to go to $3.30, have been cut by $4.5 billion a year. In my opinion that is real money.
Employment Insurance May 28th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, last year we reduced premiums by $1.4 billion.
The member says he is not referring to the same people as we are. We are referring to the 400,000 taxpayers who no longer pay taxes because their income is very low, the 83% of Canadian taxpayers who no longer pay the 3% surtax. students and poor families. These are the people we are speaking for. Who does the leader of the Bloc Quebecois speak for?
Employment Insurance May 28th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, am I to understand that the leader of the Bloc Quebecois objects to the fact that we have reduced taxes for 83% of all Canadian taxpayers? Am I to understand that he objects to the fact that 400,000 people with very low salaries or incomes no longer have to pay any taxes?
Am I to understand that he is opposed to the assistance that we are providing to students and poor families, because all this is achieved through the tax system? Is this what the member is saying?
Employment Insurance May 27th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, at the request of the auditor general, the employment insurance fund has been consolidated with the government's financial statements since 1986.
Having said that, as the hon. member knows full well, this fund is used by my colleague to finance the transitional jobs fund. That has been made quite clear.
We are using it, but we have also reduced EI premiums since we came to office. Lower interest rates, which benefit all Canadians, lower taxes and investment in transfer payments to the provinces clearly show—
Taxation May 27th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I can certainly understand why the hon. member would not want to discuss his party's history. A $42 billion deficit is now down to zero. Unemployment of 11.5% is now down to 8.4%. Consumer confidence is up. Retail confidence is up. Business investment is surging. That is today. It was not the case six years ago.
Taxation May 27th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, if that is the position of the member's party, why was that not the position it took when it was in government?
We have reduced payroll taxes $4.2 billion more per year than when that government was in power. We will continue in this vein because reducing personal income taxes, reducing payroll taxes and investing in health care and education are the priorities of the government.
Employment May 27th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, every year since we have been in office we have cut those premiums. We have demonstrated our desire to do so.
The choices have to be made. The one the Reform Party ought to face up to is that you cannot do everything at once and at the same time make sure that the country's books stay in the black.
I ask the hon. member when he stands up on his preamble, would he not have cut taxes? Would he not have put money back into the Canadian health and social transfer? Would he not have put more money back into education? Would he not have eliminated the deficit?
Employment May 27th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I find it unfortunate to have to correct the historical record, but in fact when the hon. member's party was last in power there was a deficit in the unemployment insurance fund of $6 billion.
I would also like to point out that in the Canadian economy over one million jobs were created in the last four years. In the last three years of the Tory regime there were over 200,000 jobs lost in the Canadian economy.
Employment May 27th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I hate to point this out to the hon. member, but in fact when the previous Conservative government took office from the Liberals the rate was at $2. I hate to do this but in 1989 under the Tories the rate was $1.95. In 1990 it went up to $2.25. Then it went up to $2.80. Then it went up to $3. When we took office it was going up to $3.30 and we would not let it happen. That is why it is at $2.70 today.
Employment Insurance May 27th, 1998
—have been created in Canada. This is how jobs are created, by investing in education and in the health of Canadians, in—