Stephen Harper

[Taxation, December 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, of course it is the NDP and its opposition coalition colleagues who want to raise the GST back up two percentage points.

It is the NDP and its opposition friends who want to raise the taxes on employers in this country. It is the NDP and its opposition friends who want to have EI premiums raised 60% so people can work a 45-day work year.

This is the government that has cut taxes and cut costs for Canadians so they can cope with the recession. Canadians know that if they want their taxes lowered, it is the Conservative Party—

[Taxation, December 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, this government has lowered the tax by 2%, not just on heating, but on all consumer goods. Unfortunately, the New Democratic Party voted against lowering consumer taxes. I am sure the NDP will keep doing such things in future. This government will be lowering consumer taxes.

[Taxation, December 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, of course, the economy remains the number one priority of Canadians and of this government.

This government has taken a number of actions to encourage savings, such as the tax free savings account, and a number of measures to assure access to credit but also to encourage sound borrowing by consumers.

This government will continue to take actions where it is necessary to do so.

[Canada Revenue Agency, December 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, an investigation is under way and the RCMP has been informed. As I just said, this misconduct is totally unacceptable, and our government will deal with this situation.

[Canada Revenue Agency, December 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, this government will not tolerate any misconduct by Canada Revenue Agency employees, such as the cases brought to light by this investigation. Our government supports this investigation and will see to it that the CRA co-operates fully.

[Canada-U.S. Relations, December 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I have no such agreement, but we are always looking for ways to strengthen the security of Canada and strengthen the economy for Canadians. We will continue to do that as a government.

[Canada-U.S. Relations, December 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, Canada already operates under what is called the Security and Prosperity Partnership with the United States and Mexico, something negotiated by the previous Liberal government. We are always looking for ways in which we can assure not only the security of Canadians, but the strength of the Canadian economy in the long term.

[Canada-U.S. Relations, December 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, there is no secret deal, although I will say that it is a priority of this government to improve our relations with the United States, ensure safety, and secure our economic access to the United States. This is in the best interests of Canadians.

[The Environment, December 8th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, this government is more than willing to respond to practical and sensible ideas from the opposition.

On climate change, all we have got from the opposition is targets pulled out of thin air with no idea of how it would achieve them. That is its only policy.

Yesterday the opposition's idea on tanker traffic was a blanket ban, so we would not be able to deliver heating oil to coastal communities, aboriginal people, or deliver fuel to Vancouver Island. None of this is well thought out.

We will defend the best interests of this country.

[The Environment, December 8th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, not only has the government made additional investments in that area; of course, it has appointed an expert panel specifically on the Athabasca question.

To return, the leader of the opposition says, once again, that Canada is somehow an obstacle.

Canada believes there should be a legally binding international agreement on greenhouse gas reduction that includes all major emitters. The position of some countries at Cancun is that they are not only opposed to that; some countries are opposed to even the idea that they should measure and report their emissions.

I wish the leader of the NDP and the opposition would get on side with Canada instead of trying to embarrass Canada.