Stephen Harper

[Champlain Bridge, September 16th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, we are in the midst of a contract process. I am encouraged to see that studies have been done in every area associated with this bridge.

I would like to once again congratulate the Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs for the great work he has done on this new bridge, which is a wonderful asset for the greater Montreal area.

[Ethics, September 16th, 2014]

Once again, Mr. Speaker, the lesson is if we live in a glass house, we should not throw stones.

The RCMP concluded no such thing, but as an increasing number of investigators will conclude, the leader of the NDP and many people of his party have themselves misused public funds. He will have to ask why he is not firing himself.

[Ethics, September 16th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, if we read the investigator's report, there is absolutely no reason to suggest that I would do that.

What I would say for the leader of the NDP, if anyone were to ask me about the inappropriate use of public funds, I would certainly suggest him as an expert witness.

[Foreign Affairs, September 16th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, the government's position on that over the past eight years has been very consistent.

However, I would point out that when the Leader of the Opposition makes the comparison between what the United States is doing today and what the United States did in 2003, there is no comparison.

President Obama was very opposed to the 2003 war. Obviously today he is launching a counterterrorism operation, not simply because millions of people in that region are in danger, but because there are very real threats that present themselves to all countries, including both the United States and Canada.

We are very fortunate that we have men and women in uniform who are prepared to undertake these missions to protect us.

[Foreign Affairs, September 16th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I checked with the Chief of the Defence Staff, and the number of soldiers we are in the process of deploying is 69.

[Natural Resources, September 15th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, it would take an amazing leap of logic for anybody in Alberta to think the NDP is going to trust their resources to them.

Our foreign investment protection acts are subject to the Investment Canada Act, and obviously, in the case we have before us, this is an agreement we have reached with the Government of China that is widely and strongly supported by Canadian investors, because they need these protections, and we are making sure that our exporters and investors have legal protections in this market.

[Natural Resources, September 15th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, we have the Investment Canada Act. Under the process set out by the legislation, the government consults with the provinces and territories on a regular basis.

[Employment, September 15th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, let me stress once again the announcement that the Minister of Finance made last week and the positive reaction from small and medium-sized businesses across the country. I congratulate the Minister of Finance for this fine announcement.

Clearly, that is the complete opposite of the Liberal Party's position, which seeks to increase EI premiums by 35% to create a 45-day work year. That is completely unacceptable for small and medium-sized businesses. That is something we will never do.

[Employment, September 15th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me congratulate the Minister of Finance for his announcement and note that the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the entire small business community, welcomed this announcement. What they do not welcome is the proposal of the Liberal Party, which through the establishment of an obligatory 45-day work year across the country would hike EI by some 35%. That is something we will never do.

[Employment, September 15th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the leader of the Liberal Party is talking about. Canada post-recession has one of the best job creation records in the world: 1.1 million net new jobs.

What we understand on this side is that his plan for higher taxes and higher deficits is not a plan that will help the economy. We are for eliminating the deficit, for continuing to lower our taxes, and for continuing to create jobs and growth.