House of Commons Debates VOLUME 147 Ï NUMBER 008 Ï 2nd SESSION Ï 41st PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Friday, October 25, 2013 Speaker: The Honourable Andrew Scheer CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 395 HOUSE OF COMMONS Friday, October 25, 2013 The House met at 10 a.m. in the private sector. Also, the growth levels are above pre-recession levels, as I stated. Prayers Jayson Myers, president and CEO of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, had this to say: GOVERNMENT ORDERS We have a strong Canadian dollar because investors around the world want to put their money into Canada. They see a better fiscal environment, a strong financial Ï (1005) sector, and the strength of the resource sector. [English] ECONOMIC ACTION PLAN 2013 ACT NO. 2 A recent study by KPMG concluded that Canada's total business tax cost, which includes corporate income tax, capital taxes, sales The House resumed from October 24 consideration of the motion tax, property taxes and wage-based taxes, is more than 40% lower that Bill C-4, A second act to implement certain provisions of the than in the United States. In short, our government has created an budget tabled in Parliament on March 21, 2013 and other measures, environment that encourages new investment, growth and job be read the second time and referred to a committee, and of the creation, and ensures that Canada has the strongest fiscal position amendment. and lowest business tax costs in the G7. Mr. John Carmichael (Don Valley West, CPC): Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to speak on our economy and Earlier this week, the media were reporting that last year's federal the second budget implementation act of our government's economic deficit came in at nearly $7 billion lower than projected. This is an action plan 2013. The implementation of these remaining provisions undeniable sign that our government is on track to balance the would have a tremendously positive impact on the lives of all budget in 2015-16, a promise we made to Canadians back in 2011. Canadians. While many of the changes in Bill C-4 are technical in nature, many provide clear benefits for all Canadians. Our Conservative government is focused on what matters to As many Canadians are now aware, our government recently Canadians: growing the economy, helping to create jobs, balancing reached an agreement in principle on a free trade agreement with the the budget and reducing the cost of government. We are achieving European Union. This historic agreement will create thousands of this with the longest-serving Minister of Finance in the G7 at the jobs for Canadians and give Canadian business access to half a helm, who is providing Canada with strong fiscal leadership, billion new customers. This is the biggest deal so far in Canadian management and responsibility. history, and may be remembered as the biggest trade agreement that Canada has ever signed. The Canada–European Union Comprehen- Our actions have not gone unnoticed. Both the IMF and the sive Economic and Trade Agreement will open new markets to OECD expect Canada to be among the strongest-growing economies Canadian exporters throughout Europe and generate significant in the G7 over this year and next. The World Economic Forum has opportunities for all Canadians.The benefits of this agreement are rated Canada's banking system as the world's most sound for the fifth equivalent to creating 80,000 net new jobs, or increasing the average year in a row. Three credit rating agencies, Moody's, Fitch and Canadian household's annual income by $1,000. Standard and Poor's, have all reaffirmed their top rating for Canada and expect it will maintain its AAA status in the year ahead. Canada's fiscal fundamentals are solid, and they are sustainable. On the first day that the agreement comes into force, 98% of all European Union tariffs will be eliminated, directly translating into Canada is on a strong economic footing. Since the depth of the increased profit and opportunity for Canadian businesses of all size recession, over one million net new jobs have been created, mostly and in every part of our country. Whether a fisherman in Atlantic in high-wage industries. There are now 605,000 more jobs than at Canada, a forestry worker in Quebec, an auto worker in Ontario, or the pre-recession peak. This is the strongest job growth in the G7 an engineer in the west, each will benefit from this agreement. over the course of the recovery. Almost 90% of all jobs created since Jayson Myers went on to say that, “This is the Wayne Gretzky of July 2009 have been full-time positions, with close to 85% of those trade deals”. 396 COMMONS DEBATES October 25, 2013 Government Orders Canada's automobile industry, to name but one, stands to benefit funds, the community improvement fund, has had a direct tremendously from this deal. Currently, Canada exports approxi- investment in my riding of Don Valley West, by providing just mately 13,000 vehicles a year to the European Union. This under $1 million to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. agreement will increase that number up to 100,000 units annually. The funds are being used to renovate, and eventually reopen, the It goes without saying that this increase in annual exports will have a CNIB's pedestrian bridge, which has been closed since 2011. This direct correlation to the number of jobs in the Canadian automobile bridge is essential for patients, visitors and employees to safely cross industry, undoubtedly adding hundreds, if not thousands, of one of Toronto's busiest streets. employees to Canada's vehicle, equipment and parts manufacturing companies. I will wrap up by saying that this bill puts forth a number of Kevin Williams, president of General Motors of Canada, had this measures that are meant to respect taxpayers' dollars. While the to say: opposition is busy focusing on issues that do not matter to We applaud Canada and the European Union for completing a modern, high- Canadians, our government remains focused on the task at hand. standard comprehensive economic and trade agreement that will provide enhanced We continue to look for ways to increase the efficiency of the inner opportunities for growth in both regions. We appreciate the hard work to find creative workings of government and making sure that job creation and solutions that improve market access for Canadian-produced automobiles, while ensuring Canada continues to benefit from the integrated manufacturing sector that economic prosperity are at the forefront of any new legislation. With has developed in North America over the past 50 years. that in mind, this bill would make significant improvements that would benefit all Canadians. Supporting small business is something our government takes very seriously. Small businesses make up to 98% of businesses in Ï (1010) Canada, all of which are in the midst of celebrating Small Business Week. It makes me tremendously proud to speak about how this bill would provide support for Canada's job creators. This bill includes in Ms. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I it a number of key measures to support business, including extending note that the member who just spoke on Bill C-4 is wearing the and expanding the temporary hiring credit for small business for one poppy, like I am, and as all of us should be in these weeks before year. Approximately 560,000 small businesses will benefit as a Remembrance Day. direct result of this measure. We are also increasing the lifetime capital gains exemption from $750,000 to $800,000 and indexing it I know the member, and I know he is sincere in wanting to going forward. The lifetime capital gains exemption will increase the honour the men and women who served our country with such reward for investing in small business. courage and made such tremendous sacrifices on behalf of the In response to the global recession, the government froze the EI Government of Canada and, more importantly, on behalf of all the premium rate in 2010 at the lowest level since 1982. We are again people of Canada. freezing EI premium rates, this time at 2013 levels, for the next three years. With this freeze in 2014 alone, we are leaving $660 million in However, in Bill C-4, we have changes that adversely impact the pockets of job creators and Canadian workers. This tax relief will those very veterans we are honouring by wearing the poppy. Bill C-4 help provide employers, especially small businesses, with the reduces the number of permanent members of the Veterans Review certainty and flexibility that they need to keep growing. and Appeal Board, from 28 to 25. If we are going to be serious, we need to address the fundamental issues with respect to the board. Since forming government in 2006, our low-tax plan for Canada has allowed for small business to see their tax bills drop by 34%. Corporate income taxes have been lowered as well. In fact, Canada On this side of the House, my NDP colleagues and I, and in currently has the lowest corporate income tax rate in the OECD, as I particular the member for Sackville—Eastern Shore, have been referred to with regard to the KPMG report. That is a carrot that is advocating for a very long time that we replace the politically more powerful and effective than any marketing campaign in appointed board with a medical, evidence-based, peer-reviewed attracting foreign investment to Canada.