House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 78% of the vote.
The Economy March 12th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for raising that question because the opposition chose not to, probably because it is such good news.
Canada created 21,000 new jobs in February, which brings us to a total of 160,000 net new jobs since last July. That is good news for Canadians. It is proof that our economic action plan is working and it is proof that the Liberals' plan to raise taxes would not work. They want to raise the GST, which. according to Informetrica, would take--
Pensions March 12th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, even in the Liberals' half-day conference they might have been reminded that on October 27, 2009, we put in credible changes that were required for federally regulated private pension plans. We enhanced protection for plan members, reduced funding volatility, made it easier for participants to negotiate, and improved the framework for defined benefit pension plans.
We have received nothing in the form of good suggestions from the opposition.
Pensions March 12th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, welcome to the file. The Liberals are finally waking up to the fact that we have concerned Canadians who want answers about their pensions.
Let me remind those hon. members what this government has actually done. The finance minister intervened in two Canadian companies that were having financial problems because of their pensions. The finance minister acted quickly and probably saved hundreds of thousands of lost pensions.
The Liberals claim we have done nothing, and they have had a half-day conference.
The Budget March 12th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, I see that the hon. member for Markham—Unionville is using the same talking points he used on the CBC last night, verbatim.
Let me quote an individual, and this is a reflection and a quote after the budget directly to that point, if the hon. member would care to listen. The quote is from Craig Wright from RBC. I believe the hon. member might know that group. He said, “I think we're seeing a number of factors moving in the right direction.... I would think consensus is moving higher, not lower.... I would argue that the budget forecasts were probably on the prudent side”.
The Budget March 12th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, how exciting to have a question on the economy in the House of Commons, more than a week after we tabled budget 2010.
In answer to that question, the office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer was established by the Conservative government. There never was this office before, so we welcome this sort of discussion and debate on the floor of the House of Commons.
However, the Parliamentary Budget Officer said that these predictions were not prudent. That is in direct conflict with what 15 of Canada's top economists--
The Budget March 9th, 2010
Madam Speaker, that was a most interesting speech from a member of a party who says it is going to oppose the budget when I understand that it is actually going to support it.
The hon. member talks about everything that she sees wrong in this budget, including the fact that she does not see where we are actually supporting health care, which of course is provincial jurisdiction. Let me assure everyone that we will not do what the Liberal government did in the 1990s, which was to cut health care funding to the provinces. We will continue to increase it at 3%. We will continue to increase the social assistance that goes to provinces, to give to people that require it, at 3%.
I have heard many people complaining and suggesting that we are not listening to seniors about pensions. I would argue that we have done a lot for pensions. We have put in place funding capabilities so that sponsors that have promised pensions to retirees will actually be able to fulfill that promise.
I would like to know if the hon. member is or is not going to support this great budget?
The Budget March 5th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, obviously my hon. colleague has read the budget and he is actually reading the positive press releases that we are getting back. I referred to them earlier in my speech. I am quite sure that the member will vote for the budget.
That is an example of what consultation brings to a budget. We consulted with these industries and asked them what would make them competitive. There is your answer, Mr. Speaker. We listened to Canadians.
The Budget March 5th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, I fail to come to grips with why the NDP is so opposed to corporations and businesses that actually make money in this country. It suggests that we should continue to increase taxes and take money away from the very businesses and people who employ Canadians.
We have had suggestions in the House that we should raise the GST. The last study done showed us that raising the GST would take 162,000 jobs out of our economy. That is exactly what raising taxes does. We lower taxes to make Canada a competitive country.
Yes, the United States is our largest trading partner but we are also bringing companies into this country because of the low tax regime where they can operate and continue to employ more Canadians. That is what this is all about.
The Budget March 5th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Hochelaga not only for his question but for his new membership on the finance committee, as well as his elevation to finance critic for the Bloc.
There has already been an initial meeting. Actually, there have been two meetings. He and I met with the finance minister and he brought forward the ideas from the Bloc. That is part of the consultation process. That is part of the input that went into this very important document that we are debating here today.
We listened to the Bloc, we listened to the ideas from the NDP, and we listened to the few ideas from the Liberals, the ones that did not scare us right out the door. We have implemented some of the suggestions that came from the Bloc as far as forestry is concerned. We have implemented in this budget some of the things that the NDP has suggested. I do not know how any in the opposition can say that there is nothing in it for them or their constituents.
The plan that we have in place is no different a plan than the way one would run one's own business. The hon. member talks about entrepreneurs and small businesses. Small businesses have to borrow for their future. We have done that—
The Budget March 5th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, that reminds me of my days when I was in a leadership role in several of the largest agricultural organizations across this country, back in the dark days, if I can refer to them that way, when we used to sit and listen to Liberal budgets that actually cut funding to agriculture. When there were droughts in western Canada, a Liberal never represented anyone in western Canada and how do you think we fared, Mr. Speaker? I think you know the answer to that one as well as I do.
I happened to have a long discussion with one of the major cattle producers just last night and, as a matter of fact, it will come as a surprise to the hon. member, who cannot seem to control his yelling from that side of the House, that the cattle industry actually understands that if we had done what the hon. member suggests, we would have had an immediate trade challenge.