House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 64% of the vote.
The Budget April 30th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, this government has repeatedly reduced tariffs for Canadian consumers. At the same time, we have eliminated special tariff reductions for Chinese companies. The Liberal Party is against lower tariffs for consumers, but is in favour of special measures for Chinese companies. That policy does not make a lot of sense.
Aboriginal Affairs April 30th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, in 2008, I made a historic apology concerning residential schools on behalf of all Canadians.
To date, federal departments have handed over more than 3.5 million documents to the commission. The process is ongoing and the government will continue to give documents to the commission.
Canada Revenue Agency April 30th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, the Auditor General recognized that the Canada Revenue Agency improved its ability to detect, target and collect unpaid taxes. That increase is due to the fact that the agency is collecting more taxes on behalf of the provinces.
In this budget, we have introduced many measures to close tax havens. I hope that, this time, the NDP will help us do just that.
Government Expenditures April 30th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, the premise of that question is completely false. The Auditor General himself said today that this had nothing to do with improper use of government money.
On the contrary, it has to do with the categorization and reporting of expenses between departments over the period 2001 to 2009. There is some lack of clarity. The Auditor General has made some suggestions on how we can be more clear in our tracking in the future. We will do that.
However, unlike the NDP, we remain fully committed to the legislation and to expenditures to protect Canadians from terrorism.
Employment Insurance April 30th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, the fact is that many NDP MPs have written to the government asking for temporary foreign workers for their ridings, even in areas of high unemployment, which is obviously one of the reasons why we brought in reforms to this program.
In terms of Employment insurance, the government has been very clear. Employment insurance exists to protect Canadian workers who find themselves without a job through no fault of their own.
We are fully committed to ensuring that system is there and it is strong for Canadian workers.
Employment April 30th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, that question is preposterous. The reality is that there is a large demand for temporary foreign workers. That is one of the reasons we continue to get these letters from NDP MPs demanding temporary foreign workers for their ridings.
At the same time, it is important that we ensure the objectives of the program are fully respected, and that is to put the priorities of Canadian workers first and the Canadian economy. The reforms we are introducing will do precisely that. I hope this time they will have the support of the New Democratic Party.
Foreign Affairs April 24th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member and I and almost all members of the House are in one mind on this issue. We are deeply troubled by the direction in Sri Lanka and the fact that Sri Lanka is, at this point, the host of the next Commonwealth heads of government meeting.
Suggestions have been made of any number of countries that would be willing to host that. In the meantime, we will continue to monitor events there and do what we can to try to increase pressure on the government of Sri Lanka to make changes. However, given the current circumstances, as I have said before, it would be very difficult for this government to fully participate.
Employment April 24th, 2013
Once again, Mr. Speaker, notwithstanding the challenges that exist, there is no better country to be living in and for young people to be seeking work in than Canada.
That said, we have more work to do. That is why we have made a number of proposals in this budget and in the past.
What is peculiar about the Liberal members' talking points is why they continue to vote against these things. For instance, they voted against the apprenticeships grants that have gone to some 400,000 Canadians over the past few years.
The Liberals voted against the youth employment strategy and on a number of occasions against the apprenticeship incentive grant, against the textbook tax credit, against pathways to education tuition tax credit. It is time they joined with us and stood up for the young—
Employment April 24th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, there is no better country than Canada to be young and looking for a job.
Clearly, we can do more. That is why we have proposed many measures in our budget, such as keeping the pathways to education Canada program, establishing more internships for new graduates and providing more post-secondary education opportunities for aboriginal peoples.
It is time for the Liberal Party to vote in favour of measures for our young people, not against them.
Privacy April 24th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, the leader of the NDP is talking about specific incidents, some of which occurred a decade ago. Every time privacy is breached, this government reacts. It establishes action plans for the different departments in order to protect privacy and takes immediate action when there are breaches.