Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, the government is leaving western Canadians who are unemployed behind. Instead of helping everyone, the Liberals are picking winners and losers.Last week, Statistics Canada pointed out that unemployment in Edmonton increased 34% over the last year. In southern Saskatchewan, it has gone up by 40% in the last year. However, according to the Prime Minister, unemployed Canadians living in Edmonton and southern Saskatchewan should be pleased that they are not getting help from the government.Will the Liberals reverse this discriminatory policy and extend EI benefits to all workers, including those in the west who need it?
Mr. Speaker, in attending this fundraising event, the minister broke the Prime Minister's code of open and accountable government and the minister crossed the line by putting herself in a conflict of interest. In order to clear the stench from this sordid Liberal fundraising affair, will the minister release the list of attendees? If not, what does the minister have to hide?
Mr. Speaker, what on earth will it take for the Liberals to stop backing the TPP? Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz calls it the worst trade deal ever. He warns it will erode workers' rights, kill Canadian jobs, and reverse the principle of polluter pays, making governments pay billions for any attempt to protect the environment. Can the minister confirm that Stiglitz explained to her the serious problems with the TPP, and will she tell the House which part she did not understand?
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious from the budget that the Prime Minister did not teach geography. He has no idea where the oil and gas industry in Saskatchewan is actually located. EI benefits will only be extended in Saskatoon and northern Saskatchewan, which is nowhere near the oil patch in the southeast. The Prime Minister then insulted us by telling us that we should be thankful they have not been hit harder. Why are these Liberals discriminating against Canadians who have lost their jobs in the energy sector in southeast Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Justice said she went to Toronto to attend a fundraising activity simply as the member for Vancouver-Granville. The minister would therefore have us believe that the people she met at this cocktail party in Toronto wanted to talk to her about matters that are important to her riding in Vancouver. Let us be real. If I go to Toronto, no one is going to talk to me about what is going on in LévisLotbinière.Will the minister stop taking us for fools and admit that she was there as the Minister of Justice?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals refuse to say that we are at war with ISIS, but according to the chief of the defence staff, the risk to the lives of our troops on the ground in Iraq has gone up. How can Canadian casualties increase if we are not at war?Will the defence minister join our allies and finally say that Canada is at war against the jihadi genocidal death cult called ISIS?
Mr. Speaker, small business owners are hard-working, middle-class Canadians, but the Liberals have betrayed them. The Liberal promise to cut taxes for small businesses has vanished into thin air.Why is the government breaking its promise and hanging Canadian small business owners out to dry?
Mr. Speaker, Burma's Rohingya Muslims are heavily persecuted, but the minister was just in Burma and did not even mention the Rohingyas. When the government killed the office of religious freedom, it said it was just about doing the same work a different way. Well, so much for that, because the office is gone. The projects have stopped, including projects in Burma. No replacement has even been announced, and there is no money in the budget for international human rights.Are all these changes coincidental, or is turning away from human rights the price to buy votes from dictators at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, Alison Azer's four children were kidnapped and are now thought to be in Mahabad, Iran. She has been in touch with the RCMP but is extremely frustrated with the lack of response from the government. She is worried that her daughters may be subjected to female genital mutilation and that her older son may be sent to a madrassa.We understand, based upon communications between our offices, that the Minister of Foreign Affairs is open to a meeting.Would the minister confirm today that he will meet with Mrs. Azer?
Mr. Speaker, the people of southern Saskatchewan are more than just a cold-hearted formula. The minister's budget speech was full of flowery imagery, where the sun shines, the wind blows, and the unicorns roam happy and free, but the touchy-feely words and Care Bear stares will not create jobs. Instead, the Liberals are making the employment problem worse by blocking private sector solutions, like northern gateway and energy east. The Liberals are only treating the symptoms with their EI changes, and they cannot even do that fairly.Will the minister show some compassion and abandon this cold-hearted formula that punishes southern Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, let us go from Bay Street to Attawapiskat. The chief of Attawapiskat was once again forced to declare a state of emergency on Saturday, following a rash of suicide attempts by young people in his community. While the Prime Minister talks about how saddened he is by the situation, the fact is that it is getting worse and nothing is being done about it. The government refused to conduct an inquiry, and requests for mental heath services are often denied. The government is turning its back on young people.When will the government take action and put an end to this tragedy?
Mr. Speaker, the feigned indignation in front is a little rich.We have indicated at all times that the Liberal Party raises money in accordance with the provisions of the Canada Elections Act. As I have said on previous occasions, nobody on this side of the House has gone to prison for illegal fundraising, and that is something they are having trouble saying over there.
Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, our primary responsibility is to make sure children in this country have hope, and we are failing them. I want to thank the minister for her positive words on Attawapiskat, but as the community said to me this morning, it should not take a state of emergency to get mental health workers to fly into a region that has had 700-plus suicide attempts.There is no money in the budget for mental health services for indigenous children. I have this question for the minister. What is it going to take to end this cycle of crisis and death among young people? What are the concrete steps for the long term that the Liberals are going to put on the ground, not just in Attawapiskat but in all the indigenous communities of this country?
Mr. Speaker, shrimp season has just opened in Newfoundland. Today we have heard that the Quinlan Brothers processing plant, which employs about 700 people, has suffered a devastating fire. This disaster will impact not only the community and local plant workers but also the fishermen who land their catch at Bay de Verde. Are the Liberals going to immediately move to give special EI access to these affected workers?
Mr. Speaker, Ontario Power Generation wants to dump abandoned radioactive nuclear waste next to the Great Lakes. It cannot say that this waste will not leak, nor has it considered any other options. Burying nuclear waste has a 100% failure rate. The last set of nuclear waste that was buried actually caught on fire.This madness has to stop and at the risk of the health and safety of future generations, including my daughter and many other youth who are visiting Ottawa today, we need to say no. This is on the minister's desk right now. Will the minister stop the plan to dump nuclear waste down a hole, walk away and leave it for future generations?
Mr. Speaker, I understand a Canadian delegation met in recent days with the Reverend Hyeon Soo Lim, who remains in prison, forced to a life sentence of hard labour in North Korea. That is just outrageous. Reports indicate that his condition is deteriorating and that time is growing short for him.My question is simple. What are the Liberals doing to bring Reverend Lim home to his family and to his congregation?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister flippantly said that Albertans should be pleased that they have not been hit harder. More than 100,000 energy workers have lost their jobs. Alberta's unemployment is almost unprecedented. In fact, it was only higher when his dad was PM.Energy drives Bruderheim's economy. People are not pleased. They cannot even get the Liberals to extend EI benefits now when they need it most, but they really just want jobs. They have contributed so much to all of Canada. Why is the government ignoring these hard-hit Albertans?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member can keep talking in terms of the definitions of war, but our fight against ISIL does not change in any way. We will take every action with our coalition partners to defeat Daesh, and we are not going to give ISIL legitimacy by calling them a state, by calling this a war.
Mr. Speaker, we are hearing from band members across this country who want to know that the Prime Minister's $8.4 billion in the budget is going to have a real meaningful impact on their lives. We are also hearing that they are very concerned about the gutting of the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. When the Liberals refuse to allow first nations to access spending information on reserves, it does impact their lives. Why will the Liberals not allow first nations community members to have the same access to information of all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, people are outraged about the Panama papers. Multinational companies and people with connections are taking advantage of laws that were made for them, in order to shirk their responsibilities. The minister announced new measures, but there is no word on her former executive who jumped ship to go work for KPMG, at the same time that the firm was being investigated by the CRA. What a joke. Why does the minister keep defending the secret agreement for cheats?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals want to create a two-tiered employment insurance system that excludes Quebec. They are abandoning the SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean region, which lost 7,000 jobs in the past year. They are abandoning struggling seasonal workers in the Gaspé. They are abandoning Montreal, the unemployment capital of Canada. To top it all off, the Liberals want to make it legal to lay off 2,600 Air Canada workers, workers they supported before they took office. That is what we call betrayal. Are the Liberals not ashamed of themselves?Why did the minister flip-flop and why is he now turning his back on these 2,600 families?
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have nothing to hide.The member knows full well that all of those donations are disclosed, according to law, every quarter. The member can spend the whole evening searching the Internet. Here is good news: it is coming to a computer near him.While he is up asking questions, perhaps he should ask his colleague from Red Deer about fundraising activities when Senator Duffy went to his riding and, in fact, even threatened litigation with the riding association over that event.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are spending $30 billion of borrowed money, but not a dime of it is going to small businesses. It is not a question anymore of delaying their promise to cut taxes for small businesses; now they have admitted they do not even have a timeline for it.Is the Prime Minister ignoring small businesses because he still thinks, as he did in the election, that they are actually just ways for wealthy Canadians to cheat on taxes?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue just announced that 100 investigators would be hired to identify tax fraud. That is all well and good, but the problem is that it is essentially legal to use tax havens, since Liberal and Conservative governments drafted the tax rules specifically to allow profiteers to repatriate their profits without paying anything here.Instead of announcing symbolic measures, will this government commit to seriously crack down on tax havens by abolishing the regulatory framework that helps them, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, last week, General Jonathan Vance said the battle against ISIS has no end in sight. He went on to say Canadians should prepare for more Canadian Armed Forces casualties with the expansion of the mission on the ground in Iraq. Our troops are facing increased risk, and because of the Liberals, they do not have Canadian air support. Will the Minister of National Defence admit that prematurely pulling out our CF-18s was a mistake?
Mr. Speaker, the minister forgot some things, because in his budget he inflated the figures, to say the least. With respect to job creation, it says in the budget that 146,000 new jobs will be preserved. The parliamentary budget officer said that is not the case. On the contrary, we are talking about a much smaller number, namely 86,000 jobs. Furthermore, the PBO concluded that the forecasts for the private sector are excessive and that this budget, as tabled, makes parliamentarians' work more difficult.Why did the government fudge the numbers? Why is the government refusing to tell Canadians the truth?
Mr. Speaker, my friend opposite is obviously struggling with a very basic concept. The Liberal Party raises money in accordance with all the rules under the Canada Elections Act. In this case my colleague, Minister of Justice, proactively reached out to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to discuss this particular event, and she indicated that it was appropriate.That is the ethical standard that this government has raised from the previous government that was before us.
Mr. Speaker, the government says that we are in a recession, but the evidence from Statistics Canada is that we are not. The government says it is going to be financially transparent, but the evidence from the Parliamentary Budget Officer is that it is not.The government says it is the saviour of the middle class, but the evidence from Finance Canada, which was just forced out of it by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, is that the Liberals plan on slashing this help to the middle class by 75% by 2021.Let us just cut to the chase here, since we know where this is going. Can the Minister of Finance tell us today which taxes he is actually going to raise on us?
Mr. Speaker, obviously, we are devastated by the news that there has been this horrible fire in Newfoundland, and we continue to monitor the situation. There are workers who will be out of work. We are hoping that we are able to assist them in finding other opportunities in the region.
Mr. Speaker, the clouds are looking darker and darker on the other side.The Panama papers gave us a glimpse into the troubling world of tax havens, and new reports raise questions about the Canada Revenue Agency's failure to act.A senior CRA employee crossed the floor to work for KPMG while the company was under investigation for setting up a tax sham. Why does the minister continue to defend the secret sweetheart deal for wealthy KPMG clients? How can Canadians take them seriously?
Mr. Speaker, seasonal workers are on the verge of falling into the infamous black hole, a period of no employment insurance benefits. However, there is nothing for these workers in the budget.We have sick people waiting in hospital hallways and students going into debt to learn, but this budget abandons them as well, since it does not contain any transfer increases. The same goes for leading-edge businesses in Quebec: the budget offers nothing for them. In spite of all these omissions, the government is predicting a $29-billion deficit.Does the government realize that all Canadians, and especially those who need help, are paying for its lax attitude towards tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the UPA and the Government of Quebec both called on the federal government to regulate imports of diafiltered milk. This morning, a central-Quebec-based group of agri-food advocates known as the Front commun de la filière agroalimentaire weighed in.On page 127 of the budget, the government talks about eliminating tariffs on food manufacturing ingredients other than supply-managed products.Does the government really want to eliminate tariffs on diafiltered milk, which is contrary to the wishes of Quebec, the UPA and the Front commun?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government loves to go on and on about its lofty principles, but its actions say quite the opposite. Consider the example of transparency. The governments boasts about being transparent, but meanwhile it is eliminating transparency rules for first nations and labour unions. We are not the only ones saying so. The parliamentary budget officer said that he is, and I quote, unable to provide completed tables due to the lack of information provided in Budget 2016. Why is the government hiding information from Canadians? Why this lack of transparency?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are going to borrow $30 billion we do not have to invest in what they claim to be infrastructure projects.However, very little of this money will be invested in roads, public transit, or the promises they made during the election campaign. In their latest budget, the Liberals spend this money on other things, on expenses that will become recurring. Canadians are now realizing that they cannot trust this government.How can the Prime Minister explain a $30-billion deficit that he claims is for infrastructure investments, when that is not what he is spending it on? How does he explain that?
Mr. Speaker, the minister should know from his finance department that the median average wage for the Canadian middle class in the past 10 years rose 13% under the Conservative mandate.The minister said that he consulted private-sector economists for predictions to the economy. He did not take their advice. The Liberals promised and advised many times that they would reduce the small business tax. They did not take small business tax advice either.This is the question I have for the minister. Why is he even bothering to consult with small or big business owners in this country when he is not going to take their advice?
Mr. Speaker, I take my ethical responsibilities incredibly seriously. Fundraising, as I said, is an activity that every member of the House engages in. Another reality, in terms of fundraising, is to broadly engage with the public and have discussions. I would never place myself in a conflict of interest, and that is why I proactively engaged with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner prior to attending this event.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring women and their children are free from violence is a priority for this government, and that is why I am working with my colleagues and experts across the country to develop a federal gender-based violence strategy. Shelters are also key to supporting this goal, which is why we announced in our budget that we will create over 3,000 shelter spaces over the next two years ensuring that more women have a safe place to turn in violent situations. By enabling women and girls to live violence-free, we can move closer to gender equality.
Mr. Speaker, on the celebration of Vaisakhi on the Hill, let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy Vaisakhi. I want Canadians to know that small business is implicit throughout the entire budget. When it comes to small business owners, they are middle-class Canadians. The tax cut will benefit not only customers and clients but small business owners themselves. We know very well that the wealthy 1% are most likely not our small business owners. We are here to represent them, but what members opposite need to recognize is that in this country people have views and opinions. This government is listening and is working with the entrepreneurs and the people we represent. We know what small
Mr. Speaker, we were happy to consult with Canadians. We had more than 250,000 people who were touched by our pre-budget consultations. We listened to Canadians across the country, small businesses and big businesses. We have made a real difference for small and medium-sized business by helping middle-class Canadians. We are investing in the future of Canada through a new innovation plan that is going to allow us to grow our economy over the long term. This is what Canada needs at this time, and we are going to make a real difference for future Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, today I made an unprecedented announcement about combatting tax evasion and international tax avoidance. The vast majority of middle-class Canadians pay their fair share of taxes, but some wealthy Canadians are hiding their money in foreign tax havens to avoid paying taxes. That is not fair and it must change.Thanks to our historic $44-million investment, wealthy Canadians will be required to pay their share of taxes.
Mr. Speaker, with that answer it seems that sunny ways are clouding over more and more. It seems like only yesterday that the government released ethical guidelines that state: There should be no preferential access to government...accorded to individuals or organizations because they have made financial contributions to politicians and political parties. Even Conservative Bev Oda, in an ethically challenged government, was caught in the same type of scandal and gave back the contributions. Why will the Minister of Justice not do the same thing?
Mr. Speaker, we were very pleased to roll out an EI platform, the first phase of which is rolling out to Canadian workers benefits that amount to $2.5 billion. Where the additional help was provided was to those people who need it the most.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, now that the dispute between the governments of Quebec and Manitoba and Air Canada is over, we can clarify the Air Canada Public Participation Act. I would also like to add that Air Canada has promised to create two centres of excellence, one in Quebec and the other in Manitoba. That being said, since the issue will be going before the courts, it would not be appropriate for me to say anything more.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will find no argument with me that in fact we need to find a way to restore hope for these communities and particularly for the young people who consider taking their lives.In fact, as the hon. member may know, the budget includes $8.4 billion in funding for indigenous communities. It is these funds that would actually restore hope to communities. When we invest in education, so that these young people will have a standard of education that every Canadian child should have, it will renew hope. When we invest in these communities, so that people will have adequate housing and not be faced with overcrowding, we will find hope.
Mr. Speaker, that is money we already had in our plan. The former government already had a plan for $75 billion. The Liberals promised a lot, but they do not deliver. That will be delivered after 2019. They do not respect what they said in the campaign.Furthermore, they are going to borrow $100 billion over four years. How does this government plan on returning to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, the online activity of Canadian companies has reportedly more than doubled in six years and it generated an estimated $136 billion in 2013. That represents 7% of the gross domestic product and this figure continues to grow.Given the enormous potential that e-commerce represents for small, medium, and large businesses, what government measures and initiatives are in place to support innovation and to help our Canadian companies enter the market?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question and for changing the topic in the House.This is one of the most serious and pressing tragedies that our nation is facing. I am devastated by the situation that is taking place in Attawapiskat. I am working with my colleague the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs to respond to this tragedy.I was in conversation yesterday with National Chief Bellegarde. I spoke today with Chief Shisheesh from Attawapiskat. We now have five new mental health workers in the community. We are responding to both the immediate needs and long-term needs of this community.
Mr. Speaker, on January 18, 2014, the member for Wascana wrote to the Ethics Commissioner, asking that she investigate the former member for Saint Boniface after she attended a political fundraiser. The member for Wascana stated in his letter that Any breach of the Conflict of Interest Code undermines the confidence that Canadians have in our elected representative.... Given the nature of the justice minister's fundraiser this past week, how can the member complain on the one hand and then turn a blind eye to last week's Liberal fundraiser?
Mr. Speaker, the member well knows that members of first nations communities do have access to all the audited statements. If they do not have access, they can get that straight from my office, and those requests are very, very rare. That was the reason we opposed the act, because first nations had not been consulted. We all want accountability. We just cannot do it top-down.
Mr. Speaker, more and more people are opposing the trans-Pacific partnership. Last week, Joseph Stiglitz, winner of the Nobel prize in economics, sounded the alarm for workers. Not only are the Liberals determined to move forward with the agreement, but they are also casting doubt on compensation for the dairy industry. There was not one penny in the last budget for this. When will the Liberals listen to the concerns of workers and stand up for Canadian workers here in Canada and for our dairy producers?
Mr. Speaker, fundraising is an activity that every member of this House engages in. Thankfully, on a federal level there are strict rules in place that determine how fundraising activities occur. We do not take donations from corporations and we do not take donations from unions. In advance, I proactively sought the opinion of the Ethics Commissioner, to whom there was no conflict.
Mr. Speaker, I am extraordinarily proud of that investment to the First Nations Financial Management Board.Every member of the aboriginal affairs committee last year heard the testimony. This is an organization that takes a small amount of money, turns it into a large amount of money, and accesses infrastructure for first nations, coast to coast to coast.This is an excellent investment. Ask any of the members on that side. The member needs to ask her colleagues on the aboriginal affairs committee why they supported that in the report.
Mr. Speaker, although the Prime Minister promised a different kind of government, he has no problem with his Minister of Justice participating in a Liberal Party fundraiser at $500 a plate. However, the ministers' guide, Open and Accountable Government, is very clear: there should be no preferential access to government, or appearance of preferential access, in exchange for political contributions.Can the Prime Minister tell us why he is not able to follow the rules that he, himself, set?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question and for the work she does with small businesses.E-commerce is increasing at an amazing rate. It represents a huge opportunity for Canadian entrepreneurs. One of my constituents in Waterloo runs her own business making custom jewellery. Do members know where her best customers are? They are in California and Florida. Why is that? It is because with e-commerce the entire world is the marketplace. That is why our government has committed $500 million to expand and improve broadband services in rural and remote areas, because Canadians' entrepreneurial spirit should not be limited by where they live.
Mr. Speaker, I did attend a fundraising event. In advance, I cleared it with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and complied with all federal rules with respect to fundraising.The purpose of the discussion, the primary discussion that occurred at that event, was about Canada. It was about how far we have come as a country wherein we embrace diversity, ensure that all voices are heard, and recognize that in a country such as Canada, the justice minister can be an aboriginal person and also be a woman. That is what this country is about.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have a right to be outraged. Our government recognizes that international tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance are critical issues. We are taking meaningful action. The government has allocated more than $444 million to the CRA, to combat tax evasion and tax havens.
Mr. Speaker, once again I rise in the House to question the justice minister on her lack of judgment. Last week, the justice minister and her ministerial policy adviser attended a pay-for-access fundraiser with Bay Street elite lawyers. While leaving the event, the minister stated she was attending the event as a regular MP, policy adviser in tow.Does the justice minister really expect Canadians to believe that high-priced Ontario lawyers paid $500 a plate to meet with the member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be able to talk about taxes in our budget. We started on January 1 by reducing taxes on nine million Canadians. We moved forward with our Canada child benefit, which gives more money to nine out of 10 families with childrenon average $2,300 more.We are in a situation where we are helping people who have not had the help they have needed over the last generation. We are improving the lot of middle-class Canadians, and we are going to grow the economy, so for the future their children and their grandchildren will be in a better position.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud that there are a number of economists who have identified the fact that we are identifying a 2% increase in unemployment in a sustained and sharp way actually identifies the areas that need direct attention. We are monitoring the situation from coast to coast to coast, and will continue to do so as the situation progresses.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his concern for the well-being of our troops. I can assure the member that our troops in Iraq have full air support when needed. In fact, we have done a thorough assessment. I talk to the chief of the defence staff on a regular basis about the security situation, and we have taken all the measures necessary and have given freedom of actions to take any future necessary precautions for the protection of our troops.
Mr. Speaker, like Mr. Lim's family and friends, the Government of Canada is concerned about his rights and his well-being. We continue to work for his release. I have met in the past with members of his family and members of the community. We continue to be engaged on this file. Our officials are providing consular services to him and his family, and we will not stop until Mr. Lim is released.
Mr. Speaker, the overall situation for the oil and gas sector, and more broadly the resource sector, has been very tough. In fact, certain areas of Canada have seen enormous and rapid increased unemployment. A target of 2% very rapidly and sustained was identified. When we used that screen on every region of Canada, 12 regions met that target. We continue to monitor the situation across Canada, and are very proud to be rolling out 2.5 billion dollars' worth of benefits to help those regions and every other Canadian.
Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 was an historic budget. It helps people across this country.It certainly helps people in Quebec, like it helps people across this country, with changes in their taxes, with changes in the way we give the Canada child benefit. It will make a real difference for people in that province, as it will across the country, through investments in infrastructure and in the long-term growth of our economy.We are confident that people in Quebec and across the country will have a better future as a result of these investments.
Mr. Speaker, that is hardly the situation. In fact, every Canadian is improved by the changes that we have made to EI. It has helped every region in this country, including those who were specifically hit by the oil and gas price reduction. In fact, those companies that are servicing the oil and gas sector will be benefiting by doubling the amount of work-share weeks, increasing the opportunities for small business and workers in regions that were impacted.
Mr. Speaker, none of the money the hon. member is talking about has been invested in the Canadian economy for the last two years. We will invest that money immediately, as well as $10 billion more on top of the Building Canada fund. We are committed to supporting municipalities in building the critical infrastructure that is necessary to grow the economy. We will do that with additional money and we will do it by expediting the money that should have been invested in 2014 and 2015.
Mr. Speaker, the NDP condemned the TPP without even reading it. That is not how we are doing it. We promised during the campaign to consult, and that is what we are doing. Joe Stiglitz is a friend of mine, as he said in his interviews, and I talk to him often. I spoke to him last week about the TPP. However, I would like to urge the hon. member to talk to her own NDP colleagues; for example, Jen Anthony, an NDP delegate at the convention on Sunday, who said, cattle producers are significant benefactors of this deal. It allows for a better open market
Mr. Speaker, last week, the minister attended a pay-to-play fundraiser in which attendees were invited to pay in return for access to the minister. The Minister of Justice has a duty not only to be independent but to be perceived as independent, which the minister has clearly compromised.Will the minister do the right thing, stand up, apologize, and return the pay-to-play cash?
Mr. Speaker, we are very aware of issues with enforcement of our rules surrounding supply management.As my colleague, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, has already said, we support supply management and we do so with our trade policy. We are reviewing these rules right now and working very hard on it.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of budget 2016 for many reasons, but one of the most important reasons is what it will do for our economy and how much it will help small and medium-sized businesses. We are helping the Canadian middle class by improving their situation. That is going to improve every single consumer of small and medium-sized businesses in this country. We are going to grow the economy, and that is going to make business in Canada much more successful in the future.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of what we have put in the budget. It is open. It is transparent. We are talking here about how much we will grow the economy. That is the debate. We are confident that our measures to help Canadians today, with tax cuts and benefit changes, and our measures for the future, with infrastructure expenditures and the new innovation plan, will make a real difference over the long term, allowing us to grow the economy. We are happy to have the debate on exactly how much it will grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, the safety and well-being of the Azer family continues to be a priority of this government. As I have done before, the Minister of Foreign Affairs would be happy to meet with Ms. Azer to continue collaboration in the pursuit of the safe return of her children to Canada. Canadian consular officials and law enforcement agencies continue to work domestically and internationally with the relevant agencies to make sure that we return the kids home safely.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's question and concern. I think my hon. colleague is fully aware that, as a government, we support supply management, and this government fully understands the importance of compensation to the supply management sector.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud to invest $120 billion over the next 10 years to build and rebuild the Canadian economy. Out of that $120 billion, $10 billion will be invested in the first two years in transit, in social infrastructure, in building roads and bridges and supporting communities throughout the country regardless of their size. This is the investment that will help us grow the economy, make our economy more productive, and build communities that are strong, sustainable, and inclusive for all Canadians to live in.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek the unanimous consent of the House to table the following documents, in both official languages. They deal with ministerial conduct, and I would be happy to read it out. It states, Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries must act with honesty and must uphold the highest ethical standards...
Mr. Speaker, to the member's question, I attended this fundraising event as all members of Parliament attend fundraising events. I was accompanied, on a voluntary basis, by my policy adviser. She paid her own way, having been a long-standing resident of the Toronto area. The subject matter of which I spoke in terms of the fundraising or what we talked about was Canadian politics, being involved in politics, and ensuring that everybody has the ability to have their voices heard, which is what I talked about.
Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 provides $20 million to the First Nations Finance Authority, the same organization that the Minister of Justice chaired, the same organization that the Minister of Justice's husband lobbies for. There is a clear conflict of interest here.The Prime Minister states that his ministers must uphold the highest ethical standards and the impartiality of government is to be maintained and enhanced.Does $20 million to an organization so intertwined with the Minister of Justice and her husband seem impartial?
Mr. Speaker, there have long been post-employment restrictions at the Canada Revenue Agency for executives who leave the organization. In March 2014, the post-employment restrictions were extended to all employees who leave the Canada Revenue Agency. It would be inappropriate to comment on a specific case for reasons of privacy. Hon. members can rest assured that we are following this situation at the CRA very closely.
Mr. Speaker, last month we celebrated International Women's Day. Although that important day has passed, we must remain vigilant and remember that women and children across Canada are disproportionately affected by domestic violence.Could the hon. Minister of Status of Women please advise the House of the steps her department is taking to ensure that women and their children fleeing intimate partner violence are able to find shelters and other services to help them rebuild their lives?
Mr. Speaker, the minister is restoring the confidence in environmental assessments in ensuring that decisions are based on the best available scientific evidence. As the hon. member knows, this is under active consideration. The minister had asked for an extension to consider alternative sites. We are going through that process, but everyone can rest assured the decision will be based on science and data. We will make those decisions in a responsible and sound environmental manner.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Fundy Royal for her question and her relentless work in supporting this region. I would also like to thank the member for her great work with the provincial government in announcing new investments in Sussex community.This $350,000 investment will support three great New Brunswick companies. These investments through ACOA will help businesses expand, hire more people, and purchase equipment. It is not simply about growing these great companies, it is about growing this great region.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of budget 2016. We have been open and transparent with Canadians. We introduced measures that are easy to understand.We also know that the PBO leads an important institution. We received a letter from him on April 1, and over the week that followed, we provided all necessary information to the PBO for his office to understand our budget.
It goes on and says that
Mr. Speaker, rural areas across the country, like my riding of Fundy Royal, often rely on traditional industry such as forestry, fisheries, and agriculture to power the economy. In today's global economy it is vital that these traditional industries become more efficient and develop new markets in order to grow. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development inform the House of initiatives being undertaken to help traditional industries prepare for the future?
Mr. Speaker, the promotion and protection of human rights, including freedom of religion, belief and conscience, is an integral part of Canada's constructive engagement in the world. Global Affairs is continuing this important work and its professionals are working hard on a transition to a comprehensive vision on human rights, including religious freedom of course. Dr. Bennett and our staff are working together. As a multicultural and multi-faith society, Canada is well positioned to champion peaceful pluralism, respect for diversity, and all human rights.
Mr. Speaker, I attended this event as a member of Parliament, as all members of Parliament do. My policy adviser attended as a volunteer, paid her own way, and she lives in and has
Mr. Speaker, the government is leaving western Canadians who are unemployed behind. Instead of helping everyone, the Liberals are picking winners and losers.Last week, Statistics Canada pointed out that unemployment in Edmonton increased 34% over the last year. In southern Saskatchewan, it has gone up by 40% in the last year. However, according to the Prime Minister, unemployed Canadians living in Edmonton and southern Saskatchewan should be pleased that they are not getting help from the government.Will the Liberals reverse this discriminatory policy and extend EI benefits to all workers, including those in the west who need it?
Mr. Speaker, in attending this fundraising event, the minister broke the Prime Minister's code of open and accountable government and the minister crossed the line by putting herself in a conflict of interest. In order to clear the stench from this sordid Liberal fundraising affair, will the minister release the list of attendees? If not, what does the minister have to hide?
Mr. Speaker, what on earth will it take for the Liberals to stop backing the TPP? Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz calls it the worst trade deal ever. He warns it will erode workers' rights, kill Canadian jobs, and reverse the principle of polluter pays, making governments pay billions for any attempt to protect the environment. Can the minister confirm that Stiglitz explained to her the serious problems with the TPP, and will she tell the House which part she did not understand?
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious from the budget that the Prime Minister did not teach geography. He has no idea where the oil and gas industry in Saskatchewan is actually located. EI benefits will only be extended in Saskatoon and northern Saskatchewan, which is nowhere near the oil patch in the southeast. The Prime Minister then insulted us by telling us that we should be thankful they have not been hit harder. Why are these Liberals discriminating against Canadians who have lost their jobs in the energy sector in southeast Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Justice said she went to Toronto to attend a fundraising activity simply as the member for Vancouver-Granville. The minister would therefore have us believe that the people she met at this cocktail party in Toronto wanted to talk to her about matters that are important to her riding in Vancouver. Let us be real. If I go to Toronto, no one is going to talk to me about what is going on in LévisLotbinière.Will the minister stop taking us for fools and admit that she was there as the Minister of Justice?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals refuse to say that we are at war with ISIS, but according to the chief of the defence staff, the risk to the lives of our troops on the ground in Iraq has gone up. How can Canadian casualties increase if we are not at war?Will the defence minister join our allies and finally say that Canada is at war against the jihadi genocidal death cult called ISIS?
Mr. Speaker, small business owners are hard-working, middle-class Canadians, but the Liberals have betrayed them. The Liberal promise to cut taxes for small businesses has vanished into thin air.Why is the government breaking its promise and hanging Canadian small business owners out to dry?
Mr. Speaker, Burma's Rohingya Muslims are heavily persecuted, but the minister was just in Burma and did not even mention the Rohingyas. When the government killed the office of religious freedom, it said it was just about doing the same work a different way. Well, so much for that, because the office is gone. The projects have stopped, including projects in Burma. No replacement has even been announced, and there is no money in the budget for international human rights.Are all these changes coincidental, or is turning away from human rights the price to buy votes from dictators at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, Alison Azer's four children were kidnapped and are now thought to be in Mahabad, Iran. She has been in touch with the RCMP but is extremely frustrated with the lack of response from the government. She is worried that her daughters may be subjected to female genital mutilation and that her older son may be sent to a madrassa.We understand, based upon communications between our offices, that the Minister of Foreign Affairs is open to a meeting.Would the minister confirm today that he will meet with Mrs. Azer?
Mr. Speaker, the people of southern Saskatchewan are more than just a cold-hearted formula. The minister's budget speech was full of flowery imagery, where the sun shines, the wind blows, and the unicorns roam happy and free, but the touchy-feely words and Care Bear stares will not create jobs. Instead, the Liberals are making the employment problem worse by blocking private sector solutions, like northern gateway and energy east. The Liberals are only treating the symptoms with their EI changes, and they cannot even do that fairly.Will the minister show some compassion and abandon this cold-hearted formula that punishes southern Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, let us go from Bay Street to Attawapiskat. The chief of Attawapiskat was once again forced to declare a state of emergency on Saturday, following a rash of suicide attempts by young people in his community. While the Prime Minister talks about how saddened he is by the situation, the fact is that it is getting worse and nothing is being done about it. The government refused to conduct an inquiry, and requests for mental heath services are often denied. The government is turning its back on young people.When will the government take action and put an end to this tragedy?
Mr. Speaker, the feigned indignation in front is a little rich.We have indicated at all times that the Liberal Party raises money in accordance with the provisions of the Canada Elections Act. As I have said on previous occasions, nobody on this side of the House has gone to prison for illegal fundraising, and that is something they are having trouble saying over there.
Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, our primary responsibility is to make sure children in this country have hope, and we are failing them. I want to thank the minister for her positive words on Attawapiskat, but as the community said to me this morning, it should not take a state of emergency to get mental health workers to fly into a region that has had 700-plus suicide attempts.There is no money in the budget for mental health services for indigenous children. I have this question for the minister. What is it going to take to end this cycle of crisis and death among young people? What are the concrete steps for the long term that the Liberals are going to put on the ground, not just in Attawapiskat but in all the indigenous communities of this country?
Mr. Speaker, shrimp season has just opened in Newfoundland. Today we have heard that the Quinlan Brothers processing plant, which employs about 700 people, has suffered a devastating fire. This disaster will impact not only the community and local plant workers but also the fishermen who land their catch at Bay de Verde. Are the Liberals going to immediately move to give special EI access to these affected workers?
Mr. Speaker, Ontario Power Generation wants to dump abandoned radioactive nuclear waste next to the Great Lakes. It cannot say that this waste will not leak, nor has it considered any other options. Burying nuclear waste has a 100% failure rate. The last set of nuclear waste that was buried actually caught on fire.This madness has to stop and at the risk of the health and safety of future generations, including my daughter and many other youth who are visiting Ottawa today, we need to say no. This is on the minister's desk right now. Will the minister stop the plan to dump nuclear waste down a hole, walk away and leave it for future generations?
Mr. Speaker, I understand a Canadian delegation met in recent days with the Reverend Hyeon Soo Lim, who remains in prison, forced to a life sentence of hard labour in North Korea. That is just outrageous. Reports indicate that his condition is deteriorating and that time is growing short for him.My question is simple. What are the Liberals doing to bring Reverend Lim home to his family and to his congregation?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister flippantly said that Albertans should be pleased that they have not been hit harder. More than 100,000 energy workers have lost their jobs. Alberta's unemployment is almost unprecedented. In fact, it was only higher when his dad was PM.Energy drives Bruderheim's economy. People are not pleased. They cannot even get the Liberals to extend EI benefits now when they need it most, but they really just want jobs. They have contributed so much to all of Canada. Why is the government ignoring these hard-hit Albertans?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member can keep talking in terms of the definitions of war, but our fight against ISIL does not change in any way. We will take every action with our coalition partners to defeat Daesh, and we are not going to give ISIL legitimacy by calling them a state, by calling this a war.
Mr. Speaker, we are hearing from band members across this country who want to know that the Prime Minister's $8.4 billion in the budget is going to have a real meaningful impact on their lives. We are also hearing that they are very concerned about the gutting of the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. When the Liberals refuse to allow first nations to access spending information on reserves, it does impact their lives. Why will the Liberals not allow first nations community members to have the same access to information of all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, people are outraged about the Panama papers. Multinational companies and people with connections are taking advantage of laws that were made for them, in order to shirk their responsibilities. The minister announced new measures, but there is no word on her former executive who jumped ship to go work for KPMG, at the same time that the firm was being investigated by the CRA. What a joke. Why does the minister keep defending the secret agreement for cheats?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals want to create a two-tiered employment insurance system that excludes Quebec. They are abandoning the SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean region, which lost 7,000 jobs in the past year. They are abandoning struggling seasonal workers in the Gaspé. They are abandoning Montreal, the unemployment capital of Canada. To top it all off, the Liberals want to make it legal to lay off 2,600 Air Canada workers, workers they supported before they took office. That is what we call betrayal. Are the Liberals not ashamed of themselves?Why did the minister flip-flop and why is he now turning his back on these 2,600 families?
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have nothing to hide.The member knows full well that all of those donations are disclosed, according to law, every quarter. The member can spend the whole evening searching the Internet. Here is good news: it is coming to a computer near him.While he is up asking questions, perhaps he should ask his colleague from Red Deer about fundraising activities when Senator Duffy went to his riding and, in fact, even threatened litigation with the riding association over that event.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are spending $30 billion of borrowed money, but not a dime of it is going to small businesses. It is not a question anymore of delaying their promise to cut taxes for small businesses; now they have admitted they do not even have a timeline for it.Is the Prime Minister ignoring small businesses because he still thinks, as he did in the election, that they are actually just ways for wealthy Canadians to cheat on taxes?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue just announced that 100 investigators would be hired to identify tax fraud. That is all well and good, but the problem is that it is essentially legal to use tax havens, since Liberal and Conservative governments drafted the tax rules specifically to allow profiteers to repatriate their profits without paying anything here.Instead of announcing symbolic measures, will this government commit to seriously crack down on tax havens by abolishing the regulatory framework that helps them, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, last week, General Jonathan Vance said the battle against ISIS has no end in sight. He went on to say Canadians should prepare for more Canadian Armed Forces casualties with the expansion of the mission on the ground in Iraq. Our troops are facing increased risk, and because of the Liberals, they do not have Canadian air support. Will the Minister of National Defence admit that prematurely pulling out our CF-18s was a mistake?
Mr. Speaker, the minister forgot some things, because in his budget he inflated the figures, to say the least. With respect to job creation, it says in the budget that 146,000 new jobs will be preserved. The parliamentary budget officer said that is not the case. On the contrary, we are talking about a much smaller number, namely 86,000 jobs. Furthermore, the PBO concluded that the forecasts for the private sector are excessive and that this budget, as tabled, makes parliamentarians' work more difficult.Why did the government fudge the numbers? Why is the government refusing to tell Canadians the truth?
Mr. Speaker, my friend opposite is obviously struggling with a very basic concept. The Liberal Party raises money in accordance with all the rules under the Canada Elections Act. In this case my colleague, Minister of Justice, proactively reached out to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to discuss this particular event, and she indicated that it was appropriate.That is the ethical standard that this government has raised from the previous government that was before us.
Mr. Speaker, the government says that we are in a recession, but the evidence from Statistics Canada is that we are not. The government says it is going to be financially transparent, but the evidence from the Parliamentary Budget Officer is that it is not.The government says it is the saviour of the middle class, but the evidence from Finance Canada, which was just forced out of it by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, is that the Liberals plan on slashing this help to the middle class by 75% by 2021.Let us just cut to the chase here, since we know where this is going. Can the Minister of Finance tell us today which taxes he is actually going to raise on us?
Mr. Speaker, obviously, we are devastated by the news that there has been this horrible fire in Newfoundland, and we continue to monitor the situation. There are workers who will be out of work. We are hoping that we are able to assist them in finding other opportunities in the region.
Mr. Speaker, the clouds are looking darker and darker on the other side.The Panama papers gave us a glimpse into the troubling world of tax havens, and new reports raise questions about the Canada Revenue Agency's failure to act.A senior CRA employee crossed the floor to work for KPMG while the company was under investigation for setting up a tax sham. Why does the minister continue to defend the secret sweetheart deal for wealthy KPMG clients? How can Canadians take them seriously?
Mr. Speaker, seasonal workers are on the verge of falling into the infamous black hole, a period of no employment insurance benefits. However, there is nothing for these workers in the budget.We have sick people waiting in hospital hallways and students going into debt to learn, but this budget abandons them as well, since it does not contain any transfer increases. The same goes for leading-edge businesses in Quebec: the budget offers nothing for them. In spite of all these omissions, the government is predicting a $29-billion deficit.Does the government realize that all Canadians, and especially those who need help, are paying for its lax attitude towards tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the UPA and the Government of Quebec both called on the federal government to regulate imports of diafiltered milk. This morning, a central-Quebec-based group of agri-food advocates known as the Front commun de la filière agroalimentaire weighed in.On page 127 of the budget, the government talks about eliminating tariffs on food manufacturing ingredients other than supply-managed products.Does the government really want to eliminate tariffs on diafiltered milk, which is contrary to the wishes of Quebec, the UPA and the Front commun?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government loves to go on and on about its lofty principles, but its actions say quite the opposite. Consider the example of transparency. The governments boasts about being transparent, but meanwhile it is eliminating transparency rules for first nations and labour unions. We are not the only ones saying so. The parliamentary budget officer said that he is, and I quote, unable to provide completed tables due to the lack of information provided in Budget 2016. Why is the government hiding information from Canadians? Why this lack of transparency?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are going to borrow $30 billion we do not have to invest in what they claim to be infrastructure projects.However, very little of this money will be invested in roads, public transit, or the promises they made during the election campaign. In their latest budget, the Liberals spend this money on other things, on expenses that will become recurring. Canadians are now realizing that they cannot trust this government.How can the Prime Minister explain a $30-billion deficit that he claims is for infrastructure investments, when that is not what he is spending it on? How does he explain that?
Mr. Speaker, the minister should know from his finance department that the median average wage for the Canadian middle class in the past 10 years rose 13% under the Conservative mandate.The minister said that he consulted private-sector economists for predictions to the economy. He did not take their advice. The Liberals promised and advised many times that they would reduce the small business tax. They did not take small business tax advice either.This is the question I have for the minister. Why is he even bothering to consult with small or big business owners in this country when he is not going to take their advice?
Mr. Speaker, I take my ethical responsibilities incredibly seriously. Fundraising, as I said, is an activity that every member of the House engages in. Another reality, in terms of fundraising, is to broadly engage with the public and have discussions. I would never place myself in a conflict of interest, and that is why I proactively engaged with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner prior to attending this event.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring women and their children are free from violence is a priority for this government, and that is why I am working with my colleagues and experts across the country to develop a federal gender-based violence strategy. Shelters are also key to supporting this goal, which is why we announced in our budget that we will create over 3,000 shelter spaces over the next two years ensuring that more women have a safe place to turn in violent situations. By enabling women and girls to live violence-free, we can move closer to gender equality.
Mr. Speaker, on the celebration of Vaisakhi on the Hill, let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy Vaisakhi. I want Canadians to know that small business is implicit throughout the entire budget. When it comes to small business owners, they are middle-class Canadians. The tax cut will benefit not only customers and clients but small business owners themselves. We know very well that the wealthy 1% are most likely not our small business owners. We are here to represent them, but what members opposite need to recognize is that in this country people have views and opinions. This government is listening and is working with the entrepreneurs and the people we represent. We know what small
Mr. Speaker, we were happy to consult with Canadians. We had more than 250,000 people who were touched by our pre-budget consultations. We listened to Canadians across the country, small businesses and big businesses. We have made a real difference for small and medium-sized business by helping middle-class Canadians. We are investing in the future of Canada through a new innovation plan that is going to allow us to grow our economy over the long term. This is what Canada needs at this time, and we are going to make a real difference for future Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, today I made an unprecedented announcement about combatting tax evasion and international tax avoidance. The vast majority of middle-class Canadians pay their fair share of taxes, but some wealthy Canadians are hiding their money in foreign tax havens to avoid paying taxes. That is not fair and it must change.Thanks to our historic $44-million investment, wealthy Canadians will be required to pay their share of taxes.
Mr. Speaker, with that answer it seems that sunny ways are clouding over more and more. It seems like only yesterday that the government released ethical guidelines that state: There should be no preferential access to government...accorded to individuals or organizations because they have made financial contributions to politicians and political parties. Even Conservative Bev Oda, in an ethically challenged government, was caught in the same type of scandal and gave back the contributions. Why will the Minister of Justice not do the same thing?
Mr. Speaker, we were very pleased to roll out an EI platform, the first phase of which is rolling out to Canadian workers benefits that amount to $2.5 billion. Where the additional help was provided was to those people who need it the most.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, now that the dispute between the governments of Quebec and Manitoba and Air Canada is over, we can clarify the Air Canada Public Participation Act. I would also like to add that Air Canada has promised to create two centres of excellence, one in Quebec and the other in Manitoba. That being said, since the issue will be going before the courts, it would not be appropriate for me to say anything more.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will find no argument with me that in fact we need to find a way to restore hope for these communities and particularly for the young people who consider taking their lives.In fact, as the hon. member may know, the budget includes $8.4 billion in funding for indigenous communities. It is these funds that would actually restore hope to communities. When we invest in education, so that these young people will have a standard of education that every Canadian child should have, it will renew hope. When we invest in these communities, so that people will have adequate housing and not be faced with overcrowding, we will find hope.
Mr. Speaker, that is money we already had in our plan. The former government already had a plan for $75 billion. The Liberals promised a lot, but they do not deliver. That will be delivered after 2019. They do not respect what they said in the campaign.Furthermore, they are going to borrow $100 billion over four years. How does this government plan on returning to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, the online activity of Canadian companies has reportedly more than doubled in six years and it generated an estimated $136 billion in 2013. That represents 7% of the gross domestic product and this figure continues to grow.Given the enormous potential that e-commerce represents for small, medium, and large businesses, what government measures and initiatives are in place to support innovation and to help our Canadian companies enter the market?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question and for changing the topic in the House.This is one of the most serious and pressing tragedies that our nation is facing. I am devastated by the situation that is taking place in Attawapiskat. I am working with my colleague the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs to respond to this tragedy.I was in conversation yesterday with National Chief Bellegarde. I spoke today with Chief Shisheesh from Attawapiskat. We now have five new mental health workers in the community. We are responding to both the immediate needs and long-term needs of this community.
Mr. Speaker, on January 18, 2014, the member for Wascana wrote to the Ethics Commissioner, asking that she investigate the former member for Saint Boniface after she attended a political fundraiser. The member for Wascana stated in his letter that Any breach of the Conflict of Interest Code undermines the confidence that Canadians have in our elected representative.... Given the nature of the justice minister's fundraiser this past week, how can the member complain on the one hand and then turn a blind eye to last week's Liberal fundraiser?
Mr. Speaker, the member well knows that members of first nations communities do have access to all the audited statements. If they do not have access, they can get that straight from my office, and those requests are very, very rare. That was the reason we opposed the act, because first nations had not been consulted. We all want accountability. We just cannot do it top-down.
Mr. Speaker, more and more people are opposing the trans-Pacific partnership. Last week, Joseph Stiglitz, winner of the Nobel prize in economics, sounded the alarm for workers. Not only are the Liberals determined to move forward with the agreement, but they are also casting doubt on compensation for the dairy industry. There was not one penny in the last budget for this. When will the Liberals listen to the concerns of workers and stand up for Canadian workers here in Canada and for our dairy producers?
Mr. Speaker, fundraising is an activity that every member of this House engages in. Thankfully, on a federal level there are strict rules in place that determine how fundraising activities occur. We do not take donations from corporations and we do not take donations from unions. In advance, I proactively sought the opinion of the Ethics Commissioner, to whom there was no conflict.
Mr. Speaker, I am extraordinarily proud of that investment to the First Nations Financial Management Board.Every member of the aboriginal affairs committee last year heard the testimony. This is an organization that takes a small amount of money, turns it into a large amount of money, and accesses infrastructure for first nations, coast to coast to coast.This is an excellent investment. Ask any of the members on that side. The member needs to ask her colleagues on the aboriginal affairs committee why they supported that in the report.
Mr. Speaker, although the Prime Minister promised a different kind of government, he has no problem with his Minister of Justice participating in a Liberal Party fundraiser at $500 a plate. However, the ministers' guide, Open and Accountable Government, is very clear: there should be no preferential access to government, or appearance of preferential access, in exchange for political contributions.Can the Prime Minister tell us why he is not able to follow the rules that he, himself, set?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question and for the work she does with small businesses.E-commerce is increasing at an amazing rate. It represents a huge opportunity for Canadian entrepreneurs. One of my constituents in Waterloo runs her own business making custom jewellery. Do members know where her best customers are? They are in California and Florida. Why is that? It is because with e-commerce the entire world is the marketplace. That is why our government has committed $500 million to expand and improve broadband services in rural and remote areas, because Canadians' entrepreneurial spirit should not be limited by where they live.
Mr. Speaker, I did attend a fundraising event. In advance, I cleared it with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and complied with all federal rules with respect to fundraising.The purpose of the discussion, the primary discussion that occurred at that event, was about Canada. It was about how far we have come as a country wherein we embrace diversity, ensure that all voices are heard, and recognize that in a country such as Canada, the justice minister can be an aboriginal person and also be a woman. That is what this country is about.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have a right to be outraged. Our government recognizes that international tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance are critical issues. We are taking meaningful action. The government has allocated more than $444 million to the CRA, to combat tax evasion and tax havens.
Mr. Speaker, once again I rise in the House to question the justice minister on her lack of judgment. Last week, the justice minister and her ministerial policy adviser attended a pay-for-access fundraiser with Bay Street elite lawyers. While leaving the event, the minister stated she was attending the event as a regular MP, policy adviser in tow.Does the justice minister really expect Canadians to believe that high-priced Ontario lawyers paid $500 a plate to meet with the member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be able to talk about taxes in our budget. We started on January 1 by reducing taxes on nine million Canadians. We moved forward with our Canada child benefit, which gives more money to nine out of 10 families with childrenon average $2,300 more.We are in a situation where we are helping people who have not had the help they have needed over the last generation. We are improving the lot of middle-class Canadians, and we are going to grow the economy, so for the future their children and their grandchildren will be in a better position.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud that there are a number of economists who have identified the fact that we are identifying a 2% increase in unemployment in a sustained and sharp way actually identifies the areas that need direct attention. We are monitoring the situation from coast to coast to coast, and will continue to do so as the situation progresses.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his concern for the well-being of our troops. I can assure the member that our troops in Iraq have full air support when needed. In fact, we have done a thorough assessment. I talk to the chief of the defence staff on a regular basis about the security situation, and we have taken all the measures necessary and have given freedom of actions to take any future necessary precautions for the protection of our troops.
Mr. Speaker, like Mr. Lim's family and friends, the Government of Canada is concerned about his rights and his well-being. We continue to work for his release. I have met in the past with members of his family and members of the community. We continue to be engaged on this file. Our officials are providing consular services to him and his family, and we will not stop until Mr. Lim is released.
Mr. Speaker, the overall situation for the oil and gas sector, and more broadly the resource sector, has been very tough. In fact, certain areas of Canada have seen enormous and rapid increased unemployment. A target of 2% very rapidly and sustained was identified. When we used that screen on every region of Canada, 12 regions met that target. We continue to monitor the situation across Canada, and are very proud to be rolling out 2.5 billion dollars' worth of benefits to help those regions and every other Canadian.
Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 was an historic budget. It helps people across this country.It certainly helps people in Quebec, like it helps people across this country, with changes in their taxes, with changes in the way we give the Canada child benefit. It will make a real difference for people in that province, as it will across the country, through investments in infrastructure and in the long-term growth of our economy.We are confident that people in Quebec and across the country will have a better future as a result of these investments.
Mr. Speaker, that is hardly the situation. In fact, every Canadian is improved by the changes that we have made to EI. It has helped every region in this country, including those who were specifically hit by the oil and gas price reduction. In fact, those companies that are servicing the oil and gas sector will be benefiting by doubling the amount of work-share weeks, increasing the opportunities for small business and workers in regions that were impacted.
Mr. Speaker, none of the money the hon. member is talking about has been invested in the Canadian economy for the last two years. We will invest that money immediately, as well as $10 billion more on top of the Building Canada fund. We are committed to supporting municipalities in building the critical infrastructure that is necessary to grow the economy. We will do that with additional money and we will do it by expediting the money that should have been invested in 2014 and 2015.
Mr. Speaker, the NDP condemned the TPP without even reading it. That is not how we are doing it. We promised during the campaign to consult, and that is what we are doing. Joe Stiglitz is a friend of mine, as he said in his interviews, and I talk to him often. I spoke to him last week about the TPP. However, I would like to urge the hon. member to talk to her own NDP colleagues; for example, Jen Anthony, an NDP delegate at the convention on Sunday, who said, cattle producers are significant benefactors of this deal. It allows for a better open market
Mr. Speaker, last week, the minister attended a pay-to-play fundraiser in which attendees were invited to pay in return for access to the minister. The Minister of Justice has a duty not only to be independent but to be perceived as independent, which the minister has clearly compromised.Will the minister do the right thing, stand up, apologize, and return the pay-to-play cash?
Mr. Speaker, we are very aware of issues with enforcement of our rules surrounding supply management.As my colleague, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, has already said, we support supply management and we do so with our trade policy. We are reviewing these rules right now and working very hard on it.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of budget 2016 for many reasons, but one of the most important reasons is what it will do for our economy and how much it will help small and medium-sized businesses. We are helping the Canadian middle class by improving their situation. That is going to improve every single consumer of small and medium-sized businesses in this country. We are going to grow the economy, and that is going to make business in Canada much more successful in the future.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of what we have put in the budget. It is open. It is transparent. We are talking here about how much we will grow the economy. That is the debate. We are confident that our measures to help Canadians today, with tax cuts and benefit changes, and our measures for the future, with infrastructure expenditures and the new innovation plan, will make a real difference over the long term, allowing us to grow the economy. We are happy to have the debate on exactly how much it will grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, the safety and well-being of the Azer family continues to be a priority of this government. As I have done before, the Minister of Foreign Affairs would be happy to meet with Ms. Azer to continue collaboration in the pursuit of the safe return of her children to Canada. Canadian consular officials and law enforcement agencies continue to work domestically and internationally with the relevant agencies to make sure that we return the kids home safely.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's question and concern. I think my hon. colleague is fully aware that, as a government, we support supply management, and this government fully understands the importance of compensation to the supply management sector.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud to invest $120 billion over the next 10 years to build and rebuild the Canadian economy. Out of that $120 billion, $10 billion will be invested in the first two years in transit, in social infrastructure, in building roads and bridges and supporting communities throughout the country regardless of their size. This is the investment that will help us grow the economy, make our economy more productive, and build communities that are strong, sustainable, and inclusive for all Canadians to live in.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek the unanimous consent of the House to table the following documents, in both official languages. They deal with ministerial conduct, and I would be happy to read it out. It states, Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries must act with honesty and must uphold the highest ethical standards...
Mr. Speaker, to the member's question, I attended this fundraising event as all members of Parliament attend fundraising events. I was accompanied, on a voluntary basis, by my policy adviser. She paid her own way, having been a long-standing resident of the Toronto area. The subject matter of which I spoke in terms of the fundraising or what we talked about was Canadian politics, being involved in politics, and ensuring that everybody has the ability to have their voices heard, which is what I talked about.
Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 provides $20 million to the First Nations Finance Authority, the same organization that the Minister of Justice chaired, the same organization that the Minister of Justice's husband lobbies for. There is a clear conflict of interest here.The Prime Minister states that his ministers must uphold the highest ethical standards and the impartiality of government is to be maintained and enhanced.Does $20 million to an organization so intertwined with the Minister of Justice and her husband seem impartial?
Mr. Speaker, there have long been post-employment restrictions at the Canada Revenue Agency for executives who leave the organization. In March 2014, the post-employment restrictions were extended to all employees who leave the Canada Revenue Agency. It would be inappropriate to comment on a specific case for reasons of privacy. Hon. members can rest assured that we are following this situation at the CRA very closely.
Mr. Speaker, last month we celebrated International Women's Day. Although that important day has passed, we must remain vigilant and remember that women and children across Canada are disproportionately affected by domestic violence.Could the hon. Minister of Status of Women please advise the House of the steps her department is taking to ensure that women and their children fleeing intimate partner violence are able to find shelters and other services to help them rebuild their lives?
Mr. Speaker, the minister is restoring the confidence in environmental assessments in ensuring that decisions are based on the best available scientific evidence. As the hon. member knows, this is under active consideration. The minister had asked for an extension to consider alternative sites. We are going through that process, but everyone can rest assured the decision will be based on science and data. We will make those decisions in a responsible and sound environmental manner.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Fundy Royal for her question and her relentless work in supporting this region. I would also like to thank the member for her great work with the provincial government in announcing new investments in Sussex community.This $350,000 investment will support three great New Brunswick companies. These investments through ACOA will help businesses expand, hire more people, and purchase equipment. It is not simply about growing these great companies, it is about growing this great region.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of budget 2016. We have been open and transparent with Canadians. We introduced measures that are easy to understand.We also know that the PBO leads an important institution. We received a letter from him on April 1, and over the week that followed, we provided all necessary information to the PBO for his office to understand our budget.
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Mr. Speaker, rural areas across the country, like my riding of Fundy Royal, often rely on traditional industry such as forestry, fisheries, and agriculture to power the economy. In today's global economy it is vital that these traditional industries become more efficient and develop new markets in order to grow. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development inform the House of initiatives being undertaken to help traditional industries prepare for the future?
Mr. Speaker, the promotion and protection of human rights, including freedom of religion, belief and conscience, is an integral part of Canada's constructive engagement in the world. Global Affairs is continuing this important work and its professionals are working hard on a transition to a comprehensive vision on human rights, including religious freedom of course. Dr. Bennett and our staff are working together. As a multicultural and multi-faith society, Canada is well positioned to champion peaceful pluralism, respect for diversity, and all human rights.
Mr. Speaker, I attended this event as a member of Parliament, as all members of Parliament do. My policy adviser attended as a volunteer, paid her own way, and she lives in and has
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Mr. Speaker, what on earth will it take for the Liberals to stop backing the TPP? Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz calls it the worst trade deal ever. He warns it will erode workers' rights, kill Canadian jobs, and reverse the principle of polluter pays, making governments pay billions for any attempt to protect the environment. Can the minister confirm that Stiglitz explained to her the serious problems with the TPP, and will she tell the House which part she did not understand?
Mr. Speaker, that is hardly the situation. In fact, every Canadian is improved by the changes that we have made to EI. It has helped every region in this country, including those who were specifically hit by the oil and gas price reduction. In fact, those companies that are servicing the oil and gas sector will be benefiting by doubling the amount of work-share weeks, increasing the opportunities for small business and workers in regions that were impacted.
Mr. Speaker, I understand a Canadian delegation met in recent days with the Reverend Hyeon Soo Lim, who remains in prison, forced to a life sentence of hard labour in North Korea. That is just outrageous. Reports indicate that his condition is deteriorating and that time is growing short for him.My question is simple. What are the Liberals doing to bring Reverend Lim home to his family and to his congregation?
Mr. Speaker, the feigned indignation in front is a little rich.We have indicated at all times that the Liberal Party raises money in accordance with the provisions of the Canada Elections Act. As I have said on previous occasions, nobody on this side of the House has gone to prison for illegal fundraising, and that is something they are having trouble saying over there.
Mr. Speaker, like Mr. Lim's family and friends, the Government of Canada is concerned about his rights and his well-being. We continue to work for his release. I have met in the past with members of his family and members of the community. We continue to be engaged on this file. Our officials are providing consular services to him and his family, and we will not stop until Mr. Lim is released.
Mr. Speaker, small business owners are hard-working, middle-class Canadians, but the Liberals have betrayed them. The Liberal promise to cut taxes for small businesses has vanished into thin air.Why is the government breaking its promise and hanging Canadian small business owners out to dry?
Mr. Speaker, people are outraged about the Panama papers. Multinational companies and people with connections are taking advantage of laws that were made for them, in order to shirk their responsibilities. The minister announced new measures, but there is no word on her former executive who jumped ship to go work for KPMG, at the same time that the firm was being investigated by the CRA. What a joke. Why does the minister keep defending the secret agreement for cheats?
Mr. Speaker, seasonal workers are on the verge of falling into the infamous black hole, a period of no employment insurance benefits. However, there is nothing for these workers in the budget.We have sick people waiting in hospital hallways and students going into debt to learn, but this budget abandons them as well, since it does not contain any transfer increases. The same goes for leading-edge businesses in Quebec: the budget offers nothing for them. In spite of all these omissions, the government is predicting a $29-billion deficit.Does the government realize that all Canadians, and especially those who need help, are paying for its lax attitude towards tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, shrimp season has just opened in Newfoundland. Today we have heard that the Quinlan Brothers processing plant, which employs about 700 people, has suffered a devastating fire. This disaster will impact not only the community and local plant workers but also the fishermen who land their catch at Bay de Verde. Are the Liberals going to immediately move to give special EI access to these affected workers?
Mr. Speaker, obviously, we are devastated by the news that there has been this horrible fire in Newfoundland, and we continue to monitor the situation. There are workers who will be out of work. We are hoping that we are able to assist them in finding other opportunities in the region.
Mr. Speaker, on January 18, 2014, the member for Wascana wrote to the Ethics Commissioner, asking that she investigate the former member for Saint Boniface after she attended a political fundraiser. The member for Wascana stated in his letter that Any breach of the Conflict of Interest Code undermines the confidence that Canadians have in our elected representative.... Given the nature of the justice minister's fundraiser this past week, how can the member complain on the one hand and then turn a blind eye to last week's Liberal fundraiser?
Mr. Speaker, Alison Azer's four children were kidnapped and are now thought to be in Mahabad, Iran. She has been in touch with the RCMP but is extremely frustrated with the lack of response from the government. She is worried that her daughters may be subjected to female genital mutilation and that her older son may be sent to a madrassa.We understand, based upon communications between our offices, that the Minister of Foreign Affairs is open to a meeting.Would the minister confirm today that he will meet with Mrs. Azer?
Mr. Speaker, the clouds are looking darker and darker on the other side.The Panama papers gave us a glimpse into the troubling world of tax havens, and new reports raise questions about the Canada Revenue Agency's failure to act.A senior CRA employee crossed the floor to work for KPMG while the company was under investigation for setting up a tax sham. Why does the minister continue to defend the secret sweetheart deal for wealthy KPMG clients? How can Canadians take them seriously?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government loves to go on and on about its lofty principles, but its actions say quite the opposite. Consider the example of transparency. The governments boasts about being transparent, but meanwhile it is eliminating transparency rules for first nations and labour unions. We are not the only ones saying so. The parliamentary budget officer said that he is, and I quote, unable to provide completed tables due to the lack of information provided in Budget 2016. Why is the government hiding information from Canadians? Why this lack of transparency?
Mr. Speaker, let us go from Bay Street to Attawapiskat. The chief of Attawapiskat was once again forced to declare a state of emergency on Saturday, following a rash of suicide attempts by young people in his community. While the Prime Minister talks about how saddened he is by the situation, the fact is that it is getting worse and nothing is being done about it. The government refused to conduct an inquiry, and requests for mental heath services are often denied. The government is turning its back on young people.When will the government take action and put an end to this tragedy?
Mr. Speaker, the government says that we are in a recession, but the evidence from Statistics Canada is that we are not. The government says it is going to be financially transparent, but the evidence from the Parliamentary Budget Officer is that it is not.The government says it is the saviour of the middle class, but the evidence from Finance Canada, which was just forced out of it by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, is that the Liberals plan on slashing this help to the middle class by 75% by 2021.Let us just cut to the chase here, since we know where this is going. Can the Minister of Finance tell us today which taxes he is actually going to raise on us?
Mr. Speaker, the minister forgot some things, because in his budget he inflated the figures, to say the least. With respect to job creation, it says in the budget that 146,000 new jobs will be preserved. The parliamentary budget officer said that is not the case. On the contrary, we are talking about a much smaller number, namely 86,000 jobs. Furthermore, the PBO concluded that the forecasts for the private sector are excessive and that this budget, as tabled, makes parliamentarians' work more difficult.Why did the government fudge the numbers? Why is the government refusing to tell Canadians the truth?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are spending $30 billion of borrowed money, but not a dime of it is going to small businesses. It is not a question anymore of delaying their promise to cut taxes for small businesses; now they have admitted they do not even have a timeline for it.Is the Prime Minister ignoring small businesses because he still thinks, as he did in the election, that they are actually just ways for wealthy Canadians to cheat on taxes?
Mr. Speaker, Burma's Rohingya Muslims are heavily persecuted, but the minister was just in Burma and did not even mention the Rohingyas. When the government killed the office of religious freedom, it said it was just about doing the same work a different way. Well, so much for that, because the office is gone. The projects have stopped, including projects in Burma. No replacement has even been announced, and there is no money in the budget for international human rights.Are all these changes coincidental, or is turning away from human rights the price to buy votes from dictators at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, I take my ethical responsibilities incredibly seriously. Fundraising, as I said, is an activity that every member of the House engages in. Another reality, in terms of fundraising, is to broadly engage with the public and have discussions. I would never place myself in a conflict of interest, and that is why I proactively engaged with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner prior to attending this event.
Mr. Speaker, the minister should know from his finance department that the median average wage for the Canadian middle class in the past 10 years rose 13% under the Conservative mandate.The minister said that he consulted private-sector economists for predictions to the economy. He did not take their advice. The Liberals promised and advised many times that they would reduce the small business tax. They did not take small business tax advice either.This is the question I have for the minister. Why is he even bothering to consult with small or big business owners in this country when he is not going to take their advice?
Mr. Speaker, that is money we already had in our plan. The former government already had a plan for $75 billion. The Liberals promised a lot, but they do not deliver. That will be delivered after 2019. They do not respect what they said in the campaign.Furthermore, they are going to borrow $100 billion over four years. How does this government plan on returning to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, fundraising is an activity that every member of this House engages in. Thankfully, on a federal level there are strict rules in place that determine how fundraising activities occur. We do not take donations from corporations and we do not take donations from unions. In advance, I proactively sought the opinion of the Ethics Commissioner, to whom there was no conflict.
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious from the budget that the Prime Minister did not teach geography. He has no idea where the oil and gas industry in Saskatchewan is actually located. EI benefits will only be extended in Saskatoon and northern Saskatchewan, which is nowhere near the oil patch in the southeast. The Prime Minister then insulted us by telling us that we should be thankful they have not been hit harder. Why are these Liberals discriminating against Canadians who have lost their jobs in the energy sector in southeast Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals refuse to say that we are at war with ISIS, but according to the chief of the defence staff, the risk to the lives of our troops on the ground in Iraq has gone up. How can Canadian casualties increase if we are not at war?Will the defence minister join our allies and finally say that Canada is at war against the jihadi genocidal death cult called ISIS?
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Mr. Speaker, Ontario Power Generation wants to dump abandoned radioactive nuclear waste next to the Great Lakes. It cannot say that this waste will not leak, nor has it considered any other options. Burying nuclear waste has a 100% failure rate. The last set of nuclear waste that was buried actually caught on fire.This madness has to stop and at the risk of the health and safety of future generations, including my daughter and many other youth who are visiting Ottawa today, we need to say no. This is on the minister's desk right now. Will the minister stop the plan to dump nuclear waste down a hole, walk away and leave it for future generations?
Mr. Speaker, the government is leaving western Canadians who are unemployed behind. Instead of helping everyone, the Liberals are picking winners and losers.Last week, Statistics Canada pointed out that unemployment in Edmonton increased 34% over the last year. In southern Saskatchewan, it has gone up by 40% in the last year. However, according to the Prime Minister, unemployed Canadians living in Edmonton and southern Saskatchewan should be pleased that they are not getting help from the government.Will the Liberals reverse this discriminatory policy and extend EI benefits to all workers, including those in the west who need it?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the UPA and the Government of Quebec both called on the federal government to regulate imports of diafiltered milk. This morning, a central-Quebec-based group of agri-food advocates known as the Front commun de la filière agroalimentaire weighed in.On page 127 of the budget, the government talks about eliminating tariffs on food manufacturing ingredients other than supply-managed products.Does the government really want to eliminate tariffs on diafiltered milk, which is contrary to the wishes of Quebec, the UPA and the Front commun?
Mr. Speaker, my friend opposite is obviously struggling with a very basic concept. The Liberal Party raises money in accordance with all the rules under the Canada Elections Act. In this case my colleague, Minister of Justice, proactively reached out to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to discuss this particular event, and she indicated that it was appropriate.That is the ethical standard that this government has raised from the previous government that was before us.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are going to borrow $30 billion we do not have to invest in what they claim to be infrastructure projects.However, very little of this money will be invested in roads, public transit, or the promises they made during the election campaign. In their latest budget, the Liberals spend this money on other things, on expenses that will become recurring. Canadians are now realizing that they cannot trust this government.How can the Prime Minister explain a $30-billion deficit that he claims is for infrastructure investments, when that is not what he is spending it on? How does he explain that?
Mr. Speaker, there have long been post-employment restrictions at the Canada Revenue Agency for executives who leave the organization. In March 2014, the post-employment restrictions were extended to all employees who leave the Canada Revenue Agency. It would be inappropriate to comment on a specific case for reasons of privacy. Hon. members can rest assured that we are following this situation at the CRA very closely.
Mr. Speaker, the promotion and protection of human rights, including freedom of religion, belief and conscience, is an integral part of Canada's constructive engagement in the world. Global Affairs is continuing this important work and its professionals are working hard on a transition to a comprehensive vision on human rights, including religious freedom of course. Dr. Bennett and our staff are working together. As a multicultural and multi-faith society, Canada is well positioned to champion peaceful pluralism, respect for diversity, and all human rights.
Mr. Speaker, in attending this fundraising event, the minister broke the Prime Minister's code of open and accountable government and the minister crossed the line by putting herself in a conflict of interest. In order to clear the stench from this sordid Liberal fundraising affair, will the minister release the list of attendees? If not, what does the minister have to hide?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question and for changing the topic in the House.This is one of the most serious and pressing tragedies that our nation is facing. I am devastated by the situation that is taking place in Attawapiskat. I am working with my colleague the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs to respond to this tragedy.I was in conversation yesterday with National Chief Bellegarde. I spoke today with Chief Shisheesh from Attawapiskat. We now have five new mental health workers in the community. We are responding to both the immediate needs and long-term needs of this community.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the minister attended a pay-to-play fundraiser in which attendees were invited to pay in return for access to the minister. The Minister of Justice has a duty not only to be independent but to be perceived as independent, which the minister has clearly compromised.Will the minister do the right thing, stand up, apologize, and return the pay-to-play cash?
Mr. Speaker, the online activity of Canadian companies has reportedly more than doubled in six years and it generated an estimated $136 billion in 2013. That represents 7% of the gross domestic product and this figure continues to grow.Given the enormous potential that e-commerce represents for small, medium, and large businesses, what government measures and initiatives are in place to support innovation and to help our Canadian companies enter the market?
Mr. Speaker, once again I rise in the House to question the justice minister on her lack of judgment. Last week, the justice minister and her ministerial policy adviser attended a pay-for-access fundraiser with Bay Street elite lawyers. While leaving the event, the minister stated she was attending the event as a regular MP, policy adviser in tow.Does the justice minister really expect Canadians to believe that high-priced Ontario lawyers paid $500 a plate to meet with the member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have a right to be outraged. Our government recognizes that international tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance are critical issues. We are taking meaningful action. The government has allocated more than $444 million to the CRA, to combat tax evasion and tax havens.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his concern for the well-being of our troops. I can assure the member that our troops in Iraq have full air support when needed. In fact, we have done a thorough assessment. I talk to the chief of the defence staff on a regular basis about the security situation, and we have taken all the measures necessary and have given freedom of actions to take any future necessary precautions for the protection of our troops.
Mr. Speaker, we are very aware of issues with enforcement of our rules surrounding supply management.As my colleague, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, has already said, we support supply management and we do so with our trade policy. We are reviewing these rules right now and working very hard on it.
Mr. Speaker, although the Prime Minister promised a different kind of government, he has no problem with his Minister of Justice participating in a Liberal Party fundraiser at $500 a plate. However, the ministers' guide, Open and Accountable Government, is very clear: there should be no preferential access to government, or appearance of preferential access, in exchange for political contributions.Can the Prime Minister tell us why he is not able to follow the rules that he, himself, set?
Mr. Speaker, on the celebration of Vaisakhi on the Hill, let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy Vaisakhi. I want Canadians to know that small business is implicit throughout the entire budget. When it comes to small business owners, they are middle-class Canadians. The tax cut will benefit not only customers and clients but small business owners themselves. We know very well that the wealthy 1% are most likely not our small business owners. We are here to represent them, but what members opposite need to recognize is that in this country people have views and opinions. This government is listening and is working with the entrepreneurs and the people we represent. We know what small
Mr. Speaker, rural areas across the country, like my riding of Fundy Royal, often rely on traditional industry such as forestry, fisheries, and agriculture to power the economy. In today's global economy it is vital that these traditional industries become more efficient and develop new markets in order to grow. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development inform the House of initiatives being undertaken to help traditional industries prepare for the future?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member can keep talking in terms of the definitions of war, but our fight against ISIL does not change in any way. We will take every action with our coalition partners to defeat Daesh, and we are not going to give ISIL legitimacy by calling them a state, by calling this a war.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue just announced that 100 investigators would be hired to identify tax fraud. That is all well and good, but the problem is that it is essentially legal to use tax havens, since Liberal and Conservative governments drafted the tax rules specifically to allow profiteers to repatriate their profits without paying anything here.Instead of announcing symbolic measures, will this government commit to seriously crack down on tax havens by abolishing the regulatory framework that helps them, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 provides $20 million to the First Nations Finance Authority, the same organization that the Minister of Justice chaired, the same organization that the Minister of Justice's husband lobbies for. There is a clear conflict of interest here.The Prime Minister states that his ministers must uphold the highest ethical standards and the impartiality of government is to be maintained and enhanced.Does $20 million to an organization so intertwined with the Minister of Justice and her husband seem impartial?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals want to create a two-tiered employment insurance system that excludes Quebec. They are abandoning the SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean region, which lost 7,000 jobs in the past year. They are abandoning struggling seasonal workers in the Gaspé. They are abandoning Montreal, the unemployment capital of Canada. To top it all off, the Liberals want to make it legal to lay off 2,600 Air Canada workers, workers they supported before they took office. That is what we call betrayal. Are the Liberals not ashamed of themselves?Why did the minister flip-flop and why is he now turning his back on these 2,600 families?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will find no argument with me that in fact we need to find a way to restore hope for these communities and particularly for the young people who consider taking their lives.In fact, as the hon. member may know, the budget includes $8.4 billion in funding for indigenous communities. It is these funds that would actually restore hope to communities. When we invest in education, so that these young people will have a standard of education that every Canadian child should have, it will renew hope. When we invest in these communities, so that people will have adequate housing and not be faced with overcrowding, we will find hope.
Mr. Speaker, we were happy to consult with Canadians. We had more than 250,000 people who were touched by our pre-budget consultations. We listened to Canadians across the country, small businesses and big businesses. We have made a real difference for small and medium-sized business by helping middle-class Canadians. We are investing in the future of Canada through a new innovation plan that is going to allow us to grow our economy over the long term. This is what Canada needs at this time, and we are going to make a real difference for future Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring women and their children are free from violence is a priority for this government, and that is why I am working with my colleagues and experts across the country to develop a federal gender-based violence strategy. Shelters are also key to supporting this goal, which is why we announced in our budget that we will create over 3,000 shelter spaces over the next two years ensuring that more women have a safe place to turn in violent situations. By enabling women and girls to live violence-free, we can move closer to gender equality.
Mr. Speaker, with that answer it seems that sunny ways are clouding over more and more. It seems like only yesterday that the government released ethical guidelines that state: There should be no preferential access to government...accorded to individuals or organizations because they have made financial contributions to politicians and political parties. Even Conservative Bev Oda, in an ethically challenged government, was caught in the same type of scandal and gave back the contributions. Why will the Minister of Justice not do the same thing?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Justice said she went to Toronto to attend a fundraising activity simply as the member for Vancouver-Granville. The minister would therefore have us believe that the people she met at this cocktail party in Toronto wanted to talk to her about matters that are important to her riding in Vancouver. Let us be real. If I go to Toronto, no one is going to talk to me about what is going on in LévisLotbinière.Will the minister stop taking us for fools and admit that she was there as the Minister of Justice?
Mr. Speaker, the overall situation for the oil and gas sector, and more broadly the resource sector, has been very tough. In fact, certain areas of Canada have seen enormous and rapid increased unemployment. A target of 2% very rapidly and sustained was identified. When we used that screen on every region of Canada, 12 regions met that target. We continue to monitor the situation across Canada, and are very proud to be rolling out 2.5 billion dollars' worth of benefits to help those regions and every other Canadian.
Mr. Speaker, last month we celebrated International Women's Day. Although that important day has passed, we must remain vigilant and remember that women and children across Canada are disproportionately affected by domestic violence.Could the hon. Minister of Status of Women please advise the House of the steps her department is taking to ensure that women and their children fleeing intimate partner violence are able to find shelters and other services to help them rebuild their lives?
Mr. Speaker, I did attend a fundraising event. In advance, I cleared it with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and complied with all federal rules with respect to fundraising.The purpose of the discussion, the primary discussion that occurred at that event, was about Canada. It was about how far we have come as a country wherein we embrace diversity, ensure that all voices are heard, and recognize that in a country such as Canada, the justice minister can be an aboriginal person and also be a woman. That is what this country is about.
Mr. Speaker, the people of southern Saskatchewan are more than just a cold-hearted formula. The minister's budget speech was full of flowery imagery, where the sun shines, the wind blows, and the unicorns roam happy and free, but the touchy-feely words and Care Bear stares will not create jobs. Instead, the Liberals are making the employment problem worse by blocking private sector solutions, like northern gateway and energy east. The Liberals are only treating the symptoms with their EI changes, and they cannot even do that fairly.Will the minister show some compassion and abandon this cold-hearted formula that punishes southern Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, last week, General Jonathan Vance said the battle against ISIS has no end in sight. He went on to say Canadians should prepare for more Canadian Armed Forces casualties with the expansion of the mission on the ground in Iraq. Our troops are facing increased risk, and because of the Liberals, they do not have Canadian air support. Will the Minister of National Defence admit that prematurely pulling out our CF-18s was a mistake?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud that there are a number of economists who have identified the fact that we are identifying a 2% increase in unemployment in a sustained and sharp way actually identifies the areas that need direct attention. We are monitoring the situation from coast to coast to coast, and will continue to do so as the situation progresses.
Mr. Speaker, more and more people are opposing the trans-Pacific partnership. Last week, Joseph Stiglitz, winner of the Nobel prize in economics, sounded the alarm for workers. Not only are the Liberals determined to move forward with the agreement, but they are also casting doubt on compensation for the dairy industry. There was not one penny in the last budget for this. When will the Liberals listen to the concerns of workers and stand up for Canadian workers here in Canada and for our dairy producers?
Mr. Speaker, today I made an unprecedented announcement about combatting tax evasion and international tax avoidance. The vast majority of middle-class Canadians pay their fair share of taxes, but some wealthy Canadians are hiding their money in foreign tax havens to avoid paying taxes. That is not fair and it must change.Thanks to our historic $44-million investment, wealthy Canadians will be required to pay their share of taxes.
Mr. Speaker, none of the money the hon. member is talking about has been invested in the Canadian economy for the last two years. We will invest that money immediately, as well as $10 billion more on top of the Building Canada fund. We are committed to supporting municipalities in building the critical infrastructure that is necessary to grow the economy. We will do that with additional money and we will do it by expediting the money that should have been invested in 2014 and 2015.
Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, our primary responsibility is to make sure children in this country have hope, and we are failing them. I want to thank the minister for her positive words on Attawapiskat, but as the community said to me this morning, it should not take a state of emergency to get mental health workers to fly into a region that has had 700-plus suicide attempts.There is no money in the budget for mental health services for indigenous children. I have this question for the minister. What is it going to take to end this cycle of crisis and death among young people? What are the concrete steps for the long term that the Liberals are going to put on the ground, not just in Attawapiskat but in all the indigenous communities of this country?
Mr. Speaker, to the member's question, I attended this fundraising event as all members of Parliament attend fundraising events. I was accompanied, on a voluntary basis, by my policy adviser. She paid her own way, having been a long-standing resident of the Toronto area. The subject matter of which I spoke in terms of the fundraising or what we talked about was Canadian politics, being involved in politics, and ensuring that everybody has the ability to have their voices heard, which is what I talked about.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, now that the dispute between the governments of Quebec and Manitoba and Air Canada is over, we can clarify the Air Canada Public Participation Act. I would also like to add that Air Canada has promised to create two centres of excellence, one in Quebec and the other in Manitoba. That being said, since the issue will be going before the courts, it would not be appropriate for me to say anything more.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question and for the work she does with small businesses.E-commerce is increasing at an amazing rate. It represents a huge opportunity for Canadian entrepreneurs. One of my constituents in Waterloo runs her own business making custom jewellery. Do members know where her best customers are? They are in California and Florida. Why is that? It is because with e-commerce the entire world is the marketplace. That is why our government has committed $500 million to expand and improve broadband services in rural and remote areas, because Canadians' entrepreneurial spirit should not be limited by where they live.
Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 was an historic budget. It helps people across this country.It certainly helps people in Quebec, like it helps people across this country, with changes in their taxes, with changes in the way we give the Canada child benefit. It will make a real difference for people in that province, as it will across the country, through investments in infrastructure and in the long-term growth of our economy.We are confident that people in Quebec and across the country will have a better future as a result of these investments.
Mr. Speaker, we are hearing from band members across this country who want to know that the Prime Minister's $8.4 billion in the budget is going to have a real meaningful impact on their lives. We are also hearing that they are very concerned about the gutting of the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. When the Liberals refuse to allow first nations to access spending information on reserves, it does impact their lives. Why will the Liberals not allow first nations community members to have the same access to information of all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's question and concern. I think my hon. colleague is fully aware that, as a government, we support supply management, and this government fully understands the importance of compensation to the supply management sector.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister flippantly said that Albertans should be pleased that they have not been hit harder. More than 100,000 energy workers have lost their jobs. Alberta's unemployment is almost unprecedented. In fact, it was only higher when his dad was PM.Energy drives Bruderheim's economy. People are not pleased. They cannot even get the Liberals to extend EI benefits now when they need it most, but they really just want jobs. They have contributed so much to all of Canada. Why is the government ignoring these hard-hit Albertans?
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have nothing to hide.The member knows full well that all of those donations are disclosed, according to law, every quarter. The member can spend the whole evening searching the Internet. Here is good news: it is coming to a computer near him.While he is up asking questions, perhaps he should ask his colleague from Red Deer about fundraising activities when Senator Duffy went to his riding and, in fact, even threatened litigation with the riding association over that event.
Mr. Speaker, the member well knows that members of first nations communities do have access to all the audited statements. If they do not have access, they can get that straight from my office, and those requests are very, very rare. That was the reason we opposed the act, because first nations had not been consulted. We all want accountability. We just cannot do it top-down.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of budget 2016 for many reasons, but one of the most important reasons is what it will do for our economy and how much it will help small and medium-sized businesses. We are helping the Canadian middle class by improving their situation. That is going to improve every single consumer of small and medium-sized businesses in this country. We are going to grow the economy, and that is going to make business in Canada much more successful in the future.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of what we have put in the budget. It is open. It is transparent. We are talking here about how much we will grow the economy. That is the debate. We are confident that our measures to help Canadians today, with tax cuts and benefit changes, and our measures for the future, with infrastructure expenditures and the new innovation plan, will make a real difference over the long term, allowing us to grow the economy. We are happy to have the debate on exactly how much it will grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, I am extraordinarily proud of that investment to the First Nations Financial Management Board.Every member of the aboriginal affairs committee last year heard the testimony. This is an organization that takes a small amount of money, turns it into a large amount of money, and accesses infrastructure for first nations, coast to coast to coast.This is an excellent investment. Ask any of the members on that side. The member needs to ask her colleagues on the aboriginal affairs committee why they supported that in the report.
Mr. Speaker, the NDP condemned the TPP without even reading it. That is not how we are doing it. We promised during the campaign to consult, and that is what we are doing. Joe Stiglitz is a friend of mine, as he said in his interviews, and I talk to him often. I spoke to him last week about the TPP. However, I would like to urge the hon. member to talk to her own NDP colleagues; for example, Jen Anthony, an NDP delegate at the convention on Sunday, who said, cattle producers are significant benefactors of this deal. It allows for a better open market
Mr. Speaker, we are proud to invest $120 billion over the next 10 years to build and rebuild the Canadian economy. Out of that $120 billion, $10 billion will be invested in the first two years in transit, in social infrastructure, in building roads and bridges and supporting communities throughout the country regardless of their size. This is the investment that will help us grow the economy, make our economy more productive, and build communities that are strong, sustainable, and inclusive for all Canadians to live in.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be able to talk about taxes in our budget. We started on January 1 by reducing taxes on nine million Canadians. We moved forward with our Canada child benefit, which gives more money to nine out of 10 families with childrenon average $2,300 more.We are in a situation where we are helping people who have not had the help they have needed over the last generation. We are improving the lot of middle-class Canadians, and we are going to grow the economy, so for the future their children and their grandchildren will be in a better position.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek the unanimous consent of the House to table the following documents, in both official languages. They deal with ministerial conduct, and I would be happy to read it out. It states, Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries must act with honesty and must uphold the highest ethical standards...
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of budget 2016. We have been open and transparent with Canadians. We introduced measures that are easy to understand.We also know that the PBO leads an important institution. We received a letter from him on April 1, and over the week that followed, we provided all necessary information to the PBO for his office to understand our budget.
Mr. Speaker, the safety and well-being of the Azer family continues to be a priority of this government. As I have done before, the Minister of Foreign Affairs would be happy to meet with Ms. Azer to continue collaboration in the pursuit of the safe return of her children to Canada. Canadian consular officials and law enforcement agencies continue to work domestically and internationally with the relevant agencies to make sure that we return the kids home safely.
Mr. Speaker, the minister is restoring the confidence in environmental assessments in ensuring that decisions are based on the best available scientific evidence. As the hon. member knows, this is under active consideration. The minister had asked for an extension to consider alternative sites. We are going through that process, but everyone can rest assured the decision will be based on science and data. We will make those decisions in a responsible and sound environmental manner.
Mr. Speaker, we were very pleased to roll out an EI platform, the first phase of which is rolling out to Canadian workers benefits that amount to $2.5 billion. Where the additional help was provided was to those people who need it the most.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Fundy Royal for her question and her relentless work in supporting this region. I would also like to thank the member for her great work with the provincial government in announcing new investments in Sussex community.This $350,000 investment will support three great New Brunswick companies. These investments through ACOA will help businesses expand, hire more people, and purchase equipment. It is not simply about growing these great companies, it is about growing this great region.
Mr. Speaker, I attended this event as a member of Parliament, as all members of Parliament do. My policy adviser attended as a volunteer, paid her own way, and she lives in and has
Mr. Speaker, what on earth will it take for the Liberals to stop backing the TPP? Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz calls it the worst trade deal ever. He warns it will erode workers' rights, kill Canadian jobs, and reverse the principle of polluter pays, making governments pay billions for any attempt to protect the environment. Can the minister confirm that Stiglitz explained to her the serious problems with the TPP, and will she tell the House which part she did not understand?
Mr. Speaker, that is hardly the situation. In fact, every Canadian is improved by the changes that we have made to EI. It has helped every region in this country, including those who were specifically hit by the oil and gas price reduction. In fact, those companies that are servicing the oil and gas sector will be benefiting by doubling the amount of work-share weeks, increasing the opportunities for small business and workers in regions that were impacted.
Mr. Speaker, I understand a Canadian delegation met in recent days with the Reverend Hyeon Soo Lim, who remains in prison, forced to a life sentence of hard labour in North Korea. That is just outrageous. Reports indicate that his condition is deteriorating and that time is growing short for him.My question is simple. What are the Liberals doing to bring Reverend Lim home to his family and to his congregation?
Mr. Speaker, the feigned indignation in front is a little rich.We have indicated at all times that the Liberal Party raises money in accordance with the provisions of the Canada Elections Act. As I have said on previous occasions, nobody on this side of the House has gone to prison for illegal fundraising, and that is something they are having trouble saying over there.
Mr. Speaker, like Mr. Lim's family and friends, the Government of Canada is concerned about his rights and his well-being. We continue to work for his release. I have met in the past with members of his family and members of the community. We continue to be engaged on this file. Our officials are providing consular services to him and his family, and we will not stop until Mr. Lim is released.
Mr. Speaker, small business owners are hard-working, middle-class Canadians, but the Liberals have betrayed them. The Liberal promise to cut taxes for small businesses has vanished into thin air.Why is the government breaking its promise and hanging Canadian small business owners out to dry?
Mr. Speaker, people are outraged about the Panama papers. Multinational companies and people with connections are taking advantage of laws that were made for them, in order to shirk their responsibilities. The minister announced new measures, but there is no word on her former executive who jumped ship to go work for KPMG, at the same time that the firm was being investigated by the CRA. What a joke. Why does the minister keep defending the secret agreement for cheats?
Mr. Speaker, seasonal workers are on the verge of falling into the infamous black hole, a period of no employment insurance benefits. However, there is nothing for these workers in the budget.We have sick people waiting in hospital hallways and students going into debt to learn, but this budget abandons them as well, since it does not contain any transfer increases. The same goes for leading-edge businesses in Quebec: the budget offers nothing for them. In spite of all these omissions, the government is predicting a $29-billion deficit.Does the government realize that all Canadians, and especially those who need help, are paying for its lax attitude towards tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, shrimp season has just opened in Newfoundland. Today we have heard that the Quinlan Brothers processing plant, which employs about 700 people, has suffered a devastating fire. This disaster will impact not only the community and local plant workers but also the fishermen who land their catch at Bay de Verde. Are the Liberals going to immediately move to give special EI access to these affected workers?
Mr. Speaker, obviously, we are devastated by the news that there has been this horrible fire in Newfoundland, and we continue to monitor the situation. There are workers who will be out of work. We are hoping that we are able to assist them in finding other opportunities in the region.
Mr. Speaker, on January 18, 2014, the member for Wascana wrote to the Ethics Commissioner, asking that she investigate the former member for Saint Boniface after she attended a political fundraiser. The member for Wascana stated in his letter that Any breach of the Conflict of Interest Code undermines the confidence that Canadians have in our elected representative.... Given the nature of the justice minister's fundraiser this past week, how can the member complain on the one hand and then turn a blind eye to last week's Liberal fundraiser?
Mr. Speaker, Alison Azer's four children were kidnapped and are now thought to be in Mahabad, Iran. She has been in touch with the RCMP but is extremely frustrated with the lack of response from the government. She is worried that her daughters may be subjected to female genital mutilation and that her older son may be sent to a madrassa.We understand, based upon communications between our offices, that the Minister of Foreign Affairs is open to a meeting.Would the minister confirm today that he will meet with Mrs. Azer?
Mr. Speaker, the clouds are looking darker and darker on the other side.The Panama papers gave us a glimpse into the troubling world of tax havens, and new reports raise questions about the Canada Revenue Agency's failure to act.A senior CRA employee crossed the floor to work for KPMG while the company was under investigation for setting up a tax sham. Why does the minister continue to defend the secret sweetheart deal for wealthy KPMG clients? How can Canadians take them seriously?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government loves to go on and on about its lofty principles, but its actions say quite the opposite. Consider the example of transparency. The governments boasts about being transparent, but meanwhile it is eliminating transparency rules for first nations and labour unions. We are not the only ones saying so. The parliamentary budget officer said that he is, and I quote, unable to provide completed tables due to the lack of information provided in Budget 2016. Why is the government hiding information from Canadians? Why this lack of transparency?
Mr. Speaker, let us go from Bay Street to Attawapiskat. The chief of Attawapiskat was once again forced to declare a state of emergency on Saturday, following a rash of suicide attempts by young people in his community. While the Prime Minister talks about how saddened he is by the situation, the fact is that it is getting worse and nothing is being done about it. The government refused to conduct an inquiry, and requests for mental heath services are often denied. The government is turning its back on young people.When will the government take action and put an end to this tragedy?
Mr. Speaker, the government says that we are in a recession, but the evidence from Statistics Canada is that we are not. The government says it is going to be financially transparent, but the evidence from the Parliamentary Budget Officer is that it is not.The government says it is the saviour of the middle class, but the evidence from Finance Canada, which was just forced out of it by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, is that the Liberals plan on slashing this help to the middle class by 75% by 2021.Let us just cut to the chase here, since we know where this is going. Can the Minister of Finance tell us today which taxes he is actually going to raise on us?
Mr. Speaker, the minister forgot some things, because in his budget he inflated the figures, to say the least. With respect to job creation, it says in the budget that 146,000 new jobs will be preserved. The parliamentary budget officer said that is not the case. On the contrary, we are talking about a much smaller number, namely 86,000 jobs. Furthermore, the PBO concluded that the forecasts for the private sector are excessive and that this budget, as tabled, makes parliamentarians' work more difficult.Why did the government fudge the numbers? Why is the government refusing to tell Canadians the truth?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are spending $30 billion of borrowed money, but not a dime of it is going to small businesses. It is not a question anymore of delaying their promise to cut taxes for small businesses; now they have admitted they do not even have a timeline for it.Is the Prime Minister ignoring small businesses because he still thinks, as he did in the election, that they are actually just ways for wealthy Canadians to cheat on taxes?
Mr. Speaker, Burma's Rohingya Muslims are heavily persecuted, but the minister was just in Burma and did not even mention the Rohingyas. When the government killed the office of religious freedom, it said it was just about doing the same work a different way. Well, so much for that, because the office is gone. The projects have stopped, including projects in Burma. No replacement has even been announced, and there is no money in the budget for international human rights.Are all these changes coincidental, or is turning away from human rights the price to buy votes from dictators at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, I take my ethical responsibilities incredibly seriously. Fundraising, as I said, is an activity that every member of the House engages in. Another reality, in terms of fundraising, is to broadly engage with the public and have discussions. I would never place myself in a conflict of interest, and that is why I proactively engaged with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner prior to attending this event.
Mr. Speaker, the minister should know from his finance department that the median average wage for the Canadian middle class in the past 10 years rose 13% under the Conservative mandate.The minister said that he consulted private-sector economists for predictions to the economy. He did not take their advice. The Liberals promised and advised many times that they would reduce the small business tax. They did not take small business tax advice either.This is the question I have for the minister. Why is he even bothering to consult with small or big business owners in this country when he is not going to take their advice?
Mr. Speaker, that is money we already had in our plan. The former government already had a plan for $75 billion. The Liberals promised a lot, but they do not deliver. That will be delivered after 2019. They do not respect what they said in the campaign.Furthermore, they are going to borrow $100 billion over four years. How does this government plan on returning to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, fundraising is an activity that every member of this House engages in. Thankfully, on a federal level there are strict rules in place that determine how fundraising activities occur. We do not take donations from corporations and we do not take donations from unions. In advance, I proactively sought the opinion of the Ethics Commissioner, to whom there was no conflict.
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious from the budget that the Prime Minister did not teach geography. He has no idea where the oil and gas industry in Saskatchewan is actually located. EI benefits will only be extended in Saskatoon and northern Saskatchewan, which is nowhere near the oil patch in the southeast. The Prime Minister then insulted us by telling us that we should be thankful they have not been hit harder. Why are these Liberals discriminating against Canadians who have lost their jobs in the energy sector in southeast Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals refuse to say that we are at war with ISIS, but according to the chief of the defence staff, the risk to the lives of our troops on the ground in Iraq has gone up. How can Canadian casualties increase if we are not at war?Will the defence minister join our allies and finally say that Canada is at war against the jihadi genocidal death cult called ISIS?
It goes on and says that
Mr. Speaker, Ontario Power Generation wants to dump abandoned radioactive nuclear waste next to the Great Lakes. It cannot say that this waste will not leak, nor has it considered any other options. Burying nuclear waste has a 100% failure rate. The last set of nuclear waste that was buried actually caught on fire.This madness has to stop and at the risk of the health and safety of future generations, including my daughter and many other youth who are visiting Ottawa today, we need to say no. This is on the minister's desk right now. Will the minister stop the plan to dump nuclear waste down a hole, walk away and leave it for future generations?
Mr. Speaker, the government is leaving western Canadians who are unemployed behind. Instead of helping everyone, the Liberals are picking winners and losers.Last week, Statistics Canada pointed out that unemployment in Edmonton increased 34% over the last year. In southern Saskatchewan, it has gone up by 40% in the last year. However, according to the Prime Minister, unemployed Canadians living in Edmonton and southern Saskatchewan should be pleased that they are not getting help from the government.Will the Liberals reverse this discriminatory policy and extend EI benefits to all workers, including those in the west who need it?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the UPA and the Government of Quebec both called on the federal government to regulate imports of diafiltered milk. This morning, a central-Quebec-based group of agri-food advocates known as the Front commun de la filière agroalimentaire weighed in.On page 127 of the budget, the government talks about eliminating tariffs on food manufacturing ingredients other than supply-managed products.Does the government really want to eliminate tariffs on diafiltered milk, which is contrary to the wishes of Quebec, the UPA and the Front commun?
Mr. Speaker, my friend opposite is obviously struggling with a very basic concept. The Liberal Party raises money in accordance with all the rules under the Canada Elections Act. In this case my colleague, Minister of Justice, proactively reached out to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to discuss this particular event, and she indicated that it was appropriate.That is the ethical standard that this government has raised from the previous government that was before us.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are going to borrow $30 billion we do not have to invest in what they claim to be infrastructure projects.However, very little of this money will be invested in roads, public transit, or the promises they made during the election campaign. In their latest budget, the Liberals spend this money on other things, on expenses that will become recurring. Canadians are now realizing that they cannot trust this government.How can the Prime Minister explain a $30-billion deficit that he claims is for infrastructure investments, when that is not what he is spending it on? How does he explain that?
Mr. Speaker, there have long been post-employment restrictions at the Canada Revenue Agency for executives who leave the organization. In March 2014, the post-employment restrictions were extended to all employees who leave the Canada Revenue Agency. It would be inappropriate to comment on a specific case for reasons of privacy. Hon. members can rest assured that we are following this situation at the CRA very closely.
Mr. Speaker, the promotion and protection of human rights, including freedom of religion, belief and conscience, is an integral part of Canada's constructive engagement in the world. Global Affairs is continuing this important work and its professionals are working hard on a transition to a comprehensive vision on human rights, including religious freedom of course. Dr. Bennett and our staff are working together. As a multicultural and multi-faith society, Canada is well positioned to champion peaceful pluralism, respect for diversity, and all human rights.
Mr. Speaker, in attending this fundraising event, the minister broke the Prime Minister's code of open and accountable government and the minister crossed the line by putting herself in a conflict of interest. In order to clear the stench from this sordid Liberal fundraising affair, will the minister release the list of attendees? If not, what does the minister have to hide?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question and for changing the topic in the House.This is one of the most serious and pressing tragedies that our nation is facing. I am devastated by the situation that is taking place in Attawapiskat. I am working with my colleague the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs to respond to this tragedy.I was in conversation yesterday with National Chief Bellegarde. I spoke today with Chief Shisheesh from Attawapiskat. We now have five new mental health workers in the community. We are responding to both the immediate needs and long-term needs of this community.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the minister attended a pay-to-play fundraiser in which attendees were invited to pay in return for access to the minister. The Minister of Justice has a duty not only to be independent but to be perceived as independent, which the minister has clearly compromised.Will the minister do the right thing, stand up, apologize, and return the pay-to-play cash?
Mr. Speaker, the online activity of Canadian companies has reportedly more than doubled in six years and it generated an estimated $136 billion in 2013. That represents 7% of the gross domestic product and this figure continues to grow.Given the enormous potential that e-commerce represents for small, medium, and large businesses, what government measures and initiatives are in place to support innovation and to help our Canadian companies enter the market?
Mr. Speaker, once again I rise in the House to question the justice minister on her lack of judgment. Last week, the justice minister and her ministerial policy adviser attended a pay-for-access fundraiser with Bay Street elite lawyers. While leaving the event, the minister stated she was attending the event as a regular MP, policy adviser in tow.Does the justice minister really expect Canadians to believe that high-priced Ontario lawyers paid $500 a plate to meet with the member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have a right to be outraged. Our government recognizes that international tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance are critical issues. We are taking meaningful action. The government has allocated more than $444 million to the CRA, to combat tax evasion and tax havens.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his concern for the well-being of our troops. I can assure the member that our troops in Iraq have full air support when needed. In fact, we have done a thorough assessment. I talk to the chief of the defence staff on a regular basis about the security situation, and we have taken all the measures necessary and have given freedom of actions to take any future necessary precautions for the protection of our troops.
Mr. Speaker, we are very aware of issues with enforcement of our rules surrounding supply management.As my colleague, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, has already said, we support supply management and we do so with our trade policy. We are reviewing these rules right now and working very hard on it.
Mr. Speaker, although the Prime Minister promised a different kind of government, he has no problem with his Minister of Justice participating in a Liberal Party fundraiser at $500 a plate. However, the ministers' guide, Open and Accountable Government, is very clear: there should be no preferential access to government, or appearance of preferential access, in exchange for political contributions.Can the Prime Minister tell us why he is not able to follow the rules that he, himself, set?
Mr. Speaker, on the celebration of Vaisakhi on the Hill, let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy Vaisakhi. I want Canadians to know that small business is implicit throughout the entire budget. When it comes to small business owners, they are middle-class Canadians. The tax cut will benefit not only customers and clients but small business owners themselves. We know very well that the wealthy 1% are most likely not our small business owners. We are here to represent them, but what members opposite need to recognize is that in this country people have views and opinions. This government is listening and is working with the entrepreneurs and the people we represent. We know what small
Mr. Speaker, rural areas across the country, like my riding of Fundy Royal, often rely on traditional industry such as forestry, fisheries, and agriculture to power the economy. In today's global economy it is vital that these traditional industries become more efficient and develop new markets in order to grow. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development inform the House of initiatives being undertaken to help traditional industries prepare for the future?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member can keep talking in terms of the definitions of war, but our fight against ISIL does not change in any way. We will take every action with our coalition partners to defeat Daesh, and we are not going to give ISIL legitimacy by calling them a state, by calling this a war.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue just announced that 100 investigators would be hired to identify tax fraud. That is all well and good, but the problem is that it is essentially legal to use tax havens, since Liberal and Conservative governments drafted the tax rules specifically to allow profiteers to repatriate their profits without paying anything here.Instead of announcing symbolic measures, will this government commit to seriously crack down on tax havens by abolishing the regulatory framework that helps them, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 provides $20 million to the First Nations Finance Authority, the same organization that the Minister of Justice chaired, the same organization that the Minister of Justice's husband lobbies for. There is a clear conflict of interest here.The Prime Minister states that his ministers must uphold the highest ethical standards and the impartiality of government is to be maintained and enhanced.Does $20 million to an organization so intertwined with the Minister of Justice and her husband seem impartial?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals want to create a two-tiered employment insurance system that excludes Quebec. They are abandoning the SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean region, which lost 7,000 jobs in the past year. They are abandoning struggling seasonal workers in the Gaspé. They are abandoning Montreal, the unemployment capital of Canada. To top it all off, the Liberals want to make it legal to lay off 2,600 Air Canada workers, workers they supported before they took office. That is what we call betrayal. Are the Liberals not ashamed of themselves?Why did the minister flip-flop and why is he now turning his back on these 2,600 families?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will find no argument with me that in fact we need to find a way to restore hope for these communities and particularly for the young people who consider taking their lives.In fact, as the hon. member may know, the budget includes $8.4 billion in funding for indigenous communities. It is these funds that would actually restore hope to communities. When we invest in education, so that these young people will have a standard of education that every Canadian child should have, it will renew hope. When we invest in these communities, so that people will have adequate housing and not be faced with overcrowding, we will find hope.
Mr. Speaker, we were happy to consult with Canadians. We had more than 250,000 people who were touched by our pre-budget consultations. We listened to Canadians across the country, small businesses and big businesses. We have made a real difference for small and medium-sized business by helping middle-class Canadians. We are investing in the future of Canada through a new innovation plan that is going to allow us to grow our economy over the long term. This is what Canada needs at this time, and we are going to make a real difference for future Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring women and their children are free from violence is a priority for this government, and that is why I am working with my colleagues and experts across the country to develop a federal gender-based violence strategy. Shelters are also key to supporting this goal, which is why we announced in our budget that we will create over 3,000 shelter spaces over the next two years ensuring that more women have a safe place to turn in violent situations. By enabling women and girls to live violence-free, we can move closer to gender equality.
Mr. Speaker, with that answer it seems that sunny ways are clouding over more and more. It seems like only yesterday that the government released ethical guidelines that state: There should be no preferential access to government...accorded to individuals or organizations because they have made financial contributions to politicians and political parties. Even Conservative Bev Oda, in an ethically challenged government, was caught in the same type of scandal and gave back the contributions. Why will the Minister of Justice not do the same thing?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Justice said she went to Toronto to attend a fundraising activity simply as the member for Vancouver-Granville. The minister would therefore have us believe that the people she met at this cocktail party in Toronto wanted to talk to her about matters that are important to her riding in Vancouver. Let us be real. If I go to Toronto, no one is going to talk to me about what is going on in LévisLotbinière.Will the minister stop taking us for fools and admit that she was there as the Minister of Justice?
Mr. Speaker, the overall situation for the oil and gas sector, and more broadly the resource sector, has been very tough. In fact, certain areas of Canada have seen enormous and rapid increased unemployment. A target of 2% very rapidly and sustained was identified. When we used that screen on every region of Canada, 12 regions met that target. We continue to monitor the situation across Canada, and are very proud to be rolling out 2.5 billion dollars' worth of benefits to help those regions and every other Canadian.
Mr. Speaker, last month we celebrated International Women's Day. Although that important day has passed, we must remain vigilant and remember that women and children across Canada are disproportionately affected by domestic violence.Could the hon. Minister of Status of Women please advise the House of the steps her department is taking to ensure that women and their children fleeing intimate partner violence are able to find shelters and other services to help them rebuild their lives?
Mr. Speaker, I did attend a fundraising event. In advance, I cleared it with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and complied with all federal rules with respect to fundraising.The purpose of the discussion, the primary discussion that occurred at that event, was about Canada. It was about how far we have come as a country wherein we embrace diversity, ensure that all voices are heard, and recognize that in a country such as Canada, the justice minister can be an aboriginal person and also be a woman. That is what this country is about.
Mr. Speaker, the people of southern Saskatchewan are more than just a cold-hearted formula. The minister's budget speech was full of flowery imagery, where the sun shines, the wind blows, and the unicorns roam happy and free, but the touchy-feely words and Care Bear stares will not create jobs. Instead, the Liberals are making the employment problem worse by blocking private sector solutions, like northern gateway and energy east. The Liberals are only treating the symptoms with their EI changes, and they cannot even do that fairly.Will the minister show some compassion and abandon this cold-hearted formula that punishes southern Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, last week, General Jonathan Vance said the battle against ISIS has no end in sight. He went on to say Canadians should prepare for more Canadian Armed Forces casualties with the expansion of the mission on the ground in Iraq. Our troops are facing increased risk, and because of the Liberals, they do not have Canadian air support. Will the Minister of National Defence admit that prematurely pulling out our CF-18s was a mistake?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud that there are a number of economists who have identified the fact that we are identifying a 2% increase in unemployment in a sustained and sharp way actually identifies the areas that need direct attention. We are monitoring the situation from coast to coast to coast, and will continue to do so as the situation progresses.
Mr. Speaker, more and more people are opposing the trans-Pacific partnership. Last week, Joseph Stiglitz, winner of the Nobel prize in economics, sounded the alarm for workers. Not only are the Liberals determined to move forward with the agreement, but they are also casting doubt on compensation for the dairy industry. There was not one penny in the last budget for this. When will the Liberals listen to the concerns of workers and stand up for Canadian workers here in Canada and for our dairy producers?
Mr. Speaker, today I made an unprecedented announcement about combatting tax evasion and international tax avoidance. The vast majority of middle-class Canadians pay their fair share of taxes, but some wealthy Canadians are hiding their money in foreign tax havens to avoid paying taxes. That is not fair and it must change.Thanks to our historic $44-million investment, wealthy Canadians will be required to pay their share of taxes.
Mr. Speaker, none of the money the hon. member is talking about has been invested in the Canadian economy for the last two years. We will invest that money immediately, as well as $10 billion more on top of the Building Canada fund. We are committed to supporting municipalities in building the critical infrastructure that is necessary to grow the economy. We will do that with additional money and we will do it by expediting the money that should have been invested in 2014 and 2015.
Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, our primary responsibility is to make sure children in this country have hope, and we are failing them. I want to thank the minister for her positive words on Attawapiskat, but as the community said to me this morning, it should not take a state of emergency to get mental health workers to fly into a region that has had 700-plus suicide attempts.There is no money in the budget for mental health services for indigenous children. I have this question for the minister. What is it going to take to end this cycle of crisis and death among young people? What are the concrete steps for the long term that the Liberals are going to put on the ground, not just in Attawapiskat but in all the indigenous communities of this country?
Mr. Speaker, to the member's question, I attended this fundraising event as all members of Parliament attend fundraising events. I was accompanied, on a voluntary basis, by my policy adviser. She paid her own way, having been a long-standing resident of the Toronto area. The subject matter of which I spoke in terms of the fundraising or what we talked about was Canadian politics, being involved in politics, and ensuring that everybody has the ability to have their voices heard, which is what I talked about.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, now that the dispute between the governments of Quebec and Manitoba and Air Canada is over, we can clarify the Air Canada Public Participation Act. I would also like to add that Air Canada has promised to create two centres of excellence, one in Quebec and the other in Manitoba. That being said, since the issue will be going before the courts, it would not be appropriate for me to say anything more.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question and for the work she does with small businesses.E-commerce is increasing at an amazing rate. It represents a huge opportunity for Canadian entrepreneurs. One of my constituents in Waterloo runs her own business making custom jewellery. Do members know where her best customers are? They are in California and Florida. Why is that? It is because with e-commerce the entire world is the marketplace. That is why our government has committed $500 million to expand and improve broadband services in rural and remote areas, because Canadians' entrepreneurial spirit should not be limited by where they live.
Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 was an historic budget. It helps people across this country.It certainly helps people in Quebec, like it helps people across this country, with changes in their taxes, with changes in the way we give the Canada child benefit. It will make a real difference for people in that province, as it will across the country, through investments in infrastructure and in the long-term growth of our economy.We are confident that people in Quebec and across the country will have a better future as a result of these investments.
Mr. Speaker, we are hearing from band members across this country who want to know that the Prime Minister's $8.4 billion in the budget is going to have a real meaningful impact on their lives. We are also hearing that they are very concerned about the gutting of the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. When the Liberals refuse to allow first nations to access spending information on reserves, it does impact their lives. Why will the Liberals not allow first nations community members to have the same access to information of all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's question and concern. I think my hon. colleague is fully aware that, as a government, we support supply management, and this government fully understands the importance of compensation to the supply management sector.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister flippantly said that Albertans should be pleased that they have not been hit harder. More than 100,000 energy workers have lost their jobs. Alberta's unemployment is almost unprecedented. In fact, it was only higher when his dad was PM.Energy drives Bruderheim's economy. People are not pleased. They cannot even get the Liberals to extend EI benefits now when they need it most, but they really just want jobs. They have contributed so much to all of Canada. Why is the government ignoring these hard-hit Albertans?
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have nothing to hide.The member knows full well that all of those donations are disclosed, according to law, every quarter. The member can spend the whole evening searching the Internet. Here is good news: it is coming to a computer near him.While he is up asking questions, perhaps he should ask his colleague from Red Deer about fundraising activities when Senator Duffy went to his riding and, in fact, even threatened litigation with the riding association over that event.
Mr. Speaker, the member well knows that members of first nations communities do have access to all the audited statements. If they do not have access, they can get that straight from my office, and those requests are very, very rare. That was the reason we opposed the act, because first nations had not been consulted. We all want accountability. We just cannot do it top-down.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of budget 2016 for many reasons, but one of the most important reasons is what it will do for our economy and how much it will help small and medium-sized businesses. We are helping the Canadian middle class by improving their situation. That is going to improve every single consumer of small and medium-sized businesses in this country. We are going to grow the economy, and that is going to make business in Canada much more successful in the future.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of what we have put in the budget. It is open. It is transparent. We are talking here about how much we will grow the economy. That is the debate. We are confident that our measures to help Canadians today, with tax cuts and benefit changes, and our measures for the future, with infrastructure expenditures and the new innovation plan, will make a real difference over the long term, allowing us to grow the economy. We are happy to have the debate on exactly how much it will grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, I am extraordinarily proud of that investment to the First Nations Financial Management Board.Every member of the aboriginal affairs committee last year heard the testimony. This is an organization that takes a small amount of money, turns it into a large amount of money, and accesses infrastructure for first nations, coast to coast to coast.This is an excellent investment. Ask any of the members on that side. The member needs to ask her colleagues on the aboriginal affairs committee why they supported that in the report.
Mr. Speaker, the NDP condemned the TPP without even reading it. That is not how we are doing it. We promised during the campaign to consult, and that is what we are doing. Joe Stiglitz is a friend of mine, as he said in his interviews, and I talk to him often. I spoke to him last week about the TPP. However, I would like to urge the hon. member to talk to her own NDP colleagues; for example, Jen Anthony, an NDP delegate at the convention on Sunday, who said, cattle producers are significant benefactors of this deal. It allows for a better open market
Mr. Speaker, we are proud to invest $120 billion over the next 10 years to build and rebuild the Canadian economy. Out of that $120 billion, $10 billion will be invested in the first two years in transit, in social infrastructure, in building roads and bridges and supporting communities throughout the country regardless of their size. This is the investment that will help us grow the economy, make our economy more productive, and build communities that are strong, sustainable, and inclusive for all Canadians to live in.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be able to talk about taxes in our budget. We started on January 1 by reducing taxes on nine million Canadians. We moved forward with our Canada child benefit, which gives more money to nine out of 10 families with childrenon average $2,300 more.We are in a situation where we are helping people who have not had the help they have needed over the last generation. We are improving the lot of middle-class Canadians, and we are going to grow the economy, so for the future their children and their grandchildren will be in a better position.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek the unanimous consent of the House to table the following documents, in both official languages. They deal with ministerial conduct, and I would be happy to read it out. It states, Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries must act with honesty and must uphold the highest ethical standards...
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of budget 2016. We have been open and transparent with Canadians. We introduced measures that are easy to understand.We also know that the PBO leads an important institution. We received a letter from him on April 1, and over the week that followed, we provided all necessary information to the PBO for his office to understand our budget.
Mr. Speaker, the safety and well-being of the Azer family continues to be a priority of this government. As I have done before, the Minister of Foreign Affairs would be happy to meet with Ms. Azer to continue collaboration in the pursuit of the safe return of her children to Canada. Canadian consular officials and law enforcement agencies continue to work domestically and internationally with the relevant agencies to make sure that we return the kids home safely.
Mr. Speaker, the minister is restoring the confidence in environmental assessments in ensuring that decisions are based on the best available scientific evidence. As the hon. member knows, this is under active consideration. The minister had asked for an extension to consider alternative sites. We are going through that process, but everyone can rest assured the decision will be based on science and data. We will make those decisions in a responsible and sound environmental manner.
Mr. Speaker, we were very pleased to roll out an EI platform, the first phase of which is rolling out to Canadian workers benefits that amount to $2.5 billion. Where the additional help was provided was to those people who need it the most.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Fundy Royal for her question and her relentless work in supporting this region. I would also like to thank the member for her great work with the provincial government in announcing new investments in Sussex community.This $350,000 investment will support three great New Brunswick companies. These investments through ACOA will help businesses expand, hire more people, and purchase equipment. It is not simply about growing these great companies, it is about growing this great region.
Mr. Speaker, I attended this event as a member of Parliament, as all members of Parliament do. My policy adviser attended as a volunteer, paid her own way, and she lives in and has
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Mr. Speaker, I attended this event as a member of Parliament, as all members of Parliament do. My policy adviser attended as a volunteer, paid her own way, and she lives in and has
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Fundy Royal for her question and her relentless work in supporting this region. I would also like to thank the member for her great work with the provincial government in announcing new investments in Sussex community.This $350,000 investment will support three great New Brunswick companies. These investments through ACOA will help businesses expand, hire more people, and purchase equipment. It is not simply about growing these great companies, it is about growing this great region.
Mr. Speaker, we were very pleased to roll out an EI platform, the first phase of which is rolling out to Canadian workers benefits that amount to $2.5 billion. Where the additional help was provided was to those people who need it the most.
Mr. Speaker, the minister is restoring the confidence in environmental assessments in ensuring that decisions are based on the best available scientific evidence. As the hon. member knows, this is under active consideration. The minister had asked for an extension to consider alternative sites. We are going through that process, but everyone can rest assured the decision will be based on science and data. We will make those decisions in a responsible and sound environmental manner.
Mr. Speaker, the safety and well-being of the Azer family continues to be a priority of this government. As I have done before, the Minister of Foreign Affairs would be happy to meet with Ms. Azer to continue collaboration in the pursuit of the safe return of her children to Canada. Canadian consular officials and law enforcement agencies continue to work domestically and internationally with the relevant agencies to make sure that we return the kids home safely.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of budget 2016. We have been open and transparent with Canadians. We introduced measures that are easy to understand.We also know that the PBO leads an important institution. We received a letter from him on April 1, and over the week that followed, we provided all necessary information to the PBO for his office to understand our budget.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek the unanimous consent of the House to table the following documents, in both official languages. They deal with ministerial conduct, and I would be happy to read it out. It states, Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries must act with honesty and must uphold the highest ethical standards...
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be able to talk about taxes in our budget. We started on January 1 by reducing taxes on nine million Canadians. We moved forward with our Canada child benefit, which gives more money to nine out of 10 families with childrenon average $2,300 more.We are in a situation where we are helping people who have not had the help they have needed over the last generation. We are improving the lot of middle-class Canadians, and we are going to grow the economy, so for the future their children and their grandchildren will be in a better position.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud to invest $120 billion over the next 10 years to build and rebuild the Canadian economy. Out of that $120 billion, $10 billion will be invested in the first two years in transit, in social infrastructure, in building roads and bridges and supporting communities throughout the country regardless of their size. This is the investment that will help us grow the economy, make our economy more productive, and build communities that are strong, sustainable, and inclusive for all Canadians to live in.
Mr. Speaker, the NDP condemned the TPP without even reading it. That is not how we are doing it. We promised during the campaign to consult, and that is what we are doing. Joe Stiglitz is a friend of mine, as he said in his interviews, and I talk to him often. I spoke to him last week about the TPP. However, I would like to urge the hon. member to talk to her own NDP colleagues; for example, Jen Anthony, an NDP delegate at the convention on Sunday, who said, cattle producers are significant benefactors of this deal. It allows for a better open market
Mr. Speaker, I am extraordinarily proud of that investment to the First Nations Financial Management Board.Every member of the aboriginal affairs committee last year heard the testimony. This is an organization that takes a small amount of money, turns it into a large amount of money, and accesses infrastructure for first nations, coast to coast to coast.This is an excellent investment. Ask any of the members on that side. The member needs to ask her colleagues on the aboriginal affairs committee why they supported that in the report.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of what we have put in the budget. It is open. It is transparent. We are talking here about how much we will grow the economy. That is the debate. We are confident that our measures to help Canadians today, with tax cuts and benefit changes, and our measures for the future, with infrastructure expenditures and the new innovation plan, will make a real difference over the long term, allowing us to grow the economy. We are happy to have the debate on exactly how much it will grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of budget 2016 for many reasons, but one of the most important reasons is what it will do for our economy and how much it will help small and medium-sized businesses. We are helping the Canadian middle class by improving their situation. That is going to improve every single consumer of small and medium-sized businesses in this country. We are going to grow the economy, and that is going to make business in Canada much more successful in the future.
Mr. Speaker, the member well knows that members of first nations communities do have access to all the audited statements. If they do not have access, they can get that straight from my office, and those requests are very, very rare. That was the reason we opposed the act, because first nations had not been consulted. We all want accountability. We just cannot do it top-down.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have nothing to hide.The member knows full well that all of those donations are disclosed, according to law, every quarter. The member can spend the whole evening searching the Internet. Here is good news: it is coming to a computer near him.While he is up asking questions, perhaps he should ask his colleague from Red Deer about fundraising activities when Senator Duffy went to his riding and, in fact, even threatened litigation with the riding association over that event.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister flippantly said that Albertans should be pleased that they have not been hit harder. More than 100,000 energy workers have lost their jobs. Alberta's unemployment is almost unprecedented. In fact, it was only higher when his dad was PM.Energy drives Bruderheim's economy. People are not pleased. They cannot even get the Liberals to extend EI benefits now when they need it most, but they really just want jobs. They have contributed so much to all of Canada. Why is the government ignoring these hard-hit Albertans?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's question and concern. I think my hon. colleague is fully aware that, as a government, we support supply management, and this government fully understands the importance of compensation to the supply management sector.
Mr. Speaker, we are hearing from band members across this country who want to know that the Prime Minister's $8.4 billion in the budget is going to have a real meaningful impact on their lives. We are also hearing that they are very concerned about the gutting of the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. When the Liberals refuse to allow first nations to access spending information on reserves, it does impact their lives. Why will the Liberals not allow first nations community members to have the same access to information of all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 was an historic budget. It helps people across this country.It certainly helps people in Quebec, like it helps people across this country, with changes in their taxes, with changes in the way we give the Canada child benefit. It will make a real difference for people in that province, as it will across the country, through investments in infrastructure and in the long-term growth of our economy.We are confident that people in Quebec and across the country will have a better future as a result of these investments.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question and for the work she does with small businesses.E-commerce is increasing at an amazing rate. It represents a huge opportunity for Canadian entrepreneurs. One of my constituents in Waterloo runs her own business making custom jewellery. Do members know where her best customers are? They are in California and Florida. Why is that? It is because with e-commerce the entire world is the marketplace. That is why our government has committed $500 million to expand and improve broadband services in rural and remote areas, because Canadians' entrepreneurial spirit should not be limited by where they live.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, now that the dispute between the governments of Quebec and Manitoba and Air Canada is over, we can clarify the Air Canada Public Participation Act. I would also like to add that Air Canada has promised to create two centres of excellence, one in Quebec and the other in Manitoba. That being said, since the issue will be going before the courts, it would not be appropriate for me to say anything more.
Mr. Speaker, to the member's question, I attended this fundraising event as all members of Parliament attend fundraising events. I was accompanied, on a voluntary basis, by my policy adviser. She paid her own way, having been a long-standing resident of the Toronto area. The subject matter of which I spoke in terms of the fundraising or what we talked about was Canadian politics, being involved in politics, and ensuring that everybody has the ability to have their voices heard, which is what I talked about.
Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, our primary responsibility is to make sure children in this country have hope, and we are failing them. I want to thank the minister for her positive words on Attawapiskat, but as the community said to me this morning, it should not take a state of emergency to get mental health workers to fly into a region that has had 700-plus suicide attempts.There is no money in the budget for mental health services for indigenous children. I have this question for the minister. What is it going to take to end this cycle of crisis and death among young people? What are the concrete steps for the long term that the Liberals are going to put on the ground, not just in Attawapiskat but in all the indigenous communities of this country?
Mr. Speaker, none of the money the hon. member is talking about has been invested in the Canadian economy for the last two years. We will invest that money immediately, as well as $10 billion more on top of the Building Canada fund. We are committed to supporting municipalities in building the critical infrastructure that is necessary to grow the economy. We will do that with additional money and we will do it by expediting the money that should have been invested in 2014 and 2015.
Mr. Speaker, today I made an unprecedented announcement about combatting tax evasion and international tax avoidance. The vast majority of middle-class Canadians pay their fair share of taxes, but some wealthy Canadians are hiding their money in foreign tax havens to avoid paying taxes. That is not fair and it must change.Thanks to our historic $44-million investment, wealthy Canadians will be required to pay their share of taxes.
Mr. Speaker, more and more people are opposing the trans-Pacific partnership. Last week, Joseph Stiglitz, winner of the Nobel prize in economics, sounded the alarm for workers. Not only are the Liberals determined to move forward with the agreement, but they are also casting doubt on compensation for the dairy industry. There was not one penny in the last budget for this. When will the Liberals listen to the concerns of workers and stand up for Canadian workers here in Canada and for our dairy producers?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud that there are a number of economists who have identified the fact that we are identifying a 2% increase in unemployment in a sustained and sharp way actually identifies the areas that need direct attention. We are monitoring the situation from coast to coast to coast, and will continue to do so as the situation progresses.
Mr. Speaker, the people of southern Saskatchewan are more than just a cold-hearted formula. The minister's budget speech was full of flowery imagery, where the sun shines, the wind blows, and the unicorns roam happy and free, but the touchy-feely words and Care Bear stares will not create jobs. Instead, the Liberals are making the employment problem worse by blocking private sector solutions, like northern gateway and energy east. The Liberals are only treating the symptoms with their EI changes, and they cannot even do that fairly.Will the minister show some compassion and abandon this cold-hearted formula that punishes southern Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, last week, General Jonathan Vance said the battle against ISIS has no end in sight. He went on to say Canadians should prepare for more Canadian Armed Forces casualties with the expansion of the mission on the ground in Iraq. Our troops are facing increased risk, and because of the Liberals, they do not have Canadian air support. Will the Minister of National Defence admit that prematurely pulling out our CF-18s was a mistake?
Mr. Speaker, I did attend a fundraising event. In advance, I cleared it with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and complied with all federal rules with respect to fundraising.The purpose of the discussion, the primary discussion that occurred at that event, was about Canada. It was about how far we have come as a country wherein we embrace diversity, ensure that all voices are heard, and recognize that in a country such as Canada, the justice minister can be an aboriginal person and also be a woman. That is what this country is about.
Mr. Speaker, last month we celebrated International Women's Day. Although that important day has passed, we must remain vigilant and remember that women and children across Canada are disproportionately affected by domestic violence.Could the hon. Minister of Status of Women please advise the House of the steps her department is taking to ensure that women and their children fleeing intimate partner violence are able to find shelters and other services to help them rebuild their lives?
Mr. Speaker, the overall situation for the oil and gas sector, and more broadly the resource sector, has been very tough. In fact, certain areas of Canada have seen enormous and rapid increased unemployment. A target of 2% very rapidly and sustained was identified. When we used that screen on every region of Canada, 12 regions met that target. We continue to monitor the situation across Canada, and are very proud to be rolling out 2.5 billion dollars' worth of benefits to help those regions and every other Canadian.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Justice said she went to Toronto to attend a fundraising activity simply as the member for Vancouver-Granville. The minister would therefore have us believe that the people she met at this cocktail party in Toronto wanted to talk to her about matters that are important to her riding in Vancouver. Let us be real. If I go to Toronto, no one is going to talk to me about what is going on in LévisLotbinière.Will the minister stop taking us for fools and admit that she was there as the Minister of Justice?
Mr. Speaker, with that answer it seems that sunny ways are clouding over more and more. It seems like only yesterday that the government released ethical guidelines that state: There should be no preferential access to government...accorded to individuals or organizations because they have made financial contributions to politicians and political parties. Even Conservative Bev Oda, in an ethically challenged government, was caught in the same type of scandal and gave back the contributions. Why will the Minister of Justice not do the same thing?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring women and their children are free from violence is a priority for this government, and that is why I am working with my colleagues and experts across the country to develop a federal gender-based violence strategy. Shelters are also key to supporting this goal, which is why we announced in our budget that we will create over 3,000 shelter spaces over the next two years ensuring that more women have a safe place to turn in violent situations. By enabling women and girls to live violence-free, we can move closer to gender equality.
Mr. Speaker, we were happy to consult with Canadians. We had more than 250,000 people who were touched by our pre-budget consultations. We listened to Canadians across the country, small businesses and big businesses. We have made a real difference for small and medium-sized business by helping middle-class Canadians. We are investing in the future of Canada through a new innovation plan that is going to allow us to grow our economy over the long term. This is what Canada needs at this time, and we are going to make a real difference for future Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will find no argument with me that in fact we need to find a way to restore hope for these communities and particularly for the young people who consider taking their lives.In fact, as the hon. member may know, the budget includes $8.4 billion in funding for indigenous communities. It is these funds that would actually restore hope to communities. When we invest in education, so that these young people will have a standard of education that every Canadian child should have, it will renew hope. When we invest in these communities, so that people will have adequate housing and not be faced with overcrowding, we will find hope.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals want to create a two-tiered employment insurance system that excludes Quebec. They are abandoning the SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean region, which lost 7,000 jobs in the past year. They are abandoning struggling seasonal workers in the Gaspé. They are abandoning Montreal, the unemployment capital of Canada. To top it all off, the Liberals want to make it legal to lay off 2,600 Air Canada workers, workers they supported before they took office. That is what we call betrayal. Are the Liberals not ashamed of themselves?Why did the minister flip-flop and why is he now turning his back on these 2,600 families?
Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 provides $20 million to the First Nations Finance Authority, the same organization that the Minister of Justice chaired, the same organization that the Minister of Justice's husband lobbies for. There is a clear conflict of interest here.The Prime Minister states that his ministers must uphold the highest ethical standards and the impartiality of government is to be maintained and enhanced.Does $20 million to an organization so intertwined with the Minister of Justice and her husband seem impartial?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue just announced that 100 investigators would be hired to identify tax fraud. That is all well and good, but the problem is that it is essentially legal to use tax havens, since Liberal and Conservative governments drafted the tax rules specifically to allow profiteers to repatriate their profits without paying anything here.Instead of announcing symbolic measures, will this government commit to seriously crack down on tax havens by abolishing the regulatory framework that helps them, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member can keep talking in terms of the definitions of war, but our fight against ISIL does not change in any way. We will take every action with our coalition partners to defeat Daesh, and we are not going to give ISIL legitimacy by calling them a state, by calling this a war.
Mr. Speaker, rural areas across the country, like my riding of Fundy Royal, often rely on traditional industry such as forestry, fisheries, and agriculture to power the economy. In today's global economy it is vital that these traditional industries become more efficient and develop new markets in order to grow. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development inform the House of initiatives being undertaken to help traditional industries prepare for the future?
Mr. Speaker, on the celebration of Vaisakhi on the Hill, let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy Vaisakhi. I want Canadians to know that small business is implicit throughout the entire budget. When it comes to small business owners, they are middle-class Canadians. The tax cut will benefit not only customers and clients but small business owners themselves. We know very well that the wealthy 1% are most likely not our small business owners. We are here to represent them, but what members opposite need to recognize is that in this country people have views and opinions. This government is listening and is working with the entrepreneurs and the people we represent. We know what small
Mr. Speaker, although the Prime Minister promised a different kind of government, he has no problem with his Minister of Justice participating in a Liberal Party fundraiser at $500 a plate. However, the ministers' guide, Open and Accountable Government, is very clear: there should be no preferential access to government, or appearance of preferential access, in exchange for political contributions.Can the Prime Minister tell us why he is not able to follow the rules that he, himself, set?
Mr. Speaker, we are very aware of issues with enforcement of our rules surrounding supply management.As my colleague, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, has already said, we support supply management and we do so with our trade policy. We are reviewing these rules right now and working very hard on it.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his concern for the well-being of our troops. I can assure the member that our troops in Iraq have full air support when needed. In fact, we have done a thorough assessment. I talk to the chief of the defence staff on a regular basis about the security situation, and we have taken all the measures necessary and have given freedom of actions to take any future necessary precautions for the protection of our troops.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have a right to be outraged. Our government recognizes that international tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance are critical issues. We are taking meaningful action. The government has allocated more than $444 million to the CRA, to combat tax evasion and tax havens.
Mr. Speaker, once again I rise in the House to question the justice minister on her lack of judgment. Last week, the justice minister and her ministerial policy adviser attended a pay-for-access fundraiser with Bay Street elite lawyers. While leaving the event, the minister stated she was attending the event as a regular MP, policy adviser in tow.Does the justice minister really expect Canadians to believe that high-priced Ontario lawyers paid $500 a plate to meet with the member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville?
Mr. Speaker, the online activity of Canadian companies has reportedly more than doubled in six years and it generated an estimated $136 billion in 2013. That represents 7% of the gross domestic product and this figure continues to grow.Given the enormous potential that e-commerce represents for small, medium, and large businesses, what government measures and initiatives are in place to support innovation and to help our Canadian companies enter the market?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the minister attended a pay-to-play fundraiser in which attendees were invited to pay in return for access to the minister. The Minister of Justice has a duty not only to be independent but to be perceived as independent, which the minister has clearly compromised.Will the minister do the right thing, stand up, apologize, and return the pay-to-play cash?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question and for changing the topic in the House.This is one of the most serious and pressing tragedies that our nation is facing. I am devastated by the situation that is taking place in Attawapiskat. I am working with my colleague the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs to respond to this tragedy.I was in conversation yesterday with National Chief Bellegarde. I spoke today with Chief Shisheesh from Attawapiskat. We now have five new mental health workers in the community. We are responding to both the immediate needs and long-term needs of this community.
Mr. Speaker, in attending this fundraising event, the minister broke the Prime Minister's code of open and accountable government and the minister crossed the line by putting herself in a conflict of interest. In order to clear the stench from this sordid Liberal fundraising affair, will the minister release the list of attendees? If not, what does the minister have to hide?
Mr. Speaker, the promotion and protection of human rights, including freedom of religion, belief and conscience, is an integral part of Canada's constructive engagement in the world. Global Affairs is continuing this important work and its professionals are working hard on a transition to a comprehensive vision on human rights, including religious freedom of course. Dr. Bennett and our staff are working together. As a multicultural and multi-faith society, Canada is well positioned to champion peaceful pluralism, respect for diversity, and all human rights.
Mr. Speaker, there have long been post-employment restrictions at the Canada Revenue Agency for executives who leave the organization. In March 2014, the post-employment restrictions were extended to all employees who leave the Canada Revenue Agency. It would be inappropriate to comment on a specific case for reasons of privacy. Hon. members can rest assured that we are following this situation at the CRA very closely.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are going to borrow $30 billion we do not have to invest in what they claim to be infrastructure projects.However, very little of this money will be invested in roads, public transit, or the promises they made during the election campaign. In their latest budget, the Liberals spend this money on other things, on expenses that will become recurring. Canadians are now realizing that they cannot trust this government.How can the Prime Minister explain a $30-billion deficit that he claims is for infrastructure investments, when that is not what he is spending it on? How does he explain that?
Mr. Speaker, my friend opposite is obviously struggling with a very basic concept. The Liberal Party raises money in accordance with all the rules under the Canada Elections Act. In this case my colleague, Minister of Justice, proactively reached out to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to discuss this particular event, and she indicated that it was appropriate.That is the ethical standard that this government has raised from the previous government that was before us.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the UPA and the Government of Quebec both called on the federal government to regulate imports of diafiltered milk. This morning, a central-Quebec-based group of agri-food advocates known as the Front commun de la filière agroalimentaire weighed in.On page 127 of the budget, the government talks about eliminating tariffs on food manufacturing ingredients other than supply-managed products.Does the government really want to eliminate tariffs on diafiltered milk, which is contrary to the wishes of Quebec, the UPA and the Front commun?
Mr. Speaker, the government is leaving western Canadians who are unemployed behind. Instead of helping everyone, the Liberals are picking winners and losers.Last week, Statistics Canada pointed out that unemployment in Edmonton increased 34% over the last year. In southern Saskatchewan, it has gone up by 40% in the last year. However, according to the Prime Minister, unemployed Canadians living in Edmonton and southern Saskatchewan should be pleased that they are not getting help from the government.Will the Liberals reverse this discriminatory policy and extend EI benefits to all workers, including those in the west who need it?
Mr. Speaker, Ontario Power Generation wants to dump abandoned radioactive nuclear waste next to the Great Lakes. It cannot say that this waste will not leak, nor has it considered any other options. Burying nuclear waste has a 100% failure rate. The last set of nuclear waste that was buried actually caught on fire.This madness has to stop and at the risk of the health and safety of future generations, including my daughter and many other youth who are visiting Ottawa today, we need to say no. This is on the minister's desk right now. Will the minister stop the plan to dump nuclear waste down a hole, walk away and leave it for future generations?
Mr. Speaker, that is money we already had in our plan. The former government already had a plan for $75 billion. The Liberals promised a lot, but they do not deliver. That will be delivered after 2019. They do not respect what they said in the campaign.Furthermore, they are going to borrow $100 billion over four years. How does this government plan on returning to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, fundraising is an activity that every member of this House engages in. Thankfully, on a federal level there are strict rules in place that determine how fundraising activities occur. We do not take donations from corporations and we do not take donations from unions. In advance, I proactively sought the opinion of the Ethics Commissioner, to whom there was no conflict.
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious from the budget that the Prime Minister did not teach geography. He has no idea where the oil and gas industry in Saskatchewan is actually located. EI benefits will only be extended in Saskatoon and northern Saskatchewan, which is nowhere near the oil patch in the southeast. The Prime Minister then insulted us by telling us that we should be thankful they have not been hit harder. Why are these Liberals discriminating against Canadians who have lost their jobs in the energy sector in southeast Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals refuse to say that we are at war with ISIS, but according to the chief of the defence staff, the risk to the lives of our troops on the ground in Iraq has gone up. How can Canadian casualties increase if we are not at war?Will the defence minister join our allies and finally say that Canada is at war against the jihadi genocidal death cult called ISIS?
It goes on and says that
Mr. Speaker, the minister should know from his finance department that the median average wage for the Canadian middle class in the past 10 years rose 13% under the Conservative mandate.The minister said that he consulted private-sector economists for predictions to the economy. He did not take their advice. The Liberals promised and advised many times that they would reduce the small business tax. They did not take small business tax advice either.This is the question I have for the minister. Why is he even bothering to consult with small or big business owners in this country when he is not going to take their advice?
Mr. Speaker, I take my ethical responsibilities incredibly seriously. Fundraising, as I said, is an activity that every member of the House engages in. Another reality, in terms of fundraising, is to broadly engage with the public and have discussions. I would never place myself in a conflict of interest, and that is why I proactively engaged with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner prior to attending this event.
Mr. Speaker, Burma's Rohingya Muslims are heavily persecuted, but the minister was just in Burma and did not even mention the Rohingyas. When the government killed the office of religious freedom, it said it was just about doing the same work a different way. Well, so much for that, because the office is gone. The projects have stopped, including projects in Burma. No replacement has even been announced, and there is no money in the budget for international human rights.Are all these changes coincidental, or is turning away from human rights the price to buy votes from dictators at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are spending $30 billion of borrowed money, but not a dime of it is going to small businesses. It is not a question anymore of delaying their promise to cut taxes for small businesses; now they have admitted they do not even have a timeline for it.Is the Prime Minister ignoring small businesses because he still thinks, as he did in the election, that they are actually just ways for wealthy Canadians to cheat on taxes?
Mr. Speaker, the minister forgot some things, because in his budget he inflated the figures, to say the least. With respect to job creation, it says in the budget that 146,000 new jobs will be preserved. The parliamentary budget officer said that is not the case. On the contrary, we are talking about a much smaller number, namely 86,000 jobs. Furthermore, the PBO concluded that the forecasts for the private sector are excessive and that this budget, as tabled, makes parliamentarians' work more difficult.Why did the government fudge the numbers? Why is the government refusing to tell Canadians the truth?
Mr. Speaker, the government says that we are in a recession, but the evidence from Statistics Canada is that we are not. The government says it is going to be financially transparent, but the evidence from the Parliamentary Budget Officer is that it is not.The government says it is the saviour of the middle class, but the evidence from Finance Canada, which was just forced out of it by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, is that the Liberals plan on slashing this help to the middle class by 75% by 2021.Let us just cut to the chase here, since we know where this is going. Can the Minister of Finance tell us today which taxes he is actually going to raise on us?
Mr. Speaker, let us go from Bay Street to Attawapiskat. The chief of Attawapiskat was once again forced to declare a state of emergency on Saturday, following a rash of suicide attempts by young people in his community. While the Prime Minister talks about how saddened he is by the situation, the fact is that it is getting worse and nothing is being done about it. The government refused to conduct an inquiry, and requests for mental heath services are often denied. The government is turning its back on young people.When will the government take action and put an end to this tragedy?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government loves to go on and on about its lofty principles, but its actions say quite the opposite. Consider the example of transparency. The governments boasts about being transparent, but meanwhile it is eliminating transparency rules for first nations and labour unions. We are not the only ones saying so. The parliamentary budget officer said that he is, and I quote, unable to provide completed tables due to the lack of information provided in Budget 2016. Why is the government hiding information from Canadians? Why this lack of transparency?
Mr. Speaker, the clouds are looking darker and darker on the other side.The Panama papers gave us a glimpse into the troubling world of tax havens, and new reports raise questions about the Canada Revenue Agency's failure to act.A senior CRA employee crossed the floor to work for KPMG while the company was under investigation for setting up a tax sham. Why does the minister continue to defend the secret sweetheart deal for wealthy KPMG clients? How can Canadians take them seriously?
Mr. Speaker, Alison Azer's four children were kidnapped and are now thought to be in Mahabad, Iran. She has been in touch with the RCMP but is extremely frustrated with the lack of response from the government. She is worried that her daughters may be subjected to female genital mutilation and that her older son may be sent to a madrassa.We understand, based upon communications between our offices, that the Minister of Foreign Affairs is open to a meeting.Would the minister confirm today that he will meet with Mrs. Azer?
Mr. Speaker, on January 18, 2014, the member for Wascana wrote to the Ethics Commissioner, asking that she investigate the former member for Saint Boniface after she attended a political fundraiser. The member for Wascana stated in his letter that Any breach of the Conflict of Interest Code undermines the confidence that Canadians have in our elected representative.... Given the nature of the justice minister's fundraiser this past week, how can the member complain on the one hand and then turn a blind eye to last week's Liberal fundraiser?
Mr. Speaker, obviously, we are devastated by the news that there has been this horrible fire in Newfoundland, and we continue to monitor the situation. There are workers who will be out of work. We are hoping that we are able to assist them in finding other opportunities in the region.
Mr. Speaker, shrimp season has just opened in Newfoundland. Today we have heard that the Quinlan Brothers processing plant, which employs about 700 people, has suffered a devastating fire. This disaster will impact not only the community and local plant workers but also the fishermen who land their catch at Bay de Verde. Are the Liberals going to immediately move to give special EI access to these affected workers?
Mr. Speaker, seasonal workers are on the verge of falling into the infamous black hole, a period of no employment insurance benefits. However, there is nothing for these workers in the budget.We have sick people waiting in hospital hallways and students going into debt to learn, but this budget abandons them as well, since it does not contain any transfer increases. The same goes for leading-edge businesses in Quebec: the budget offers nothing for them. In spite of all these omissions, the government is predicting a $29-billion deficit.Does the government realize that all Canadians, and especially those who need help, are paying for its lax attitude towards tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, people are outraged about the Panama papers. Multinational companies and people with connections are taking advantage of laws that were made for them, in order to shirk their responsibilities. The minister announced new measures, but there is no word on her former executive who jumped ship to go work for KPMG, at the same time that the firm was being investigated by the CRA. What a joke. Why does the minister keep defending the secret agreement for cheats?
Mr. Speaker, small business owners are hard-working, middle-class Canadians, but the Liberals have betrayed them. The Liberal promise to cut taxes for small businesses has vanished into thin air.Why is the government breaking its promise and hanging Canadian small business owners out to dry?
Mr. Speaker, like Mr. Lim's family and friends, the Government of Canada is concerned about his rights and his well-being. We continue to work for his release. I have met in the past with members of his family and members of the community. We continue to be engaged on this file. Our officials are providing consular services to him and his family, and we will not stop until Mr. Lim is released.
Mr. Speaker, the feigned indignation in front is a little rich.We have indicated at all times that the Liberal Party raises money in accordance with the provisions of the Canada Elections Act. As I have said on previous occasions, nobody on this side of the House has gone to prison for illegal fundraising, and that is something they are having trouble saying over there.
Mr. Speaker, I understand a Canadian delegation met in recent days with the Reverend Hyeon Soo Lim, who remains in prison, forced to a life sentence of hard labour in North Korea. That is just outrageous. Reports indicate that his condition is deteriorating and that time is growing short for him.My question is simple. What are the Liberals doing to bring Reverend Lim home to his family and to his congregation?
Mr. Speaker, that is hardly the situation. In fact, every Canadian is improved by the changes that we have made to EI. It has helped every region in this country, including those who were specifically hit by the oil and gas price reduction. In fact, those companies that are servicing the oil and gas sector will be benefiting by doubling the amount of work-share weeks, increasing the opportunities for small business and workers in regions that were impacted.
Mr. Speaker, what on earth will it take for the Liberals to stop backing the TPP? Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz calls it the worst trade deal ever. He warns it will erode workers' rights, kill Canadian jobs, and reverse the principle of polluter pays, making governments pay billions for any attempt to protect the environment. Can the minister confirm that Stiglitz explained to her the serious problems with the TPP, and will she tell the House which part she did not understand?
Mr. Speaker, I attended this event as a member of Parliament, as all members of Parliament do. My policy adviser attended as a volunteer, paid her own way, and she lives in and has
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Fundy Royal for her question and her relentless work in supporting this region. I would also like to thank the member for her great work with the provincial government in announcing new investments in Sussex community.This $350,000 investment will support three great New Brunswick companies. These investments through ACOA will help businesses expand, hire more people, and purchase equipment. It is not simply about growing these great companies, it is about growing this great region.
Mr. Speaker, we were very pleased to roll out an EI platform, the first phase of which is rolling out to Canadian workers benefits that amount to $2.5 billion. Where the additional help was provided was to those people who need it the most.
Mr. Speaker, the minister is restoring the confidence in environmental assessments in ensuring that decisions are based on the best available scientific evidence. As the hon. member knows, this is under active consideration. The minister had asked for an extension to consider alternative sites. We are going through that process, but everyone can rest assured the decision will be based on science and data. We will make those decisions in a responsible and sound environmental manner.
Mr. Speaker, the safety and well-being of the Azer family continues to be a priority of this government. As I have done before, the Minister of Foreign Affairs would be happy to meet with Ms. Azer to continue collaboration in the pursuit of the safe return of her children to Canada. Canadian consular officials and law enforcement agencies continue to work domestically and internationally with the relevant agencies to make sure that we return the kids home safely.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of budget 2016. We have been open and transparent with Canadians. We introduced measures that are easy to understand.We also know that the PBO leads an important institution. We received a letter from him on April 1, and over the week that followed, we provided all necessary information to the PBO for his office to understand our budget.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek the unanimous consent of the House to table the following documents, in both official languages. They deal with ministerial conduct, and I would be happy to read it out. It states, Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries must act with honesty and must uphold the highest ethical standards...
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be able to talk about taxes in our budget. We started on January 1 by reducing taxes on nine million Canadians. We moved forward with our Canada child benefit, which gives more money to nine out of 10 families with childrenon average $2,300 more.We are in a situation where we are helping people who have not had the help they have needed over the last generation. We are improving the lot of middle-class Canadians, and we are going to grow the economy, so for the future their children and their grandchildren will be in a better position.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud to invest $120 billion over the next 10 years to build and rebuild the Canadian economy. Out of that $120 billion, $10 billion will be invested in the first two years in transit, in social infrastructure, in building roads and bridges and supporting communities throughout the country regardless of their size. This is the investment that will help us grow the economy, make our economy more productive, and build communities that are strong, sustainable, and inclusive for all Canadians to live in.
Mr. Speaker, the NDP condemned the TPP without even reading it. That is not how we are doing it. We promised during the campaign to consult, and that is what we are doing. Joe Stiglitz is a friend of mine, as he said in his interviews, and I talk to him often. I spoke to him last week about the TPP. However, I would like to urge the hon. member to talk to her own NDP colleagues; for example, Jen Anthony, an NDP delegate at the convention on Sunday, who said, cattle producers are significant benefactors of this deal. It allows for a better open market
Mr. Speaker, I am extraordinarily proud of that investment to the First Nations Financial Management Board.Every member of the aboriginal affairs committee last year heard the testimony. This is an organization that takes a small amount of money, turns it into a large amount of money, and accesses infrastructure for first nations, coast to coast to coast.This is an excellent investment. Ask any of the members on that side. The member needs to ask her colleagues on the aboriginal affairs committee why they supported that in the report.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of what we have put in the budget. It is open. It is transparent. We are talking here about how much we will grow the economy. That is the debate. We are confident that our measures to help Canadians today, with tax cuts and benefit changes, and our measures for the future, with infrastructure expenditures and the new innovation plan, will make a real difference over the long term, allowing us to grow the economy. We are happy to have the debate on exactly how much it will grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of budget 2016 for many reasons, but one of the most important reasons is what it will do for our economy and how much it will help small and medium-sized businesses. We are helping the Canadian middle class by improving their situation. That is going to improve every single consumer of small and medium-sized businesses in this country. We are going to grow the economy, and that is going to make business in Canada much more successful in the future.
Mr. Speaker, the member well knows that members of first nations communities do have access to all the audited statements. If they do not have access, they can get that straight from my office, and those requests are very, very rare. That was the reason we opposed the act, because first nations had not been consulted. We all want accountability. We just cannot do it top-down.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have nothing to hide.The member knows full well that all of those donations are disclosed, according to law, every quarter. The member can spend the whole evening searching the Internet. Here is good news: it is coming to a computer near him.While he is up asking questions, perhaps he should ask his colleague from Red Deer about fundraising activities when Senator Duffy went to his riding and, in fact, even threatened litigation with the riding association over that event.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister flippantly said that Albertans should be pleased that they have not been hit harder. More than 100,000 energy workers have lost their jobs. Alberta's unemployment is almost unprecedented. In fact, it was only higher when his dad was PM.Energy drives Bruderheim's economy. People are not pleased. They cannot even get the Liberals to extend EI benefits now when they need it most, but they really just want jobs. They have contributed so much to all of Canada. Why is the government ignoring these hard-hit Albertans?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's question and concern. I think my hon. colleague is fully aware that, as a government, we support supply management, and this government fully understands the importance of compensation to the supply management sector.
Mr. Speaker, we are hearing from band members across this country who want to know that the Prime Minister's $8.4 billion in the budget is going to have a real meaningful impact on their lives. We are also hearing that they are very concerned about the gutting of the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. When the Liberals refuse to allow first nations to access spending information on reserves, it does impact their lives. Why will the Liberals not allow first nations community members to have the same access to information of all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 was an historic budget. It helps people across this country.It certainly helps people in Quebec, like it helps people across this country, with changes in their taxes, with changes in the way we give the Canada child benefit. It will make a real difference for people in that province, as it will across the country, through investments in infrastructure and in the long-term growth of our economy.We are confident that people in Quebec and across the country will have a better future as a result of these investments.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question and for the work she does with small businesses.E-commerce is increasing at an amazing rate. It represents a huge opportunity for Canadian entrepreneurs. One of my constituents in Waterloo runs her own business making custom jewellery. Do members know where her best customers are? They are in California and Florida. Why is that? It is because with e-commerce the entire world is the marketplace. That is why our government has committed $500 million to expand and improve broadband services in rural and remote areas, because Canadians' entrepreneurial spirit should not be limited by where they live.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, now that the dispute between the governments of Quebec and Manitoba and Air Canada is over, we can clarify the Air Canada Public Participation Act. I would also like to add that Air Canada has promised to create two centres of excellence, one in Quebec and the other in Manitoba. That being said, since the issue will be going before the courts, it would not be appropriate for me to say anything more.
Mr. Speaker, to the member's question, I attended this fundraising event as all members of Parliament attend fundraising events. I was accompanied, on a voluntary basis, by my policy adviser. She paid her own way, having been a long-standing resident of the Toronto area. The subject matter of which I spoke in terms of the fundraising or what we talked about was Canadian politics, being involved in politics, and ensuring that everybody has the ability to have their voices heard, which is what I talked about.
Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, our primary responsibility is to make sure children in this country have hope, and we are failing them. I want to thank the minister for her positive words on Attawapiskat, but as the community said to me this morning, it should not take a state of emergency to get mental health workers to fly into a region that has had 700-plus suicide attempts.There is no money in the budget for mental health services for indigenous children. I have this question for the minister. What is it going to take to end this cycle of crisis and death among young people? What are the concrete steps for the long term that the Liberals are going to put on the ground, not just in Attawapiskat but in all the indigenous communities of this country?
Mr. Speaker, none of the money the hon. member is talking about has been invested in the Canadian economy for the last two years. We will invest that money immediately, as well as $10 billion more on top of the Building Canada fund. We are committed to supporting municipalities in building the critical infrastructure that is necessary to grow the economy. We will do that with additional money and we will do it by expediting the money that should have been invested in 2014 and 2015.
Mr. Speaker, today I made an unprecedented announcement about combatting tax evasion and international tax avoidance. The vast majority of middle-class Canadians pay their fair share of taxes, but some wealthy Canadians are hiding their money in foreign tax havens to avoid paying taxes. That is not fair and it must change.Thanks to our historic $44-million investment, wealthy Canadians will be required to pay their share of taxes.
Mr. Speaker, more and more people are opposing the trans-Pacific partnership. Last week, Joseph Stiglitz, winner of the Nobel prize in economics, sounded the alarm for workers. Not only are the Liberals determined to move forward with the agreement, but they are also casting doubt on compensation for the dairy industry. There was not one penny in the last budget for this. When will the Liberals listen to the concerns of workers and stand up for Canadian workers here in Canada and for our dairy producers?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud that there are a number of economists who have identified the fact that we are identifying a 2% increase in unemployment in a sustained and sharp way actually identifies the areas that need direct attention. We are monitoring the situation from coast to coast to coast, and will continue to do so as the situation progresses.
Mr. Speaker, the people of southern Saskatchewan are more than just a cold-hearted formula. The minister's budget speech was full of flowery imagery, where the sun shines, the wind blows, and the unicorns roam happy and free, but the touchy-feely words and Care Bear stares will not create jobs. Instead, the Liberals are making the employment problem worse by blocking private sector solutions, like northern gateway and energy east. The Liberals are only treating the symptoms with their EI changes, and they cannot even do that fairly.Will the minister show some compassion and abandon this cold-hearted formula that punishes southern Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, last week, General Jonathan Vance said the battle against ISIS has no end in sight. He went on to say Canadians should prepare for more Canadian Armed Forces casualties with the expansion of the mission on the ground in Iraq. Our troops are facing increased risk, and because of the Liberals, they do not have Canadian air support. Will the Minister of National Defence admit that prematurely pulling out our CF-18s was a mistake?
Mr. Speaker, I did attend a fundraising event. In advance, I cleared it with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and complied with all federal rules with respect to fundraising.The purpose of the discussion, the primary discussion that occurred at that event, was about Canada. It was about how far we have come as a country wherein we embrace diversity, ensure that all voices are heard, and recognize that in a country such as Canada, the justice minister can be an aboriginal person and also be a woman. That is what this country is about.
Mr. Speaker, last month we celebrated International Women's Day. Although that important day has passed, we must remain vigilant and remember that women and children across Canada are disproportionately affected by domestic violence.Could the hon. Minister of Status of Women please advise the House of the steps her department is taking to ensure that women and their children fleeing intimate partner violence are able to find shelters and other services to help them rebuild their lives?
Mr. Speaker, the overall situation for the oil and gas sector, and more broadly the resource sector, has been very tough. In fact, certain areas of Canada have seen enormous and rapid increased unemployment. A target of 2% very rapidly and sustained was identified. When we used that screen on every region of Canada, 12 regions met that target. We continue to monitor the situation across Canada, and are very proud to be rolling out 2.5 billion dollars' worth of benefits to help those regions and every other Canadian.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Justice said she went to Toronto to attend a fundraising activity simply as the member for Vancouver-Granville. The minister would therefore have us believe that the people she met at this cocktail party in Toronto wanted to talk to her about matters that are important to her riding in Vancouver. Let us be real. If I go to Toronto, no one is going to talk to me about what is going on in LévisLotbinière.Will the minister stop taking us for fools and admit that she was there as the Minister of Justice?
Mr. Speaker, with that answer it seems that sunny ways are clouding over more and more. It seems like only yesterday that the government released ethical guidelines that state: There should be no preferential access to government...accorded to individuals or organizations because they have made financial contributions to politicians and political parties. Even Conservative Bev Oda, in an ethically challenged government, was caught in the same type of scandal and gave back the contributions. Why will the Minister of Justice not do the same thing?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring women and their children are free from violence is a priority for this government, and that is why I am working with my colleagues and experts across the country to develop a federal gender-based violence strategy. Shelters are also key to supporting this goal, which is why we announced in our budget that we will create over 3,000 shelter spaces over the next two years ensuring that more women have a safe place to turn in violent situations. By enabling women and girls to live violence-free, we can move closer to gender equality.
Mr. Speaker, we were happy to consult with Canadians. We had more than 250,000 people who were touched by our pre-budget consultations. We listened to Canadians across the country, small businesses and big businesses. We have made a real difference for small and medium-sized business by helping middle-class Canadians. We are investing in the future of Canada through a new innovation plan that is going to allow us to grow our economy over the long term. This is what Canada needs at this time, and we are going to make a real difference for future Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will find no argument with me that in fact we need to find a way to restore hope for these communities and particularly for the young people who consider taking their lives.In fact, as the hon. member may know, the budget includes $8.4 billion in funding for indigenous communities. It is these funds that would actually restore hope to communities. When we invest in education, so that these young people will have a standard of education that every Canadian child should have, it will renew hope. When we invest in these communities, so that people will have adequate housing and not be faced with overcrowding, we will find hope.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals want to create a two-tiered employment insurance system that excludes Quebec. They are abandoning the SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean region, which lost 7,000 jobs in the past year. They are abandoning struggling seasonal workers in the Gaspé. They are abandoning Montreal, the unemployment capital of Canada. To top it all off, the Liberals want to make it legal to lay off 2,600 Air Canada workers, workers they supported before they took office. That is what we call betrayal. Are the Liberals not ashamed of themselves?Why did the minister flip-flop and why is he now turning his back on these 2,600 families?
Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 provides $20 million to the First Nations Finance Authority, the same organization that the Minister of Justice chaired, the same organization that the Minister of Justice's husband lobbies for. There is a clear conflict of interest here.The Prime Minister states that his ministers must uphold the highest ethical standards and the impartiality of government is to be maintained and enhanced.Does $20 million to an organization so intertwined with the Minister of Justice and her husband seem impartial?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue just announced that 100 investigators would be hired to identify tax fraud. That is all well and good, but the problem is that it is essentially legal to use tax havens, since Liberal and Conservative governments drafted the tax rules specifically to allow profiteers to repatriate their profits without paying anything here.Instead of announcing symbolic measures, will this government commit to seriously crack down on tax havens by abolishing the regulatory framework that helps them, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member can keep talking in terms of the definitions of war, but our fight against ISIL does not change in any way. We will take every action with our coalition partners to defeat Daesh, and we are not going to give ISIL legitimacy by calling them a state, by calling this a war.
Mr. Speaker, rural areas across the country, like my riding of Fundy Royal, often rely on traditional industry such as forestry, fisheries, and agriculture to power the economy. In today's global economy it is vital that these traditional industries become more efficient and develop new markets in order to grow. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development inform the House of initiatives being undertaken to help traditional industries prepare for the future?
Mr. Speaker, on the celebration of Vaisakhi on the Hill, let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy Vaisakhi. I want Canadians to know that small business is implicit throughout the entire budget. When it comes to small business owners, they are middle-class Canadians. The tax cut will benefit not only customers and clients but small business owners themselves. We know very well that the wealthy 1% are most likely not our small business owners. We are here to represent them, but what members opposite need to recognize is that in this country people have views and opinions. This government is listening and is working with the entrepreneurs and the people we represent. We know what small
Mr. Speaker, although the Prime Minister promised a different kind of government, he has no problem with his Minister of Justice participating in a Liberal Party fundraiser at $500 a plate. However, the ministers' guide, Open and Accountable Government, is very clear: there should be no preferential access to government, or appearance of preferential access, in exchange for political contributions.Can the Prime Minister tell us why he is not able to follow the rules that he, himself, set?
Mr. Speaker, we are very aware of issues with enforcement of our rules surrounding supply management.As my colleague, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, has already said, we support supply management and we do so with our trade policy. We are reviewing these rules right now and working very hard on it.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his concern for the well-being of our troops. I can assure the member that our troops in Iraq have full air support when needed. In fact, we have done a thorough assessment. I talk to the chief of the defence staff on a regular basis about the security situation, and we have taken all the measures necessary and have given freedom of actions to take any future necessary precautions for the protection of our troops.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have a right to be outraged. Our government recognizes that international tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance are critical issues. We are taking meaningful action. The government has allocated more than $444 million to the CRA, to combat tax evasion and tax havens.
Mr. Speaker, once again I rise in the House to question the justice minister on her lack of judgment. Last week, the justice minister and her ministerial policy adviser attended a pay-for-access fundraiser with Bay Street elite lawyers. While leaving the event, the minister stated she was attending the event as a regular MP, policy adviser in tow.Does the justice minister really expect Canadians to believe that high-priced Ontario lawyers paid $500 a plate to meet with the member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville?
Mr. Speaker, the online activity of Canadian companies has reportedly more than doubled in six years and it generated an estimated $136 billion in 2013. That represents 7% of the gross domestic product and this figure continues to grow.Given the enormous potential that e-commerce represents for small, medium, and large businesses, what government measures and initiatives are in place to support innovation and to help our Canadian companies enter the market?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the minister attended a pay-to-play fundraiser in which attendees were invited to pay in return for access to the minister. The Minister of Justice has a duty not only to be independent but to be perceived as independent, which the minister has clearly compromised.Will the minister do the right thing, stand up, apologize, and return the pay-to-play cash?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question and for changing the topic in the House.This is one of the most serious and pressing tragedies that our nation is facing. I am devastated by the situation that is taking place in Attawapiskat. I am working with my colleague the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs to respond to this tragedy.I was in conversation yesterday with National Chief Bellegarde. I spoke today with Chief Shisheesh from Attawapiskat. We now have five new mental health workers in the community. We are responding to both the immediate needs and long-term needs of this community.
Mr. Speaker, in attending this fundraising event, the minister broke the Prime Minister's code of open and accountable government and the minister crossed the line by putting herself in a conflict of interest. In order to clear the stench from this sordid Liberal fundraising affair, will the minister release the list of attendees? If not, what does the minister have to hide?
Mr. Speaker, the promotion and protection of human rights, including freedom of religion, belief and conscience, is an integral part of Canada's constructive engagement in the world. Global Affairs is continuing this important work and its professionals are working hard on a transition to a comprehensive vision on human rights, including religious freedom of course. Dr. Bennett and our staff are working together. As a multicultural and multi-faith society, Canada is well positioned to champion peaceful pluralism, respect for diversity, and all human rights.
Mr. Speaker, there have long been post-employment restrictions at the Canada Revenue Agency for executives who leave the organization. In March 2014, the post-employment restrictions were extended to all employees who leave the Canada Revenue Agency. It would be inappropriate to comment on a specific case for reasons of privacy. Hon. members can rest assured that we are following this situation at the CRA very closely.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are going to borrow $30 billion we do not have to invest in what they claim to be infrastructure projects.However, very little of this money will be invested in roads, public transit, or the promises they made during the election campaign. In their latest budget, the Liberals spend this money on other things, on expenses that will become recurring. Canadians are now realizing that they cannot trust this government.How can the Prime Minister explain a $30-billion deficit that he claims is for infrastructure investments, when that is not what he is spending it on? How does he explain that?
Mr. Speaker, my friend opposite is obviously struggling with a very basic concept. The Liberal Party raises money in accordance with all the rules under the Canada Elections Act. In this case my colleague, Minister of Justice, proactively reached out to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to discuss this particular event, and she indicated that it was appropriate.That is the ethical standard that this government has raised from the previous government that was before us.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the UPA and the Government of Quebec both called on the federal government to regulate imports of diafiltered milk. This morning, a central-Quebec-based group of agri-food advocates known as the Front commun de la filière agroalimentaire weighed in.On page 127 of the budget, the government talks about eliminating tariffs on food manufacturing ingredients other than supply-managed products.Does the government really want to eliminate tariffs on diafiltered milk, which is contrary to the wishes of Quebec, the UPA and the Front commun?
Mr. Speaker, the government is leaving western Canadians who are unemployed behind. Instead of helping everyone, the Liberals are picking winners and losers.Last week, Statistics Canada pointed out that unemployment in Edmonton increased 34% over the last year. In southern Saskatchewan, it has gone up by 40% in the last year. However, according to the Prime Minister, unemployed Canadians living in Edmonton and southern Saskatchewan should be pleased that they are not getting help from the government.Will the Liberals reverse this discriminatory policy and extend EI benefits to all workers, including those in the west who need it?
Mr. Speaker, Ontario Power Generation wants to dump abandoned radioactive nuclear waste next to the Great Lakes. It cannot say that this waste will not leak, nor has it considered any other options. Burying nuclear waste has a 100% failure rate. The last set of nuclear waste that was buried actually caught on fire.This madness has to stop and at the risk of the health and safety of future generations, including my daughter and many other youth who are visiting Ottawa today, we need to say no. This is on the minister's desk right now. Will the minister stop the plan to dump nuclear waste down a hole, walk away and leave it for future generations?
Mr. Speaker, that is money we already had in our plan. The former government already had a plan for $75 billion. The Liberals promised a lot, but they do not deliver. That will be delivered after 2019. They do not respect what they said in the campaign.Furthermore, they are going to borrow $100 billion over four years. How does this government plan on returning to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, fundraising is an activity that every member of this House engages in. Thankfully, on a federal level there are strict rules in place that determine how fundraising activities occur. We do not take donations from corporations and we do not take donations from unions. In advance, I proactively sought the opinion of the Ethics Commissioner, to whom there was no conflict.
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious from the budget that the Prime Minister did not teach geography. He has no idea where the oil and gas industry in Saskatchewan is actually located. EI benefits will only be extended in Saskatoon and northern Saskatchewan, which is nowhere near the oil patch in the southeast. The Prime Minister then insulted us by telling us that we should be thankful they have not been hit harder. Why are these Liberals discriminating against Canadians who have lost their jobs in the energy sector in southeast Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals refuse to say that we are at war with ISIS, but according to the chief of the defence staff, the risk to the lives of our troops on the ground in Iraq has gone up. How can Canadian casualties increase if we are not at war?Will the defence minister join our allies and finally say that Canada is at war against the jihadi genocidal death cult called ISIS?
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Mr. Speaker, the minister should know from his finance department that the median average wage for the Canadian middle class in the past 10 years rose 13% under the Conservative mandate.The minister said that he consulted private-sector economists for predictions to the economy. He did not take their advice. The Liberals promised and advised many times that they would reduce the small business tax. They did not take small business tax advice either.This is the question I have for the minister. Why is he even bothering to consult with small or big business owners in this country when he is not going to take their advice?
Mr. Speaker, I take my ethical responsibilities incredibly seriously. Fundraising, as I said, is an activity that every member of the House engages in. Another reality, in terms of fundraising, is to broadly engage with the public and have discussions. I would never place myself in a conflict of interest, and that is why I proactively engaged with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner prior to attending this event.
Mr. Speaker, Burma's Rohingya Muslims are heavily persecuted, but the minister was just in Burma and did not even mention the Rohingyas. When the government killed the office of religious freedom, it said it was just about doing the same work a different way. Well, so much for that, because the office is gone. The projects have stopped, including projects in Burma. No replacement has even been announced, and there is no money in the budget for international human rights.Are all these changes coincidental, or is turning away from human rights the price to buy votes from dictators at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are spending $30 billion of borrowed money, but not a dime of it is going to small businesses. It is not a question anymore of delaying their promise to cut taxes for small businesses; now they have admitted they do not even have a timeline for it.Is the Prime Minister ignoring small businesses because he still thinks, as he did in the election, that they are actually just ways for wealthy Canadians to cheat on taxes?
Mr. Speaker, the minister forgot some things, because in his budget he inflated the figures, to say the least. With respect to job creation, it says in the budget that 146,000 new jobs will be preserved. The parliamentary budget officer said that is not the case. On the contrary, we are talking about a much smaller number, namely 86,000 jobs. Furthermore, the PBO concluded that the forecasts for the private sector are excessive and that this budget, as tabled, makes parliamentarians' work more difficult.Why did the government fudge the numbers? Why is the government refusing to tell Canadians the truth?
Mr. Speaker, the government says that we are in a recession, but the evidence from Statistics Canada is that we are not. The government says it is going to be financially transparent, but the evidence from the Parliamentary Budget Officer is that it is not.The government says it is the saviour of the middle class, but the evidence from Finance Canada, which was just forced out of it by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, is that the Liberals plan on slashing this help to the middle class by 75% by 2021.Let us just cut to the chase here, since we know where this is going. Can the Minister of Finance tell us today which taxes he is actually going to raise on us?
Mr. Speaker, let us go from Bay Street to Attawapiskat. The chief of Attawapiskat was once again forced to declare a state of emergency on Saturday, following a rash of suicide attempts by young people in his community. While the Prime Minister talks about how saddened he is by the situation, the fact is that it is getting worse and nothing is being done about it. The government refused to conduct an inquiry, and requests for mental heath services are often denied. The government is turning its back on young people.When will the government take action and put an end to this tragedy?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government loves to go on and on about its lofty principles, but its actions say quite the opposite. Consider the example of transparency. The governments boasts about being transparent, but meanwhile it is eliminating transparency rules for first nations and labour unions. We are not the only ones saying so. The parliamentary budget officer said that he is, and I quote, unable to provide completed tables due to the lack of information provided in Budget 2016. Why is the government hiding information from Canadians? Why this lack of transparency?
Mr. Speaker, the clouds are looking darker and darker on the other side.The Panama papers gave us a glimpse into the troubling world of tax havens, and new reports raise questions about the Canada Revenue Agency's failure to act.A senior CRA employee crossed the floor to work for KPMG while the company was under investigation for setting up a tax sham. Why does the minister continue to defend the secret sweetheart deal for wealthy KPMG clients? How can Canadians take them seriously?
Mr. Speaker, Alison Azer's four children were kidnapped and are now thought to be in Mahabad, Iran. She has been in touch with the RCMP but is extremely frustrated with the lack of response from the government. She is worried that her daughters may be subjected to female genital mutilation and that her older son may be sent to a madrassa.We understand, based upon communications between our offices, that the Minister of Foreign Affairs is open to a meeting.Would the minister confirm today that he will meet with Mrs. Azer?
Mr. Speaker, on January 18, 2014, the member for Wascana wrote to the Ethics Commissioner, asking that she investigate the former member for Saint Boniface after she attended a political fundraiser. The member for Wascana stated in his letter that Any breach of the Conflict of Interest Code undermines the confidence that Canadians have in our elected representative.... Given the nature of the justice minister's fundraiser this past week, how can the member complain on the one hand and then turn a blind eye to last week's Liberal fundraiser?
Mr. Speaker, obviously, we are devastated by the news that there has been this horrible fire in Newfoundland, and we continue to monitor the situation. There are workers who will be out of work. We are hoping that we are able to assist them in finding other opportunities in the region.
Mr. Speaker, shrimp season has just opened in Newfoundland. Today we have heard that the Quinlan Brothers processing plant, which employs about 700 people, has suffered a devastating fire. This disaster will impact not only the community and local plant workers but also the fishermen who land their catch at Bay de Verde. Are the Liberals going to immediately move to give special EI access to these affected workers?
Mr. Speaker, seasonal workers are on the verge of falling into the infamous black hole, a period of no employment insurance benefits. However, there is nothing for these workers in the budget.We have sick people waiting in hospital hallways and students going into debt to learn, but this budget abandons them as well, since it does not contain any transfer increases. The same goes for leading-edge businesses in Quebec: the budget offers nothing for them. In spite of all these omissions, the government is predicting a $29-billion deficit.Does the government realize that all Canadians, and especially those who need help, are paying for its lax attitude towards tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, people are outraged about the Panama papers. Multinational companies and people with connections are taking advantage of laws that were made for them, in order to shirk their responsibilities. The minister announced new measures, but there is no word on her former executive who jumped ship to go work for KPMG, at the same time that the firm was being investigated by the CRA. What a joke. Why does the minister keep defending the secret agreement for cheats?
Mr. Speaker, small business owners are hard-working, middle-class Canadians, but the Liberals have betrayed them. The Liberal promise to cut taxes for small businesses has vanished into thin air.Why is the government breaking its promise and hanging Canadian small business owners out to dry?
Mr. Speaker, like Mr. Lim's family and friends, the Government of Canada is concerned about his rights and his well-being. We continue to work for his release. I have met in the past with members of his family and members of the community. We continue to be engaged on this file. Our officials are providing consular services to him and his family, and we will not stop until Mr. Lim is released.
Mr. Speaker, the feigned indignation in front is a little rich.We have indicated at all times that the Liberal Party raises money in accordance with the provisions of the Canada Elections Act. As I have said on previous occasions, nobody on this side of the House has gone to prison for illegal fundraising, and that is something they are having trouble saying over there.
Mr. Speaker, I understand a Canadian delegation met in recent days with the Reverend Hyeon Soo Lim, who remains in prison, forced to a life sentence of hard labour in North Korea. That is just outrageous. Reports indicate that his condition is deteriorating and that time is growing short for him.My question is simple. What are the Liberals doing to bring Reverend Lim home to his family and to his congregation?
Mr. Speaker, that is hardly the situation. In fact, every Canadian is improved by the changes that we have made to EI. It has helped every region in this country, including those who were specifically hit by the oil and gas price reduction. In fact, those companies that are servicing the oil and gas sector will be benefiting by doubling the amount of work-share weeks, increasing the opportunities for small business and workers in regions that were impacted.
Mr. Speaker, what on earth will it take for the Liberals to stop backing the TPP? Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz calls it the worst trade deal ever. He warns it will erode workers' rights, kill Canadian jobs, and reverse the principle of polluter pays, making governments pay billions for any attempt to protect the environment. Can the minister confirm that Stiglitz explained to her the serious problems with the TPP, and will she tell the House which part she did not understand?