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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 63

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 3, 2022 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 63 - May/3/22
Hon. Diane Lebouthillier (Minister of National Revenue, Lib.)
  • May/3/22 3:01:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the confidence of Canadians and the integrity of our tax system are at the heart of everything the agency does. Allegations of misconduct relating to transfer pricing agreements were reviewed by a third party, and no misconduct was found. Let me be very clear: The investigation was conducted by an independent tax expert who showed that the terms of the agreement were in fact favourable to the agency and did not offer any form of preferential treatment to the taxpayers involved.
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Mr. Philip Lawrence (Northumberland—Peterborough South, CPC)
  • May/3/22 3:02:27 p.m.
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With respect, Mr. Speaker, that is not what the media are saying and that is not what is coming out from insiders in the CRA. According to the report, CRA violated its own policy and procedures to give a sweetheart deal to big business. This is in addition to not prosecuting one person for the Panama papers. Why is the CRA aggressively pursuing hard-working Canadians while letting big business off the hook?
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Hon. Diane Lebouthillier (Minister of National Revenue, Lib.)
  • May/3/22 3:03:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I can well understand, during this Mental Health Week, how warped the thinking is on the other side of the House and that they do not understand what we mean. I am saying that the investigation was very clear. Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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The Deputy Speaker
  • May/3/22 3:03:14 p.m.
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Order. Perhaps it would be appropriate for the minister to phrase her words differently. Maybe she could apologize for that last statement. It was a little inflammatory. The minister.
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Hon. Diane Lebouthillier
  • May/3/22 3:03:51 p.m.
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I apologize, Mr. Speaker. Let us be very clear. The investigation was conducted by an independent tax expert. He showed that the terms of the agreement were in fact favourable to the Canada Revenue Agency and to Canadians, and did not offer any form of preferential treatment to the taxpayers involved.
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Mr. Dan Albas (Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, CPC)
  • May/3/22 3:04:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians are horrified to hear media reports that high-ranking Canada Revenue Agency officials are making sweetheart deals with multinational corporations so they do not pay their fair share of tax revenue. Worse yet, internal Canada Revenue Agency emails raised concerns around corruption. Has the Minister of National Revenue met with the CRA Commissioner on this issue, and does she support the Conservatives' calls to have the commissioner appear before the finance committee?
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Hon. Diane Lebouthillier (Minister of National Revenue, Lib.)
  • May/3/22 3:04:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe that the Conservatives still have not figured out that committees are autonomous and independent. I want to reassure my colleague opposite that the Conservatives can call their witnesses without my approval.
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Mr. Emmanuel Dubourg (Bourassa, Lib.)
  • May/3/22 3:05:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House know that vaccines save lives. That is why we made an announcement with Moderna last week regarding plans to build a plant in Montreal capable of producing up to 100 million vaccines. This is very promising for our biomanufacturing. Could the Minister of Innovation comment on the importance of this partnership to the health sector and the Canadian economy?
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Hon. François-Philippe Champagne (Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Lib.)
  • May/3/22 3:05:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his excellent question. The Prime Minister and I were in Montreal last week to mark a historic step forward in the life sciences sector, as we announced that Moderna would build its plant in Quebec. For the past two years, we have been rebuilding the Canadian biomanufacturing sector with strategic investments. Thanks to our vision, Canada will be better prepared to deal with any future health emergency. We are going to invent the future of vaccines right here in Canada.
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Mr. Bob Zimmer (Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, CPC)
  • May/3/22 3:06:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the NDP-Liberal budget proves once again that the current government is all talk and no action. Instead of a plan to protect our Arctic sovereignty and security, all we got was a reannouncement of NORAD's existing infrastructure and that the government is considering its options. Millions are promised, while billions are needed. Our Arctic sovereignty and security cannot be protected by more Liberal empty promises. Will the minister, who continues to fail to defend our north, stand up and explain?
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Hon. Anita Anand (Minister of National Defence, Lib.)
  • May/3/22 3:07:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic is secure and well established. We are taking action and making landmark investments to increase our Arctic sovereignty, including conducting joint exercises in the Arctic, purchasing six Arctic offshore patrol ships and enhancing surveillance and intelligence capability in the Arctic with the procurement of 88 fighter jets. We will remain firm and unwavering in the defence of the Arctic and of our continental security more generally.
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Mr. Clifford Small (Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, CPC)
  • May/3/22 3:07:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Baie Verte Peninsula, Fogo Island, Buchans, St. Alban's and Harbour Breton once had 25 doctors. These five communities in my riding are either without a doctor or are about to lose their last one. Some desperate communities are even asking me if it is possible to get relief from army doctors and medics. The 7,500 health care professionals promised for rural Canada in the Liberal election platform cannot be found in the 2022 budget. Why did the Liberal government break its promise to rural Canadians?
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Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos (Minister of Health, Lib.)
  • May/3/22 3:08:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am very glad to receive a question from an MP from Newfoundland, with which we have a great relationship. We are very grateful for their hard work through the last two years. We are also very grateful for the important work that they do every day to provide people in Newfoundland with primary care providers in health: family physicians. In order to reduce the backlog, a $2-billion investment that we announced just a few weeks ago will make sure that every person in that province, and in all provinces and territories, benefits from the wonderful collaboration we are having across Canada.
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Mr. Blaine Calkins (Red Deer—Lacombe, CPC)
  • May/3/22 3:09:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the provincial governments, which are responsible for the delivery of health care, are fine with removing vaccine and mask mandates in their jurisdictions, because they know they can now manage COVID. The federal government, however, which is not responsible for health care delivery, is still implementing punitive mandates for employees, travellers and those crossing borders. It is virtually the only government in the world that is doing this. Why are these NDP-Liberals such “out liars”? Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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The Deputy Speaker
  • May/3/22 3:09:40 p.m.
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I would say maybe the member could find a new word, apologize for that little quip, and rephrase that.
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Mr. Blaine Calkins
  • May/3/22 3:09:59 p.m.
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I am sorry, Mr. Speaker. Wearing a mask has made me cough. I meant to say “outliers”.
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The Deputy Speaker
  • May/3/22 3:10:05 p.m.
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I know we are trying to say indirectly what we cannot say directly. Maybe the member could try one more time. The hon. member for Red Deer—Lacombe.
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Mr. Blaine Calkins
  • May/3/22 3:10:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am just asking. I withdraw the comment. I am wondering why the Government of Canada is an outlier on this issue.
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Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos (Minister of Health, Lib.)
  • May/3/22 3:10:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, everyone in the House obviously agrees on the importance of being responsible and prudent. We have done what Canadians have expected of us in the past two years. Canadians have done what we expected of them in the past two years, which was to follow public health measures and to get vaccinated. Because of that, in Canada we have achieved one of the lowest death rates in the world. If that is called being an “outlier”, we are very proud of that.
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Mrs. Rechie Valdez (Mississauga—Streetsville, Lib.)
  • May/3/22 3:10:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as a former small business owner who knows first-hand the struggles that small businesses and entrepreneurs faced throughout the pandemic, I know that expanding trade ties with the Philippines is crucial in our trade diversification strategy as it is a fast-growing market and would create new economic opportunities for Canadian businesses of all sizes. Can the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development update us on what our government is doing to strengthen our economic and commercial relationships with the Philippines and Filipino-Canadian businesses?
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