Scott Brison

[Access to Information, April 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, after 34 years, we are the first Canadian government to act to modernize and strengthen the Access to Information Act. It is important to recognize that we are the first government to actually give the commissioner order-making power and to apply the Access to Information Act to ministers' offices, to the Prime Minister's Office, and in fact to 240 government organizations. Furthermore, we are going to ensure that it never becomes out of date again, with a mandatory review every five years. We are an open and transparent government.

[Finance, April 18th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, just about everything the hon. member has said is wrong. The fact is that he can go to Table A2.11 and he will see line by line items, detailed descriptions of these funds and where they will be invested for Canadians.

Let us be very clear. We will continue to invest for Canadians. That is what has created 600,000 new jobs for Canadians in the last two years and that is what has created the best growth in the G7. We are going to keep on investing in Canadians and being transparent with Parliament as we do it.

[Finance, April 18th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, that hon. member was part of the cabinet when the president of the Treasury Board, the member for Parry Sound—Muskoka, actually took funds from a border infrastructure fund to put gazebos in his riding.

Beyond that, if the hon. member would look at the main estimates, he would find that the inclusion of the $7 billion budget implementation is for measures approved and identified in Table A2.11 of budget 2018. Every detail is in there.

[Finance, April 18th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons from the Conservatives on budget transparency. The fact is that it was the Conservative government that took millions of dollars from the border infrastructure fund to use to pay for fake lakes and gazebos hundreds of kilometres away from the border.

We have ensured that our funding is strictly tied to the list of initiatives described in a detailed table in our budget. We are proud of this major step toward fiscal accountability. We will continue to ensure we do the—

[Finance, April 18th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the changes made to the main estimates in order to enhance transparency and deliver timely results for Canadians. They include a new budget implementation vote, the funding details of which are set out in table A2.11 of budget 2018. That level of detail for every single budget measure is unprecedented. These changes are going to deliver real results for Canadians.

[Federal Tax Expenditures, April 16th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to table a document on behalf of the Minister of Finance, in both official languages, entitled “Report on Federal Tax Expenditures”.

[Main Estimates, 2018-19, April 16th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, on behalf of 87 departments and agencies, the departmental plans for 2018-19.

[Finance, March 27th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to answer this question to point out that this government is increasing transparency and accountability. For the first time in recent history, the main estimates will include all budget measures for the upcoming fiscal year. I would draw the hon. member's attention to the budget. In fact, funding in the main estimates will be tied to a detailed table A2.11 from the budget outlining exactly how much will go to each initiative in each department and they will only be able to spend the money on each specific initiative.

[Concurrence in Vote 1—Department of Veterans Affairs, March 23rd, 2018]

moved:

That Vote 1, in the amount of $259,011,143, under Department of Veterans Affairs—Operating expenditures, in the Interim Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, be concurred in.

[Concurrence in Vote 20—Department of Transport, March 23rd, 2018]

moved:

That Vote 20, in the amount of $6,943,170, under Department of Transport—Grants and contributions, in the Interim Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, be concurred in.