House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 78% of the vote.
Financial Institutions March 25th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, we respect the fact that credit unions have actually helped many Canadians and they continue to do that. They are becoming very large operations and they still, I would repeat, have access to the lowest small business tax rate.
As referenced in the question, Quebec actually did eliminate this comparable subsidy back in 2003. We continue to be a strong supporter of credit unions.
Financial Institutions March 25th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, once again, the NDP has shown us its economic expertise. The New Democrats actually do not understand that the credit unions still have access to the lowest small business tax rate out there. That has not changed.
We are simply eliminating an outdated tax subsidy that was set in place back in the 1970s, when tax systems were very different. We have actually reduced taxes in many other ways. No other business, I would remind hon. members, receives the special tax subsidy that the credits unions are receiving.
The Budget March 25th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, let us be honest with Canadians. I do not think the opposition even understands what was being referred to by general preferential tariffs. I am sure that is what the hon. member was trying to spit out.
This is actually a foreign aid program that was created back in the 1970s to give special treatment to countries that are developing. I would suggest that the 72 countries we took off of that list have actually developed. This gives benefits, and some hope, to the least developed countries that are trying to compete.
The Economy March 20th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, that is a good question. Most people ask what is in the budget and of course we cannot tell them. However, I can, as I mentioned earlier, tell the House what will not be in the budget.
There will not be, as the NDP would wish, $56 billion in risky spending. There will not be a $21 billion carbon tax that it wants to put in. There will not be a $34 billion tax hike on small businesses.
There will be action to promote jobs, growth and the long-term prosperity of our country. We are looking for support to get that completed.
Taxation March 20th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, the relevant information that is provided in a budget will be the fact that Canadian businesses have created over 950,000 net new jobs since the end of the recession. Those are real numbers. Those are numbers that help Canadian families. In fact, the average Canadian family of four now has 3,100 more of its own dollars left in its pockets because of our tax reductions. We will continue on this low tax plan and we encourage the opposition members to actually read it before they decide to vote against it.
The Budget March 20th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the hon. member actually talks about a plan. Let me talk about the anti-job plan that the New Democrats talked about earlier in the week. This would be the one that the official spokesperson for the NDP, when asked what would be in this and whether it is actually costed, said, “I'm not going to...say” there is a price tag “because I think it's a shift in approach...”. “We have not costed [our] specifics in terms of this campaign”.
As the Minister of Finance said, we will actually have numbers in our budget.
The Budget March 20th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the hon. member actually seems to know what is in tomorrow's budget. We only have one more sleep until the budget is tabled in this House, but the Minister of Finance has done a good job of laying out what it will be and what it will not be. More importantly, what it will not be is increasing taxes on Canadians like the New Democrats would want to do with their $56 billion tax hike on Canadians and a $21 billion carbon tax. I can guarantee this entire House that will not be part of the budget.
The Budget March 18th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, our friends are Canadians. Our friends are Canadian companies. They are ordinary Canadians who work for those companies.
The hon. member talks about how it actually could help Canadians, but I will read a specific quote for the leader of the official opposition, who does not like quotes. This is from the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. It states:
If federal tax rates had not been reduced, Canada's unemployment rate would have exceeded 9% in 2009 during the recession. Today, our unemployment rate would be higher than that of the United States, with 200,000—
The Budget March 18th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, there is excitement in the air. The NDP just cannot wait until Thursday. It is only three more sleeps, but I would encourage the hon. member to be patient.
I will not speculate on what is going to be in the budget, but I will tell the hon. member what is not going to be in the budget, and that is the tax increases the NDP would foist on all Canadians: a $21 billion carbon tax and $56 billion in increased taxes. That will not be in the budget.
Employment Insurance March 6th, 2013
Speaking of screwing things up, Mr. Speaker, I think we all remember when the transfers were slashed from the federal government to the provinces, and I think we all remember who did that.
That was an incredible burden on the provinces. We all know it was a Liberal government, and the hon. member was actually part of it. He has been there forever, so he had to be part of that government.
We will not reduce transfers to provinces.