Housing  It may want to take a look at its role in income trusts and the role they play in the distortion of the housing market. Jim Flaherty might have a few words—

Irish Heritage Month  They represent all parties and some have risen to great heights. I think of our former finance minister, the late Jim Flaherty. Two current cabinet members regularly remind me that they have Irish blood flowing through their veins. Former prime ministers Paul Martin, Brian Mulroney and our current Prime Minister come from Irish heritage, a fact I validated on a trip to Dublin just three years ago.

Finance committee  I really cannot emphasize too strongly the importance of a respected and independent central bank to the functioning of our economy. As a journalist, I had the privilege of quite often interviewing finance minister Jim Flaherty. I can tell you from personal experience that he respected the independence of the Bank of Canada. I would hope that today's Conservative Party would do the same.

Finance committee  Do they respect the independence of the Bank of Canada as previous Conservative finance ministers like the late Jim Flaherty did? I hope they do. The Canadian economy depends on it.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  It was a good Liberal idea at the time. However, it became a good Conservative idea when finance minister Jim Flaherty introduced it in this place and made it a reality. In the namesake of his riding, it was WITB, the working income tax benefit. In the last Parliament, we increased that significantly.

Finance committee  I don't recall Mr. Oliver testifying for three hours. I don't recall the late honourable Jim Flaherty testifying for three hours. In fact, I took a moment to look at the minutes of previous finance committee meetings, specifically on the BIA under the Harper government. This finance ministers, both Oliver and the late Jim Flaherty, testified for an hour.

Human Resources committee  If I have time for one quick comment to Minister Qualtrough, I think the registered disability savings plan is one of the more creative ones, which was brought in by Jim Flaherty. I think it's been very creative. When I was the minister of children and families in B.C., I was trying to get to the process where everyone, the moment they were designated into that category, would have funding.

Supporting New Parents Act  I just wanted to come to that very basic principle. I had enormous respect for the late Jim Flaherty because as minister of finance, he brought in so many terrific initiatives to help people do better in life. Again, I would ask the hon. member opposite to think a bit more about this proposition that he is bringing forward.

The Budget  However, it became a reality in 2007, through the work of then Conservative finance minister, Jim Flaherty. If we fast-forward to last year's NDP leadership race, the member for Timmins—James Bay was calling for a significant increase and expansion of the WITB. In short, we see support for the program across the political spectrum, and a real potential for consensus.

Jim Flaherty Award for Leadership, Inclusion and Accessibility  Speaker, a couple of weekends ago, the Abilities Centre in my riding of Whitby awarded the first-ever Jim Flaherty award for leadership, inclusion and accessibility. The award was established to recognize an individual who has made a major contribution to the promotion, development, and advancement of accessibility and inclusion.

Education  Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I was to attend a toast to the late Jim Flaherty from my riding of Whitby this evening in support of the Abilities Centre, a project that he and his wife Christine worked hard to ensure came to fruition, so I want at this point to raise a toast from this venue to the late Jim Flaherty in honour of his work on the Abilities Centre.

Canada Elections Act  Sean Morley also was a policy adviser to the Harris government, but also happened to be the official agent for Jim Flaherty's wife in her leadership campaign bid while Mr. Flaherty was the minister responsible for Toronto. It also included Jeremy Adams, known here as a tobacco lobbyist, but actually somebody who was also the campaign manager to Jim Flaherty while Jim Flaherty was the minister responsible for Toronto and the person recommending these appointments.

Finance committee  Patry, I don't know if you want in, but I was curious about the conversation among our colleagues in terms of the question around investment and reducing taxes for corporations, and the economic theory that it will, then, trickle down. It was pointed out that even the late Jim Flaherty had concerns that this money was not actually trickling down. Mr. Bélanger, I got the sense you wanted in on this question. If that's incorrect, that's fine, but perhaps you could comment, from your perspective representing workers, on that economic theory and on Mr.

Canada Elections Act  The port authority also had the member for Milton run her campaign out of a federal agency, using the fax machine to solicit donations, until she was caught. That same body, which had Jim Flaherty's campaign manager, Tim Hudak's spokesperson, and the wife of Jim Flaherty's campaign manager, also hosted somebody who hosted a pay for play or cash for access, whatever the Tories want to call it, donation scheme where if people paid $1,100 per person they got to be appointed to the port authority, apparently, under their reasoning.

Status of Women committee  It allows you to have a registered account if you have a child with a disability—but it's so challenging. It was put in by the late Jim Flaherty, but almost nobody accesses it because it is so hard to do. You have to go through so much paperwork. You need accountants. This needs to be streamlined. It has to be made easier so families that really need it can access those things.