House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 43% of the vote.
The Budget February 28th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the hon. member that these are the estimates. What follows the estimates are supplementary estimates (A), supplementary estimates (B), and supplementary estimates (C). Then we have the public accounts, which do track for every member of Parliament how much we are spending. Why does the hon. member not wait for the public accounts?
Main Estimates 2014-15 February 27th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, I have a message from His Excellency the Governor General, bearing his signature.
Government Accountability February 26th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, it is Yuk Yuk's comedy hour in question period.
Of course, the NDP was quite happy to accept union donations to do the union line on all these issues, and now its members cloak themselves in the taxpayer mantle. It is to laugh.
However, I can say to hon. members that, of course, we have a responsibility to communicate to Canadians about services that are available—and this Canada job grant is going to be so important to connect Canadians to available jobs—unlike the Liberals and the NDP, who continue to vote against these responsible programs for taxpayers and job creation.
Government Advertising February 26th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, the government is responsible for informing Canadians about the important programs and services available to them. Advertising is an essential way for the government to inform Canadians about important issues.
The Canada job grant program will help connect Canadians with available jobs, unlike what the Liberals and New Democrats are doing. They voted against this program.
Government Advertising February 26th, 2014
Those are fighting words, Mr. Speaker.
Prime Minister's Office February 26th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, the members of the NDP caucus do not want to disclose their expenses to the people and taxpayers. However, we do. I can tell you once again that we have cut these costs by 48%. We are therefore on the side of taxpayers, not of the NDP.
Prime Minister's Office February 26th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, I find it curious that the opposition members will not even disclose any of their expenses, yet they stand in their places and criticize a government that has cut hospitality expenses by 48%.
That kind of hypocrisy is not tolerated by taxpayers. We are on the side of the taxpayers. We are not on the side of the tax hiking, carbon hiking people on the other side.
Prime Minister's Office February 26th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that since the Liberals, who kind of mainlined their hospitality expenses, were in power, we have actually been able to cut hospitality expenses by the Government of Canada by 48%. We are proud of that number. We are going to continue to respect the taxpayer and do the exact opposite of what they did when they were in power.
Prime Minister's Office February 25th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, the rules have not been broken. Indeed, this has been referred to officials. Politicians do not get to make these decisions; they are made by officials in the PCO.
I can tell members that when we compare with the time the hon. member was in government, the choice and comparison are very clear. We have spent less every year on hospitality since we were elected into power than the Liberals did in their final year of government.
That is a record we are proud of. We are proud that we have cut hospitality expenses by 48% across government. That is the kind of expectation that taxpayers have of their government, and we are delivering.
Prime Minister’s Office February 25th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, as I have already said, that story is false. No rules were broken. Since I have the chance to speak, I would like to offer some facts that I believe Canadians will be proud of. Since 2006, this government has cut hospitality expenses by 48%. Every year since coming to power, this government has spent less on hospitality than the Liberal government did in 2005.