House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 64% of the vote.
The Economy May 27th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, once again, the deficits of other countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan, are two or three times greater than Canada's deficit. Our deficit is manageable and serves to help communities and workers. I do not understand why the New Democratic Party is voting against these measures for citizens in a period of recession.
The Economy May 27th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, according to the Minister of Finance, it is clear that we are spending more for the unemployed, communities, and infrastructure. This is essential, and necessary. Canada can afford to do so during a recession. What is inexplicable is that the Bloc is calling for those things yet votes against these measures for our communities and our people.
The Economy May 27th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, I do not understand just where the leader of the Bloc has been the past few months, since November. All of the G20 countries are in agreement on spending, creating deficits, and implementing measures to stimulate our economies. We spend more when the recession hits the unemployed harder. That is why the deficit is bigger. We are spending more for the communities and for the unemployed and will continue to do so.
Unfortunately, the Bloc voted against those measures for the communities and for the unemployed.
The Economy May 27th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, while unemployment and the recession worsen, this government and this Minister of Finance are spending more on infrastructure helping communities and the unemployed. This policy is entirely proper, and we intend to pursue it.
The Economy May 27th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, what is at issue here is the credibility of the Leader of the Opposition, who has been here week after week demanding not just that the government spend more but that it spend more permanently. Now he tries to pretend he is concerned about the deficit.
I cannot fire the Leader of the Opposition, and with all the tapes I have on him, I do not want to.
The Economy May 27th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, we are all aware that over the last few months the financial situations have deteriorated in all countries due to the recession.
The fact of the matter is that our deficits in Canada are a third to a quarter of the size of the deficit in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan. These deficits are affordable. What we are doing is borrowing money at historically low interest rates to help unemployed people, to build infrastructure. That is what we should be doing and what we will continue to do.
Taxation May 26th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, once again I think everybody was clear on exactly what I was saying.
We have a party opposite that has demanded billions of dollars of spending. This government has brought in an important stimulus package.
Every two or three months that party wants us to bring in yet another budget with yet more spending and with no idea how they will pay for it. That is a recipe to raise taxes and not what this government will be doing, which is why nobody will elect it.
Taxation May 26th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, I have no idea what the member is talking about. We all know, unfortunately for him, that it was the leader of his party, the Liberal leader who said that he will have to raise taxes, who has promised to raise the GST, whose convention voted again for a carbon tax and who is proposing EI reforms that would mean massive increases in payroll taxes.
Canadians know that and that is not the direction in which they want to go, especially in a time of recession.
The Economy May 26th, 2009
There are three things, Mr. Speaker. First, lots of infrastructure spending is going out, and will be out, this year; second, the IMF is on record as being very complimentary of the Minister of Finance's action on this economy; and, third, we have the opposition parties, and I think Canadians will notice this, saying, “The deficit is too large, why don't you spend more?”
What was absolutely clear during the last election, and every day since, is there is not a person over there who has a single clue of what to do about the economy.
The Economy May 26th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons the deficit will be larger this year is of course because of all the assistance that is going to unemployed Canadians for retraining and for unemployment insurance.
The leader of the NDP raises the issue of tax cuts for business. I recall that it was the leader of the NDP, when he was pushing this coalition thing, who was all prepared to support those corporate tax cuts. I say to the leader of the NDP that I do not know how many times he has admitted he is wrong, but stop changing direction every other week.