Stephen Harper

[The Budget, March 20th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador asked repeatedly that the government reject the recommendation of the O'Brien Commission that would have put a cap on the equalization benefits of the Atlantic accord.

I heard what Premier Danny Williams said yesterday. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that is completely untrue. There is no cap on the Atlantic accord.

The Atlantic accord is preserved in this budget and preserved due to the good work of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and of course other members of our Newfoundland and Labrador caucus. Promise made, promise kept.

[The Budget, March 20th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance said that no information was leaked.

Mr. Charest assumed that this government would correct the fiscal imbalance because this government promised to do so. Mr. Charest and Quebeckers know that this government keeps its promises.

[The Budget, March 20th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that I have already answered this question.

I note that the Bloc Québécois is now referring to Mr. Dumont. I wonder if this means that the Bloc Québécois loyalties are beginning to shift even here.

[The Budget, March 20th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the New Democratic Party could not be more wrong.

This budget is focused on the needs of ordinary working people and their families. It is focused on helping those people, people who have children, people who have child care. It is focused on helping people like truck drivers and apprentices. It also assures that the corporations in this country will close tax havens and they will pay their fair share of taxes.

The NDP in opposing this budget is rejecting what every NDP leader in history has stood for. The leader of the NDP should be ashamed of himself.

[The Budget, March 20th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, that is not at all the case. The benefits of this budget will be felt by workers and their families. It is important to help those who are receiving social assistance and who want to work.

It is also important to help businesses that are in trouble and to ensure that large corporations pay their fair share of taxes. That is what this budget does.

[The Budget, March 20th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, once again, we want to control federal spending power. I hope that we will have opportunities to discuss this issue with a Quebec government that is committed to upholding the Canadian federation. It is important that all Quebeckers continue to benefit from all of the advantages of the Canadian federation and its economy.

[The Budget, March 20th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, this government wants to permanently regulate and control the federal government's spending power in areas under provincial jurisdiction. As I said, the very existence of that spending power contradicts the spirit of federalism.

I hope that, in the future, we will have discussions with a Quebec government that is committed to improving the Canadian federation.

[The Budget, March 20th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, there are different ways of fixing the fiscal imbalance. We have proposed monetary transfers to the provinces. In the end, the result is the same.

I saw Mr. Boisclair’s reaction last night. He said that the fiscal imbalance could never be fixed except through a sovereign Quebec.

We have fixed the fiscal imbalance and created a strong, prosperous Quebec in a united Canada.

[The Budget, March 20th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, this budget does contain permanent transfers and increases in all the transfers to Quebec and the other provinces.

The Bloc leader referred to the Séguin report. I can tell him that the amounts turned over to the provinces in this budget are even larger than those mentioned by Mr. Séguin.

[The Budget, March 20th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, last year and this year we cut taxes for families. The Liberal Party is going to vote against cuts for families.

More importantly, the Leader of the Liberal Party is going to vote against fixing the fiscal imbalance. Why? Because he wants all of Canada's money to go to the federal government for it to run provincial jurisdictions. That is not our take on federalism. Furthermore, that philosophy is rejected by every party in Quebec.