2017-09-20

Mr. Speaker, how disgraceful and unfair.The Minister of Finance wants to tax small business investment income at a rate of 73%. As a result, the retirement plans of a pork producer in my riding, Mario, will be seriously jeopardized.Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Mario to pay a tax rate of 73% that the millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell do not have to pay? How is that fair? What a disgrace.

Mr. Speaker, how disappointing.

Mr. Speaker, having14 people squeeze into a two-bedroom home with walls that are black with mould is the reality faced by too many indigenous Canadians living on reserves. If they choose to leave, they end up much more vulnerable to marginalization, discrimination, and homelessness.We have had two years of talk from the Prime Minister. Now it is time for action.Will the minister work in partnership with indigenous peoples to implement a focused strategy that comes with immediate funding to tackle the growing indigenous housing crisis?

Mr. Speaker, the dairy farm investment program is a total failure. No surprises there.Many dairy farmers have hit a wall and will not be able to get the compensation they are owed because the program is underfunded. It is ridiculous. In less than a week, the program already handed out $125 million of the $250 million, while the losses are estimated to be at least $750 million. CETA comes into effect tomorrow and dairy farmers must and want to invest right now.Will the Minister of Agriculture allocate more money to the dairy farm investment program or not?

Mr. Speaker, New Democrats have fought for tax fairness for generations, so we welcome the Liberals to the conversation with open arms. Yet, in typical Liberal fashion, they have somehow managed to screw up the consultation and decided to focus only on small business. The New Democrats are calling on the government to extend and expand this review to get it right. Billions in tax havens, hundreds of millions of dollars in CEO stock options, no wonder small businesses do not trust the Liberals when it comes to their affairs. The Minister of Finance is going after all the minnows but he keeps throwing back the whales.Will the Liberals get serious about going after tax cheats even if it might hurt some of their wealthy and well-connected friends?

Mr. Speaker, what is the government's logic?The Liberals are opposed to the UN treaty for nuclear disarmament, but they are leaving the door open to participating in an ineffective, dangerous system that will precipitate an arms race.Is that the Liberals' foreign policy?Is it accepting Donald Trump's belligerent fire and fury policy rather than participating in the diplomatic efforts that more than 120 countries are making towards disarmament?What kind of world do they want to live in?

Mr. Speaker, here is a real life example. Joseph, an entrepreneur and small business owner, wrote me a message yesterday on Facebook. He said, “I have struggled to stay in business for a long time, but this tax reform is forcing me to liquidate my equipment and shut down. The Liberal's vision involves helping the wealthy at the little guy's expense.”That is the truth. The government is not going to help Joseph and families across Canada by raising taxes for SMEs.Will the minister rethink his unfair, ad hoc tax reform?

Mr. Speaker, it is very disappointing that the Leader of the Opposition will not denounce these statements and not show that the leader of his entire caucus understands how inappropriate those comments were and ask the member to apologize to all members of the House and all Canadians, today.

Mr. Speaker, we heard some serious allegations about Saudi Arabia using Canadian-made weapons against civilians.The Minister of Foreign Affairs launched an investigation and promised that she would take action if it was confirmed. However, later, the Saudi ambassador to Canada himself confirmed the allegations. When can we expect the results from the minister's investigation, and what actions will she take now that the allegations have been confirmed by the Saudis themselves?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister continued his campaign against small businesses.Our local businesses need tools for saving money when times are good, money for a rainy day, because they want to be able to pay their employees when times are tough. However, the Prime Minister's new taxes will make it harder for them to do that. Will the Prime Minister end his campaign against local businesses and stop attacking job creators?

Mr. Speaker, the security of Canadians and the defence of North America are of the utmost importance to the Canadian Armed Forces and to our government. Our new defence policy recognizes the growing threats of ballistic missiles and commits to continuing to work actively with the United States and looking broadly at all threats to North America, as we look at NORAD modernization. However, the policy has not changed yet.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I had an opportunity to chat with Terry, a grain farmer from my riding after his conversation with the Minister of Finance about Liberal tax changes. The minister said nothing to alleviate Terry's concerns for his livelihood. These changes mean that Terry's retirement is in jeopardy.Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Terry, an independent grain farmer from Nipawin, Saskatchewan to pay a 73% tax that not even millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell will have to pay? How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, all week the Conservatives pretended to stand up for business women. Members on this side were deeply disappointed by comments made by the Conservative member for Battlefords—Lloydminster about the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.We can all agree that sexist comments should not be part of the public debate or part of any conversation anywhere, period.Will the Leader of the Opposition stand here today, do the right thing, denounce his member's comments, and ask him to issue a full apology to the House?

Mr. Speaker, 35 organizations representing businesses, SMEs, professionals, self-employed workers, and farmers, with more than 1.2 million members between them, were never consulted about the Liberal government's tax reforms. These are not multi-millionaires we are talking about. These are people who work hard day after day to create jobs right across the country.My question is simple: is paying $1,500 to attend a private cocktail party with the Prime Minister the only way for these people to make themselves heard?

Mr. Speaker, the best way for that to happen and for the system to be fair is if small business owners were not penalized by this greedy government that just wants more taxes from small businesses.Once again, the reality in my riding is that a businesswoman, Manon, who owns a restaurant in Loretteville, not too far from where I live, is going to have to pay a 73% tax, while Bay Street billionaires like Morneau Shepell will not pay 73%.Does the Minister of Finance think that is fair?

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is World Alzheimer's Day. Almost every member of this chamber has been touched by Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia in some way or another, and so have most Canadians. We all know that more needs to be done to help those struggling with dementia and those caring for them, as well as in research to understand and treat these diseases. As I congratulate the new Minister of Health on her appointment, can she update us on her department's work on this important issue?

Mr. Speaker, we do not want to have a situation where the wealthy can simply change their situation by incorporating so they have a lower tax rate than the middle class. That is not a fair system. We want a system where small and medium-sized businesses have the opportunity to make investments with one of the lowest tax rates in the G7, but at the same time, one that is fair. That is our goal, and we are confident that we can create an economy that works for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, if the Liberals were really serious about tax fairness, they would have kept their promise to eliminate the loophole available exclusively to CEOs.We have all heard fishing stories. Here is a good one. Usually fishers throw back the little fish and keep the big ones. Strangely enough, the Minister of Finance is doing the opposite: he is throwing the big ones back into the lake and keeping the little ones.Why are the Liberals attacking small businesses and doing nothing that might affect their Bay Street buddies, CEOs, billionaires, and tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, John owns Johnny Finger Cats Welding in my riding. He is an employer in a small rural community who has fought hard to keep his business afloat despite the energy downturn. Now the Minister of Finance wants to take more money out of his pocket with these punitive tax changes. This is going to force him to lay off staff and certainly inhibit the ability for him to grow his business.Why is the finance minister forcing John to pay a 73% tax hike when millionaire owners of companies like Morneau Shepell do not have to pay it? I would like him to tell rural Canadians how that is fair.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister left the door open to joining American ballistic missile defence, just one month after saying the Liberals would not change their position against such a system. The system is dangerously unreliable, exorbitantly expensive, and it may well just spur a nuclear arms race. Just last week the Canadian Deputy Commander of NORAD warned clearly, “The extant U.S. policy is not to defend Canada.”How has Trump convinced the Liberal government to keep this one on the table nonetheless?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians knew that Trump's anti-immigrant policies would create a climate of fear in the U.S. In August alone, over 5,000 asylum seekers crossed into Quebec and it doubled in B.C. NGOs are left grappling with this without any additional resources. At committee, Liberal MPs have shut down debate on this issue not once, not twice, but four times.Will the government finally agree to work with all sides of the House to develop a comprehensive and humanitarian approach to this critical situation?

Mr. Speaker, actually, that is precisely the system the Liberals are now creating. In fact, while the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister have gone around accusing our mechanics, farmers, and pizza shop owners of playing games to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, in fact, they are imposing a much higher tax rate on those small business owners than is paid by the owners of much bigger companies on Bay Street.If a 73% tax rate is so fair, then why is he only applying it to the little guys on Main Street and none of his big friends on Bay Street?

Mr. Speaker, I know that rural Canadians and all Canadians want to have a system where we do not encourage the richest to incorporate so they pay a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. That is really important. For business owners, for people across the country who are trying to invest in their business, we encourage that activity. At the same time, we want to make sure that we are not encouraging others to incorporate just for lower tax rates than those business owners or middle-class Canadians. That is what we are working toward. We will listen to make sure we get it right.

Mr. Speaker, women entrepreneurs expect their government to stand with them, not attack them.The Prime Minister does not seem to understand that his tax hikes will mean fewer jobs, fewer working hours, and lower salaries and benefits for workers employed by small and local businesses.Here is a lesson for the Prime Minister. When he raises taxes on businesses, he makes it harder for them to grow and hire more workers. He makes it harder for them to invest in new, start-up businesses that would create even more jobs.Why is the Prime Minister putting up roadblocks to job creation?

Mr. Speaker, we want to make sure that our system is fair. We want to make sure that it does not encourage wealthy Canadians to incorporate so they have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. We also want to make sure that we do not have a situation where some people that are, frankly, very well compensated, pay a lower tax rate than others.The members opposite may be comfortable with that, because that is the system they were in before our government came into power, but we know that a fair system requires all Canadians to find themselves in a situation where they can actually have opportunities that should be available to all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, as we know, there are situations in our country where wealthy Canadians find a way to incorporate so they pay a lower rate of tax than middle-class Canadians. We know that this is not appropriate.I am happy to continue to talk with Canadians and listen to them. Over the course of the next week, I will be having a tele-town hall with Canadians so they can talk to me and give me a sense of their concerns and their issues. People will have questions. We are looking forward to listening, but we will move forward to make sure the system is fair and that it works for small businesses and for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, on the say-so of a U.S. court, North Dakota is pushing ahead with two water diversion projects that could have terrible consequences for Lake Winnipeg. Foreign organisms could be transferred between independent watersheds and increased nutrient loads could mean further problems with toxic algae. It was a platform commitment of the Liberals to protect Lake Winnipeg. The way to do that is to refer these projects to the International Joint Commission for independent review and Canadian oversight. Now that the time for talk is over, will the Liberals stand up for Lake Winnipeg and make that referral?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance wants to tax the investment income of local small business owners at a rate of 73%. These Liberal tax increases will take a toll on Éric Boisvert's thriving SME, Impression Stratégique, located in Beauport. This company and many others like it could be forced to cut salaries or even lay off some employees. Why does the Minister of Finance want Impression Stratégique to pay a 73% tax when the millionaires who own Morneau Shepell do not have to pay a cent?How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, Canada is the most sued country in the world under investor-state dispute settlement provisions in NAFTA's chapter 11, allowing companies to sue governments over anything they believe has reduced their profits. The threat of chapter 11 challenges has had a chilling effect on government action and has eroded our democracy. Numerous stakeholders insist that chapter 11 should be removed, and today, an Ekos poll reported that 63% of Canadians agree. Our trade deals cannot put profits before people. Will the minister finally listen to Canadians and eliminate chapter 11?

Mr. Speaker, speaking of all talk and no action, the Minister of Finance did not include a single penny in his budget for correcting the mistakes on the no-fly list.Fifty or so Liberal MPs, including ministers, wrote to the Minister of Finance to ask him to correct the situation. Families have to cancel trips because their children's names are on the list and business people are facing delays on their business trips.Will the government finally keep its promise and implement and fully fund a proper redress system for the no-fly list and, once and for all, end this victimization of children and business people?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Don Valley West for his question and his work, along with the member for Niagara Falls, on Bill C-233.This is a priority for our government and a priority of mine personally, as my mother lives with Lewy body dementia. This is why we are continuing to contribute $42 million to Baycrest Health Sciences to support new research and development, testing, and scale-up of products and services for brain health and aging. Last year we launched the largest-ever study in dementia in Canada.We will continue to work to improve the lives of those with Alzheimer's and their families.

Mr. Speaker, we want to make sure that we do not have a system that encourages the wealthy to take up an approach that is going to make sure they have a lower tax rate than the middle class. We are going to stay on top of this. We are making sure that misinformation and inaccurate facts are dealt with. We are going to listen to Canadians and clarify what we are trying to achieve to make sure that everyone knows we are going to end up with a tax system that is more fair. That is our goal, and we are going to stick with that.

Mr. Speaker, what we know with our current system is that it does encourage wealthy Canadians to incorporate so they can have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. What we also know is it is important to continue to listen to Canadians to make sure that as we put these measures in place, they will continue to be incentivized to make investments in their businesses. We want to achieve that at the same time as making sure our system is fair. We know those two goals can both be achieved, and that is why we are out listening to Canadians, to make sure we actually achieve them.

Mr. Speaker, Wildwood Transport is a trucking company in my riding that employs 55 Manitobans. Ryan, who is the owner of Wildwood Transport, has told me that the finance minister's tax increases are going to have a drastic effect on him and his employees. What Ryan does not understand is this: why is the finance minister forcing him to pay a 73% tax that not even the millionaire owners of the minister's own family-owned company, Morneau Shepell, have to pay?

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise in the House as Canada's very first Minister of Indigenous Services. I heartily agree with the member opposite that for too long indigenous peoples in this country have lived in substandard conditions. That is why our government has made such significant investments and already 6,500 homes have been built or are under construction. We will continue to work with our partners in first nations, Inuit, and Métis people of this country to make sure all people have a good quality of life.

Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, the government has spent the last number of months looking at modernization and reform of the National Energy Board. It is part of a coast to coast to coast set of conversations with Canadians. I can assure the member that when we come to the House later with legislation, it will embody those very principles that matter to her: indigenous consultation, environmental stewardship, and responsible economic growth for Canada.

Mr. Speaker, across the country, we want to make sure that our tax system is fair.We know that they do not want a system that encourages just the wealthiest to incorporate, to have a private company so that they can actually pay a lower rate of tax than middle-class Canadians.I was pleased to speak to Terry, as I will be pleased to speak to Canadians who will come on our teleconference later this week, in order to hear their questions and ensure that we are listening to what these changes will mean for them.Our goal, again, is tax fairness. We want to make sure that people like Terry and others can continue to invest. Those two goals, we believe, can be met together.

Mr. Speaker, for the last two weeks I have spoken with Canadians in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. They have shared with me the stories of how they are going to be impacted by these tax changes. I met Andrew, who is an apple farmer in New Brunswick. He explained to me that his problem is this. He will, at some point in time, because of this impact, choose between his employees and his family. I do not think, under the minister's plan, Andrew being in a case where he has to think about one or the other is very fair. I want to know why the finance minister is forcing Andrew to pay a 73% tax that not even millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell—

Mr. Speaker, you can be sure that our goal is nuclear disarmament. We are working hard to take real action toward that goal. For the first time in 2016, Canada rallied 159 countries to sign the fissile material cut-off treaty, and countries signed that treaty, whether they had nuclear weapons or not. That is real action. We are working toward nuclear disarmament.

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about fairness.The Minister of Finance's proposal is to tax small business investment income at 73%. This means that a businesswoman in my riding, Diane, who owns a garage in Louis-Saint-Laurent, will have to pay a 73% tax, while big financial corporations, such as Morneau Shepell, for example, will not have to pay the same rate at all.Is the minister really saying it is fair for small business owners, for the businesswoman in my riding, to pay 73%, when even billionaires do not have to pay that much?

Mr. Speaker, while answering media questions yesterday, the Prime Minister described his “family fortune”, which is held in at least three separate numbered companies. It must be nice. Shockingly, he confirmed that he would not be affected by the tax changes he has claimed are intended to make wealthy Canadians pay more. While the Prime Minister is going after local plumbers, mechanics, and farmers, he is bragging that he will not be affected. How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, the member should know that we are absolutely committed to the defence of human rights at home and abroad. We deplore human rights abuses everywhere around the world. Canada expects the end-user of any and all exports to abide by the end-use terms in issued export permits. The minister has asked for a review of the situation and officials have been actively seeking further information on the allegations. I can confirm that no new export permits have been issued for vehicles to Saudi Arabia. We have expressed our concern to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its security operations that they respect international human rights law.

Mr. Speaker, that is the question all Canadians have been waiting for.Tomorrow the free trade agreement between Canada and Europe will come into force. It will open a market of 510 million consumers for businesses across Canada.I invite all members of this House to make a difference in the lives of farmers, fishermen, businesses, and small businesses, and use the agreement. This is a great day for Canada. I invite all members to join in that.

Mr. Speaker, Kirby Baumung, who owns Lyons Transmission Centre, employs seven people in Brandon, Manitoba and is being forced to pay a massive tax increase because of the finance minister's punitive tax increase package. Why is the finance minister forcing Kirby to have to pay these huge, massive taxes that not even his millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell have to pay? How is this fair?

Mr. Speaker, we know Canadians expect us to put in place a system that is fair. We know they have seen a system that, over the years, has encouraged the wealthiest to incorporate and get a lower tax rate than the middle class. That is not something we want to have as a continuing situation in our tax system.

Mr. Speaker, not only do we on this side of the House defend the entrepreneurs and businesswomen, we also represent the integrity and respect women from coast to coast to coast. The Leader of the Opposition refuses to denounce the comments of his colleague in front of all members of the House and, indeed, in front of all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, my riding of New Brunswick Southwest is home to some of the largest exporters of seafood in Canada, including lobster, scallops, salmon, herring, sardines, and so much more.I know so many of the businesses are excited about the opportunities with CETA. Could the Minister of International Trade please update the House on what CETA will mean for the businesses and the implementation process?

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we do not want a system that enables the rich to set up private companies so they can enjoy lower tax rates than the middle class.Over the past two years, we have cut taxes for the middle class, raised taxes on the wealthiest 1%, introduced the Canada child benefit, and given the Canada Revenue Agency an extra $1 billion to work with. The NDP supported none of those measures. We intend to stay on track with a system that is fair.

Mr. Speaker, the design flaws in the no-fly program stretch back many years. It was designed in a way which required people who were inadvertently red-flagged to present themselves at the counter to be cleared manually. That is a very bad system. We are determined to fix it. I would point out for the hon. gentleman that in Bill C-59 he will find the beginning of the legislative changes that are necessary to fix it.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal tax changes will affect hard-working Canadians like Allison and her husband, who, despite the downturn in Alberta, have gotten up, dusted themselves off, and started again. Allison's husband lost his job, and she was a stay-at-home mom of four kids, who substitute taught, but then she suffered a stroke and could not work. Despite all of this, they carried on and started a small business.These new Liberal tax changes will devastate that dream. Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Allison to pay a 73% tax that not even millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell will have to pay? Maybe he could try answering now. How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, we want to get rid of a system that encourages the wealthiest Canadians to incorporate so they can get a lower rate of tax than middle-class Canadians. That is what we are trying to do. We are listening. We are in the middle of consultations right now. We are listening to people across the country. I am visiting chambers of commerce all across Canada to hear what they have to say, and that is very important. We are going to continue to listen so that we can make sure our measures are the right ones to help us come up with a system that is fair.

Mr. Speaker, a tax system that favours the wealthy over the middle class is not one that we see as fair. We want to make sure, as we move forward to have a fairer tax system, that it really does continue to enable farm families, fishers, and people across the country to be successful. We are listening to people across the country to make sure that there are not unintended consequences.Clearly, what we are after is making sure that the wealthiest Canadians do not have an advantage to have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. We will continue with those goals while we listen to farmers and people across the country about their—

Mr. Speaker, we want to make sure we have a system that is fair. We want to make sure that wealthy Canadians cannot choose the approach that is going to allow them to have a lower tax rate than other Canadians. We also want to make sure that small business owners have the ability to invest actively in their businesses, because we are seeking to ensure that our economy can continue to grow. We are going to listen to people to make sure we get this right, but again, we are going to follow through with measures that will ensure that all Canadians can see that our system works for our country.

Mr. Speaker, again, what we are talking about here is a system that encourages wealthy individuals to arrange their taxes in an incorporated way so they can get a lower rate of tax than middle class Canadians. This is what we are trying to get after here.We are working hard to make sure we listen to Canadians, to understand the concerns of those people who are looking at this measure and how it might affect them. However, we want to be absolutely clear. Our goal is to have a system that is fair, one that makes sure we do not encourage the wealthy to have a lower tax rate than the middle class.

Shell owners on Bay Street.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity again to say that what we want is a tax system that is fair. We want a tax system that does not encourage the wealthiest to incorporate so they can have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. That is what we are working towards.We are going to listen to small business owners, to people across the country, because we want to correct the misinformation that is out there, suggesting that they will be in a worse-off situation. We want to make sure that wealthy Canadians do not have advantages not available to the middle class, while encouraging people to continue to invest in our economy, an investment that is going well as we can see with the growth in our economy right now.

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, our government chose to tackle tax evasion. In our last two budgets, we invested over $1 billion, which enabled us to recover $13 billion. Now that we have started, we will not stop.

Mr. Speaker, the truth is that we currently have a tax system that encourages the wealthy to incorporate so they have a lower tax rate than the middle class. That is the truth. That is our situation. That is why we want to be sure that our system is fair. We listened to SMEs to make sure that the system works for them so that they can continue to make active investments in their businesses. That is very important.We are listening.

Mr. Speaker, Darrel and Kathy hope to have their son, Jackson take over the family farm some day. They told me how their rainy day fund saved them when their combine broke in the middle of harvest. The Minister of Finance's tax grab would have made that impossible. Meanwhile, multi-million dollar companies traded on the stock market are exempt.Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Darrel and Kathy to pay a 73% tax that not even the millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell have to pay? How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, we are looking toward a system that does not encourage wealthy Canadians to incorporate so they have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. We are trying to make sure that people can invest in their businesses over the long term. That is our goal. We are certainly listening to people across the country to make sure that they will continue to invest in business and to create jobs, to ensure that we have a healthy economy for this generation and the next. The next generation, like this generation, deserves a fair tax system.

Mr. Speaker, we are working toward ensuring that our tax system is fair. We want to make sure that there is not an encouragement for wealthy Canadians to incorporate so they pay a lower rate of tax than middle-class Canadians. We know that Canadians see that as fair. We are going to work toward ensuring, as well, that entrepreneurs like Ryan are assured that they can continue to actively invest in their businesses to create jobs and to help keep our economy, which is growing very well, healthy over the long term. They need a fairer tax system, and they need encouragement to invest. That is what we are working on achieving.

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Natural Resources.We know that since Bill C-38 in 2012, the National Energy Board, with no competence or experience in environmental assessment, is making a hash of the projects that it reviews. Two expert panels have now recommended taking the National Energy Board out of environmental assessment. I think the National Energy Board may be nailing the nails in its own coffin with the recent approval of a Spectra natural gas pipeline against the advice of Environment Canada's concern for endangered species. A similar mining project in the same region is getting different treatment through the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. Can the minister confirm that we will get the National Energy Board out of environmental assessments once and for all?

Mr. Speaker, what we want and what all Canadians want is a system that is fair. We do not want our society to privilege the wealthy and encourage them to have a lower tax rate than the middle class. This is our goal.We are listening to farmers across the country to make sure that there are no unintended consequences for them. That is very important. Our goal is clear. We want a fair system.

Mr. Speaker, we have a notion of what is fair. We do not want a system that encourages the wealthiest to incorporate so they can get a lower tax rate than the middle class. That is not fair.The fact that members opposite believe that it is fair for the wealthiest to pay a lower tax rate than the middle class is something we do not understand. We are going to move forward with a system that encourages people to invest in business, but a system that allows all Canadians to have opportunities with a fair tax system.

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is proposing to tax the investment income of small business owners at a rate of 73%. That means that Boyd Yamamoto, the owner of Sardis Health Foods, in Chilliwack, will now be punished after years of hard work for setting aside money for his retirement. Why is the finance minister forcing Boyd to pay a 73% tax that not even the millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell will have to pay? How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, a tax system that encourages the wealthy to incorporate to pay a lower tax rate than the middle class is not a tax system that is fair. We want to be clear that we want to encourage investment in small business, and that is why we plan on keeping small business tax rates low, the lowest in the G7 countries. That is our goal. We are going to make sure the system does not encourage wealthy people to have a lower tax rate than the middle class and at the same time, encourage small businesses to invest in their business so that we can grow our economy.

Mr. Speaker, farmers are right in the middle of the harvest, and the Minister of Finance wants to tax the investment income of small businesses, such as family farms, at 73%. Éric and his two family partners, farmers from Sainte-Christine, in the riding of Shefford, will not be able to leave their farm to their six children, and the minister is putting their retirement in jeopardy. Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Éric to pay a 73% tax rate, but will not make the millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell pay?How can he claim that is fair?

Mr. Speaker, Kelly Langille owns a heating and air conditioning business in Chilliwack. He works hard, creates good jobs within my community, and hopes to share his success with his children and save for his own retirement. The Minister of Finance's tax changes will harm his business and his family. Kelly says, “I will now have to re-evaluate my ability to save not only for my retirement, but to keep my business running”. Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Kelly to pay a 73% tax that not even millionaire owners of companies like Morneau Shepell have to pay, and how is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister has his head in the sand, because jobs that are created by Ryan and this company are going to be driven into the ground under the tax increases by this minister. We ask again, how is it fair that someone like Ryan and a company like this are going to have to pay 73%, when millionaire owners of companies like Morneau Shepell will not have to? How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, I can assure my hon. colleague that this government has supported, and will continue to support, the supply management system. It was quite clear when we invested $350 million in the dairy side of the supply management sector, making sure that $250 million went to innovation on the farms themselves and $100 million went to the processing sector. We have continued and will continue, and other dollars are available. The supply management system is safe and well in this country.

Mr. Speaker, we know that having a system that is fair is critically important. We know that a system that favours the wealthy over the middle class just does not work. We know that members opposite were happy to have a system where the wealthiest might have had a lower tax rate than the middle class. We are not comfortable with that. We want to move forward with measures that will encourage investment but make sure that our tax system is fair. We want to ensure that wealthy Canadians do not have an encouragement to have a lower tax rate than the middle class, and we will follow through with that goal.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Saint-Laurent for her question. That question is on the minds of all Canadians. The Canada-Europe free trade agreement will take effect tomorrow, giving businesses across Canada access to a market of over 510 million consumers. I encourage all MPs to use the free trade agreement to make a difference in the lives of small businesses, families, workers, farmers, and fishers. It will be a great day for Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy that the member opposite has asked me that question because it gives me a chance to highlight some of the actions we have taken to deal with this unusual situation.We have mobilized the government operations centre to mobilize and coordinate actions across government. We have been able to work seamlessly with the provinces of Quebec and Ontario under the federal task force. We have processed and increased the capacity of the IRCC office in Montreal, in order to be able to improve the process of asylum seekers and their claims from months to days. We have fast-tracked the processing of work permits in order to minimize their reliance on social assistance and provincial social programs. Throughout this process it is evident that we have planning. It shows early mobilization and seamless—

Mr. Speaker, in one ear and out the other; that is the kind of listening they are having. CFIB released figures showing that two-thirds of Canadians, small and local businesses, make less than $73,000 a year. This just in: interestingly enough, yesterday, Morneau Shepell declared a cash dividend to shareholders. Why is the finance minister forcing small businesses to pay a 73% tax, when even the millionaire owners and shareholders of Morneau Shepell will not have that on their dividends?

Mr. Speaker, Quebec's largest industrial and research park is in my riding, Saint-Laurent. It is home to nearly 4,500 businesses, including 100 technology and innovation businesses in Technoparc Montréal's Campus Saint-Laurent, and employs over 105,000 people. Can the Minister of International Trade tell the House how the comprehensive economic and trade agreement between Canada and the European Union will benefit businesses and start-ups in my riding and the rest of Canada?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our objectives for a modernized NAFTA include reforming the investor-state dispute settlements, chapter 11, and we want to make sure that the government has the unassailable right to regulate in the public interest. We will always stand up for our national economic interests and for Canadian values. Chapter 11 is very much under discussion.

Mr. Speaker, the Finance Minister wants to double tax the investment income of small businesses for a total of 73%, but public corporations, those trading on the stock market, are exempt from this new double tax, so they will keep paying the current lower 55% on their passive investment income. How is it fair for the pizza shop owner to pay a higher tax rate than the millionaire owners of public companies, like, say, Morneau Shepell?

Mr. Speaker, again, what we believe is important--

Mr. Speaker, I did not hear all the details of the question, but I would be happy to speak to the member afterwards.I was not involved in the discussions related to the tax changes. I did have a medical professional corporation, and it was closed down. I made that decision on the day I was elected when I knew that I would not be practising for some time to come.

We know we have to have two objectives met. We want to have a system that encourages people to invest in their active businesses. We also want to have a system that is fair for this generation and future generations. That is what we are working toward.

Seventy-three per cent fair.

Mr. Speaker, the health of Lake Winnipeg is a priority for the government, and it was reflected in the budget. There was $27.5 million allocated in the budget to protect Lake Winnipeg and its basin. In that regard, we are working with the relevant provinces in the basin and the relevant states in the United States to ensure that we are protecting and enhancing the ecological status of the lake.

Mr. Speaker, having a system that encourages the wealthiest among us to incorporate—

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Indigenous Services filed her public declaration of assets with the Ethics Commissioner on February 26, 2016. In that disclosure, the minister said there was a compliance agreement permitting her to continue as president, treasurer, secretary, and director of her professional corporation until August 3, 2016. Did the minister recuse herself from any discussions involving tax changes between November 4, 2015, and August 3, 2016?

Mr. Speaker, Canada welcomes the modernization of NAFTA in support of our middle class and those working hard to join it. Our objectives for a modernized NAFTA include reforming the investor-state—

Mr. Speaker, how disappointing.

Mr. Speaker, it is very disappointing that the Leader of the Opposition will not denounce these statements and not show that the leader of his entire caucus understands how inappropriate those comments were and ask the member to apologize to all members of the House and all Canadians, today.

Mr. Speaker, on the say-so of a U.S. court, North Dakota is pushing ahead with two water diversion projects that could have terrible consequences for Lake Winnipeg. Foreign organisms could be transferred between independent watersheds and increased nutrient loads could mean further problems with toxic algae. It was a platform commitment of the Liberals to protect Lake Winnipeg. The way to do that is to refer these projects to the International Joint Commission for independent review and Canadian oversight. Now that the time for talk is over, will the Liberals stand up for Lake Winnipeg and make that referral?

Mr. Speaker, Canada welcomes the modernization of NAFTA in support of our middle class and those working hard to join it. Our objectives for a modernized NAFTA include reforming the investor-state—

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister left the door open to joining American ballistic missile defence, just one month after saying the Liberals would not change their position against such a system. The system is dangerously unreliable, exorbitantly expensive, and it may well just spur a nuclear arms race. Just last week the Canadian Deputy Commander of NORAD warned clearly, “The extant U.S. policy is not to defend Canada.”How has Trump convinced the Liberal government to keep this one on the table nonetheless?

Mr. Speaker, the design flaws in the no-fly program stretch back many years. It was designed in a way which required people who were inadvertently red-flagged to present themselves at the counter to be cleared manually. That is a very bad system. We are determined to fix it. I would point out for the hon. gentleman that in Bill C-59 he will find the beginning of the legislative changes that are necessary to fix it.

Mr. Speaker, here is a real life example. Joseph, an entrepreneur and small business owner, wrote me a message yesterday on Facebook. He said, “I have struggled to stay in business for a long time, but this tax reform is forcing me to liquidate my equipment and shut down. The Liberal's vision involves helping the wealthy at the little guy's expense.”That is the truth. The government is not going to help Joseph and families across Canada by raising taxes for SMEs.Will the minister rethink his unfair, ad hoc tax reform?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians knew that Trump's anti-immigrant policies would create a climate of fear in the U.S. In August alone, over 5,000 asylum seekers crossed into Quebec and it doubled in B.C. NGOs are left grappling with this without any additional resources. At committee, Liberal MPs have shut down debate on this issue not once, not twice, but four times.Will the government finally agree to work with all sides of the House to develop a comprehensive and humanitarian approach to this critical situation?

Mr. Speaker, speaking of all talk and no action, the Minister of Finance did not include a single penny in his budget for correcting the mistakes on the no-fly list.Fifty or so Liberal MPs, including ministers, wrote to the Minister of Finance to ask him to correct the situation. Families have to cancel trips because their children's names are on the list and business people are facing delays on their business trips.Will the government finally keep its promise and implement and fully fund a proper redress system for the no-fly list and, once and for all, end this victimization of children and business people?

Mr. Speaker, all week the Conservatives pretended to stand up for business women. Members on this side were deeply disappointed by comments made by the Conservative member for Battlefords—Lloydminster about the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.We can all agree that sexist comments should not be part of the public debate or part of any conversation anywhere, period.Will the Leader of the Opposition stand here today, do the right thing, denounce his member's comments, and ask him to issue a full apology to the House?

Mr. Speaker, in one ear and out the other; that is the kind of listening they are having. CFIB released figures showing that two-thirds of Canadians, small and local businesses, make less than $73,000 a year. This just in: interestingly enough, yesterday, Morneau Shepell declared a cash dividend to shareholders. Why is the finance minister forcing small businesses to pay a 73% tax, when even the millionaire owners and shareholders of Morneau Shepell will not have that on their dividends?

Mr. Speaker, if the Liberals were really serious about tax fairness, they would have kept their promise to eliminate the loophole available exclusively to CEOs.We have all heard fishing stories. Here is a good one. Usually fishers throw back the little fish and keep the big ones. Strangely enough, the Minister of Finance is doing the opposite: he is throwing the big ones back into the lake and keeping the little ones.Why are the Liberals attacking small businesses and doing nothing that might affect their Bay Street buddies, CEOs, billionaires, and tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, the member should know that we are absolutely committed to the defence of human rights at home and abroad. We deplore human rights abuses everywhere around the world. Canada expects the end-user of any and all exports to abide by the end-use terms in issued export permits. The minister has asked for a review of the situation and officials have been actively seeking further information on the allegations. I can confirm that no new export permits have been issued for vehicles to Saudi Arabia. We have expressed our concern to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its security operations that they respect international human rights law.

Mr. Speaker, not only do we on this side of the House defend the entrepreneurs and businesswomen, we also represent the integrity and respect women from coast to coast to coast. The Leader of the Opposition refuses to denounce the comments of his colleague in front of all members of the House and, indeed, in front of all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, our government chose to tackle tax evasion. In our last two budgets, we invested over $1 billion, which enabled us to recover $13 billion. Now that we have started, we will not stop.

Mr. Speaker, having a system that encourages the wealthiest among us to incorporate—

Shell owners on Bay Street.

Mr. Speaker, Darrel and Kathy hope to have their son, Jackson take over the family farm some day. They told me how their rainy day fund saved them when their combine broke in the middle of harvest. The Minister of Finance's tax grab would have made that impossible. Meanwhile, multi-million dollar companies traded on the stock market are exempt.Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Darrel and Kathy to pay a 73% tax that not even the millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell have to pay? How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, Canada is the most sued country in the world under investor-state dispute settlement provisions in NAFTA's chapter 11, allowing companies to sue governments over anything they believe has reduced their profits. The threat of chapter 11 challenges has had a chilling effect on government action and has eroded our democracy. Numerous stakeholders insist that chapter 11 should be removed, and today, an Ekos poll reported that 63% of Canadians agree. Our trade deals cannot put profits before people. Will the minister finally listen to Canadians and eliminate chapter 11?

Mr. Speaker, the dairy farm investment program is a total failure. No surprises there.Many dairy farmers have hit a wall and will not be able to get the compensation they are owed because the program is underfunded. It is ridiculous. In less than a week, the program already handed out $125 million of the $250 million, while the losses are estimated to be at least $750 million. CETA comes into effect tomorrow and dairy farmers must and want to invest right now.Will the Minister of Agriculture allocate more money to the dairy farm investment program or not?

Mr. Speaker, the security of Canadians and the defence of North America are of the utmost importance to the Canadian Armed Forces and to our government. Our new defence policy recognizes the growing threats of ballistic missiles and commits to continuing to work actively with the United States and looking broadly at all threats to North America, as we look at NORAD modernization. However, the policy has not changed yet.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Don Valley West for his question and his work, along with the member for Niagara Falls, on Bill C-233.This is a priority for our government and a priority of mine personally, as my mother lives with Lewy body dementia. This is why we are continuing to contribute $42 million to Baycrest Health Sciences to support new research and development, testing, and scale-up of products and services for brain health and aging. Last year we launched the largest-ever study in dementia in Canada.We will continue to work to improve the lives of those with Alzheimer's and their families.

Mr. Speaker, women entrepreneurs expect their government to stand with them, not attack them.The Prime Minister does not seem to understand that his tax hikes will mean fewer jobs, fewer working hours, and lower salaries and benefits for workers employed by small and local businesses.Here is a lesson for the Prime Minister. When he raises taxes on businesses, he makes it harder for them to grow and hire more workers. He makes it harder for them to invest in new, start-up businesses that would create even more jobs.Why is the Prime Minister putting up roadblocks to job creation?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Indigenous Services filed her public declaration of assets with the Ethics Commissioner on February 26, 2016. In that disclosure, the minister said there was a compliance agreement permitting her to continue as president, treasurer, secretary, and director of her professional corporation until August 3, 2016. Did the minister recuse herself from any discussions involving tax changes between November 4, 2015, and August 3, 2016?

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is proposing to tax the investment income of small business owners at a rate of 73%. That means that Boyd Yamamoto, the owner of Sardis Health Foods, in Chilliwack, will now be punished after years of hard work for setting aside money for his retirement. Why is the finance minister forcing Boyd to pay a 73% tax that not even the millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell will have to pay? How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about fairness.The Minister of Finance's proposal is to tax small business investment income at 73%. This means that a businesswoman in my riding, Diane, who owns a garage in Louis-Saint-Laurent, will have to pay a 73% tax, while big financial corporations, such as Morneau Shepell, for example, will not have to pay the same rate at all.Is the minister really saying it is fair for small business owners, for the businesswoman in my riding, to pay 73%, when even billionaires do not have to pay that much?

Mr. Speaker, New Democrats have fought for tax fairness for generations, so we welcome the Liberals to the conversation with open arms. Yet, in typical Liberal fashion, they have somehow managed to screw up the consultation and decided to focus only on small business. The New Democrats are calling on the government to extend and expand this review to get it right. Billions in tax havens, hundreds of millions of dollars in CEO stock options, no wonder small businesses do not trust the Liberals when it comes to their affairs. The Minister of Finance is going after all the minnows but he keeps throwing back the whales.Will the Liberals get serious about going after tax cheats even if it might hurt some of their wealthy and well-connected friends?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister continued his campaign against small businesses.Our local businesses need tools for saving money when times are good, money for a rainy day, because they want to be able to pay their employees when times are tough. However, the Prime Minister's new taxes will make it harder for them to do that. Will the Prime Minister end his campaign against local businesses and stop attacking job creators?

Mr. Speaker, Quebec's largest industrial and research park is in my riding, Saint-Laurent. It is home to nearly 4,500 businesses, including 100 technology and innovation businesses in Technoparc Montréal's Campus Saint-Laurent, and employs over 105,000 people. Can the Minister of International Trade tell the House how the comprehensive economic and trade agreement between Canada and the European Union will benefit businesses and start-ups in my riding and the rest of Canada?

Mr. Speaker, how disgraceful and unfair.The Minister of Finance wants to tax small business investment income at a rate of 73%. As a result, the retirement plans of a pork producer in my riding, Mario, will be seriously jeopardized.Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Mario to pay a tax rate of 73% that the millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell do not have to pay? How is that fair? What a disgrace.

Mr. Speaker, 35 organizations representing businesses, SMEs, professionals, self-employed workers, and farmers, with more than 1.2 million members between them, were never consulted about the Liberal government's tax reforms. These are not multi-millionaires we are talking about. These are people who work hard day after day to create jobs right across the country.My question is simple: is paying $1,500 to attend a private cocktail party with the Prime Minister the only way for these people to make themselves heard?

Mr. Speaker, having14 people squeeze into a two-bedroom home with walls that are black with mould is the reality faced by too many indigenous Canadians living on reserves. If they choose to leave, they end up much more vulnerable to marginalization, discrimination, and homelessness.We have had two years of talk from the Prime Minister. Now it is time for action.Will the minister work in partnership with indigenous peoples to implement a focused strategy that comes with immediate funding to tackle the growing indigenous housing crisis?

Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, the government has spent the last number of months looking at modernization and reform of the National Energy Board. It is part of a coast to coast to coast set of conversations with Canadians. I can assure the member that when we come to the House later with legislation, it will embody those very principles that matter to her: indigenous consultation, environmental stewardship, and responsible economic growth for Canada.

Mr. Speaker, what is the government's logic?The Liberals are opposed to the UN treaty for nuclear disarmament, but they are leaving the door open to participating in an ineffective, dangerous system that will precipitate an arms race.Is that the Liberals' foreign policy?Is it accepting Donald Trump's belligerent fire and fury policy rather than participating in the diplomatic efforts that more than 120 countries are making towards disarmament?What kind of world do they want to live in?

Mr. Speaker, the Finance Minister wants to double tax the investment income of small businesses for a total of 73%, but public corporations, those trading on the stock market, are exempt from this new double tax, so they will keep paying the current lower 55% on their passive investment income. How is it fair for the pizza shop owner to pay a higher tax rate than the millionaire owners of public companies, like, say, Morneau Shepell?

Mr. Speaker, I did not hear all the details of the question, but I would be happy to speak to the member afterwards.I was not involved in the discussions related to the tax changes. I did have a medical professional corporation, and it was closed down. I made that decision on the day I was elected when I knew that I would not be practising for some time to come.

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Natural Resources.We know that since Bill C-38 in 2012, the National Energy Board, with no competence or experience in environmental assessment, is making a hash of the projects that it reviews. Two expert panels have now recommended taking the National Energy Board out of environmental assessment. I think the National Energy Board may be nailing the nails in its own coffin with the recent approval of a Spectra natural gas pipeline against the advice of Environment Canada's concern for endangered species. A similar mining project in the same region is getting different treatment through the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. Can the minister confirm that we will get the National Energy Board out of environmental assessments once and for all?

Mr. Speaker, John owns Johnny Finger Cats Welding in my riding. He is an employer in a small rural community who has fought hard to keep his business afloat despite the energy downturn. Now the Minister of Finance wants to take more money out of his pocket with these punitive tax changes. This is going to force him to lay off staff and certainly inhibit the ability for him to grow his business.Why is the finance minister forcing John to pay a 73% tax hike when millionaire owners of companies like Morneau Shepell do not have to pay it? I would like him to tell rural Canadians how that is fair.

Mr. Speaker, we heard some serious allegations about Saudi Arabia using Canadian-made weapons against civilians.The Minister of Foreign Affairs launched an investigation and promised that she would take action if it was confirmed. However, later, the Saudi ambassador to Canada himself confirmed the allegations. When can we expect the results from the minister's investigation, and what actions will she take now that the allegations have been confirmed by the Saudis themselves?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I had an opportunity to chat with Terry, a grain farmer from my riding after his conversation with the Minister of Finance about Liberal tax changes. The minister said nothing to alleviate Terry's concerns for his livelihood. These changes mean that Terry's retirement is in jeopardy.Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Terry, an independent grain farmer from Nipawin, Saskatchewan to pay a 73% tax that not even millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell will have to pay? How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, a tax system that encourages the wealthy to incorporate to pay a lower tax rate than the middle class is not a tax system that is fair. We want to be clear that we want to encourage investment in small business, and that is why we plan on keeping small business tax rates low, the lowest in the G7 countries. That is our goal. We are going to make sure the system does not encourage wealthy people to have a lower tax rate than the middle class and at the same time, encourage small businesses to invest in their business so that we can grow our economy.

Mr. Speaker, we do not want to have a situation where the wealthy can simply change their situation by incorporating so they have a lower tax rate than the middle class. That is not a fair system. We want a system where small and medium-sized businesses have the opportunity to make investments with one of the lowest tax rates in the G7, but at the same time, one that is fair. That is our goal, and we are confident that we can create an economy that works for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, my riding of New Brunswick Southwest is home to some of the largest exporters of seafood in Canada, including lobster, scallops, salmon, herring, sardines, and so much more.I know so many of the businesses are excited about the opportunities with CETA. Could the Minister of International Trade please update the House on what CETA will mean for the businesses and the implementation process?

Mr. Speaker, you can be sure that our goal is nuclear disarmament. We are working hard to take real action toward that goal. For the first time in 2016, Canada rallied 159 countries to sign the fissile material cut-off treaty, and countries signed that treaty, whether they had nuclear weapons or not. That is real action. We are working toward nuclear disarmament.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we do not want a system that enables the rich to set up private companies so they can enjoy lower tax rates than the middle class.Over the past two years, we have cut taxes for the middle class, raised taxes on the wealthiest 1%, introduced the Canada child benefit, and given the Canada Revenue Agency an extra $1 billion to work with. The NDP supported none of those measures. We intend to stay on track with a system that is fair.

Mr. Speaker, Kirby Baumung, who owns Lyons Transmission Centre, employs seven people in Brandon, Manitoba and is being forced to pay a massive tax increase because of the finance minister's punitive tax increase package. Why is the finance minister forcing Kirby to have to pay these huge, massive taxes that not even his millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell have to pay? How is this fair?

Mr. Speaker, actually, that is precisely the system the Liberals are now creating. In fact, while the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister have gone around accusing our mechanics, farmers, and pizza shop owners of playing games to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, in fact, they are imposing a much higher tax rate on those small business owners than is paid by the owners of much bigger companies on Bay Street.If a 73% tax rate is so fair, then why is he only applying it to the little guys on Main Street and none of his big friends on Bay Street?

We know we have to have two objectives met. We want to have a system that encourages people to invest in their active businesses. We also want to have a system that is fair for this generation and future generations. That is what we are working toward.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal tax changes will affect hard-working Canadians like Allison and her husband, who, despite the downturn in Alberta, have gotten up, dusted themselves off, and started again. Allison's husband lost his job, and she was a stay-at-home mom of four kids, who substitute taught, but then she suffered a stroke and could not work. Despite all of this, they carried on and started a small business.These new Liberal tax changes will devastate that dream. Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Allison to pay a 73% tax that not even millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell will have to pay? Maybe he could try answering now. How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, farmers are right in the middle of the harvest, and the Minister of Finance wants to tax the investment income of small businesses, such as family farms, at 73%. Éric and his two family partners, farmers from Sainte-Christine, in the riding of Shefford, will not be able to leave their farm to their six children, and the minister is putting their retirement in jeopardy. Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Éric to pay a 73% tax rate, but will not make the millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell pay?How can he claim that is fair?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance wants to tax the investment income of local small business owners at a rate of 73%. These Liberal tax increases will take a toll on Éric Boisvert's thriving SME, Impression Stratégique, located in Beauport. This company and many others like it could be forced to cut salaries or even lay off some employees. Why does the Minister of Finance want Impression Stratégique to pay a 73% tax when the millionaires who own Morneau Shepell do not have to pay a cent?How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, across the country, we want to make sure that our tax system is fair.We know that they do not want a system that encourages just the wealthiest to incorporate, to have a private company so that they can actually pay a lower rate of tax than middle-class Canadians.I was pleased to speak to Terry, as I will be pleased to speak to Canadians who will come on our teleconference later this week, in order to hear their questions and ensure that we are listening to what these changes will mean for them.Our goal, again, is tax fairness. We want to make sure that people like Terry and others can continue to invest. Those two goals, we believe, can be met together.

Mr. Speaker, for the last two weeks I have spoken with Canadians in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. They have shared with me the stories of how they are going to be impacted by these tax changes. I met Andrew, who is an apple farmer in New Brunswick. He explained to me that his problem is this. He will, at some point in time, because of this impact, choose between his employees and his family. I do not think, under the minister's plan, Andrew being in a case where he has to think about one or the other is very fair. I want to know why the finance minister is forcing Andrew to pay a 73% tax that not even millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell—

Mr. Speaker, that is the question all Canadians have been waiting for.Tomorrow the free trade agreement between Canada and Europe will come into force. It will open a market of 510 million consumers for businesses across Canada.I invite all members of this House to make a difference in the lives of farmers, fishermen, businesses, and small businesses, and use the agreement. This is a great day for Canada. I invite all members to join in that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our objectives for a modernized NAFTA include reforming the investor-state dispute settlements, chapter 11, and we want to make sure that the government has the unassailable right to regulate in the public interest. We will always stand up for our national economic interests and for Canadian values. Chapter 11 is very much under discussion.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity again to say that what we want is a tax system that is fair. We want a tax system that does not encourage the wealthiest to incorporate so they can have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. That is what we are working towards.We are going to listen to small business owners, to people across the country, because we want to correct the misinformation that is out there, suggesting that they will be in a worse-off situation. We want to make sure that wealthy Canadians do not have advantages not available to the middle class, while encouraging people to continue to invest in our economy, an investment that is going well as we can see with the growth in our economy right now.

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise in the House as Canada's very first Minister of Indigenous Services. I heartily agree with the member opposite that for too long indigenous peoples in this country have lived in substandard conditions. That is why our government has made such significant investments and already 6,500 homes have been built or are under construction. We will continue to work with our partners in first nations, Inuit, and Métis people of this country to make sure all people have a good quality of life.

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy that the member opposite has asked me that question because it gives me a chance to highlight some of the actions we have taken to deal with this unusual situation.We have mobilized the government operations centre to mobilize and coordinate actions across government. We have been able to work seamlessly with the provinces of Quebec and Ontario under the federal task force. We have processed and increased the capacity of the IRCC office in Montreal, in order to be able to improve the process of asylum seekers and their claims from months to days. We have fast-tracked the processing of work permits in order to minimize their reliance on social assistance and provincial social programs. Throughout this process it is evident that we have planning. It shows early mobilization and seamless—

Mr. Speaker, I can assure my hon. colleague that this government has supported, and will continue to support, the supply management system. It was quite clear when we invested $350 million in the dairy side of the supply management sector, making sure that $250 million went to innovation on the farms themselves and $100 million went to the processing sector. We have continued and will continue, and other dollars are available. The supply management system is safe and well in this country.

Mr. Speaker, again, what we are talking about here is a system that encourages wealthy individuals to arrange their taxes in an incorporated way so they can get a lower rate of tax than middle class Canadians. This is what we are trying to get after here.We are working hard to make sure we listen to Canadians, to understand the concerns of those people who are looking at this measure and how it might affect them. However, we want to be absolutely clear. Our goal is to have a system that is fair, one that makes sure we do not encourage the wealthy to have a lower tax rate than the middle class.

Mr. Speaker, I know that rural Canadians and all Canadians want to have a system where we do not encourage the richest to incorporate so they pay a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. That is really important. For business owners, for people across the country who are trying to invest in their business, we encourage that activity. At the same time, we want to make sure that we are not encouraging others to incorporate just for lower tax rates than those business owners or middle-class Canadians. That is what we are working toward. We will listen to make sure we get it right.

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is World Alzheimer's Day. Almost every member of this chamber has been touched by Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia in some way or another, and so have most Canadians. We all know that more needs to be done to help those struggling with dementia and those caring for them, as well as in research to understand and treat these diseases. As I congratulate the new Minister of Health on her appointment, can she update us on her department's work on this important issue?

Mr. Speaker, the truth is that we currently have a tax system that encourages the wealthy to incorporate so they have a lower tax rate than the middle class. That is the truth. That is our situation. That is why we want to be sure that our system is fair. We listened to SMEs to make sure that the system works for them so that they can continue to make active investments in their businesses. That is very important.We are listening.

Mr. Speaker, we want to make sure we have a system that is fair. We want to make sure that wealthy Canadians cannot choose the approach that is going to allow them to have a lower tax rate than other Canadians. We also want to make sure that small business owners have the ability to invest actively in their businesses, because we are seeking to ensure that our economy can continue to grow. We are going to listen to people to make sure we get this right, but again, we are going to follow through with measures that will ensure that all Canadians can see that our system works for our country.

Mr. Speaker, the best way for that to happen and for the system to be fair is if small business owners were not penalized by this greedy government that just wants more taxes from small businesses.Once again, the reality in my riding is that a businesswoman, Manon, who owns a restaurant in Loretteville, not too far from where I live, is going to have to pay a 73% tax, while Bay Street billionaires like Morneau Shepell will not pay 73%.Does the Minister of Finance think that is fair?

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, we are looking toward a system that does not encourage wealthy Canadians to incorporate so they have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. We are trying to make sure that people can invest in their businesses over the long term. That is our goal. We are certainly listening to people across the country to make sure that they will continue to invest in business and to create jobs, to ensure that we have a healthy economy for this generation and the next. The next generation, like this generation, deserves a fair tax system.

Mr. Speaker, we know that having a system that is fair is critically important. We know that a system that favours the wealthy over the middle class just does not work. We know that members opposite were happy to have a system where the wealthiest might have had a lower tax rate than the middle class. We are not comfortable with that. We want to move forward with measures that will encourage investment but make sure that our tax system is fair. We want to ensure that wealthy Canadians do not have an encouragement to have a lower tax rate than the middle class, and we will follow through with that goal.

Mr. Speaker, Kelly Langille owns a heating and air conditioning business in Chilliwack. He works hard, creates good jobs within my community, and hopes to share his success with his children and save for his own retirement. The Minister of Finance's tax changes will harm his business and his family. Kelly says, “I will now have to re-evaluate my ability to save not only for my retirement, but to keep my business running”. Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Kelly to pay a 73% tax that not even millionaire owners of companies like Morneau Shepell have to pay, and how is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Saint-Laurent for her question. That question is on the minds of all Canadians. The Canada-Europe free trade agreement will take effect tomorrow, giving businesses across Canada access to a market of over 510 million consumers. I encourage all MPs to use the free trade agreement to make a difference in the lives of small businesses, families, workers, farmers, and fishers. It will be a great day for Canada.

Mr. Speaker, while answering media questions yesterday, the Prime Minister described his “family fortune”, which is held in at least three separate numbered companies. It must be nice. Shockingly, he confirmed that he would not be affected by the tax changes he has claimed are intended to make wealthy Canadians pay more. While the Prime Minister is going after local plumbers, mechanics, and farmers, he is bragging that he will not be affected. How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, what we know with our current system is that it does encourage wealthy Canadians to incorporate so they can have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. What we also know is it is important to continue to listen to Canadians to make sure that as we put these measures in place, they will continue to be incentivized to make investments in their businesses. We want to achieve that at the same time as making sure our system is fair. We know those two goals can both be achieved, and that is why we are out listening to Canadians, to make sure we actually achieve them.

Mr. Speaker, we know Canadians expect us to put in place a system that is fair. We know they have seen a system that, over the years, has encouraged the wealthiest to incorporate and get a lower tax rate than the middle class. That is not something we want to have as a continuing situation in our tax system.

Mr. Speaker, we have a notion of what is fair. We do not want a system that encourages the wealthiest to incorporate so they can get a lower tax rate than the middle class. That is not fair.The fact that members opposite believe that it is fair for the wealthiest to pay a lower tax rate than the middle class is something we do not understand. We are going to move forward with a system that encourages people to invest in business, but a system that allows all Canadians to have opportunities with a fair tax system.

Mr. Speaker, we are working toward ensuring that our tax system is fair. We want to make sure that there is not an encouragement for wealthy Canadians to incorporate so they pay a lower rate of tax than middle-class Canadians. We know that Canadians see that as fair. We are going to work toward ensuring, as well, that entrepreneurs like Ryan are assured that they can continue to actively invest in their businesses to create jobs and to help keep our economy, which is growing very well, healthy over the long term. They need a fairer tax system, and they need encouragement to invest. That is what we are working on achieving.

Mr. Speaker, as we know, there are situations in our country where wealthy Canadians find a way to incorporate so they pay a lower rate of tax than middle-class Canadians. We know that this is not appropriate.I am happy to continue to talk with Canadians and listen to them. Over the course of the next week, I will be having a tele-town hall with Canadians so they can talk to me and give me a sense of their concerns and their issues. People will have questions. We are looking forward to listening, but we will move forward to make sure the system is fair and that it works for small businesses and for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, we want to get rid of a system that encourages the wealthiest Canadians to incorporate so they can get a lower rate of tax than middle-class Canadians. That is what we are trying to do. We are listening. We are in the middle of consultations right now. We are listening to people across the country. I am visiting chambers of commerce all across Canada to hear what they have to say, and that is very important. We are going to continue to listen so that we can make sure our measures are the right ones to help us come up with a system that is fair.

Mr. Speaker, again, what we believe is important--

Mr. Speaker, we want to make sure that our system is fair. We want to make sure that it does not encourage wealthy Canadians to incorporate so they have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. We also want to make sure that we do not have a situation where some people that are, frankly, very well compensated, pay a lower tax rate than others.The members opposite may be comfortable with that, because that is the system they were in before our government came into power, but we know that a fair system requires all Canadians to find themselves in a situation where they can actually have opportunities that should be available to all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the health of Lake Winnipeg is a priority for the government, and it was reflected in the budget. There was $27.5 million allocated in the budget to protect Lake Winnipeg and its basin. In that regard, we are working with the relevant provinces in the basin and the relevant states in the United States to ensure that we are protecting and enhancing the ecological status of the lake.

Mr. Speaker, what we want and what all Canadians want is a system that is fair. We do not want our society to privilege the wealthy and encourage them to have a lower tax rate than the middle class. This is our goal.We are listening to farmers across the country to make sure that there are no unintended consequences for them. That is very important. Our goal is clear. We want a fair system.

Mr. Speaker, a tax system that favours the wealthy over the middle class is not one that we see as fair. We want to make sure, as we move forward to have a fairer tax system, that it really does continue to enable farm families, fishers, and people across the country to be successful. We are listening to people across the country to make sure that there are not unintended consequences.Clearly, what we are after is making sure that the wealthiest Canadians do not have an advantage to have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. We will continue with those goals while we listen to farmers and people across the country about their—

Mr. Speaker, we want to make sure that we do not have a system that encourages the wealthy to take up an approach that is going to make sure they have a lower tax rate than the middle class. We are going to stay on top of this. We are making sure that misinformation and inaccurate facts are dealt with. We are going to listen to Canadians and clarify what we are trying to achieve to make sure that everyone knows we are going to end up with a tax system that is more fair. That is our goal, and we are going to stick with that.

Mr. Speaker, Wildwood Transport is a trucking company in my riding that employs 55 Manitobans. Ryan, who is the owner of Wildwood Transport, has told me that the finance minister's tax increases are going to have a drastic effect on him and his employees. What Ryan does not understand is this: why is the finance minister forcing him to pay a 73% tax that not even the millionaire owners of the minister's own family-owned company, Morneau Shepell, have to pay?

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister has his head in the sand, because jobs that are created by Ryan and this company are going to be driven into the ground under the tax increases by this minister. We ask again, how is it fair that someone like Ryan and a company like this are going to have to pay 73%, when millionaire owners of companies like Morneau Shepell will not have to? How is that fair?

Seventy-three per cent fair.

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister has his head in the sand, because jobs that are created by Ryan and this company are going to be driven into the ground under the tax increases by this minister. We ask again, how is it fair that someone like Ryan and a company like this are going to have to pay 73%, when millionaire owners of companies like Morneau Shepell will not have to? How is that fair?

Seventy-three per cent fair.

Mr. Speaker, Wildwood Transport is a trucking company in my riding that employs 55 Manitobans. Ryan, who is the owner of Wildwood Transport, has told me that the finance minister's tax increases are going to have a drastic effect on him and his employees. What Ryan does not understand is this: why is the finance minister forcing him to pay a 73% tax that not even the millionaire owners of the minister's own family-owned company, Morneau Shepell, have to pay?

Mr. Speaker, we want to make sure that we do not have a system that encourages the wealthy to take up an approach that is going to make sure they have a lower tax rate than the middle class. We are going to stay on top of this. We are making sure that misinformation and inaccurate facts are dealt with. We are going to listen to Canadians and clarify what we are trying to achieve to make sure that everyone knows we are going to end up with a tax system that is more fair. That is our goal, and we are going to stick with that.

Mr. Speaker, a tax system that favours the wealthy over the middle class is not one that we see as fair. We want to make sure, as we move forward to have a fairer tax system, that it really does continue to enable farm families, fishers, and people across the country to be successful. We are listening to people across the country to make sure that there are not unintended consequences.Clearly, what we are after is making sure that the wealthiest Canadians do not have an advantage to have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. We will continue with those goals while we listen to farmers and people across the country about their—

Mr. Speaker, what we want and what all Canadians want is a system that is fair. We do not want our society to privilege the wealthy and encourage them to have a lower tax rate than the middle class. This is our goal.We are listening to farmers across the country to make sure that there are no unintended consequences for them. That is very important. Our goal is clear. We want a fair system.

Mr. Speaker, again, what we believe is important--

Mr. Speaker, we want to make sure that our system is fair. We want to make sure that it does not encourage wealthy Canadians to incorporate so they have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. We also want to make sure that we do not have a situation where some people that are, frankly, very well compensated, pay a lower tax rate than others.The members opposite may be comfortable with that, because that is the system they were in before our government came into power, but we know that a fair system requires all Canadians to find themselves in a situation where they can actually have opportunities that should be available to all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the health of Lake Winnipeg is a priority for the government, and it was reflected in the budget. There was $27.5 million allocated in the budget to protect Lake Winnipeg and its basin. In that regard, we are working with the relevant provinces in the basin and the relevant states in the United States to ensure that we are protecting and enhancing the ecological status of the lake.

Mr. Speaker, we want to get rid of a system that encourages the wealthiest Canadians to incorporate so they can get a lower rate of tax than middle-class Canadians. That is what we are trying to do. We are listening. We are in the middle of consultations right now. We are listening to people across the country. I am visiting chambers of commerce all across Canada to hear what they have to say, and that is very important. We are going to continue to listen so that we can make sure our measures are the right ones to help us come up with a system that is fair.

Mr. Speaker, as we know, there are situations in our country where wealthy Canadians find a way to incorporate so they pay a lower rate of tax than middle-class Canadians. We know that this is not appropriate.I am happy to continue to talk with Canadians and listen to them. Over the course of the next week, I will be having a tele-town hall with Canadians so they can talk to me and give me a sense of their concerns and their issues. People will have questions. We are looking forward to listening, but we will move forward to make sure the system is fair and that it works for small businesses and for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, we are working toward ensuring that our tax system is fair. We want to make sure that there is not an encouragement for wealthy Canadians to incorporate so they pay a lower rate of tax than middle-class Canadians. We know that Canadians see that as fair. We are going to work toward ensuring, as well, that entrepreneurs like Ryan are assured that they can continue to actively invest in their businesses to create jobs and to help keep our economy, which is growing very well, healthy over the long term. They need a fairer tax system, and they need encouragement to invest. That is what we are working on achieving.

Mr. Speaker, we know Canadians expect us to put in place a system that is fair. We know they have seen a system that, over the years, has encouraged the wealthiest to incorporate and get a lower tax rate than the middle class. That is not something we want to have as a continuing situation in our tax system.

Mr. Speaker, we have a notion of what is fair. We do not want a system that encourages the wealthiest to incorporate so they can get a lower tax rate than the middle class. That is not fair.The fact that members opposite believe that it is fair for the wealthiest to pay a lower tax rate than the middle class is something we do not understand. We are going to move forward with a system that encourages people to invest in business, but a system that allows all Canadians to have opportunities with a fair tax system.

Mr. Speaker, what we know with our current system is that it does encourage wealthy Canadians to incorporate so they can have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. What we also know is it is important to continue to listen to Canadians to make sure that as we put these measures in place, they will continue to be incentivized to make investments in their businesses. We want to achieve that at the same time as making sure our system is fair. We know those two goals can both be achieved, and that is why we are out listening to Canadians, to make sure we actually achieve them.

Mr. Speaker, while answering media questions yesterday, the Prime Minister described his “family fortune”, which is held in at least three separate numbered companies. It must be nice. Shockingly, he confirmed that he would not be affected by the tax changes he has claimed are intended to make wealthy Canadians pay more. While the Prime Minister is going after local plumbers, mechanics, and farmers, he is bragging that he will not be affected. How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Saint-Laurent for her question. That question is on the minds of all Canadians. The Canada-Europe free trade agreement will take effect tomorrow, giving businesses across Canada access to a market of over 510 million consumers. I encourage all MPs to use the free trade agreement to make a difference in the lives of small businesses, families, workers, farmers, and fishers. It will be a great day for Canada.

Mr. Speaker, Kelly Langille owns a heating and air conditioning business in Chilliwack. He works hard, creates good jobs within my community, and hopes to share his success with his children and save for his own retirement. The Minister of Finance's tax changes will harm his business and his family. Kelly says, “I will now have to re-evaluate my ability to save not only for my retirement, but to keep my business running”. Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Kelly to pay a 73% tax that not even millionaire owners of companies like Morneau Shepell have to pay, and how is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, we know that having a system that is fair is critically important. We know that a system that favours the wealthy over the middle class just does not work. We know that members opposite were happy to have a system where the wealthiest might have had a lower tax rate than the middle class. We are not comfortable with that. We want to move forward with measures that will encourage investment but make sure that our tax system is fair. We want to ensure that wealthy Canadians do not have an encouragement to have a lower tax rate than the middle class, and we will follow through with that goal.

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, we are looking toward a system that does not encourage wealthy Canadians to incorporate so they have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. We are trying to make sure that people can invest in their businesses over the long term. That is our goal. We are certainly listening to people across the country to make sure that they will continue to invest in business and to create jobs, to ensure that we have a healthy economy for this generation and the next. The next generation, like this generation, deserves a fair tax system.

Mr. Speaker, the best way for that to happen and for the system to be fair is if small business owners were not penalized by this greedy government that just wants more taxes from small businesses.Once again, the reality in my riding is that a businesswoman, Manon, who owns a restaurant in Loretteville, not too far from where I live, is going to have to pay a 73% tax, while Bay Street billionaires like Morneau Shepell will not pay 73%.Does the Minister of Finance think that is fair?

Mr. Speaker, we want to make sure we have a system that is fair. We want to make sure that wealthy Canadians cannot choose the approach that is going to allow them to have a lower tax rate than other Canadians. We also want to make sure that small business owners have the ability to invest actively in their businesses, because we are seeking to ensure that our economy can continue to grow. We are going to listen to people to make sure we get this right, but again, we are going to follow through with measures that will ensure that all Canadians can see that our system works for our country.

Mr. Speaker, the truth is that we currently have a tax system that encourages the wealthy to incorporate so they have a lower tax rate than the middle class. That is the truth. That is our situation. That is why we want to be sure that our system is fair. We listened to SMEs to make sure that the system works for them so that they can continue to make active investments in their businesses. That is very important.We are listening.

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is World Alzheimer's Day. Almost every member of this chamber has been touched by Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia in some way or another, and so have most Canadians. We all know that more needs to be done to help those struggling with dementia and those caring for them, as well as in research to understand and treat these diseases. As I congratulate the new Minister of Health on her appointment, can she update us on her department's work on this important issue?

Mr. Speaker, I know that rural Canadians and all Canadians want to have a system where we do not encourage the richest to incorporate so they pay a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. That is really important. For business owners, for people across the country who are trying to invest in their business, we encourage that activity. At the same time, we want to make sure that we are not encouraging others to incorporate just for lower tax rates than those business owners or middle-class Canadians. That is what we are working toward. We will listen to make sure we get it right.

Mr. Speaker, again, what we are talking about here is a system that encourages wealthy individuals to arrange their taxes in an incorporated way so they can get a lower rate of tax than middle class Canadians. This is what we are trying to get after here.We are working hard to make sure we listen to Canadians, to understand the concerns of those people who are looking at this measure and how it might affect them. However, we want to be absolutely clear. Our goal is to have a system that is fair, one that makes sure we do not encourage the wealthy to have a lower tax rate than the middle class.

Mr. Speaker, I can assure my hon. colleague that this government has supported, and will continue to support, the supply management system. It was quite clear when we invested $350 million in the dairy side of the supply management sector, making sure that $250 million went to innovation on the farms themselves and $100 million went to the processing sector. We have continued and will continue, and other dollars are available. The supply management system is safe and well in this country.

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy that the member opposite has asked me that question because it gives me a chance to highlight some of the actions we have taken to deal with this unusual situation.We have mobilized the government operations centre to mobilize and coordinate actions across government. We have been able to work seamlessly with the provinces of Quebec and Ontario under the federal task force. We have processed and increased the capacity of the IRCC office in Montreal, in order to be able to improve the process of asylum seekers and their claims from months to days. We have fast-tracked the processing of work permits in order to minimize their reliance on social assistance and provincial social programs. Throughout this process it is evident that we have planning. It shows early mobilization and seamless—

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise in the House as Canada's very first Minister of Indigenous Services. I heartily agree with the member opposite that for too long indigenous peoples in this country have lived in substandard conditions. That is why our government has made such significant investments and already 6,500 homes have been built or are under construction. We will continue to work with our partners in first nations, Inuit, and Métis people of this country to make sure all people have a good quality of life.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity again to say that what we want is a tax system that is fair. We want a tax system that does not encourage the wealthiest to incorporate so they can have a lower tax rate than middle-class Canadians. That is what we are working towards.We are going to listen to small business owners, to people across the country, because we want to correct the misinformation that is out there, suggesting that they will be in a worse-off situation. We want to make sure that wealthy Canadians do not have advantages not available to the middle class, while encouraging people to continue to invest in our economy, an investment that is going well as we can see with the growth in our economy right now.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our objectives for a modernized NAFTA include reforming the investor-state dispute settlements, chapter 11, and we want to make sure that the government has the unassailable right to regulate in the public interest. We will always stand up for our national economic interests and for Canadian values. Chapter 11 is very much under discussion.

Mr. Speaker, that is the question all Canadians have been waiting for.Tomorrow the free trade agreement between Canada and Europe will come into force. It will open a market of 510 million consumers for businesses across Canada.I invite all members of this House to make a difference in the lives of farmers, fishermen, businesses, and small businesses, and use the agreement. This is a great day for Canada. I invite all members to join in that.

Mr. Speaker, for the last two weeks I have spoken with Canadians in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. They have shared with me the stories of how they are going to be impacted by these tax changes. I met Andrew, who is an apple farmer in New Brunswick. He explained to me that his problem is this. He will, at some point in time, because of this impact, choose between his employees and his family. I do not think, under the minister's plan, Andrew being in a case where he has to think about one or the other is very fair. I want to know why the finance minister is forcing Andrew to pay a 73% tax that not even millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell—

Mr. Speaker, across the country, we want to make sure that our tax system is fair.We know that they do not want a system that encourages just the wealthiest to incorporate, to have a private company so that they can actually pay a lower rate of tax than middle-class Canadians.I was pleased to speak to Terry, as I will be pleased to speak to Canadians who will come on our teleconference later this week, in order to hear their questions and ensure that we are listening to what these changes will mean for them.Our goal, again, is tax fairness. We want to make sure that people like Terry and others can continue to invest. Those two goals, we believe, can be met together.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance wants to tax the investment income of local small business owners at a rate of 73%. These Liberal tax increases will take a toll on Éric Boisvert's thriving SME, Impression Stratégique, located in Beauport. This company and many others like it could be forced to cut salaries or even lay off some employees. Why does the Minister of Finance want Impression Stratégique to pay a 73% tax when the millionaires who own Morneau Shepell do not have to pay a cent?How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, farmers are right in the middle of the harvest, and the Minister of Finance wants to tax the investment income of small businesses, such as family farms, at 73%. Éric and his two family partners, farmers from Sainte-Christine, in the riding of Shefford, will not be able to leave their farm to their six children, and the minister is putting their retirement in jeopardy. Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Éric to pay a 73% tax rate, but will not make the millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell pay?How can he claim that is fair?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal tax changes will affect hard-working Canadians like Allison and her husband, who, despite the downturn in Alberta, have gotten up, dusted themselves off, and started again. Allison's husband lost his job, and she was a stay-at-home mom of four kids, who substitute taught, but then she suffered a stroke and could not work. Despite all of this, they carried on and started a small business.These new Liberal tax changes will devastate that dream. Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Allison to pay a 73% tax that not even millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell will have to pay? Maybe he could try answering now. How is that fair?

We know we have to have two objectives met. We want to have a system that encourages people to invest in their active businesses. We also want to have a system that is fair for this generation and future generations. That is what we are working toward.

Mr. Speaker, actually, that is precisely the system the Liberals are now creating. In fact, while the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister have gone around accusing our mechanics, farmers, and pizza shop owners of playing games to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, in fact, they are imposing a much higher tax rate on those small business owners than is paid by the owners of much bigger companies on Bay Street.If a 73% tax rate is so fair, then why is he only applying it to the little guys on Main Street and none of his big friends on Bay Street?

Mr. Speaker, Kirby Baumung, who owns Lyons Transmission Centre, employs seven people in Brandon, Manitoba and is being forced to pay a massive tax increase because of the finance minister's punitive tax increase package. Why is the finance minister forcing Kirby to have to pay these huge, massive taxes that not even his millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell have to pay? How is this fair?

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we do not want a system that enables the rich to set up private companies so they can enjoy lower tax rates than the middle class.Over the past two years, we have cut taxes for the middle class, raised taxes on the wealthiest 1%, introduced the Canada child benefit, and given the Canada Revenue Agency an extra $1 billion to work with. The NDP supported none of those measures. We intend to stay on track with a system that is fair.

Mr. Speaker, you can be sure that our goal is nuclear disarmament. We are working hard to take real action toward that goal. For the first time in 2016, Canada rallied 159 countries to sign the fissile material cut-off treaty, and countries signed that treaty, whether they had nuclear weapons or not. That is real action. We are working toward nuclear disarmament.

Mr. Speaker, my riding of New Brunswick Southwest is home to some of the largest exporters of seafood in Canada, including lobster, scallops, salmon, herring, sardines, and so much more.I know so many of the businesses are excited about the opportunities with CETA. Could the Minister of International Trade please update the House on what CETA will mean for the businesses and the implementation process?

Mr. Speaker, we do not want to have a situation where the wealthy can simply change their situation by incorporating so they have a lower tax rate than the middle class. That is not a fair system. We want a system where small and medium-sized businesses have the opportunity to make investments with one of the lowest tax rates in the G7, but at the same time, one that is fair. That is our goal, and we are confident that we can create an economy that works for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I had an opportunity to chat with Terry, a grain farmer from my riding after his conversation with the Minister of Finance about Liberal tax changes. The minister said nothing to alleviate Terry's concerns for his livelihood. These changes mean that Terry's retirement is in jeopardy.Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Terry, an independent grain farmer from Nipawin, Saskatchewan to pay a 73% tax that not even millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell will have to pay? How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, a tax system that encourages the wealthy to incorporate to pay a lower tax rate than the middle class is not a tax system that is fair. We want to be clear that we want to encourage investment in small business, and that is why we plan on keeping small business tax rates low, the lowest in the G7 countries. That is our goal. We are going to make sure the system does not encourage wealthy people to have a lower tax rate than the middle class and at the same time, encourage small businesses to invest in their business so that we can grow our economy.

Mr. Speaker, we heard some serious allegations about Saudi Arabia using Canadian-made weapons against civilians.The Minister of Foreign Affairs launched an investigation and promised that she would take action if it was confirmed. However, later, the Saudi ambassador to Canada himself confirmed the allegations. When can we expect the results from the minister's investigation, and what actions will she take now that the allegations have been confirmed by the Saudis themselves?

Mr. Speaker, John owns Johnny Finger Cats Welding in my riding. He is an employer in a small rural community who has fought hard to keep his business afloat despite the energy downturn. Now the Minister of Finance wants to take more money out of his pocket with these punitive tax changes. This is going to force him to lay off staff and certainly inhibit the ability for him to grow his business.Why is the finance minister forcing John to pay a 73% tax hike when millionaire owners of companies like Morneau Shepell do not have to pay it? I would like him to tell rural Canadians how that is fair.

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Natural Resources.We know that since Bill C-38 in 2012, the National Energy Board, with no competence or experience in environmental assessment, is making a hash of the projects that it reviews. Two expert panels have now recommended taking the National Energy Board out of environmental assessment. I think the National Energy Board may be nailing the nails in its own coffin with the recent approval of a Spectra natural gas pipeline against the advice of Environment Canada's concern for endangered species. A similar mining project in the same region is getting different treatment through the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. Can the minister confirm that we will get the National Energy Board out of environmental assessments once and for all?

Mr. Speaker, I did not hear all the details of the question, but I would be happy to speak to the member afterwards.I was not involved in the discussions related to the tax changes. I did have a medical professional corporation, and it was closed down. I made that decision on the day I was elected when I knew that I would not be practising for some time to come.

Mr. Speaker, the Finance Minister wants to double tax the investment income of small businesses for a total of 73%, but public corporations, those trading on the stock market, are exempt from this new double tax, so they will keep paying the current lower 55% on their passive investment income. How is it fair for the pizza shop owner to pay a higher tax rate than the millionaire owners of public companies, like, say, Morneau Shepell?

Mr. Speaker, what is the government's logic?The Liberals are opposed to the UN treaty for nuclear disarmament, but they are leaving the door open to participating in an ineffective, dangerous system that will precipitate an arms race.Is that the Liberals' foreign policy?Is it accepting Donald Trump's belligerent fire and fury policy rather than participating in the diplomatic efforts that more than 120 countries are making towards disarmament?What kind of world do they want to live in?

Mr. Speaker, having14 people squeeze into a two-bedroom home with walls that are black with mould is the reality faced by too many indigenous Canadians living on reserves. If they choose to leave, they end up much more vulnerable to marginalization, discrimination, and homelessness.We have had two years of talk from the Prime Minister. Now it is time for action.Will the minister work in partnership with indigenous peoples to implement a focused strategy that comes with immediate funding to tackle the growing indigenous housing crisis?

Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, the government has spent the last number of months looking at modernization and reform of the National Energy Board. It is part of a coast to coast to coast set of conversations with Canadians. I can assure the member that when we come to the House later with legislation, it will embody those very principles that matter to her: indigenous consultation, environmental stewardship, and responsible economic growth for Canada.

Mr. Speaker, 35 organizations representing businesses, SMEs, professionals, self-employed workers, and farmers, with more than 1.2 million members between them, were never consulted about the Liberal government's tax reforms. These are not multi-millionaires we are talking about. These are people who work hard day after day to create jobs right across the country.My question is simple: is paying $1,500 to attend a private cocktail party with the Prime Minister the only way for these people to make themselves heard?

Mr. Speaker, how disgraceful and unfair.The Minister of Finance wants to tax small business investment income at a rate of 73%. As a result, the retirement plans of a pork producer in my riding, Mario, will be seriously jeopardized.Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Mario to pay a tax rate of 73% that the millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell do not have to pay? How is that fair? What a disgrace.

Mr. Speaker, Quebec's largest industrial and research park is in my riding, Saint-Laurent. It is home to nearly 4,500 businesses, including 100 technology and innovation businesses in Technoparc Montréal's Campus Saint-Laurent, and employs over 105,000 people. Can the Minister of International Trade tell the House how the comprehensive economic and trade agreement between Canada and the European Union will benefit businesses and start-ups in my riding and the rest of Canada?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister continued his campaign against small businesses.Our local businesses need tools for saving money when times are good, money for a rainy day, because they want to be able to pay their employees when times are tough. However, the Prime Minister's new taxes will make it harder for them to do that. Will the Prime Minister end his campaign against local businesses and stop attacking job creators?

Mr. Speaker, New Democrats have fought for tax fairness for generations, so we welcome the Liberals to the conversation with open arms. Yet, in typical Liberal fashion, they have somehow managed to screw up the consultation and decided to focus only on small business. The New Democrats are calling on the government to extend and expand this review to get it right. Billions in tax havens, hundreds of millions of dollars in CEO stock options, no wonder small businesses do not trust the Liberals when it comes to their affairs. The Minister of Finance is going after all the minnows but he keeps throwing back the whales.Will the Liberals get serious about going after tax cheats even if it might hurt some of their wealthy and well-connected friends?

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about fairness.The Minister of Finance's proposal is to tax small business investment income at 73%. This means that a businesswoman in my riding, Diane, who owns a garage in Louis-Saint-Laurent, will have to pay a 73% tax, while big financial corporations, such as Morneau Shepell, for example, will not have to pay the same rate at all.Is the minister really saying it is fair for small business owners, for the businesswoman in my riding, to pay 73%, when even billionaires do not have to pay that much?

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is proposing to tax the investment income of small business owners at a rate of 73%. That means that Boyd Yamamoto, the owner of Sardis Health Foods, in Chilliwack, will now be punished after years of hard work for setting aside money for his retirement. Why is the finance minister forcing Boyd to pay a 73% tax that not even the millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell will have to pay? How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Indigenous Services filed her public declaration of assets with the Ethics Commissioner on February 26, 2016. In that disclosure, the minister said there was a compliance agreement permitting her to continue as president, treasurer, secretary, and director of her professional corporation until August 3, 2016. Did the minister recuse herself from any discussions involving tax changes between November 4, 2015, and August 3, 2016?

Mr. Speaker, women entrepreneurs expect their government to stand with them, not attack them.The Prime Minister does not seem to understand that his tax hikes will mean fewer jobs, fewer working hours, and lower salaries and benefits for workers employed by small and local businesses.Here is a lesson for the Prime Minister. When he raises taxes on businesses, he makes it harder for them to grow and hire more workers. He makes it harder for them to invest in new, start-up businesses that would create even more jobs.Why is the Prime Minister putting up roadblocks to job creation?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Don Valley West for his question and his work, along with the member for Niagara Falls, on Bill C-233.This is a priority for our government and a priority of mine personally, as my mother lives with Lewy body dementia. This is why we are continuing to contribute $42 million to Baycrest Health Sciences to support new research and development, testing, and scale-up of products and services for brain health and aging. Last year we launched the largest-ever study in dementia in Canada.We will continue to work to improve the lives of those with Alzheimer's and their families.

Mr. Speaker, the security of Canadians and the defence of North America are of the utmost importance to the Canadian Armed Forces and to our government. Our new defence policy recognizes the growing threats of ballistic missiles and commits to continuing to work actively with the United States and looking broadly at all threats to North America, as we look at NORAD modernization. However, the policy has not changed yet.

Mr. Speaker, the dairy farm investment program is a total failure. No surprises there.Many dairy farmers have hit a wall and will not be able to get the compensation they are owed because the program is underfunded. It is ridiculous. In less than a week, the program already handed out $125 million of the $250 million, while the losses are estimated to be at least $750 million. CETA comes into effect tomorrow and dairy farmers must and want to invest right now.Will the Minister of Agriculture allocate more money to the dairy farm investment program or not?

Mr. Speaker, Canada is the most sued country in the world under investor-state dispute settlement provisions in NAFTA's chapter 11, allowing companies to sue governments over anything they believe has reduced their profits. The threat of chapter 11 challenges has had a chilling effect on government action and has eroded our democracy. Numerous stakeholders insist that chapter 11 should be removed, and today, an Ekos poll reported that 63% of Canadians agree. Our trade deals cannot put profits before people. Will the minister finally listen to Canadians and eliminate chapter 11?

Mr. Speaker, Darrel and Kathy hope to have their son, Jackson take over the family farm some day. They told me how their rainy day fund saved them when their combine broke in the middle of harvest. The Minister of Finance's tax grab would have made that impossible. Meanwhile, multi-million dollar companies traded on the stock market are exempt.Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Darrel and Kathy to pay a 73% tax that not even the millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell have to pay? How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, not only do we on this side of the House defend the entrepreneurs and businesswomen, we also represent the integrity and respect women from coast to coast to coast. The Leader of the Opposition refuses to denounce the comments of his colleague in front of all members of the House and, indeed, in front of all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, our government chose to tackle tax evasion. In our last two budgets, we invested over $1 billion, which enabled us to recover $13 billion. Now that we have started, we will not stop.

Mr. Speaker, having a system that encourages the wealthiest among us to incorporate—

Shell owners on Bay Street.

Mr. Speaker, the member should know that we are absolutely committed to the defence of human rights at home and abroad. We deplore human rights abuses everywhere around the world. Canada expects the end-user of any and all exports to abide by the end-use terms in issued export permits. The minister has asked for a review of the situation and officials have been actively seeking further information on the allegations. I can confirm that no new export permits have been issued for vehicles to Saudi Arabia. We have expressed our concern to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its security operations that they respect international human rights law.

Mr. Speaker, if the Liberals were really serious about tax fairness, they would have kept their promise to eliminate the loophole available exclusively to CEOs.We have all heard fishing stories. Here is a good one. Usually fishers throw back the little fish and keep the big ones. Strangely enough, the Minister of Finance is doing the opposite: he is throwing the big ones back into the lake and keeping the little ones.Why are the Liberals attacking small businesses and doing nothing that might affect their Bay Street buddies, CEOs, billionaires, and tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, in one ear and out the other; that is the kind of listening they are having. CFIB released figures showing that two-thirds of Canadians, small and local businesses, make less than $73,000 a year. This just in: interestingly enough, yesterday, Morneau Shepell declared a cash dividend to shareholders. Why is the finance minister forcing small businesses to pay a 73% tax, when even the millionaire owners and shareholders of Morneau Shepell will not have that on their dividends?

Mr. Speaker, all week the Conservatives pretended to stand up for business women. Members on this side were deeply disappointed by comments made by the Conservative member for Battlefords—Lloydminster about the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.We can all agree that sexist comments should not be part of the public debate or part of any conversation anywhere, period.Will the Leader of the Opposition stand here today, do the right thing, denounce his member's comments, and ask him to issue a full apology to the House?

Mr. Speaker, speaking of all talk and no action, the Minister of Finance did not include a single penny in his budget for correcting the mistakes on the no-fly list.Fifty or so Liberal MPs, including ministers, wrote to the Minister of Finance to ask him to correct the situation. Families have to cancel trips because their children's names are on the list and business people are facing delays on their business trips.Will the government finally keep its promise and implement and fully fund a proper redress system for the no-fly list and, once and for all, end this victimization of children and business people?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians knew that Trump's anti-immigrant policies would create a climate of fear in the U.S. In August alone, over 5,000 asylum seekers crossed into Quebec and it doubled in B.C. NGOs are left grappling with this without any additional resources. At committee, Liberal MPs have shut down debate on this issue not once, not twice, but four times.Will the government finally agree to work with all sides of the House to develop a comprehensive and humanitarian approach to this critical situation?

Mr. Speaker, here is a real life example. Joseph, an entrepreneur and small business owner, wrote me a message yesterday on Facebook. He said, “I have struggled to stay in business for a long time, but this tax reform is forcing me to liquidate my equipment and shut down. The Liberal's vision involves helping the wealthy at the little guy's expense.”That is the truth. The government is not going to help Joseph and families across Canada by raising taxes for SMEs.Will the minister rethink his unfair, ad hoc tax reform?

Mr. Speaker, the design flaws in the no-fly program stretch back many years. It was designed in a way which required people who were inadvertently red-flagged to present themselves at the counter to be cleared manually. That is a very bad system. We are determined to fix it. I would point out for the hon. gentleman that in Bill C-59 he will find the beginning of the legislative changes that are necessary to fix it.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister left the door open to joining American ballistic missile defence, just one month after saying the Liberals would not change their position against such a system. The system is dangerously unreliable, exorbitantly expensive, and it may well just spur a nuclear arms race. Just last week the Canadian Deputy Commander of NORAD warned clearly, “The extant U.S. policy is not to defend Canada.”How has Trump convinced the Liberal government to keep this one on the table nonetheless?

Mr. Speaker, Canada welcomes the modernization of NAFTA in support of our middle class and those working hard to join it. Our objectives for a modernized NAFTA include reforming the investor-state—

Mr. Speaker, on the say-so of a U.S. court, North Dakota is pushing ahead with two water diversion projects that could have terrible consequences for Lake Winnipeg. Foreign organisms could be transferred between independent watersheds and increased nutrient loads could mean further problems with toxic algae. It was a platform commitment of the Liberals to protect Lake Winnipeg. The way to do that is to refer these projects to the International Joint Commission for independent review and Canadian oversight. Now that the time for talk is over, will the Liberals stand up for Lake Winnipeg and make that referral?

Mr. Speaker, it is very disappointing that the Leader of the Opposition will not denounce these statements and not show that the leader of his entire caucus understands how inappropriate those comments were and ask the member to apologize to all members of the House and all Canadians, today.

Mr. Speaker, how disappointing.