Pierre Nantel

[Taxation, April 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the European counterpart to the Minister of Finance told Le Journal de Montréal that Canada's position on taxing web giants is no longer acceptable.

While the European Union and others are showing some backbone, the Government of Canada is dragging its feet and proposing consultations with countries that have already asked the web giants to pay their fair share of taxes. It is completely ridiculous.

What will it take for the government to finally decide to take action? We are at our wit's end.

[Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits, April 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, illness affects us all, directly or indirectly. In our neighbourhood of Vieux-Longueuil, our neighbour Marianne Simard knocked on our door to tell us about her scant 15 weeks of EI sickness benefits.

Marianne's story is particularly striking because she is fighting cancer and trying to make life easier for all those who will one day be diagnosed with cancer. There are plenty of stories like Marianne's, including that of Marie-Hélène Dubé, the woman behind the “15 weeks to heal is not enough!” movement. She will continue to collect more stories and accounts because one in two Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer one day.

In 2016, the government promised to review the program. Two years later nothing has been done. How can we expect someone with cancer to heal in 15 weeks when the average treatment takes 52 weeks? I invite all those who want to help Marianne, Marie-Hélène, and my team to join us in forcing the government to keep its promise. Together we can continue to put pressure on the government and right this wrong.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 1, April 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I can see why the minister wants to end the debate. Every time I ask him a question about the fact that Internet services are not subject to sales tax and GST, he goes on about taxing those companies, which will obviously require a great deal of coordinated effort on the global stage. However, he knows full well that I am talking about the GST and provincial sales tax, but he keeps denying and deflecting. I can see why he does not want to debate the issue for too long. He is concerned that he will eventually have to stay on topic.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 1, April 23rd, 2018]

The Minister of Finance takes us for fools, Mr. Speaker; how very sad. Liberal spin doctors have been working to throw us off the scent for a long time now. The minister knows perfectly well that it is unacceptable that the services in question are not subject to any transaction tax, which includes GST, QST, and the other provincial harmonized taxes.

Because of this, we are the laughingstock of the international community. We were led to believe that this issue would be discussed at the G7 summit in Charlevoix, and the Liberals are definitely going to be laughed at if they bring it up, because everybody in the entire world charges tax on services.

I wonder why the Minister of Finance is acting like nothing is wrong and evading the issue by saying it will be discussed. Give me a break. Last week, the European Union's finance minister said it was an untenable position. I would like to get an answer in that regard.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 1, April 23rd, 2018]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You are quite right.

It is shameful that the European community's finance minister had to come to Canada to tell us that Canada's decision not to tax web giants is untenable.

If the minister would come to my community, Longueuil, he would see the situation facing community groups taking care of refugees crossing the border. Despite the minister's utter gall in saying the government is taking care of refugees, he would actually see how difficult things are for the community groups.

It is a travesty that this government is eliminating tax credits for public transit and committing atrocities like this one here today.

I therefore have to ask, why did the government decide to limit debate on this today? Is it because suddenly its spin doctors and media relations staff can no longer explain the government's bad decisions?

[Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 1, April 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I will tell the minister what the facts are. The fact is that we are a laughing stock internationally, because we cannot apply taxes to OTTs, and stuff like that. This is a joke.

These are the facts that you are presenting to me this morning, and you know very well that we are late on these taxes. He is looking at me like he does not understand.

The truth is that the minister—

[Taxation, March 29th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, the government of Quebec did what Ottawa is not courageous enough to do. It decided that Quebec sales tax would apply both to foreign digital platforms like Spotify and Netflix and to home-grown platforms like Tou.tv and illico.

Quebec showed yesterday that we can take action on the GST now. Not in two years, or after another consultation, or after discussions with the G7, but right now. The Prime Minister needs to stop spreading misinformation. No one here is talking about a new tax, apart from the Liberals.

When will the Minister of Finance act?

[Oceans Act, March 27th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague. It is sad to see the government throwing Bill C-55 at us so quickly today, as a smokescreen, to avoid talking about the things that embarrass them.

What is even more embarrassing, though, is hearing the member caricature the debate by presenting positions that are so predictable that he could put anyone to sleep. Here we have a Conservative who believes that whale conservation is not based on science. We have international obligations in that regard that must be met. We have a duty.

Since my colleague seems so determined to talk about science, I wonder what his response is to the fact that science has proven that belugas are vulnerable. If an oil terminal were to be built in the beluga nursery, what would my colleague have wanted today? Does he think we are correct in guessing that this would cause a problem, or does he think we should have waited for this to be confirmed in black and white?

Many young people are talking to us about these problems, and reminding us of our international obligations regarding the protection of at-risk species. Another whale became beached yesterday in the Magdalen Islands.

Does my colleague think that not building an oil terminal in Cacouna was the right decision?

[Taxation, March 22nd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, it is official. Quebec is going to put an end to an inequity that is hurting our entrepreneurs, in spite of Ottawa. The premier of Quebec said this morning, “All those who conduct business in Quebec have to pay their fair share of taxes...It is a matter of respect for our businesses here in Quebec.” Last week, it seems the Minister of Canadian Heritage saw the light and announced, after two years, that she intends to protect our distinct culture.

What about the Minister of Finance? Will he at least commit to protecting the competitiveness of our businesses before the next election?

[CBC/Radio Canada, March 20th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, since everyone seems to be in a good mood, let me say that last week, the Minister of Canadian Heritage finally said what everyone in the cultural community has been waiting two years to hear about web giants. That is great, but let us hope that her boss agrees.

When the government decided to approve the sale of the great Maison de Radio-Canada, many feared that its unique collections would be lost. The recent decision to destroy 150,000 discs did little to put anyone's mind at ease. What about the props, sets, and extensive archives in Radio-Canada's custody?

I realize that Radio-Canada is an independent corporation, but is the Minister of Canadian Heritage being kept abreast of how these public collections are being disposed of?