Hansard May 4, 05: The Budget -- NDP tail wags Liberal dog

Hansard May 4, 05

Hon. Stephen Harper (Leader of the Opposition, CPC): Mr. Speaker, a top official in his own party says that process is a fraud and he has done nothing to look into it.

According to the NDP member for Winnipeg Centre, the Liberals are funding their backroom budget deal out of money that has been set aside for first nations. He said:

I've gotten a very clear message from first nations leadership and from Liberal cabinet ministers that the money...has been redirected to form part of the NDP budget. If that's the case, it's even sleazier than I had ever imagined.

If that is how NDPers feel about the budget deal, how are Canadians supposed to feel about it?

Hon. Ralph Goodale (Minister of Finance, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman is simply wrong.

Canadians have indicated that they strongly support improvements to the environment, housing, post-secondary education and foreign aid. Indeed, I have letters from members of the opposition supporting those things. So, the hon. gentleman is just totally mistaken.

Mr. Monte Solberg (Medicine Hat, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the NDP tail is wagging the Liberal dog.

How incredible that Liberal cabinet ministers are now lobbying NDP members to get things included in the new budget. I guess that Liberal dog must be a lapdog.

The finance minister may be getting really good at
retrieving the NDP leader's slippers, but he is irrelevant as a minister. When will he resign?

Some hon. members: Hear, hear!

The Speaker: Order, please. The minister has risen to answer a question, not to receive cheers. The Minister of Finance has the floor.

Hon. Ralph Goodale (Minister of Finance, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the short answer to the hon. gentleman's question is, no time soon.

When we have a budget that totally respects the principles of fiscal responsibility, that keeps the debt repayment clearly on track, and responds to principles and priorities that Canadians have said they want to see implemented, I will stand for that any day. And if I have to, I will run on it.


Mr. Monte Solberg (Medicine Hat, CPC): Mr. Speaker, he will run; he will run and fetch that stick.

The finance minister said his budget could not be touched. Then he let the NDP ravage it. Now his own colleagues are going to the NDP to get more budget changes. If his own colleagues do not think the finance minister has any credibility, then why should Canadians? When will he resign?

(1430)

Right Hon. Paul Martin (Prime Minister, Lib.): Mr. Speaker,--

Some hon. members: Oh, oh!


The Speaker: Order, please. I would remind hon. members that in question period it is one question and one response, not 100 questions at once. We are now going to hear a response to the last question before the other 99.

The Prime Minister has the floor to answer the member for Medicine Hat.

Right Hon. Paul Martin: Mr. Speaker, there have been seven, eight, nine, and another projected one, ten surpluses in a row. There has been unprecedented job creation, low inflation, and money set aside for Kyoto and climate change. Money has been set aside for housing, a dynamic economy, foreign aid, research and development, and education.

I will tell you, Mr. Speaker, the finance minister can run on this budget and this government will run on this budget. I am proud to say as a Liberal that this is one of the--

(End of Hansard excerpt)

My Comments:

You might notice how much of your money Paul Martin is going to spend to be re-elected. Is that what you want, bearing in mind how much sticks to the sticky fingers of . . . . . . . ? By the way, do read about Claude Boulay's house/mansion in the US which was sold to a Bahamian company, I believe, but he and his wife, Diane Deslauriers (to whom PM wrote a letter which was the subject of some ribaldry.) are able to live in it. It's in the May 7, 05 National Post.

Now that he has a deal with the NDP, PM appears in the House of Commons, instead of sending in Scott Brison -- and PM speaks! How much will Kyoto cost?

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