Tony Clement

[Questions on the Order Paper, April 22nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the economic action plan provides more than $1 billion over five years for a Southern Ontario development agency which will support economic and community development.

The government is developing options to ensure a successful and timely launch of the new agency and to determine the nature of programming that will address southern Ontario's specific needs.

We are consulting with all existing regional development agencies, including FedNor, to gain from their experience and work with relevant stakeholders in order to build on Ontario's tremendous strengths.

[Questions on the Order Paper, April 22nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, budget 2009 announced increased funding for infrastructure. At this time Industry Canada is unable to comment on the plans for delivery of any initiatives in budget 2009 that have not, to date, been announced.

The building Canada fund, BCF, supports public infrastructure owned by provincial, territorial and municipal governments, as well as by private industry and the non-profit sector. Funding is allocated for projects in each province and territory based on their respective population.

Infrastructure Canada administers this program nationally. However, Industry Canada delivers it in Ontario on their behalf. FedNor is not involved in delivery of this program.

In Ontario, the first intake for the communities component of the BCF was completed in February 2009 with 290 projects being supported as a result of that process. This translates into $1 billion in funding from all sources for infrastructure projects from this initial intake.

More information on the building Canada fund in Ontario can be found at: http://www.bcfontario.ca/english/index.html

[Aerospace Industry, April 21st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, there is the new money, of course, but there is also the money included in the 2009, 2008 and 2007 budgets, which will add to our investment in the sectors the hon. member mentioned.

The good news is that this will create many jobs in our country, such as at Bombardier and CAE.

That is another achievement by our government.

[Aerospace Industry, April 21st, 2009]

Actually, Mr. Speaker, I happened to be in Montreal a few weeks ago with CAE that is investing, along with the Canadian government, $714 million in new research and development. It is going to be the world leader as it is now.

That is as a result of our programs, the programs that he cites. We are proud of those programs and we will continue to support those programs.

[Science and Technology, April 21st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, that is not true. In our 2009 budget, we increased funding for research across Canada by $5.1 billion. But when the Leader of the Opposition went to Ontario, he said, “We will have to raise taxes.”

Canadians are not wondering which budget they support. They want to know which taxes will go up, by how much and who will pay. That is the question—

[Science and Technology, April 21st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, under this government Genome Canada had a multi-year commitment of hundreds of millions of dollars. That is our commitment to Genome Canada and we are following through on that commitment.

The hon. member said and I want to be clear about this, “We will have to raise taxes”. Not we do not want to raise taxes, or this may be a possibility but I do not want to do it. He said we have to raise taxes. That is what he told the people of Canada.

That is the Liberal instinct. Whenever there is a challenging time, whenever we are facing challenging times, the Liberals' instinct is to raise taxes. The people of Canada do not want that instinct in government.

[Science and Technology, April 21st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, actually, nothing could be further from the truth. This government, in budget 2009, increased funding for science and technology by $5.1 billion. That is more money for our researchers, more money for our research institutions, and more money for the granting councils because we believe in science and we believe in innovation.

Speaking of raising, though, it is the hon. member as leader of the Liberal Party who wants to raise taxes. He said last week, April 14, “We will have to raise taxes”. Canadians want to know, which taxes? How much will they go up? Who will pay? Those are the questions Canadians want to know about.

[Industry, April 20th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, that is totally false. In our opinion, the facts are clear. There is more investment in Quebec. The same is true across the country. We support researchers because it is important to innovate in Canada, and researchers are part of that innovation.

[Industry, April 20th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that in the 2009 budget we invested over $5.1 billion more in science and technology research. This is our action plan for the future of our country. That action plan supports research and researchers across Canada.

[Automotive Industry, April 20th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad the hon. member raised that point because I was very pleased to announce last week the new $145 million fund where the industry is working with the academic world and with the government. That is the kind of planning, co-operation and collaboration that is a hallmark of this government.

What we have on the other side in terms of a dissonance of messages is the leader saying that he does not want to help the auto sector, His only help appears to be raising taxes to Canadians.