House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2006, with 48% of the vote.
The Budget February 25th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I would simply say to the hon. member is helping 13 million Canadians lower their taxes not tax real relief? Is helping single mothers not real tax relief? Is helping students not real tax relief?
What constituency is the hon. member talking about? Who is he worried about?
We made it very clear. We are going to cut personal taxes and we are going to start with low and middle income Canadians. We will get to his friends later.
The Budget February 25th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I do not know where the hon. member has been. In our second budget the contingency reserve went to eliminating the deficit 100%. In our third budget it went to eliminating the deficit 100%. In our fourth budget it went to eliminating the deficit 100%.
We laid in place a plan which led to the elimination of the deficit. I can assure the House that it will lead to a substantial reduction in the debt burden of this country.
The Budget February 25th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I can well understand that the hon. member would not recognize a surplus if it hit him.
The fact is yesterday we brought down the first balanced budget in 30 years. We have projected three balanced budgets in a row and that would be the first time that has happened in 50 years.
Let us understand that is a very important thing for this country.
The leader of the Conservative Party has stated that deficits are not important. He has said that he would be prepared to cut taxes and see the country go back into debt.
The Budget February 25th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, this government is very concerned with the problems of those who are involved in the fishery in Newfoundland. We have demonstrated in the past our great concern and it is obviously a matter to which this government has devoted its attention.
But I have stated in this House, and I will repeat, the contingency reserve will not be spent. It is one of the reasons that we were able to eliminate the deficit and it will not be spent.
The Budget February 25th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the largest single investment in this budget was the $1.5 billion transfer to the provinces for health care. We have put $134 million more into the Medical Research Council for medical research. We put a substantial amount of money into the national AIDS strategy. We put $60 million into the blood agency.
What the hon. member ought to know is that 80% of all new spending in this budget went to health care and education.
The Budget February 25th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, which spending would the hon. member like to abolish? Is the help for students? Is it the help for the single mothers? Or would he like to perhaps take back the $1.5 billion transfer we made to the provinces, the $7 billion in transfers we are going to do over the next five years? Are those the things the hon. member would like to cut? Where are the hon. member's values?
This budget yesterday was about Canadians' needs and—
The Budget February 25th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, let us simply take a look at the record. The fact of the matter is this year there was a $1.4 billion cut in employment insurance premiums. In yesterday's budget we cut taxes for students, we cut taxes for single mothers and single families, we cut taxes for 13 million Canadians. In fact, 14 million Canadians saw a tax reduction. We eliminated for all those taxpayers earning $50,000 or less the odious surtax imposed by the kissing cousins of the Reform Party.
The fact is a $7 billion tax cut package was in yesterday's budget.
The Budget February 25th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, when we came to power, there was a $6 billion deficit in the employment insurance fund. Since we have been in power, that shortfall has been eliminated.
When we came to power, unemployment insurance contributions were $3.07. The Conservative Party had intended to raise them to $3.30. We lowered them every year, and today they are down to $2.66. That is a record we can be proud of.
The Budget February 25th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I said very clearly this year we will be bringing down the seniors benefit, and we will.
Let me tell members something that will not be in it. The Reform Party in one of its recent documents advocated a $3 billion cut in old age pensions. Let it be very clear, that will not be in it.
What we have said is that we are going to protect those who require help. We are going to make sure that, with an aging population, this country can take care of its senior citizens. We are going to do in the future what we did in the past.
This government and the provinces saved the Canada pension plan. The Reform Party voted against it—
The Budget February 25th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I ask the hon. member are there no students, are there no people with disabilities, are there no seniors, are there no single mothers, are there no people in need in her riding?
Is her riding so choice that there are no Canadians who require help? Are there no Canadians who require equality of opportunity? Does she live in a riding where there are no poor, no middle class? If she does then she is lucky. That does not describe the entire country. We are going to stand—