Ted Menzies

[Financial Institutions, November 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, the minister did put forward a code of conduct out in the public domain for consultation, for comments back in a 60-day period. However, we have already heard from businesses. We heard from businesses before about their concerns, and that is why we put in place a code of conduct.

Let me comment on the reaction from businesses. This is from the CFIB:

These developments will create a better future for merchants and help ensure a fair and transparent credit and debit market instead of just letting large industry players call all the shots.

[Tax Harmonization, November 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, out of respect for provincial autonomy, we will facilitate any province's decision to switch to a harmonized value-added tax. This requires legislative changes to provide a framework that will be equally available to any province that chooses to fully harmonize value-added tax. Any framework of this sort does not affect federal revenue or federal spending, and therefore is not a confidence measure.

Next week we will ask Parliament to confirm the right of provinces to choose a harmonized value-added tax.

[Volunteer Firefighters, November 26th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, some Canadians voluntarily put their lives on the line to help others. They are our volunteer firefighters.

Cities and towns across Canada have volunteer firefighters who, when the call comes for help, answer. They answer these calls no matter whether they are at their regular jobs or spending time with their family and friends or it is the middle of the night. They use their training, done on their own time, with equipment they helped raise funds to buy to save lives and property.

This happens while their families wait at home hoping for their safe return.

These dedicated volunteers do all this and much more to make our communities safer. These facts were highlighted when a fatal car crash in my riding last weekend claimed the lives of four young women. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families.

First on the scene were our volunteer firefighters, who helped save the life of the sole survivor of the head-on collision, a six-month-old baby girl. Their brave response to such a terrible tragedy is to be commended, and we remind them that all their efforts were not in vain.

[Tax Harmonization, November 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the member's party keeps bringing up tax cuts, talking about taxes as if that party actually cared about what Canadians pay in taxes.

We have been in the House and watched members of the NDP sit throughout debates and argue against tax cuts for Canadians and, in the end, vote against them. In fact, they have voted against almost every one of the tax cuts we have put forward to provide Canadians with more money to make their own decisions.

[Tax Harmonization, November 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, once again I will repeat for probably the 12th time that it is well within the jurisdiction of both the Province of Ontario and the Province of British Columbia, which have chosen to harmonize their sales tax, as was done back in the 1990s. They are following the same lead those provinces have taken.

I would suggest that the member take that up with her provincial colleagues.

[Pensions, November 20th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I will share with all members of the House that I actually had a meeting in my office this morning with the member. He is working with the government to ensure all Canadians have adequate incomes to retire on. We just wish some of the other parties on the other side would catch up.

We have put in place a retirement income working group, which is the finance ministers of all the provinces and the federal finance minister, that is now studying the matter and will be reporting back. The working group will be coming forward with those results very soon.

[Pensions, November 20th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important question because it impacts a lot of Canadians who are concerned about their pensions.

In fact, the federal finance minister has agreed to meet with both parties. The member for Kenora has already met with AbitibiBowater but the Minister of Finance has encouraged the parties to meet with the provincial governments first, because it is their jurisdiction, and then he will sit down and meet with them.

[Tax Harmonization, November 20th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, this is a bit of a unique issue with on reserve exemptions from HST and GST.

Businesses across the country are required to charge and collect GST and HST. This includes businesses on reserves, and all currently harmonized provinces are following that framework. It is Ontario's decision what it wants to do.

[Tax Harmonization, November 20th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, she did mention doughnuts so I might mention that the Ontario government this week, whose jurisdiction it is and whose decision it is whether or not to move to a harmonized sales tax, actually exempted doughnuts. I think a lot of our constituents will be happy about that.

[Tax Harmonization, November 16th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, once again the hon. member should be directing her questions to Queen's Park or to the legislature in British Columbia, not here. That question has no place here. However, I will tell members what does have a place and that is helping Canadians through this difficult worldwide recession. We have done that, starting out by reducing their taxes so they have more money in their pockets. It has been no thanks to the NDP for helping us with that and yet the New Democrats stand up and continue to suggest that they represent their constituents.