First exchange of the session between the Leader of the Opposition, Andrew Scheer, and PM Trudeau

Mr. Andrew Scheer (Leader of the Opposition, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister’s frontbench looks a little jittery today, but that is nothing compared to his backbench. Here is what another one of his own MPs said about these tax increases,

“I believe in my heart that these proposed changes will discourage entrepreneurship and hurt the very people we want to help.”

Does that sound familiar?

If the Prime Minister will not listen to farmers, small business owners, or hard-working Canadians, will he at least listen to his own caucus and stop attacking job creation?

Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, we have been listening to Canadians all summer, and indeed for many years, Canadians who find it is unfair that our tax system, which was heartily endorsed by the previous government, gives advantages and benefits to the wealthiest that are not there for the middle class, including hard-working middle class small businesses and farmers. We are going to ensure wealthy Canadians do not have the option of using private corporations to get out of paying lower tax rates than middle-class Canadians. That is something Canadians expect in terms of fairness, and we will continue to support the middle class, including small businesses.

Mr. Andrew Scheer (Leader of the Opposition, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister still does not get it, and his arrogance is astounding. He is attacking the entrepreneur who has to self-fund her maternity leave because she does not have a government-funded plan. She puts a little money away at the end of every month so she can afford to take time off when the baby comes. Right now, she pays 50% tax on any passive income she earns on those savings. The Prime Minister’s plan will tax her now twice: once when it goes into the business and once when it flows to her.

Why is the Prime Minister forcing female entrepreneurs to choose between their business and their families?

Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that the members opposite do not actually understand this proposal, but there is no big surprise, because they did not understand for 10 years that giving tax breaks to the wealthiest does not help the middle class and does not grow the economy. That is what we saw from them in government for 10 years.

Even now that they are in opposition, they continue to not understand. They stood and opposed lowering taxes for the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest 1%. They opposed ending the sending of child benefit cheques to millionaires so we could do more for nine out of 10 Canadian families. That is what we are focused on.

Mr. Andrew Scheer (Leader of the Opposition, CPC): Mr. Speaker, no one believes that raising taxes on job creators to fund billion dollar bailouts will help the middle class.

He can stand with his wealthy friends, and I will always stand with hard-working Canadians who do not have government-funded maternity leave, that do not have access to EI, and who never ask for a bailout when times get tough.

When will the Prime Minister listen to tax experts, entrepreneurs, and even his own caucus, and stop this attack on the middle class?

Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, what we have not heard, in all the outrage and all the talking about these proposed changes from the members opposite, the member opposite has not committed to reversing these changes. He has not committed to take way, to restore these benefits to wealthy doctors of the private corporations.

They are happy to talk about outrage, but they are not proposing to keep this system. That inconsistency is the heart of the problem. They invent problems, exaggerate them, and then will not act, because they know that helping middle-class Canadians matters.

Mr. Andrew Scheer (Leader of the Opposition, CPC): Mr. Speaker, after listening to the Prime Minister today, I have no doubt that he is just going to go ahead and ram through these tax hikes.

As Conservatives, we believe in raising people up, not tearing people down. We believe in ensuring that everyone can achieve prosperity, not in taking it away from anyone. Conservatives wake up every day trying to think of new ways to lower taxes. Liberals wake up every day trying to find new ways to raise taxes.

I want to take this opportunity to assure Canadians that the pain will only be temporary. We will fight these attacks on job creators. We will fight it every step of the way. We will save local businesses.