Debates of Sept. 21st, 2023

Public Safety

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, again, just because our friend on the other side continually asserts something does not make it real.

My responsibility is to ensure that the Correctional Service, by law and according to regulations, treats the most serious offenders in our prison system with the appropriate level of security. The decision to transfer inmates from one correctional institution to another is in the hands of the appropriate officials at Correctional Service of Canada.

Our government will continue to do everything necessary to hold these dangerous offenders to account.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister does not get to escape his responsibility to Canadians. It is his duty to ensure that the most vile killers do not get an easy ride and that their victims get justice in our country.

Subsection 6 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act allows the minister to legally issue directives regarding dangerous offenders like Paul Bernardo. To be clear, the minister has the power to move him back to a maximum-security prison today, yet he is choosing not to. Why?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, what our government is choosing to do is to invest in all the necessary instruments to ensure that our communities remain safe.

We are investing in the Correctional Service of Canada precisely to ensure that these most dangerous criminals serve their time in the appropriate facilities. We are investing in border services, something the Conservatives gutted, to keep illegal guns and drugs from entering our country.

Our government will continue to support victims, but will continue to ensure we have a robust criminal justice system that treats everybody with the appropriate security.

Infrastructure

[Julie Vignola, Bloc, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, some pictures went viral on social media in Quebec this summer. They were not pictures of vacations or family get-togethers. They were pictures of the pathetic state of the Quebec bridge.

The Liberals have been promising to restore it since 2015. Three elections and three ministers of transport later, the only development we are seeing is that there is more rust. A year ago, mayor Bruno Marchand said at a press conference, “It is time to stop messing around”.

Can the minister tell us when the government will stop messing around?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the Quebec bridge is an absolutely essential link for the city. It plays an extremely important role.

We said that we would move forward with the project. We are in talks with CN and it is going very well. At the same time, we are talking to the Government of Quebec.

We made a promise and we will keep it.

[Julie Vignola, Bloc, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let me again quote the mayor of Quebec City, who said, “we are still in the process of negotiating who will own the structure and who will maintain it. It saddens me and discourages me.”

The entire region is discouraged after eight years of broken Liberal promises. The new Minister of Transport is also the Quebec lieutenant. He speaks on behalf of all federal Liberals in Quebec. It must not turn his back on Quebec as his predecessors did.

When will he announce results?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, just because the Bloc Québécois is discouraged does not mean that the people of Quebec City are discouraged. The people of Quebec City are much more resilient than the Bloc Québécois. They also trust the government, which is in talks with CN and the Quebec government.

I myself attended a meeting last week. It was a private meeting with Mayor Bruno Marchand, who is pleased with the project's progress. He knows full well that we will deliver results, and that is exactly what we plan to do.

Carbon Pricing

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, Canadians are seeing record inflation as grocery prices skyrocket, thanks to the carbon tax.

Tiff Macklem, the Bank of Canada governor, agrees that Trudeau's tax on gas and groceries increases inflation. In the case of onions, the cost is up 69%. We do not have to wonder why food bank usage at the University of Ottawa is up over 258%. The Prime Minister is simply not worth the cost.

Will the Prime Minister eliminate the carbon tax so students can afford to eat?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I am sure everyone is aware, but I will remind everyone: When referring to someone in the chamber, we refer to them by their riding or their position, not by their name. It is just a small reminder. I know we have been gone for the summer, but I am just bringing it back to members again so next time it will not happen.

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment.

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity]

Mr. Speaker, a serious and responsible government needs to have a plan for affordability and climate change, and more and more we are learning that the Conservatives do not have a plan for either.

This summer, while Liberals were in their ridings meeting with their constituents, a few Conservatives, like the member for Cumberland—Colchester, the member for New Brunswick Southwest and the member for Northumberland—Peterborough South, were enjoying Chateaubriand and porterhouse steaks on behalf of billionaire climate-change-denying lobbyists. While we are spending time in our ridings getting to know the issues that affect our constituents most, our climate action incentive sends more money back to 80% of all households. The Conservatives do not have anything to say about climate change.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Journal de Montréal reported today that Quebeckers are struggling more with inflation than anyone else in Canada. They have the Liberal-Bloc coalition to thank for the drastic tax hikes. More and more bread is going unbuttered now that butter costs an extra 36%. Breakfast cereal costs 32% more, and a piece of red meat for supper costs an extra 30%.

After eight years, the Liberals have overtaxed everything. It comes as no surprise that Quebeckers' cupboards are becoming as bare as their pockets. Will the Liberal Prime Minister and his Bloc partners drop their plans to force a second carbon tax on Quebeckers?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, it surprises me to hear my colleague present the facts that way. Instead, he should be focusing on the fact that today, the government is presenting legislation to reform Canada's Competition Act. We want less consolidation and more competition to lower prices. That is the way to make things right.

I am disappointed to hear my colleague ask this kind of question rather than inform Canadians at home that today, the Liberal government and the Liberal caucus tabled an historic bill to help Canadians in times like these.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to alert Canadians and Quebeckers to another troubling revelation in today's paper: The cost of living is rising faster in Quebec's regions than anywhere else. Why is that? Because families in the regions need one car, sometimes two, to do their work and live their lives.

What is the biggest expense? Gas, obviously. Exactly what the Liberal-Bloc coalition is targeting for drastic tax hikes. In the regions, a vote for the Bloc Québécois will be even more costly. Will the Prime Minister and the leader of the Bloc Québécois walk back their irresponsible plan to drastically increase the cost of gas, yes or no?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the hon. member is not aware that the price on pollution in Quebec comes from the Government of Quebec. In any event, we need a plan to fight climate change. That is hugely important for our children and grandchildren. We also need a plan for affordability and for an economy that will make a major contribution to a low-carbon future. We have all those things.

The Economy

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, over the summer, many people in my riding of Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle expressed their concerns about the rising cost of living. I share those concerns. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry please inform the House of the steps our government is taking to make life more affordable?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to thank my colleague for her question, because she spoke from the heart and shared what all Canadians are feeling. That is exactly what we have done. Today, after convening the CEOs of the major grocery chains to Ottawa to express the frustration of millions of Canadians, we, the Liberal government, introduced an historic bill to tackle inflation and affordability.

We will reform the Competition Act, something that has been needed for decades. We will give new powers to the commissioner of competition. We will eliminate mergers that go against the rules of competition, we will tackle deals that prevent small grocery stores from setting up shop—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for South Shore—St. Margarets.

Carbon Pricing

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP-Liberal carbon tax is driving up the cost of food. University student Walt McDonald must choose between eating his food bank meal for breakfast or for lunch. The Dalhousie Student Union food bank says that 10 years ago, it served just extra snacks to students. Now, students are using the food bank for their weekly meal plan. After eight years, the Prime Minister is just not worth the cost.

Will the Prime Minister stop forcing students to use food banks and axe his inflationary carbon tax, yes or no?

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, indeed this past year, from September 2022 to September 2023, it has been a tough time in Nova Scotia. We have had three natural disasters. We have had floods, hurricanes and fires. That has impacted us financially with three billion dollars' worth of costs. It has impacted lives and it has cost lives. We have a plan to address that.

However, what I hear in the chamber time and time again from the opposition and the opposition leader, who has also been here a year, when it comes to the environment and to renewable jobs in Atlantic Canada that will be coming to us because of the Atlantic accord, is grifting, gaslighting and general goofiness.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, what an out-of-touch answer.

After eight long years of the Prime Minister's tax-and-spend inflationary policies, Canadians are recognizing that he is just not worth the cost. His carbon tax is raising the cost of everything. He does not understand that if the government taxes the farmer who grows the food and taxes the trucker who ships the food, ultimately it is Canadians who will pay the price. Potatoes, onions and canned soup are all up more than 70%.

Will the Prime Minister finally listen to Canadians and axe the tax so they can afford to eat?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would say that we are very cognizant of the need to address affordability issues. That is why eight out of 10 Canadian families actually get a rebate that is more than they pay. It also is part of a climate plan.

I would say it is appalling in my view that the member opposite and his party have no plan to address the climate issue. Given what we saw in northern B.C. in terms of forest fires this summer, it is a shame they have not addressed the climate issue. It is a shame for our children, our grandchildren and the future of this planet.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to tell the new little guy from Shawinigan that I read the paper. This morning, we learned that Quebeckers are feeling the biggest pinch from inflation. It was on the front page of the Journal de Québec. The carbon tax is one reason for that, and who supports it? The Bloc Québécois.

The Liberal-Bloc tax is really hurting Quebeckers. What is worse, the Bloc Québécois wants the government to drastically increase the carbon tax, increase it even more. Voting for the Bloc Québécois is going to cost drastically more.

Will the Prime Minister reject the Bloc Québécois's request to increase the carbon tax at Quebeckers' expense?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, [technical difficulty] on climate has put us behind in the fight against climate change. In any case, the Bloc Québécois was unable to stop them from gutting the environmental regulations.

What Quebeckers know is that the cost of climate change and its consequences, with the storms and forest fires that we have had, is much higher than the price on pollution. Making the right to pollute free again would be a serious mistake for future generations.

Child Care

[Tony Van Bynen, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we know that families are struggling with the high cost of living but that the Canada early learning and child care system is helping them cope. In my riding of Newmarket—Aurora, over 3,200 children are enrolled in this program, and I know it is making a huge, positive difference for their families.

Can the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell the House what her next steps in implementing this plan are?

[Jenna Sudds, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague is right. Many families are struggling right now, and we know how important child care is to families. That is exactly why we are building a nationwide system.

In Newmarket—Aurora and across Ontario, families are feeling the 50% reduction in costs already, saving literally hundreds of dollars each month. “What is next?” my colleague asks. We have already created or announced 50,000 new spaces. We have 200,000 more spaces to go.