Maxime Bernier

Mr. Speaker, in their quest for fairness, the Liberals have found a new way to prevent a young entrepreneur from accessing funding to create his own business. The end result is pure hypocrisy. Firms such as Morneau Shepell will not be affected by the reform, but young entrepreneurs will have to look elsewhere to find the necessary funding to build their business.When will the Prime Minister get a grip on reality and stop taxing the middle class?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance did not listen to business owners across the country who are worried about their businesses. Meanwhile, Morneau Shepell is selling private insurance plans to people who will be affected by this botched reform.This is a conflict of interest, and I think that Canadians expect more from the Minister of Finance. He is effectively insulting them.When will the Minister of Finance finally understand and stop putting Canada in debt and taxing small businesses at the expense of their future growth?

Mr. Speaker, Canada's equalization program is creating more and more division in our country. The Premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan said that they might call a referendum on that topic. The Premier of New Brunswick agrees that the program is not helping his province to prosper.Will the government admit that it made a mistake by renewing the equalization formula without change last year and that this unfair and inefficient program needs to be downsized and reformed?

Mr. Speaker, once again, today Canadians are being denied postal services because of a labour dispute. Postal monopolies have been abolished everywhere in Europe since 2013. Opening to competition and privatization are the keys to reducing costs, improving service and ensuring that Canadians are never again denied postal services during a labour dispute.When will the government get rid of this antiquated monopoly?

Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleague that I am the member for Beauce. I work for the people of Beauce and for all Canadians, and I am proud of that.As a country active on the international stage, we have policy positions. I would like to know why this government is renouncing its policy position on Iran and why it is dropping sanctions against Iran. Iran has not changed. Iran violates the human rights of its own citizens, punishes religious minorities and sponsors terrorism. Why are the Liberals changing their position and supporting a state that finances terrorism?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that only entrepreneurs invest and create wealth. The government is spending money that it does not have. That is what the Minister of Finance is doing.Will the Minister of Finance stop trying to make Canadians believe that he inherited a deficit? Last Friday, his officials clearly told him that he inherited a surplus of more than $400 million in November. Will he be honest with Canadians once and for all and confirm that he inherited a budget surplus?

Mr. Speaker, the government does not like the fact that we are focusing on the Minister of Finance's conflict of interest. The government does not like it because what we are saying is true: the minister is working for his own personal interests, when he is in a conflict of interest, and not the interest of all Canadians. We have a number of examples, including Bill C-27 and the Bombardier deal. In any case, the most flagrant is the fact that the minister said he was going to put his assets in a blind trust, but he failed to do so for two years. He misled the House about that.How can the Minister of Finance continue to act as the government's nice guy while being in a conflict of interest because of his personal affairs?

Mr. Speaker, every day brings more bad news for the Liberals about the Minister of Finance and his conflicts of interest.The greatest irony is that every time we ask the Minister of Finance any questions, he says that we are attacking him personally, which is absolutely false. What we want to know, and what Canadians want to know, is what other conflicts of interest the Minister of Finance might be involved in with his many investments in numbered companies.Will the Minister of Finance disclose all of his assets? Canadians might then be able to trust him.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals decided to unfairly hurt small businesses that create wealth in this country. They are punishing these entrepreneurs for creating wealth and jobs.Meanwhile, large corporations like Bombardier are getting huge subsidies and these corporate executives are padding their pockets with exorbitant bonuses while eliminating middle-class jobs.I have a simple question for the Prime Minister. Will he choose to defend Canadian taxpayers and do away with these tax hikes or will he continue—

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister celebrated his first 100 days by spending more money that he does not have, specifically $319 million on young people. It is an entirely hypocritical gesture, since those same young people will be forced to pay for this deficit spending in the very near future.Will the Minister of Finance keep his promise and make sure he does not put future generations in debt, and will he ensure that our young people can live within their means and not put them into debt with future taxes?

Mr. Speaker, as the government is preparing to give $1 billion in financial assistance to Bombardier, Bombardier is preparing to outsource even more jobs.Everybody knows that subsidies are inefficient and a waste of taxpayers' money. When will the government understand that it is not fair to force small entrepreneurs to pay taxes to fund subsidies for a corporation like Bombardier?

Mr. Speaker, their plan is to scare Canadians.The Liberals' plan was to spend $10 billion. Now it is more than $10 billion. They want to spend and drive Canadians into debt, knowing that the household debt rate is 160% of disposable income. The credit card is maxed out. This is not the time to drive Canadians into debt.I would like to ask the Liberals how driving Canadians further into debt will create more wealth.

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister has not listened to the concerns of thousands of Canadians who are worried about the future of their small family businesses. Meanwhile, Morneau Shepell sells private pension plans to those who would be affected by this tax increase. This is not only a conflict of interest; it is also an insult to Canadians. When will the finance minister listen and lower taxes for small businesses?

Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed because this government has already broken three important promises it made to Canadians and future generations. This government is in denial. The Liberals do not want to acknowledge that they are borrowing money at the expense of future generations. They do not want to admit that they are spending money that they do not have and living beyond their means. They believe that they are going to create wealth by spending money they do not have. Actually, it will be business people who create wealth by making investments.Will this government stop being stubborn and balance the books as quickly as possible for the benefit of future generations?

Mr. Speaker, shame, shame, shame. Future generations will have to pay $25 billion in interest on the Canadian debt every day. That is money that will not be spent on Canadian social programs, and it is going to get worse because the debt is going up. The government is trying to create wealth at the expense of future generations. This has to stop.When will the Minister of Finance understand that the best way to grow the economy is smaller government, more freedom, and more prosperity?

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, it is the Liberals' fault that the energy east project is no more. Those same Liberals who claim to want to help the middle class are pleased with this outcome. They killed a job-creating project.In fact, the company said that following in-depth analysis of the new regulations they decided to pull the plug on the project.How can the government be so proud of the end of a project that would have been very good for the middle class and would have created jobs in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and across the country?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are done consulting people about their tax changes, but many questions remain unanswered. What is clear, though, is that companies such as Morneau Shepell will benefit from these changes and will not be paying more tax after the reforms come into effect. The minister is being hypocritical by making small businesses pay more while protecting his own personal fortune. When will the minister realize that he is in conflict of interest and should recuse himself from this discussion?

Mr. Speaker, after being lobbied by SNC-Lavalin, the government changed the Criminal Code and tried to cut a deal to avoid a trial. Two former SNC-Lavalin executives just had their corruption cases thrown out of court because of unrealistic delays, and we learned that SNC has received more than $2 billion in government aid since 2002.Will the Prime Minister recognize that crony capitalism is an unjust system that must be eradicated?

Mr. Speaker, we have questions about the minister's conflicts of interest.He tabled a bill that will benefit him personally. He told Canadians he would put his assets in a blind trust but then failed to do so. He is up to his neck in conflicts of interest. All we want to know, yes or no, is whether the minister recused himself from all discussions, especially those around Bill C-27.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance's record is atrocious.The minister initially told Canadians that there would be a small deficit of $10 billion, and now it is $20 billion. Even worse, he is racking up untold debt for future generations. There was supposed to be a balanced budget by the end of the government's term, but that will not happen. He is putting future generations in debt, to the tune of more than $100 million. They are going to have to pay off this debt. That is irresponsible for our children and grandchildren.When will the Minister of Finance resign?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we learned that after campaigning on a tax increase for the province's well-heeled citizens and then raising their taxes, the Liberal government in New Brunswick is realizing that this is not working and that the government coffers are bare. You cannot create wealth by raising everyone's taxes.Why is this government being so stubborn? Why is the Minister of Finance bent on raising Canadians' taxes?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is collecting dividends from his family business, Morneau Shepell. Yesterday we learned that Morneau Shepell does business with Bombardier. As everyone knows, Bombardier got millions of dollars from the government. When a subsidized company contributes indirectly to Morneau Shepell's bottom line, that clearly puts the finance minister in conflict of interest. My question is a simple one: did the minister recuse himself from all discussions about subsidies with Bombardier?

Mr. Speaker, it is sad to listen to my colleague. Running deficits is not the answer for stimulating the economy.When Canadians are managing their budgets, they know that when times are tough it is not the time to be spending more. On the contrary, they know that when times are tough it is time to look closer at their spending, manage it responsibly, and save money. Spending does not create wealth. We do not become richer by spending money we do not have.I would ask the Minister of Finance and the government to stop living in a parallel universe where spending equals prosperity and to deliver a balanced budget for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, it does not matter what the Liberals do to improve the finance minister's image, nothing can be done. Ethical problems always seem to follow him around. Canadians know very well that the finance minister did not follow the advice of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. He is under investigation by the Ethics Commissioner for having forgotten to declare a villa in Europe and for having introduced a bill that benefits his company, Morneau Shepell. When will the Prime Minister decide that the finance minister should resign?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that prosperity does not come from government spending but rather from entrepreneurs investing. The finance minister is completely wrong when he thinks that we can spend our way to prosperity on borrowed money.Will he work with us? Will he work with job-creating entrepreneurs by lowering taxes and balancing the budget?

Mr. Speaker, after Boeing filed complaints against Bombardier, following the billions of dollars it received in subsidies, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said it could cancel the purchase from Boeing of 18 Super Hornets.Can the minister tell us what is important, Canada's air defence capability or the financial interests of Bombardier?

Mr. Speaker, the plan was a small $10-billion deficit. Now, we are talking $25 billion or $30 billion. Where will it end? Why sink future generations into debt?The Minister of Finance has lost control of his department, he has lost control of public spending, and he has lost control of the deficits. He should pull himself together and get control of his department. If he cannot do so, he should make way for someone else who can.

Mr. Speaker, Ottawa and the provinces have a number of programs, taxes and regulations to reduce greenhouse gases. Last week, on Tout le monde en parle, the Prime Minister acknowledged that even if Canada were to cease all economic activity, it would not have much of an impact on climate change.Why, then, does the Prime Minister want to impose a costly tax on consumers and businesses that will have no impact on climate change?

Mr. Speaker, there have been a series of attacks against free speech by the government recently. At the same time that it is trying to influence mainstream media with its $600-million bailout, the Liberal government wants to control what Canadians can say on social media.Will the Minister of Democratic Institutions confirm that she is thinking about shutting down Twitter during the election if the company does not comply with her demands, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, we now know that Bombardier is sniffing out deals and trying to sell its aircraft in Iran.We also know that some of Bombardier's senior managers met with government representatives, including the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.I have a simple question. Can the government assure the House that Bombardier, or any other company, was not told that the sanctions would be lifted before it became known publicly? Did the Liberals talk to companies in secret to—

Mr. Speaker, the Minister keeps telling us that no changes have been made to the eligibility criteria for people with type 1 diabetes. We have now learned that senior officials in her own department confirmed that the tax credit should be denied to most people with type 1 diabetes. My question for the minister is quite simple: who is telling the truth, the minister or her senior officials?

Mr. Speaker, we are not big fans of the secret agreements that the Government of Canada negotiated with Bombardier. The minister told us that Bombardier will have to reimburse the money. That is simple enough. Now, it is doing business with a new company, a foreign company. My question for the minister is quite simple.When will taxpayers be reimbursed for the money that was given to a Canadian company to develop expertise here in Canada? When will Canadians be reimbursed?

Mr. Speaker, we have a Minister of Finance who was fined by the Ethics Commissioner because he forgot to disclose his villa in France and who is also being investigated for sponsoring a bill that could benefit his family company. We have a Minister of Finance who is still refusing to disclose the many assets he holds in his many numbered companies and who is refusing to answer questions from the opposition and journalists. Most importantly, we have a minister who is refusing to resign.When will the Minister of Finance resign?

Mr. Speaker, it is simple. We are calling for the resignation of the country's chief financial officer, given that he has lost our confidence.The Minister of Finance is caught up in conflicts of interest. He forgot to declare his villa in Europe and he made transactions that will affect his own portfolio. With his Bay Street background, he should know the rules for these transactions. Here, we are held to the highest ethical standards, and he is not living up to them. He is in a conflict of interest. He does not even consult Canadians about his measures—

Mr. Speaker, we are learning that the government has entered into discussions with the U.S. to close the loophole in the safe third country agreement. The government has allowed thousands of illegal migrants to flood into Canada and has spent hundreds of millions of dollars, yet it has done nothing to resolve the issue. Why did the government allow the situation to deteriorate so badly before sitting down with the Americans to enforce our border laws?

Mr. Speaker, middle-class Canadians need Liberal governments to get out of the way and not raise their taxes. That is simple. If it keeps raising taxes, there will be less revenue and fewer jobs. When will the finance minister realize that taxing Canadians is not a solution for prosperity in this country?

Mr. Speaker, the middle class, especially young entrepreneurs, will be hit hard by this reform. It is unjust and unfair that public corporations are not being taxed while young entrepreneurs who want to build their businesses are being taxed and prevented from creating wealth.This government does not redistribute wealth; it gobbles it up and prevents wealth creators from making their dreams come true.When will the Prime Minister see that his reform is unfair and does not apply to big corporations? Can he name just one clause in his reform that would have him pay more tax?

Mr. Speaker, the opposition's job is to make sure the Minister of Finance is not in conflict of interest and represents all Canadians.I am very disappointed to see that the Prime Minister is still defending and protecting his finance minister despite the latter's many conflicts of interest.If ethics are so important to the Prime Minister, why does he not just tell his finance minister to disclose all of his assets and numbered companies so Canadians can get a sense of just how many of the finance minister's interests are in conflict?

Mr. Speaker, we were deeply concerned to hear the decision by the U.S. to impose a levy of 220% on Bombardier's aircraft. This will put many Canadian jobs and businesses at risk.It is time to end this subsidy race because it is unfair and we cannot do it anymore.My question is for the Prime Minister. Does he have a better solution? We have a better solution for him. It is time to sign a new international aircraft agreement to get rid of subsidies. We believe in a free market.

Mr. Speaker, a new poll released yesterday showed that the vast majority of Quebeckers support transporting oil products via pipeline. Furthermore, 59% of Quebeckers would rather purchase oil products originating in western Canada. My question is very simple. Ontario, the Atlantic provinces, the western provinces, and Quebec all support the energy east project. Will the Prime Minister finally get behind it?

Mr. Speaker, during the Liberal leadership race, the Prime Minister promised Canadians new, stricter standards of ethical behaviour that would ensure that the fortune he received from his father in stocks and bonds would be placed in a blind trust.We now know, however, that the Minister of Finance never bothered to comply with that standard. He is not complying with the code of ethics or the law.When will the Minister of Finance show some respect for Canadians and comply with the code of ethics?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, National Bank economists announced that the federal deficit will reach $50 billion in the next two years.It is disappointing that the current Minister of Finance still believes in the old Keynesian theories whereby more government spending will lead to greater prosperity and that he is still applying them. Canadians know that spending more money will not make our country wealthier.Why is the Minister of Finance applying old theories and getting the government into more debt? These deficits will not create wealth.

What is clear, Mr. Speaker, is that there is one rule for the Minister of Finance and another rule for everyone else, one rule for big business and one rule for small businesses.The government is overtaxing small businesses, overtaxing mechanics, overtaxing corner store owners. Why? To have more revenue to fix a deficit that the Liberals themselves created.The solution is very simple: reduce expenditures and provide a fair system for all the country's entrepreneurs.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Finance was happy to break another election promise by putting Canadians another $25 billion in debt and creating structural deficits of $90 billion over four years.How can the Minister of Finance justify putting Canadians into debt when we are not even in a recession?

Mr. Speaker, this government's economic performance is in a constant state of disaster. It spends and spends and spends and has no economic growth to show for it. It says it is going to stimulate the economy, but what it is about to do will actually sedate the economy, not stimulate it. This is bad for future generations. What will this government do to create jobs for young Canadian families?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is unfairly adding to Canadian entrepreneurs' tax burden.The Minister of Finance is telling our disappointed entrepreneurs to call him, but the Auditor General indicated that more than 29 million Canadian entrepreneurs did not have their calls returned. That represents almost half of the people who called the minister.I want to ask the Minister of Finance a simple question: when will he pick up the phone and answer the calls of concerned entrepreneurs?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said that farmers under supply management will be fully compensated for the increase in imports under the free trade agreement with the Americans. If I am not mistaken, the government will be compensating farmers for not producing, while at the same time preventing them from exporting.Would this money not be better spent buying back the quotas, abolishing the supply management system, and allowing producers to innovate and export?

Mr. Speaker, the minister just admitted that he did what he did because he was in conflict of interest. I am sure he has other conflicts of interest. Canadians are having a hard time believing him; they want the whole truth. I can understand why, before entering politics, the minister would have considered his personal financial affairs nobody's concern but his own, but now that he holds a seat in Parliament, now that he is a minister, they are everyone's concern. Did the minister recuse himself on any other occasion when he was in conflict of interest?

Mr. Speaker, to the Liberals, tax fairness means finding more and more ways to tax family businesses.If the Liberals were serious about fairness, all they would have to do is open up the tax treaty Canada signed a few years ago with Barbados to ensure that corporations pay their fair share of taxes. Morneau Shepell is one of the corporations that benefits from that tax treaty.As my colleague said, when the minister was asked about that, he said we must not throw the baby out with the bathwater. The baby is Morneau Shepell, and Morneau Shepell must pay its fair share of taxes.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that prosperity does not come from government spending but rather from entrepreneurs investing. The finance minister is completely wrong when he thinks that we can spend our way to prosperity on borrowed money.Will he work with us? Will he work with job-creating entrepreneurs by lowering taxes and balancing the budget?

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the Liberals promised to raise the bar on transparency, but yesterday there was a dramatic turn of events.The Liberal members of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology voted unanimously against a motion that we moved to invite Bombardier to testify before the committee. Committee members wanted to know why Bombardier needed $1.2 billion in support. My question today is for the chair of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology. Why is he determined to prevent Bombardier from testifying before parliamentarians?

Mr. Speaker, we have questions about the minister's conflicts of interest.He tabled a bill that will benefit him personally. He told Canadians he would put his assets in a blind trust but then failed to do so. He is up to his neck in conflicts of interest. All we want to know, yes or no, is whether the minister recused himself from all discussions, especially those around Bill C-27.

Mr. Speaker, the government has been unable to solve the illegal migrants crisis. It plans to increase, by 40%, the number of immigrants we accept, and it is about to sign the global compact on regular migration, a United Nations plan to make mass migration normal and easier.Will the Prime Minister tell us if he still believes that Canada is a sovereign country that must protect its borders and its identity, yes or no?

So, Mr. Speaker, no answer.The Liberals think that their tax penalty plan will affect just a small number of business people in Canda, but that is not true.Why is the Minister of Finance insisting on imposing a tax system on St-Georges Toyota, in Beauce, which will have to pay a 73% tax, when the Prime Minister's family fortune and the finance minister's family business will not be affected?When will the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance finally start respecting small businesses in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, we are learning that the government has entered into discussions with the U.S. to close the loophole in the safe third country agreement. The government has allowed thousands of illegal migrants to flood into Canada and has spent hundreds of millions of dollars, yet it has done nothing to resolve the issue. Why did the government allow the situation to deteriorate so badly before sitting down with the Americans to enforce our border laws?

Mr. Speaker, during the campaign, the Prime Minister said that a significant percentage of small businesses were nothing but tax shelters for Canadians seeking to avoid paying tax.I disagree. Canadian small businesses and entrepreneurs create wealth, and we should honour and support them rather than penalize them with tax hikes.Will the Minister of Small Business and Tourism follow her leader's orders and penalize Canadian entrepreneurs and small businesses, or will she deliver on her mandate to protect small businesses?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is unfairly adding to Canadian entrepreneurs' tax burden.The Minister of Finance is telling our disappointed entrepreneurs to call him, but the Auditor General indicated that more than 29 million Canadian entrepreneurs did not have their calls returned. That represents almost half of the people who called the minister.I want to ask the Minister of Finance a simple question: when will he pick up the phone and answer the calls of concerned entrepreneurs?

Mr. Speaker, we now know that Bombardier is sniffing out deals and trying to sell its aircraft in Iran.We also know that some of Bombardier's senior managers met with government representatives, including the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.I have a simple question. Can the government assure the House that Bombardier, or any other company, was not told that the sanctions would be lifted before it became known publicly? Did the Liberals talk to companies in secret to—

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance did not listen to business owners across the country who are worried about their businesses. Meanwhile, Morneau Shepell is selling private insurance plans to people who will be affected by this botched reform.This is a conflict of interest, and I think that Canadians expect more from the Minister of Finance. He is effectively insulting them.When will the Minister of Finance finally understand and stop putting Canada in debt and taxing small businesses at the expense of their future growth?

Mr. Speaker, after being lobbied by SNC-Lavalin, the government changed the Criminal Code and tried to cut a deal to avoid a trial. Two former SNC-Lavalin executives just had their corruption cases thrown out of court because of unrealistic delays, and we learned that SNC has received more than $2 billion in government aid since 2002.Will the Prime Minister recognize that crony capitalism is an unjust system that must be eradicated?

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister has not listened to the concerns of thousands of Canadians who are worried about the future of their small family businesses. Meanwhile, Morneau Shepell sells private pension plans to those who would be affected by this tax increase. This is not only a conflict of interest; it is also an insult to Canadians. When will the finance minister listen and lower taxes for small businesses?

Mr. Speaker, it is sad to listen to my colleague. Running deficits is not the answer for stimulating the economy.When Canadians are managing their budgets, they know that when times are tough it is not the time to be spending more. On the contrary, they know that when times are tough it is time to look closer at their spending, manage it responsibly, and save money. Spending does not create wealth. We do not become richer by spending money we do not have.I would ask the Minister of Finance and the government to stop living in a parallel universe where spending equals prosperity and to deliver a balanced budget for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed because this government has already broken three important promises it made to Canadians and future generations. This government is in denial. The Liberals do not want to acknowledge that they are borrowing money at the expense of future generations. They do not want to admit that they are spending money that they do not have and living beyond their means. They believe that they are going to create wealth by spending money they do not have. Actually, it will be business people who create wealth by making investments.Will this government stop being stubborn and balance the books as quickly as possible for the benefit of future generations?

Mr. Speaker, we are only about 100 days in and the Liberal Party and the Minister of Finance have broken another election promise.We were supposed to have a small deficit of about $10 billion, and it was not supposed to be permanent. What do we have? We have a permanent deficit of more than $25 billion. Goodbye balanced budget. Balancing the budget has been put off indefinitely. Will the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance at least have the decency to apologize to Canadians for deceiving them during the election campaign?

Mr. Speaker, the minister's office told the National Post that someone sold 680,000 Morneau Shepell shares in November 2015 at $15 a share, which allowed that person to save half a million dollars.My question is simple. Was that person the Minister of Finance?

Mr. Speaker, middle-class Canadians need Liberal governments to get out of the way and not raise their taxes. That is simple. If it keeps raising taxes, there will be less revenue and fewer jobs. When will the finance minister realize that taxing Canadians is not a solution for prosperity in this country?

Mr. Speaker, the plan was a small $10-billion deficit. Now, we are talking $25 billion or $30 billion. Where will it end? Why sink future generations into debt?The Minister of Finance has lost control of his department, he has lost control of public spending, and he has lost control of the deficits. He should pull himself together and get control of his department. If he cannot do so, he should make way for someone else who can.

Mr. Speaker, that is not true. The Minister of Finance did not sit down with the Ethics Commissioner. He did so only after he was in conflict of interest.We know that Morneau Shepell deals in target benefit pension plans, and that is what the minister put forward in his Bill C-27.The question here is simple. How can the minister think that he is not in conflict of interest when he makes the laws that govern a business in which he holds shares? How can the Minister of Finance say that he is not in conflict of interest?

Mr. Speaker, for the past five months, small business people across the country have been waiting for the Minister of Finance's promised tax measures, which are bound to increase their taxes.While we all joyfully celebrate Christmas and the new year, some people will be feeling somewhat less celebratory about these tax hikes.Will the government share the details of the tax hike with Canada's entrepreneurs before the new year?

Mr. Speaker, this government's economic performance is in a constant state of disaster. It spends and spends and spends and has no economic growth to show for it. It says it is going to stimulate the economy, but what it is about to do will actually sedate the economy, not stimulate it. This is bad for future generations. What will this government do to create jobs for young Canadian families?

Mr. Speaker, the government must approve the sale of the Bombardier C Series aircraft to Airbus in a few weeks' time. We know that the government has given Bombardier millions of dollars to develop the C Series. Now it is time for Canadian taxpayers to be reimbursed. My question is simple.Will the conditions for approval for the Bombardier-Airbus agreement include a specific condition that Canadian taxpayers get their money back?

Mr. Speaker, we are not big fans of the secret agreements that the Government of Canada negotiated with Bombardier. The minister told us that Bombardier will have to reimburse the money. That is simple enough. Now, it is doing business with a new company, a foreign company. My question for the minister is quite simple.When will taxpayers be reimbursed for the money that was given to a Canadian company to develop expertise here in Canada? When will Canadians be reimbursed?

Mr. Speaker, as the government is preparing to give $1 billion in financial assistance to Bombardier, Bombardier is preparing to outsource even more jobs.Everybody knows that subsidies are inefficient and a waste of taxpayers' money. When will the government understand that it is not fair to force small entrepreneurs to pay taxes to fund subsidies for a corporation like Bombardier?

Mr. Speaker, the middle class, especially young entrepreneurs, will be hit hard by this reform. It is unjust and unfair that public corporations are not being taxed while young entrepreneurs who want to build their businesses are being taxed and prevented from creating wealth.This government does not redistribute wealth; it gobbles it up and prevents wealth creators from making their dreams come true.When will the Prime Minister see that his reform is unfair and does not apply to big corporations? Can he name just one clause in his reform that would have him pay more tax?

Mr. Speaker, during the Liberal leadership race, the Prime Minister promised Canadians new, stricter standards of ethical behaviour that would ensure that the fortune he received from his father in stocks and bonds would be placed in a blind trust.We now know, however, that the Minister of Finance never bothered to comply with that standard. He is not complying with the code of ethics or the law.When will the Minister of Finance show some respect for Canadians and comply with the code of ethics?

Mr. Speaker, a new poll released yesterday showed that the vast majority of Quebeckers support transporting oil products via pipeline. Furthermore, 59% of Quebeckers would rather purchase oil products originating in western Canada. My question is very simple. Ontario, the Atlantic provinces, the western provinces, and Quebec all support the energy east project. Will the Prime Minister finally get behind it?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance's record is atrocious.The minister initially told Canadians that there would be a small deficit of $10 billion, and now it is $20 billion. Even worse, he is racking up untold debt for future generations. There was supposed to be a balanced budget by the end of the government's term, but that will not happen. He is putting future generations in debt, to the tune of more than $100 million. They are going to have to pay off this debt. That is irresponsible for our children and grandchildren.When will the Minister of Finance resign?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals decided to unfairly hurt small businesses that create wealth in this country. They are punishing these entrepreneurs for creating wealth and jobs.Meanwhile, large corporations like Bombardier are getting huge subsidies and these corporate executives are padding their pockets with exorbitant bonuses while eliminating middle-class jobs.I have a simple question for the Prime Minister. Will he choose to defend Canadian taxpayers and do away with these tax hikes or will he continue—

Mr. Speaker, this weekend the Prime Minister said that we need a social analysis on the impact of male construction workers brought in to work in rural areas.Meanwhile, the government is about to sign a UN treaty meant to normalize mass migration. The government must preserve our sovereignty by not signing that treaty.Can the minister explain why the government is more afraid of the social impact of Canadian male workers than that of migrants from other countries?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance did not answer my question. I will help him by quoting the commitment he made in writing: “to abstain from any participation in any matters or decisions...other than those of general application, relating to Morneau Shepell”.According to experts who appeared before the Standing Committee on Finance, a firm like Morneau Shepell will benefit from these changes, because it offers Canadians private pension plans.Once and for all, will the minister abstain from any participation in this discussion?

Mr. Speaker, Bombardier received millions of dollars in grants from the Government of Canada to develop the C Series. The public funds were given to a Canadian corporation to develop a Canadian expertise. However, yesterday we learned that Bombardier sold a majority stake in the C Series to a foreign corporation, Airbus. Therefore, my question is very simple. Will the government immediately take action to recover the millions of dollars that should have been given to Canadian taxpayers?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Finance was happy to break another election promise by putting Canadians another $25 billion in debt and creating structural deficits of $90 billion over four years.How can the Minister of Finance justify putting Canadians into debt when we are not even in a recession?

Mr. Speaker, we have a finance minister that does not abide by the mandate letter that was given to him by his Prime Minister, along with instructions to honour his mandate and follow ethics laws. The finance minister is under investigation by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. We should be able to trust our finance minister, but we lost that trust for all these reasons.When will the finance minister resign?

Mr. Speaker, we have a Minister of Finance who was fined by the Ethics Commissioner because he forgot to disclose his villa in France and who is also being investigated for sponsoring a bill that could benefit his family company. We have a Minister of Finance who is still refusing to disclose the many assets he holds in his many numbered companies and who is refusing to answer questions from the opposition and journalists. Most importantly, we have a minister who is refusing to resign.When will the Minister of Finance resign?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance claims to have listened to business owners across the country, and he emphatically stated that he would introduce a tax reform that was fair and equitable for all business owners.Nevertheless, we recently learned that his own family company, Morneau Shepell, will not be affected by the tax hikes because it has a subsidiary in Barbados.How can the Minister of Finance justify raising taxes for Canadian plumbers, workers, and entrepreneurs while making sure that his family business remains sheltered from taxes?

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Morneau's office confirmed to the National Post that someone sold more than 680 shares—

Mr. Speaker, the Minister keeps telling us that no changes have been made to the eligibility criteria for people with type 1 diabetes. We have now learned that senior officials in her own department confirmed that the tax credit should be denied to most people with type 1 diabetes. My question for the minister is quite simple: who is telling the truth, the minister or her senior officials?

Mr. Speaker, my colleague said that the minister works with the Ethics Commissioner. If that is true, did he ask the Ethics Commissioner for permission before selling 680,000 shares in his family company, which allowed him to make a $500,000 profit, since the value of those shares dropped by 75¢ seven days later?Did the Minister of Finance inform the Ethics Commissioner of his intention to sell his company shares in November 2015, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, their plan is to scare Canadians.The Liberals' plan was to spend $10 billion. Now it is more than $10 billion. They want to spend and drive Canadians into debt, knowing that the household debt rate is 160% of disposable income. The credit card is maxed out. This is not the time to drive Canadians into debt.I would like to ask the Liberals how driving Canadians further into debt will create more wealth.

Mr. Speaker, free speech is the foundation of a free society, yet after erasing the statement of the member for St. Albert—Edmonton from the record, the justice committee proposed several measures to censure free speech on the Internet. Does the government understand that the novel 1984 was meant to be a warning against the dangers of a totalitarian society and not an instruction manual?

Mr. Speaker, our American partners have repeatedly said that there will be no deal on NAFTA until we get rid of our 300% tariff on dairy products. Time is running out.Is the government willing to sacrifice our auto industry and also put at risk 20% of our economy simply to protect the cartel of supply management at the expense of 35 million Canadians? Is no deal better than a good deal?

Mr. Speaker, to the Liberals, tax fairness means finding more and more ways to tax family businesses.If the Liberals were serious about fairness, all they would have to do is open up the tax treaty Canada signed a few years ago with Barbados to ensure that corporations pay their fair share of taxes. Morneau Shepell is one of the corporations that benefits from that tax treaty.As my colleague said, when the minister was asked about that, he said we must not throw the baby out with the bathwater. The baby is Morneau Shepell, and Morneau Shepell must pay its fair share of taxes.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Minister of Finance. He has just answered, for the first time in this House, the question that we have been asking him for weeks, namely whether he was the person who sold shares in his family business, Morneau Shepell, on November 30, 2015. He says the answer is no. Is that not what you said?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that only entrepreneurs invest and create wealth. The government is spending money that it does not have. That is what the Minister of Finance is doing.Will the Minister of Finance stop trying to make Canadians believe that he inherited a deficit? Last Friday, his officials clearly told him that he inherited a surplus of more than $400 million in November. Will he be honest with Canadians once and for all and confirm that he inherited a budget surplus?

Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleague that I am the member for Beauce. I work for the people of Beauce and for all Canadians, and I am proud of that.As a country active on the international stage, we have policy positions. I would like to know why this government is renouncing its policy position on Iran and why it is dropping sanctions against Iran. Iran has not changed. Iran violates the human rights of its own citizens, punishes religious minorities and sponsors terrorism. Why are the Liberals changing their position and supporting a state that finances terrorism?

Mr. Speaker, in 2013 the current Minister of Finance was an executive at his own company, Morneau Shepell. At that time, he talked about the need to bring in legislation in Canada specifically to change the private pension system. That is one of the first things he did after being elected. On top of that, he continues to make money from Morneau Shepell. He put himself in a direct conflict of interest.My question to the Minister of Finance is simple: did he reach out to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that his behaviour met all ethical standards?

Mr. Speaker, we all know that the finance minister works with the Ethics Commissioner after the fact, after he was caught. He forgot to disclose a villa in France, as well as shares in his family business, which he tried to hide in a numbered company.Yes, the finance minister does work with the Ethics Commissioner, but after he gets caught, or after the fact. We do not trust the finance minister when it comes to his assets. That is why we tabled a motion in the House today to ensure that we know the full extent of the minister's assets and that there are no other conflicts of interest.Could the finance minister disclose his assets to Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are done consulting people about their tax changes, but many questions remain unanswered. What is clear, though, is that companies such as Morneau Shepell will benefit from these changes and will not be paying more tax after the reforms come into effect. The minister is being hypocritical by making small businesses pay more while protecting his own personal fortune. When will the minister realize that he is in conflict of interest and should recuse himself from this discussion?

Mr. Speaker, in 2010, the MP for Papineau gave his support to a campaign for the establishment of a United Nations parliament that would have power to adopt binding regulations on Canada. His government has been imposing UN recommendations on Canada on issues such as climate change and migration.Is the government planning to turn our country into a post-national subdivision of the UN or is it going to stand up for Canada as a sovereign nation deciding its own future?

Mr. Speaker, it is simple. We are calling for the resignation of the country's chief financial officer, given that he has lost our confidence.The Minister of Finance is caught up in conflicts of interest. He forgot to declare his villa in Europe and he made transactions that will affect his own portfolio. With his Bay Street background, he should know the rules for these transactions. Here, we are held to the highest ethical standards, and he is not living up to them. He is in a conflict of interest. He does not even consult Canadians about his measures—

Mr. Speaker, it does not matter what the Liberals do to improve the finance minister's image, nothing can be done. Ethical problems always seem to follow him around. Canadians know very well that the finance minister did not follow the advice of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. He is under investigation by the Ethics Commissioner for having forgotten to declare a villa in Europe and for having introduced a bill that benefits his company, Morneau Shepell. When will the Prime Minister decide that the finance minister should resign?

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague that the Minister of Finance must have a high level of integrity, but this is not the case.Canadians have lost confidence, and now small-business owners are worried. Business owners will be hit with tax increases, but we know nothing more than that at the moment. The government recently promised to provide details, but we are still waiting. These changes will take effect very early in 2018.We have lost confidence, and business owners have lost confidence in the Minister of Finance.When will the Minister of Finance resign?

Mr. Speaker, we were deeply concerned to hear the decision by the U.S. to impose a levy of 220% on Bombardier's aircraft. This will put many Canadian jobs and businesses at risk.It is time to end this subsidy race because it is unfair and we cannot do it anymore.My question is for the Prime Minister. Does he have a better solution? We have a better solution for him. It is time to sign a new international aircraft agreement to get rid of subsidies. We believe in a free market.

Mr. Speaker, it is the Liberals' fault that the energy east project is no more. Those same Liberals who claim to want to help the middle class are pleased with this outcome. They killed a job-creating project.In fact, the company said that following in-depth analysis of the new regulations they decided to pull the plug on the project.How can the government be so proud of the end of a project that would have been very good for the middle class and would have created jobs in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and across the country?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, National Bank economists announced that the federal deficit will reach $50 billion in the next two years.It is disappointing that the current Minister of Finance still believes in the old Keynesian theories whereby more government spending will lead to greater prosperity and that he is still applying them. Canadians know that spending more money will not make our country wealthier.Why is the Minister of Finance applying old theories and getting the government into more debt? These deficits will not create wealth.

Mr. Speaker, the minister misled the House because he did not in fact work with the Ethics Commissioner. That is what we read today in the Globe and Mail. He decided to work with the commissioner only after he was in complete conflict of interest. That is what really happened. There are no ethics.It is important to note that he benefited from legislation. He got sums of money that drove up his shares on the stock market. He was in conflict of interest.Why does the Prime Minister continue to protect the Minister of Finance?

Mr. Speaker, according to Morneau Shepell, the Minister of Finance's former firm, a tax-free savings account is a smart way to help seniors ensure that they have a stable retirement income.Now the Minister of Finance wants to reduce the TFSA limit. He is rejecting the advice of his own experts and penalizing seniors.How can the minister penalize seniors and not take his own firm's advice?

Mr. Speaker, shame, shame, shame. Future generations will have to pay $25 billion in interest on the Canadian debt every day. That is money that will not be spent on Canadian social programs, and it is going to get worse because the debt is going up. The government is trying to create wealth at the expense of future generations. This has to stop.When will the Minister of Finance understand that the best way to grow the economy is smaller government, more freedom, and more prosperity?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said that farmers under supply management will be fully compensated for the increase in imports under the free trade agreement with the Americans. If I am not mistaken, the government will be compensating farmers for not producing, while at the same time preventing them from exporting.Would this money not be better spent buying back the quotas, abolishing the supply management system, and allowing producers to innovate and export?

Mr. Speaker, every day brings more bad news for the Liberals about the Minister of Finance and his conflicts of interest.The greatest irony is that every time we ask the Minister of Finance any questions, he says that we are attacking him personally, which is absolutely false. What we want to know, and what Canadians want to know, is what other conflicts of interest the Minister of Finance might be involved in with his many investments in numbered companies.Will the Minister of Finance disclose all of his assets? Canadians might then be able to trust him.

Mr. Speaker, the opposition's job is to make sure the Minister of Finance is not in conflict of interest and represents all Canadians.I am very disappointed to see that the Prime Minister is still defending and protecting his finance minister despite the latter's many conflicts of interest.If ethics are so important to the Prime Minister, why does he not just tell his finance minister to disclose all of his assets and numbered companies so Canadians can get a sense of just how many of the finance minister's interests are in conflict?

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week gas prices went up in the four provinces where the government imposed its carbon tax. It was reported this morning that the environment minister is also preparing to release new regulations that will push up gas prices even more. Why does the minister falsely claim that she is making life more affordable for Canadians, when she keeps adding taxes and costly regulation?

Mr. Speaker, in their quest for fairness, the Liberals have found a new way to prevent a young entrepreneur from accessing funding to create his own business. The end result is pure hypocrisy. Firms such as Morneau Shepell will not be affected by the reform, but young entrepreneurs will have to look elsewhere to find the necessary funding to build their business.When will the Prime Minister get a grip on reality and stop taxing the middle class?

Mr. Speaker, Ottawa and the provinces have a number of programs, taxes and regulations to reduce greenhouse gases. Last week, on Tout le monde en parle, the Prime Minister acknowledged that even if Canada were to cease all economic activity, it would not have much of an impact on climate change.Why, then, does the Prime Minister want to impose a costly tax on consumers and businesses that will have no impact on climate change?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance no longer has any credibility. During the election campaign, he said that tax cuts would be revenue neutral for the government. Today, all Canadians know that $1.7 billion has been added to the Liberal deficit.If the government wants to create wealth, it should start by creating stable and productive economic conditions for entrepreneurs and businesses, not putting Canada into a never-ending debt spiral. That is not the solution. Instead, we should control public spending.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister celebrated his first 100 days by spending more money that he does not have, specifically $319 million on young people. It is an entirely hypocritical gesture, since those same young people will be forced to pay for this deficit spending in the very near future.Will the Minister of Finance keep his promise and make sure he does not put future generations in debt, and will he ensure that our young people can live within their means and not put them into debt with future taxes?

Mr. Speaker, let me make it a little more specific for the minister. The Prime Minister's friend and bagman for the Liberal Party of Canada, Stephen Bronfman, was referenced in the paradise papers. The revenue minister spoke about a full investigation into those exposed in these papers.My question for the minister is very simple. Can the minister assure the House that Stephen Bronfman will be investigated, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, the government does not like the fact that we are focusing on the Minister of Finance's conflict of interest. The government does not like it because what we are saying is true: the minister is working for his own personal interests, when he is in a conflict of interest, and not the interest of all Canadians. We have a number of examples, including Bill C-27 and the Bombardier deal. In any case, the most flagrant is the fact that the minister said he was going to put his assets in a blind trust, but he failed to do so for two years. He misled the House about that.How can the Minister of Finance continue to act as the government's nice guy while being in a conflict of interest because of his personal affairs?

Mr. Speaker, Canada's equalization program is creating more and more division in our country. The Premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan said that they might call a referendum on that topic. The Premier of New Brunswick agrees that the program is not helping his province to prosper.Will the government admit that it made a mistake by renewing the equalization formula without change last year and that this unfair and inefficient program needs to be downsized and reformed?

Mr. Speaker, after Boeing filed complaints against Bombardier, following the billions of dollars it received in subsidies, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said it could cancel the purchase from Boeing of 18 Super Hornets.Can the minister tell us what is important, Canada's air defence capability or the financial interests of Bombardier?

What is clear, Mr. Speaker, is that there is one rule for the Minister of Finance and another rule for everyone else, one rule for big business and one rule for small businesses.The government is overtaxing small businesses, overtaxing mechanics, overtaxing corner store owners. Why? To have more revenue to fix a deficit that the Liberals themselves created.The solution is very simple: reduce expenditures and provide a fair system for all the country's entrepreneurs.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is following up on our concerns and launching an investigation. We hope this investigation will expose all of the Minister of Finance's shady dealings, starting with his offshore company and many numbered companies. After being caught in these conflicts of interest, the minister suddenly acknowledged last week that he was indeed in a conflict of interest when he announced that he would give the profit he had made off his shares to a company—

Mr. Speaker, the minister just admitted that he did what he did because he was in conflict of interest. I am sure he has other conflicts of interest. Canadians are having a hard time believing him; they want the whole truth. I can understand why, before entering politics, the minister would have considered his personal financial affairs nobody's concern but his own, but now that he holds a seat in Parliament, now that he is a minister, they are everyone's concern. Did the minister recuse himself on any other occasion when he was in conflict of interest?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we learned that after campaigning on a tax increase for the province's well-heeled citizens and then raising their taxes, the Liberal government in New Brunswick is realizing that this is not working and that the government coffers are bare. You cannot create wealth by raising everyone's taxes.Why is this government being so stubborn? Why is the Minister of Finance bent on raising Canadians' taxes?

Mr. Speaker, after forcing Canadian taxpayers to give Bombardier $372 million in subsidies, the government is about to jeopardize our trade relations with the U.S.Knowing that NAFTA negotiations will begin soon, in September, can the minister today tell us once and for all, here in the House, the extent to which she is willing to compromise Canada's trade interests to defend the interests of a single company?

Mr. Speaker, since 2014, the energy industry in western Canada has suffered proportionately a far greater crisis than the automobile industry, and yet not only is the government not helping, it would make energy projects even more difficult with Bill C-69. Can the minister give us assurance that she will finally listen to the concerns of the industry, and pull out this bill?

Mr. Speaker, there have been a series of attacks against free speech by the government recently. At the same time that it is trying to influence mainstream media with its $600-million bailout, the Liberal government wants to control what Canadians can say on social media.Will the Minister of Democratic Institutions confirm that she is thinking about shutting down Twitter during the election if the company does not comply with her demands, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, I think the opposition members are desperate. I would ask them to be patient and wait a few years since it was my own decision not to publish the book. One day, they will be able to read my writings.

Mr. Speaker, with a blind trust, one normally has no say or control over the management of their own fortune.Today we learned that the Minister of Finance, while managing the country's finances, can also see to his own fortune and make it grow. We know that his fortune is not in a blind trust.Why did the Minister of Finance introduce a tax rule today that does nothing to ensure that Morneau Shepell pays taxes in compliance with the law?

Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago, Denis Coderre was not speaking for Quebeckers when he opposed energy east. According to a new poll, Quebeckers consider pipelines to be the safest means to transport oil. Fifty-nine per cent would prefer to buy their oil from western Canada.The Atlantic, the west, Ontario, and now Quebec support energy east. Will the Prime Minister understand that and support that project for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, for weeks we have asked the Liberals to provide details about the scandals we are debating today in the House, especially those involving tax evasion.The minister responds every time with the number of investigations conducted. However, we have heard nothing about investigations of the Liberals' cronies. My question for the minister is very simple.With respect to the paradise papers, which were recently disclosed, will all the people named in those papers be investigated by her department, yes or no?