Jennifer O'Connell

Mr. Speaker, I will take no lessons on admitting the truth to Canadians when the Conservatives constantly flip-flop on their policies and mislead Canadians in the House and in the public domain. The reality is the fact that we lowered taxes on the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest 1%. As a result, we have lifted 300,000 children and 825,000 Canadians overall out of poverty. What did the Conservatives want to do? They want to give boutique tax credits to their wealthy friends that will not grow the economy.

Mr. Speaker, I am so glad the member opposite was able to take off his tinfoil hat to come into the House today, because he does not actually understand the real results in our economy. Let us talk about our real results. A typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off, and as a result of our policies Canadians have created over a million new jobs. Let us not talk about the Conservatives' plan for the economy. They have already flip-flopped. When it comes to the Leader of the Opposition, it is cut first and think later.

Mr. Speaker, well, we know that the Conservatives do not let facts get in the way of the message they are trying to send. While Conservatives are focused on trying to rewrite history, we know they could not balance the budget. They could not grow the economy. However, over here, we have created over half a million new jobs. Next year, a typical Canadian family will be $2,000 better off than it was under the Conservatives. We know the investments are working and that we are focused on Canadians, while they are focused on selling their failed plan to Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the worst already came. It was the 10 years of the Harper Conservative government.Thankfully, our plan has been focused on Canadians. A typical Canadian family is actually $2,000 better off. The Conservatives do not want to base their questions on facts. They want to scare Canadians because they know they cannot run on their record.On the other hand, the Liberals can because we are focused on Canadians. We have one of the best economies in the G7. We are focused on making life more affordable. The Conservatives focus on power, helping their wealthy friends and on polices like Doug—

Mr. Speaker, we have already cut taxes and the member opposite talks about the Canada child care benefit, which they taxed. We, on the other hand, made it tax free. We continue to make the right kinds of investments. We are focused on Canadians. At the end of the day a typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off. With a decade under the Harper Conservatives, we know what Conservative cuts look like and Canadians voted against them.

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives continue to relay fake information. The fact is that we actually lowered taxes for middle-class Canadians. We lowered taxes for small businesses and we increased benefits like the Canada child benefit.When will the Conservatives finally tell the truth and say that they are taking their marching orders from Premier Ford and that we are going to see more and more cuts across this country, cuts to education, cuts to Franco-Ontarian language rights? Why will the Conservatives not be honest and tell Canadians about the cuts they plan on making?

Mr. Speaker, I think what the hon. member meant was we are fixing the damage that 10 years under the Harper Conservatives did to our economy. That is precisely what we are delivering on. We have done so by lifting hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty with the Canada child benefit, which the Conservatives voted against. Our plan sees wage increases and more workers actually working than at any other time. Families are $2,000 better off under our plan.While the Conservatives talk their rhetoric, they have no credibility when it comes to the economy.

Mr. Speaker, it is simply not true. A typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off under our plan than under the Harper Conservatives. That is real money in the pockets of everyday Canadians that need it. The Conservatives talk about their austerity and cuts. Let me talk about the Canada child benefit. Over 16,410 children are benefiting in the member's riding alone. Is he going to look those children in the face and take that money from them just to prove a point? We believe in investment. Conservatives believe in—

Mr. Speaker, what is irresponsible is the Conservatives constantly misleading the House and Canadians about their economic record. The numbers do not lie. Frankly, it was 10 years of economic darkness under the Conservatives which saw the lowest growth since the Great Depression. Wages were stagnant.Under our plan, we are seeing a million jobs created. Actually, over a million jobs have been created under our plan and the lowest unemployment rate in recorded history. We will never take lessons from the failed Conservatives.

Mr. Speaker, it is really sad that the Conservatives are attempting to rewrite history, but Canadians are not going to forget the fact that they added $150 billion to the debt, and they had nothing to show for it. They had the worse growth since the Great Depression. We have reduced the unemployment rate to the lowest rate in recorded history, and as a result, a typical Canadian family is actually $2,000 up per year. We will not follow the Conservatives' failed plans. It is time they started telling the truth to Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Conservatives want to continue to turn their back on the world, but under the Prime Minister and our government, we are working with our allies to help build infrastructure in some of the most underdeveloped countries. We take no lessons from the Conservatives. We will work with our allies. We understand that a strong global economy is good for Canada and good for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, that is simply not true. One of the first things we did was lower taxes on the middle class, which the NDP in fact voted against. We then made the Canada child benefit more generous, which again the NDP voted against.It is hard for Canadians to take the NDP seriously, when it took on the Conservatives' economic plan to balance the budget at all costs. Meanwhile, we promised Canadians we would grow the economy through investments. As a result, a typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off.Perhaps the NDP will come up with a different economic plan next—

Mr. Speaker, once again, the member opposite is frankly wrong. One of the first measures we introduced was lowering taxes for the middle class, making the Canada child benefit more generous and making it tax-free, something the Conservatives used to tax. Again, we will continue to focus on Canadians. We are not going to follow the Conservatives' plan, who are taking marching orders from Doug Ford, which is cut now, think later. We are investing in Canadians, and as a result, our plan is working.

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about what we have done for Canadians and the investments we have made, because it seems the members opposite just do not get it.One of the first things we did was lower taxes on the middle class. The next thing we did was make the Canada child benefit more generous and put more money in people's pockets. What did the Conservatives do? They taxed families. Let us also talk about the fact that taking into account Canada's total budget deficit, 72% came from Conservatives.

Mr. Speaker, in 2015, Canadians had a choice between the Conservatives and the NDP who promised austerity and cuts at all costs.We knew that after a decade of failed economic policies under the Harper Conservatives, we had to make the right kinds of investments for Canadians. By doing so, Canadians have created over 800,000 new jobs. We have the lowest unemployment rate in 40 years. A typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off.We know how to grow the economy. We are not going to take the same approach as the failed Conservative economic plan.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad the member opposite's daughter has a sense of humour similar to his, because the fact remains that a typical Canadian family will be $2,000 better off. With our Canada child benefit, we stopped sending cheques to millionaires so more families can access these benefits. Our economy is growing. The Conservatives had the worst growth since the Great Depression. These are all things confirmed in the annual financial report. Our plan is working, and unfortunately, the Conservatives failed when it came to the economy.

Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in power, they had an average GDP growth of just 1%. Since taking office, we have had an average 3% GDP growth and that is expected to continue and rise. The Conservatives talk about their record, but in fact their record is abysmal and they should be ashamed. When it comes to the economy, we know that real growth is based on investing in Canadians and as a result, over half a million new jobs have been created and wages are growing. That is what our government is focused on.

Mr. Speaker, what remains clear is that the Conservatives remain out of touch and have no real plan for the economy. What we saw under their failed economic plan was the lowest growth since the Great Depression. We saw cheques being sent to millionaires. We saw business investment decline. We on this side of the House have created over half a million new jobs and we continue to see wages grow. As well, Canadians are $2,000 better off under our plan than under the Conservatives' failures.

Mr. Speaker, again, the Conservatives do not want to take the facts as good enough because the fact is our debt to GDP ratio is steadily on the downward track. A typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off under our plan. By the investments we have made, we have seen over 700,000 new jobs created. We have one of the best records in the G7, but the Conservatives do not get it. Their failed plan under Stephen Harper did not work, and they continue to have no plan to really grow the economy and create an economy that works—

Mr. Speaker, it is really sad to see that the Conservatives continue to think that lifting 300,000 children out of poverty is not progress made. It is sad to see that the Conservatives do not think that creating 700,000 new jobs is progress made. The Conservatives will not be happy until our economy is tanking, but billionaires are taken care of. On this side of the House we are focused on Canadians. We are focused on lowering taxes for the middle class and lowering taxes for small businesses. As a result, the promise has been delivered.

Mr. Speaker, it is sad that the Conservatives do not see lifting hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty as progress. We on this side see that growing the economy and ensuring an economy that works for everyone is what we were elected to do and what we are delivering on. We will continue to grow the economy. We will continue to invest in Canadians because we know that is what Canadians elected us to do. We will not take lessons from the Conservatives who only want to help their millionaire friends.

Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, the Conservatives will continue the Ford government plan, which is cuts to Canadian families who need help and increased spending for millionaires. We are focused on Canadians, and as a result we have one of the best economies in the G7. We are going to keep working for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we have actually lowered taxes for small businesses. We have made investments in businesses across all sectors with the accelerated investment incentive. The Conservatives are so desperate to paint this picture, but the problem is, facts do not lie. We have created more than half a million new full-time jobs. A typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off than under the Conservatives' plan. I am sorry if the Conservatives cannot handle it, but they had no plan and they still have no plan.

Mr. Speaker, I can tell you very clearly that our plan is not to follow the failed Conservative economic policies that led to the worst growth since the Great Depression and stagnant wages. Unemployment rates, we are now seeing, through our policies, are the lowest in recorded history. In addition to that, we are making investments and are seeing that through these investments, over one million new jobs are being created. There are lots of lessons from the Conservatives' economic record, but unfortunately, they were terrible, and we are not going to follow them.

Mr. Speaker, I do not have the stomach to imagine what the Conservatives would continue to do with our economy after the disastrous 10 years they had. I am glad that they also recognize now the importance—

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question because it gives us another chance to talk about how our government lowered taxes for businesses. We have been investing in Canadians and, as a result, we have actually created a million new jobs. It is hard to take New Democrats seriously when they are talking about the economy because it seems that every day they change their position on various industries.We, on this side of the House, have had a plan: invest in Canadians and lower taxes for the middle class and small businesses. As a result, Canadians are $2,000 better off. A typical Canadian—

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite just described the failed Conservative plan: more debt, lower wages for Canadians and less growth in the economy, but they did increase unemployment rates. We cannot take any lessons from the Conservatives. They just simply cannot stand it. Their plan does not work, and now they do not know what to do.However, on this side of the House, our plan is working. We have invested in the middle class, and as a result we have created over a million new jobs.

Mr. Speaker, again, the fact remains that we are taking real action to grow the economy. The Conservatives had 10 years and they had the worst growth since the Great Depression. Meanwhile, we have some of the lowest unemployment rates in 40 years. It is no surprise that as we are cutting taxes for small businesses, for Canadians, for families and stopping to send cheques to millionaires, our economy is one of the best in the G7. With a failed record like that, no wonder the Conservatives do not understand what success looks like.

Mr. Speaker, we have been working hard with international partners to deal with web giants to ensure that they pay their fair share. This is not a uniquely Canadian problem. That is why we are working with our international counterparts and with groups like the OECD to come up with a consensus-based approach. We want to ensure that the tax system is fair and that it works for everybody. I want to point out the consistent inconsistencies when it comes to the NDP in closing tax loopholes—

Mr. Speaker, I would like to first congratulate the member for Carleton on becoming a dad. Unfortunately, that is where the congratulations end because this report actually confirmed that our plan is working. We have the fastest growing economy in the G7. We have created over half a million jobs since 2015.Let us contrast that to the Conservatives. They relied on a plan of austerity and cuts, cuts to things like Veterans Affairs. What did Canadians get for it? They could not even balance the budget.

Mr. Speaker, once again the Conservatives continue the Harper era of turning their backs on the world. They should not be cheering. As a result of the types of policies that the Conservatives had, they had some of the lowest growth since the Great Depression.We on this side, with Canadians, have created over one million jobs, and that is because we know a strong global economy is good for Canada and good for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, our focus and our plan has been clear since day one: invest in Canadians, grow the economy and create an economy that works for everyone. We stopped sending cheques to millionaires, as the Conservatives did, and as a result, we have seen the growth rate increase. We have seen these investments working, with over a million new jobs created.Let us remind Canadians of what Conservative cuts look like. Just look at Doug Ford in Ontario: cut now, think later.

Mr. Speaker, our government remains committed to lowering taxes and ensuring that small businesses thrive in this country.In addition, we are making improvements through this budget to ensure that farmers and fishers have better access and, again, the ability to grow and thrive in this country.After 10 years of failed policies under the Conservatives, we know how to grow the economy, and that is what we continue to do. With our budget, a typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off. This is the type of economy we are growing, one that works for everybody.

Mr. Speaker, the fact remains that we continue to reduce taxes for the middle class. In addition to that, we have seen the lowest unemployment rate in nearly 40 years, and as a result of our investments, a typical Canadian family will be approximately $2,000 better off than under the previous Conservative government. Our investments are working. Our economy is growing. We have one of the best balance sheets in the G7. These are commitments that are going to benefit all Canadians across this country.

Mr. Speaker, our plan and our commitment to Canadians was to grow the economy and to ensure that our economy works for all. Unfortunately, after 10 years of failed Conservative policies, we saw low unemployment rates. We did not see growth.However, thanks to our plan and our Prime Minister's leadership, we have seen wages grow. We have seen the lowest unemployment rate on record. As a result, we have the best financials in the G7. We will not take the Conservatives' advice on how not to grow the economy.

Mr. Speaker, what lesson specifically would the Conservatives like us to take? Is it the lowest growth rate since the Great Depression? Is it stagnant wages like they had under their government? Is it sending cheques to millionaires with the Canada child benefit and making it taxable? That is not really a record they should be proud of.On this side of the House we have continual growth. We are seeing increased investment, 80% more business investment than under the Conservatives. That is the type of growth we are focused on, an economy that works for everybody.

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives think that their roaring plan had us back to a technical recession in 2015. They think that is success? On the other hand, we knew that creating the right kinds of investments in Canadians was the best way to get our economy growing. As a result, our plan is working. We have seen over 700,000 jobs created. We have seen lower taxes, where a typical middle-class family is going to be $2,000 better off. We have seen wages grow after being anemic under the Conservatives. The Conservatives' plan is not—

Mr. Speaker, I must correct the record. When the Conservatives left office they added $150 billion to the debt and they could not balance the budget. On top of that, their plan was austerity, and cuts on the backs of people like our veterans. Canadians had a choice in 2015 and they chose a plan that put Canadians first and not Conservative millionaires. We are reducing taxes on the middle class, we are lowering taxes for small businesses and, as a result, we are seeing the best growth that we have seen in decades, unlike the Conservatives.

Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to answer this question from my hon. colleague. Let us talk about our record: a million new jobs created by Canadians, the best growth we have seen in decades, unemployment rates down, lifting 300,000 children out of poverty and giving more benefits to Canadian seniors. I am not surprised it has taken them this long to ask a question about the budget, because when we look at the Conservatives' record, we see they are failures. This Prime Minister and this Minister of Finance have delivered for Canadians, and that is precisely what we are going to continue.

Mr. Speaker, if the Conservatives want to talk math, let us talk math. They added $150 billion in debt, and what we got were fake lakes and gazebos. They also had a steady GDP growth rate of 1% when they left office. We came into office with our economic plan and we are seeing the growth rate at 3%. Our investments are to grow a more fair economy. We are reducing taxes on the middle class. We are reducing taxes for small businesses. We take no math lessons from the Conservatives.

Mr. Speaker, look at our record. Over the last number of years we have actually cut taxes. The member is talking about hypotheticals, but the record shows that we reduced taxes. We reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians. We have reduced taxes for small businesses. It is clear from the fact that the member for Carleton is speaking about Ontario that he just wants to create a nationalized plan of the Premier Ford cuts. That is what the Conservatives' platform is. When are the Conservatives going to be honest with Canadians and tell us what they plan on—

Mr. Speaker, again, we will take no lessons from the Conservatives on how to be honest with Canadians, when we are focused on Canadians. We know we need to create an economy that works everyone. That is why we lowered taxes on the middle class, we stopped sending cheques to millionaires, like the Conservatives did, and we made sure that Canada child benefit cheques were tax-free. We are investing in Canadians. Because of those investments, we have created over a million new jobs.I cannot say it enough that we will not take lessons from the government that added $150 billion to the debt.

Mr. Speaker, it is just the contrary. It is our government that is actually delivering for small businesses and entrepreneurs across the country. We have actually lowered the small business tax rate from 11% going 9%. We have not just talked about it, we are doing it. Because of that, over the last six quarters we have seen investment in business in Canada grow by 8%. That is because the actions we are taking are real. The Conservatives do not seem to understand that.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the issues that young people are facing, they certainly do not look to the Conservatives for solutions. After 10 years, we saw what that meant. When it comes to housing affordability, all the Conservatives want to do is allow young people and families in first-time home ownership opportunities to take on more debt. What we are committed to is actually allowing more people to get into the housing market; making their monthly costs go down; increasing affordability for Canadians so they have more money to spend on things that matter, like their families; and making sure that they can invest in communities. The Conservatives have no plan. We continue—

Mr. Speaker, Canada has made great progress, but there is more work to be done. Young Canadians still feel that they do not have the same economic opportunities afforded to their parents. They are hard working, talented and ambitious and have the right skills, but there are still challenges to addressing the changing labour market.In my new role as PS to finance, I am focused on youth economic opportunities. I look forward to working with young Canadians across this country to make sure that they are a part of our thriving economy.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians had a choice to continue on the Conservatives' plan of austerity and cuts, and no supports to the middle class and no tax cuts to the middle class. Canadians chose differently because they saw that it was not working. They had the worse growth rate since the Great Depression. Instead, they chose a plan that is working. We see growth in the middle class. We are strengthening the middle class, we are lowering taxes for small businesses, we have created half a million good, full-time jobs since 2015, and because of that, we have one of the best balance sheets in the G7. Our plan is working and will continue to work.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the Conservatives are now admitting that they think their $150-billion debt was tiny. We do not agree with that. While they were increasing that debt, they were cutting support for seniors, for our veterans and for Canadians. We invest in Canadians, and as a result, we see that we have the best growth and one of the best economies in the G7. Through these investments, in addition to that, we have created over a million jobs. I will continue to say it louder until the Conservatives wake up and understand that investing in Canadians is the only way to grow the economy.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Vaughan—Woodbridge for his work on the finance committee.The Conservatives have no plan for the economy. We have a plan and it is working. We have lowered taxes for nine million middle-class Canadians and put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 families with the Canada child benefit. In the fall economic statement, we took another step to support long-term economic growth. We are supporting new business investments in Canada to help businesses grow and create new jobs for Canadians across the country.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that the infrastructure deficit in this country is significant and that governments need to be innovative in how they address this challenge. The proposed Canada infrastructure bank would be an additional tool to build new infrastructure by attracting private sector and institutional investors to support the transformational infrastructure Canadian communities need. Can the Prime Minister update the House on the status of the creation of the infrastructure bank?

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that Canada's tax system is fair and creates a strong middle class, but the issue of how to appropriately tax web giants is not uniquely Canadian. In fact, it is a global issue. That is precisely why Canada is working with our international partners, including the OECD, to come up with a consensus-based approach, one that ensures every company pays its fair share but that also fosters in the country a space of innovation in digital technology.

Mr. Speaker, it is sad that the Conservatives do not see lifting hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty as progress. We on this side see that growing the economy and ensuring an economy that works for everyone is what we were elected to do and what we are delivering on. We will continue to grow the economy. We will continue to invest in Canadians because we know that is what Canadians elected us to do. We will not take lessons from the Conservatives who only want to help their millionaire friends.

Mr. Speaker, I can tell you very clearly that our plan is not to follow the failed Conservative economic policies that led to the worst growth since the Great Depression and stagnant wages. Unemployment rates, we are now seeing, through our policies, are the lowest in recorded history. In addition to that, we are making investments and are seeing that through these investments, over one million new jobs are being created. There are lots of lessons from the Conservatives' economic record, but unfortunately, they were terrible, and we are not going to follow them.

Mr. Speaker, the fact remains that Canada and our government are firmly focused on investing in small businesses and ensuring that we create a competitive economy for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. We have lowered small business taxes and taxes on the middle class. The Minister of Finance pointed out yesterday that we have had 8% growth in business investment in the last six consecutive quarters. Our government is making investments to ensure that Canadian businesses thrive.

Mr. Speaker, it is really sad that the Conservatives are attempting to rewrite history, but Canadians are not going to forget the fact that they added $150 billion to the debt, and they had nothing to show for it. They had the worse growth since the Great Depression. We have reduced the unemployment rate to the lowest rate in recorded history, and as a result, a typical Canadian family is actually $2,000 up per year. We will not follow the Conservatives' failed plans. It is time they started telling the truth to Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I do not have the stomach to imagine what the Conservatives would continue to do with our economy after the disastrous 10 years they had. I am glad that they also recognize now the importance—

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we have actually lowered taxes for small businesses. We have made investments in businesses across all sectors with the accelerated investment incentive. The Conservatives are so desperate to paint this picture, but the problem is, facts do not lie. We have created more than half a million new full-time jobs. A typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off than under the Conservatives' plan. I am sorry if the Conservatives cannot handle it, but they had no plan and they still have no plan.

Mr. Speaker, it is really sad to see that the Conservatives continue to think that lifting 300,000 children out of poverty is not progress made. It is sad to see that the Conservatives do not think that creating 700,000 new jobs is progress made. The Conservatives will not be happy until our economy is tanking, but billionaires are taken care of. On this side of the House we are focused on Canadians. We are focused on lowering taxes for the middle class and lowering taxes for small businesses. As a result, the promise has been delivered.

Mr. Speaker, it is just the contrary. It is our government that is actually delivering for small businesses and entrepreneurs across the country. We have actually lowered the small business tax rate from 11% going 9%. We have not just talked about it, we are doing it. Because of that, over the last six quarters we have seen investment in business in Canada grow by 8%. That is because the actions we are taking are real. The Conservatives do not seem to understand that.

Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in power, they had an average GDP growth of just 1%. Since taking office, we have had an average 3% GDP growth and that is expected to continue and rise. The Conservatives talk about their record, but in fact their record is abysmal and they should be ashamed. When it comes to the economy, we know that real growth is based on investing in Canadians and as a result, over half a million new jobs have been created and wages are growing. That is what our government is focused on.

Mr. Speaker, well, we know that the Conservatives do not let facts get in the way of the message they are trying to send. While Conservatives are focused on trying to rewrite history, we know they could not balance the budget. They could not grow the economy. However, over here, we have created over half a million new jobs. Next year, a typical Canadian family will be $2,000 better off than it was under the Conservatives. We know the investments are working and that we are focused on Canadians, while they are focused on selling their failed plan to Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question because it gives us another chance to talk about how our government lowered taxes for businesses. We have been investing in Canadians and, as a result, we have actually created a million new jobs. It is hard to take New Democrats seriously when they are talking about the economy because it seems that every day they change their position on various industries.We, on this side of the House, have had a plan: invest in Canadians and lower taxes for the middle class and small businesses. As a result, Canadians are $2,000 better off. A typical Canadian—

Mr. Speaker, again, the fact remains that we are taking real action to grow the economy. The Conservatives had 10 years and they had the worst growth since the Great Depression. Meanwhile, we have some of the lowest unemployment rates in 40 years. It is no surprise that as we are cutting taxes for small businesses, for Canadians, for families and stopping to send cheques to millionaires, our economy is one of the best in the G7. With a failed record like that, no wonder the Conservatives do not understand what success looks like.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite just described the failed Conservative plan: more debt, lower wages for Canadians and less growth in the economy, but they did increase unemployment rates. We cannot take any lessons from the Conservatives. They just simply cannot stand it. Their plan does not work, and now they do not know what to do.However, on this side of the House, our plan is working. We have invested in the middle class, and as a result we have created over a million new jobs.

Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, the Conservatives will continue the Ford government plan, which is cuts to Canadian families who need help and increased spending for millionaires. We are focused on Canadians, and as a result we have one of the best economies in the G7. We are going to keep working for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, once again the Conservatives continue the Harper era of turning their backs on the world. They should not be cheering. As a result of the types of policies that the Conservatives had, they had some of the lowest growth since the Great Depression.We on this side, with Canadians, have created over one million jobs, and that is because we know a strong global economy is good for Canada and good for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, what lesson specifically would the Conservatives like us to take? Is it the lowest growth rate since the Great Depression? Is it stagnant wages like they had under their government? Is it sending cheques to millionaires with the Canada child benefit and making it taxable? That is not really a record they should be proud of.On this side of the House we have continual growth. We are seeing increased investment, 80% more business investment than under the Conservatives. That is the type of growth we are focused on, an economy that works for everybody.

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting, coming from the member opposite, because he was, in fact, part of the government when the equalization payment formula was created, and I do not recall him speaking out then in opposition to it. However, that being said, we will always work with provinces and territories to find the best way to work with our counterparts. This is an equalization that was renewed again for four years, and the provinces and territories will continue to be consulted as we move forward.

Mr. Speaker, to the contrary, again, as confirmed at committee by officials, our legislation was done in consultation with provinces and territories to ensure that the highest level of consumer protection was upheld. Our legislation is complementary and will ensure that those protections in the provinces and territories are upheld.We will continue to consult and make sure that consumers, when dealing with banks, are protected.

Mr. Speaker, members of the Standing Committee on Finance have been working with the Minister of Finance and urging him to work with his provincial and territorial counterparts to ensure that persons with disabilities and women who take time out of the workforce to raise children are able to receive the full benefits of our government's transformational Canada pension plan enhancement. Can the parliamentary secretary update the House on the results of those discussions?

Mr. Speaker, we understand and respect the jurisdiction of provinces and territories. That is why, when we are dealing with consumer protection, we feel that Canadians deserve the strongest consumer protection.We consulted with provinces and territories to ensure that our legislation was complementary and did not override or supersede. This was confirmed to the Bloc members at committee by officials. We will continue to stand for consumer protection and respect the rights of provinces and territories.

Mr. Speaker, the Trans Mountain project is an investment in Canada's future. With 99% of energy exports going to the U.S., we know that we have to diversify our markets in order to create good quality jobs for Canadians. We are moving forward in the right way. We are protecting the environment and ensuring that we are engaging with meaningful consultation with indigenous communities.

Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Conservatives want to continue to turn their back on the world, but under the Prime Minister and our government, we are working with our allies to help build infrastructure in some of the most underdeveloped countries. We take no lessons from the Conservatives. We will work with our allies. We understand that a strong global economy is good for Canada and good for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the Conservatives are now admitting that they think their $150-billion debt was tiny. We do not agree with that. While they were increasing that debt, they were cutting support for seniors, for our veterans and for Canadians. We invest in Canadians, and as a result, we see that we have the best growth and one of the best economies in the G7. Through these investments, in addition to that, we have created over a million jobs. I will continue to say it louder until the Conservatives wake up and understand that investing in Canadians is the only way to grow the economy.

Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to answer this question from my hon. colleague. Let us talk about our record: a million new jobs created by Canadians, the best growth we have seen in decades, unemployment rates down, lifting 300,000 children out of poverty and giving more benefits to Canadian seniors. I am not surprised it has taken them this long to ask a question about the budget, because when we look at the Conservatives' record, we see they are failures. This Prime Minister and this Minister of Finance have delivered for Canadians, and that is precisely what we are going to continue.

Mr. Speaker, Canada has made great progress, but there is more work to be done. Young Canadians still feel that they do not have the same economic opportunities afforded to their parents. They are hard working, talented and ambitious and have the right skills, but there are still challenges to addressing the changing labour market.In my new role as PS to finance, I am focused on youth economic opportunities. I look forward to working with young Canadians across this country to make sure that they are a part of our thriving economy.

Mr. Speaker, I think what the hon. member meant was we are fixing the damage that 10 years under the Harper Conservatives did to our economy. That is precisely what we are delivering on. We have done so by lifting hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty with the Canada child benefit, which the Conservatives voted against. Our plan sees wage increases and more workers actually working than at any other time. Families are $2,000 better off under our plan.While the Conservatives talk their rhetoric, they have no credibility when it comes to the economy.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that Canada's tax system is fair and creates a strong middle class, but the issue of how to appropriately tax web giants is not uniquely Canadian. In fact, it is a global issue. That is precisely why Canada is working with our international partners, including the OECD, to come up with a consensus-based approach, one that ensures every company pays its fair share but that also fosters in the country a space of innovation in digital technology.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that the infrastructure deficit in this country is significant and that governments need to be innovative in how they address this challenge. The proposed Canada infrastructure bank would be an additional tool to build new infrastructure by attracting private sector and institutional investors to support the transformational infrastructure Canadian communities need. Can the Prime Minister update the House on the status of the creation of the infrastructure bank?

Mr. Speaker, I must correct the record. When the Conservatives left office they added $150 billion to the debt and they could not balance the budget. On top of that, their plan was austerity, and cuts on the backs of people like our veterans. Canadians had a choice in 2015 and they chose a plan that put Canadians first and not Conservative millionaires. We are reducing taxes on the middle class, we are lowering taxes for small businesses and, as a result, we are seeing the best growth that we have seen in decades, unlike the Conservatives.

Mr. Speaker, again, we will take no lessons from the Conservatives on how to be honest with Canadians, when we are focused on Canadians. We know we need to create an economy that works everyone. That is why we lowered taxes on the middle class, we stopped sending cheques to millionaires, like the Conservatives did, and we made sure that Canada child benefit cheques were tax-free. We are investing in Canadians. Because of those investments, we have created over a million new jobs.I cannot say it enough that we will not take lessons from the government that added $150 billion to the debt.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Vaughan—Woodbridge for his work on the finance committee.The Conservatives have no plan for the economy. We have a plan and it is working. We have lowered taxes for nine million middle-class Canadians and put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 families with the Canada child benefit. In the fall economic statement, we took another step to support long-term economic growth. We are supporting new business investments in Canada to help businesses grow and create new jobs for Canadians across the country.

Mr. Speaker, again, the Conservatives do not want to take the facts as good enough because the fact is our debt to GDP ratio is steadily on the downward track. A typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off under our plan. By the investments we have made, we have seen over 700,000 new jobs created. We have one of the best records in the G7, but the Conservatives do not get it. Their failed plan under Stephen Harper did not work, and they continue to have no plan to really grow the economy and create an economy that works—

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives think that their roaring plan had us back to a technical recession in 2015. They think that is success? On the other hand, we knew that creating the right kinds of investments in Canadians was the best way to get our economy growing. As a result, our plan is working. We have seen over 700,000 jobs created. We have seen lower taxes, where a typical middle-class family is going to be $2,000 better off. We have seen wages grow after being anemic under the Conservatives. The Conservatives' plan is not—

Mr. Speaker, this year we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation and we can reflect on our legacy for the future. Despite the important milestones witnessed in these 150 years, women, girls, and gender-non-confirming people still face hardships. There is more work remaining for gender equality to become a reality in Canada.Can the Minister of Status of Women update this House on how our government is contributing to the overall goal of building a strong and independent women's movement?

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the issues that young people are facing, they certainly do not look to the Conservatives for solutions. After 10 years, we saw what that meant. When it comes to housing affordability, all the Conservatives want to do is allow young people and families in first-time home ownership opportunities to take on more debt. What we are committed to is actually allowing more people to get into the housing market; making their monthly costs go down; increasing affordability for Canadians so they have more money to spend on things that matter, like their families; and making sure that they can invest in communities. The Conservatives have no plan. We continue—

Mr. Speaker, I am so glad the member opposite was able to take off his tinfoil hat to come into the House today, because he does not actually understand the real results in our economy. Let us talk about our real results. A typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off, and as a result of our policies Canadians have created over a million new jobs. Let us not talk about the Conservatives' plan for the economy. They have already flip-flopped. When it comes to the Leader of the Opposition, it is cut first and think later.

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about what we have done for Canadians and the investments we have made, because it seems the members opposite just do not get it.One of the first things we did was lower taxes on the middle class. The next thing we did was make the Canada child benefit more generous and put more money in people's pockets. What did the Conservatives do? They taxed families. Let us also talk about the fact that taking into account Canada's total budget deficit, 72% came from Conservatives.

Mr. Speaker, our government committed to making it easier for Canadians to vote. Can the Minister of Democratic Institutions update this House on the next steps to ensure our elections are more open and inclusive?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians had a choice to continue on the Conservatives' plan of austerity and cuts, and no supports to the middle class and no tax cuts to the middle class. Canadians chose differently because they saw that it was not working. They had the worse growth rate since the Great Depression. Instead, they chose a plan that is working. We see growth in the middle class. We are strengthening the middle class, we are lowering taxes for small businesses, we have created half a million good, full-time jobs since 2015, and because of that, we have one of the best balance sheets in the G7. Our plan is working and will continue to work.

Mr. Speaker, we have already cut taxes and the member opposite talks about the Canada child care benefit, which they taxed. We, on the other hand, made it tax free. We continue to make the right kinds of investments. We are focused on Canadians. At the end of the day a typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off. With a decade under the Harper Conservatives, we know what Conservative cuts look like and Canadians voted against them.

Mr. Speaker, we have been working hard with international partners to deal with web giants to ensure that they pay their fair share. This is not a uniquely Canadian problem. That is why we are working with our international counterparts and with groups like the OECD to come up with a consensus-based approach. We want to ensure that the tax system is fair and that it works for everybody. I want to point out the consistent inconsistencies when it comes to the NDP in closing tax loopholes—

Mr. Speaker, we committed and kept our promise to grow and invest in Canadians, to grow the economy for the middle class and those working hard to join it.We did not take on the same economic plan as the Conservatives, because they could not manage the economy to help create a more prosperous economy for everyone. All they did was focus on their millionaire friends. We are focused on Canadians and we know our plan is working. When we invest in Canadians, they create the economic success that—

Mr. Speaker, the fact remains that we continue to reduce taxes for the middle class. In addition to that, we have seen the lowest unemployment rate in nearly 40 years, and as a result of our investments, a typical Canadian family will be approximately $2,000 better off than under the previous Conservative government. Our investments are working. Our economy is growing. We have one of the best balance sheets in the G7. These are commitments that are going to benefit all Canadians across this country.

Mr. Speaker, today is the first annual ENERGY STAR day in Canada. The ENERGY STAR symbol identifies high-efficiency products in lighting, appliances, electronics, and new homes.Would the hon. Minister of Natural Resources tell the House how the ENERGY STAR program contributes to energy efficiency in our daily lives and saves Canadians money?

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives continue to relay fake information. The fact is that we actually lowered taxes for middle-class Canadians. We lowered taxes for small businesses and we increased benefits like the Canada child benefit.When will the Conservatives finally tell the truth and say that they are taking their marching orders from Premier Ford and that we are going to see more and more cuts across this country, cuts to education, cuts to Franco-Ontarian language rights? Why will the Conservatives not be honest and tell Canadians about the cuts they plan on making?

Mr. Speaker, what remains clear is that the Conservatives remain out of touch and have no real plan for the economy. What we saw under their failed economic plan was the lowest growth since the Great Depression. We saw cheques being sent to millionaires. We saw business investment decline. We on this side of the House have created over half a million new jobs and we continue to see wages grow. As well, Canadians are $2,000 better off under our plan than under the Conservatives' failures.

Mr. Speaker, what is irresponsible is the Conservatives constantly misleading the House and Canadians about their economic record. The numbers do not lie. Frankly, it was 10 years of economic darkness under the Conservatives which saw the lowest growth since the Great Depression. Wages were stagnant.Under our plan, we are seeing a million jobs created. Actually, over a million jobs have been created under our plan and the lowest unemployment rate in recorded history. We will never take lessons from the failed Conservatives.

Mr. Speaker, today, the Minister of Finance appeared before the finance committee to answer questions on the fall economic statement, which he delivered in the House of Commons yesterday. It was the first time such a statement has been given to Parliament in almost 10 years. Would the minister explain how our government's plan will help middle-class families and what the next steps are in order to grow the economy sustainably?

Mr. Speaker, look at our record. Over the last number of years we have actually cut taxes. The member is talking about hypotheticals, but the record shows that we reduced taxes. We reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians. We have reduced taxes for small businesses. It is clear from the fact that the member for Carleton is speaking about Ontario that he just wants to create a nationalized plan of the Premier Ford cuts. That is what the Conservatives' platform is. When are the Conservatives going to be honest with Canadians and tell us what they plan on—

Mr. Speaker, if the Conservatives want to talk math, let us talk math. They added $150 billion in debt, and what we got were fake lakes and gazebos. They also had a steady GDP growth rate of 1% when they left office. We came into office with our economic plan and we are seeing the growth rate at 3%. Our investments are to grow a more fair economy. We are reducing taxes on the middle class. We are reducing taxes for small businesses. We take no math lessons from the Conservatives.

Mr. Speaker, I will take no lessons on admitting the truth to Canadians when the Conservatives constantly flip-flop on their policies and mislead Canadians in the House and in the public domain. The reality is the fact that we lowered taxes on the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest 1%. As a result, we have lifted 300,000 children and 825,000 Canadians overall out of poverty. What did the Conservatives want to do? They want to give boutique tax credits to their wealthy friends that will not grow the economy.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to first congratulate the member for Carleton on becoming a dad. Unfortunately, that is where the congratulations end because this report actually confirmed that our plan is working. We have the fastest growing economy in the G7. We have created over half a million jobs since 2015.Let us contrast that to the Conservatives. They relied on a plan of austerity and cuts, cuts to things like Veterans Affairs. What did Canadians get for it? They could not even balance the budget.

Mr. Speaker, our focus and our plan has been clear since day one: invest in Canadians, grow the economy and create an economy that works for everyone. We stopped sending cheques to millionaires, as the Conservatives did, and as a result, we have seen the growth rate increase. We have seen these investments working, with over a million new jobs created.Let us remind Canadians of what Conservative cuts look like. Just look at Doug Ford in Ontario: cut now, think later.

Mr. Speaker, that is simply not true. One of the first things we did was lower taxes on the middle class, which the NDP in fact voted against. We then made the Canada child benefit more generous, which again the NDP voted against.It is hard for Canadians to take the NDP seriously, when it took on the Conservatives' economic plan to balance the budget at all costs. Meanwhile, we promised Canadians we would grow the economy through investments. As a result, a typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off.Perhaps the NDP will come up with a different economic plan next—

Mr. Speaker, the worst already came. It was the 10 years of the Harper Conservative government.Thankfully, our plan has been focused on Canadians. A typical Canadian family is actually $2,000 better off. The Conservatives do not want to base their questions on facts. They want to scare Canadians because they know they cannot run on their record.On the other hand, the Liberals can because we are focused on Canadians. We have one of the best economies in the G7. We are focused on making life more affordable. The Conservatives focus on power, helping their wealthy friends and on polices like Doug—

Mr. Speaker, I am glad the member opposite's daughter has a sense of humour similar to his, because the fact remains that a typical Canadian family will be $2,000 better off. With our Canada child benefit, we stopped sending cheques to millionaires so more families can access these benefits. Our economy is growing. The Conservatives had the worst growth since the Great Depression. These are all things confirmed in the annual financial report. Our plan is working, and unfortunately, the Conservatives failed when it came to the economy.

Mr. Speaker, once again, the member opposite is frankly wrong. One of the first measures we introduced was lowering taxes for the middle class, making the Canada child benefit more generous and making it tax-free, something the Conservatives used to tax. Again, we will continue to focus on Canadians. We are not going to follow the Conservatives' plan, who are taking marching orders from Doug Ford, which is cut now, think later. We are investing in Canadians, and as a result, our plan is working.

Mr. Speaker, our plan and our commitment to Canadians was to grow the economy and to ensure that our economy works for all. Unfortunately, after 10 years of failed Conservative policies, we saw low unemployment rates. We did not see growth.However, thanks to our plan and our Prime Minister's leadership, we have seen wages grow. We have seen the lowest unemployment rate on record. As a result, we have the best financials in the G7. We will not take the Conservatives' advice on how not to grow the economy.

Mr. Speaker, it is simply not true. A typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off under our plan than under the Harper Conservatives. That is real money in the pockets of everyday Canadians that need it. The Conservatives talk about their austerity and cuts. Let me talk about the Canada child benefit. Over 16,410 children are benefiting in the member's riding alone. Is he going to look those children in the face and take that money from them just to prove a point? We believe in investment. Conservatives believe in—

Mr. Speaker, in 2015, Canadians had a choice between the Conservatives and the NDP who promised austerity and cuts at all costs.We knew that after a decade of failed economic policies under the Harper Conservatives, we had to make the right kinds of investments for Canadians. By doing so, Canadians have created over 800,000 new jobs. We have the lowest unemployment rate in 40 years. A typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off.We know how to grow the economy. We are not going to take the same approach as the failed Conservative economic plan.

Mr. Speaker, our government remains committed to lowering taxes and ensuring that small businesses thrive in this country.In addition, we are making improvements through this budget to ensure that farmers and fishers have better access and, again, the ability to grow and thrive in this country.After 10 years of failed policies under the Conservatives, we know how to grow the economy, and that is what we continue to do. With our budget, a typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off. This is the type of economy we are growing, one that works for everybody.

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Statistics Canada May jobs report highlighted that three times as many full-time jobs were added to the Canadian economy than was predicted. That is 77,000 new full-time jobs. That is over a quarter of a million full-time jobs added to Canada's economy in the past six months. This shows that our plan of investing in the middle class is working, a plan that the leader of the opposition opposes.Can the parliamentary secretary please tell the House how our plan to invest in Canadians is delivering results for the middle class and those working hard to join it?