2017-11-06

Mr. Speaker, new taxes for Morneau Shepell: zero. New taxes for the finance minister's family company in Barbados: zero. New taxes for the Prime Minister's multi-million dollar family trust fund: zero. New taxes for Stephen Bronfman's Cayman Islands tax shelter: zero. That is life in Liberal tax paradise. With this hypocrisy now exposed, will the government finally apologize for insulting the integrity of hard-working, tax-paying small business owners across this country?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have spent another billion dollars on tax collectors. Who have those tax collectors gone after? Have they gone after Morneau Shepell? Have they gone after the billionaire Bronfman family, or have they instead decided to go after people suffering with diabetes, or after minimum wage-earning waitresses who enjoy a small chicken sandwich at the end of the shift or after small businesses and farmers? When will this high-tax hypocrisy come to an end?

Mr. Speaker, with the Liberals it is always the same, “You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours”. Stephen Bronfman said to the Prime Minister, “Anything I can do to help, just let me know”. The Prime Minister said “a big thanks for your help”, nudge nudge, wink wink, and the Liberals' buddies are taken care of once again. Does the Prime Minister not see why Canadians are so outraged by yet another example of Liberal hypocrisy and conflict of interest?

Mr. Speaker, the murdered and missing indigenous women's inquiry says that its slow progress is due to Liberal interference. In fact, it reports that eight out of 10 challenges are barriers put up by the Liberal government, like strangling bureaucracy and lack of resources. It is clear the Liberals misled families when they promised they were doing everything they could to help this inquiry succeed.Will the Liberals support the families of missing and murdered indigenous women, and when will they stop blocking the inquiry's work?

Mr. Speaker, if we want to talk about hypocrisy, let us talk about two sets of tax rules, one for Liberals and one for everyday working-class Canadians. Bronfman and his associates are reported to have engaged in bogus record-keeping, false invoicing, and six-figure gifts to avoid paying tax. The Prime Minister continues to protect him. The Prime Minister is so close to Bronfman that at the height of a softwood lumber dispute, he took him to the White House instead of the natural resources minister. Canadian taxpayers paid for that trip. We ask the government again, what business did Bronfman have at the White House?

Mr. Speaker, the revenue minister seems to be proud of reaching into the pockets of disabled people and taking away their tax credits and pension plans, while the Prime Minister's chief political fundraiser is sheltering his fortune in an offshore tax haven. Canadians can see the Liberal hypocrisy.Why will she not protect vulnerable Canadians and make Liberal friends sheltering their fortunes in offshore bank accounts pay the same fair share that they expect of all other taxpayers?

Mr. Speaker, meanwhile, with his tax reform, the Prime Minister spent weeks essentially accusing our farmers, entrepreneurs, and professionals of fraud. The paradise papers scandal is proof of the Liberals' hypocrisy. The names in there are not those of ordinary people. One is the Liberal Party's chief fundraiser, Stephen Bronfman. Another is former Liberal senator Leo Kolber. Both are very good friends of the Liberal Party. My question is simple. When did the Prime Minister find out that his organizer had direct connections to tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, I repeat that our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion.The opposition members' hypocrisy is astounding. The former minister of national revenue, Mr. Blackburn, clearly stated in an interview that this was not even a priority for the previous Conservative government.We do not need any lessons from a party that works every day to protect privileges for the wealthy. Canadians expect a fair tax system. That is what we promised, and that is what we will deliver.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion. I do not understand my colleagues across the way. The Conservatives' hypocrisy is stunning. A former Canada Revenue Agency minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even had the nerve to say that tax evasion was not even a priority for the Conservative government.We made an election promise to crack down on tax evasion, we are taking action, and we will continue to work to ensure that everyone pays their fair share and that we have a tax system that is fair for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister spent part of the summer and the fall treating small business owners like tax cheats. He accused them of using loopholes to save on taxes.Let us see what he will do now that some of the Liberals' closest advisers were named in the Paradise Papers and they are the ones who allegedly used loopholes to shelter their fortunes.How long has the Prime Minister known that Liberal bagman Stephen Bronfman avoids paying all of his taxes in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, over the past two years the current Liberal government has demonized retail workers who enjoy an employee discount. It has demonized hard-working entrepreneurs and business owners, and characterized them as tax cheats. The Prime Minister is even raising taxes on diabetics to pay off his billion dollar deficits. Meanwhile, he is here in the House defending a man who hid his assets from the Ethics Commissioner.Why is it that under the current government, it is always the middle class and working Canadians who pay a bit more, while wealthy friends like Stephen Bronfman always end up getting away paying less?

Mr. Speaker, Prime Ministers, I rise today to mark a historic anniversary. On this day 150 years ago, Canada's first legislature sat for the very first time. Over the many years and sessions that followed, this House, more than any other institution, wrote Canada's history. Men and women sat in this chamber to debate and pass legislation to build a better, fairer, more equitable country for all.Our 14th prime minister, the great Lester B. Pearson, once said, “We who are elected to serve Canada in Parliament owe those who elect us more than the advocacy of non-controversial ideas.” He was right.This House has hosted some of the most important debates and decisions of our time. Within these walls, Canada has been reborn countless times since Confederation, and in our progress we have defined the character of a country. It was here that Agnes Macphail broke barriers as the first female MP. It was here that we introduced universal health care. It was here that we abolished the death penalty. It was here that same-sex couples were extended the right to marry.It was here that the Official Languages Act was debated and passed. It was also here that we righted some of our most terrible wrongs. We apologized for dark, shameful chapters in our history, especially the horrible way indigenous people were treated in the residential school system and the refusal to take in the innocent people aboard the Komagata Maru who were seeking help.This House has welcomed some extraordinary guests, including Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, and Malala Yousafzai. In fact, serving in this chamber is one of the greatest honours to which a person can aspire.Day after day, year after year, members sit in this House and do important work on behalf of Canadians, work that impacts families and communities, work that shapes the course of people's daily lives. Because of the magnitude of what happens and what can happen here, we will not always agree. However, it is the way we disagree that defines us. Let us be women and men of principle and of humility, for we have been bestowed the responsibility to serve and we must do so honourably. We are lucky to have had strong leaders in this place to remind us of that, folks like Arnold Chan. Let us never lose sight of the fact that we are all here for the same reason, to make our country better, to improve the lives of the people we serve. We may have different ideas on how to get there, but there is always common ground. If we work together, we will find it.On this historic day, I call upon all of us to continue to work hard and to stay true to ourselves. On that, I am reminded of something that our 15th prime minister once said: “Our hopes are high. Our faith in the people is great. Our courage is strong. And our dreams for this beautiful country will never die.”

Mr. Speaker, for months, this department has been going after type 1 diabetics, and today this minister has told us how proud she is of her department.Is she proud of targeting disabled Canadians? Is she proud of targeting low-wage earning retail employees? Is she proud of going after small businesses? When will the Liberal government get its priorities straight, back off of vulnerable Canadians, and go after real tax avoiders, including Liberal insiders?

Mr. Speaker, the government does not understand anything about international tax avoidance because it continues to ignore the fundamental problem of tax havens instead of addressing it. The minister still believes that the solution to tax havens is to invest in the Canada Revenue Agency. However, the fundamental problem lies in our overly permissive legislation that the Liberal Party's cronies benefit from.Could the minister get her head out of the sand, especially since she voted for an NDP motion calling for action against tax avoidance and tax havens? Why has the minister still not proposed any measures to put an end to this legal tax scam?

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-59, as those parents said today at their press conference, does nothing to fix the problem that they face every single time they try to travel. I would ask the minister if he wants to go in front of those families to tell them, “Do not worry, your child is not on the list.” These are the false positives that are being lived by thousands of Canadians. Children, business people, and even veterans are finding travelling difficult. They are being humiliated, profiled, and are living in fear of ending up on the no-fly list. Again I ask the minister: will she fully fund an actual redress system, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. I am proud of the leadership role Canada has taken on the international stage. Tax evasion is a global problem that requires collaboration with all of our international partners.The nearly $1 billion we have invested is yielding results. We are on track to recoup close to $25 billion. Criminal charges are being laid, and search warrants are being executed. We made a promise to Canadians, and we are doing what we promised.

Mr. Speaker, if you will permit, on behalf of all Canadians, I extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who were killed in Texas, and we hope for a speedy recovery for all of those who were injured yesterday. It is appalling that this act took place in a place of worship, where worshippers should have felt safe. Canada, as a nation, stands in solidarity with the United States during this difficult time.On the other matter, I can assure the opposition that we are fully committed to fighting tax avoidance and tax evasion, and we will continue to ensure that the CRA pursues all infringers upon that for the many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, the law may not have changed, but the way it is interpreted has, because the least fortunate are being targeted.This summer entrepreneurs were the ones being targeted, and now it is people with type 1 diabetes. In fact, 80% of those people will no longer get their tax credit.Why is the government picking on the most vulnerable in our society? Why is it not looking at what is going on with the Liberals' tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, as an MP, Terence Young introduced Vanessa's Law to honour his daughter, who died after taking a prescription drug. Three years ago today, Vanessa's Law received royal assent, yet under the Liberal government, it sits idle and unenforced. The Liberals are proposing to undermine the intent of this law even further by making Canadians wait six years for reports of injuries and deaths and by requiring researchers to sign contracts to never reveal crucial data.Why has the government abandoned Vanessa's Law and the transparency crucial to reducing drug harm and deaths?

Mr. Speaker, we simply cannot trust the Liberals to do anything but get caught with their hands in the cookie jar.We wondered why they voted against the Bloc Québécois motion to combat tax havens. We now know it was because that is where they hide their money. The Liberal Party is the tax-evasion party, and yet the Liberals still claim to be standing up for the middle class.Will this government finally take action and go after people who use tax havens to evade taxes, even if those people include friends, family members, or colleagues?

Mr. Speaker, children and their families who have been impacted for years by the no-fly list are on Parliament Hill today demanding an end to this human rights violation.There are children as young as six being denied from boarding flights. Canadians want to see a properly funded redress system in the 2018 federal budget, and they want an end to the hundreds, if not thousands, of false positives that have occurred to date.When will the government finally heed these calls and end this injustice for families once and for all?

Mr. Speaker, as everyone knows, the Prime Minister is very close to the Bronfman family and to Stephen Bronfman in particular. This reflects poorly on Canada. Here is what the influential newspaper The Guardian wrote this morning: “The chief fundraiser and senior adviser to the Canadian Prime Minister...who played a critical role in [his] rise to power...”. That is huge. We are not talking about some humble supporter who put out some lawn signs. This is the money man who helped get the Prime Minister where he is today.Can the Prime Minister give us one good reason why, when he went to Washington, he left the Minister of Natural Resources in Ottawa but took his Liberal buddy—

Mr. Speaker, as I said, I will let the individuals involved comment on their own situation.Our government continues to crack down on tax evasion and tax avoidance. We will continue to work for the middle class and those working hard to join it. That is why we lowered taxes for the middle class and raised them for the wealthiest 1%. That is why we created the Canada child benefit, which gives more tax-free money to nine out of 10 families every month. That is why we are in the process of lowering the small business tax rate to 9%. That is what we are doing for the middle class.

Mr. Speaker, they say their plan is working, but it is the media that is working. That is how we know about the paradise papers.The finance minister has defended offshore tax havens in places like Barbados by saying he does not want to throw out the baby with the bathwater. It seems that the babies the minister was referring to are a bunch of the Prime Minister's friends and Liberal Party donors. When will the Prime Minister quit attacking farmers and small business owners and start investigating Liberal Party donors who are using offshore tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In fact, over the past two years, we have invested nearly $1 billion to combat tax havens. This investment has helped our efforts to recover nearly $25 billion. Charges have been laid. That is what Canadians asked us to do and we are delivering.

Mr. Speaker, we remain committed to working with our provincial and territorial partners to ensure that all Canadians have access to the prescription drugs they require in an affordable and accessible way. We will continue to work with all affected Canadians on ensuring that this system is fair for all.

Mr. Speaker, a Liberal is Liberal is a Liberal, and we can always count on them to be entitled to their entitlements, entitled to take private helicopters on private island vacations, entitled to taxpayer-funded nannies, entitled to protecting their vast family fortunes from many unfair tax changes, entitled to setting up offshore tax havens in France, Barbados, or the Cayman Islands. Canadians are entitled to know, why do they always end up footing the bill when these lifestyle of the rich and famous Liberals pay less?

Mr. Speaker, during the last campaign, the government was very clear. Cracking down on tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance was part of our platform.Over the past two years, we have invested nearly $1 billion, which has allowed us to conduct investigations and to recoup nearly $25 billion. Charges have been laid. We are working internationally and examining four jurisdictions per year.That is what Canadians asked us to do and we are getting the job done.

Mr. Speaker, the effectiveness and compassion of our immigration system makes Canada an example for the world, but we know that we can always do better, including when it comes to immigration detention. Our government has made great steps on this, which can be seen in the significant drop in the number of people detained under immigration laws in the last two years.Can the minister please tell us what more the government is doing to ensure that immigration detention, especially for minors, is used as rarely as possible?

Mr. Speaker, we fully appreciate the frustration of law-abiding travellers who can be stigmatized and delayed as a result of false positives on the no-fly list.However, to be clear, there are no children on the no-fly list, but there is confusion among similar names. That takes new legislation to fix that problem, new regulations, and a new computer system.The first of those steps is being taken in Bill C-59. I urge the NDP to vote for it.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. I want to reassure Canadians that, personally, as the minister responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency, I have no one to protect. There are laws that apply and they will apply to everyone so that we have a tax system that is fair and equitable for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the Cayman Islands is the kind of place where there are more bank accounts than people. Members of the middle class and those working hard to join it do not have bank accounts in the Cayman Islands.For those who do not know, Stephen Bronfman was once the head of the Prime Minister's leadership campaign and is the chief fundraiser for the Liberal Party of Canada. He also happens to manage a trust in the Cayman Islands.Have the Liberals failed to crack down on tax havens in order to protect Liberal organizers and friends of the Prime Minister?

Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to congratulate those who spoke before me for their heartfelt tribute to the 150 years of the Canadian parliamentary system. I am sure that the Canadian parliamentary system is something very important to them. I am sure that it is very important and that many Canadians are proud of it. Unfortunately, for many Quebeckers, it means something else. Let us face it, the 150th anniversary was not exactly celebrated in Quebec, which is not surprising. Quebec never looked forward to signing the British North America Act. There have not been too many opportunities for Quebec to look forward to anything since the Dominion of Canada was created. Confederation, for Quebec, means 150 years of being constantly undermined by the decisions taken in the House year after year. It was here that, during the First World War, the federal government temporarily granted itself the right to tax Quebeckers' income. The war is over, all the heroes who fought it have been dead for a long time, but we still pay half of our taxes to this government, even though it barely delivers any services. All this to have the power to decide on provincial jurisdictions, when the provinces are the ones that deal with publicly funded services and are accountable to Quebeckers. The reality of one hundred years of holding our people hostage is an anniversary that federalist parties would prefer to ignore. It was also here in the House that federal politicians voted to prevent Quebec from controlling broadcasting by taking away a portion of our government's jurisdiction over culture, education, and information. The current government's agreement with Netflix is the unfortunate proof that it is bent on meddling incompetently in areas that are supposed to be under Quebec's jurisdiction. Rendering history and reality meaningless, the Canadian Constitution essentially denies the existence of the Quebec nation. Even now, we refuse to sign this pact whose sole intention is to force our distinct society to fall in line every time we try to do things our own way. This is where the Clarity Act was passed, an authoritarian law that undermines Quebeckers' right to the most basic expression of democracy. Today's celebration is about weakening Quebec's position in the Canadian parliamentary system. The day before Confederation, Quebec held half the seats in Parliament. The day after, it held a third of them. Now we have less than a quarter. When the very first sitting of the House of Commons of the Dominion of Canada took place on November 6, 1867, the first subject of debate was the appointment of the first Speaker of the House of Commons. The elected representatives had been together for barely 10 minutes when a member from Quebec was forced to complain because John A. MacDonald wanted to appoint a unilingual anglophone Speaker. That member found it unfortunate that, at the inauguration of Confederation, greater respect was not shown. I am sure he would have fallen off his chair had he known that, 150 years later, we would still be having this kind of debate.

Mr. Speaker, the paradise papers reveal that the Prime Minister's chief fundraiser, Stephen Bronfman, moved millions of dollars to offshore tax havens through a complex web of entities in the U.S., Israel, and the Cayman Islands. The papers show evidence of bogus records to hide payments, false invoicing, and six-figure gifts to avoid paying tax attributed to Bronfman.At the height of a softwood lumber dispute, the Prime Minister chose to take Stephen Bronfman to a state dinner at the White House, leaving his Minister of Natural Resources behind. I have a simple question. What business did Bronfman have at the White House?

Mr. Speaker, middle-class Canadians continue to hear the Prime Minister demand tax fairness from them, but when it comes to Liberal Party donors and wealthy insiders, the Prime Minister practises instead tax forgiveness. When will the Prime Minister end his two-tier taxation policy and start making Liberal insiders and donors pay their fair share of Liberal spending, rather than going after hard-working Canadian small business owners and farmers?

Mr. Speaker, it has gotten to the point where every time the issue of tax havens comes up, so does the Liberal Party, and every time we talk about tax havens and the Liberal Party, the Minister of National Revenue sounds like a broken record.After learning that Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin, and Stephen Bronfman, three prominent Liberals, are hiding millions of dollars down south, we understand why this government refuses to take action against tax havens. It would rather defend the indefensible than clean house. Taxes are for other people to pay, certainly not the Prime Minister's friends.Will the Canada Revenue Agency do its job and investigate Stephen Bronfman?

Mr. Speaker, the government is going after the small taxpayer, but not the big fish. The Prime Minister was elected on the promise to work hard for the middle class and those working hard to join it. The middle class cannot afford accounts on the Cayman Islands, but the Liberals' rich and wealthy friends can. The Prime Minister said shortly after his election “Tax avoidance, tax evasion is something we take very seriously”, and promised swift action. Canadians are still waiting. What is the Prime Minister waiting for?

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister defends tax havens by insisting that they do not actually need to be fixed, that there is no problem. Now, we thought the finance minister was just protecting his own interests within his family company, but it turns out that there is actually a whole crew of Liberals who are colluding together in order to keep these tax loopholes open. My question is very simple, and that is: When did the Prime Minister become aware that the Liberal Party's head of revenue, Stephen Bronfman, was sheltering money in offshore accounts?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion. The historic $1-billion investment we made in our last two budgets is yielding concrete, tangible results for Canadians. We are about to recoup $25 billion. We investigate four new jurisdictions per year. Our plan is delivering results. We have had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions. We continue to work for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, for 150 years, our Parliament has been a reflection of Canada and Canadians. It is more than a building. It is the embodiment of our national character, its virtues and vices, its strengths and its weaknesses.It has been burned to the ground and been built back up stone by stone. It has heard the echoes of gunfire, and felt the blast of a bomb that, thankfully, detonated mere minutes prematurely. It has rung with cheers of victory at the end of two world wars, and it has stood mute witness to the tears of a nation mourning distinguished former members of this House lying in state, from Sir John A. Macdonald to the hon. Jack Layton.The legislative measures debated and passed in this chamber help Canada progress and, unfortunately, they also sometimes set us back. Our House has seen legislative measures that support our liberties, and others that limit them.This is a physical place, but also an institution, and as an institution made of human beings, the outcomes are not always perfect. As Canadians, we must not forget our past. We must never be afraid to admit when we have made a mistake and to apologize when necessary.That is why Prime Minister Harper came to the House nine years ago and issued a formal apology to former victims of the Indian residential schools on behalf of a country that had failed them. It was appropriate, because so many of the decisions that caused so much grief and suffering had been deliberated and, in some cases, approved right here in this building. That we who have been trusted with the governance of Canada have sometimes failed should not be surprising. This chamber may be made of wood and stone, but the men and women who give it its life are hewn from the crooked timber of humanity. These chairs have supported patriots and heroes, but also a few rogues, so we cannot claim to have always been perfect, but we know that perfection is not available to us this side of eternity. Yet, somehow, the motley and imperfect assemblages that have gathered here over the last 150 years have achieved something of a miracle. Together, the members who came before us superintended a Canada that has grown and flourished beyond what anyone in the first Parliament could have dreamed. It is fashionable today to look down at the past, but that is a luxury we enjoy from heights built by those who preceded us in this chamber. If we look back at our rich history and study the leading figures in its telling and see only the blemishes, then we are missing out on the beautiful story of a country constantly bettering itself, and consistently offering a refuge to so many around the world. It is a story of different parliaments at different times, working through the imperfections of the day. It is a story that on the whole has been a story of hope for so many. It is a story of prosperity, compassion, liberty, and human rights.To those who deny we have anything to be proud of as a country, I would pose a simple question: “Where else would you have rather lived for the last 150 years?” That is not a rhetorical question. It is a straightforward question for which there is only one honest answer. There is nowhere we would rather have lived, no country we would rather call our home, for no country has acquitted herself better at home and abroad than Canada. It is indisputable that the world has been better off for the last 150 years because of Canada. Without the sacrifices of our soldiers, sailors, and airmen, more than 100,000 of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice, while many more came home bearing scars, mental and physical, the world would be more dangerous. Without the brilliance of our artists, painters, sculptors, writers, singers, and actors, the world would be losing part of its cultural richness.Without the work of the men and women who cultivate, farm, and develop our incredible landscape, who fish in our three great oceans that surround us, and who work in the towns, plants, and office towers, the world would be poorer, colder, and darker. If we dwell on past mistakes, we miss out on their remarkable successes. We end up taking for granted their contribution to Canada and Canada's contribution to the rest of the world. It is time for a little gratitude. Make that a lot of gratitude. That we have prospered and flourished is no accident. It is a combination of good fortune and good stewardship. We are fortunate to have inherited the most stable and enduring political system in the world. We should be grateful to the members of the House who have nurtured and sustained it for the benefit of Canadians and the inspiration of the world.For it is to this House that world leaders have come over the last century to express their admiration of Canada as the very exemplar of peace, order, and good government. It was here that Churchill came in Britain's darkest hour, when Hitler's armies were within sight of English shores, to thank Canada for our support and to display his jowl-shaking defiance in the face of Nazi aggression. Later, we were engaged in a very different kind of war against Soviet imperialism, a battle not just based on geography but on ideology, a battle to defend the economic freedom that had created untold prosperity for so many millions around the world, yet a freedom that was denied to so many. During that battle, two of the great figures of the 20th century, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, each came to this House twice to thank Canada for our friendship and dedication to key principles. More recently, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko came to Canada while his country was suffering under a new Russian imperialism, to praise "the special partnership between Ukraine and Canada" and to salute Canada as a model for Ukraine and for the world. It is in our nature as Canadians to be self-deprecating, but sometimes, maybe once every 150 years, it is okay to acknowledge what the rest of the world tells us: we occupy a special place in the fellowship of free nations and our institutions, including this Parliament, are the envy of other nations.I am not asking members of the House to pat ourselves on the back and congratulate ourselves for assuming this awesome duty. Rather, let us roll up our sleeves and get to work in the House and across Canada to continue the work of those who came before us so that those who come after us, 150 years from now, will consider us worthy of the same gratitude we offer today to our predecessors.

Mr. Speaker, hiring more inspectors without changing the current treaties with tax havens will not amount to much.An international consortium of journalists published a list of new names of people who are benefiting from tax havens: the Queen of England, rock stars, Trump's entourage, and, in Canada, the Liberals. What a surprise. Former Liberal prime ministers, former Liberal senators, and Liberal organizers were named.Are the Liberals doing nothing to combat tax havens in an effort to protect the Liberal family?

Mr. Speaker, first it was the Minister of Finance and now it is Liberal bagman Stephen Bronfman who has been caught red-handed. He apparently hid part of his personal fortune in a tax haven. Why is the Prime Minister still making honest, middle-class Canadian families pay more while allowing his friends to avoid paying taxes in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, we are fully committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance. That is why we put close to a billion dollars in the last two budgets to do just that. In investing historic sums to make sure we have the right tools to crack down on tax evaders, we have concrete results delivered. There are 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, 78 convictions. We will continue to work hard every day for a tax system that is fair for everyone.

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we have always fought strongly in fighting against tax evasion and tax avoidance. Indeed, this is a multi-billion dollar issue. That is why we made a billion dollar investment to tackle it. We are reviewing leaks to identify any links to Canadian entities and we will take every appropriate action. We use the information received through leaked lists when they arise, but we do not wait on these lists to attack the problem. That is why the CRA has more than 990 audits and more than 42 criminal investigations related to offshore financial structures,under way as of September 30.

Mr. Speaker, it did not take long for the Liberals to start acting like Liberals, placing wealthy friends ahead of everyday Canadians. In March of this year, the Liberals voted in favour of the NDP's motion calling on the government to take action to tackle tax haven, including renegotiating tax treaties that let companies repatriate profits from tax havens to Canada tax free. Here is a spoiler alert; they have not done any of it yet. Did the Prime Minister refuse to act on tax havens to help his wealthy friends?

Mr. Speaker, we are working very hard to improve the immigration detention system. I thank the member for Toronto—Danforth for being such a strong advocate.Today I am announcing a new directive that includes the best interests of the child as a primary factor for the Canada Border Services Agency when making decisions affecting families. The goal is to avoid children in detention as much as humanly possible. We are committed to an immigration system that protects public safety while treating people with fairness, dignity, and compassion.

Mr. Speaker, today, after consulting with workers across the country, I am tabling a private members' bill to protect the pensions of workers. Currently Canada's bankruptcy laws do not protect workers' pensions and benefits. The Prime Minister knows this, which is why he promised workers in my hometown that he would improve retirement security for Canadians. However, he has so far refused to fix the rules that let companies shortchange workers' pension plans. Workers fulfill their obligations, and companies and the Liberal government must do the same. Will the Prime Minister keep his promise and work with me to protect our pensioners, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know full well that in our first two budgets we invested nearly $1 billion to combat tax evasion and tax avoidance.We continue to work every day to ensure that everyone pays their fair share of taxes. The results speak for themselves: 627 cases have been transferred to criminal investigation, and there have been 268 warrants and 78 convictions. We will continue to work hard every day to create a tax system that is fair for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, in the last few months, the Liberal government has been squeezing Canadian small businesses for more tax revenue. It has been taking away tax relief from families fighting diabetes, autism, and mental health issues.However, what is the one group the Liberals have left alone? Their super-rich friends and those working hard to join them. When will the Prime Minister stop targeting hard-working Canadian families and start closing tax and ethics loopholes used by his friends?

Mr. Speaker, our position on the issue was quite clear during the campaign.We said we would combat tax evasion and tax havens. We have invested $1 billion over the past two years. We have produced results for Canadians. We are going to recoup close to $25 billion. We have criminal investigations under way. We are working with tax administrations around the world.I can say that I am very proud of the international leadership role we have taken.

Mr. Speaker, if only my colleague opposite could show as many results as we have with respect to tax avoidance. Over the past two years, we invested $1 billion. We are very close to recovering $25 billion. People are facing charges. We have been meeting with four new jurisdictions every year. Cases are being handed over to criminal investigations. We are on track to meet Canadians' expectations. It is what we promised in our platform and we are keeping that promise.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance, to make sure the tax system is fair and equitable for all Canadians. I am proud of the leadership role Canada has taken on the international stage. Co-operation between revenue authorities, including the exchange of tax information, is an essential tool for maintaining the integrity of Canada's tax base.Our efforts have borne fruit, as we are about to recoup $25 billion.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance. In our first two budgets, we took concrete steps. We invested $1 billion, we have targeted four jurisdictions per year, and we have hired competent staff.Our plan is working. We have transferred 627 cases to criminal investigation, and there have been 268 search warrants and 78 convictions. The Canada Revenue Agency is scrutinizing links to Canadian entities, and we will take appropriate action.

Mr. Speaker, the stats that Prime Minister is quoting actually shows his government is doing a good job going after the small taxpayer, going after ordinary Canadians, but it always lets the big fish go. We know about Stephen Bronfman through the paradise papers, but let us not forget that the government, through committee, stalled the study on KPMG and the Isle of Man. Let us not forget that the government has done nothing about the Panama papers. The government has not taken seriously the issue of tax havens and offshore accounts. When will it?

Mr. Speaker, a major ethics crisis involving the Prime Minister of Canada is tarnishing Canada's international reputation.We now know that Stephen Bronfman, the Liberal Party's chief fundraiser, had questionable dealings with tax havens. Mr. Bronfman is a close friend of the Prime Minister. They are so close, in fact, that when the Prime Minister visited the White House a year and a half ago, he left his Minister of Natural Resources behind but brought his good friend Bronfman, the Liberal Party's top bagman, to the White House with him.Can the Prime Minister give us just one good reason why he left his Minister of Natural Resources in Ottawa and brought along his close Liberal friend and fundraiser?

Mr. Speaker, every Canadian has a friend or relative who is affected by mental health problems, and the social and economic costs are extremely high. We are giving a record number of tax credits to people with disabilities and people with mental health problems. In budget 2017, we invested $5 billion so we could help 500,000 Canadians under the age of 25, and we will continue to focus on helping those most in need.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to ensuring that Canadians receive the tax credits to which they are entitled. I would like my colleagues across the way to know that the legislation has not been amended. It has not been changed. The law is being applied the way it always has.We will continue to work with our partners. We will continue to meet with them and we will continue to do better with our partners.

Mr. Speaker, it is a huge honour for me to rise today as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of this House of Commons.I am overwhelmed and grateful for my colleagues that there is an opportunity for the Green Party to mark the 150th sitting of the Parliament of Canada. I want to acknowledge that we are on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin nation. We all are very grateful for the perpetual generosity of indigenous peoples in our country to be willing to consider our meek efforts at reconciliation.I note that at 150 years old, our democracy here, the first meeting of Parliament on November 6, 1867, was a bit late. One hundred years earlier, the first parliamentary representative democracy in North America met in Nova Scotia. In 2008, Nova Scotians celebrated the 250th. Imagine that I can stand here today, on our 150th occasion, in the presence in the gallery of four extraordinary Canadians, each of who I hold in such respect and affection. That the Right. Hon. John Turner, the Right Hon. Joe Clark, the Right Hon. Brian Mulroney, and the Right Hon. Paul Martin would be here for this celebration, as well as our former Speakers, John Bosley and Peter Milliken, is an extraordinary moment.I want to reiterate how proud I am. I find it incredible that I have the privilege to participate, because it is indeed a privilege, not a right.Even as we look back at Halifax and the 250th anniversary, we are all pikers. The longest continuous participatory democracy on the planet is the 800-year-old Iroquois confederacy of the Haudenosaunee. We have learned parliamentary democracy. We have learned that Parliament comes from the word parler. We know we are here to speak with each other, work together, respect each other, and to work to earn the respect of our constituents who have sent us here not to blow our own horn, but to carry their cares and concerns to this place.I could not agree more with our right hon. Prime Minister that one of the greatest parliamentarians I have ever had the privilege to know and work with left us too soon when we lost Arnold Chan. It is his words I think of today, that call in his last speech, the last time he had the physical strength to stand in this place, for us to respect each other.I also ask us to look around. We are in this room, what a privilege, day in and day out, but how often do we look up, and I am afraid I am going to go in a Friendly Giant direction, look way up? There is a reason that this magnificent chamber dwarfs its occupants. This room is not about us as members of Parliament. This room is about democracy. It is about Canada. We are very tiny in this space because our role is to represent something far bigger than ourselves. We are here for Canada. We are here for a country in which we are blessed to live, know, and love. We are to cherish that democracy. This room dwarfs us for a reason.Thank you to all of my colleagues and thank you Canada. Congratulations and thank you.

Mr. Speaker, Stephen Bronfman is the Prime Minister's top moneyman, and was the Liberal Party's “revenue chair”. The Prime Minister vacations with him. He even broke protocol to bring him to a state dinner with then President Obama. Now we know that he used a $60 million tax haven scheme to avoid paying his fair share in Canada. If the Prime Minister wants to restore any credibility on the issue of tax fairness, will he immediately order the Liberal Party to give back all the money Stephen Bronfman raised for the Liberals?

Mr. Speaker, they could speed things along if the minister asked the Prime Minister for his friends' phone numbers. Members of the Prime Minister's inner circle are using all kinds of schemes to hide millions of dollars in tax havens.There is no doubt that the Prime Minister and Stephen Bronfman are connected. They have even vacationed together. In 2015, Mr. Bronfman said that he was prepared to do everything he could to help the Prime Minister win.Why did the Prime Minister let his friend, the Liberal Party's chief fundraiser, avoid paying taxes like all other Canadians are required to do?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion, and we have taken concrete action to do so.Over the past two years, we have invested nearly $1 billion, allowing us to recoup $25 billion. Charges have been laid. We are working at the international level. We are working with our partners. The work is not done. It is ongoing.I can say that we have always done quite a bit more than the Bloc Québécois.

Mr. Speaker, the investments we are making in child care, skilled trades, training, and infrastructure will put more Canadians on the path to success. Since our government first took office, the Canadian economy has created over half a million jobs. We have seen 11 consecutive months of job growth, the best in a decade. As Bank of Montreal economist Doug Porter noted, September and October marked the highest two-month period of job growth on record. We ran on a plan to make smart investments to grow our economy and strengthen our middle class, and that plan is working.

Mr. Speaker, people in my riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler in the Waterloo region are proud of our government's commitment to grow the economy, create jobs, and strengthen the middle class. They know that the smart investments our government is making will help more Canadians find and keep good well-paying jobs.Can the minister update this House on what our government is doing to grow the economy and ensure every Canadian has a fair shot at success?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Ms. Plante on being elected Montreal's new mayor.I also want to congratulate and thank all of the other candidates who worked very hard all across Quebec to run in the municipal election. I am personally very much looking forward to meeting Ms. Plante.In the coming weeks, we will launch Canada's first-ever national housing strategy, which will provide extraordinary opportunities to strengthen the Government of Canada's role in supporting our families in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada.

[Member spoke in aboriginal language][English]Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. The government is committed to making real progress on issues most important to indigenous peoples, including education. Targeted investments in first nations education have been made to ensure a brighter future for first nations children. Nunavut currently has the lowest graduation rate in the country, with only 35% of students graduating. This is 50% lower than the national average. How and when will similar targeted investments be made for Inuit education in Nunavut?

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance. What we want is a fair and equitable tax system for all Canadians. Our actions are producing results. We have invested close to $1 billion over the past two years, which will enable us to recoup nearly $25 billion.I am very proud of the international leadership role we have taken. We are working with our partners around the world. That is what Canadians asked us to do, and that is what we are going to do.

Mr. Speaker, our government supports secure pensions. More importantly, we understand workers and their families and the dedication and commitment they make to various companies. It is important that we work with them.With respect to the CCAA process, that process is designed to help companies in financial distress, so that they can restructure their affairs in order to come out of that restructuring process to help, preserve, and create thousands of jobs.With respect to Sears, the current issue at hand, we are working with Sears Canada employees across the country, and Service Canada, in order to provide assistance and support to the workers and their families.

Mr. Speaker, the important work of the commission is crucial to getting the answers the families have been waiting decades for, and to ending this ongoing tragedy. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that the commission has all the support it needs to succeed. We have struck a working group to create and provide effective back-office support to the commission to ensure it is able to do its work effectively. Families must and will get the answers they need.

Mr. Speaker, in Granby, in my riding of Shefford, we have the largest francophone singing competition in North America. Since 1969, this festival has been an important vehicle for showcasing and promoting Canadian francophone talent around the world. Recently, the Minister of Canadian Heritage made historic announcements for Canadian creators.Could the minister tell the House what she is doing to support these artists and to showcase their work abroad?

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in the House today to join my colleagues in marking the 150th anniversary of the first sitting of Parliament. Canadians can be truly proud of having built, shaped, and preserved one of the longest uninterrupted parliaments in the world. Every day we demonstrate to the world how ideas can be debated in a peaceful, civil, and productive manner, with the possible exception of question period.We show how we can come together to make life better for the people who sent us here to represent them. In a country as geographically, linguistically, and ethnically diverse as ours, this is no small achievement.The NDP can be proud of the major firsts they have contributed to Parliament. Among those, our party was the first to have an openly gay man elected to the House and the first to have a woman lead a federal political party in the House, just to name a few milestones. There is no doubt that we have made a lot of progress since the days when Parliament was made up of only white men. We are pleased to see that the members sitting in the House look a lot more like the people who voted for them than they used to a long time ago.However, we have to be honest that we are nowhere close to where we need to be. We have yet to achieve even near gender balance in the House. The 2015 election sent a record number of women to this chamber and yet they still only make up a little more than one quarter of the MPs in the House. All parties should use this important anniversary to commit to reaching gender parity in the House as soon as possible. New Democrats and Canadians across the country also believe our Parliament can be made even better by reflecting Canadians' actual voting preferences.Let us be honest, the House does not reflect the proportion of support each party received in the last election.If we move toward a proportional system of elections, we could not only make room for new voices, but re-inspire Canadians with the knowledge that their votes truly do matter and their Parliament is truly a reflection of their will. Surely there is no better way to mark the 150th anniversary of Parliament than by working to make it more representative. All Canadians will benefit from it.No celebration of our Parliament would be complete if we did not mention the hard work of the devoted staff and public servants who, by the thousands, over many decades, have kept this institution on a steady course by handling everything that goes on behind the scenes. We thank the Clerk, the committee staff, the legislative support staff, our financial officers, our cafeteria workers, the janitorial staff, the security guards, and every other member of the personnel who I will not be able to mention specifically today. This Parliament literally cannot function without them.Last, on behalf of the New Democratic Party, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all Canadians on the 150th anniversary of their Parliament and recommit to making this place a source of pride for our country, but, more important, a source of the support, solutions, and leadership that will make life better for everyone, from coast to coast to coast.Thank you and congratulations.

Mr. Speaker, in line with our commitment to work with provinces and territories, we recognize that the issues raised by my colleague are very important. I can assure him that they are at the very heart of our preoccupations. Recently the finance minister met with the organization Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, which represents more than 50,000 Inuit in some communities my colleague has referred to. Our government transferred $1.6 billion for 2017-18 to Nunavut. We will continue to work with our partners to make sure we achieve results for all Canadians and to work with the member.

Mr. Speaker, we are fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. I will let the individuals concerned comment on their own situation, but I will say that the Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take every appropriate action with respect to the paradise papers.In the last two budgets, we invested a historic amount of money to combat tax avoidance and evasion, and our plan is working. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants, and 78 convictions. We will continue—

Mr. Speaker, in our first two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, a historic amount, to combat tax evasion and tax avoidance. Our plan is working. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, 268 search warrants and 78 convictions. The Canada Revenue Agency is scrutinizing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate measures. We continue to work toward a tax system that is fair and equitable for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Please indulge me for a few seconds. For the historical record, while it was the first meeting of the Parliament of Canada here some 150 years ago, it was not the first meeting that took place in this very chamber some 150 years ago. The very first meeting that took place was the last session of the Parliament of the United Province of Canada, which met here for its last time before Confederation. I would like that to be noted because this building has a very deep history indeed.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about what we have done over the past two years. We raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% so we could lower them on the middle class. We have delivered a Canada child benefit that gives more money to nine out of 10 Canadian families to help with the high cost of raising kids. We did that by stopping to send child benefit cheques to millionaire families. On top of that, we are lowering small business taxes to 9%. We have put more money in the pockets of our most vulnerable seniors, almost $1,000 more, in the guaranteed income supplement. We made it cheaper and more affordable for young people to go to school. That is what we have been doing.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, and our plan is working. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants, and 78 convictions.The Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate action with respect to the Paradise Papers. We are working to make the tax system fair for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, when Bronfman said that the goal was to raise a lot of money to help this guy become the next prime minister, he was not doing it as an act of charity. He, as all Liberals do, always wants something in return. He and the Prime Minister are close friends and Bronfman is an integral part of the Prime Minister's inner circle. If the Prime Minister is truly concerned about the tax avoiders revealed in the paradise papers, will he instruct his party to return all the money raised by Bronfman, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion. We have invested nearly $1 billion over the past two years, and we can announce that we are very close to recovering $25 billion.Our strategies and measures are yielding results. I want to reassure the public that the Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities, and we will take appropriate action.

Mr. Speaker, as you well know, we are fully committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance. I will let individuals comment on their own situation. However, with respect to the paradise papers, the CRA is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take every appropriate action. In the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion to identify high-risk taxpayers in Canada and abroad. Our investments have already yielded results. We are on track to recuperate $25 billion from our efforts against tax avoidance and tax evasion. We will continue to work for a system that is fair.

Mr. Speaker, I want to tell the Conservative members opposite that the law regarding disability tax credits has not been amended. On the contrary, in the past two years, benefits paid to persons with disabilities have increased.Our government works for the middle class and for persons with disabilities. We increased the Canada child benefit to help families. We lowered the age of retirement, we increased the guaranteed income supplement—

Mr. Speaker, as Minister of National Revenue, I can say that there will be no double standard. Everyone must obey the law. That is one of the conditions of a fair tax system. We made a promise during the election campaign, and we have taken concrete steps to fulfill that promise. We have invested nearly $1 billion, and our investment is bearing fruit. We are going to keep working for Canadians, as they asked us to do.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits they are entitled to. We are moving forward with a national disability act that would remove barriers and improve access for all Canadians living with disabilities.We have made it easier to access the disability tax credit, we simplified the forms, and in budget 2017, we made it possible for nurses to complete applications on their patients' behalf. We continue to work for the most vulnerable members of our society.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance, to make sure the tax system is fair and equitable for all Canadians. In the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion so the Canada Revenue Agency could focus on high-risk taxpayers overseas. Our investment is already bearing fruit, as we have recouped close to $25 billion in unreported income. The agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate action with regard to the Paradise papers. We will continue to work for a fair tax system for all—

Mr. Speaker, Stephen Bronfman once said that his goal was to, “raise a lot of money and to help...[him] become the next Prime Minister.”Bronfman became the Liberal Party's head of revenue, and he hosted cash-for-access events with the Prime Minister. One event was advertised as an opportunity for donors to “form relationships and open dialogues with our government.”Clearly, Bronfman believed that giving money to the Prime Minister would yield favourable outcomes. When did the Prime Minister learn that Bronfman's interests included protecting favourable offshore tax treatment?

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that the no-fly list that was designed 10 years ago contains an inherent design flaw that needs to be fixed. To fix it takes legislation and regulation and a new computer system built from the bottom up. The first step is to pass Bill C-59 to give us the legal authority to do these things. I urge the NDP to support Bill C-59.

Mr. Speaker, in the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion to identify high-risk taxpayers here and abroad. The Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take every appropriate action regarding the paradise papers.Our investments have already yielded results. We have identified $25 billion in unreported income. We will continue to work to create a system that is fair for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, in her victory speech last night, Montreal's new mayor, Valérie Plante, said she intends to ask the federal government for help increasing the supply of social housing units.In Montreal, 25,000 families are waiting for social housing. The mayor is adding her voice to that of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' big city mayors' caucus, which recently called on the government to ensure that the national housing strategy includes funding to maintain and expand the social housing stock.Has the minister heard her call?

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his excellent question and for his work in the cultural sector.We believe in culture. That is why we invested $2.2 billion in our cultural sector since forming the government. When it comes to music, we also invested $4.15 million over two years to ensure that we can export our musical talent abroad. In addition, we invested $125 million over five years to relaunch cultural diplomacy and support our cultural exporting strategy.

Mr. Speaker, they say their plan is working, but it is the media that is working. That is how we know about the paradise papers.The finance minister has defended offshore tax havens in places like Barbados by saying he does not want to throw out the baby with the bathwater. It seems that the babies the minister was referring to are a bunch of the Prime Minister's friends and Liberal Party donors. When will the Prime Minister quit attacking farmers and small business owners and start investigating Liberal Party donors who are using offshore tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have spent another billion dollars on tax collectors. Who have those tax collectors gone after? Have they gone after Morneau Shepell? Have they gone after the billionaire Bronfman family, or have they instead decided to go after people suffering with diabetes, or after minimum wage-earning waitresses who enjoy a small chicken sandwich at the end of the shift or after small businesses and farmers? When will this high-tax hypocrisy come to an end?

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-59, as those parents said today at their press conference, does nothing to fix the problem that they face every single time they try to travel. I would ask the minister if he wants to go in front of those families to tell them, “Do not worry, your child is not on the list.” These are the false positives that are being lived by thousands of Canadians. Children, business people, and even veterans are finding travelling difficult. They are being humiliated, profiled, and are living in fear of ending up on the no-fly list. Again I ask the minister: will she fully fund an actual redress system, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, the murdered and missing indigenous women's inquiry says that its slow progress is due to Liberal interference. In fact, it reports that eight out of 10 challenges are barriers put up by the Liberal government, like strangling bureaucracy and lack of resources. It is clear the Liberals misled families when they promised they were doing everything they could to help this inquiry succeed.Will the Liberals support the families of missing and murdered indigenous women, and when will they stop blocking the inquiry's work?

Mr. Speaker, the paradise papers reveal that the Prime Minister's chief fundraiser, Stephen Bronfman, moved millions of dollars to offshore tax havens through a complex web of entities in the U.S., Israel, and the Cayman Islands. The papers show evidence of bogus records to hide payments, false invoicing, and six-figure gifts to avoid paying tax attributed to Bronfman.At the height of a softwood lumber dispute, the Prime Minister chose to take Stephen Bronfman to a state dinner at the White House, leaving his Minister of Natural Resources behind. I have a simple question. What business did Bronfman have at the White House?

Mr. Speaker, with the Liberals it is always the same, “You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours”. Stephen Bronfman said to the Prime Minister, “Anything I can do to help, just let me know”. The Prime Minister said “a big thanks for your help”, nudge nudge, wink wink, and the Liberals' buddies are taken care of once again. Does the Prime Minister not see why Canadians are so outraged by yet another example of Liberal hypocrisy and conflict of interest?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister spent part of the summer and the fall treating small business owners like tax cheats. He accused them of using loopholes to save on taxes.Let us see what he will do now that some of the Liberals' closest advisers were named in the Paradise Papers and they are the ones who allegedly used loopholes to shelter their fortunes.How long has the Prime Minister known that Liberal bagman Stephen Bronfman avoids paying all of his taxes in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, new taxes for Morneau Shepell: zero. New taxes for the finance minister's family company in Barbados: zero. New taxes for the Prime Minister's multi-million dollar family trust fund: zero. New taxes for Stephen Bronfman's Cayman Islands tax shelter: zero. That is life in Liberal tax paradise. With this hypocrisy now exposed, will the government finally apologize for insulting the integrity of hard-working, tax-paying small business owners across this country?

Mr. Speaker, if we want to talk about hypocrisy, let us talk about two sets of tax rules, one for Liberals and one for everyday working-class Canadians. Bronfman and his associates are reported to have engaged in bogus record-keeping, false invoicing, and six-figure gifts to avoid paying tax. The Prime Minister continues to protect him. The Prime Minister is so close to Bronfman that at the height of a softwood lumber dispute, he took him to the White House instead of the natural resources minister. Canadian taxpayers paid for that trip. We ask the government again, what business did Bronfman have at the White House?

Mr. Speaker, I want to tell the Conservative members opposite that the law regarding disability tax credits has not been amended. On the contrary, in the past two years, benefits paid to persons with disabilities have increased.Our government works for the middle class and for persons with disabilities. We increased the Canada child benefit to help families. We lowered the age of retirement, we increased the guaranteed income supplement—

Mr. Speaker, they could speed things along if the minister asked the Prime Minister for his friends' phone numbers. Members of the Prime Minister's inner circle are using all kinds of schemes to hide millions of dollars in tax havens.There is no doubt that the Prime Minister and Stephen Bronfman are connected. They have even vacationed together. In 2015, Mr. Bronfman said that he was prepared to do everything he could to help the Prime Minister win.Why did the Prime Minister let his friend, the Liberal Party's chief fundraiser, avoid paying taxes like all other Canadians are required to do?

Mr. Speaker, children and their families who have been impacted for years by the no-fly list are on Parliament Hill today demanding an end to this human rights violation.There are children as young as six being denied from boarding flights. Canadians want to see a properly funded redress system in the 2018 federal budget, and they want an end to the hundreds, if not thousands, of false positives that have occurred to date.When will the government finally heed these calls and end this injustice for families once and for all?

Mr. Speaker, in the last few months, the Liberal government has been squeezing Canadian small businesses for more tax revenue. It has been taking away tax relief from families fighting diabetes, autism, and mental health issues.However, what is the one group the Liberals have left alone? Their super-rich friends and those working hard to join them. When will the Prime Minister stop targeting hard-working Canadian families and start closing tax and ethics loopholes used by his friends?

Mr. Speaker, if you will permit, on behalf of all Canadians, I extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who were killed in Texas, and we hope for a speedy recovery for all of those who were injured yesterday. It is appalling that this act took place in a place of worship, where worshippers should have felt safe. Canada, as a nation, stands in solidarity with the United States during this difficult time.On the other matter, I can assure the opposition that we are fully committed to fighting tax avoidance and tax evasion, and we will continue to ensure that the CRA pursues all infringers upon that for the many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, the government is going after the small taxpayer, but not the big fish. The Prime Minister was elected on the promise to work hard for the middle class and those working hard to join it. The middle class cannot afford accounts on the Cayman Islands, but the Liberals' rich and wealthy friends can. The Prime Minister said shortly after his election “Tax avoidance, tax evasion is something we take very seriously”, and promised swift action. Canadians are still waiting. What is the Prime Minister waiting for?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion. The historic $1-billion investment we made in our last two budgets is yielding concrete, tangible results for Canadians. We are about to recoup $25 billion. We investigate four new jurisdictions per year. Our plan is delivering results. We have had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions. We continue to work for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the stats that Prime Minister is quoting actually shows his government is doing a good job going after the small taxpayer, going after ordinary Canadians, but it always lets the big fish go. We know about Stephen Bronfman through the paradise papers, but let us not forget that the government, through committee, stalled the study on KPMG and the Isle of Man. Let us not forget that the government has done nothing about the Panama papers. The government has not taken seriously the issue of tax havens and offshore accounts. When will it?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In fact, over the past two years, we have invested nearly $1 billion to combat tax havens. This investment has helped our efforts to recover nearly $25 billion. Charges have been laid. That is what Canadians asked us to do and we are delivering.

Mr. Speaker, during the last campaign, the government was very clear. Cracking down on tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance was part of our platform.Over the past two years, we have invested nearly $1 billion, which has allowed us to conduct investigations and to recoup nearly $25 billion. Charges have been laid. We are working internationally and examining four jurisdictions per year.That is what Canadians asked us to do and we are getting the job done.

Mr. Speaker, today, after consulting with workers across the country, I am tabling a private members' bill to protect the pensions of workers. Currently Canada's bankruptcy laws do not protect workers' pensions and benefits. The Prime Minister knows this, which is why he promised workers in my hometown that he would improve retirement security for Canadians. However, he has so far refused to fix the rules that let companies shortchange workers' pension plans. Workers fulfill their obligations, and companies and the Liberal government must do the same. Will the Prime Minister keep his promise and work with me to protect our pensioners, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits they are entitled to. We are moving forward with a national disability act that would remove barriers and improve access for all Canadians living with disabilities.We have made it easier to access the disability tax credit, we simplified the forms, and in budget 2017, we made it possible for nurses to complete applications on their patients' behalf. We continue to work for the most vulnerable members of our society.

Mr. Speaker, the law may not have changed, but the way it is interpreted has, because the least fortunate are being targeted.This summer entrepreneurs were the ones being targeted, and now it is people with type 1 diabetes. In fact, 80% of those people will no longer get their tax credit.Why is the government picking on the most vulnerable in our society? Why is it not looking at what is going on with the Liberals' tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, as an MP, Terence Young introduced Vanessa's Law to honour his daughter, who died after taking a prescription drug. Three years ago today, Vanessa's Law received royal assent, yet under the Liberal government, it sits idle and unenforced. The Liberals are proposing to undermine the intent of this law even further by making Canadians wait six years for reports of injuries and deaths and by requiring researchers to sign contracts to never reveal crucial data.Why has the government abandoned Vanessa's Law and the transparency crucial to reducing drug harm and deaths?

Mr. Speaker, we simply cannot trust the Liberals to do anything but get caught with their hands in the cookie jar.We wondered why they voted against the Bloc Québécois motion to combat tax havens. We now know it was because that is where they hide their money. The Liberal Party is the tax-evasion party, and yet the Liberals still claim to be standing up for the middle class.Will this government finally take action and go after people who use tax havens to evade taxes, even if those people include friends, family members, or colleagues?

Mr. Speaker, the Cayman Islands is the kind of place where there are more bank accounts than people. Members of the middle class and those working hard to join it do not have bank accounts in the Cayman Islands.For those who do not know, Stephen Bronfman was once the head of the Prime Minister's leadership campaign and is the chief fundraiser for the Liberal Party of Canada. He also happens to manage a trust in the Cayman Islands.Have the Liberals failed to crack down on tax havens in order to protect Liberal organizers and friends of the Prime Minister?

Mr. Speaker, it has gotten to the point where every time the issue of tax havens comes up, so does the Liberal Party, and every time we talk about tax havens and the Liberal Party, the Minister of National Revenue sounds like a broken record.After learning that Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin, and Stephen Bronfman, three prominent Liberals, are hiding millions of dollars down south, we understand why this government refuses to take action against tax havens. It would rather defend the indefensible than clean house. Taxes are for other people to pay, certainly not the Prime Minister's friends.Will the Canada Revenue Agency do its job and investigate Stephen Bronfman?

Mr. Speaker, if only my colleague opposite could show as many results as we have with respect to tax avoidance. Over the past two years, we invested $1 billion. We are very close to recovering $25 billion. People are facing charges. We have been meeting with four new jurisdictions every year. Cases are being handed over to criminal investigations. We are on track to meet Canadians' expectations. It is what we promised in our platform and we are keeping that promise.

Mr. Speaker, Stephen Bronfman once said that his goal was to, “raise a lot of money and to help...[him] become the next Prime Minister.”Bronfman became the Liberal Party's head of revenue, and he hosted cash-for-access events with the Prime Minister. One event was advertised as an opportunity for donors to “form relationships and open dialogues with our government.”Clearly, Bronfman believed that giving money to the Prime Minister would yield favourable outcomes. When did the Prime Minister learn that Bronfman's interests included protecting favourable offshore tax treatment?

Mr. Speaker, in her victory speech last night, Montreal's new mayor, Valérie Plante, said she intends to ask the federal government for help increasing the supply of social housing units.In Montreal, 25,000 families are waiting for social housing. The mayor is adding her voice to that of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' big city mayors' caucus, which recently called on the government to ensure that the national housing strategy includes funding to maintain and expand the social housing stock.Has the minister heard her call?

Mr. Speaker, as I said, I will let the individuals involved comment on their own situation.Our government continues to crack down on tax evasion and tax avoidance. We will continue to work for the middle class and those working hard to join it. That is why we lowered taxes for the middle class and raised them for the wealthiest 1%. That is why we created the Canada child benefit, which gives more tax-free money to nine out of 10 families every month. That is why we are in the process of lowering the small business tax rate to 9%. That is what we are doing for the middle class.

Mr. Speaker, we fully appreciate the frustration of law-abiding travellers who can be stigmatized and delayed as a result of false positives on the no-fly list.However, to be clear, there are no children on the no-fly list, but there is confusion among similar names. That takes new legislation to fix that problem, new regulations, and a new computer system.The first of those steps is being taken in Bill C-59. I urge the NDP to vote for it.

Mr. Speaker, when Bronfman said that the goal was to raise a lot of money to help this guy become the next prime minister, he was not doing it as an act of charity. He, as all Liberals do, always wants something in return. He and the Prime Minister are close friends and Bronfman is an integral part of the Prime Minister's inner circle. If the Prime Minister is truly concerned about the tax avoiders revealed in the paradise papers, will he instruct his party to return all the money raised by Bronfman, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, the government does not understand anything about international tax avoidance because it continues to ignore the fundamental problem of tax havens instead of addressing it. The minister still believes that the solution to tax havens is to invest in the Canada Revenue Agency. However, the fundamental problem lies in our overly permissive legislation that the Liberal Party's cronies benefit from.Could the minister get her head out of the sand, especially since she voted for an NDP motion calling for action against tax avoidance and tax havens? Why has the minister still not proposed any measures to put an end to this legal tax scam?

Mr. Speaker, a major ethics crisis involving the Prime Minister of Canada is tarnishing Canada's international reputation.We now know that Stephen Bronfman, the Liberal Party's chief fundraiser, had questionable dealings with tax havens. Mr. Bronfman is a close friend of the Prime Minister. They are so close, in fact, that when the Prime Minister visited the White House a year and a half ago, he left his Minister of Natural Resources behind but brought his good friend Bronfman, the Liberal Party's top bagman, to the White House with him.Can the Prime Minister give us just one good reason why he left his Minister of Natural Resources in Ottawa and brought along his close Liberal friend and fundraiser?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Ms. Plante on being elected Montreal's new mayor.I also want to congratulate and thank all of the other candidates who worked very hard all across Quebec to run in the municipal election. I am personally very much looking forward to meeting Ms. Plante.In the coming weeks, we will launch Canada's first-ever national housing strategy, which will provide extraordinary opportunities to strengthen the Government of Canada's role in supporting our families in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. I am proud of the leadership role Canada has taken on the international stage. Tax evasion is a global problem that requires collaboration with all of our international partners.The nearly $1 billion we have invested is yielding results. We are on track to recoup close to $25 billion. Criminal charges are being laid, and search warrants are being executed. We made a promise to Canadians, and we are doing what we promised.

Mr. Speaker, we are fully committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance. That is why we put close to a billion dollars in the last two budgets to do just that. In investing historic sums to make sure we have the right tools to crack down on tax evaders, we have concrete results delivered. There are 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, 78 convictions. We will continue to work hard every day for a tax system that is fair for everyone.

Mr. Speaker, a Liberal is Liberal is a Liberal, and we can always count on them to be entitled to their entitlements, entitled to take private helicopters on private island vacations, entitled to taxpayer-funded nannies, entitled to protecting their vast family fortunes from many unfair tax changes, entitled to setting up offshore tax havens in France, Barbados, or the Cayman Islands. Canadians are entitled to know, why do they always end up footing the bill when these lifestyle of the rich and famous Liberals pay less?

Mr. Speaker, our position on the issue was quite clear during the campaign.We said we would combat tax evasion and tax havens. We have invested $1 billion over the past two years. We have produced results for Canadians. We are going to recoup close to $25 billion. We have criminal investigations under way. We are working with tax administrations around the world.I can say that I am very proud of the international leadership role we have taken.

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Please indulge me for a few seconds. For the historical record, while it was the first meeting of the Parliament of Canada here some 150 years ago, it was not the first meeting that took place in this very chamber some 150 years ago. The very first meeting that took place was the last session of the Parliament of the United Province of Canada, which met here for its last time before Confederation. I would like that to be noted because this building has a very deep history indeed.

Mr. Speaker, meanwhile, with his tax reform, the Prime Minister spent weeks essentially accusing our farmers, entrepreneurs, and professionals of fraud. The paradise papers scandal is proof of the Liberals' hypocrisy. The names in there are not those of ordinary people. One is the Liberal Party's chief fundraiser, Stephen Bronfman. Another is former Liberal senator Leo Kolber. Both are very good friends of the Liberal Party. My question is simple. When did the Prime Minister find out that his organizer had direct connections to tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, the revenue minister seems to be proud of reaching into the pockets of disabled people and taking away their tax credits and pension plans, while the Prime Minister's chief political fundraiser is sheltering his fortune in an offshore tax haven. Canadians can see the Liberal hypocrisy.Why will she not protect vulnerable Canadians and make Liberal friends sheltering their fortunes in offshore bank accounts pay the same fair share that they expect of all other taxpayers?

Mr. Speaker, every Canadian has a friend or relative who is affected by mental health problems, and the social and economic costs are extremely high. We are giving a record number of tax credits to people with disabilities and people with mental health problems. In budget 2017, we invested $5 billion so we could help 500,000 Canadians under the age of 25, and we will continue to focus on helping those most in need.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion, and we have taken concrete action to do so.Over the past two years, we have invested nearly $1 billion, allowing us to recoup $25 billion. Charges have been laid. We are working at the international level. We are working with our partners. The work is not done. It is ongoing.I can say that we have always done quite a bit more than the Bloc Québécois.

Mr. Speaker, hiring more inspectors without changing the current treaties with tax havens will not amount to much.An international consortium of journalists published a list of new names of people who are benefiting from tax havens: the Queen of England, rock stars, Trump's entourage, and, in Canada, the Liberals. What a surprise. Former Liberal prime ministers, former Liberal senators, and Liberal organizers were named.Are the Liberals doing nothing to combat tax havens in an effort to protect the Liberal family?

Mr. Speaker, as everyone knows, the Prime Minister is very close to the Bronfman family and to Stephen Bronfman in particular. This reflects poorly on Canada. Here is what the influential newspaper The Guardian wrote this morning: “The chief fundraiser and senior adviser to the Canadian Prime Minister...who played a critical role in [his] rise to power...”. That is huge. We are not talking about some humble supporter who put out some lawn signs. This is the money man who helped get the Prime Minister where he is today.Can the Prime Minister give us one good reason why, when he went to Washington, he left the Minister of Natural Resources in Ottawa but took his Liberal buddy—

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion. We have invested nearly $1 billion over the past two years, and we can announce that we are very close to recovering $25 billion.Our strategies and measures are yielding results. I want to reassure the public that the Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities, and we will take appropriate action.

Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to congratulate those who spoke before me for their heartfelt tribute to the 150 years of the Canadian parliamentary system. I am sure that the Canadian parliamentary system is something very important to them. I am sure that it is very important and that many Canadians are proud of it. Unfortunately, for many Quebeckers, it means something else. Let us face it, the 150th anniversary was not exactly celebrated in Quebec, which is not surprising. Quebec never looked forward to signing the British North America Act. There have not been too many opportunities for Quebec to look forward to anything since the Dominion of Canada was created. Confederation, for Quebec, means 150 years of being constantly undermined by the decisions taken in the House year after year. It was here that, during the First World War, the federal government temporarily granted itself the right to tax Quebeckers' income. The war is over, all the heroes who fought it have been dead for a long time, but we still pay half of our taxes to this government, even though it barely delivers any services. All this to have the power to decide on provincial jurisdictions, when the provinces are the ones that deal with publicly funded services and are accountable to Quebeckers. The reality of one hundred years of holding our people hostage is an anniversary that federalist parties would prefer to ignore. It was also here in the House that federal politicians voted to prevent Quebec from controlling broadcasting by taking away a portion of our government's jurisdiction over culture, education, and information. The current government's agreement with Netflix is the unfortunate proof that it is bent on meddling incompetently in areas that are supposed to be under Quebec's jurisdiction. Rendering history and reality meaningless, the Canadian Constitution essentially denies the existence of the Quebec nation. Even now, we refuse to sign this pact whose sole intention is to force our distinct society to fall in line every time we try to do things our own way. This is where the Clarity Act was passed, an authoritarian law that undermines Quebeckers' right to the most basic expression of democracy. Today's celebration is about weakening Quebec's position in the Canadian parliamentary system. The day before Confederation, Quebec held half the seats in Parliament. The day after, it held a third of them. Now we have less than a quarter. When the very first sitting of the House of Commons of the Dominion of Canada took place on November 6, 1867, the first subject of debate was the appointment of the first Speaker of the House of Commons. The elected representatives had been together for barely 10 minutes when a member from Quebec was forced to complain because John A. MacDonald wanted to appoint a unilingual anglophone Speaker. That member found it unfortunate that, at the inauguration of Confederation, greater respect was not shown. I am sure he would have fallen off his chair had he known that, 150 years later, we would still be having this kind of debate.

Mr. Speaker, over the past two years the current Liberal government has demonized retail workers who enjoy an employee discount. It has demonized hard-working entrepreneurs and business owners, and characterized them as tax cheats. The Prime Minister is even raising taxes on diabetics to pay off his billion dollar deficits. Meanwhile, he is here in the House defending a man who hid his assets from the Ethics Commissioner.Why is it that under the current government, it is always the middle class and working Canadians who pay a bit more, while wealthy friends like Stephen Bronfman always end up getting away paying less?

Mr. Speaker, we are fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. I will let the individuals concerned comment on their own situation, but I will say that the Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take every appropriate action with respect to the paradise papers.In the last two budgets, we invested a historic amount of money to combat tax avoidance and evasion, and our plan is working. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants, and 78 convictions. We will continue—

Mr. Speaker, in Granby, in my riding of Shefford, we have the largest francophone singing competition in North America. Since 1969, this festival has been an important vehicle for showcasing and promoting Canadian francophone talent around the world. Recently, the Minister of Canadian Heritage made historic announcements for Canadian creators.Could the minister tell the House what she is doing to support these artists and to showcase their work abroad?

[Member spoke in aboriginal language][English]Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. The government is committed to making real progress on issues most important to indigenous peoples, including education. Targeted investments in first nations education have been made to ensure a brighter future for first nations children. Nunavut currently has the lowest graduation rate in the country, with only 35% of students graduating. This is 50% lower than the national average. How and when will similar targeted investments be made for Inuit education in Nunavut?

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister defends tax havens by insisting that they do not actually need to be fixed, that there is no problem. Now, we thought the finance minister was just protecting his own interests within his family company, but it turns out that there is actually a whole crew of Liberals who are colluding together in order to keep these tax loopholes open. My question is very simple, and that is: When did the Prime Minister become aware that the Liberal Party's head of revenue, Stephen Bronfman, was sheltering money in offshore accounts?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, and our plan is working. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants, and 78 convictions.The Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate action with respect to the Paradise Papers. We are working to make the tax system fair for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that the no-fly list that was designed 10 years ago contains an inherent design flaw that needs to be fixed. To fix it takes legislation and regulation and a new computer system built from the bottom up. The first step is to pass Bill C-59 to give us the legal authority to do these things. I urge the NDP to support Bill C-59.

Mr. Speaker, it did not take long for the Liberals to start acting like Liberals, placing wealthy friends ahead of everyday Canadians. In March of this year, the Liberals voted in favour of the NDP's motion calling on the government to take action to tackle tax haven, including renegotiating tax treaties that let companies repatriate profits from tax havens to Canada tax free. Here is a spoiler alert; they have not done any of it yet. Did the Prime Minister refuse to act on tax havens to help his wealthy friends?

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance. In our first two budgets, we took concrete steps. We invested $1 billion, we have targeted four jurisdictions per year, and we have hired competent staff.Our plan is working. We have transferred 627 cases to criminal investigation, and there have been 268 search warrants and 78 convictions. The Canada Revenue Agency is scrutinizing links to Canadian entities, and we will take appropriate action.

Mr. Speaker, as Minister of National Revenue, I can say that there will be no double standard. Everyone must obey the law. That is one of the conditions of a fair tax system. We made a promise during the election campaign, and we have taken concrete steps to fulfill that promise. We have invested nearly $1 billion, and our investment is bearing fruit. We are going to keep working for Canadians, as they asked us to do.

Mr. Speaker, in our first two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, a historic amount, to combat tax evasion and tax avoidance. Our plan is working. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, 268 search warrants and 78 convictions. The Canada Revenue Agency is scrutinizing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate measures. We continue to work toward a tax system that is fair and equitable for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, we are working very hard to improve the immigration detention system. I thank the member for Toronto—Danforth for being such a strong advocate.Today I am announcing a new directive that includes the best interests of the child as a primary factor for the Canada Border Services Agency when making decisions affecting families. The goal is to avoid children in detention as much as humanly possible. We are committed to an immigration system that protects public safety while treating people with fairness, dignity, and compassion.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in the House today to join my colleagues in marking the 150th anniversary of the first sitting of Parliament. Canadians can be truly proud of having built, shaped, and preserved one of the longest uninterrupted parliaments in the world. Every day we demonstrate to the world how ideas can be debated in a peaceful, civil, and productive manner, with the possible exception of question period.We show how we can come together to make life better for the people who sent us here to represent them. In a country as geographically, linguistically, and ethnically diverse as ours, this is no small achievement.The NDP can be proud of the major firsts they have contributed to Parliament. Among those, our party was the first to have an openly gay man elected to the House and the first to have a woman lead a federal political party in the House, just to name a few milestones. There is no doubt that we have made a lot of progress since the days when Parliament was made up of only white men. We are pleased to see that the members sitting in the House look a lot more like the people who voted for them than they used to a long time ago.However, we have to be honest that we are nowhere close to where we need to be. We have yet to achieve even near gender balance in the House. The 2015 election sent a record number of women to this chamber and yet they still only make up a little more than one quarter of the MPs in the House. All parties should use this important anniversary to commit to reaching gender parity in the House as soon as possible. New Democrats and Canadians across the country also believe our Parliament can be made even better by reflecting Canadians' actual voting preferences.Let us be honest, the House does not reflect the proportion of support each party received in the last election.If we move toward a proportional system of elections, we could not only make room for new voices, but re-inspire Canadians with the knowledge that their votes truly do matter and their Parliament is truly a reflection of their will. Surely there is no better way to mark the 150th anniversary of Parliament than by working to make it more representative. All Canadians will benefit from it.No celebration of our Parliament would be complete if we did not mention the hard work of the devoted staff and public servants who, by the thousands, over many decades, have kept this institution on a steady course by handling everything that goes on behind the scenes. We thank the Clerk, the committee staff, the legislative support staff, our financial officers, our cafeteria workers, the janitorial staff, the security guards, and every other member of the personnel who I will not be able to mention specifically today. This Parliament literally cannot function without them.Last, on behalf of the New Democratic Party, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all Canadians on the 150th anniversary of their Parliament and recommit to making this place a source of pride for our country, but, more important, a source of the support, solutions, and leadership that will make life better for everyone, from coast to coast to coast.Thank you and congratulations.

Mr. Speaker, for 150 years, our Parliament has been a reflection of Canada and Canadians. It is more than a building. It is the embodiment of our national character, its virtues and vices, its strengths and its weaknesses.It has been burned to the ground and been built back up stone by stone. It has heard the echoes of gunfire, and felt the blast of a bomb that, thankfully, detonated mere minutes prematurely. It has rung with cheers of victory at the end of two world wars, and it has stood mute witness to the tears of a nation mourning distinguished former members of this House lying in state, from Sir John A. Macdonald to the hon. Jack Layton.The legislative measures debated and passed in this chamber help Canada progress and, unfortunately, they also sometimes set us back. Our House has seen legislative measures that support our liberties, and others that limit them.This is a physical place, but also an institution, and as an institution made of human beings, the outcomes are not always perfect. As Canadians, we must not forget our past. We must never be afraid to admit when we have made a mistake and to apologize when necessary.That is why Prime Minister Harper came to the House nine years ago and issued a formal apology to former victims of the Indian residential schools on behalf of a country that had failed them. It was appropriate, because so many of the decisions that caused so much grief and suffering had been deliberated and, in some cases, approved right here in this building. That we who have been trusted with the governance of Canada have sometimes failed should not be surprising. This chamber may be made of wood and stone, but the men and women who give it its life are hewn from the crooked timber of humanity. These chairs have supported patriots and heroes, but also a few rogues, so we cannot claim to have always been perfect, but we know that perfection is not available to us this side of eternity. Yet, somehow, the motley and imperfect assemblages that have gathered here over the last 150 years have achieved something of a miracle. Together, the members who came before us superintended a Canada that has grown and flourished beyond what anyone in the first Parliament could have dreamed. It is fashionable today to look down at the past, but that is a luxury we enjoy from heights built by those who preceded us in this chamber. If we look back at our rich history and study the leading figures in its telling and see only the blemishes, then we are missing out on the beautiful story of a country constantly bettering itself, and consistently offering a refuge to so many around the world. It is a story of different parliaments at different times, working through the imperfections of the day. It is a story that on the whole has been a story of hope for so many. It is a story of prosperity, compassion, liberty, and human rights.To those who deny we have anything to be proud of as a country, I would pose a simple question: “Where else would you have rather lived for the last 150 years?” That is not a rhetorical question. It is a straightforward question for which there is only one honest answer. There is nowhere we would rather have lived, no country we would rather call our home, for no country has acquitted herself better at home and abroad than Canada. It is indisputable that the world has been better off for the last 150 years because of Canada. Without the sacrifices of our soldiers, sailors, and airmen, more than 100,000 of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice, while many more came home bearing scars, mental and physical, the world would be more dangerous. Without the brilliance of our artists, painters, sculptors, writers, singers, and actors, the world would be losing part of its cultural richness.Without the work of the men and women who cultivate, farm, and develop our incredible landscape, who fish in our three great oceans that surround us, and who work in the towns, plants, and office towers, the world would be poorer, colder, and darker. If we dwell on past mistakes, we miss out on their remarkable successes. We end up taking for granted their contribution to Canada and Canada's contribution to the rest of the world. It is time for a little gratitude. Make that a lot of gratitude. That we have prospered and flourished is no accident. It is a combination of good fortune and good stewardship. We are fortunate to have inherited the most stable and enduring political system in the world. We should be grateful to the members of the House who have nurtured and sustained it for the benefit of Canadians and the inspiration of the world.For it is to this House that world leaders have come over the last century to express their admiration of Canada as the very exemplar of peace, order, and good government. It was here that Churchill came in Britain's darkest hour, when Hitler's armies were within sight of English shores, to thank Canada for our support and to display his jowl-shaking defiance in the face of Nazi aggression. Later, we were engaged in a very different kind of war against Soviet imperialism, a battle not just based on geography but on ideology, a battle to defend the economic freedom that had created untold prosperity for so many millions around the world, yet a freedom that was denied to so many. During that battle, two of the great figures of the 20th century, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, each came to this House twice to thank Canada for our friendship and dedication to key principles. More recently, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko came to Canada while his country was suffering under a new Russian imperialism, to praise "the special partnership between Ukraine and Canada" and to salute Canada as a model for Ukraine and for the world. It is in our nature as Canadians to be self-deprecating, but sometimes, maybe once every 150 years, it is okay to acknowledge what the rest of the world tells us: we occupy a special place in the fellowship of free nations and our institutions, including this Parliament, are the envy of other nations.I am not asking members of the House to pat ourselves on the back and congratulate ourselves for assuming this awesome duty. Rather, let us roll up our sleeves and get to work in the House and across Canada to continue the work of those who came before us so that those who come after us, 150 years from now, will consider us worthy of the same gratitude we offer today to our predecessors.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know full well that in our first two budgets we invested nearly $1 billion to combat tax evasion and tax avoidance.We continue to work every day to ensure that everyone pays their fair share of taxes. The results speak for themselves: 627 cases have been transferred to criminal investigation, and there have been 268 warrants and 78 convictions. We will continue to work hard every day to create a tax system that is fair for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we have always fought strongly in fighting against tax evasion and tax avoidance. Indeed, this is a multi-billion dollar issue. That is why we made a billion dollar investment to tackle it. We are reviewing leaks to identify any links to Canadian entities and we will take every appropriate action. We use the information received through leaked lists when they arise, but we do not wait on these lists to attack the problem. That is why the CRA has more than 990 audits and more than 42 criminal investigations related to offshore financial structures,under way as of September 30.

Mr. Speaker, it is a huge honour for me to rise today as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of this House of Commons.I am overwhelmed and grateful for my colleagues that there is an opportunity for the Green Party to mark the 150th sitting of the Parliament of Canada. I want to acknowledge that we are on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin nation. We all are very grateful for the perpetual generosity of indigenous peoples in our country to be willing to consider our meek efforts at reconciliation.I note that at 150 years old, our democracy here, the first meeting of Parliament on November 6, 1867, was a bit late. One hundred years earlier, the first parliamentary representative democracy in North America met in Nova Scotia. In 2008, Nova Scotians celebrated the 250th. Imagine that I can stand here today, on our 150th occasion, in the presence in the gallery of four extraordinary Canadians, each of who I hold in such respect and affection. That the Right. Hon. John Turner, the Right Hon. Joe Clark, the Right Hon. Brian Mulroney, and the Right Hon. Paul Martin would be here for this celebration, as well as our former Speakers, John Bosley and Peter Milliken, is an extraordinary moment.I want to reiterate how proud I am. I find it incredible that I have the privilege to participate, because it is indeed a privilege, not a right.Even as we look back at Halifax and the 250th anniversary, we are all pikers. The longest continuous participatory democracy on the planet is the 800-year-old Iroquois confederacy of the Haudenosaunee. We have learned parliamentary democracy. We have learned that Parliament comes from the word parler. We know we are here to speak with each other, work together, respect each other, and to work to earn the respect of our constituents who have sent us here not to blow our own horn, but to carry their cares and concerns to this place.I could not agree more with our right hon. Prime Minister that one of the greatest parliamentarians I have ever had the privilege to know and work with left us too soon when we lost Arnold Chan. It is his words I think of today, that call in his last speech, the last time he had the physical strength to stand in this place, for us to respect each other.I also ask us to look around. We are in this room, what a privilege, day in and day out, but how often do we look up, and I am afraid I am going to go in a Friendly Giant direction, look way up? There is a reason that this magnificent chamber dwarfs its occupants. This room is not about us as members of Parliament. This room is about democracy. It is about Canada. We are very tiny in this space because our role is to represent something far bigger than ourselves. We are here for Canada. We are here for a country in which we are blessed to live, know, and love. We are to cherish that democracy. This room dwarfs us for a reason.Thank you to all of my colleagues and thank you Canada. Congratulations and thank you.

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance. What we want is a fair and equitable tax system for all Canadians. Our actions are producing results. We have invested close to $1 billion over the past two years, which will enable us to recoup nearly $25 billion.I am very proud of the international leadership role we have taken. We are working with our partners around the world. That is what Canadians asked us to do, and that is what we are going to do.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his excellent question and for his work in the cultural sector.We believe in culture. That is why we invested $2.2 billion in our cultural sector since forming the government. When it comes to music, we also invested $4.15 million over two years to ensure that we can export our musical talent abroad. In addition, we invested $125 million over five years to relaunch cultural diplomacy and support our cultural exporting strategy.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about what we have done over the past two years. We raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% so we could lower them on the middle class. We have delivered a Canada child benefit that gives more money to nine out of 10 Canadian families to help with the high cost of raising kids. We did that by stopping to send child benefit cheques to millionaire families. On top of that, we are lowering small business taxes to 9%. We have put more money in the pockets of our most vulnerable seniors, almost $1,000 more, in the guaranteed income supplement. We made it cheaper and more affordable for young people to go to school. That is what we have been doing.

Mr. Speaker, Prime Ministers, I rise today to mark a historic anniversary. On this day 150 years ago, Canada's first legislature sat for the very first time. Over the many years and sessions that followed, this House, more than any other institution, wrote Canada's history. Men and women sat in this chamber to debate and pass legislation to build a better, fairer, more equitable country for all.Our 14th prime minister, the great Lester B. Pearson, once said, “We who are elected to serve Canada in Parliament owe those who elect us more than the advocacy of non-controversial ideas.” He was right.This House has hosted some of the most important debates and decisions of our time. Within these walls, Canada has been reborn countless times since Confederation, and in our progress we have defined the character of a country. It was here that Agnes Macphail broke barriers as the first female MP. It was here that we introduced universal health care. It was here that we abolished the death penalty. It was here that same-sex couples were extended the right to marry.It was here that the Official Languages Act was debated and passed. It was also here that we righted some of our most terrible wrongs. We apologized for dark, shameful chapters in our history, especially the horrible way indigenous people were treated in the residential school system and the refusal to take in the innocent people aboard the Komagata Maru who were seeking help.This House has welcomed some extraordinary guests, including Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, and Malala Yousafzai. In fact, serving in this chamber is one of the greatest honours to which a person can aspire.Day after day, year after year, members sit in this House and do important work on behalf of Canadians, work that impacts families and communities, work that shapes the course of people's daily lives. Because of the magnitude of what happens and what can happen here, we will not always agree. However, it is the way we disagree that defines us. Let us be women and men of principle and of humility, for we have been bestowed the responsibility to serve and we must do so honourably. We are lucky to have had strong leaders in this place to remind us of that, folks like Arnold Chan. Let us never lose sight of the fact that we are all here for the same reason, to make our country better, to improve the lives of the people we serve. We may have different ideas on how to get there, but there is always common ground. If we work together, we will find it.On this historic day, I call upon all of us to continue to work hard and to stay true to ourselves. On that, I am reminded of something that our 15th prime minister once said: “Our hopes are high. Our faith in the people is great. Our courage is strong. And our dreams for this beautiful country will never die.”

Mr. Speaker, our government supports secure pensions. More importantly, we understand workers and their families and the dedication and commitment they make to various companies. It is important that we work with them.With respect to the CCAA process, that process is designed to help companies in financial distress, so that they can restructure their affairs in order to come out of that restructuring process to help, preserve, and create thousands of jobs.With respect to Sears, the current issue at hand, we are working with Sears Canada employees across the country, and Service Canada, in order to provide assistance and support to the workers and their families.

Mr. Speaker, for months, this department has been going after type 1 diabetics, and today this minister has told us how proud she is of her department.Is she proud of targeting disabled Canadians? Is she proud of targeting low-wage earning retail employees? Is she proud of going after small businesses? When will the Liberal government get its priorities straight, back off of vulnerable Canadians, and go after real tax avoiders, including Liberal insiders?

Mr. Speaker, first it was the Minister of Finance and now it is Liberal bagman Stephen Bronfman who has been caught red-handed. He apparently hid part of his personal fortune in a tax haven. Why is the Prime Minister still making honest, middle-class Canadian families pay more while allowing his friends to avoid paying taxes in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, in the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion to identify high-risk taxpayers here and abroad. The Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take every appropriate action regarding the paradise papers.Our investments have already yielded results. We have identified $25 billion in unreported income. We will continue to work to create a system that is fair for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I repeat that our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion.The opposition members' hypocrisy is astounding. The former minister of national revenue, Mr. Blackburn, clearly stated in an interview that this was not even a priority for the previous Conservative government.We do not need any lessons from a party that works every day to protect privileges for the wealthy. Canadians expect a fair tax system. That is what we promised, and that is what we will deliver.

Mr. Speaker, the investments we are making in child care, skilled trades, training, and infrastructure will put more Canadians on the path to success. Since our government first took office, the Canadian economy has created over half a million jobs. We have seen 11 consecutive months of job growth, the best in a decade. As Bank of Montreal economist Doug Porter noted, September and October marked the highest two-month period of job growth on record. We ran on a plan to make smart investments to grow our economy and strengthen our middle class, and that plan is working.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. I want to reassure Canadians that, personally, as the minister responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency, I have no one to protect. There are laws that apply and they will apply to everyone so that we have a tax system that is fair and equitable for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion. I do not understand my colleagues across the way. The Conservatives' hypocrisy is stunning. A former Canada Revenue Agency minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even had the nerve to say that tax evasion was not even a priority for the Conservative government.We made an election promise to crack down on tax evasion, we are taking action, and we will continue to work to ensure that everyone pays their fair share and that we have a tax system that is fair for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the effectiveness and compassion of our immigration system makes Canada an example for the world, but we know that we can always do better, including when it comes to immigration detention. Our government has made great steps on this, which can be seen in the significant drop in the number of people detained under immigration laws in the last two years.Can the minister please tell us what more the government is doing to ensure that immigration detention, especially for minors, is used as rarely as possible?

Mr. Speaker, middle-class Canadians continue to hear the Prime Minister demand tax fairness from them, but when it comes to Liberal Party donors and wealthy insiders, the Prime Minister practises instead tax forgiveness. When will the Prime Minister end his two-tier taxation policy and start making Liberal insiders and donors pay their fair share of Liberal spending, rather than going after hard-working Canadian small business owners and farmers?

Mr. Speaker, as you well know, we are fully committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance. I will let individuals comment on their own situation. However, with respect to the paradise papers, the CRA is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take every appropriate action. In the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion to identify high-risk taxpayers in Canada and abroad. Our investments have already yielded results. We are on track to recuperate $25 billion from our efforts against tax avoidance and tax evasion. We will continue to work for a system that is fair.

Mr. Speaker, in line with our commitment to work with provinces and territories, we recognize that the issues raised by my colleague are very important. I can assure him that they are at the very heart of our preoccupations. Recently the finance minister met with the organization Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, which represents more than 50,000 Inuit in some communities my colleague has referred to. Our government transferred $1.6 billion for 2017-18 to Nunavut. We will continue to work with our partners to make sure we achieve results for all Canadians and to work with the member.

Mr. Speaker, Stephen Bronfman is the Prime Minister's top moneyman, and was the Liberal Party's “revenue chair”. The Prime Minister vacations with him. He even broke protocol to bring him to a state dinner with then President Obama. Now we know that he used a $60 million tax haven scheme to avoid paying his fair share in Canada. If the Prime Minister wants to restore any credibility on the issue of tax fairness, will he immediately order the Liberal Party to give back all the money Stephen Bronfman raised for the Liberals?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance, to make sure the tax system is fair and equitable for all Canadians. In the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion so the Canada Revenue Agency could focus on high-risk taxpayers overseas. Our investment is already bearing fruit, as we have recouped close to $25 billion in unreported income. The agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate action with regard to the Paradise papers. We will continue to work for a fair tax system for all—

Mr. Speaker, the important work of the commission is crucial to getting the answers the families have been waiting decades for, and to ending this ongoing tragedy. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that the commission has all the support it needs to succeed. We have struck a working group to create and provide effective back-office support to the commission to ensure it is able to do its work effectively. Families must and will get the answers they need.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance, to make sure the tax system is fair and equitable for all Canadians. I am proud of the leadership role Canada has taken on the international stage. Co-operation between revenue authorities, including the exchange of tax information, is an essential tool for maintaining the integrity of Canada's tax base.Our efforts have borne fruit, as we are about to recoup $25 billion.

Mr. Speaker, people in my riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler in the Waterloo region are proud of our government's commitment to grow the economy, create jobs, and strengthen the middle class. They know that the smart investments our government is making will help more Canadians find and keep good well-paying jobs.Can the minister update this House on what our government is doing to grow the economy and ensure every Canadian has a fair shot at success?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to ensuring that Canadians receive the tax credits to which they are entitled. I would like my colleagues across the way to know that the legislation has not been amended. It has not been changed. The law is being applied the way it always has.We will continue to work with our partners. We will continue to meet with them and we will continue to do better with our partners.

Mr. Speaker, we remain committed to working with our provincial and territorial partners to ensure that all Canadians have access to the prescription drugs they require in an affordable and accessible way. We will continue to work with all affected Canadians on ensuring that this system is fair for all.

Mr. Speaker, we remain committed to working with our provincial and territorial partners to ensure that all Canadians have access to the prescription drugs they require in an affordable and accessible way. We will continue to work with all affected Canadians on ensuring that this system is fair for all.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to ensuring that Canadians receive the tax credits to which they are entitled. I would like my colleagues across the way to know that the legislation has not been amended. It has not been changed. The law is being applied the way it always has.We will continue to work with our partners. We will continue to meet with them and we will continue to do better with our partners.

Mr. Speaker, people in my riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler in the Waterloo region are proud of our government's commitment to grow the economy, create jobs, and strengthen the middle class. They know that the smart investments our government is making will help more Canadians find and keep good well-paying jobs.Can the minister update this House on what our government is doing to grow the economy and ensure every Canadian has a fair shot at success?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance, to make sure the tax system is fair and equitable for all Canadians. I am proud of the leadership role Canada has taken on the international stage. Co-operation between revenue authorities, including the exchange of tax information, is an essential tool for maintaining the integrity of Canada's tax base.Our efforts have borne fruit, as we are about to recoup $25 billion.

Mr. Speaker, the important work of the commission is crucial to getting the answers the families have been waiting decades for, and to ending this ongoing tragedy. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that the commission has all the support it needs to succeed. We have struck a working group to create and provide effective back-office support to the commission to ensure it is able to do its work effectively. Families must and will get the answers they need.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance, to make sure the tax system is fair and equitable for all Canadians. In the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion so the Canada Revenue Agency could focus on high-risk taxpayers overseas. Our investment is already bearing fruit, as we have recouped close to $25 billion in unreported income. The agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate action with regard to the Paradise papers. We will continue to work for a fair tax system for all—

Mr. Speaker, Stephen Bronfman is the Prime Minister's top moneyman, and was the Liberal Party's “revenue chair”. The Prime Minister vacations with him. He even broke protocol to bring him to a state dinner with then President Obama. Now we know that he used a $60 million tax haven scheme to avoid paying his fair share in Canada. If the Prime Minister wants to restore any credibility on the issue of tax fairness, will he immediately order the Liberal Party to give back all the money Stephen Bronfman raised for the Liberals?

Mr. Speaker, in line with our commitment to work with provinces and territories, we recognize that the issues raised by my colleague are very important. I can assure him that they are at the very heart of our preoccupations. Recently the finance minister met with the organization Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, which represents more than 50,000 Inuit in some communities my colleague has referred to. Our government transferred $1.6 billion for 2017-18 to Nunavut. We will continue to work with our partners to make sure we achieve results for all Canadians and to work with the member.

Mr. Speaker, as you well know, we are fully committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance. I will let individuals comment on their own situation. However, with respect to the paradise papers, the CRA is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take every appropriate action. In the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion to identify high-risk taxpayers in Canada and abroad. Our investments have already yielded results. We are on track to recuperate $25 billion from our efforts against tax avoidance and tax evasion. We will continue to work for a system that is fair.

Mr. Speaker, middle-class Canadians continue to hear the Prime Minister demand tax fairness from them, but when it comes to Liberal Party donors and wealthy insiders, the Prime Minister practises instead tax forgiveness. When will the Prime Minister end his two-tier taxation policy and start making Liberal insiders and donors pay their fair share of Liberal spending, rather than going after hard-working Canadian small business owners and farmers?

Mr. Speaker, the effectiveness and compassion of our immigration system makes Canada an example for the world, but we know that we can always do better, including when it comes to immigration detention. Our government has made great steps on this, which can be seen in the significant drop in the number of people detained under immigration laws in the last two years.Can the minister please tell us what more the government is doing to ensure that immigration detention, especially for minors, is used as rarely as possible?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion. I do not understand my colleagues across the way. The Conservatives' hypocrisy is stunning. A former Canada Revenue Agency minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, even had the nerve to say that tax evasion was not even a priority for the Conservative government.We made an election promise to crack down on tax evasion, we are taking action, and we will continue to work to ensure that everyone pays their fair share and that we have a tax system that is fair for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. I want to reassure Canadians that, personally, as the minister responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency, I have no one to protect. There are laws that apply and they will apply to everyone so that we have a tax system that is fair and equitable for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the investments we are making in child care, skilled trades, training, and infrastructure will put more Canadians on the path to success. Since our government first took office, the Canadian economy has created over half a million jobs. We have seen 11 consecutive months of job growth, the best in a decade. As Bank of Montreal economist Doug Porter noted, September and October marked the highest two-month period of job growth on record. We ran on a plan to make smart investments to grow our economy and strengthen our middle class, and that plan is working.

Mr. Speaker, I repeat that our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion.The opposition members' hypocrisy is astounding. The former minister of national revenue, Mr. Blackburn, clearly stated in an interview that this was not even a priority for the previous Conservative government.We do not need any lessons from a party that works every day to protect privileges for the wealthy. Canadians expect a fair tax system. That is what we promised, and that is what we will deliver.

Mr. Speaker, first it was the Minister of Finance and now it is Liberal bagman Stephen Bronfman who has been caught red-handed. He apparently hid part of his personal fortune in a tax haven. Why is the Prime Minister still making honest, middle-class Canadian families pay more while allowing his friends to avoid paying taxes in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, in the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion to identify high-risk taxpayers here and abroad. The Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take every appropriate action regarding the paradise papers.Our investments have already yielded results. We have identified $25 billion in unreported income. We will continue to work to create a system that is fair for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, for months, this department has been going after type 1 diabetics, and today this minister has told us how proud she is of her department.Is she proud of targeting disabled Canadians? Is she proud of targeting low-wage earning retail employees? Is she proud of going after small businesses? When will the Liberal government get its priorities straight, back off of vulnerable Canadians, and go after real tax avoiders, including Liberal insiders?

Mr. Speaker, our government supports secure pensions. More importantly, we understand workers and their families and the dedication and commitment they make to various companies. It is important that we work with them.With respect to the CCAA process, that process is designed to help companies in financial distress, so that they can restructure their affairs in order to come out of that restructuring process to help, preserve, and create thousands of jobs.With respect to Sears, the current issue at hand, we are working with Sears Canada employees across the country, and Service Canada, in order to provide assistance and support to the workers and their families.

Mr. Speaker, Prime Ministers, I rise today to mark a historic anniversary. On this day 150 years ago, Canada's first legislature sat for the very first time. Over the many years and sessions that followed, this House, more than any other institution, wrote Canada's history. Men and women sat in this chamber to debate and pass legislation to build a better, fairer, more equitable country for all.Our 14th prime minister, the great Lester B. Pearson, once said, “We who are elected to serve Canada in Parliament owe those who elect us more than the advocacy of non-controversial ideas.” He was right.This House has hosted some of the most important debates and decisions of our time. Within these walls, Canada has been reborn countless times since Confederation, and in our progress we have defined the character of a country. It was here that Agnes Macphail broke barriers as the first female MP. It was here that we introduced universal health care. It was here that we abolished the death penalty. It was here that same-sex couples were extended the right to marry.It was here that the Official Languages Act was debated and passed. It was also here that we righted some of our most terrible wrongs. We apologized for dark, shameful chapters in our history, especially the horrible way indigenous people were treated in the residential school system and the refusal to take in the innocent people aboard the Komagata Maru who were seeking help.This House has welcomed some extraordinary guests, including Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, and Malala Yousafzai. In fact, serving in this chamber is one of the greatest honours to which a person can aspire.Day after day, year after year, members sit in this House and do important work on behalf of Canadians, work that impacts families and communities, work that shapes the course of people's daily lives. Because of the magnitude of what happens and what can happen here, we will not always agree. However, it is the way we disagree that defines us. Let us be women and men of principle and of humility, for we have been bestowed the responsibility to serve and we must do so honourably. We are lucky to have had strong leaders in this place to remind us of that, folks like Arnold Chan. Let us never lose sight of the fact that we are all here for the same reason, to make our country better, to improve the lives of the people we serve. We may have different ideas on how to get there, but there is always common ground. If we work together, we will find it.On this historic day, I call upon all of us to continue to work hard and to stay true to ourselves. On that, I am reminded of something that our 15th prime minister once said: “Our hopes are high. Our faith in the people is great. Our courage is strong. And our dreams for this beautiful country will never die.”

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about what we have done over the past two years. We raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% so we could lower them on the middle class. We have delivered a Canada child benefit that gives more money to nine out of 10 Canadian families to help with the high cost of raising kids. We did that by stopping to send child benefit cheques to millionaire families. On top of that, we are lowering small business taxes to 9%. We have put more money in the pockets of our most vulnerable seniors, almost $1,000 more, in the guaranteed income supplement. We made it cheaper and more affordable for young people to go to school. That is what we have been doing.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his excellent question and for his work in the cultural sector.We believe in culture. That is why we invested $2.2 billion in our cultural sector since forming the government. When it comes to music, we also invested $4.15 million over two years to ensure that we can export our musical talent abroad. In addition, we invested $125 million over five years to relaunch cultural diplomacy and support our cultural exporting strategy.

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance. What we want is a fair and equitable tax system for all Canadians. Our actions are producing results. We have invested close to $1 billion over the past two years, which will enable us to recoup nearly $25 billion.I am very proud of the international leadership role we have taken. We are working with our partners around the world. That is what Canadians asked us to do, and that is what we are going to do.

Mr. Speaker, it is a huge honour for me to rise today as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of this House of Commons.I am overwhelmed and grateful for my colleagues that there is an opportunity for the Green Party to mark the 150th sitting of the Parliament of Canada. I want to acknowledge that we are on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin nation. We all are very grateful for the perpetual generosity of indigenous peoples in our country to be willing to consider our meek efforts at reconciliation.I note that at 150 years old, our democracy here, the first meeting of Parliament on November 6, 1867, was a bit late. One hundred years earlier, the first parliamentary representative democracy in North America met in Nova Scotia. In 2008, Nova Scotians celebrated the 250th. Imagine that I can stand here today, on our 150th occasion, in the presence in the gallery of four extraordinary Canadians, each of who I hold in such respect and affection. That the Right. Hon. John Turner, the Right Hon. Joe Clark, the Right Hon. Brian Mulroney, and the Right Hon. Paul Martin would be here for this celebration, as well as our former Speakers, John Bosley and Peter Milliken, is an extraordinary moment.I want to reiterate how proud I am. I find it incredible that I have the privilege to participate, because it is indeed a privilege, not a right.Even as we look back at Halifax and the 250th anniversary, we are all pikers. The longest continuous participatory democracy on the planet is the 800-year-old Iroquois confederacy of the Haudenosaunee. We have learned parliamentary democracy. We have learned that Parliament comes from the word parler. We know we are here to speak with each other, work together, respect each other, and to work to earn the respect of our constituents who have sent us here not to blow our own horn, but to carry their cares and concerns to this place.I could not agree more with our right hon. Prime Minister that one of the greatest parliamentarians I have ever had the privilege to know and work with left us too soon when we lost Arnold Chan. It is his words I think of today, that call in his last speech, the last time he had the physical strength to stand in this place, for us to respect each other.I also ask us to look around. We are in this room, what a privilege, day in and day out, but how often do we look up, and I am afraid I am going to go in a Friendly Giant direction, look way up? There is a reason that this magnificent chamber dwarfs its occupants. This room is not about us as members of Parliament. This room is about democracy. It is about Canada. We are very tiny in this space because our role is to represent something far bigger than ourselves. We are here for Canada. We are here for a country in which we are blessed to live, know, and love. We are to cherish that democracy. This room dwarfs us for a reason.Thank you to all of my colleagues and thank you Canada. Congratulations and thank you.

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we have always fought strongly in fighting against tax evasion and tax avoidance. Indeed, this is a multi-billion dollar issue. That is why we made a billion dollar investment to tackle it. We are reviewing leaks to identify any links to Canadian entities and we will take every appropriate action. We use the information received through leaked lists when they arise, but we do not wait on these lists to attack the problem. That is why the CRA has more than 990 audits and more than 42 criminal investigations related to offshore financial structures,under way as of September 30.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know full well that in our first two budgets we invested nearly $1 billion to combat tax evasion and tax avoidance.We continue to work every day to ensure that everyone pays their fair share of taxes. The results speak for themselves: 627 cases have been transferred to criminal investigation, and there have been 268 warrants and 78 convictions. We will continue to work hard every day to create a tax system that is fair for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, for 150 years, our Parliament has been a reflection of Canada and Canadians. It is more than a building. It is the embodiment of our national character, its virtues and vices, its strengths and its weaknesses.It has been burned to the ground and been built back up stone by stone. It has heard the echoes of gunfire, and felt the blast of a bomb that, thankfully, detonated mere minutes prematurely. It has rung with cheers of victory at the end of two world wars, and it has stood mute witness to the tears of a nation mourning distinguished former members of this House lying in state, from Sir John A. Macdonald to the hon. Jack Layton.The legislative measures debated and passed in this chamber help Canada progress and, unfortunately, they also sometimes set us back. Our House has seen legislative measures that support our liberties, and others that limit them.This is a physical place, but also an institution, and as an institution made of human beings, the outcomes are not always perfect. As Canadians, we must not forget our past. We must never be afraid to admit when we have made a mistake and to apologize when necessary.That is why Prime Minister Harper came to the House nine years ago and issued a formal apology to former victims of the Indian residential schools on behalf of a country that had failed them. It was appropriate, because so many of the decisions that caused so much grief and suffering had been deliberated and, in some cases, approved right here in this building. That we who have been trusted with the governance of Canada have sometimes failed should not be surprising. This chamber may be made of wood and stone, but the men and women who give it its life are hewn from the crooked timber of humanity. These chairs have supported patriots and heroes, but also a few rogues, so we cannot claim to have always been perfect, but we know that perfection is not available to us this side of eternity. Yet, somehow, the motley and imperfect assemblages that have gathered here over the last 150 years have achieved something of a miracle. Together, the members who came before us superintended a Canada that has grown and flourished beyond what anyone in the first Parliament could have dreamed. It is fashionable today to look down at the past, but that is a luxury we enjoy from heights built by those who preceded us in this chamber. If we look back at our rich history and study the leading figures in its telling and see only the blemishes, then we are missing out on the beautiful story of a country constantly bettering itself, and consistently offering a refuge to so many around the world. It is a story of different parliaments at different times, working through the imperfections of the day. It is a story that on the whole has been a story of hope for so many. It is a story of prosperity, compassion, liberty, and human rights.To those who deny we have anything to be proud of as a country, I would pose a simple question: “Where else would you have rather lived for the last 150 years?” That is not a rhetorical question. It is a straightforward question for which there is only one honest answer. There is nowhere we would rather have lived, no country we would rather call our home, for no country has acquitted herself better at home and abroad than Canada. It is indisputable that the world has been better off for the last 150 years because of Canada. Without the sacrifices of our soldiers, sailors, and airmen, more than 100,000 of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice, while many more came home bearing scars, mental and physical, the world would be more dangerous. Without the brilliance of our artists, painters, sculptors, writers, singers, and actors, the world would be losing part of its cultural richness.Without the work of the men and women who cultivate, farm, and develop our incredible landscape, who fish in our three great oceans that surround us, and who work in the towns, plants, and office towers, the world would be poorer, colder, and darker. If we dwell on past mistakes, we miss out on their remarkable successes. We end up taking for granted their contribution to Canada and Canada's contribution to the rest of the world. It is time for a little gratitude. Make that a lot of gratitude. That we have prospered and flourished is no accident. It is a combination of good fortune and good stewardship. We are fortunate to have inherited the most stable and enduring political system in the world. We should be grateful to the members of the House who have nurtured and sustained it for the benefit of Canadians and the inspiration of the world.For it is to this House that world leaders have come over the last century to express their admiration of Canada as the very exemplar of peace, order, and good government. It was here that Churchill came in Britain's darkest hour, when Hitler's armies were within sight of English shores, to thank Canada for our support and to display his jowl-shaking defiance in the face of Nazi aggression. Later, we were engaged in a very different kind of war against Soviet imperialism, a battle not just based on geography but on ideology, a battle to defend the economic freedom that had created untold prosperity for so many millions around the world, yet a freedom that was denied to so many. During that battle, two of the great figures of the 20th century, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, each came to this House twice to thank Canada for our friendship and dedication to key principles. More recently, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko came to Canada while his country was suffering under a new Russian imperialism, to praise "the special partnership between Ukraine and Canada" and to salute Canada as a model for Ukraine and for the world. It is in our nature as Canadians to be self-deprecating, but sometimes, maybe once every 150 years, it is okay to acknowledge what the rest of the world tells us: we occupy a special place in the fellowship of free nations and our institutions, including this Parliament, are the envy of other nations.I am not asking members of the House to pat ourselves on the back and congratulate ourselves for assuming this awesome duty. Rather, let us roll up our sleeves and get to work in the House and across Canada to continue the work of those who came before us so that those who come after us, 150 years from now, will consider us worthy of the same gratitude we offer today to our predecessors.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in the House today to join my colleagues in marking the 150th anniversary of the first sitting of Parliament. Canadians can be truly proud of having built, shaped, and preserved one of the longest uninterrupted parliaments in the world. Every day we demonstrate to the world how ideas can be debated in a peaceful, civil, and productive manner, with the possible exception of question period.We show how we can come together to make life better for the people who sent us here to represent them. In a country as geographically, linguistically, and ethnically diverse as ours, this is no small achievement.The NDP can be proud of the major firsts they have contributed to Parliament. Among those, our party was the first to have an openly gay man elected to the House and the first to have a woman lead a federal political party in the House, just to name a few milestones. There is no doubt that we have made a lot of progress since the days when Parliament was made up of only white men. We are pleased to see that the members sitting in the House look a lot more like the people who voted for them than they used to a long time ago.However, we have to be honest that we are nowhere close to where we need to be. We have yet to achieve even near gender balance in the House. The 2015 election sent a record number of women to this chamber and yet they still only make up a little more than one quarter of the MPs in the House. All parties should use this important anniversary to commit to reaching gender parity in the House as soon as possible. New Democrats and Canadians across the country also believe our Parliament can be made even better by reflecting Canadians' actual voting preferences.Let us be honest, the House does not reflect the proportion of support each party received in the last election.If we move toward a proportional system of elections, we could not only make room for new voices, but re-inspire Canadians with the knowledge that their votes truly do matter and their Parliament is truly a reflection of their will. Surely there is no better way to mark the 150th anniversary of Parliament than by working to make it more representative. All Canadians will benefit from it.No celebration of our Parliament would be complete if we did not mention the hard work of the devoted staff and public servants who, by the thousands, over many decades, have kept this institution on a steady course by handling everything that goes on behind the scenes. We thank the Clerk, the committee staff, the legislative support staff, our financial officers, our cafeteria workers, the janitorial staff, the security guards, and every other member of the personnel who I will not be able to mention specifically today. This Parliament literally cannot function without them.Last, on behalf of the New Democratic Party, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all Canadians on the 150th anniversary of their Parliament and recommit to making this place a source of pride for our country, but, more important, a source of the support, solutions, and leadership that will make life better for everyone, from coast to coast to coast.Thank you and congratulations.

Mr. Speaker, we are working very hard to improve the immigration detention system. I thank the member for Toronto—Danforth for being such a strong advocate.Today I am announcing a new directive that includes the best interests of the child as a primary factor for the Canada Border Services Agency when making decisions affecting families. The goal is to avoid children in detention as much as humanly possible. We are committed to an immigration system that protects public safety while treating people with fairness, dignity, and compassion.

Mr. Speaker, in our first two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, a historic amount, to combat tax evasion and tax avoidance. Our plan is working. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, 268 search warrants and 78 convictions. The Canada Revenue Agency is scrutinizing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate measures. We continue to work toward a tax system that is fair and equitable for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, as Minister of National Revenue, I can say that there will be no double standard. Everyone must obey the law. That is one of the conditions of a fair tax system. We made a promise during the election campaign, and we have taken concrete steps to fulfill that promise. We have invested nearly $1 billion, and our investment is bearing fruit. We are going to keep working for Canadians, as they asked us to do.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to combatting tax evasion and tax avoidance. In our first two budgets, we took concrete steps. We invested $1 billion, we have targeted four jurisdictions per year, and we have hired competent staff.Our plan is working. We have transferred 627 cases to criminal investigation, and there have been 268 search warrants and 78 convictions. The Canada Revenue Agency is scrutinizing links to Canadian entities, and we will take appropriate action.

Mr. Speaker, it did not take long for the Liberals to start acting like Liberals, placing wealthy friends ahead of everyday Canadians. In March of this year, the Liberals voted in favour of the NDP's motion calling on the government to take action to tackle tax haven, including renegotiating tax treaties that let companies repatriate profits from tax havens to Canada tax free. Here is a spoiler alert; they have not done any of it yet. Did the Prime Minister refuse to act on tax havens to help his wealthy friends?

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that the no-fly list that was designed 10 years ago contains an inherent design flaw that needs to be fixed. To fix it takes legislation and regulation and a new computer system built from the bottom up. The first step is to pass Bill C-59 to give us the legal authority to do these things. I urge the NDP to support Bill C-59.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In the last two budgets, we invested nearly $1 billion, and our plan is working. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants, and 78 convictions.The Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take appropriate action with respect to the Paradise Papers. We are working to make the tax system fair for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister defends tax havens by insisting that they do not actually need to be fixed, that there is no problem. Now, we thought the finance minister was just protecting his own interests within his family company, but it turns out that there is actually a whole crew of Liberals who are colluding together in order to keep these tax loopholes open. My question is very simple, and that is: When did the Prime Minister become aware that the Liberal Party's head of revenue, Stephen Bronfman, was sheltering money in offshore accounts?

[Member spoke in aboriginal language][English]Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. The government is committed to making real progress on issues most important to indigenous peoples, including education. Targeted investments in first nations education have been made to ensure a brighter future for first nations children. Nunavut currently has the lowest graduation rate in the country, with only 35% of students graduating. This is 50% lower than the national average. How and when will similar targeted investments be made for Inuit education in Nunavut?

Mr. Speaker, we are fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. I will let the individuals concerned comment on their own situation, but I will say that the Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities and will take every appropriate action with respect to the paradise papers.In the last two budgets, we invested a historic amount of money to combat tax avoidance and evasion, and our plan is working. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants, and 78 convictions. We will continue—

Mr. Speaker, in Granby, in my riding of Shefford, we have the largest francophone singing competition in North America. Since 1969, this festival has been an important vehicle for showcasing and promoting Canadian francophone talent around the world. Recently, the Minister of Canadian Heritage made historic announcements for Canadian creators.Could the minister tell the House what she is doing to support these artists and to showcase their work abroad?

Mr. Speaker, over the past two years the current Liberal government has demonized retail workers who enjoy an employee discount. It has demonized hard-working entrepreneurs and business owners, and characterized them as tax cheats. The Prime Minister is even raising taxes on diabetics to pay off his billion dollar deficits. Meanwhile, he is here in the House defending a man who hid his assets from the Ethics Commissioner.Why is it that under the current government, it is always the middle class and working Canadians who pay a bit more, while wealthy friends like Stephen Bronfman always end up getting away paying less?

Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to congratulate those who spoke before me for their heartfelt tribute to the 150 years of the Canadian parliamentary system. I am sure that the Canadian parliamentary system is something very important to them. I am sure that it is very important and that many Canadians are proud of it. Unfortunately, for many Quebeckers, it means something else. Let us face it, the 150th anniversary was not exactly celebrated in Quebec, which is not surprising. Quebec never looked forward to signing the British North America Act. There have not been too many opportunities for Quebec to look forward to anything since the Dominion of Canada was created. Confederation, for Quebec, means 150 years of being constantly undermined by the decisions taken in the House year after year. It was here that, during the First World War, the federal government temporarily granted itself the right to tax Quebeckers' income. The war is over, all the heroes who fought it have been dead for a long time, but we still pay half of our taxes to this government, even though it barely delivers any services. All this to have the power to decide on provincial jurisdictions, when the provinces are the ones that deal with publicly funded services and are accountable to Quebeckers. The reality of one hundred years of holding our people hostage is an anniversary that federalist parties would prefer to ignore. It was also here in the House that federal politicians voted to prevent Quebec from controlling broadcasting by taking away a portion of our government's jurisdiction over culture, education, and information. The current government's agreement with Netflix is the unfortunate proof that it is bent on meddling incompetently in areas that are supposed to be under Quebec's jurisdiction. Rendering history and reality meaningless, the Canadian Constitution essentially denies the existence of the Quebec nation. Even now, we refuse to sign this pact whose sole intention is to force our distinct society to fall in line every time we try to do things our own way. This is where the Clarity Act was passed, an authoritarian law that undermines Quebeckers' right to the most basic expression of democracy. Today's celebration is about weakening Quebec's position in the Canadian parliamentary system. The day before Confederation, Quebec held half the seats in Parliament. The day after, it held a third of them. Now we have less than a quarter. When the very first sitting of the House of Commons of the Dominion of Canada took place on November 6, 1867, the first subject of debate was the appointment of the first Speaker of the House of Commons. The elected representatives had been together for barely 10 minutes when a member from Quebec was forced to complain because John A. MacDonald wanted to appoint a unilingual anglophone Speaker. That member found it unfortunate that, at the inauguration of Confederation, greater respect was not shown. I am sure he would have fallen off his chair had he known that, 150 years later, we would still be having this kind of debate.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion. We have invested nearly $1 billion over the past two years, and we can announce that we are very close to recovering $25 billion.Our strategies and measures are yielding results. I want to reassure the public that the Canada Revenue Agency is reviewing links to Canadian entities, and we will take appropriate action.

Mr. Speaker, as everyone knows, the Prime Minister is very close to the Bronfman family and to Stephen Bronfman in particular. This reflects poorly on Canada. Here is what the influential newspaper The Guardian wrote this morning: “The chief fundraiser and senior adviser to the Canadian Prime Minister...who played a critical role in [his] rise to power...”. That is huge. We are not talking about some humble supporter who put out some lawn signs. This is the money man who helped get the Prime Minister where he is today.Can the Prime Minister give us one good reason why, when he went to Washington, he left the Minister of Natural Resources in Ottawa but took his Liberal buddy—

Mr. Speaker, hiring more inspectors without changing the current treaties with tax havens will not amount to much.An international consortium of journalists published a list of new names of people who are benefiting from tax havens: the Queen of England, rock stars, Trump's entourage, and, in Canada, the Liberals. What a surprise. Former Liberal prime ministers, former Liberal senators, and Liberal organizers were named.Are the Liberals doing nothing to combat tax havens in an effort to protect the Liberal family?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion, and we have taken concrete action to do so.Over the past two years, we have invested nearly $1 billion, allowing us to recoup $25 billion. Charges have been laid. We are working at the international level. We are working with our partners. The work is not done. It is ongoing.I can say that we have always done quite a bit more than the Bloc Québécois.

Mr. Speaker, every Canadian has a friend or relative who is affected by mental health problems, and the social and economic costs are extremely high. We are giving a record number of tax credits to people with disabilities and people with mental health problems. In budget 2017, we invested $5 billion so we could help 500,000 Canadians under the age of 25, and we will continue to focus on helping those most in need.

Mr. Speaker, the revenue minister seems to be proud of reaching into the pockets of disabled people and taking away their tax credits and pension plans, while the Prime Minister's chief political fundraiser is sheltering his fortune in an offshore tax haven. Canadians can see the Liberal hypocrisy.Why will she not protect vulnerable Canadians and make Liberal friends sheltering their fortunes in offshore bank accounts pay the same fair share that they expect of all other taxpayers?

Mr. Speaker, meanwhile, with his tax reform, the Prime Minister spent weeks essentially accusing our farmers, entrepreneurs, and professionals of fraud. The paradise papers scandal is proof of the Liberals' hypocrisy. The names in there are not those of ordinary people. One is the Liberal Party's chief fundraiser, Stephen Bronfman. Another is former Liberal senator Leo Kolber. Both are very good friends of the Liberal Party. My question is simple. When did the Prime Minister find out that his organizer had direct connections to tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Please indulge me for a few seconds. For the historical record, while it was the first meeting of the Parliament of Canada here some 150 years ago, it was not the first meeting that took place in this very chamber some 150 years ago. The very first meeting that took place was the last session of the Parliament of the United Province of Canada, which met here for its last time before Confederation. I would like that to be noted because this building has a very deep history indeed.

Mr. Speaker, our position on the issue was quite clear during the campaign.We said we would combat tax evasion and tax havens. We have invested $1 billion over the past two years. We have produced results for Canadians. We are going to recoup close to $25 billion. We have criminal investigations under way. We are working with tax administrations around the world.I can say that I am very proud of the international leadership role we have taken.

Mr. Speaker, a Liberal is Liberal is a Liberal, and we can always count on them to be entitled to their entitlements, entitled to take private helicopters on private island vacations, entitled to taxpayer-funded nannies, entitled to protecting their vast family fortunes from many unfair tax changes, entitled to setting up offshore tax havens in France, Barbados, or the Cayman Islands. Canadians are entitled to know, why do they always end up footing the bill when these lifestyle of the rich and famous Liberals pay less?

Mr. Speaker, we are fully committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance. That is why we put close to a billion dollars in the last two budgets to do just that. In investing historic sums to make sure we have the right tools to crack down on tax evaders, we have concrete results delivered. There are 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, 78 convictions. We will continue to work hard every day for a tax system that is fair for everyone.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. I am proud of the leadership role Canada has taken on the international stage. Tax evasion is a global problem that requires collaboration with all of our international partners.The nearly $1 billion we have invested is yielding results. We are on track to recoup close to $25 billion. Criminal charges are being laid, and search warrants are being executed. We made a promise to Canadians, and we are doing what we promised.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Ms. Plante on being elected Montreal's new mayor.I also want to congratulate and thank all of the other candidates who worked very hard all across Quebec to run in the municipal election. I am personally very much looking forward to meeting Ms. Plante.In the coming weeks, we will launch Canada's first-ever national housing strategy, which will provide extraordinary opportunities to strengthen the Government of Canada's role in supporting our families in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, a major ethics crisis involving the Prime Minister of Canada is tarnishing Canada's international reputation.We now know that Stephen Bronfman, the Liberal Party's chief fundraiser, had questionable dealings with tax havens. Mr. Bronfman is a close friend of the Prime Minister. They are so close, in fact, that when the Prime Minister visited the White House a year and a half ago, he left his Minister of Natural Resources behind but brought his good friend Bronfman, the Liberal Party's top bagman, to the White House with him.Can the Prime Minister give us just one good reason why he left his Minister of Natural Resources in Ottawa and brought along his close Liberal friend and fundraiser?

Mr. Speaker, the government does not understand anything about international tax avoidance because it continues to ignore the fundamental problem of tax havens instead of addressing it. The minister still believes that the solution to tax havens is to invest in the Canada Revenue Agency. However, the fundamental problem lies in our overly permissive legislation that the Liberal Party's cronies benefit from.Could the minister get her head out of the sand, especially since she voted for an NDP motion calling for action against tax avoidance and tax havens? Why has the minister still not proposed any measures to put an end to this legal tax scam?

Mr. Speaker, when Bronfman said that the goal was to raise a lot of money to help this guy become the next prime minister, he was not doing it as an act of charity. He, as all Liberals do, always wants something in return. He and the Prime Minister are close friends and Bronfman is an integral part of the Prime Minister's inner circle. If the Prime Minister is truly concerned about the tax avoiders revealed in the paradise papers, will he instruct his party to return all the money raised by Bronfman, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, we fully appreciate the frustration of law-abiding travellers who can be stigmatized and delayed as a result of false positives on the no-fly list.However, to be clear, there are no children on the no-fly list, but there is confusion among similar names. That takes new legislation to fix that problem, new regulations, and a new computer system.The first of those steps is being taken in Bill C-59. I urge the NDP to vote for it.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, I will let the individuals involved comment on their own situation.Our government continues to crack down on tax evasion and tax avoidance. We will continue to work for the middle class and those working hard to join it. That is why we lowered taxes for the middle class and raised them for the wealthiest 1%. That is why we created the Canada child benefit, which gives more tax-free money to nine out of 10 families every month. That is why we are in the process of lowering the small business tax rate to 9%. That is what we are doing for the middle class.

Mr. Speaker, in her victory speech last night, Montreal's new mayor, Valérie Plante, said she intends to ask the federal government for help increasing the supply of social housing units.In Montreal, 25,000 families are waiting for social housing. The mayor is adding her voice to that of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' big city mayors' caucus, which recently called on the government to ensure that the national housing strategy includes funding to maintain and expand the social housing stock.Has the minister heard her call?

Mr. Speaker, Stephen Bronfman once said that his goal was to, “raise a lot of money and to help...[him] become the next Prime Minister.”Bronfman became the Liberal Party's head of revenue, and he hosted cash-for-access events with the Prime Minister. One event was advertised as an opportunity for donors to “form relationships and open dialogues with our government.”Clearly, Bronfman believed that giving money to the Prime Minister would yield favourable outcomes. When did the Prime Minister learn that Bronfman's interests included protecting favourable offshore tax treatment?

Mr. Speaker, if only my colleague opposite could show as many results as we have with respect to tax avoidance. Over the past two years, we invested $1 billion. We are very close to recovering $25 billion. People are facing charges. We have been meeting with four new jurisdictions every year. Cases are being handed over to criminal investigations. We are on track to meet Canadians' expectations. It is what we promised in our platform and we are keeping that promise.

Mr. Speaker, it has gotten to the point where every time the issue of tax havens comes up, so does the Liberal Party, and every time we talk about tax havens and the Liberal Party, the Minister of National Revenue sounds like a broken record.After learning that Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin, and Stephen Bronfman, three prominent Liberals, are hiding millions of dollars down south, we understand why this government refuses to take action against tax havens. It would rather defend the indefensible than clean house. Taxes are for other people to pay, certainly not the Prime Minister's friends.Will the Canada Revenue Agency do its job and investigate Stephen Bronfman?

Mr. Speaker, the Cayman Islands is the kind of place where there are more bank accounts than people. Members of the middle class and those working hard to join it do not have bank accounts in the Cayman Islands.For those who do not know, Stephen Bronfman was once the head of the Prime Minister's leadership campaign and is the chief fundraiser for the Liberal Party of Canada. He also happens to manage a trust in the Cayman Islands.Have the Liberals failed to crack down on tax havens in order to protect Liberal organizers and friends of the Prime Minister?

Mr. Speaker, today, after consulting with workers across the country, I am tabling a private members' bill to protect the pensions of workers. Currently Canada's bankruptcy laws do not protect workers' pensions and benefits. The Prime Minister knows this, which is why he promised workers in my hometown that he would improve retirement security for Canadians. However, he has so far refused to fix the rules that let companies shortchange workers' pension plans. Workers fulfill their obligations, and companies and the Liberal government must do the same. Will the Prime Minister keep his promise and work with me to protect our pensioners, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits they are entitled to. We are moving forward with a national disability act that would remove barriers and improve access for all Canadians living with disabilities.We have made it easier to access the disability tax credit, we simplified the forms, and in budget 2017, we made it possible for nurses to complete applications on their patients' behalf. We continue to work for the most vulnerable members of our society.

Mr. Speaker, the law may not have changed, but the way it is interpreted has, because the least fortunate are being targeted.This summer entrepreneurs were the ones being targeted, and now it is people with type 1 diabetes. In fact, 80% of those people will no longer get their tax credit.Why is the government picking on the most vulnerable in our society? Why is it not looking at what is going on with the Liberals' tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, as an MP, Terence Young introduced Vanessa's Law to honour his daughter, who died after taking a prescription drug. Three years ago today, Vanessa's Law received royal assent, yet under the Liberal government, it sits idle and unenforced. The Liberals are proposing to undermine the intent of this law even further by making Canadians wait six years for reports of injuries and deaths and by requiring researchers to sign contracts to never reveal crucial data.Why has the government abandoned Vanessa's Law and the transparency crucial to reducing drug harm and deaths?

Mr. Speaker, we simply cannot trust the Liberals to do anything but get caught with their hands in the cookie jar.We wondered why they voted against the Bloc Québécois motion to combat tax havens. We now know it was because that is where they hide their money. The Liberal Party is the tax-evasion party, and yet the Liberals still claim to be standing up for the middle class.Will this government finally take action and go after people who use tax havens to evade taxes, even if those people include friends, family members, or colleagues?

Mr. Speaker, during the last campaign, the government was very clear. Cracking down on tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance was part of our platform.Over the past two years, we have invested nearly $1 billion, which has allowed us to conduct investigations and to recoup nearly $25 billion. Charges have been laid. We are working internationally and examining four jurisdictions per year.That is what Canadians asked us to do and we are getting the job done.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. In fact, over the past two years, we have invested nearly $1 billion to combat tax havens. This investment has helped our efforts to recover nearly $25 billion. Charges have been laid. That is what Canadians asked us to do and we are delivering.

Mr. Speaker, the stats that Prime Minister is quoting actually shows his government is doing a good job going after the small taxpayer, going after ordinary Canadians, but it always lets the big fish go. We know about Stephen Bronfman through the paradise papers, but let us not forget that the government, through committee, stalled the study on KPMG and the Isle of Man. Let us not forget that the government has done nothing about the Panama papers. The government has not taken seriously the issue of tax havens and offshore accounts. When will it?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion. The historic $1-billion investment we made in our last two budgets is yielding concrete, tangible results for Canadians. We are about to recoup $25 billion. We investigate four new jurisdictions per year. Our plan is delivering results. We have had 627 cases transferred to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants executed, and 78 convictions. We continue to work for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the government is going after the small taxpayer, but not the big fish. The Prime Minister was elected on the promise to work hard for the middle class and those working hard to join it. The middle class cannot afford accounts on the Cayman Islands, but the Liberals' rich and wealthy friends can. The Prime Minister said shortly after his election “Tax avoidance, tax evasion is something we take very seriously”, and promised swift action. Canadians are still waiting. What is the Prime Minister waiting for?

Mr. Speaker, if you will permit, on behalf of all Canadians, I extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who were killed in Texas, and we hope for a speedy recovery for all of those who were injured yesterday. It is appalling that this act took place in a place of worship, where worshippers should have felt safe. Canada, as a nation, stands in solidarity with the United States during this difficult time.On the other matter, I can assure the opposition that we are fully committed to fighting tax avoidance and tax evasion, and we will continue to ensure that the CRA pursues all infringers upon that for the many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, in the last few months, the Liberal government has been squeezing Canadian small businesses for more tax revenue. It has been taking away tax relief from families fighting diabetes, autism, and mental health issues.However, what is the one group the Liberals have left alone? Their super-rich friends and those working hard to join them. When will the Prime Minister stop targeting hard-working Canadian families and start closing tax and ethics loopholes used by his friends?

Mr. Speaker, children and their families who have been impacted for years by the no-fly list are on Parliament Hill today demanding an end to this human rights violation.There are children as young as six being denied from boarding flights. Canadians want to see a properly funded redress system in the 2018 federal budget, and they want an end to the hundreds, if not thousands, of false positives that have occurred to date.When will the government finally heed these calls and end this injustice for families once and for all?

Mr. Speaker, they could speed things along if the minister asked the Prime Minister for his friends' phone numbers. Members of the Prime Minister's inner circle are using all kinds of schemes to hide millions of dollars in tax havens.There is no doubt that the Prime Minister and Stephen Bronfman are connected. They have even vacationed together. In 2015, Mr. Bronfman said that he was prepared to do everything he could to help the Prime Minister win.Why did the Prime Minister let his friend, the Liberal Party's chief fundraiser, avoid paying taxes like all other Canadians are required to do?

Mr. Speaker, I want to tell the Conservative members opposite that the law regarding disability tax credits has not been amended. On the contrary, in the past two years, benefits paid to persons with disabilities have increased.Our government works for the middle class and for persons with disabilities. We increased the Canada child benefit to help families. We lowered the age of retirement, we increased the guaranteed income supplement—

Mr. Speaker, if we want to talk about hypocrisy, let us talk about two sets of tax rules, one for Liberals and one for everyday working-class Canadians. Bronfman and his associates are reported to have engaged in bogus record-keeping, false invoicing, and six-figure gifts to avoid paying tax. The Prime Minister continues to protect him. The Prime Minister is so close to Bronfman that at the height of a softwood lumber dispute, he took him to the White House instead of the natural resources minister. Canadian taxpayers paid for that trip. We ask the government again, what business did Bronfman have at the White House?

Mr. Speaker, new taxes for Morneau Shepell: zero. New taxes for the finance minister's family company in Barbados: zero. New taxes for the Prime Minister's multi-million dollar family trust fund: zero. New taxes for Stephen Bronfman's Cayman Islands tax shelter: zero. That is life in Liberal tax paradise. With this hypocrisy now exposed, will the government finally apologize for insulting the integrity of hard-working, tax-paying small business owners across this country?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister spent part of the summer and the fall treating small business owners like tax cheats. He accused them of using loopholes to save on taxes.Let us see what he will do now that some of the Liberals' closest advisers were named in the Paradise Papers and they are the ones who allegedly used loopholes to shelter their fortunes.How long has the Prime Minister known that Liberal bagman Stephen Bronfman avoids paying all of his taxes in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, with the Liberals it is always the same, “You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours”. Stephen Bronfman said to the Prime Minister, “Anything I can do to help, just let me know”. The Prime Minister said “a big thanks for your help”, nudge nudge, wink wink, and the Liberals' buddies are taken care of once again. Does the Prime Minister not see why Canadians are so outraged by yet another example of Liberal hypocrisy and conflict of interest?

Mr. Speaker, the paradise papers reveal that the Prime Minister's chief fundraiser, Stephen Bronfman, moved millions of dollars to offshore tax havens through a complex web of entities in the U.S., Israel, and the Cayman Islands. The papers show evidence of bogus records to hide payments, false invoicing, and six-figure gifts to avoid paying tax attributed to Bronfman.At the height of a softwood lumber dispute, the Prime Minister chose to take Stephen Bronfman to a state dinner at the White House, leaving his Minister of Natural Resources behind. I have a simple question. What business did Bronfman have at the White House?

Mr. Speaker, the murdered and missing indigenous women's inquiry says that its slow progress is due to Liberal interference. In fact, it reports that eight out of 10 challenges are barriers put up by the Liberal government, like strangling bureaucracy and lack of resources. It is clear the Liberals misled families when they promised they were doing everything they could to help this inquiry succeed.Will the Liberals support the families of missing and murdered indigenous women, and when will they stop blocking the inquiry's work?

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-59, as those parents said today at their press conference, does nothing to fix the problem that they face every single time they try to travel. I would ask the minister if he wants to go in front of those families to tell them, “Do not worry, your child is not on the list.” These are the false positives that are being lived by thousands of Canadians. Children, business people, and even veterans are finding travelling difficult. They are being humiliated, profiled, and are living in fear of ending up on the no-fly list. Again I ask the minister: will she fully fund an actual redress system, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have spent another billion dollars on tax collectors. Who have those tax collectors gone after? Have they gone after Morneau Shepell? Have they gone after the billionaire Bronfman family, or have they instead decided to go after people suffering with diabetes, or after minimum wage-earning waitresses who enjoy a small chicken sandwich at the end of the shift or after small businesses and farmers? When will this high-tax hypocrisy come to an end?

Mr. Speaker, they say their plan is working, but it is the media that is working. That is how we know about the paradise papers.The finance minister has defended offshore tax havens in places like Barbados by saying he does not want to throw out the baby with the bathwater. It seems that the babies the minister was referring to are a bunch of the Prime Minister's friends and Liberal Party donors. When will the Prime Minister quit attacking farmers and small business owners and start investigating Liberal Party donors who are using offshore tax havens?