Ralph Goodale

[The Economy, November 24th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, small business says, "Freeze the premiums. Don't raise them by $600 million".

Even with all of their economic trouble, the Americans do better than Canada on productivity growth. Therefore, facing this challenge, plus more global risk, more unemployment, a more vulnerable middle class, what does the government choose as its leading priority? Bigger jails. Its policy for affordable housing and mental health seems to be bigger jails. Its policy for aboriginal training and jobs is bigger jails.

Why is the government putting prisons ahead of schools? Think what that $13 billion could do for education and productivity.

[The Economy, November 24th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, economic risks are getting worse across Europe. The contagion has moved from Greece and Italy into Spain and Portugal and maybe France. Now even Germany is having trouble selling its bonds.

Here in Canada, unemployment is going up, while job quality is going down. There are nearly 600,000 fewer full-time jobs in Canada today than just before the recession began in 2008.

Will the government stop making things worse and cancel its job-killing payroll tax increase that is planned for January 1? Just stop it.

[Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers, November 23rd, 2011]

Madam Speaker, the minister in her remarks spoke a bit about value-added processing.

I wonder if she could explain to the House what several value-added processors or proposed processors mean when they say that they must negotiate grain prices directly with farmers rather than through the Canadian Wheat Board, because they, the processors, need to get lower grain input costs in order for their operations to be profitable?

What exactly do they mean by the importance of negotiating directly with producers to get a lower price for grain? That is good from the processors' point of view, not so good from the farmers' point of view.

[Taxation, November 21st, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives increase EI premiums by $1.2 billion and then give back $160 million. It is hardly a fair deal.

It is all about priorities. The Conservatives have ballooned the size of the federal government by more than one-third. Their annual program spending is up by $65 billion, a whopping 37%, and more than half of that increase happened before, not because of any recession. Still family incomes are stagnant. Most Canadians do not have a decent pension. The gap is growing between the very wealthy and everybody else.

Why do bigger jails seem more important to the government—

[Taxation, November 21st, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, to be clear, Liberals reduced EI premiums every year for 12 consecutive years, for a total saving of $4,000 for every employee, $5,500 for every employer, a Liberal tax cut in total of $60 billion. The Conservatives have done the opposite, raising job-killing payroll taxes just when jobs are most vulnerable.

Why will the government not hold the line on payroll taxes and help create jobs instead of spending billions upon billions for bigger jails and untendered fighter jets?

[Taxation, November 21st, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the sovereign debt problem keeps rolling across Europe, from Greece to Italy and now Spain. In the polarized politics of the United States, they are headed into yet another damaging game of fiscal chicken. Global economic risks are rising and here in Canada our growth rate, job numbers and job quality are all getting worse.

Still, on January 1, the government will increase EI payroll taxes by another $600 million. At this critical moment, will the government listen to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and stop this job-killing Conservative tax increase?

[Petitions, November 16th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I have another petition to present from a number of people in western Canada, particularly in and around Saskatoon. They are concerned about Canadians who are suffering from both chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency and multiple sclerosis, and the fact that many of those Canadians are denied testing or treatment for CCSVI in Canada.

The petitioners are calling upon the Minister of Health to consult broadly with experts who have practical experience in treating CCSVI. They call upon the Minister of Health to proceed urgently with phase III clinical trials. They ask the Minister of Health to develop a follow-up scheme so that the case history of these patients can be properly tracked.

I am pleased to present that petition today.

[International Trade, November 15th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, that answer simply means he is getting ready to slash the tariffs.

Trade failures abound with the government. It wants so badly to surrender control of Canada's perimeter to the Americans, but it is getting nothing back: no pipeline, no relief from buy America rules, U.S. entry fees imposed, marine taxes threatened, Canadian taxpayers attacked by the U.S. IRS, country of origin labelling still a problem, softwood lumber still a problem, nothing back for killing the Canadian Wheat Board, no market access guarantees.

Are the Conservatives going to concede a perimeter deal with all this aggravation continuing?

[International Trade, November 15th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, no one accepts the premise of that answer.

The Conservatives told the United States and other Pacific countries that Canada is prepared to give up its supply management system in agriculture. Nonetheless, in this House, the Conservatives maintain precisely the opposite. Both statements cannot be true.

Is the government not telling the truth to our trade partners, or is it not telling the truth to our farmers? Which is it?

[Canadian Wheat Board, November 15th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, facing a steamroller of Conservative abuse, prairie grain farmers stood on Parliament Hill today to plead for democratic producer control over the Canadian Wheat Board. One strong reason for such control is to ensure that farmers properly get the money that their grain earns in the marketplace. Will the government confirm that at least $100 million of Wheat Board money that should be distributed to farmers instead is being diverted to force farmers to pay for the destruction of the single desk? Will the government confirm that misappropriation of funds?