Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, Sears received approval to liquidate its assets. Because our bankruptcy laws are inadequate, our workers and retirees will be the biggest losers. They could lose their pensions and their benefits.It is absolutely ridiculous that the Liberals are letting the big CEOs off the hook at the expense of workers and retirees, who sometimes struggle to make ends meet.When will the Liberals join the NDP in making workers and retirees preferred creditors?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice claims to support mandatory sentences for serious offences. However, Liberal MPs voted to defeat a Conservative amendment to Bill C-46 to provide for a five-year mandatory sentence for impaired drivers who kill. Was the minister insincere when she claimed that she supports mandatory sentences for serious offences or does the minister believe that impaired driving causing death is not a serious offence?
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Veterans Affairs.Late last Friday the minister quietly announced that he was severely cutting the number of wreaths to be distributed for Remembrance Day ceremonies. With all of the extravagant and unnecessary spending that the government is involved in, why is it that commemorations to honour the sacrifice of Canadian veterans are the first things to get cut?What was the minister thinking when he signed off on this shameful idea?
Mr. Speaker, we have a Prime Minister who, for the first time in history, is being investigated by the Ethics Commissioner. We have a finance minister who is refusing to obey the law. That is nothing to be proud of. In fact, the stench coming from the two most senior Liberals in that government and in that caucus is overwhelming and cannot be ignored. It begs the question: What else is that finance minister hiding from Canadians?
Qujannamiik uqaqti. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Indigenous Services. The government has split Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and designated a minister of indigenous crown relations and northern affairs and a minister of indigenous services. While touring my riding, I heard concerns that this decision will only add another layer of bureaucracy and make it even more difficult to deliver on pressing issues like Nunavut's suicide rate and the lack of mental health services.How will the split of the department help solve these and other issues that Nunavummiut currently face?
Mr. Speaker, the government is guilty of any number of lapses of judgment, but the finance minister's violation of the straightforward requirements of the Ethics Commissioner's disclosure declaration for all members of cabinet raises serious questions, not only of ethics, conflict of interest, and credibility, but of the confidence that Canadians have lost in the government.When will the minister come clean with the Ethics Commissioner and Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, one of the great mysteries of political life in Canada is exactly how to get a Liberal to keep a Liberal promise. Well, now we have the answer.When Liberals have totally screwed up a small business tax plan, when they have attacked small businesses while ignoring their wealthy friends, when they are backed so deep into a corner they have nowhere else to go, then and only then will Liberals honour their commitments to Canadians.Why is keeping a promise the Liberal version of damage control?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance must not have had a pleasant week in his riding. First he was accused of not disclosing a private company and now we have learned that his business interests were never placed in a blind trust. Instead of taking responsibility, the Minister of Finance told us that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner did not tell him that he was required to do so. The Liberals do not appear to be interested in following their own code of ethics.Why are the Liberals not interested in using common sense?
Mr. Speaker, what we have before us is a government of bad ideas and broken promises that always seem to hurt ordinary Canadians, a government that is incapable of going after the major players. We saw that with this government's attempt to weaken the Consumer Protection Act, give special privileges to Netflix, and tax employee discounts for those earning minimum wage. Now we have the small business tax reform.Instead of holding a press conference to frantically announce that he is going to make an announcement, why does the minister not simply put off his reform and do something that makes sense?
Mr. Speaker, this cannot be sugar-coated. According to the law, the Minister of Finance had 60 days to disclose his assets to the Ethics Commissioner. He did not do it. It is that plain. It is that simple. Has the finance minister become so arrogant and so entitled that he actually thinks he is above the law?
Mr. Speaker, Canada is the biggest market for the United States, bigger than China, Japan, and the U.K. combined. We are negotiating with the most protectionist U.S. administration since the 1930s. We never said these negotiations would be easy. A modernized NAFTA remains a goal, but we cannot accept proposals that will leave the middle class in all three countries, especially Canadians, worse off. We will always defend our national interest and stand up for Canadian values.
Mr. Speaker, the Métis and non-status found out last week that they were not included in the government's sixties scoop survivors' settlement. This betrayal has caused great pain to Métis and non-status survivors, who were no less part of the sixties scoop. How can we truly achieve reconciliation when Métis and non-status are being told by the Liberals that they do not exist and that their suffering is not worthy of recognition and compensation? Why were the Métis and non-status intentionally excluded?
Mr. Speaker, revised but not cancelled. That is an important distinction. This Prime Minister just cannot help but hurt the very people he claims he wants to help. Now we learn that he wants to tax the discounts received by employees. The Liberals claim they never intended to do this, and then they even tried to blame public servants, but the finance minister's own officials told committee members over a month ago that they were going to do this.Why is it that whenever hard-working Canadians look behind them, they see the Prime Minister trying to take more and more of their hard-earned money?
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister seems so very forgetful these days. He forgot that cutting small business taxes was a promise that he ran on. He forgot he owned a luxury villa in France, but, hey, what middle-class Canadian has not? He also forgot to tell us that his vast wealth was not in fact in a blind trust, and he only comes clean when he is in a world of trouble.Why does this forgetful finance minister never remember his promises to Canadians but always remembers ways to protect his own wealth?
Mr. Speaker, let me be blunt that there will no depriving any member of the wreaths that he or she may lay at a cenotaph or at a monument in his or her riding. In fact, every member in the House, as always, will be allotted at least two. If you need more, all you have to do is ask us and we would be happy to give you as many as you need.
Mr. Speaker, as I said many times, the Prime Minister is asking to do a broad review of the criminal justice system. I am undertaking that in partnership with the provinces and territories. Review of mandatory minimum penalties in the Criminal Code is a substantive part of that review. I hope to bring forward changes in the near future with respect to impaired driving. We are doing everything we can to ensure safety on our roads. That is why we introduced substantive legislation by way of Bill C-45, to ensure that we have as much safety on our roads and to ensure that people do not get behind the wheel of their car and drive with alcohol or drugs.
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary just talked about a targeted approach. The hon. members on the government side know a lot about targeting small business owners, targeting middle-class Canadians, and targeting people who are struggling to make ends meet. That is their targeted approach. When will the Liberals understand that the blind trust they have in the Minister of Finance is misplaced?
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary seems to forget that in its first budget, his own government abolished the tax cuts that our government had proposed. That is the reality of this government.The CBC's reports last week were extremely troubling to Canadians. For two years, the Minister of Finance hid the fact that he owned a corporation from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. This corporation owns a villa in Provence, France. I remind members that this is the same Minister of Finance who is going after business owners to take more of their money
Well, they can start by taking action.Mr. Speaker, last Friday, Sears Canada received court authorization to liquidate its assets. Because of our inadequate bankruptcy laws, shareholders and managers like Edward Lampert will end up even richer than before, while workers and pensioners will lose jobs, benefits, and some part of their pensions. The worst part is that it is legal. It is scandalous that the Liberals continue to place the interests of wealthy and well-connected insiders above the well-being of working Canadians and retirees. When will the Liberals join the NDP to make workers and pensioners the first priority?
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister's apparent wilful disregard of the Conflict of Interest Act raises some serious questions. Did the minister intentionally mislead the Ethics Commissioner about the nature of his private interests in France? Why did he withhold details of his private corporation in France? Why does this extremely wealthy minister believe he is above conflict of interest and ethics reporting rules?
Mr. Speaker, it is completely unacceptable when public funds intended for indigenous peoples are misappropriated. The consulting group in question was involved in a third party agreement with Health Canada and the Kashechewan Health Services board between 2010 and 2015. Once the department was made aware of an RCMP investigation into the consulting group, it conducted an audit of its agreements with the company. The department is now exploring its options to recover the funds that were found to be misappropriated. The department has taken corrective actions to ensure this does not happen again.
Mr. Speaker, we have always been clear with Canadians about our intention to lower taxes for small and medium-sized businesses. We made that promise during the election campaign because we recognize how important SMEs are. We will always support middle-class entrepreneurs.We have also always said that we want to improve the fairness of certain aspects of our tax system. That is exactly what we are doing after having consulted Canadians across the country in order to be sure that we are doing things right.
Mr. Speaker, the sixties scoop is a dark and painful chapter in Canada's history. This agreement, in principle, represents the first step in resolving this issue. We know there are other claims that remain unresolved, including those of the Métis and non-status. We remain committed to working with all indigenous people affected by the sixties scoop to resolve these remaining litigations by negotiation.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals tried to cover up spending nearly a quarter million dollars on the design of their 2017 budget cover, which included $90,000 in so-called talent fees. They obviously do not have the talent of respecting taxpayer dollars. While $212,000 is not much to the owners of family fortunes and French villas, it is several years of wages for middle-class Canadians.How can these Liberals justify sticking hard-working taxpayers with a quarter million dollar bill for nothing more than some fancy photo images on a budget cover?
Mr. Speaker, I have instructed officials to clarify the wording in the document. Our government cares about the middle class. I want to remind my colleagues opposite that we raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% in order to lower them for middle-class Canadians. The opposition members voted against that initiative, because they prefer to lower taxes on the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, the allegations of widespread fraud committed against the people of Kashechewan raises serious questions about the operating culture in the Minister of Health's office. Joe Crupi is alleged, among other things, to have stolen a million dollars from a breakfast program in a community so poor the kids do not have a school, yet her officials protected his access despite the warning bells from the Attorney General and the RCMP. Now her lawyers are going after Crupi for the money, but that was money stolen from the mouths of children. What steps will she take to make it right for the children of Kashechewan and right for the people of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is always forgetting things. He forgot his keys. He forgot his villa in France. He forgot even the corporation he holds that villa inside of. He forgot the $30 million of shares in Morneau Shepell, and he forgot to put that into a blind trust. He forgot today to tax any of his own family fortune.Why is it that the only thing that the minister does not forget is his wallet?
Mr. Speaker, there are reports that the parliamentary secretary announced the government's true position at an event in Washington when he mentioned there would be room to negotiate on supply management. This government keeps selling out the farmers in my riding, Lac Saint-Jean, and Quebec as a whole to accommodate Washington. It is plain to see that this government is all too willing to bow and scrape to the United States.Will the Prime Minister confirm for our farmers that he plans to use them as a bargaining chip, despite claims that supply management is not on the table?
Mr. Speaker, two years ago the Minister of Transport said that rail safety was his top priority. Two years later, that does not appear to be the case. Lac-Mégantic still does not have a bypass, the rail infrastructure in many communities looks like it dates back to the 19th century, and ticking time bombs are rolling through our streets, our lands, along our rivers, and in our towns and cities.Is the minister asleep at the switch? Is he waiting for another tragedy before he changes the rules surrounding transportation safety?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that the finance minister has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner, in full transparency, to make sure that he is in full compliance with the rules and the recommendations of the Ethics Commissioner. That is what Canadians expect. That is what we will keep doing.
Mr. Speaker, if he does not want to answer my question, maybe he will come see me after question period. I might have a French villa to sell him. The Liberals promised to set a new standard in ethics, yet they continue to miss the mark. Shortly after his appointment, the Minister of Finance admitted that he should place his interests in a blind trust, but he chose not to do so. I wonder why he did not think this necessary?In what universe does the Minister of Finance think he can continue to run his affairs
Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a good day for Canadians. Canadians know that when we make a promise to Canadians, we fulfill this promise.Let me answer the member's question. The minister has worked with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure that all conflict of interest rules are indeed followed. Appropriate measures and screens have been put in place in order to fully comply with the recommendations provided by the Ethics Commissioner. These members would better listen to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, during the Liberal leadership race, the Prime Minister promised Canadians new, stricter standards of ethical behaviour that would ensure that the fortune he received from his father in stocks and bonds would be placed in a blind trust.We now know, however, that the Minister of Finance never bothered to comply with that standard. He is not complying with the code of ethics or the law.When will the Minister of Finance show some respect for Canadians and comply with the code of ethics?
Mr. Speaker, for 18 months, the Minister of Canadian Heritage consulted with all the stakeholders of our cultural ecosystem without ever listening to them. All the stakeholders were clear: our culture is on the line here and now. However, the minister did not listen. She chose to offload the hard decisions on the CRTC, which will get to it in June 2018. Come on, this is an emergency!Furthermore, Le Devoir revealed on Friday that even the deputy minister warned the minister that giving a free pass to web giants was not viable. However, the minister did not listen to him either. Does the minister only listen to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, and lobbyists, or does she ever only listen to herself, in the end?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner in full transparency and followed her recommendations regarding a blind trust.I am very proud to work with a minister who has lowered taxes for nine million Canadians, who today announced a tax cut for SMEs, who has helped 900,000 low-income seniors through the guaranteed income supplement, and who has reduced child poverty by 40%. I think we can be proud of our Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, in this fourth round of NAFTA renegotiations, President Trump continues to speak negatively about the deal, even while sitting beside our silent Prime Minister. The Americans are clearly bargaining in bad faith, placing poison pills on the table, such as the requirement that vehicles contain at least 50% U.S. content. The automotive sector has stated that not only will this backfire, companies will simply pay the low 2.5% tariffs instead of ensuring the content is regionally sourced and jobs are secure.When will the Liberal government present its plan to protect the future and health of Canadian jobs and our auto sector?
Mr. Speaker, two million Canadians work in retail. They include youth, seniors, and students who work hard every day. Right now, these workers are getting mixed messages from Revenue Canada and the minister herself. We are still looking for answers. Does the government think that by taxing employee discounts, it has found a new way to extract even more cash from the pockets of ordinary Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has been working with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner from the beginning to make sure that he is in full compliance with her recommendations. That is what Canadians expect, that is exactly what the minister is doing, and we are proud of that.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the House that our Minister of Finance is in the universe that works hard for Canadians. The minister has worked with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all conflict of interest laws are followed. The appropriate steps have been taken to ensure full compliance with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's recommendations. This is what Canadians want to hear. On this side of the House, we work on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind everyone that the previous government spent millions on flashy television advertising to promote and brand itself. They spent twice as much as we have. We have taken a much more targeted approach to our advertising and to our branding. He should look at the numbers of the previous government before standing in the House to ask a question like that.
Mr. Speaker, a targeted approach was raising taxes on the wealthiest 1% to lower them for nine million Canadians, a measure the Conservatives voted against. A targeted approach was making the Canada child benefit more progressive, reducing child poverty by 40% in the country, a measure they voted against. A targeted approach is one that has grown this economy at its fastest rate for the last decade, that has reduced unemployment to its lowest rate in the last nine years, and that has created 437,000 jobs, most of them full time. That is a targeted approach that is working.
Mr. Speaker, to set the record straight, the Conservatives spent twice as much every year they were in power. I rest my case.
Mr. Speaker, the B.C. Coroners Service announced last week that the province's death toll from suspected overdose now stood at 1,013, more than the entire number recorded during 2016.We know this is an urgent public health crisis. Could the Minister of Health tell us what she is doing to address this deadly epidemic?
Mr. Speaker, I can reassure the opposition member that the minister will always work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure compliance with all of the rules. All appropriate measures will be put in place.
Mr. Speaker, common sense tells us that today is a great day for Canadians and small business owners.In August 2015, we made an election promise that I am going to quote. ...we [will] reduce the small business tax rate to 9% from 11%.... Today we kept the promise we made. We are proud that we have kept our promise to reduce the business tax rate from 11% to 9%.We really listened to Canadians, and the caucus, in order to make our tax system fairer for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers in LévisLotbinière, Bellechasse, Lac Saint-Jean, and all across Quebec are worried. The parliamentary secretary for Canada-U.S. relations announced that there is room to negotiate on the issue of opening up supply management. The Minister of Foreign Affairs had to contradict him to hush up the whole business. Will the Liberal government confirm for our farmers that the parliamentary secretary laid out the Liberals' true position and that they are preparing to open up supply management to accommodate Washington?
Mr. Speaker, as we already know, the Liberals have been attacking the investments that local businesses use to create jobs for Canadians. Now, they also want to go after employee discounts. Yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board contradicted the Prime Minister and said that employee discounts will be taxed, but he was unable to provide any details. Will the Prime Minister clarify his government's policy? Is he going to tax employee discounts?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that the Minister of Finance has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all rules are followed and will continue to do so, but if they want to play politics while we work for Canadians, it is their business.I am very proud to work with a finance minister who has achieved more growth in two years than they ever could, and who has done it at the same time as reducing child poverty by 40%, helping 900,000 seniors, and reducing taxes for nine million Canadians. I am proud to work with him.
Mr. Speaker, the problem is that nobody believes them. They have lost all credibility on this file. It took them over a month to walk this back. It was only after they were caught and only after the outrage expressed by thousands of hard-working Canadians that they pulled this back.Can the Liberals be crystal clear on this? Can they commit that nobody's employee discounts will be touched after they get through with these changes?
Mr. Speaker, in his very first budget, the finance minister cancelled the small business tax cut, breaking a Liberal platform promise. Now they expect us to pat them on the back for unbreaking their promise. It is kind of like his Morneau Shepell subsidiary that he keeps in Barbados, a tax haven for which he is responsible for overseeing a review.Are any of the measures he is proposing today planning to impose taxes on Morneau Shepell's assets in the Barbados?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure my colleague that the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. He will continue to do so to ensure that he is in compliance with the law and with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's directives.The member is trying to ignore all of the good things we are doing for small business owners by fulfilling a commitment we made in the 2015 campaign and by lowering the small business tax rate to 9%. We support our small business owners and our small businesses, and we will always support them. We know just how important they are to Canada's economy.
Mr. Speaker, with a blind trust, one normally has no say or control over the management of their own fortune.Today we learned that the Minister of Finance, while managing the country's finances, can also see to his own fortune and make it grow. We know that his fortune is not in a blind trust.Why did the Minister of Finance introduce a tax rule today that does nothing to ensure that Morneau Shepell pays taxes in compliance with the law?
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would think $600 is more than $212,000. We know the Prime Minister loves his covers, whether it's Rolling Stone,Vanity Fair, and apparently budget covers as well. In two years, the Liberals have spent nearly $400,000 on budget cover images. Even the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister can appreciate $400,000. That represents a down payment on a French villa or half of a Mercedes Roadster.How can the Liberals justify sticking taxpayers with $400,000 for two years worth of budget cover pages?
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals think Canadians farmers are listening, they claim they are defending them at the NAFTA negotiations. However, in Washington, behind closed doors, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada-U.S. Relations) said that Canada had room to negotiate on supply management.Protecting our agricultural sector should not be negotiable. How can Canadian farmers trust the government to defend supply management in public in Canada, when behind closed doors, in secret, in Washington, it is something different?
Mr. Speaker, as I just said, the document in question did not reflect our government's intentions at all. It has been removed and is now being revised. I have instructed officials to clarify the wording of the document. Our government cares about the middle class and is taking concrete steps to help middle-class Canadians. We stopped the cheques the Conservatives were sending to the wealthiest families, and we replaced them with the Canada child benefit, which puts more money in the pockets of nine out of ten families. We have lifted more than 300,000 children
Mr. Speaker, $200,000 for a book cover, $200,000 for the cover of the federal budget, $200,000 for a piece of paper, that is the Liberal government's trademark. This was not a gaffe or a mistake. It was an actual decision by the Liberals.The hon. member for Louis-Hébert says that his government is working for the less fortunate. What does he have to say to them after spending $200,000 on a piece of a paper?
Mr. Speaker, after Netflix was allowed to bypass our tax laws, the Canada Revenue Agency issued a new interpretation that would tax employee discounts, affecting small retail businesses everywhere.You heard right. The Minister of National Revenue would rather keep chasing after middle-class employees than the CEOs of major corporations who hide their income in tax havens. It is absolutely shameful.How can she allow a giant like Netflix not to pay taxes, while employee discounts will be taxed?The minister said that she was not aware. Come on. Who is in charge of the Canada Revenue Agency? Is it the minister? When will she take responsibility on this issue?
Mr. Speaker, I think that we were quite clear during the election campaign on the fact that we wanted to bring more fairness to our tax system in areas where such fairness is lacking. That is why we made proposals and listened to the reactions of Canadians across the country, and to our caucus as well, to be sure that we are getting this right. That is what we are getting ready to announce to Canadians this week.
Mr. Speaker, we have always defended supply management. It is a system that works. Protecting supply management is important for us, to Canadian consumers, and for dairy and agricultural industries across the country. I believe in supply management, as does everybody in the Houseoh wait, except for members of the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, I would simply say to them that the previous government spent $750 million on promoting its brand when it was in power.We are taking a much more targeted approach, one that is very responsible with taxpayers dollars. We took the exact same approach in our last two budgets, and spent half as much as the previous government spent on its budget.I am very proud of our record.
Mr. Speaker, as we know, it is a great day for small business owners in Canada.In August 2015, we promised in our platform, and let me quote it because these members may want to hear the answer: reduce the small business tax rate to 9 percent from 11 percent.We said we should be doing that, and we now are doing what we promised. Our government is proud to fulfill our commitment to lowering taxes on small business from 11% in 2015 to 9% in 2019. We have truly listened to Canadians and our caucus to ensure a fairer tax system that will benefit all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government has already said that it would not tax Canadians more. Our vision for a creative Canada involves investing in creators, ensuring their success, and showcasing them on the national and international stage.Canada's arts and culture sector is a $55-billion industry that accounts for over 630,000 jobs. That is why we continue to support our creators.
Mr. Speaker, the global economy is undergoing major changes. More and more, countries are leveraging their unique specialties and capabilities and focusing on developing their expertise in these sectors. Canada has a number of sectors that are rich in talent and economic capacity, where it is well-positioned to be a leader. We must take full advantage of the changing global priorities and create jobs for the future now to ensure a strong foundation for the next generation of Canadians. Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development please explain to the House the steps the government is taking?
Mr. Speaker, the minister said she was never informed or consulted on the CRA's decision to tax employee discounts.Does she know what is going on in her own department?If so, can she tell us where the directive came from and how Canadians can trust this Liberal government, which sees middle-class workers as part of the wealthiest 1% in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate that the minister has worked with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all conflict of interest rules are followed and that appropriate measures and screens have been put in place in order to fully comply with the recommendations provided by the Ethics Commissioner. I am very proud to be working with this minister, who today announced that we are lowering the tax rate for small businesses from 10.5% to 9%. We stand behind small businesses in this small business week, and we have always done so.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his tireless work on behalf of small businesses and his very constructive feedback with these proposals. I am very proud that our government today has announced that we are lowering the corporate tax rate for small businesses to 9% by 2019. We have always been the government of growth, of inclusive prosperity, and we will always be behind small entrepreneurs. The small business tax rate was already the lowest in the G7. That is going to make our businesses more able to compete, grow, prosper, and to contribute. We will always be behind small businesses.
Mr. Speaker, actually I was there and it was on a TV panel, and I did not say the words ascribed to me.I will make the point that we have always defended supply management. It is a system that works. Everyone on this side of the House, everyone in the House, indeed, supports supply management, with the exception of a significant portion of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the aisle are committed to protecting the supply management system. We agree with the idea that every person should be free to make their own decisions, but I believe everyone in this House supports supply management, except the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has always worked closely and openly with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that all rules are followed.The opposition member wants to hijack the debate and play political games. However, on this side of the House, we are focusing on Canadians. That is why today we are cutting the small business tax rate, which will stimulate growth.The economy has been growing since we took power. We have created 437,000 jobs. The Conservatives cannot claim to have such a good record.
Mr. Speaker, I can understand and appreciate that this is a very difficult time for the workers and their families in many communities across the country. I understand that the current Sears Canada pension fund assets are held in trust and, as such, must be used solely for the benefit of pensioners. It is completely protected from the claims of other creditors. The unfunded pension portion will have a claim, and the proceeds of those claims of liquidation will be a priority for the pensioners as well. We will continue to monitor the situation. We are going to work with the workers, we are going to work with their families, and we are going to work with the different communities.
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary claims that the Minister of Finance is working hand in hand with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, but that he just forgot to mention that he owns a company and a villa in France. A minor oversight, to be sure. He and the commissioner may indeed work well together, but he is forgetting to mention the important stuff.Will the Minister of Finance promise not to hide anything else from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, as I said, the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and will continue to do so to ensure compliance with all of the commissioner's recommendations.The member is forgetting what we have always said and what we said in August 2015. I am very proud that we are lowering the small business tax rate, but we have always said that it must be done in the context of revamping our tax system to make it fairer. I am also very proud that we are doing this after having listened to Canadians from coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, since day one, we have been focusing on helping the middle class and those wanting to join it. The document in question did not at all reflect our government's intentions. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class, and as I have said and as the Prime Minister stated, we will not be going after retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, we are always concerned about the impact on employees and their families.That is why we are monitoring the situation very closely. We understand that this is very difficult for many regions, for many of the workers and their employees, as well with Sears Canada. That is why we are closely looking at the situation that is before the courts. We cannot comment on any of the specific matters that are before the courts, but we are also looking at what benefits we can provide. We will continue to engage and work with the workers and their families in the different communities across the country.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, I own a small business and had a career in tax law.The discussion on tax reform created many concerns for small business owners throughout the country, including myself. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance update the House on what we are doing as a government to support small businesses to grow our economy?
Mr. Speaker, since day one, our government has been focused on helping the middle class. The document from the agency did not reflect the intention of our government. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class and, like the Prime Minister stated, we will not be going after anyone's retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, as members know, rail safety is my top priority. Of course our sympathy and thoughts are with the victims of the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. We have been working very hard since that time to bring in measures to make rail transportation safer. With regard to Lac-Mégantic, we are working with the Province of Quebec and the Town of Lac-Mégantic to come up with a solution. I can assure the House that we will find a solution.
Mr. Speaker, since day one, our government has been focused on helping the middle class. The document in question did not reflect our government's intentions. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class, and like the Prime Minister said, we will not be going after anyone's retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his advocacy on this issue. Our government has been very clear that this is a national public health crisis in Canada, and we are responding in a way that is collaborative, compassionate, and comprehensive. In addition to passing Bill C-37, which streamlines the application process for supervised consumption sites, we are also providing over $10 million in urgent support to British Columbia to assist with its response to the opioid crisis.Our government will continue to bring forward evidence-based solutions to help save lives in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to have announced its vision for the future of creative industries. These industries provide quality employment to over 630,000 Canadians. Through our new economic strategy, we are committing to support families across the country. Thanks to Creative Canada, we are going to amend our policies to help our cultural creators and entrepreneurs face the challenges of today's digital age. This approach will help Canadians share their creations on the international stage.
Mr. Speaker, as I already said, the document in question did not reflect the intentions of our government. It has been removed and is currently being reviewed
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to a renewed relationship with indigenous people. We have listened to ARCAP's recommendation to simultaneously improve the delivery of services while accelerating a move to self-determination for indigenous people. We have committed $187 million toward community-based health programs in Nunavut, and the Inuit crown partnership committee will help guide our actions on shared priorities. We must continue to address the day-to-day realities in Nunavut and all indigenous communities while building a path toward reconciliation and systematic change.
Mr. Speaker, as the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook well knows, part of our innovations skills plan was to introduce superclusters. This initiative was about growing the economy and creating jobs. This is a $950-million investment to create up to five superclusters and is really about collaboration. I saw that first-hand when I travelled across the country to identify the short list for this initiative. I can say right now this is a business-led initiative. We had over 1,000 businesses participate, and over 350 partners including 100 academic institutions. This is good for the economy and good for jobs.
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, Sears received approval to liquidate its assets. Because our bankruptcy laws are inadequate, our workers and retirees will be the biggest losers. They could lose their pensions and their benefits.It is absolutely ridiculous that the Liberals are letting the big CEOs off the hook at the expense of workers and retirees, who sometimes struggle to make ends meet.When will the Liberals join the NDP in making workers and retirees preferred creditors?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice claims to support mandatory sentences for serious offences. However, Liberal MPs voted to defeat a Conservative amendment to Bill C-46 to provide for a five-year mandatory sentence for impaired drivers who kill. Was the minister insincere when she claimed that she supports mandatory sentences for serious offences or does the minister believe that impaired driving causing death is not a serious offence?
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Veterans Affairs.Late last Friday the minister quietly announced that he was severely cutting the number of wreaths to be distributed for Remembrance Day ceremonies. With all of the extravagant and unnecessary spending that the government is involved in, why is it that commemorations to honour the sacrifice of Canadian veterans are the first things to get cut?What was the minister thinking when he signed off on this shameful idea?
Mr. Speaker, we have a Prime Minister who, for the first time in history, is being investigated by the Ethics Commissioner. We have a finance minister who is refusing to obey the law. That is nothing to be proud of. In fact, the stench coming from the two most senior Liberals in that government and in that caucus is overwhelming and cannot be ignored. It begs the question: What else is that finance minister hiding from Canadians?
Qujannamiik uqaqti. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Indigenous Services. The government has split Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and designated a minister of indigenous crown relations and northern affairs and a minister of indigenous services. While touring my riding, I heard concerns that this decision will only add another layer of bureaucracy and make it even more difficult to deliver on pressing issues like Nunavut's suicide rate and the lack of mental health services.How will the split of the department help solve these and other issues that Nunavummiut currently face?
Mr. Speaker, the government is guilty of any number of lapses of judgment, but the finance minister's violation of the straightforward requirements of the Ethics Commissioner's disclosure declaration for all members of cabinet raises serious questions, not only of ethics, conflict of interest, and credibility, but of the confidence that Canadians have lost in the government.When will the minister come clean with the Ethics Commissioner and Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, one of the great mysteries of political life in Canada is exactly how to get a Liberal to keep a Liberal promise. Well, now we have the answer.When Liberals have totally screwed up a small business tax plan, when they have attacked small businesses while ignoring their wealthy friends, when they are backed so deep into a corner they have nowhere else to go, then and only then will Liberals honour their commitments to Canadians.Why is keeping a promise the Liberal version of damage control?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance must not have had a pleasant week in his riding. First he was accused of not disclosing a private company and now we have learned that his business interests were never placed in a blind trust. Instead of taking responsibility, the Minister of Finance told us that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner did not tell him that he was required to do so. The Liberals do not appear to be interested in following their own code of ethics.Why are the Liberals not interested in using common sense?
Mr. Speaker, what we have before us is a government of bad ideas and broken promises that always seem to hurt ordinary Canadians, a government that is incapable of going after the major players. We saw that with this government's attempt to weaken the Consumer Protection Act, give special privileges to Netflix, and tax employee discounts for those earning minimum wage. Now we have the small business tax reform.Instead of holding a press conference to frantically announce that he is going to make an announcement, why does the minister not simply put off his reform and do something that makes sense?
Mr. Speaker, this cannot be sugar-coated. According to the law, the Minister of Finance had 60 days to disclose his assets to the Ethics Commissioner. He did not do it. It is that plain. It is that simple. Has the finance minister become so arrogant and so entitled that he actually thinks he is above the law?
Mr. Speaker, Canada is the biggest market for the United States, bigger than China, Japan, and the U.K. combined. We are negotiating with the most protectionist U.S. administration since the 1930s. We never said these negotiations would be easy. A modernized NAFTA remains a goal, but we cannot accept proposals that will leave the middle class in all three countries, especially Canadians, worse off. We will always defend our national interest and stand up for Canadian values.
Mr. Speaker, the Métis and non-status found out last week that they were not included in the government's sixties scoop survivors' settlement. This betrayal has caused great pain to Métis and non-status survivors, who were no less part of the sixties scoop. How can we truly achieve reconciliation when Métis and non-status are being told by the Liberals that they do not exist and that their suffering is not worthy of recognition and compensation? Why were the Métis and non-status intentionally excluded?
Mr. Speaker, revised but not cancelled. That is an important distinction. This Prime Minister just cannot help but hurt the very people he claims he wants to help. Now we learn that he wants to tax the discounts received by employees. The Liberals claim they never intended to do this, and then they even tried to blame public servants, but the finance minister's own officials told committee members over a month ago that they were going to do this.Why is it that whenever hard-working Canadians look behind them, they see the Prime Minister trying to take more and more of their hard-earned money?
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister seems so very forgetful these days. He forgot that cutting small business taxes was a promise that he ran on. He forgot he owned a luxury villa in France, but, hey, what middle-class Canadian has not? He also forgot to tell us that his vast wealth was not in fact in a blind trust, and he only comes clean when he is in a world of trouble.Why does this forgetful finance minister never remember his promises to Canadians but always remembers ways to protect his own wealth?
Mr. Speaker, let me be blunt that there will no depriving any member of the wreaths that he or she may lay at a cenotaph or at a monument in his or her riding. In fact, every member in the House, as always, will be allotted at least two. If you need more, all you have to do is ask us and we would be happy to give you as many as you need.
Mr. Speaker, as I said many times, the Prime Minister is asking to do a broad review of the criminal justice system. I am undertaking that in partnership with the provinces and territories. Review of mandatory minimum penalties in the Criminal Code is a substantive part of that review. I hope to bring forward changes in the near future with respect to impaired driving. We are doing everything we can to ensure safety on our roads. That is why we introduced substantive legislation by way of Bill C-45, to ensure that we have as much safety on our roads and to ensure that people do not get behind the wheel of their car and drive with alcohol or drugs.
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary just talked about a targeted approach. The hon. members on the government side know a lot about targeting small business owners, targeting middle-class Canadians, and targeting people who are struggling to make ends meet. That is their targeted approach. When will the Liberals understand that the blind trust they have in the Minister of Finance is misplaced?
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary seems to forget that in its first budget, his own government abolished the tax cuts that our government had proposed. That is the reality of this government.The CBC's reports last week were extremely troubling to Canadians. For two years, the Minister of Finance hid the fact that he owned a corporation from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. This corporation owns a villa in Provence, France. I remind members that this is the same Minister of Finance who is going after business owners to take more of their money
Well, they can start by taking action.Mr. Speaker, last Friday, Sears Canada received court authorization to liquidate its assets. Because of our inadequate bankruptcy laws, shareholders and managers like Edward Lampert will end up even richer than before, while workers and pensioners will lose jobs, benefits, and some part of their pensions. The worst part is that it is legal. It is scandalous that the Liberals continue to place the interests of wealthy and well-connected insiders above the well-being of working Canadians and retirees. When will the Liberals join the NDP to make workers and pensioners the first priority?
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister's apparent wilful disregard of the Conflict of Interest Act raises some serious questions. Did the minister intentionally mislead the Ethics Commissioner about the nature of his private interests in France? Why did he withhold details of his private corporation in France? Why does this extremely wealthy minister believe he is above conflict of interest and ethics reporting rules?
Mr. Speaker, it is completely unacceptable when public funds intended for indigenous peoples are misappropriated. The consulting group in question was involved in a third party agreement with Health Canada and the Kashechewan Health Services board between 2010 and 2015. Once the department was made aware of an RCMP investigation into the consulting group, it conducted an audit of its agreements with the company. The department is now exploring its options to recover the funds that were found to be misappropriated. The department has taken corrective actions to ensure this does not happen again.
Mr. Speaker, we have always been clear with Canadians about our intention to lower taxes for small and medium-sized businesses. We made that promise during the election campaign because we recognize how important SMEs are. We will always support middle-class entrepreneurs.We have also always said that we want to improve the fairness of certain aspects of our tax system. That is exactly what we are doing after having consulted Canadians across the country in order to be sure that we are doing things right.
Mr. Speaker, the sixties scoop is a dark and painful chapter in Canada's history. This agreement, in principle, represents the first step in resolving this issue. We know there are other claims that remain unresolved, including those of the Métis and non-status. We remain committed to working with all indigenous people affected by the sixties scoop to resolve these remaining litigations by negotiation.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals tried to cover up spending nearly a quarter million dollars on the design of their 2017 budget cover, which included $90,000 in so-called talent fees. They obviously do not have the talent of respecting taxpayer dollars. While $212,000 is not much to the owners of family fortunes and French villas, it is several years of wages for middle-class Canadians.How can these Liberals justify sticking hard-working taxpayers with a quarter million dollar bill for nothing more than some fancy photo images on a budget cover?
Mr. Speaker, I have instructed officials to clarify the wording in the document. Our government cares about the middle class. I want to remind my colleagues opposite that we raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% in order to lower them for middle-class Canadians. The opposition members voted against that initiative, because they prefer to lower taxes on the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, the allegations of widespread fraud committed against the people of Kashechewan raises serious questions about the operating culture in the Minister of Health's office. Joe Crupi is alleged, among other things, to have stolen a million dollars from a breakfast program in a community so poor the kids do not have a school, yet her officials protected his access despite the warning bells from the Attorney General and the RCMP. Now her lawyers are going after Crupi for the money, but that was money stolen from the mouths of children. What steps will she take to make it right for the children of Kashechewan and right for the people of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is always forgetting things. He forgot his keys. He forgot his villa in France. He forgot even the corporation he holds that villa inside of. He forgot the $30 million of shares in Morneau Shepell, and he forgot to put that into a blind trust. He forgot today to tax any of his own family fortune.Why is it that the only thing that the minister does not forget is his wallet?
Mr. Speaker, there are reports that the parliamentary secretary announced the government's true position at an event in Washington when he mentioned there would be room to negotiate on supply management. This government keeps selling out the farmers in my riding, Lac Saint-Jean, and Quebec as a whole to accommodate Washington. It is plain to see that this government is all too willing to bow and scrape to the United States.Will the Prime Minister confirm for our farmers that he plans to use them as a bargaining chip, despite claims that supply management is not on the table?
Mr. Speaker, two years ago the Minister of Transport said that rail safety was his top priority. Two years later, that does not appear to be the case. Lac-Mégantic still does not have a bypass, the rail infrastructure in many communities looks like it dates back to the 19th century, and ticking time bombs are rolling through our streets, our lands, along our rivers, and in our towns and cities.Is the minister asleep at the switch? Is he waiting for another tragedy before he changes the rules surrounding transportation safety?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that the finance minister has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner, in full transparency, to make sure that he is in full compliance with the rules and the recommendations of the Ethics Commissioner. That is what Canadians expect. That is what we will keep doing.
Mr. Speaker, if he does not want to answer my question, maybe he will come see me after question period. I might have a French villa to sell him. The Liberals promised to set a new standard in ethics, yet they continue to miss the mark. Shortly after his appointment, the Minister of Finance admitted that he should place his interests in a blind trust, but he chose not to do so. I wonder why he did not think this necessary?In what universe does the Minister of Finance think he can continue to run his affairs
Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a good day for Canadians. Canadians know that when we make a promise to Canadians, we fulfill this promise.Let me answer the member's question. The minister has worked with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure that all conflict of interest rules are indeed followed. Appropriate measures and screens have been put in place in order to fully comply with the recommendations provided by the Ethics Commissioner. These members would better listen to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, during the Liberal leadership race, the Prime Minister promised Canadians new, stricter standards of ethical behaviour that would ensure that the fortune he received from his father in stocks and bonds would be placed in a blind trust.We now know, however, that the Minister of Finance never bothered to comply with that standard. He is not complying with the code of ethics or the law.When will the Minister of Finance show some respect for Canadians and comply with the code of ethics?
Mr. Speaker, for 18 months, the Minister of Canadian Heritage consulted with all the stakeholders of our cultural ecosystem without ever listening to them. All the stakeholders were clear: our culture is on the line here and now. However, the minister did not listen. She chose to offload the hard decisions on the CRTC, which will get to it in June 2018. Come on, this is an emergency!Furthermore, Le Devoir revealed on Friday that even the deputy minister warned the minister that giving a free pass to web giants was not viable. However, the minister did not listen to him either. Does the minister only listen to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, and lobbyists, or does she ever only listen to herself, in the end?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner in full transparency and followed her recommendations regarding a blind trust.I am very proud to work with a minister who has lowered taxes for nine million Canadians, who today announced a tax cut for SMEs, who has helped 900,000 low-income seniors through the guaranteed income supplement, and who has reduced child poverty by 40%. I think we can be proud of our Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, in this fourth round of NAFTA renegotiations, President Trump continues to speak negatively about the deal, even while sitting beside our silent Prime Minister. The Americans are clearly bargaining in bad faith, placing poison pills on the table, such as the requirement that vehicles contain at least 50% U.S. content. The automotive sector has stated that not only will this backfire, companies will simply pay the low 2.5% tariffs instead of ensuring the content is regionally sourced and jobs are secure.When will the Liberal government present its plan to protect the future and health of Canadian jobs and our auto sector?
Mr. Speaker, two million Canadians work in retail. They include youth, seniors, and students who work hard every day. Right now, these workers are getting mixed messages from Revenue Canada and the minister herself. We are still looking for answers. Does the government think that by taxing employee discounts, it has found a new way to extract even more cash from the pockets of ordinary Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has been working with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner from the beginning to make sure that he is in full compliance with her recommendations. That is what Canadians expect, that is exactly what the minister is doing, and we are proud of that.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the House that our Minister of Finance is in the universe that works hard for Canadians. The minister has worked with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all conflict of interest laws are followed. The appropriate steps have been taken to ensure full compliance with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's recommendations. This is what Canadians want to hear. On this side of the House, we work on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind everyone that the previous government spent millions on flashy television advertising to promote and brand itself. They spent twice as much as we have. We have taken a much more targeted approach to our advertising and to our branding. He should look at the numbers of the previous government before standing in the House to ask a question like that.
Mr. Speaker, a targeted approach was raising taxes on the wealthiest 1% to lower them for nine million Canadians, a measure the Conservatives voted against. A targeted approach was making the Canada child benefit more progressive, reducing child poverty by 40% in the country, a measure they voted against. A targeted approach is one that has grown this economy at its fastest rate for the last decade, that has reduced unemployment to its lowest rate in the last nine years, and that has created 437,000 jobs, most of them full time. That is a targeted approach that is working.
Mr. Speaker, to set the record straight, the Conservatives spent twice as much every year they were in power. I rest my case.
Mr. Speaker, the B.C. Coroners Service announced last week that the province's death toll from suspected overdose now stood at 1,013, more than the entire number recorded during 2016.We know this is an urgent public health crisis. Could the Minister of Health tell us what she is doing to address this deadly epidemic?
Mr. Speaker, I can reassure the opposition member that the minister will always work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure compliance with all of the rules. All appropriate measures will be put in place.
Mr. Speaker, common sense tells us that today is a great day for Canadians and small business owners.In August 2015, we made an election promise that I am going to quote. ...we [will] reduce the small business tax rate to 9% from 11%.... Today we kept the promise we made. We are proud that we have kept our promise to reduce the business tax rate from 11% to 9%.We really listened to Canadians, and the caucus, in order to make our tax system fairer for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers in LévisLotbinière, Bellechasse, Lac Saint-Jean, and all across Quebec are worried. The parliamentary secretary for Canada-U.S. relations announced that there is room to negotiate on the issue of opening up supply management. The Minister of Foreign Affairs had to contradict him to hush up the whole business. Will the Liberal government confirm for our farmers that the parliamentary secretary laid out the Liberals' true position and that they are preparing to open up supply management to accommodate Washington?
Mr. Speaker, as we already know, the Liberals have been attacking the investments that local businesses use to create jobs for Canadians. Now, they also want to go after employee discounts. Yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board contradicted the Prime Minister and said that employee discounts will be taxed, but he was unable to provide any details. Will the Prime Minister clarify his government's policy? Is he going to tax employee discounts?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that the Minister of Finance has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all rules are followed and will continue to do so, but if they want to play politics while we work for Canadians, it is their business.I am very proud to work with a finance minister who has achieved more growth in two years than they ever could, and who has done it at the same time as reducing child poverty by 40%, helping 900,000 seniors, and reducing taxes for nine million Canadians. I am proud to work with him.
Mr. Speaker, the problem is that nobody believes them. They have lost all credibility on this file. It took them over a month to walk this back. It was only after they were caught and only after the outrage expressed by thousands of hard-working Canadians that they pulled this back.Can the Liberals be crystal clear on this? Can they commit that nobody's employee discounts will be touched after they get through with these changes?
Mr. Speaker, in his very first budget, the finance minister cancelled the small business tax cut, breaking a Liberal platform promise. Now they expect us to pat them on the back for unbreaking their promise. It is kind of like his Morneau Shepell subsidiary that he keeps in Barbados, a tax haven for which he is responsible for overseeing a review.Are any of the measures he is proposing today planning to impose taxes on Morneau Shepell's assets in the Barbados?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure my colleague that the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. He will continue to do so to ensure that he is in compliance with the law and with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's directives.The member is trying to ignore all of the good things we are doing for small business owners by fulfilling a commitment we made in the 2015 campaign and by lowering the small business tax rate to 9%. We support our small business owners and our small businesses, and we will always support them. We know just how important they are to Canada's economy.
Mr. Speaker, with a blind trust, one normally has no say or control over the management of their own fortune.Today we learned that the Minister of Finance, while managing the country's finances, can also see to his own fortune and make it grow. We know that his fortune is not in a blind trust.Why did the Minister of Finance introduce a tax rule today that does nothing to ensure that Morneau Shepell pays taxes in compliance with the law?
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would think $600 is more than $212,000. We know the Prime Minister loves his covers, whether it's Rolling Stone,Vanity Fair, and apparently budget covers as well. In two years, the Liberals have spent nearly $400,000 on budget cover images. Even the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister can appreciate $400,000. That represents a down payment on a French villa or half of a Mercedes Roadster.How can the Liberals justify sticking taxpayers with $400,000 for two years worth of budget cover pages?
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals think Canadians farmers are listening, they claim they are defending them at the NAFTA negotiations. However, in Washington, behind closed doors, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada-U.S. Relations) said that Canada had room to negotiate on supply management.Protecting our agricultural sector should not be negotiable. How can Canadian farmers trust the government to defend supply management in public in Canada, when behind closed doors, in secret, in Washington, it is something different?
Mr. Speaker, as I just said, the document in question did not reflect our government's intentions at all. It has been removed and is now being revised. I have instructed officials to clarify the wording of the document. Our government cares about the middle class and is taking concrete steps to help middle-class Canadians. We stopped the cheques the Conservatives were sending to the wealthiest families, and we replaced them with the Canada child benefit, which puts more money in the pockets of nine out of ten families. We have lifted more than 300,000 children
Mr. Speaker, $200,000 for a book cover, $200,000 for the cover of the federal budget, $200,000 for a piece of paper, that is the Liberal government's trademark. This was not a gaffe or a mistake. It was an actual decision by the Liberals.The hon. member for Louis-Hébert says that his government is working for the less fortunate. What does he have to say to them after spending $200,000 on a piece of a paper?
Mr. Speaker, after Netflix was allowed to bypass our tax laws, the Canada Revenue Agency issued a new interpretation that would tax employee discounts, affecting small retail businesses everywhere.You heard right. The Minister of National Revenue would rather keep chasing after middle-class employees than the CEOs of major corporations who hide their income in tax havens. It is absolutely shameful.How can she allow a giant like Netflix not to pay taxes, while employee discounts will be taxed?The minister said that she was not aware. Come on. Who is in charge of the Canada Revenue Agency? Is it the minister? When will she take responsibility on this issue?
Mr. Speaker, I think that we were quite clear during the election campaign on the fact that we wanted to bring more fairness to our tax system in areas where such fairness is lacking. That is why we made proposals and listened to the reactions of Canadians across the country, and to our caucus as well, to be sure that we are getting this right. That is what we are getting ready to announce to Canadians this week.
Mr. Speaker, we have always defended supply management. It is a system that works. Protecting supply management is important for us, to Canadian consumers, and for dairy and agricultural industries across the country. I believe in supply management, as does everybody in the Houseoh wait, except for members of the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, I would simply say to them that the previous government spent $750 million on promoting its brand when it was in power.We are taking a much more targeted approach, one that is very responsible with taxpayers dollars. We took the exact same approach in our last two budgets, and spent half as much as the previous government spent on its budget.I am very proud of our record.
Mr. Speaker, as we know, it is a great day for small business owners in Canada.In August 2015, we promised in our platform, and let me quote it because these members may want to hear the answer: reduce the small business tax rate to 9 percent from 11 percent.We said we should be doing that, and we now are doing what we promised. Our government is proud to fulfill our commitment to lowering taxes on small business from 11% in 2015 to 9% in 2019. We have truly listened to Canadians and our caucus to ensure a fairer tax system that will benefit all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government has already said that it would not tax Canadians more. Our vision for a creative Canada involves investing in creators, ensuring their success, and showcasing them on the national and international stage.Canada's arts and culture sector is a $55-billion industry that accounts for over 630,000 jobs. That is why we continue to support our creators.
Mr. Speaker, the global economy is undergoing major changes. More and more, countries are leveraging their unique specialties and capabilities and focusing on developing their expertise in these sectors. Canada has a number of sectors that are rich in talent and economic capacity, where it is well-positioned to be a leader. We must take full advantage of the changing global priorities and create jobs for the future now to ensure a strong foundation for the next generation of Canadians. Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development please explain to the House the steps the government is taking?
Mr. Speaker, the minister said she was never informed or consulted on the CRA's decision to tax employee discounts.Does she know what is going on in her own department?If so, can she tell us where the directive came from and how Canadians can trust this Liberal government, which sees middle-class workers as part of the wealthiest 1% in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate that the minister has worked with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all conflict of interest rules are followed and that appropriate measures and screens have been put in place in order to fully comply with the recommendations provided by the Ethics Commissioner. I am very proud to be working with this minister, who today announced that we are lowering the tax rate for small businesses from 10.5% to 9%. We stand behind small businesses in this small business week, and we have always done so.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his tireless work on behalf of small businesses and his very constructive feedback with these proposals. I am very proud that our government today has announced that we are lowering the corporate tax rate for small businesses to 9% by 2019. We have always been the government of growth, of inclusive prosperity, and we will always be behind small entrepreneurs. The small business tax rate was already the lowest in the G7. That is going to make our businesses more able to compete, grow, prosper, and to contribute. We will always be behind small businesses.
Mr. Speaker, actually I was there and it was on a TV panel, and I did not say the words ascribed to me.I will make the point that we have always defended supply management. It is a system that works. Everyone on this side of the House, everyone in the House, indeed, supports supply management, with the exception of a significant portion of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the aisle are committed to protecting the supply management system. We agree with the idea that every person should be free to make their own decisions, but I believe everyone in this House supports supply management, except the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has always worked closely and openly with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that all rules are followed.The opposition member wants to hijack the debate and play political games. However, on this side of the House, we are focusing on Canadians. That is why today we are cutting the small business tax rate, which will stimulate growth.The economy has been growing since we took power. We have created 437,000 jobs. The Conservatives cannot claim to have such a good record.
Mr. Speaker, I can understand and appreciate that this is a very difficult time for the workers and their families in many communities across the country. I understand that the current Sears Canada pension fund assets are held in trust and, as such, must be used solely for the benefit of pensioners. It is completely protected from the claims of other creditors. The unfunded pension portion will have a claim, and the proceeds of those claims of liquidation will be a priority for the pensioners as well. We will continue to monitor the situation. We are going to work with the workers, we are going to work with their families, and we are going to work with the different communities.
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary claims that the Minister of Finance is working hand in hand with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, but that he just forgot to mention that he owns a company and a villa in France. A minor oversight, to be sure. He and the commissioner may indeed work well together, but he is forgetting to mention the important stuff.Will the Minister of Finance promise not to hide anything else from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, as I said, the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and will continue to do so to ensure compliance with all of the commissioner's recommendations.The member is forgetting what we have always said and what we said in August 2015. I am very proud that we are lowering the small business tax rate, but we have always said that it must be done in the context of revamping our tax system to make it fairer. I am also very proud that we are doing this after having listened to Canadians from coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, since day one, we have been focusing on helping the middle class and those wanting to join it. The document in question did not at all reflect our government's intentions. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class, and as I have said and as the Prime Minister stated, we will not be going after retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, we are always concerned about the impact on employees and their families.That is why we are monitoring the situation very closely. We understand that this is very difficult for many regions, for many of the workers and their employees, as well with Sears Canada. That is why we are closely looking at the situation that is before the courts. We cannot comment on any of the specific matters that are before the courts, but we are also looking at what benefits we can provide. We will continue to engage and work with the workers and their families in the different communities across the country.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, I own a small business and had a career in tax law.The discussion on tax reform created many concerns for small business owners throughout the country, including myself. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance update the House on what we are doing as a government to support small businesses to grow our economy?
Mr. Speaker, since day one, our government has been focused on helping the middle class. The document from the agency did not reflect the intention of our government. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class and, like the Prime Minister stated, we will not be going after anyone's retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, as members know, rail safety is my top priority. Of course our sympathy and thoughts are with the victims of the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. We have been working very hard since that time to bring in measures to make rail transportation safer. With regard to Lac-Mégantic, we are working with the Province of Quebec and the Town of Lac-Mégantic to come up with a solution. I can assure the House that we will find a solution.
Mr. Speaker, since day one, our government has been focused on helping the middle class. The document in question did not reflect our government's intentions. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class, and like the Prime Minister said, we will not be going after anyone's retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his advocacy on this issue. Our government has been very clear that this is a national public health crisis in Canada, and we are responding in a way that is collaborative, compassionate, and comprehensive. In addition to passing Bill C-37, which streamlines the application process for supervised consumption sites, we are also providing over $10 million in urgent support to British Columbia to assist with its response to the opioid crisis.Our government will continue to bring forward evidence-based solutions to help save lives in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to have announced its vision for the future of creative industries. These industries provide quality employment to over 630,000 Canadians. Through our new economic strategy, we are committing to support families across the country. Thanks to Creative Canada, we are going to amend our policies to help our cultural creators and entrepreneurs face the challenges of today's digital age. This approach will help Canadians share their creations on the international stage.
Mr. Speaker, as I already said, the document in question did not reflect the intentions of our government. It has been removed and is currently being reviewed
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to a renewed relationship with indigenous people. We have listened to ARCAP's recommendation to simultaneously improve the delivery of services while accelerating a move to self-determination for indigenous people. We have committed $187 million toward community-based health programs in Nunavut, and the Inuit crown partnership committee will help guide our actions on shared priorities. We must continue to address the day-to-day realities in Nunavut and all indigenous communities while building a path toward reconciliation and systematic change.
Mr. Speaker, as the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook well knows, part of our innovations skills plan was to introduce superclusters. This initiative was about growing the economy and creating jobs. This is a $950-million investment to create up to five superclusters and is really about collaboration. I saw that first-hand when I travelled across the country to identify the short list for this initiative. I can say right now this is a business-led initiative. We had over 1,000 businesses participate, and over 350 partners including 100 academic institutions. This is good for the economy and good for jobs.
Most negative speeches
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary just talked about a targeted approach. The hon. members on the government side know a lot about targeting small business owners, targeting middle-class Canadians, and targeting people who are struggling to make ends meet. That is their targeted approach. When will the Liberals understand that the blind trust they have in the Minister of Finance is misplaced?
Mr. Speaker, as we already know, the Liberals have been attacking the investments that local businesses use to create jobs for Canadians. Now, they also want to go after employee discounts. Yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board contradicted the Prime Minister and said that employee discounts will be taxed, but he was unable to provide any details. Will the Prime Minister clarify his government's policy? Is he going to tax employee discounts?
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals think Canadians farmers are listening, they claim they are defending them at the NAFTA negotiations. However, in Washington, behind closed doors, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada-U.S. Relations) said that Canada had room to negotiate on supply management.Protecting our agricultural sector should not be negotiable. How can Canadian farmers trust the government to defend supply management in public in Canada, when behind closed doors, in secret, in Washington, it is something different?
Mr. Speaker, the sixties scoop is a dark and painful chapter in Canada's history. This agreement, in principle, represents the first step in resolving this issue. We know there are other claims that remain unresolved, including those of the Métis and non-status. We remain committed to working with all indigenous people affected by the sixties scoop to resolve these remaining litigations by negotiation.
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, Sears received approval to liquidate its assets. Because our bankruptcy laws are inadequate, our workers and retirees will be the biggest losers. They could lose their pensions and their benefits.It is absolutely ridiculous that the Liberals are letting the big CEOs off the hook at the expense of workers and retirees, who sometimes struggle to make ends meet.When will the Liberals join the NDP in making workers and retirees preferred creditors?
Mr. Speaker, what we have before us is a government of bad ideas and broken promises that always seem to hurt ordinary Canadians, a government that is incapable of going after the major players. We saw that with this government's attempt to weaken the Consumer Protection Act, give special privileges to Netflix, and tax employee discounts for those earning minimum wage. Now we have the small business tax reform.Instead of holding a press conference to frantically announce that he is going to make an announcement, why does the minister not simply put off his reform and do something that makes sense?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice claims to support mandatory sentences for serious offences. However, Liberal MPs voted to defeat a Conservative amendment to Bill C-46 to provide for a five-year mandatory sentence for impaired drivers who kill. Was the minister insincere when she claimed that she supports mandatory sentences for serious offences or does the minister believe that impaired driving causing death is not a serious offence?
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Veterans Affairs.Late last Friday the minister quietly announced that he was severely cutting the number of wreaths to be distributed for Remembrance Day ceremonies. With all of the extravagant and unnecessary spending that the government is involved in, why is it that commemorations to honour the sacrifice of Canadian veterans are the first things to get cut?What was the minister thinking when he signed off on this shameful idea?
Mr. Speaker, in this fourth round of NAFTA renegotiations, President Trump continues to speak negatively about the deal, even while sitting beside our silent Prime Minister. The Americans are clearly bargaining in bad faith, placing poison pills on the table, such as the requirement that vehicles contain at least 50% U.S. content. The automotive sector has stated that not only will this backfire, companies will simply pay the low 2.5% tariffs instead of ensuring the content is regionally sourced and jobs are secure.When will the Liberal government present its plan to protect the future and health of Canadian jobs and our auto sector?
Mr. Speaker, if he does not want to answer my question, maybe he will come see me after question period. I might have a French villa to sell him. The Liberals promised to set a new standard in ethics, yet they continue to miss the mark. Shortly after his appointment, the Minister of Finance admitted that he should place his interests in a blind trust, but he chose not to do so. I wonder why he did not think this necessary?In what universe does the Minister of Finance think he can continue to run his affairs
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister seems so very forgetful these days. He forgot that cutting small business taxes was a promise that he ran on. He forgot he owned a luxury villa in France, but, hey, what middle-class Canadian has not? He also forgot to tell us that his vast wealth was not in fact in a blind trust, and he only comes clean when he is in a world of trouble.Why does this forgetful finance minister never remember his promises to Canadians but always remembers ways to protect his own wealth?
Mr. Speaker, this cannot be sugar-coated. According to the law, the Minister of Finance had 60 days to disclose his assets to the Ethics Commissioner. He did not do it. It is that plain. It is that simple. Has the finance minister become so arrogant and so entitled that he actually thinks he is above the law?
Mr. Speaker, the allegations of widespread fraud committed against the people of Kashechewan raises serious questions about the operating culture in the Minister of Health's office. Joe Crupi is alleged, among other things, to have stolen a million dollars from a breakfast program in a community so poor the kids do not have a school, yet her officials protected his access despite the warning bells from the Attorney General and the RCMP. Now her lawyers are going after Crupi for the money, but that was money stolen from the mouths of children. What steps will she take to make it right for the children of Kashechewan and right for the people of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind everyone that the previous government spent millions on flashy television advertising to promote and brand itself. They spent twice as much as we have. We have taken a much more targeted approach to our advertising and to our branding. He should look at the numbers of the previous government before standing in the House to ask a question like that.
Mr. Speaker, as I said many times, the Prime Minister is asking to do a broad review of the criminal justice system. I am undertaking that in partnership with the provinces and territories. Review of mandatory minimum penalties in the Criminal Code is a substantive part of that review. I hope to bring forward changes in the near future with respect to impaired driving. We are doing everything we can to ensure safety on our roads. That is why we introduced substantive legislation by way of Bill C-45, to ensure that we have as much safety on our roads and to ensure that people do not get behind the wheel of their car and drive with alcohol or drugs.
Mr. Speaker, during the Liberal leadership race, the Prime Minister promised Canadians new, stricter standards of ethical behaviour that would ensure that the fortune he received from his father in stocks and bonds would be placed in a blind trust.We now know, however, that the Minister of Finance never bothered to comply with that standard. He is not complying with the code of ethics or the law.When will the Minister of Finance show some respect for Canadians and comply with the code of ethics?
Qujannamiik uqaqti. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Indigenous Services. The government has split Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and designated a minister of indigenous crown relations and northern affairs and a minister of indigenous services. While touring my riding, I heard concerns that this decision will only add another layer of bureaucracy and make it even more difficult to deliver on pressing issues like Nunavut's suicide rate and the lack of mental health services.How will the split of the department help solve these and other issues that Nunavummiut currently face?
Mr. Speaker, I can understand and appreciate that this is a very difficult time for the workers and their families in many communities across the country. I understand that the current Sears Canada pension fund assets are held in trust and, as such, must be used solely for the benefit of pensioners. It is completely protected from the claims of other creditors. The unfunded pension portion will have a claim, and the proceeds of those claims of liquidation will be a priority for the pensioners as well. We will continue to monitor the situation. We are going to work with the workers, we are going to work with their families, and we are going to work with the different communities.
Mr. Speaker, the government is guilty of any number of lapses of judgment, but the finance minister's violation of the straightforward requirements of the Ethics Commissioner's disclosure declaration for all members of cabinet raises serious questions, not only of ethics, conflict of interest, and credibility, but of the confidence that Canadians have lost in the government.When will the minister come clean with the Ethics Commissioner and Canadians?
Well, they can start by taking action.Mr. Speaker, last Friday, Sears Canada received court authorization to liquidate its assets. Because of our inadequate bankruptcy laws, shareholders and managers like Edward Lampert will end up even richer than before, while workers and pensioners will lose jobs, benefits, and some part of their pensions. The worst part is that it is legal. It is scandalous that the Liberals continue to place the interests of wealthy and well-connected insiders above the well-being of working Canadians and retirees. When will the Liberals join the NDP to make workers and pensioners the first priority?
Mr. Speaker, since day one, our government has been focused on helping the middle class. The document in question did not reflect our government's intentions. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class, and like the Prime Minister said, we will not be going after anyone's retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, since day one, our government has been focused on helping the middle class. The document from the agency did not reflect the intention of our government. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class and, like the Prime Minister stated, we will not be going after anyone's retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, as I already said, the document in question did not reflect the intentions of our government. It has been removed and is currently being reviewed
Mr. Speaker, since day one, we have been focusing on helping the middle class and those wanting to join it. The document in question did not at all reflect our government's intentions. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class, and as I have said and as the Prime Minister stated, we will not be going after retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to a renewed relationship with indigenous people. We have listened to ARCAP's recommendation to simultaneously improve the delivery of services while accelerating a move to self-determination for indigenous people. We have committed $187 million toward community-based health programs in Nunavut, and the Inuit crown partnership committee will help guide our actions on shared priorities. We must continue to address the day-to-day realities in Nunavut and all indigenous communities while building a path toward reconciliation and systematic change.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has always worked closely and openly with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that all rules are followed.The opposition member wants to hijack the debate and play political games. However, on this side of the House, we are focusing on Canadians. That is why today we are cutting the small business tax rate, which will stimulate growth.The economy has been growing since we took power. We have created 437,000 jobs. The Conservatives cannot claim to have such a good record.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his tireless work on behalf of small businesses and his very constructive feedback with these proposals. I am very proud that our government today has announced that we are lowering the corporate tax rate for small businesses to 9% by 2019. We have always been the government of growth, of inclusive prosperity, and we will always be behind small entrepreneurs. The small business tax rate was already the lowest in the G7. That is going to make our businesses more able to compete, grow, prosper, and to contribute. We will always be behind small businesses.
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure my colleague that the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. He will continue to do so to ensure that he is in compliance with the law and with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's directives.The member is trying to ignore all of the good things we are doing for small business owners by fulfilling a commitment we made in the 2015 campaign and by lowering the small business tax rate to 9%. We support our small business owners and our small businesses, and we will always support them. We know just how important they are to Canada's economy.
Mr. Speaker, the problem is that nobody believes them. They have lost all credibility on this file. It took them over a month to walk this back. It was only after they were caught and only after the outrage expressed by thousands of hard-working Canadians that they pulled this back.Can the Liberals be crystal clear on this? Can they commit that nobody's employee discounts will be touched after they get through with these changes?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is always forgetting things. He forgot his keys. He forgot his villa in France. He forgot even the corporation he holds that villa inside of. He forgot the $30 million of shares in Morneau Shepell, and he forgot to put that into a blind trust. He forgot today to tax any of his own family fortune.Why is it that the only thing that the minister does not forget is his wallet?
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister's apparent wilful disregard of the Conflict of Interest Act raises some serious questions. Did the minister intentionally mislead the Ethics Commissioner about the nature of his private interests in France? Why did he withhold details of his private corporation in France? Why does this extremely wealthy minister believe he is above conflict of interest and ethics reporting rules?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his advocacy on this issue. Our government has been very clear that this is a national public health crisis in Canada, and we are responding in a way that is collaborative, compassionate, and comprehensive. In addition to passing Bill C-37, which streamlines the application process for supervised consumption sites, we are also providing over $10 million in urgent support to British Columbia to assist with its response to the opioid crisis.Our government will continue to bring forward evidence-based solutions to help save lives in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, after Netflix was allowed to bypass our tax laws, the Canada Revenue Agency issued a new interpretation that would tax employee discounts, affecting small retail businesses everywhere.You heard right. The Minister of National Revenue would rather keep chasing after middle-class employees than the CEOs of major corporations who hide their income in tax havens. It is absolutely shameful.How can she allow a giant like Netflix not to pay taxes, while employee discounts will be taxed?The minister said that she was not aware. Come on. Who is in charge of the Canada Revenue Agency? Is it the minister? When will she take responsibility on this issue?
Mr. Speaker, for 18 months, the Minister of Canadian Heritage consulted with all the stakeholders of our cultural ecosystem without ever listening to them. All the stakeholders were clear: our culture is on the line here and now. However, the minister did not listen. She chose to offload the hard decisions on the CRTC, which will get to it in June 2018. Come on, this is an emergency!Furthermore, Le Devoir revealed on Friday that even the deputy minister warned the minister that giving a free pass to web giants was not viable. However, the minister did not listen to him either. Does the minister only listen to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, and lobbyists, or does she ever only listen to herself, in the end?
Mr. Speaker, the B.C. Coroners Service announced last week that the province's death toll from suspected overdose now stood at 1,013, more than the entire number recorded during 2016.We know this is an urgent public health crisis. Could the Minister of Health tell us what she is doing to address this deadly epidemic?
Mr. Speaker, as members know, rail safety is my top priority. Of course our sympathy and thoughts are with the victims of the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. We have been working very hard since that time to bring in measures to make rail transportation safer. With regard to Lac-Mégantic, we are working with the Province of Quebec and the Town of Lac-Mégantic to come up with a solution. I can assure the House that we will find a solution.
Mr. Speaker, two million Canadians work in retail. They include youth, seniors, and students who work hard every day. Right now, these workers are getting mixed messages from Revenue Canada and the minister herself. We are still looking for answers. Does the government think that by taxing employee discounts, it has found a new way to extract even more cash from the pockets of ordinary Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, with a blind trust, one normally has no say or control over the management of their own fortune.Today we learned that the Minister of Finance, while managing the country's finances, can also see to his own fortune and make it grow. We know that his fortune is not in a blind trust.Why did the Minister of Finance introduce a tax rule today that does nothing to ensure that Morneau Shepell pays taxes in compliance with the law?
Mr. Speaker, as you know, I own a small business and had a career in tax law.The discussion on tax reform created many concerns for small business owners throughout the country, including myself. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance update the House on what we are doing as a government to support small businesses to grow our economy?
Mr. Speaker, $200,000 for a book cover, $200,000 for the cover of the federal budget, $200,000 for a piece of paper, that is the Liberal government's trademark. This was not a gaffe or a mistake. It was an actual decision by the Liberals.The hon. member for Louis-Hébert says that his government is working for the less fortunate. What does he have to say to them after spending $200,000 on a piece of a paper?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals tried to cover up spending nearly a quarter million dollars on the design of their 2017 budget cover, which included $90,000 in so-called talent fees. They obviously do not have the talent of respecting taxpayer dollars. While $212,000 is not much to the owners of family fortunes and French villas, it is several years of wages for middle-class Canadians.How can these Liberals justify sticking hard-working taxpayers with a quarter million dollar bill for nothing more than some fancy photo images on a budget cover?
Mr. Speaker, it is completely unacceptable when public funds intended for indigenous peoples are misappropriated. The consulting group in question was involved in a third party agreement with Health Canada and the Kashechewan Health Services board between 2010 and 2015. Once the department was made aware of an RCMP investigation into the consulting group, it conducted an audit of its agreements with the company. The department is now exploring its options to recover the funds that were found to be misappropriated. The department has taken corrective actions to ensure this does not happen again.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is the biggest market for the United States, bigger than China, Japan, and the U.K. combined. We are negotiating with the most protectionist U.S. administration since the 1930s. We never said these negotiations would be easy. A modernized NAFTA remains a goal, but we cannot accept proposals that will leave the middle class in all three countries, especially Canadians, worse off. We will always defend our national interest and stand up for Canadian values.
Mr. Speaker, we are always concerned about the impact on employees and their families.That is why we are monitoring the situation very closely. We understand that this is very difficult for many regions, for many of the workers and their employees, as well with Sears Canada. That is why we are closely looking at the situation that is before the courts. We cannot comment on any of the specific matters that are before the courts, but we are also looking at what benefits we can provide. We will continue to engage and work with the workers and their families in the different communities across the country.
Mr. Speaker, to set the record straight, the Conservatives spent twice as much every year they were in power. I rest my case.
Mr. Speaker, I would simply say to them that the previous government spent $750 million on promoting its brand when it was in power.We are taking a much more targeted approach, one that is very responsible with taxpayers dollars. We took the exact same approach in our last two budgets, and spent half as much as the previous government spent on its budget.I am very proud of our record.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance must not have had a pleasant week in his riding. First he was accused of not disclosing a private company and now we have learned that his business interests were never placed in a blind trust. Instead of taking responsibility, the Minister of Finance told us that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner did not tell him that he was required to do so. The Liberals do not appear to be interested in following their own code of ethics.Why are the Liberals not interested in using common sense?
Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers in LévisLotbinière, Bellechasse, Lac Saint-Jean, and all across Quebec are worried. The parliamentary secretary for Canada-U.S. relations announced that there is room to negotiate on the issue of opening up supply management. The Minister of Foreign Affairs had to contradict him to hush up the whole business. Will the Liberal government confirm for our farmers that the parliamentary secretary laid out the Liberals' true position and that they are preparing to open up supply management to accommodate Washington?
Mr. Speaker, one of the great mysteries of political life in Canada is exactly how to get a Liberal to keep a Liberal promise. Well, now we have the answer.When Liberals have totally screwed up a small business tax plan, when they have attacked small businesses while ignoring their wealthy friends, when they are backed so deep into a corner they have nowhere else to go, then and only then will Liberals honour their commitments to Canadians.Why is keeping a promise the Liberal version of damage control?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate that the minister has worked with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all conflict of interest rules are followed and that appropriate measures and screens have been put in place in order to fully comply with the recommendations provided by the Ethics Commissioner. I am very proud to be working with this minister, who today announced that we are lowering the tax rate for small businesses from 10.5% to 9%. We stand behind small businesses in this small business week, and we have always done so.
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would think $600 is more than $212,000. We know the Prime Minister loves his covers, whether it's Rolling Stone,Vanity Fair, and apparently budget covers as well. In two years, the Liberals have spent nearly $400,000 on budget cover images. Even the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister can appreciate $400,000. That represents a down payment on a French villa or half of a Mercedes Roadster.How can the Liberals justify sticking taxpayers with $400,000 for two years worth of budget cover pages?
Mr. Speaker, I have instructed officials to clarify the wording in the document. Our government cares about the middle class. I want to remind my colleagues opposite that we raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% in order to lower them for middle-class Canadians. The opposition members voted against that initiative, because they prefer to lower taxes on the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, there are reports that the parliamentary secretary announced the government's true position at an event in Washington when he mentioned there would be room to negotiate on supply management. This government keeps selling out the farmers in my riding, Lac Saint-Jean, and Quebec as a whole to accommodate Washington. It is plain to see that this government is all too willing to bow and scrape to the United States.Will the Prime Minister confirm for our farmers that he plans to use them as a bargaining chip, despite claims that supply management is not on the table?
Mr. Speaker, common sense tells us that today is a great day for Canadians and small business owners.In August 2015, we made an election promise that I am going to quote. ...we [will] reduce the small business tax rate to 9% from 11%.... Today we kept the promise we made. We are proud that we have kept our promise to reduce the business tax rate from 11% to 9%.We really listened to Canadians, and the caucus, in order to make our tax system fairer for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, as we know, it is a great day for small business owners in Canada.In August 2015, we promised in our platform, and let me quote it because these members may want to hear the answer: reduce the small business tax rate to 9 percent from 11 percent.We said we should be doing that, and we now are doing what we promised. Our government is proud to fulfill our commitment to lowering taxes on small business from 11% in 2015 to 9% in 2019. We have truly listened to Canadians and our caucus to ensure a fairer tax system that will benefit all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, in his very first budget, the finance minister cancelled the small business tax cut, breaking a Liberal platform promise. Now they expect us to pat them on the back for unbreaking their promise. It is kind of like his Morneau Shepell subsidiary that he keeps in Barbados, a tax haven for which he is responsible for overseeing a review.Are any of the measures he is proposing today planning to impose taxes on Morneau Shepell's assets in the Barbados?
Mr. Speaker, the Métis and non-status found out last week that they were not included in the government's sixties scoop survivors' settlement. This betrayal has caused great pain to Métis and non-status survivors, who were no less part of the sixties scoop. How can we truly achieve reconciliation when Métis and non-status are being told by the Liberals that they do not exist and that their suffering is not worthy of recognition and compensation? Why were the Métis and non-status intentionally excluded?
Mr. Speaker, actually I was there and it was on a TV panel, and I did not say the words ascribed to me.I will make the point that we have always defended supply management. It is a system that works. Everyone on this side of the House, everyone in the House, indeed, supports supply management, with the exception of a significant portion of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary seems to forget that in its first budget, his own government abolished the tax cuts that our government had proposed. That is the reality of this government.The CBC's reports last week were extremely troubling to Canadians. For two years, the Minister of Finance hid the fact that he owned a corporation from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. This corporation owns a villa in Provence, France. I remind members that this is the same Minister of Finance who is going after business owners to take more of their money
Mr. Speaker, we have always been clear with Canadians about our intention to lower taxes for small and medium-sized businesses. We made that promise during the election campaign because we recognize how important SMEs are. We will always support middle-class entrepreneurs.We have also always said that we want to improve the fairness of certain aspects of our tax system. That is exactly what we are doing after having consulted Canadians across the country in order to be sure that we are doing things right.
Mr. Speaker, as I just said, the document in question did not reflect our government's intentions at all. It has been removed and is now being revised. I have instructed officials to clarify the wording of the document. Our government cares about the middle class and is taking concrete steps to help middle-class Canadians. We stopped the cheques the Conservatives were sending to the wealthiest families, and we replaced them with the Canada child benefit, which puts more money in the pockets of nine out of ten families. We have lifted more than 300,000 children
Mr. Speaker, the global economy is undergoing major changes. More and more, countries are leveraging their unique specialties and capabilities and focusing on developing their expertise in these sectors. Canada has a number of sectors that are rich in talent and economic capacity, where it is well-positioned to be a leader. We must take full advantage of the changing global priorities and create jobs for the future now to ensure a strong foundation for the next generation of Canadians. Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development please explain to the House the steps the government is taking?
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to have announced its vision for the future of creative industries. These industries provide quality employment to over 630,000 Canadians. Through our new economic strategy, we are committing to support families across the country. Thanks to Creative Canada, we are going to amend our policies to help our cultural creators and entrepreneurs face the challenges of today's digital age. This approach will help Canadians share their creations on the international stage.
Mr. Speaker, revised but not cancelled. That is an important distinction. This Prime Minister just cannot help but hurt the very people he claims he wants to help. Now we learn that he wants to tax the discounts received by employees. The Liberals claim they never intended to do this, and then they even tried to blame public servants, but the finance minister's own officials told committee members over a month ago that they were going to do this.Why is it that whenever hard-working Canadians look behind them, they see the Prime Minister trying to take more and more of their hard-earned money?
Mr. Speaker, two years ago the Minister of Transport said that rail safety was his top priority. Two years later, that does not appear to be the case. Lac-Mégantic still does not have a bypass, the rail infrastructure in many communities looks like it dates back to the 19th century, and ticking time bombs are rolling through our streets, our lands, along our rivers, and in our towns and cities.Is the minister asleep at the switch? Is he waiting for another tragedy before he changes the rules surrounding transportation safety?
Mr. Speaker, I think that we were quite clear during the election campaign on the fact that we wanted to bring more fairness to our tax system in areas where such fairness is lacking. That is why we made proposals and listened to the reactions of Canadians across the country, and to our caucus as well, to be sure that we are getting this right. That is what we are getting ready to announce to Canadians this week.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the House that our Minister of Finance is in the universe that works hard for Canadians. The minister has worked with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all conflict of interest laws are followed. The appropriate steps have been taken to ensure full compliance with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's recommendations. This is what Canadians want to hear. On this side of the House, we work on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, a targeted approach was raising taxes on the wealthiest 1% to lower them for nine million Canadians, a measure the Conservatives voted against. A targeted approach was making the Canada child benefit more progressive, reducing child poverty by 40% in the country, a measure they voted against. A targeted approach is one that has grown this economy at its fastest rate for the last decade, that has reduced unemployment to its lowest rate in the last nine years, and that has created 437,000 jobs, most of them full time. That is a targeted approach that is working.
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary claims that the Minister of Finance is working hand in hand with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, but that he just forgot to mention that he owns a company and a villa in France. A minor oversight, to be sure. He and the commissioner may indeed work well together, but he is forgetting to mention the important stuff.Will the Minister of Finance promise not to hide anything else from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, as the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook well knows, part of our innovations skills plan was to introduce superclusters. This initiative was about growing the economy and creating jobs. This is a $950-million investment to create up to five superclusters and is really about collaboration. I saw that first-hand when I travelled across the country to identify the short list for this initiative. I can say right now this is a business-led initiative. We had over 1,000 businesses participate, and over 350 partners including 100 academic institutions. This is good for the economy and good for jobs.
Mr. Speaker, our government has already said that it would not tax Canadians more. Our vision for a creative Canada involves investing in creators, ensuring their success, and showcasing them on the national and international stage.Canada's arts and culture sector is a $55-billion industry that accounts for over 630,000 jobs. That is why we continue to support our creators.
Mr. Speaker, let me be blunt that there will no depriving any member of the wreaths that he or she may lay at a cenotaph or at a monument in his or her riding. In fact, every member in the House, as always, will be allotted at least two. If you need more, all you have to do is ask us and we would be happy to give you as many as you need.
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that the finance minister has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner, in full transparency, to make sure that he is in full compliance with the rules and the recommendations of the Ethics Commissioner. That is what Canadians expect. That is what we will keep doing.
Mr. Speaker, we have always defended supply management. It is a system that works. Protecting supply management is important for us, to Canadian consumers, and for dairy and agricultural industries across the country. I believe in supply management, as does everybody in the Houseoh wait, except for members of the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner in full transparency and followed her recommendations regarding a blind trust.I am very proud to work with a minister who has lowered taxes for nine million Canadians, who today announced a tax cut for SMEs, who has helped 900,000 low-income seniors through the guaranteed income supplement, and who has reduced child poverty by 40%. I think we can be proud of our Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has been working with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner from the beginning to make sure that he is in full compliance with her recommendations. That is what Canadians expect, that is exactly what the minister is doing, and we are proud of that.
Mr. Speaker, I can reassure the opposition member that the minister will always work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure compliance with all of the rules. All appropriate measures will be put in place.
Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the aisle are committed to protecting the supply management system. We agree with the idea that every person should be free to make their own decisions, but I believe everyone in this House supports supply management, except the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, we have a Prime Minister who, for the first time in history, is being investigated by the Ethics Commissioner. We have a finance minister who is refusing to obey the law. That is nothing to be proud of. In fact, the stench coming from the two most senior Liberals in that government and in that caucus is overwhelming and cannot be ignored. It begs the question: What else is that finance minister hiding from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that the Minister of Finance has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all rules are followed and will continue to do so, but if they want to play politics while we work for Canadians, it is their business.I am very proud to work with a finance minister who has achieved more growth in two years than they ever could, and who has done it at the same time as reducing child poverty by 40%, helping 900,000 seniors, and reducing taxes for nine million Canadians. I am proud to work with him.
Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a good day for Canadians. Canadians know that when we make a promise to Canadians, we fulfill this promise.Let me answer the member's question. The minister has worked with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure that all conflict of interest rules are indeed followed. Appropriate measures and screens have been put in place in order to fully comply with the recommendations provided by the Ethics Commissioner. These members would better listen to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and will continue to do so to ensure compliance with all of the commissioner's recommendations.The member is forgetting what we have always said and what we said in August 2015. I am very proud that we are lowering the small business tax rate, but we have always said that it must be done in the context of revamping our tax system to make it fairer. I am also very proud that we are doing this after having listened to Canadians from coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, the minister said she was never informed or consulted on the CRA's decision to tax employee discounts.Does she know what is going on in her own department?If so, can she tell us where the directive came from and how Canadians can trust this Liberal government, which sees middle-class workers as part of the wealthiest 1% in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary just talked about a targeted approach. The hon. members on the government side know a lot about targeting small business owners, targeting middle-class Canadians, and targeting people who are struggling to make ends meet. That is their targeted approach. When will the Liberals understand that the blind trust they have in the Minister of Finance is misplaced?
Mr. Speaker, as we already know, the Liberals have been attacking the investments that local businesses use to create jobs for Canadians. Now, they also want to go after employee discounts. Yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board contradicted the Prime Minister and said that employee discounts will be taxed, but he was unable to provide any details. Will the Prime Minister clarify his government's policy? Is he going to tax employee discounts?
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals think Canadians farmers are listening, they claim they are defending them at the NAFTA negotiations. However, in Washington, behind closed doors, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada-U.S. Relations) said that Canada had room to negotiate on supply management.Protecting our agricultural sector should not be negotiable. How can Canadian farmers trust the government to defend supply management in public in Canada, when behind closed doors, in secret, in Washington, it is something different?
Mr. Speaker, the sixties scoop is a dark and painful chapter in Canada's history. This agreement, in principle, represents the first step in resolving this issue. We know there are other claims that remain unresolved, including those of the Métis and non-status. We remain committed to working with all indigenous people affected by the sixties scoop to resolve these remaining litigations by negotiation.
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, Sears received approval to liquidate its assets. Because our bankruptcy laws are inadequate, our workers and retirees will be the biggest losers. They could lose their pensions and their benefits.It is absolutely ridiculous that the Liberals are letting the big CEOs off the hook at the expense of workers and retirees, who sometimes struggle to make ends meet.When will the Liberals join the NDP in making workers and retirees preferred creditors?
Mr. Speaker, what we have before us is a government of bad ideas and broken promises that always seem to hurt ordinary Canadians, a government that is incapable of going after the major players. We saw that with this government's attempt to weaken the Consumer Protection Act, give special privileges to Netflix, and tax employee discounts for those earning minimum wage. Now we have the small business tax reform.Instead of holding a press conference to frantically announce that he is going to make an announcement, why does the minister not simply put off his reform and do something that makes sense?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice claims to support mandatory sentences for serious offences. However, Liberal MPs voted to defeat a Conservative amendment to Bill C-46 to provide for a five-year mandatory sentence for impaired drivers who kill. Was the minister insincere when she claimed that she supports mandatory sentences for serious offences or does the minister believe that impaired driving causing death is not a serious offence?
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Veterans Affairs.Late last Friday the minister quietly announced that he was severely cutting the number of wreaths to be distributed for Remembrance Day ceremonies. With all of the extravagant and unnecessary spending that the government is involved in, why is it that commemorations to honour the sacrifice of Canadian veterans are the first things to get cut?What was the minister thinking when he signed off on this shameful idea?
Mr. Speaker, in this fourth round of NAFTA renegotiations, President Trump continues to speak negatively about the deal, even while sitting beside our silent Prime Minister. The Americans are clearly bargaining in bad faith, placing poison pills on the table, such as the requirement that vehicles contain at least 50% U.S. content. The automotive sector has stated that not only will this backfire, companies will simply pay the low 2.5% tariffs instead of ensuring the content is regionally sourced and jobs are secure.When will the Liberal government present its plan to protect the future and health of Canadian jobs and our auto sector?
Mr. Speaker, if he does not want to answer my question, maybe he will come see me after question period. I might have a French villa to sell him. The Liberals promised to set a new standard in ethics, yet they continue to miss the mark. Shortly after his appointment, the Minister of Finance admitted that he should place his interests in a blind trust, but he chose not to do so. I wonder why he did not think this necessary?In what universe does the Minister of Finance think he can continue to run his affairs
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister seems so very forgetful these days. He forgot that cutting small business taxes was a promise that he ran on. He forgot he owned a luxury villa in France, but, hey, what middle-class Canadian has not? He also forgot to tell us that his vast wealth was not in fact in a blind trust, and he only comes clean when he is in a world of trouble.Why does this forgetful finance minister never remember his promises to Canadians but always remembers ways to protect his own wealth?
Mr. Speaker, this cannot be sugar-coated. According to the law, the Minister of Finance had 60 days to disclose his assets to the Ethics Commissioner. He did not do it. It is that plain. It is that simple. Has the finance minister become so arrogant and so entitled that he actually thinks he is above the law?
Mr. Speaker, the allegations of widespread fraud committed against the people of Kashechewan raises serious questions about the operating culture in the Minister of Health's office. Joe Crupi is alleged, among other things, to have stolen a million dollars from a breakfast program in a community so poor the kids do not have a school, yet her officials protected his access despite the warning bells from the Attorney General and the RCMP. Now her lawyers are going after Crupi for the money, but that was money stolen from the mouths of children. What steps will she take to make it right for the children of Kashechewan and right for the people of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind everyone that the previous government spent millions on flashy television advertising to promote and brand itself. They spent twice as much as we have. We have taken a much more targeted approach to our advertising and to our branding. He should look at the numbers of the previous government before standing in the House to ask a question like that.
Mr. Speaker, as I said many times, the Prime Minister is asking to do a broad review of the criminal justice system. I am undertaking that in partnership with the provinces and territories. Review of mandatory minimum penalties in the Criminal Code is a substantive part of that review. I hope to bring forward changes in the near future with respect to impaired driving. We are doing everything we can to ensure safety on our roads. That is why we introduced substantive legislation by way of Bill C-45, to ensure that we have as much safety on our roads and to ensure that people do not get behind the wheel of their car and drive with alcohol or drugs.
Mr. Speaker, during the Liberal leadership race, the Prime Minister promised Canadians new, stricter standards of ethical behaviour that would ensure that the fortune he received from his father in stocks and bonds would be placed in a blind trust.We now know, however, that the Minister of Finance never bothered to comply with that standard. He is not complying with the code of ethics or the law.When will the Minister of Finance show some respect for Canadians and comply with the code of ethics?
Qujannamiik uqaqti. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Indigenous Services. The government has split Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and designated a minister of indigenous crown relations and northern affairs and a minister of indigenous services. While touring my riding, I heard concerns that this decision will only add another layer of bureaucracy and make it even more difficult to deliver on pressing issues like Nunavut's suicide rate and the lack of mental health services.How will the split of the department help solve these and other issues that Nunavummiut currently face?
Mr. Speaker, I can understand and appreciate that this is a very difficult time for the workers and their families in many communities across the country. I understand that the current Sears Canada pension fund assets are held in trust and, as such, must be used solely for the benefit of pensioners. It is completely protected from the claims of other creditors. The unfunded pension portion will have a claim, and the proceeds of those claims of liquidation will be a priority for the pensioners as well. We will continue to monitor the situation. We are going to work with the workers, we are going to work with their families, and we are going to work with the different communities.
Mr. Speaker, the government is guilty of any number of lapses of judgment, but the finance minister's violation of the straightforward requirements of the Ethics Commissioner's disclosure declaration for all members of cabinet raises serious questions, not only of ethics, conflict of interest, and credibility, but of the confidence that Canadians have lost in the government.When will the minister come clean with the Ethics Commissioner and Canadians?
Well, they can start by taking action.Mr. Speaker, last Friday, Sears Canada received court authorization to liquidate its assets. Because of our inadequate bankruptcy laws, shareholders and managers like Edward Lampert will end up even richer than before, while workers and pensioners will lose jobs, benefits, and some part of their pensions. The worst part is that it is legal. It is scandalous that the Liberals continue to place the interests of wealthy and well-connected insiders above the well-being of working Canadians and retirees. When will the Liberals join the NDP to make workers and pensioners the first priority?
Mr. Speaker, since day one, our government has been focused on helping the middle class. The document in question did not reflect our government's intentions. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class, and like the Prime Minister said, we will not be going after anyone's retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, since day one, our government has been focused on helping the middle class. The document from the agency did not reflect the intention of our government. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class and, like the Prime Minister stated, we will not be going after anyone's retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, as I already said, the document in question did not reflect the intentions of our government. It has been removed and is currently being reviewed
Mr. Speaker, since day one, we have been focusing on helping the middle class and those wanting to join it. The document in question did not at all reflect our government's intentions. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class, and as I have said and as the Prime Minister stated, we will not be going after retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to a renewed relationship with indigenous people. We have listened to ARCAP's recommendation to simultaneously improve the delivery of services while accelerating a move to self-determination for indigenous people. We have committed $187 million toward community-based health programs in Nunavut, and the Inuit crown partnership committee will help guide our actions on shared priorities. We must continue to address the day-to-day realities in Nunavut and all indigenous communities while building a path toward reconciliation and systematic change.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has always worked closely and openly with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that all rules are followed.The opposition member wants to hijack the debate and play political games. However, on this side of the House, we are focusing on Canadians. That is why today we are cutting the small business tax rate, which will stimulate growth.The economy has been growing since we took power. We have created 437,000 jobs. The Conservatives cannot claim to have such a good record.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his tireless work on behalf of small businesses and his very constructive feedback with these proposals. I am very proud that our government today has announced that we are lowering the corporate tax rate for small businesses to 9% by 2019. We have always been the government of growth, of inclusive prosperity, and we will always be behind small entrepreneurs. The small business tax rate was already the lowest in the G7. That is going to make our businesses more able to compete, grow, prosper, and to contribute. We will always be behind small businesses.
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure my colleague that the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. He will continue to do so to ensure that he is in compliance with the law and with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's directives.The member is trying to ignore all of the good things we are doing for small business owners by fulfilling a commitment we made in the 2015 campaign and by lowering the small business tax rate to 9%. We support our small business owners and our small businesses, and we will always support them. We know just how important they are to Canada's economy.
Mr. Speaker, the problem is that nobody believes them. They have lost all credibility on this file. It took them over a month to walk this back. It was only after they were caught and only after the outrage expressed by thousands of hard-working Canadians that they pulled this back.Can the Liberals be crystal clear on this? Can they commit that nobody's employee discounts will be touched after they get through with these changes?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is always forgetting things. He forgot his keys. He forgot his villa in France. He forgot even the corporation he holds that villa inside of. He forgot the $30 million of shares in Morneau Shepell, and he forgot to put that into a blind trust. He forgot today to tax any of his own family fortune.Why is it that the only thing that the minister does not forget is his wallet?
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister's apparent wilful disregard of the Conflict of Interest Act raises some serious questions. Did the minister intentionally mislead the Ethics Commissioner about the nature of his private interests in France? Why did he withhold details of his private corporation in France? Why does this extremely wealthy minister believe he is above conflict of interest and ethics reporting rules?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his advocacy on this issue. Our government has been very clear that this is a national public health crisis in Canada, and we are responding in a way that is collaborative, compassionate, and comprehensive. In addition to passing Bill C-37, which streamlines the application process for supervised consumption sites, we are also providing over $10 million in urgent support to British Columbia to assist with its response to the opioid crisis.Our government will continue to bring forward evidence-based solutions to help save lives in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, after Netflix was allowed to bypass our tax laws, the Canada Revenue Agency issued a new interpretation that would tax employee discounts, affecting small retail businesses everywhere.You heard right. The Minister of National Revenue would rather keep chasing after middle-class employees than the CEOs of major corporations who hide their income in tax havens. It is absolutely shameful.How can she allow a giant like Netflix not to pay taxes, while employee discounts will be taxed?The minister said that she was not aware. Come on. Who is in charge of the Canada Revenue Agency? Is it the minister? When will she take responsibility on this issue?
Mr. Speaker, for 18 months, the Minister of Canadian Heritage consulted with all the stakeholders of our cultural ecosystem without ever listening to them. All the stakeholders were clear: our culture is on the line here and now. However, the minister did not listen. She chose to offload the hard decisions on the CRTC, which will get to it in June 2018. Come on, this is an emergency!Furthermore, Le Devoir revealed on Friday that even the deputy minister warned the minister that giving a free pass to web giants was not viable. However, the minister did not listen to him either. Does the minister only listen to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, and lobbyists, or does she ever only listen to herself, in the end?
Mr. Speaker, the B.C. Coroners Service announced last week that the province's death toll from suspected overdose now stood at 1,013, more than the entire number recorded during 2016.We know this is an urgent public health crisis. Could the Minister of Health tell us what she is doing to address this deadly epidemic?
Mr. Speaker, as members know, rail safety is my top priority. Of course our sympathy and thoughts are with the victims of the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. We have been working very hard since that time to bring in measures to make rail transportation safer. With regard to Lac-Mégantic, we are working with the Province of Quebec and the Town of Lac-Mégantic to come up with a solution. I can assure the House that we will find a solution.
Mr. Speaker, two million Canadians work in retail. They include youth, seniors, and students who work hard every day. Right now, these workers are getting mixed messages from Revenue Canada and the minister herself. We are still looking for answers. Does the government think that by taxing employee discounts, it has found a new way to extract even more cash from the pockets of ordinary Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, with a blind trust, one normally has no say or control over the management of their own fortune.Today we learned that the Minister of Finance, while managing the country's finances, can also see to his own fortune and make it grow. We know that his fortune is not in a blind trust.Why did the Minister of Finance introduce a tax rule today that does nothing to ensure that Morneau Shepell pays taxes in compliance with the law?
Mr. Speaker, as you know, I own a small business and had a career in tax law.The discussion on tax reform created many concerns for small business owners throughout the country, including myself. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance update the House on what we are doing as a government to support small businesses to grow our economy?
Mr. Speaker, $200,000 for a book cover, $200,000 for the cover of the federal budget, $200,000 for a piece of paper, that is the Liberal government's trademark. This was not a gaffe or a mistake. It was an actual decision by the Liberals.The hon. member for Louis-Hébert says that his government is working for the less fortunate. What does he have to say to them after spending $200,000 on a piece of a paper?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals tried to cover up spending nearly a quarter million dollars on the design of their 2017 budget cover, which included $90,000 in so-called talent fees. They obviously do not have the talent of respecting taxpayer dollars. While $212,000 is not much to the owners of family fortunes and French villas, it is several years of wages for middle-class Canadians.How can these Liberals justify sticking hard-working taxpayers with a quarter million dollar bill for nothing more than some fancy photo images on a budget cover?
Mr. Speaker, it is completely unacceptable when public funds intended for indigenous peoples are misappropriated. The consulting group in question was involved in a third party agreement with Health Canada and the Kashechewan Health Services board between 2010 and 2015. Once the department was made aware of an RCMP investigation into the consulting group, it conducted an audit of its agreements with the company. The department is now exploring its options to recover the funds that were found to be misappropriated. The department has taken corrective actions to ensure this does not happen again.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is the biggest market for the United States, bigger than China, Japan, and the U.K. combined. We are negotiating with the most protectionist U.S. administration since the 1930s. We never said these negotiations would be easy. A modernized NAFTA remains a goal, but we cannot accept proposals that will leave the middle class in all three countries, especially Canadians, worse off. We will always defend our national interest and stand up for Canadian values.
Mr. Speaker, we are always concerned about the impact on employees and their families.That is why we are monitoring the situation very closely. We understand that this is very difficult for many regions, for many of the workers and their employees, as well with Sears Canada. That is why we are closely looking at the situation that is before the courts. We cannot comment on any of the specific matters that are before the courts, but we are also looking at what benefits we can provide. We will continue to engage and work with the workers and their families in the different communities across the country.
Mr. Speaker, to set the record straight, the Conservatives spent twice as much every year they were in power. I rest my case.
Mr. Speaker, I would simply say to them that the previous government spent $750 million on promoting its brand when it was in power.We are taking a much more targeted approach, one that is very responsible with taxpayers dollars. We took the exact same approach in our last two budgets, and spent half as much as the previous government spent on its budget.I am very proud of our record.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance must not have had a pleasant week in his riding. First he was accused of not disclosing a private company and now we have learned that his business interests were never placed in a blind trust. Instead of taking responsibility, the Minister of Finance told us that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner did not tell him that he was required to do so. The Liberals do not appear to be interested in following their own code of ethics.Why are the Liberals not interested in using common sense?
Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers in LévisLotbinière, Bellechasse, Lac Saint-Jean, and all across Quebec are worried. The parliamentary secretary for Canada-U.S. relations announced that there is room to negotiate on the issue of opening up supply management. The Minister of Foreign Affairs had to contradict him to hush up the whole business. Will the Liberal government confirm for our farmers that the parliamentary secretary laid out the Liberals' true position and that they are preparing to open up supply management to accommodate Washington?
Mr. Speaker, one of the great mysteries of political life in Canada is exactly how to get a Liberal to keep a Liberal promise. Well, now we have the answer.When Liberals have totally screwed up a small business tax plan, when they have attacked small businesses while ignoring their wealthy friends, when they are backed so deep into a corner they have nowhere else to go, then and only then will Liberals honour their commitments to Canadians.Why is keeping a promise the Liberal version of damage control?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate that the minister has worked with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all conflict of interest rules are followed and that appropriate measures and screens have been put in place in order to fully comply with the recommendations provided by the Ethics Commissioner. I am very proud to be working with this minister, who today announced that we are lowering the tax rate for small businesses from 10.5% to 9%. We stand behind small businesses in this small business week, and we have always done so.
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would think $600 is more than $212,000. We know the Prime Minister loves his covers, whether it's Rolling Stone,Vanity Fair, and apparently budget covers as well. In two years, the Liberals have spent nearly $400,000 on budget cover images. Even the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister can appreciate $400,000. That represents a down payment on a French villa or half of a Mercedes Roadster.How can the Liberals justify sticking taxpayers with $400,000 for two years worth of budget cover pages?
Mr. Speaker, I have instructed officials to clarify the wording in the document. Our government cares about the middle class. I want to remind my colleagues opposite that we raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% in order to lower them for middle-class Canadians. The opposition members voted against that initiative, because they prefer to lower taxes on the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, there are reports that the parliamentary secretary announced the government's true position at an event in Washington when he mentioned there would be room to negotiate on supply management. This government keeps selling out the farmers in my riding, Lac Saint-Jean, and Quebec as a whole to accommodate Washington. It is plain to see that this government is all too willing to bow and scrape to the United States.Will the Prime Minister confirm for our farmers that he plans to use them as a bargaining chip, despite claims that supply management is not on the table?
Mr. Speaker, common sense tells us that today is a great day for Canadians and small business owners.In August 2015, we made an election promise that I am going to quote. ...we [will] reduce the small business tax rate to 9% from 11%.... Today we kept the promise we made. We are proud that we have kept our promise to reduce the business tax rate from 11% to 9%.We really listened to Canadians, and the caucus, in order to make our tax system fairer for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, as we know, it is a great day for small business owners in Canada.In August 2015, we promised in our platform, and let me quote it because these members may want to hear the answer: reduce the small business tax rate to 9 percent from 11 percent.We said we should be doing that, and we now are doing what we promised. Our government is proud to fulfill our commitment to lowering taxes on small business from 11% in 2015 to 9% in 2019. We have truly listened to Canadians and our caucus to ensure a fairer tax system that will benefit all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, in his very first budget, the finance minister cancelled the small business tax cut, breaking a Liberal platform promise. Now they expect us to pat them on the back for unbreaking their promise. It is kind of like his Morneau Shepell subsidiary that he keeps in Barbados, a tax haven for which he is responsible for overseeing a review.Are any of the measures he is proposing today planning to impose taxes on Morneau Shepell's assets in the Barbados?
Mr. Speaker, the Métis and non-status found out last week that they were not included in the government's sixties scoop survivors' settlement. This betrayal has caused great pain to Métis and non-status survivors, who were no less part of the sixties scoop. How can we truly achieve reconciliation when Métis and non-status are being told by the Liberals that they do not exist and that their suffering is not worthy of recognition and compensation? Why were the Métis and non-status intentionally excluded?
Mr. Speaker, actually I was there and it was on a TV panel, and I did not say the words ascribed to me.I will make the point that we have always defended supply management. It is a system that works. Everyone on this side of the House, everyone in the House, indeed, supports supply management, with the exception of a significant portion of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary seems to forget that in its first budget, his own government abolished the tax cuts that our government had proposed. That is the reality of this government.The CBC's reports last week were extremely troubling to Canadians. For two years, the Minister of Finance hid the fact that he owned a corporation from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. This corporation owns a villa in Provence, France. I remind members that this is the same Minister of Finance who is going after business owners to take more of their money
Mr. Speaker, we have always been clear with Canadians about our intention to lower taxes for small and medium-sized businesses. We made that promise during the election campaign because we recognize how important SMEs are. We will always support middle-class entrepreneurs.We have also always said that we want to improve the fairness of certain aspects of our tax system. That is exactly what we are doing after having consulted Canadians across the country in order to be sure that we are doing things right.
Mr. Speaker, as I just said, the document in question did not reflect our government's intentions at all. It has been removed and is now being revised. I have instructed officials to clarify the wording of the document. Our government cares about the middle class and is taking concrete steps to help middle-class Canadians. We stopped the cheques the Conservatives were sending to the wealthiest families, and we replaced them with the Canada child benefit, which puts more money in the pockets of nine out of ten families. We have lifted more than 300,000 children
Mr. Speaker, the global economy is undergoing major changes. More and more, countries are leveraging their unique specialties and capabilities and focusing on developing their expertise in these sectors. Canada has a number of sectors that are rich in talent and economic capacity, where it is well-positioned to be a leader. We must take full advantage of the changing global priorities and create jobs for the future now to ensure a strong foundation for the next generation of Canadians. Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development please explain to the House the steps the government is taking?
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to have announced its vision for the future of creative industries. These industries provide quality employment to over 630,000 Canadians. Through our new economic strategy, we are committing to support families across the country. Thanks to Creative Canada, we are going to amend our policies to help our cultural creators and entrepreneurs face the challenges of today's digital age. This approach will help Canadians share their creations on the international stage.
Mr. Speaker, revised but not cancelled. That is an important distinction. This Prime Minister just cannot help but hurt the very people he claims he wants to help. Now we learn that he wants to tax the discounts received by employees. The Liberals claim they never intended to do this, and then they even tried to blame public servants, but the finance minister's own officials told committee members over a month ago that they were going to do this.Why is it that whenever hard-working Canadians look behind them, they see the Prime Minister trying to take more and more of their hard-earned money?
Mr. Speaker, two years ago the Minister of Transport said that rail safety was his top priority. Two years later, that does not appear to be the case. Lac-Mégantic still does not have a bypass, the rail infrastructure in many communities looks like it dates back to the 19th century, and ticking time bombs are rolling through our streets, our lands, along our rivers, and in our towns and cities.Is the minister asleep at the switch? Is he waiting for another tragedy before he changes the rules surrounding transportation safety?
Mr. Speaker, I think that we were quite clear during the election campaign on the fact that we wanted to bring more fairness to our tax system in areas where such fairness is lacking. That is why we made proposals and listened to the reactions of Canadians across the country, and to our caucus as well, to be sure that we are getting this right. That is what we are getting ready to announce to Canadians this week.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the House that our Minister of Finance is in the universe that works hard for Canadians. The minister has worked with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all conflict of interest laws are followed. The appropriate steps have been taken to ensure full compliance with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's recommendations. This is what Canadians want to hear. On this side of the House, we work on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, a targeted approach was raising taxes on the wealthiest 1% to lower them for nine million Canadians, a measure the Conservatives voted against. A targeted approach was making the Canada child benefit more progressive, reducing child poverty by 40% in the country, a measure they voted against. A targeted approach is one that has grown this economy at its fastest rate for the last decade, that has reduced unemployment to its lowest rate in the last nine years, and that has created 437,000 jobs, most of them full time. That is a targeted approach that is working.
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary claims that the Minister of Finance is working hand in hand with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, but that he just forgot to mention that he owns a company and a villa in France. A minor oversight, to be sure. He and the commissioner may indeed work well together, but he is forgetting to mention the important stuff.Will the Minister of Finance promise not to hide anything else from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, as the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook well knows, part of our innovations skills plan was to introduce superclusters. This initiative was about growing the economy and creating jobs. This is a $950-million investment to create up to five superclusters and is really about collaboration. I saw that first-hand when I travelled across the country to identify the short list for this initiative. I can say right now this is a business-led initiative. We had over 1,000 businesses participate, and over 350 partners including 100 academic institutions. This is good for the economy and good for jobs.
Mr. Speaker, our government has already said that it would not tax Canadians more. Our vision for a creative Canada involves investing in creators, ensuring their success, and showcasing them on the national and international stage.Canada's arts and culture sector is a $55-billion industry that accounts for over 630,000 jobs. That is why we continue to support our creators.
Mr. Speaker, let me be blunt that there will no depriving any member of the wreaths that he or she may lay at a cenotaph or at a monument in his or her riding. In fact, every member in the House, as always, will be allotted at least two. If you need more, all you have to do is ask us and we would be happy to give you as many as you need.
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that the finance minister has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner, in full transparency, to make sure that he is in full compliance with the rules and the recommendations of the Ethics Commissioner. That is what Canadians expect. That is what we will keep doing.
Mr. Speaker, we have always defended supply management. It is a system that works. Protecting supply management is important for us, to Canadian consumers, and for dairy and agricultural industries across the country. I believe in supply management, as does everybody in the Houseoh wait, except for members of the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner in full transparency and followed her recommendations regarding a blind trust.I am very proud to work with a minister who has lowered taxes for nine million Canadians, who today announced a tax cut for SMEs, who has helped 900,000 low-income seniors through the guaranteed income supplement, and who has reduced child poverty by 40%. I think we can be proud of our Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has been working with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner from the beginning to make sure that he is in full compliance with her recommendations. That is what Canadians expect, that is exactly what the minister is doing, and we are proud of that.
Mr. Speaker, I can reassure the opposition member that the minister will always work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure compliance with all of the rules. All appropriate measures will be put in place.
Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the aisle are committed to protecting the supply management system. We agree with the idea that every person should be free to make their own decisions, but I believe everyone in this House supports supply management, except the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, we have a Prime Minister who, for the first time in history, is being investigated by the Ethics Commissioner. We have a finance minister who is refusing to obey the law. That is nothing to be proud of. In fact, the stench coming from the two most senior Liberals in that government and in that caucus is overwhelming and cannot be ignored. It begs the question: What else is that finance minister hiding from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that the Minister of Finance has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all rules are followed and will continue to do so, but if they want to play politics while we work for Canadians, it is their business.I am very proud to work with a finance minister who has achieved more growth in two years than they ever could, and who has done it at the same time as reducing child poverty by 40%, helping 900,000 seniors, and reducing taxes for nine million Canadians. I am proud to work with him.
Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a good day for Canadians. Canadians know that when we make a promise to Canadians, we fulfill this promise.Let me answer the member's question. The minister has worked with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure that all conflict of interest rules are indeed followed. Appropriate measures and screens have been put in place in order to fully comply with the recommendations provided by the Ethics Commissioner. These members would better listen to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and will continue to do so to ensure compliance with all of the commissioner's recommendations.The member is forgetting what we have always said and what we said in August 2015. I am very proud that we are lowering the small business tax rate, but we have always said that it must be done in the context of revamping our tax system to make it fairer. I am also very proud that we are doing this after having listened to Canadians from coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, the minister said she was never informed or consulted on the CRA's decision to tax employee discounts.Does she know what is going on in her own department?If so, can she tell us where the directive came from and how Canadians can trust this Liberal government, which sees middle-class workers as part of the wealthiest 1% in Canada?
Most positive speeches
Mr. Speaker, the minister said she was never informed or consulted on the CRA's decision to tax employee discounts.Does she know what is going on in her own department?If so, can she tell us where the directive came from and how Canadians can trust this Liberal government, which sees middle-class workers as part of the wealthiest 1% in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, as I said, the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and will continue to do so to ensure compliance with all of the commissioner's recommendations.The member is forgetting what we have always said and what we said in August 2015. I am very proud that we are lowering the small business tax rate, but we have always said that it must be done in the context of revamping our tax system to make it fairer. I am also very proud that we are doing this after having listened to Canadians from coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a good day for Canadians. Canadians know that when we make a promise to Canadians, we fulfill this promise.Let me answer the member's question. The minister has worked with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure that all conflict of interest rules are indeed followed. Appropriate measures and screens have been put in place in order to fully comply with the recommendations provided by the Ethics Commissioner. These members would better listen to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that the Minister of Finance has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all rules are followed and will continue to do so, but if they want to play politics while we work for Canadians, it is their business.I am very proud to work with a finance minister who has achieved more growth in two years than they ever could, and who has done it at the same time as reducing child poverty by 40%, helping 900,000 seniors, and reducing taxes for nine million Canadians. I am proud to work with him.
Mr. Speaker, we have a Prime Minister who, for the first time in history, is being investigated by the Ethics Commissioner. We have a finance minister who is refusing to obey the law. That is nothing to be proud of. In fact, the stench coming from the two most senior Liberals in that government and in that caucus is overwhelming and cannot be ignored. It begs the question: What else is that finance minister hiding from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I can reassure the opposition member that the minister will always work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure compliance with all of the rules. All appropriate measures will be put in place.
Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the aisle are committed to protecting the supply management system. We agree with the idea that every person should be free to make their own decisions, but I believe everyone in this House supports supply management, except the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has been working with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner from the beginning to make sure that he is in full compliance with her recommendations. That is what Canadians expect, that is exactly what the minister is doing, and we are proud of that.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner in full transparency and followed her recommendations regarding a blind trust.I am very proud to work with a minister who has lowered taxes for nine million Canadians, who today announced a tax cut for SMEs, who has helped 900,000 low-income seniors through the guaranteed income supplement, and who has reduced child poverty by 40%. I think we can be proud of our Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that the finance minister has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner, in full transparency, to make sure that he is in full compliance with the rules and the recommendations of the Ethics Commissioner. That is what Canadians expect. That is what we will keep doing.
Mr. Speaker, we have always defended supply management. It is a system that works. Protecting supply management is important for us, to Canadian consumers, and for dairy and agricultural industries across the country. I believe in supply management, as does everybody in the Houseoh wait, except for members of the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, let me be blunt that there will no depriving any member of the wreaths that he or she may lay at a cenotaph or at a monument in his or her riding. In fact, every member in the House, as always, will be allotted at least two. If you need more, all you have to do is ask us and we would be happy to give you as many as you need.
Mr. Speaker, our government has already said that it would not tax Canadians more. Our vision for a creative Canada involves investing in creators, ensuring their success, and showcasing them on the national and international stage.Canada's arts and culture sector is a $55-billion industry that accounts for over 630,000 jobs. That is why we continue to support our creators.
Mr. Speaker, as the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook well knows, part of our innovations skills plan was to introduce superclusters. This initiative was about growing the economy and creating jobs. This is a $950-million investment to create up to five superclusters and is really about collaboration. I saw that first-hand when I travelled across the country to identify the short list for this initiative. I can say right now this is a business-led initiative. We had over 1,000 businesses participate, and over 350 partners including 100 academic institutions. This is good for the economy and good for jobs.
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary claims that the Minister of Finance is working hand in hand with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, but that he just forgot to mention that he owns a company and a villa in France. A minor oversight, to be sure. He and the commissioner may indeed work well together, but he is forgetting to mention the important stuff.Will the Minister of Finance promise not to hide anything else from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, a targeted approach was raising taxes on the wealthiest 1% to lower them for nine million Canadians, a measure the Conservatives voted against. A targeted approach was making the Canada child benefit more progressive, reducing child poverty by 40% in the country, a measure they voted against. A targeted approach is one that has grown this economy at its fastest rate for the last decade, that has reduced unemployment to its lowest rate in the last nine years, and that has created 437,000 jobs, most of them full time. That is a targeted approach that is working.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the House that our Minister of Finance is in the universe that works hard for Canadians. The minister has worked with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all conflict of interest laws are followed. The appropriate steps have been taken to ensure full compliance with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's recommendations. This is what Canadians want to hear. On this side of the House, we work on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I think that we were quite clear during the election campaign on the fact that we wanted to bring more fairness to our tax system in areas where such fairness is lacking. That is why we made proposals and listened to the reactions of Canadians across the country, and to our caucus as well, to be sure that we are getting this right. That is what we are getting ready to announce to Canadians this week.
Mr. Speaker, two years ago the Minister of Transport said that rail safety was his top priority. Two years later, that does not appear to be the case. Lac-Mégantic still does not have a bypass, the rail infrastructure in many communities looks like it dates back to the 19th century, and ticking time bombs are rolling through our streets, our lands, along our rivers, and in our towns and cities.Is the minister asleep at the switch? Is he waiting for another tragedy before he changes the rules surrounding transportation safety?
Mr. Speaker, revised but not cancelled. That is an important distinction. This Prime Minister just cannot help but hurt the very people he claims he wants to help. Now we learn that he wants to tax the discounts received by employees. The Liberals claim they never intended to do this, and then they even tried to blame public servants, but the finance minister's own officials told committee members over a month ago that they were going to do this.Why is it that whenever hard-working Canadians look behind them, they see the Prime Minister trying to take more and more of their hard-earned money?
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to have announced its vision for the future of creative industries. These industries provide quality employment to over 630,000 Canadians. Through our new economic strategy, we are committing to support families across the country. Thanks to Creative Canada, we are going to amend our policies to help our cultural creators and entrepreneurs face the challenges of today's digital age. This approach will help Canadians share their creations on the international stage.
Mr. Speaker, the global economy is undergoing major changes. More and more, countries are leveraging their unique specialties and capabilities and focusing on developing their expertise in these sectors. Canada has a number of sectors that are rich in talent and economic capacity, where it is well-positioned to be a leader. We must take full advantage of the changing global priorities and create jobs for the future now to ensure a strong foundation for the next generation of Canadians. Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development please explain to the House the steps the government is taking?
Mr. Speaker, as I just said, the document in question did not reflect our government's intentions at all. It has been removed and is now being revised. I have instructed officials to clarify the wording of the document. Our government cares about the middle class and is taking concrete steps to help middle-class Canadians. We stopped the cheques the Conservatives were sending to the wealthiest families, and we replaced them with the Canada child benefit, which puts more money in the pockets of nine out of ten families. We have lifted more than 300,000 children
Mr. Speaker, we have always been clear with Canadians about our intention to lower taxes for small and medium-sized businesses. We made that promise during the election campaign because we recognize how important SMEs are. We will always support middle-class entrepreneurs.We have also always said that we want to improve the fairness of certain aspects of our tax system. That is exactly what we are doing after having consulted Canadians across the country in order to be sure that we are doing things right.
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary seems to forget that in its first budget, his own government abolished the tax cuts that our government had proposed. That is the reality of this government.The CBC's reports last week were extremely troubling to Canadians. For two years, the Minister of Finance hid the fact that he owned a corporation from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. This corporation owns a villa in Provence, France. I remind members that this is the same Minister of Finance who is going after business owners to take more of their money
Mr. Speaker, actually I was there and it was on a TV panel, and I did not say the words ascribed to me.I will make the point that we have always defended supply management. It is a system that works. Everyone on this side of the House, everyone in the House, indeed, supports supply management, with the exception of a significant portion of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the Métis and non-status found out last week that they were not included in the government's sixties scoop survivors' settlement. This betrayal has caused great pain to Métis and non-status survivors, who were no less part of the sixties scoop. How can we truly achieve reconciliation when Métis and non-status are being told by the Liberals that they do not exist and that their suffering is not worthy of recognition and compensation? Why were the Métis and non-status intentionally excluded?
Mr. Speaker, in his very first budget, the finance minister cancelled the small business tax cut, breaking a Liberal platform promise. Now they expect us to pat them on the back for unbreaking their promise. It is kind of like his Morneau Shepell subsidiary that he keeps in Barbados, a tax haven for which he is responsible for overseeing a review.Are any of the measures he is proposing today planning to impose taxes on Morneau Shepell's assets in the Barbados?
Mr. Speaker, as we know, it is a great day for small business owners in Canada.In August 2015, we promised in our platform, and let me quote it because these members may want to hear the answer: reduce the small business tax rate to 9 percent from 11 percent.We said we should be doing that, and we now are doing what we promised. Our government is proud to fulfill our commitment to lowering taxes on small business from 11% in 2015 to 9% in 2019. We have truly listened to Canadians and our caucus to ensure a fairer tax system that will benefit all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, common sense tells us that today is a great day for Canadians and small business owners.In August 2015, we made an election promise that I am going to quote. ...we [will] reduce the small business tax rate to 9% from 11%.... Today we kept the promise we made. We are proud that we have kept our promise to reduce the business tax rate from 11% to 9%.We really listened to Canadians, and the caucus, in order to make our tax system fairer for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, there are reports that the parliamentary secretary announced the government's true position at an event in Washington when he mentioned there would be room to negotiate on supply management. This government keeps selling out the farmers in my riding, Lac Saint-Jean, and Quebec as a whole to accommodate Washington. It is plain to see that this government is all too willing to bow and scrape to the United States.Will the Prime Minister confirm for our farmers that he plans to use them as a bargaining chip, despite claims that supply management is not on the table?
Mr. Speaker, I have instructed officials to clarify the wording in the document. Our government cares about the middle class. I want to remind my colleagues opposite that we raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% in order to lower them for middle-class Canadians. The opposition members voted against that initiative, because they prefer to lower taxes on the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would think $600 is more than $212,000. We know the Prime Minister loves his covers, whether it's Rolling Stone,Vanity Fair, and apparently budget covers as well. In two years, the Liberals have spent nearly $400,000 on budget cover images. Even the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister can appreciate $400,000. That represents a down payment on a French villa or half of a Mercedes Roadster.How can the Liberals justify sticking taxpayers with $400,000 for two years worth of budget cover pages?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate that the minister has worked with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all conflict of interest rules are followed and that appropriate measures and screens have been put in place in order to fully comply with the recommendations provided by the Ethics Commissioner. I am very proud to be working with this minister, who today announced that we are lowering the tax rate for small businesses from 10.5% to 9%. We stand behind small businesses in this small business week, and we have always done so.
Mr. Speaker, one of the great mysteries of political life in Canada is exactly how to get a Liberal to keep a Liberal promise. Well, now we have the answer.When Liberals have totally screwed up a small business tax plan, when they have attacked small businesses while ignoring their wealthy friends, when they are backed so deep into a corner they have nowhere else to go, then and only then will Liberals honour their commitments to Canadians.Why is keeping a promise the Liberal version of damage control?
Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers in LévisLotbinière, Bellechasse, Lac Saint-Jean, and all across Quebec are worried. The parliamentary secretary for Canada-U.S. relations announced that there is room to negotiate on the issue of opening up supply management. The Minister of Foreign Affairs had to contradict him to hush up the whole business. Will the Liberal government confirm for our farmers that the parliamentary secretary laid out the Liberals' true position and that they are preparing to open up supply management to accommodate Washington?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance must not have had a pleasant week in his riding. First he was accused of not disclosing a private company and now we have learned that his business interests were never placed in a blind trust. Instead of taking responsibility, the Minister of Finance told us that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner did not tell him that he was required to do so. The Liberals do not appear to be interested in following their own code of ethics.Why are the Liberals not interested in using common sense?
Mr. Speaker, I would simply say to them that the previous government spent $750 million on promoting its brand when it was in power.We are taking a much more targeted approach, one that is very responsible with taxpayers dollars. We took the exact same approach in our last two budgets, and spent half as much as the previous government spent on its budget.I am very proud of our record.
Mr. Speaker, to set the record straight, the Conservatives spent twice as much every year they were in power. I rest my case.
Mr. Speaker, we are always concerned about the impact on employees and their families.That is why we are monitoring the situation very closely. We understand that this is very difficult for many regions, for many of the workers and their employees, as well with Sears Canada. That is why we are closely looking at the situation that is before the courts. We cannot comment on any of the specific matters that are before the courts, but we are also looking at what benefits we can provide. We will continue to engage and work with the workers and their families in the different communities across the country.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is the biggest market for the United States, bigger than China, Japan, and the U.K. combined. We are negotiating with the most protectionist U.S. administration since the 1930s. We never said these negotiations would be easy. A modernized NAFTA remains a goal, but we cannot accept proposals that will leave the middle class in all three countries, especially Canadians, worse off. We will always defend our national interest and stand up for Canadian values.
Mr. Speaker, it is completely unacceptable when public funds intended for indigenous peoples are misappropriated. The consulting group in question was involved in a third party agreement with Health Canada and the Kashechewan Health Services board between 2010 and 2015. Once the department was made aware of an RCMP investigation into the consulting group, it conducted an audit of its agreements with the company. The department is now exploring its options to recover the funds that were found to be misappropriated. The department has taken corrective actions to ensure this does not happen again.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals tried to cover up spending nearly a quarter million dollars on the design of their 2017 budget cover, which included $90,000 in so-called talent fees. They obviously do not have the talent of respecting taxpayer dollars. While $212,000 is not much to the owners of family fortunes and French villas, it is several years of wages for middle-class Canadians.How can these Liberals justify sticking hard-working taxpayers with a quarter million dollar bill for nothing more than some fancy photo images on a budget cover?
Mr. Speaker, $200,000 for a book cover, $200,000 for the cover of the federal budget, $200,000 for a piece of paper, that is the Liberal government's trademark. This was not a gaffe or a mistake. It was an actual decision by the Liberals.The hon. member for Louis-Hébert says that his government is working for the less fortunate. What does he have to say to them after spending $200,000 on a piece of a paper?
Mr. Speaker, with a blind trust, one normally has no say or control over the management of their own fortune.Today we learned that the Minister of Finance, while managing the country's finances, can also see to his own fortune and make it grow. We know that his fortune is not in a blind trust.Why did the Minister of Finance introduce a tax rule today that does nothing to ensure that Morneau Shepell pays taxes in compliance with the law?
Mr. Speaker, as you know, I own a small business and had a career in tax law.The discussion on tax reform created many concerns for small business owners throughout the country, including myself. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance update the House on what we are doing as a government to support small businesses to grow our economy?
Mr. Speaker, two million Canadians work in retail. They include youth, seniors, and students who work hard every day. Right now, these workers are getting mixed messages from Revenue Canada and the minister herself. We are still looking for answers. Does the government think that by taxing employee discounts, it has found a new way to extract even more cash from the pockets of ordinary Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, as members know, rail safety is my top priority. Of course our sympathy and thoughts are with the victims of the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. We have been working very hard since that time to bring in measures to make rail transportation safer. With regard to Lac-Mégantic, we are working with the Province of Quebec and the Town of Lac-Mégantic to come up with a solution. I can assure the House that we will find a solution.
Mr. Speaker, the B.C. Coroners Service announced last week that the province's death toll from suspected overdose now stood at 1,013, more than the entire number recorded during 2016.We know this is an urgent public health crisis. Could the Minister of Health tell us what she is doing to address this deadly epidemic?
Mr. Speaker, for 18 months, the Minister of Canadian Heritage consulted with all the stakeholders of our cultural ecosystem without ever listening to them. All the stakeholders were clear: our culture is on the line here and now. However, the minister did not listen. She chose to offload the hard decisions on the CRTC, which will get to it in June 2018. Come on, this is an emergency!Furthermore, Le Devoir revealed on Friday that even the deputy minister warned the minister that giving a free pass to web giants was not viable. However, the minister did not listen to him either. Does the minister only listen to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, and lobbyists, or does she ever only listen to herself, in the end?
Mr. Speaker, after Netflix was allowed to bypass our tax laws, the Canada Revenue Agency issued a new interpretation that would tax employee discounts, affecting small retail businesses everywhere.You heard right. The Minister of National Revenue would rather keep chasing after middle-class employees than the CEOs of major corporations who hide their income in tax havens. It is absolutely shameful.How can she allow a giant like Netflix not to pay taxes, while employee discounts will be taxed?The minister said that she was not aware. Come on. Who is in charge of the Canada Revenue Agency? Is it the minister? When will she take responsibility on this issue?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his advocacy on this issue. Our government has been very clear that this is a national public health crisis in Canada, and we are responding in a way that is collaborative, compassionate, and comprehensive. In addition to passing Bill C-37, which streamlines the application process for supervised consumption sites, we are also providing over $10 million in urgent support to British Columbia to assist with its response to the opioid crisis.Our government will continue to bring forward evidence-based solutions to help save lives in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister's apparent wilful disregard of the Conflict of Interest Act raises some serious questions. Did the minister intentionally mislead the Ethics Commissioner about the nature of his private interests in France? Why did he withhold details of his private corporation in France? Why does this extremely wealthy minister believe he is above conflict of interest and ethics reporting rules?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is always forgetting things. He forgot his keys. He forgot his villa in France. He forgot even the corporation he holds that villa inside of. He forgot the $30 million of shares in Morneau Shepell, and he forgot to put that into a blind trust. He forgot today to tax any of his own family fortune.Why is it that the only thing that the minister does not forget is his wallet?
Mr. Speaker, the problem is that nobody believes them. They have lost all credibility on this file. It took them over a month to walk this back. It was only after they were caught and only after the outrage expressed by thousands of hard-working Canadians that they pulled this back.Can the Liberals be crystal clear on this? Can they commit that nobody's employee discounts will be touched after they get through with these changes?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure my colleague that the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. He will continue to do so to ensure that he is in compliance with the law and with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's directives.The member is trying to ignore all of the good things we are doing for small business owners by fulfilling a commitment we made in the 2015 campaign and by lowering the small business tax rate to 9%. We support our small business owners and our small businesses, and we will always support them. We know just how important they are to Canada's economy.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his tireless work on behalf of small businesses and his very constructive feedback with these proposals. I am very proud that our government today has announced that we are lowering the corporate tax rate for small businesses to 9% by 2019. We have always been the government of growth, of inclusive prosperity, and we will always be behind small entrepreneurs. The small business tax rate was already the lowest in the G7. That is going to make our businesses more able to compete, grow, prosper, and to contribute. We will always be behind small businesses.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has always worked closely and openly with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that all rules are followed.The opposition member wants to hijack the debate and play political games. However, on this side of the House, we are focusing on Canadians. That is why today we are cutting the small business tax rate, which will stimulate growth.The economy has been growing since we took power. We have created 437,000 jobs. The Conservatives cannot claim to have such a good record.
Mr. Speaker, since day one, our government has been focused on helping the middle class. The document in question did not reflect our government's intentions. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class, and like the Prime Minister said, we will not be going after anyone's retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, since day one, our government has been focused on helping the middle class. The document from the agency did not reflect the intention of our government. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class and, like the Prime Minister stated, we will not be going after anyone's retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, as I already said, the document in question did not reflect the intentions of our government. It has been removed and is currently being reviewed
Mr. Speaker, since day one, we have been focusing on helping the middle class and those wanting to join it. The document in question did not at all reflect our government's intentions. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class, and as I have said and as the Prime Minister stated, we will not be going after retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to a renewed relationship with indigenous people. We have listened to ARCAP's recommendation to simultaneously improve the delivery of services while accelerating a move to self-determination for indigenous people. We have committed $187 million toward community-based health programs in Nunavut, and the Inuit crown partnership committee will help guide our actions on shared priorities. We must continue to address the day-to-day realities in Nunavut and all indigenous communities while building a path toward reconciliation and systematic change.
Well, they can start by taking action.Mr. Speaker, last Friday, Sears Canada received court authorization to liquidate its assets. Because of our inadequate bankruptcy laws, shareholders and managers like Edward Lampert will end up even richer than before, while workers and pensioners will lose jobs, benefits, and some part of their pensions. The worst part is that it is legal. It is scandalous that the Liberals continue to place the interests of wealthy and well-connected insiders above the well-being of working Canadians and retirees. When will the Liberals join the NDP to make workers and pensioners the first priority?
Mr. Speaker, the government is guilty of any number of lapses of judgment, but the finance minister's violation of the straightforward requirements of the Ethics Commissioner's disclosure declaration for all members of cabinet raises serious questions, not only of ethics, conflict of interest, and credibility, but of the confidence that Canadians have lost in the government.When will the minister come clean with the Ethics Commissioner and Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I can understand and appreciate that this is a very difficult time for the workers and their families in many communities across the country. I understand that the current Sears Canada pension fund assets are held in trust and, as such, must be used solely for the benefit of pensioners. It is completely protected from the claims of other creditors. The unfunded pension portion will have a claim, and the proceeds of those claims of liquidation will be a priority for the pensioners as well. We will continue to monitor the situation. We are going to work with the workers, we are going to work with their families, and we are going to work with the different communities.
Qujannamiik uqaqti. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Indigenous Services. The government has split Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and designated a minister of indigenous crown relations and northern affairs and a minister of indigenous services. While touring my riding, I heard concerns that this decision will only add another layer of bureaucracy and make it even more difficult to deliver on pressing issues like Nunavut's suicide rate and the lack of mental health services.How will the split of the department help solve these and other issues that Nunavummiut currently face?
Mr. Speaker, during the Liberal leadership race, the Prime Minister promised Canadians new, stricter standards of ethical behaviour that would ensure that the fortune he received from his father in stocks and bonds would be placed in a blind trust.We now know, however, that the Minister of Finance never bothered to comply with that standard. He is not complying with the code of ethics or the law.When will the Minister of Finance show some respect for Canadians and comply with the code of ethics?
Mr. Speaker, as I said many times, the Prime Minister is asking to do a broad review of the criminal justice system. I am undertaking that in partnership with the provinces and territories. Review of mandatory minimum penalties in the Criminal Code is a substantive part of that review. I hope to bring forward changes in the near future with respect to impaired driving. We are doing everything we can to ensure safety on our roads. That is why we introduced substantive legislation by way of Bill C-45, to ensure that we have as much safety on our roads and to ensure that people do not get behind the wheel of their car and drive with alcohol or drugs.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind everyone that the previous government spent millions on flashy television advertising to promote and brand itself. They spent twice as much as we have. We have taken a much more targeted approach to our advertising and to our branding. He should look at the numbers of the previous government before standing in the House to ask a question like that.
Mr. Speaker, the allegations of widespread fraud committed against the people of Kashechewan raises serious questions about the operating culture in the Minister of Health's office. Joe Crupi is alleged, among other things, to have stolen a million dollars from a breakfast program in a community so poor the kids do not have a school, yet her officials protected his access despite the warning bells from the Attorney General and the RCMP. Now her lawyers are going after Crupi for the money, but that was money stolen from the mouths of children. What steps will she take to make it right for the children of Kashechewan and right for the people of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, this cannot be sugar-coated. According to the law, the Minister of Finance had 60 days to disclose his assets to the Ethics Commissioner. He did not do it. It is that plain. It is that simple. Has the finance minister become so arrogant and so entitled that he actually thinks he is above the law?
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister seems so very forgetful these days. He forgot that cutting small business taxes was a promise that he ran on. He forgot he owned a luxury villa in France, but, hey, what middle-class Canadian has not? He also forgot to tell us that his vast wealth was not in fact in a blind trust, and he only comes clean when he is in a world of trouble.Why does this forgetful finance minister never remember his promises to Canadians but always remembers ways to protect his own wealth?
Mr. Speaker, if he does not want to answer my question, maybe he will come see me after question period. I might have a French villa to sell him. The Liberals promised to set a new standard in ethics, yet they continue to miss the mark. Shortly after his appointment, the Minister of Finance admitted that he should place his interests in a blind trust, but he chose not to do so. I wonder why he did not think this necessary?In what universe does the Minister of Finance think he can continue to run his affairs
Mr. Speaker, in this fourth round of NAFTA renegotiations, President Trump continues to speak negatively about the deal, even while sitting beside our silent Prime Minister. The Americans are clearly bargaining in bad faith, placing poison pills on the table, such as the requirement that vehicles contain at least 50% U.S. content. The automotive sector has stated that not only will this backfire, companies will simply pay the low 2.5% tariffs instead of ensuring the content is regionally sourced and jobs are secure.When will the Liberal government present its plan to protect the future and health of Canadian jobs and our auto sector?
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Veterans Affairs.Late last Friday the minister quietly announced that he was severely cutting the number of wreaths to be distributed for Remembrance Day ceremonies. With all of the extravagant and unnecessary spending that the government is involved in, why is it that commemorations to honour the sacrifice of Canadian veterans are the first things to get cut?What was the minister thinking when he signed off on this shameful idea?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice claims to support mandatory sentences for serious offences. However, Liberal MPs voted to defeat a Conservative amendment to Bill C-46 to provide for a five-year mandatory sentence for impaired drivers who kill. Was the minister insincere when she claimed that she supports mandatory sentences for serious offences or does the minister believe that impaired driving causing death is not a serious offence?
Mr. Speaker, what we have before us is a government of bad ideas and broken promises that always seem to hurt ordinary Canadians, a government that is incapable of going after the major players. We saw that with this government's attempt to weaken the Consumer Protection Act, give special privileges to Netflix, and tax employee discounts for those earning minimum wage. Now we have the small business tax reform.Instead of holding a press conference to frantically announce that he is going to make an announcement, why does the minister not simply put off his reform and do something that makes sense?
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, Sears received approval to liquidate its assets. Because our bankruptcy laws are inadequate, our workers and retirees will be the biggest losers. They could lose their pensions and their benefits.It is absolutely ridiculous that the Liberals are letting the big CEOs off the hook at the expense of workers and retirees, who sometimes struggle to make ends meet.When will the Liberals join the NDP in making workers and retirees preferred creditors?
Mr. Speaker, the sixties scoop is a dark and painful chapter in Canada's history. This agreement, in principle, represents the first step in resolving this issue. We know there are other claims that remain unresolved, including those of the Métis and non-status. We remain committed to working with all indigenous people affected by the sixties scoop to resolve these remaining litigations by negotiation.
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals think Canadians farmers are listening, they claim they are defending them at the NAFTA negotiations. However, in Washington, behind closed doors, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada-U.S. Relations) said that Canada had room to negotiate on supply management.Protecting our agricultural sector should not be negotiable. How can Canadian farmers trust the government to defend supply management in public in Canada, when behind closed doors, in secret, in Washington, it is something different?
Mr. Speaker, as we already know, the Liberals have been attacking the investments that local businesses use to create jobs for Canadians. Now, they also want to go after employee discounts. Yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board contradicted the Prime Minister and said that employee discounts will be taxed, but he was unable to provide any details. Will the Prime Minister clarify his government's policy? Is he going to tax employee discounts?
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary just talked about a targeted approach. The hon. members on the government side know a lot about targeting small business owners, targeting middle-class Canadians, and targeting people who are struggling to make ends meet. That is their targeted approach. When will the Liberals understand that the blind trust they have in the Minister of Finance is misplaced?
Mr. Speaker, the minister said she was never informed or consulted on the CRA's decision to tax employee discounts.Does she know what is going on in her own department?If so, can she tell us where the directive came from and how Canadians can trust this Liberal government, which sees middle-class workers as part of the wealthiest 1% in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, as I said, the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and will continue to do so to ensure compliance with all of the commissioner's recommendations.The member is forgetting what we have always said and what we said in August 2015. I am very proud that we are lowering the small business tax rate, but we have always said that it must be done in the context of revamping our tax system to make it fairer. I am also very proud that we are doing this after having listened to Canadians from coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a good day for Canadians. Canadians know that when we make a promise to Canadians, we fulfill this promise.Let me answer the member's question. The minister has worked with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure that all conflict of interest rules are indeed followed. Appropriate measures and screens have been put in place in order to fully comply with the recommendations provided by the Ethics Commissioner. These members would better listen to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that the Minister of Finance has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all rules are followed and will continue to do so, but if they want to play politics while we work for Canadians, it is their business.I am very proud to work with a finance minister who has achieved more growth in two years than they ever could, and who has done it at the same time as reducing child poverty by 40%, helping 900,000 seniors, and reducing taxes for nine million Canadians. I am proud to work with him.
Mr. Speaker, we have a Prime Minister who, for the first time in history, is being investigated by the Ethics Commissioner. We have a finance minister who is refusing to obey the law. That is nothing to be proud of. In fact, the stench coming from the two most senior Liberals in that government and in that caucus is overwhelming and cannot be ignored. It begs the question: What else is that finance minister hiding from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I can reassure the opposition member that the minister will always work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure compliance with all of the rules. All appropriate measures will be put in place.
Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the aisle are committed to protecting the supply management system. We agree with the idea that every person should be free to make their own decisions, but I believe everyone in this House supports supply management, except the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has been working with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner from the beginning to make sure that he is in full compliance with her recommendations. That is what Canadians expect, that is exactly what the minister is doing, and we are proud of that.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner in full transparency and followed her recommendations regarding a blind trust.I am very proud to work with a minister who has lowered taxes for nine million Canadians, who today announced a tax cut for SMEs, who has helped 900,000 low-income seniors through the guaranteed income supplement, and who has reduced child poverty by 40%. I think we can be proud of our Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that the finance minister has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner, in full transparency, to make sure that he is in full compliance with the rules and the recommendations of the Ethics Commissioner. That is what Canadians expect. That is what we will keep doing.
Mr. Speaker, we have always defended supply management. It is a system that works. Protecting supply management is important for us, to Canadian consumers, and for dairy and agricultural industries across the country. I believe in supply management, as does everybody in the Houseoh wait, except for members of the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, let me be blunt that there will no depriving any member of the wreaths that he or she may lay at a cenotaph or at a monument in his or her riding. In fact, every member in the House, as always, will be allotted at least two. If you need more, all you have to do is ask us and we would be happy to give you as many as you need.
Mr. Speaker, our government has already said that it would not tax Canadians more. Our vision for a creative Canada involves investing in creators, ensuring their success, and showcasing them on the national and international stage.Canada's arts and culture sector is a $55-billion industry that accounts for over 630,000 jobs. That is why we continue to support our creators.
Mr. Speaker, as the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook well knows, part of our innovations skills plan was to introduce superclusters. This initiative was about growing the economy and creating jobs. This is a $950-million investment to create up to five superclusters and is really about collaboration. I saw that first-hand when I travelled across the country to identify the short list for this initiative. I can say right now this is a business-led initiative. We had over 1,000 businesses participate, and over 350 partners including 100 academic institutions. This is good for the economy and good for jobs.
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary claims that the Minister of Finance is working hand in hand with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, but that he just forgot to mention that he owns a company and a villa in France. A minor oversight, to be sure. He and the commissioner may indeed work well together, but he is forgetting to mention the important stuff.Will the Minister of Finance promise not to hide anything else from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, a targeted approach was raising taxes on the wealthiest 1% to lower them for nine million Canadians, a measure the Conservatives voted against. A targeted approach was making the Canada child benefit more progressive, reducing child poverty by 40% in the country, a measure they voted against. A targeted approach is one that has grown this economy at its fastest rate for the last decade, that has reduced unemployment to its lowest rate in the last nine years, and that has created 437,000 jobs, most of them full time. That is a targeted approach that is working.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the House that our Minister of Finance is in the universe that works hard for Canadians. The minister has worked with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all conflict of interest laws are followed. The appropriate steps have been taken to ensure full compliance with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's recommendations. This is what Canadians want to hear. On this side of the House, we work on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I think that we were quite clear during the election campaign on the fact that we wanted to bring more fairness to our tax system in areas where such fairness is lacking. That is why we made proposals and listened to the reactions of Canadians across the country, and to our caucus as well, to be sure that we are getting this right. That is what we are getting ready to announce to Canadians this week.
Mr. Speaker, two years ago the Minister of Transport said that rail safety was his top priority. Two years later, that does not appear to be the case. Lac-Mégantic still does not have a bypass, the rail infrastructure in many communities looks like it dates back to the 19th century, and ticking time bombs are rolling through our streets, our lands, along our rivers, and in our towns and cities.Is the minister asleep at the switch? Is he waiting for another tragedy before he changes the rules surrounding transportation safety?
Mr. Speaker, revised but not cancelled. That is an important distinction. This Prime Minister just cannot help but hurt the very people he claims he wants to help. Now we learn that he wants to tax the discounts received by employees. The Liberals claim they never intended to do this, and then they even tried to blame public servants, but the finance minister's own officials told committee members over a month ago that they were going to do this.Why is it that whenever hard-working Canadians look behind them, they see the Prime Minister trying to take more and more of their hard-earned money?
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to have announced its vision for the future of creative industries. These industries provide quality employment to over 630,000 Canadians. Through our new economic strategy, we are committing to support families across the country. Thanks to Creative Canada, we are going to amend our policies to help our cultural creators and entrepreneurs face the challenges of today's digital age. This approach will help Canadians share their creations on the international stage.
Mr. Speaker, the global economy is undergoing major changes. More and more, countries are leveraging their unique specialties and capabilities and focusing on developing their expertise in these sectors. Canada has a number of sectors that are rich in talent and economic capacity, where it is well-positioned to be a leader. We must take full advantage of the changing global priorities and create jobs for the future now to ensure a strong foundation for the next generation of Canadians. Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development please explain to the House the steps the government is taking?
Mr. Speaker, as I just said, the document in question did not reflect our government's intentions at all. It has been removed and is now being revised. I have instructed officials to clarify the wording of the document. Our government cares about the middle class and is taking concrete steps to help middle-class Canadians. We stopped the cheques the Conservatives were sending to the wealthiest families, and we replaced them with the Canada child benefit, which puts more money in the pockets of nine out of ten families. We have lifted more than 300,000 children
Mr. Speaker, we have always been clear with Canadians about our intention to lower taxes for small and medium-sized businesses. We made that promise during the election campaign because we recognize how important SMEs are. We will always support middle-class entrepreneurs.We have also always said that we want to improve the fairness of certain aspects of our tax system. That is exactly what we are doing after having consulted Canadians across the country in order to be sure that we are doing things right.
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary seems to forget that in its first budget, his own government abolished the tax cuts that our government had proposed. That is the reality of this government.The CBC's reports last week were extremely troubling to Canadians. For two years, the Minister of Finance hid the fact that he owned a corporation from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. This corporation owns a villa in Provence, France. I remind members that this is the same Minister of Finance who is going after business owners to take more of their money
Mr. Speaker, actually I was there and it was on a TV panel, and I did not say the words ascribed to me.I will make the point that we have always defended supply management. It is a system that works. Everyone on this side of the House, everyone in the House, indeed, supports supply management, with the exception of a significant portion of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the Métis and non-status found out last week that they were not included in the government's sixties scoop survivors' settlement. This betrayal has caused great pain to Métis and non-status survivors, who were no less part of the sixties scoop. How can we truly achieve reconciliation when Métis and non-status are being told by the Liberals that they do not exist and that their suffering is not worthy of recognition and compensation? Why were the Métis and non-status intentionally excluded?
Mr. Speaker, in his very first budget, the finance minister cancelled the small business tax cut, breaking a Liberal platform promise. Now they expect us to pat them on the back for unbreaking their promise. It is kind of like his Morneau Shepell subsidiary that he keeps in Barbados, a tax haven for which he is responsible for overseeing a review.Are any of the measures he is proposing today planning to impose taxes on Morneau Shepell's assets in the Barbados?
Mr. Speaker, as we know, it is a great day for small business owners in Canada.In August 2015, we promised in our platform, and let me quote it because these members may want to hear the answer: reduce the small business tax rate to 9 percent from 11 percent.We said we should be doing that, and we now are doing what we promised. Our government is proud to fulfill our commitment to lowering taxes on small business from 11% in 2015 to 9% in 2019. We have truly listened to Canadians and our caucus to ensure a fairer tax system that will benefit all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, common sense tells us that today is a great day for Canadians and small business owners.In August 2015, we made an election promise that I am going to quote. ...we [will] reduce the small business tax rate to 9% from 11%.... Today we kept the promise we made. We are proud that we have kept our promise to reduce the business tax rate from 11% to 9%.We really listened to Canadians, and the caucus, in order to make our tax system fairer for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, there are reports that the parliamentary secretary announced the government's true position at an event in Washington when he mentioned there would be room to negotiate on supply management. This government keeps selling out the farmers in my riding, Lac Saint-Jean, and Quebec as a whole to accommodate Washington. It is plain to see that this government is all too willing to bow and scrape to the United States.Will the Prime Minister confirm for our farmers that he plans to use them as a bargaining chip, despite claims that supply management is not on the table?
Mr. Speaker, I have instructed officials to clarify the wording in the document. Our government cares about the middle class. I want to remind my colleagues opposite that we raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% in order to lower them for middle-class Canadians. The opposition members voted against that initiative, because they prefer to lower taxes on the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would think $600 is more than $212,000. We know the Prime Minister loves his covers, whether it's Rolling Stone,Vanity Fair, and apparently budget covers as well. In two years, the Liberals have spent nearly $400,000 on budget cover images. Even the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister can appreciate $400,000. That represents a down payment on a French villa or half of a Mercedes Roadster.How can the Liberals justify sticking taxpayers with $400,000 for two years worth of budget cover pages?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate that the minister has worked with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all conflict of interest rules are followed and that appropriate measures and screens have been put in place in order to fully comply with the recommendations provided by the Ethics Commissioner. I am very proud to be working with this minister, who today announced that we are lowering the tax rate for small businesses from 10.5% to 9%. We stand behind small businesses in this small business week, and we have always done so.
Mr. Speaker, one of the great mysteries of political life in Canada is exactly how to get a Liberal to keep a Liberal promise. Well, now we have the answer.When Liberals have totally screwed up a small business tax plan, when they have attacked small businesses while ignoring their wealthy friends, when they are backed so deep into a corner they have nowhere else to go, then and only then will Liberals honour their commitments to Canadians.Why is keeping a promise the Liberal version of damage control?
Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers in LévisLotbinière, Bellechasse, Lac Saint-Jean, and all across Quebec are worried. The parliamentary secretary for Canada-U.S. relations announced that there is room to negotiate on the issue of opening up supply management. The Minister of Foreign Affairs had to contradict him to hush up the whole business. Will the Liberal government confirm for our farmers that the parliamentary secretary laid out the Liberals' true position and that they are preparing to open up supply management to accommodate Washington?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance must not have had a pleasant week in his riding. First he was accused of not disclosing a private company and now we have learned that his business interests were never placed in a blind trust. Instead of taking responsibility, the Minister of Finance told us that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner did not tell him that he was required to do so. The Liberals do not appear to be interested in following their own code of ethics.Why are the Liberals not interested in using common sense?
Mr. Speaker, I would simply say to them that the previous government spent $750 million on promoting its brand when it was in power.We are taking a much more targeted approach, one that is very responsible with taxpayers dollars. We took the exact same approach in our last two budgets, and spent half as much as the previous government spent on its budget.I am very proud of our record.
Mr. Speaker, to set the record straight, the Conservatives spent twice as much every year they were in power. I rest my case.
Mr. Speaker, we are always concerned about the impact on employees and their families.That is why we are monitoring the situation very closely. We understand that this is very difficult for many regions, for many of the workers and their employees, as well with Sears Canada. That is why we are closely looking at the situation that is before the courts. We cannot comment on any of the specific matters that are before the courts, but we are also looking at what benefits we can provide. We will continue to engage and work with the workers and their families in the different communities across the country.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is the biggest market for the United States, bigger than China, Japan, and the U.K. combined. We are negotiating with the most protectionist U.S. administration since the 1930s. We never said these negotiations would be easy. A modernized NAFTA remains a goal, but we cannot accept proposals that will leave the middle class in all three countries, especially Canadians, worse off. We will always defend our national interest and stand up for Canadian values.
Mr. Speaker, it is completely unacceptable when public funds intended for indigenous peoples are misappropriated. The consulting group in question was involved in a third party agreement with Health Canada and the Kashechewan Health Services board between 2010 and 2015. Once the department was made aware of an RCMP investigation into the consulting group, it conducted an audit of its agreements with the company. The department is now exploring its options to recover the funds that were found to be misappropriated. The department has taken corrective actions to ensure this does not happen again.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals tried to cover up spending nearly a quarter million dollars on the design of their 2017 budget cover, which included $90,000 in so-called talent fees. They obviously do not have the talent of respecting taxpayer dollars. While $212,000 is not much to the owners of family fortunes and French villas, it is several years of wages for middle-class Canadians.How can these Liberals justify sticking hard-working taxpayers with a quarter million dollar bill for nothing more than some fancy photo images on a budget cover?
Mr. Speaker, $200,000 for a book cover, $200,000 for the cover of the federal budget, $200,000 for a piece of paper, that is the Liberal government's trademark. This was not a gaffe or a mistake. It was an actual decision by the Liberals.The hon. member for Louis-Hébert says that his government is working for the less fortunate. What does he have to say to them after spending $200,000 on a piece of a paper?
Mr. Speaker, with a blind trust, one normally has no say or control over the management of their own fortune.Today we learned that the Minister of Finance, while managing the country's finances, can also see to his own fortune and make it grow. We know that his fortune is not in a blind trust.Why did the Minister of Finance introduce a tax rule today that does nothing to ensure that Morneau Shepell pays taxes in compliance with the law?
Mr. Speaker, as you know, I own a small business and had a career in tax law.The discussion on tax reform created many concerns for small business owners throughout the country, including myself. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance update the House on what we are doing as a government to support small businesses to grow our economy?
Mr. Speaker, two million Canadians work in retail. They include youth, seniors, and students who work hard every day. Right now, these workers are getting mixed messages from Revenue Canada and the minister herself. We are still looking for answers. Does the government think that by taxing employee discounts, it has found a new way to extract even more cash from the pockets of ordinary Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, as members know, rail safety is my top priority. Of course our sympathy and thoughts are with the victims of the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. We have been working very hard since that time to bring in measures to make rail transportation safer. With regard to Lac-Mégantic, we are working with the Province of Quebec and the Town of Lac-Mégantic to come up with a solution. I can assure the House that we will find a solution.
Mr. Speaker, the B.C. Coroners Service announced last week that the province's death toll from suspected overdose now stood at 1,013, more than the entire number recorded during 2016.We know this is an urgent public health crisis. Could the Minister of Health tell us what she is doing to address this deadly epidemic?
Mr. Speaker, for 18 months, the Minister of Canadian Heritage consulted with all the stakeholders of our cultural ecosystem without ever listening to them. All the stakeholders were clear: our culture is on the line here and now. However, the minister did not listen. She chose to offload the hard decisions on the CRTC, which will get to it in June 2018. Come on, this is an emergency!Furthermore, Le Devoir revealed on Friday that even the deputy minister warned the minister that giving a free pass to web giants was not viable. However, the minister did not listen to him either. Does the minister only listen to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, and lobbyists, or does she ever only listen to herself, in the end?
Mr. Speaker, after Netflix was allowed to bypass our tax laws, the Canada Revenue Agency issued a new interpretation that would tax employee discounts, affecting small retail businesses everywhere.You heard right. The Minister of National Revenue would rather keep chasing after middle-class employees than the CEOs of major corporations who hide their income in tax havens. It is absolutely shameful.How can she allow a giant like Netflix not to pay taxes, while employee discounts will be taxed?The minister said that she was not aware. Come on. Who is in charge of the Canada Revenue Agency? Is it the minister? When will she take responsibility on this issue?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his advocacy on this issue. Our government has been very clear that this is a national public health crisis in Canada, and we are responding in a way that is collaborative, compassionate, and comprehensive. In addition to passing Bill C-37, which streamlines the application process for supervised consumption sites, we are also providing over $10 million in urgent support to British Columbia to assist with its response to the opioid crisis.Our government will continue to bring forward evidence-based solutions to help save lives in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister's apparent wilful disregard of the Conflict of Interest Act raises some serious questions. Did the minister intentionally mislead the Ethics Commissioner about the nature of his private interests in France? Why did he withhold details of his private corporation in France? Why does this extremely wealthy minister believe he is above conflict of interest and ethics reporting rules?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is always forgetting things. He forgot his keys. He forgot his villa in France. He forgot even the corporation he holds that villa inside of. He forgot the $30 million of shares in Morneau Shepell, and he forgot to put that into a blind trust. He forgot today to tax any of his own family fortune.Why is it that the only thing that the minister does not forget is his wallet?
Mr. Speaker, the problem is that nobody believes them. They have lost all credibility on this file. It took them over a month to walk this back. It was only after they were caught and only after the outrage expressed by thousands of hard-working Canadians that they pulled this back.Can the Liberals be crystal clear on this? Can they commit that nobody's employee discounts will be touched after they get through with these changes?
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure my colleague that the Minister of Finance has always worked closely with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. He will continue to do so to ensure that he is in compliance with the law and with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's directives.The member is trying to ignore all of the good things we are doing for small business owners by fulfilling a commitment we made in the 2015 campaign and by lowering the small business tax rate to 9%. We support our small business owners and our small businesses, and we will always support them. We know just how important they are to Canada's economy.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his tireless work on behalf of small businesses and his very constructive feedback with these proposals. I am very proud that our government today has announced that we are lowering the corporate tax rate for small businesses to 9% by 2019. We have always been the government of growth, of inclusive prosperity, and we will always be behind small entrepreneurs. The small business tax rate was already the lowest in the G7. That is going to make our businesses more able to compete, grow, prosper, and to contribute. We will always be behind small businesses.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has always worked closely and openly with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that all rules are followed.The opposition member wants to hijack the debate and play political games. However, on this side of the House, we are focusing on Canadians. That is why today we are cutting the small business tax rate, which will stimulate growth.The economy has been growing since we took power. We have created 437,000 jobs. The Conservatives cannot claim to have such a good record.
Mr. Speaker, since day one, our government has been focused on helping the middle class. The document in question did not reflect our government's intentions. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class, and like the Prime Minister said, we will not be going after anyone's retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, since day one, our government has been focused on helping the middle class. The document from the agency did not reflect the intention of our government. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class and, like the Prime Minister stated, we will not be going after anyone's retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, as I already said, the document in question did not reflect the intentions of our government. It has been removed and is currently being reviewed
Mr. Speaker, since day one, we have been focusing on helping the middle class and those wanting to join it. The document in question did not at all reflect our government's intentions. It has been removed and is being reviewed. We will continue to ensure that our actions support the middle class, and as I have said and as the Prime Minister stated, we will not be going after retail employee discounts.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to a renewed relationship with indigenous people. We have listened to ARCAP's recommendation to simultaneously improve the delivery of services while accelerating a move to self-determination for indigenous people. We have committed $187 million toward community-based health programs in Nunavut, and the Inuit crown partnership committee will help guide our actions on shared priorities. We must continue to address the day-to-day realities in Nunavut and all indigenous communities while building a path toward reconciliation and systematic change.
Well, they can start by taking action.Mr. Speaker, last Friday, Sears Canada received court authorization to liquidate its assets. Because of our inadequate bankruptcy laws, shareholders and managers like Edward Lampert will end up even richer than before, while workers and pensioners will lose jobs, benefits, and some part of their pensions. The worst part is that it is legal. It is scandalous that the Liberals continue to place the interests of wealthy and well-connected insiders above the well-being of working Canadians and retirees. When will the Liberals join the NDP to make workers and pensioners the first priority?
Mr. Speaker, the government is guilty of any number of lapses of judgment, but the finance minister's violation of the straightforward requirements of the Ethics Commissioner's disclosure declaration for all members of cabinet raises serious questions, not only of ethics, conflict of interest, and credibility, but of the confidence that Canadians have lost in the government.When will the minister come clean with the Ethics Commissioner and Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I can understand and appreciate that this is a very difficult time for the workers and their families in many communities across the country. I understand that the current Sears Canada pension fund assets are held in trust and, as such, must be used solely for the benefit of pensioners. It is completely protected from the claims of other creditors. The unfunded pension portion will have a claim, and the proceeds of those claims of liquidation will be a priority for the pensioners as well. We will continue to monitor the situation. We are going to work with the workers, we are going to work with their families, and we are going to work with the different communities.
Qujannamiik uqaqti. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Indigenous Services. The government has split Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and designated a minister of indigenous crown relations and northern affairs and a minister of indigenous services. While touring my riding, I heard concerns that this decision will only add another layer of bureaucracy and make it even more difficult to deliver on pressing issues like Nunavut's suicide rate and the lack of mental health services.How will the split of the department help solve these and other issues that Nunavummiut currently face?
Mr. Speaker, during the Liberal leadership race, the Prime Minister promised Canadians new, stricter standards of ethical behaviour that would ensure that the fortune he received from his father in stocks and bonds would be placed in a blind trust.We now know, however, that the Minister of Finance never bothered to comply with that standard. He is not complying with the code of ethics or the law.When will the Minister of Finance show some respect for Canadians and comply with the code of ethics?
Mr. Speaker, as I said many times, the Prime Minister is asking to do a broad review of the criminal justice system. I am undertaking that in partnership with the provinces and territories. Review of mandatory minimum penalties in the Criminal Code is a substantive part of that review. I hope to bring forward changes in the near future with respect to impaired driving. We are doing everything we can to ensure safety on our roads. That is why we introduced substantive legislation by way of Bill C-45, to ensure that we have as much safety on our roads and to ensure that people do not get behind the wheel of their car and drive with alcohol or drugs.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind everyone that the previous government spent millions on flashy television advertising to promote and brand itself. They spent twice as much as we have. We have taken a much more targeted approach to our advertising and to our branding. He should look at the numbers of the previous government before standing in the House to ask a question like that.
Mr. Speaker, the allegations of widespread fraud committed against the people of Kashechewan raises serious questions about the operating culture in the Minister of Health's office. Joe Crupi is alleged, among other things, to have stolen a million dollars from a breakfast program in a community so poor the kids do not have a school, yet her officials protected his access despite the warning bells from the Attorney General and the RCMP. Now her lawyers are going after Crupi for the money, but that was money stolen from the mouths of children. What steps will she take to make it right for the children of Kashechewan and right for the people of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, this cannot be sugar-coated. According to the law, the Minister of Finance had 60 days to disclose his assets to the Ethics Commissioner. He did not do it. It is that plain. It is that simple. Has the finance minister become so arrogant and so entitled that he actually thinks he is above the law?
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister seems so very forgetful these days. He forgot that cutting small business taxes was a promise that he ran on. He forgot he owned a luxury villa in France, but, hey, what middle-class Canadian has not? He also forgot to tell us that his vast wealth was not in fact in a blind trust, and he only comes clean when he is in a world of trouble.Why does this forgetful finance minister never remember his promises to Canadians but always remembers ways to protect his own wealth?
Mr. Speaker, if he does not want to answer my question, maybe he will come see me after question period. I might have a French villa to sell him. The Liberals promised to set a new standard in ethics, yet they continue to miss the mark. Shortly after his appointment, the Minister of Finance admitted that he should place his interests in a blind trust, but he chose not to do so. I wonder why he did not think this necessary?In what universe does the Minister of Finance think he can continue to run his affairs
Mr. Speaker, in this fourth round of NAFTA renegotiations, President Trump continues to speak negatively about the deal, even while sitting beside our silent Prime Minister. The Americans are clearly bargaining in bad faith, placing poison pills on the table, such as the requirement that vehicles contain at least 50% U.S. content. The automotive sector has stated that not only will this backfire, companies will simply pay the low 2.5% tariffs instead of ensuring the content is regionally sourced and jobs are secure.When will the Liberal government present its plan to protect the future and health of Canadian jobs and our auto sector?
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Veterans Affairs.Late last Friday the minister quietly announced that he was severely cutting the number of wreaths to be distributed for Remembrance Day ceremonies. With all of the extravagant and unnecessary spending that the government is involved in, why is it that commemorations to honour the sacrifice of Canadian veterans are the first things to get cut?What was the minister thinking when he signed off on this shameful idea?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice claims to support mandatory sentences for serious offences. However, Liberal MPs voted to defeat a Conservative amendment to Bill C-46 to provide for a five-year mandatory sentence for impaired drivers who kill. Was the minister insincere when she claimed that she supports mandatory sentences for serious offences or does the minister believe that impaired driving causing death is not a serious offence?
Mr. Speaker, what we have before us is a government of bad ideas and broken promises that always seem to hurt ordinary Canadians, a government that is incapable of going after the major players. We saw that with this government's attempt to weaken the Consumer Protection Act, give special privileges to Netflix, and tax employee discounts for those earning minimum wage. Now we have the small business tax reform.Instead of holding a press conference to frantically announce that he is going to make an announcement, why does the minister not simply put off his reform and do something that makes sense?
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, Sears received approval to liquidate its assets. Because our bankruptcy laws are inadequate, our workers and retirees will be the biggest losers. They could lose their pensions and their benefits.It is absolutely ridiculous that the Liberals are letting the big CEOs off the hook at the expense of workers and retirees, who sometimes struggle to make ends meet.When will the Liberals join the NDP in making workers and retirees preferred creditors?
Mr. Speaker, the sixties scoop is a dark and painful chapter in Canada's history. This agreement, in principle, represents the first step in resolving this issue. We know there are other claims that remain unresolved, including those of the Métis and non-status. We remain committed to working with all indigenous people affected by the sixties scoop to resolve these remaining litigations by negotiation.
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals think Canadians farmers are listening, they claim they are defending them at the NAFTA negotiations. However, in Washington, behind closed doors, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada-U.S. Relations) said that Canada had room to negotiate on supply management.Protecting our agricultural sector should not be negotiable. How can Canadian farmers trust the government to defend supply management in public in Canada, when behind closed doors, in secret, in Washington, it is something different?
Mr. Speaker, as we already know, the Liberals have been attacking the investments that local businesses use to create jobs for Canadians. Now, they also want to go after employee discounts. Yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board contradicted the Prime Minister and said that employee discounts will be taxed, but he was unable to provide any details. Will the Prime Minister clarify his government's policy? Is he going to tax employee discounts?
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary just talked about a targeted approach. The hon. members on the government side know a lot about targeting small business owners, targeting middle-class Canadians, and targeting people who are struggling to make ends meet. That is their targeted approach. When will the Liberals understand that the blind trust they have in the Minister of Finance is misplaced?