Stephen Harper

[The Budget, March 20th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, this budget contains important tax reductions that Canadians have asked for, that Canadians want to see. This budget contains popular and desirable social, environmental and economic measures that have been demanded by Canadians. Every one of these things is popular.

The Leader of the Opposition does not single out for criticism any single initiative in this budget, but he is going to vote against every one of them because he already made up his mind before he read it. That is something he will have to explain in the next election.

[The Budget, March 20th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, of course the leader of the Liberal Party is wrong. Every single thing he mentioned is included in the budget.

I think what Canadians have been wondering about over the past 24 hours is the most unfocused budget reaction they have ever seen from a leader of the opposition in this country. Perhaps the hon. member will confirm to the House that the reason for that is, according to the Globe and Mail this morning, he had actually decided to oppose the budget yesterday before even reading it.

[Prosperity Gap, March 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the NDP asked us if we would do anything that would make the income gap worse in this country. The answer of course is that we would not do that, that we will continue to produce policies that will benefit most strongly working Canadians and their families. That is what the Minister of Finance did last year and that is what we fully expect him to do this year.

[Prosperity Gap, March 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes.

[Aerospace Industry, March 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, we are rebuilding the Canadian Forces. There will be many contracts with economic spinoffs for all the industries connected with National Defence across Canada.

Quebec will see many real benefits. This is completely different from the imaginary economic spinoff from the Bloc leader's high-speed train.

[Immigration and Refugee Board, March 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, under this government, the Immigration and Refugee Board will be presided over by a highly respected non partisan individual. Under the former government, the hon. member for Westmount—Ville-Marie appointed her ex-husband to the board. Furthermore, the husband of the hon. member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine was appointed and a number of members were under serious allegations.

It is this party that is cleaning up the mess.

[Immigration and Refugee Board, March 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Fleury, the chairman of the board, stepped down after 42 years of distinguished public service so that he could retire. I think he is entitled to it and we should thank him for his service.

As for other members, all I can say is that we are putting in place a process highly recommended by a highly respected non-partisan civil service. That is what we are doing. All the Liberal Party cares about is making appointments from the grave and that is not going to happen.

[Immigration and Refugee Board, March 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, this is the government that is cleaning up the mess at the IRB. In fact, the minister has just named a respected individual to act as acting president of this organization.

We are putting in place a new selection system so we do not have what we had before like the member for Westmount—Ville-Marie appointing her former husband as a member of the board, like the husband of the member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine as a member of the board, and a number of members who were under serious allegations and criminal charges.

That is the mess we are cleaning up. That is the Liberal culture of entitlement and we are getting rid of it.

[Immigration and Refugee Board, March 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our government promised to put an end to the Liberal culture of entitlement at the IRB.

We have a report drafted by a non partisan and highly respected civil servant. He made nine recommendations for accelerating the process in order to make it more open and more accountable. We are in the process of accepting all the recommendations.

[Government Policies, March 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that I am a monarchist not a republican.

I would point out that this is the government that dealt with the Chinese head tax apology and redress. This is the government that launched the Air-India inquiry after 20 some years. This is the government that settled the compensation for hepatitis C sufferers. This is the government that finally signed a residential schools agreement. This is the government that cut immigration landing fees. This is the government that does things on social justice.

He did not get the job done.