House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 78% of the vote.
The Economy June 8th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, today the finance minister announced that all measures laid out in our economic action plan to improve access to financing are in place and fully operational. That is $115 billion to improve credit availability for families and businesses on a commercial basis to protect taxpayer money. We are providing access to credit for small lenders for financing vehicles and equipment.
Canadians asked for that. That is what this finance minister delivered.
Infrastructure June 8th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, in working with municipalities across this country, we have doubled the gas tax to those communities so they can get their money spent quickly.
The transport minister has been working diligently with all three levels of government, which is required to make sure that the stimulus money flows.
We have created jobs. We have provided money for those people who cannot get jobs. It is always difficult when people lose their jobs. We have an economic action plan to help retrain those who have lost their jobs.
Infrastructure June 8th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, that was a very interesting question coming from that party which voted against an economic action plan that actually put in place the stimulus money that is flowing out to communities right now. We will be tabling a report very soon detailing how much money has flowed. I wish the hon. member would be patient, but a little support would also help.
He must forget that we put in place tax reductions for Canadians. If the member had been here last Friday, he would have heard that we have moved tax freedom day forward 19 days from where it was under the former Liberal government.
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board June 5th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, in fact the minister has done that. He has written a letter to the directors on the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board suggesting that they heed a G20 agreement that all G20 leaders signed on to. That has to do with remuneration to the managers and those who are involved with taxpayers' dollars, with money that they are held responsible for. The minister is out in front of this issue and is showing leadership, as he has on the entire economy.
Taxation June 5th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, indeed we have cut taxes. We have cut an average Canadian family's taxes by over $3,000 since we came to office. We have cut over 100 taxes since coming to office. We have reduced the overall tax burden to its lowest level in nearly 50 years. We have removed a million Canadians entirely from the tax rolls.
We have helped them get prepared for this economic recession. We have moved tax freedom day forward nearly 20 days since the Liberal government.
Government Assets June 4th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, maybe it is number four. Maybe it is prudent fiscal management of Canadian dollars.
Let me quote President Obama:
—in the midst of this enormous economic crisis, I think Canada has shown itself to be a pretty good manager of the financial system in the economy...that's important for us to take note of.
Everyone recognizes that prudent fiscal management is very important, even the President to the south.
Government Assets June 4th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, if that hon. member had read page 209 of the budget, she would realize that we decided, since it had been 15 years since we had done an assessment of government assets, that we would review the assets of the Government of Canada, and that is prudent. We are reviewing assets in four different departments, Indian and northern affairs, finance, transport and infrastructure as well as natural resources.
There is no fire sale intended. We are analyzing what the value of those assets are, and that is prudent fiscal management.
The Economy June 1st, 2009
Mr. Speaker, let me continue on with some of the pronunciations that the hon. member has made.
On this side of the House, we try to put forward some positive news. The IMF and the OECD have said that we went into this in the strongest position and that we will come out of it in the strongest position. However, that hon. member said:
Alarmist statements about the federal deficit may be useful if the purpose is to frighten the public.... They can only be counter-productive if the object is to rebuild consumer confidence and create jobs.
That was the member for Markham—Unionville. That is not helpful.
The Economy June 1st, 2009
Mr. Speaker, it is always encouraging when that hon. member is talking down the economy. However, speaking about that hon. member talking, let us take a quote from one of his pronunciations. He said:
Nobody knows where the bottom is. This is a global economic crisis, so it makes such forecasts very difficult.
That hon. member should talk positively about some of the positions that this government has taken with our economic action plan. We have not yet seen a plan from any of the opposition parties. We put one in place. Let us have a little support for it and help Canadians.
The Economy May 29th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, usually from my colleagues I expect nice questions, but that may very well be the most difficult question of the day to answer and I am not sure that I can do it.
I cannot explain the bizarre, illogical argument the Liberals are using that on the one hand we are spending too much and on the other hand we need to spend more.
We are doing what we said we would do in our economic action plan and that is providing help for all Canadians. Whether it is through support for our industries that are struggling, whether it is support for the unemployed, we have a common goal and that is to help Canadians.