Taxation  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague. Instead of fooling around, perhaps he should read the budget. If he had, he would know that we have lowered taxes for the middle class. The small business tax has dropped and, just today, the governor of the Bank of Canada said that the measures set out in the budget would create economic growth in Canada, as the hon.

Taxation  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his question. Once again, I would invite him to read the budget. He would then understand that we are working for Canadians. The opposition has been trying to create a diversion. We presented Canadians with a budget that works for families, the middle class, and small businesses.

Finance  Mr. Speaker, I would like first to thank my hon. colleague for his interest in the budget, and also for his great work on the finance committee. In electing a new government, millions of Canadians signalled their desire for change. Our government was elected in part because we took that desire seriously.

Finance  Mr. Speaker, I would respectfully disagree with the hon. member. I heard his question, but this government was elected on October 19 in order to deliver for Canadian families and the middle class. People have been saying two things to us: help them and their families, and grow the economy.

The Budget  Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. It is not true that we did not consult people. We consulted Canadians all over the country. I come from the Mauricie region, and I can assure this House that we consulted the people in Trois-Rivières. To say that we did not consult Quebeckers about the upcoming budget is folly.

Finance  Mr. Speaker, as I said, the Minister of Finance and I went from coast to coast to coast. We did something the Conservatives never did. We listened to Canadians. What Canadians have been telling us is to invest in the economy now and invest in growth. In just about an hour, that is exactly what we are going to present to Canadians.

Regional Economic Development  Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question. As I said, the Minister of Finance and I went to every region in Canada, and we listened to Canadians from coast to coast to coast. I know that my hon. colleague is anxious to see what is in the budget being brought down later today.

Regional Economic Development  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his question. However, he seems to be the only one who does not understand. Canadians understand that when interest rates are low, that is precisely the time to invest in the economy. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Monetary Fund, it is time to invest in the economy.

Finance  Mr. Speaker, let me be clear once again. We will take no advice from the Conservatives when it comes to deficits. Today is a great day. As the Minister of Finance and I went across the nation, we listened to Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Canadians have asked us to invest in families, invest in Canadians, and invest in growth.

The Economy  Mr. Speaker, Canadians made a clear choice last October. They decided to have a fundamentally different approach to managing our economy. Our priority is growth. That is exactly what we will deliver tomorrow in our budget. We will focus on the middle class, we will help Canadian families, we will create growth.

The Economy  Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to say that the Minister of Finance and I went from coast to coast to coast to listen to Canadians. We did that over the months. We were elected in October. We heard from thousands of Canadians. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians have submitted ideas online.

The Economy  Mr. Speaker, when the economy is growing slowly, that is the time to invest. That is what the IMF has said, that is what the World Bank has said, that is what most economists in our country have said. At a time when interest rates are low, that is the time to invest in the economy.

The Economy  Mr. Speaker, what we will present tomorrow is exactly a budget that will focus on the middle class, help Canadian families, and create growth in this country. That is the choice Canadians made on October 19, for a fundamentally different approach to running this economy. That is what most economists have said and that is what most international institutions have said.

Housing  Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. This is a very important issue back home in Mauricie. When the Prime Minister of Canada went to Mauricie, he acknowledged that the people struggling with the pyrrhotite problem were victims of both a human and economic tragedy.

Employment  Mr. Speaker, that is exactly why Canadians chose a different path on the 19th of October. Canadians chose the path of growth, and that is exactly what the Minister of Finance and I heard when we went across the country. Now is the time to invest in the economy. Now is the time to invest in innovation, in productivity, and in our infrastructure.