House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2021, with 50% of the vote.
Prime Minister's Trip to India February 28th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, when it was revealed that the Prime Minister had brought a convicted terrorist along on his trip, he claimed that it was a backbench MP who had arranged it. Now he claims that it was the Indian government that did it through a conspiracy. Is he alleging that his own backbench MP is part of a conspiracy orchestrated by the Indian government?
Taxation February 26th, 2018
The results do speak for themselves, Mr. Speaker. The wealthiest 1% are paying a billion dollars less. The wealthy lenders are getting billions of dollars more in interest payments from Canadian taxpayers. Who is paying more? Eighty per cent of middle-class taxpayers are paying higher taxes today than when this Prime Minister took office.
Will the government reverse course, give a break to the middle class for a change, and stop handing our money off to the wealthy international bankers?
The Budget February 26th, 2018
There they go again, Mr. Speaker. Last election, they promised that the coming fiscal year would have a deficit of just $6 billion. When we point out that they missed their last deficit targets by between 80% and 100%, they say not to worry because the international bankers are very happy with their policy. Of course they are. They are getting all the interest payments on that debt that middle-class taxpayers have to pay in return for nothing.
Will the Liberals keep their promise and keep the deficit below $6 billion in tomorrow's budget?
Finance February 15th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, it is no surprise that big international bankers would be delighted with the economic policy of the government. This big borrowing government is the delight to any wealthy bond holder that wants to make money off the interest payments that taxpayers will be forced to give them. Therefore, it is no surprise that Christine Lagarde, and others like her, would be supportive of this policy.
We stand on the side of the working-class taxpayer who has to pay bills in this country. When will the government do the same?
Finance February 15th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister inherited great fortune, a balanced budget from the previous government, oil prices which had doubled, a booming world economy, and a ferociously hungry American economy buying up goods, and yet they are blowing it. The deficit is twice what they promised, and the budget will not be balanced until a quarter-century after they said it would.
Will next year's budget deficit stay under $6 billion, as the Prime Minister promised?
Persons with Disabilities February 15th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, imagine if someone told us that the harder we work, the poorer we will become. That is exactly what governments tell people with disabilities. When they get jobs, they suddenly lose benefits and immediately start paying taxes, sometimes losing more than they gain. All parties and levels of governments are to blame.
The opportunity for workers with disabilities act seeks to solve the problem by requiring that Finance Canada calculate how much workers lose for every $1,000 they earn. If they lose more than they gain, the finance minister would be required to propose changes to federal taxes and benefits to fix it. Provinces would be required to meet the same standard as a condition of receiving $13 billion of social transfers.
While the bill would not micromanage provincial programs, it would instill one simple principle: that people with disabilities must always be allowed to earn more in wages than they lose in taxes and clawbacks.
Ethics February 14th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, I want to be clear. On behalf of the opposition, we fully endorse the Ethics Commissioner's finding of guilt of the Prime Minister. He broke four sections of the ethics law, and now he wants to turn himself into the victim because the opposition is asking legitimate questions about section 121 of the Criminal Code.
Does he dispute that he accepted thousands of dollars of benefits from somebody who had official dealings with his government and with him personally?
Ethics February 14th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, it is not the Ethics Commissioner who is responsible for investigating matters under the Criminal Code. The RCMP is responsible for that.
Did the Prime Minister or his office ever discuss his island vacation with any member of the RCMP?
Ethics February 14th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, the commissioner's job does not include investigating matters under the Criminal Code. There are two essential elements to paragraph 121(1)(c) of the Criminal Code: one, a government official accepting a benefit, and two, “from a person who has dealings with the government”.
Did the Prime Minister accept a benefit from the Aga Khan? Does the Aga Khan have dealings with the government?
Ethics February 14th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, paragraph 121(1)(c) of the Criminal Code makes it an offence for a government official “to accept from a person who has dealings with the government a commission, reward, advantage or benefit of any kind for themselves or another person”.
Was the Prime Minister aware of this paragraph of the Criminal Code when he accepted a $200,000 gift from a person who has dealings with his government?