Shelly Glover

[The Budget, June 9th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to welcome our new colleague.

He is somewhat mistaken. I know he was not here in the previous parliamentary session. We presented a good economic action plan for Canada, which allocated large sums of money to stimulate the economy, because of the global crisis, and which gave hundreds of millions of dollars for social housing and hundreds of millions of dollars for poor people and the homeless. I know he missed all that, but I am telling him now, to bring him up to date. Furthermore, it continues to this day, since these developments and the construction of many housing units are still under way.

I would like to read the member a quote and I wonder if he could tell me what he thinks of this situation. I am quoting the FADOQ network:

...the FADOQ network notes that the many actions it has taken and the repeated pressure it has put on elected officials for the past several years in order to increase awareness about the problems facing the most vulnerable seniors are beginning to produce results...After more than a year of constant advocating to improve and simplify the guaranteed income supplement...the network...is pleased to see that today's federal budget contains some of the improvements it demanded.

Clearly, it is satisfied with our budget. What does the member have to say to that?

[The Budget, June 9th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to welcome my new colleague to this House.

As I listened to his maiden speech, I did take a special interest in his comments regarding seniors, because although I have only been here for two and a half years, time and time again I have heard the NDP talk about wanting to support seniors and raise them out of poverty. Yet every time we put forward a measure to help seniors, the NDP votes against it. Here I would mention measures like pension income splitting, which actually helped us remove over 85,000 seniors from the tax rolls; and measures like increasing the age credit amount by $2,000 and doubling the pension income credit to $2,000.

I would ask the member why on earth he is standing up now and claiming to be fighting for seniors, but with a party that continually votes against helping our seniors?

[The Budget, June 9th, 2011]

Madam Speaker, I am rising on the last point of order. Though I know you ruled on it, I would like to take this opportunity to say that if the Liberal Party would like me to table a list of the members who voted against it, I am happy to do that.

[The Budget, June 9th, 2011]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for coming back to the House to work alongside me on the finance committee.

I would like to take an opportunity to address the fact that in the last Parliament the Liberal Party was very much against what Mr. Rick Casson had put forward for the firefighters of our country, and this measure is going to help them.

Could she continue to talk about the need to proceed with this volunteer firefighter tax credit, given that the Liberals voted against it?

[The Budget, June 9th, 2011]

Madam Speaker, I would once again like to welcome the newly elected hon. member.

At one point in his speech, I heard him talk about the plight of the poor, but at the same time, he is saying that we need more taxes, that taxes on the poor should be raised. He cannot have it both ways. Something must be done to improve the lives of the poor, and that is what we have done in our budget with measures like the guaranteed income supplement for seniors.

I would like to ask him to comment on the issue of the environment because we are investing $870 million over two years in an air quality program. He read the budget, so I would like to hear his comments on just one measure in our air quality proposal that he liked.

[The Budget, June 9th, 2011]

Madam Speaker, I would like to welcome our new colleague here to the House of Commons.

I would like to reiterate that we have heard many members of the NDP say that they have positive things to say about our budget. I would like to give the new member a chance to talk about just one measure she liked regarding investments in research and development. She can choose any sector, but it must be something positive.

[The Budget, June 7th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to stand again to cheer for this wonderful budget that was presented yesterday by the Minister of Finance. I must admit that there has been such an overwhelming positive response to this budget that I cannot quote every single person who has commented on it. I want to quote in French if the House would allow me.

According to the Conseil du patronat du Québec, “this budget creates an environment favourable to economic development without reducing transfers to individuals, businesses or other levels of government, and without proposing increases in taxes or tariffs...”

[The Budget, June 7th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I want to welcome my good friend back to the House.

I would like to tell the House that we have had not just good, positive reaction from ministers but overwhelmingly positive reaction from across Canada. In fact, seniors are happy about our increased income support. Parents appreciate the new children's arts tax credit. Entrepreneurs are actually cheering for the hiring credit for small business.

Let me quote the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. It stated:

[Budget 2011] took some important steps to enhance job creation and recognize the economic contributions of small businesses in Canada.

However, the best reaction—

[Finance, June 7th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to thank the member for her hard work on this file.

Last year we set out a three-point plan to return to budget balance by winding down the temporary stimulus, putting in place targeted spending restraint measures, and reviewing government administrative and overhead costs.

This year we are building on that plan by delivering on the 2010 strategic reviews, closing tax loopholes and launching a one-year government-wide strategic and operating review.

We remain on track to balance our budget by 2015-16.

[Pensions, June 7th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to stand again on behalf of pensioners.

We have been working very hard to improve Canadians' retirement security. For instance, we reformed the framework governing federally regulated pensions to better protect pensioners.

With the provinces, we mentioned the pooled registered pension plan. We are also looking at CPP reforms, but we and many provinces are very concerned about the proposition by the NDP to double the CPP.

I heard Catherine Swift of the CFIB state on CPAC just yesterday that they believe it would be a 60% to 70% increase to all businesses across the way. They are not in support of that.