Economic Action Plan 2015 Act, No. 1  It continues to defend risky economic schemes and unwise spending. It is proposing a total of over $56 billion in new, imprudent spending, which would increase the tax burden and plunge Canada into permanent deficit. Providing real support to Canadian families is an important responsibility for our Conservative government.

Transport committee  Our data show that the total five-year need for transit infrastructure is estimated at about $56 billion. Two-thirds of this amount is already covered through current funding programs. That leaves about $18 billion worth of projects for which the industry needs additional funding, which in turn represents $1.2 billion per year for each order of government over the next five years.

The Budget  To give credit where it is due, after seven consecutive deficit budgets, including the single largest deficit in Canadian history, the $56-billion budgetary deficit in 2008, budget 2015, at least on paper, shows a surplus. I congratulate the government for doing so. However, in order to come out in black ink the government was forced to sell some assets, including its remaining stock in General Motors and dip into its contingency fund and also borrow from the EI surplus.

Agriculture committee  Last year—and I don't want to get the amount wrong—the president of FERME said that Quebec had suffered losses of about $56 billion because of a labour shortage. Could you comment on that?

Veterans Affairs committee  But a little known fact is that, according to 2011 figures, the Netherlands was the second largest source of foreign direct investment in Canada, at $56 billion. They were also our sixth largest merchandise export market, at $5 billion, in 2011. We have very close ties from a trade perspective and a military perspective, and certainly in terms of a common heritage.

Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 2  I would like to see if he could comment on the importance of returning to a balanced budget. We see in the House every day, for example, the opposition and the NDP, which has $56 billion worth of unfunded promises. Let us put that into perspective first. With 17 million Canadians working, that comes out to about $3,300 more in taxes per person under the NDP that Canadians and businesses would have to pay for.

Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 1  I am wondering if the member could give us an idea about the further contrast between our government's responsible approach to returning to balanced budgets and the $56-billion worth of unfunded promises by the NDP. How does she think New Democrats are going to make up that difference?

Status of Women committee  There was a 2009 study by the Australian government that found that removing the negative effects of the wage gap could add $56 billion, so I'm wondering if the Status of Women Canada has ever undertaken a similar study?

Canada Post  In April 2012, the U.K. government assumed the responsibility for both the Royal Mail pension plan deficit and the plan's liabilities of over £30 billion, or about $56 billion Canadian at the current exchange rate. Stamp prices were also increased dramatically, and the post offices were spun off into a separate government-owned limited company that received £2 billion in subsidies from the U.K. government.

Canada-Honduras Economic Growth and Prosperity Act  The Americas offer great potential. Total trade between countries in the Americas and Canada, which was at $56 billion in 2012, has increased by 32% since 2007, and Canadian direct investment in the region, at $168 billion in 2012, has increased by 58% since 2007. In order to continue to promote mutual economic opportunity, our government's strategy for engagement in the Americas focuses on intensifying trade promotion and relationship-building efforts to ensure that the Canadian private sector is taking full advantage of trade and economic agreements, as well as on building the capacity of our trading partners to capitalize on the benefits of free trade with Canada.

Health committee  Among these populations are individuals who may develop or who are currently living with the disease of addiction. The burden of pain is staggering. Pain costs Canada an estimated $56 billion to $60 billion annually in lost productivity and health care costs. Costs for individuals like me are approximately $17,000 each year in lost income and out-of-pocket expenses for treatment modalities that are not covered.

Economic Action Plan 2013 Act No. 2  Again, my colleague refuses to recognize the urgency and the crisis that we faced when the international economic monetary crisis loomed and where we did spend. It is quite true that we ran up a deficit to $56 billion at its height, but that was in the interests of stimulating the economy, in creating jobs, in addressing infrastructure needs that the country needed and continues to need. At the same time, having stimulated the economy, having saved the Canadian economy, being admired by countries around the world, the envy of the G7, we have now reduced that deficit and are, as I said in my remarks, on target to return to surplus by 2015-16.

Finance committee  I think we have to admit that those are two extraordinary years of responding in concert with the other G-20 nations to the global recession, spending 2% of GDP on massive stimulus programs, which the government put in place. But also, at the same time it had, as a result, a deficit of $56 billion. You also talked about the importance of getting back to a balanced budget position, so this is a very confusing message, frankly. To use “austerity” when we're increasing by 5.4% to 5.8% the major transfers from the federal government to persons and provinces is I think language that's frankly not appropriate.

New Democratic Party of Canada  If this massive new carbon tax were not enough, the NDP also proposes to bring in an additional $56 billion in wasteful new spending. The last thing Canadians need are the failed socialist policies of the past. It is time for the leader of the NDP to come clean with Canadians about his $20-billion carbon tax and his $56 billion of proposed wasteful spending.

New Democratic Party of Canada  Canadians cannot afford a $20 billion job-killing carbon tax that would raise the price of everything, including gas, groceries and electricity. Canadians cannot afford $56 billion in wasteful spending. Canadians cannot afford the risky policies of the NDP. On this side of the House, we will continue to fight for Canadians and against the NDP's $20 billion carbon tax and $56 billion wasteful spending schemes.