House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2006, with 48% of the vote.
The Economy February 10th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, we have in previous budgets provided poor Canadian families with the child tax benefit, which is a very important initiative. We have provided those families in which there are disabled Canadians with lower taxes. We will continue in this vein.
There is no doubt that the great reward for the clean-up of the country's balance sheet that has been effected by Canadians will be that over the course of time clearly the tax burden will be lowered.
Day Care February 9th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, it is important to recognize that the child care expense deduction recognizes the cost of child care for all families where both parents are working regardless of the circumstances of their employment. This is a very important issue of equity.
That being said, I have had occasion both in Vancouver and Toronto to meet with a number of the women who were on this trade mission, women entrepreneurs. They raised a series of very important points and we will give them every consideration.
Transfer Payments To Provinces February 9th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the member's question is similar to proposals made by the Reform Party and the Conservative Party a few years ago. My answer is the same.
All formulae contain an exemption for economic downturns and catastrophes. These exemptions seen from a different angle always represent a gigantic hole that essentially voids these sorts of formulae. This is not our intention. We think it much more important to be more transparent and have very clear objectives.
Taxation February 9th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, this government certainly does have a contract with the Canadian people. It is called the social contract. It is there to protect the social fabric of this nation.
The fact is that the NDP, in seeking to gut health care, in not wanting to put enough money into research and development, in not wanting to put enough money into education, is seeking to gut equalization. What the Reform Party seeks to do is to break the social contract.
Taxation February 9th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the government has made very clear on a number of occasions its intention to reduce taxes. In fact, in previous budgets we have reduced taxes and we will continue to do so over subsequent budgets.
Taxation February 5th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I am not in the position to talk about what is going to be in this budget or in subsequent budgets throughout the course of this mandate.
I can assure the hon. member that it is the intention of this government to reverse every insidious blood sucking action the previous Tory government took.
Student Loans February 5th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that student debt is too high. That is why we moved in the last budget. That is why the prime minister announced the millennium fund.
It is somewhat difficult to understand how the member can criticize the millennium fund when he does not even know the details of it.
Fundamentally we have said that we are going to deal with the issue of student debt to the extent of our resources. The fact is that debt started to rise substantially under his government.
Why does he not accept and understand what it has done to the fabric of this nation?
Federal Transfers February 5th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, it is simply incongruous that this member, belonging to a party that left this country with a massive debt and a huge deficit that this government had to deal with, now stands up here and talks about other kinds of debt when in fact the reason this government had to act was because of eight years of mismanagement.
Last year we brought forth more measures to help students than in all the previous Tory budgets combined and that party voted against them and against Canadian students.
Bank Merger February 5th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, perhaps he ought to attend the odd meeting of the industry committee or the finance committee or any committee. We he ought to do is sit down with the Liberal members of Parliament who have for four years fought for small business, fought for farmers, who have brought the banks in front of the committee and said that they must improve, and in fact who are responsible for the appointment of an ombudsman.
If the NDP just once could match its rhetoric with action, we would understand what it is all about. The fact is the Liberal members of Parliament in this House have consistently fought for small businesses and they will continue to do so. They are the future of this country.
The Economy February 5th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, the debt is the accumulation of yearly deficits. Perhaps I should remind the hon. member that when we took office in 1993 the deficit was $42 billion.
I can now assure this member that next year that $42 billion will be zero.