Environment Committee on April 18th, 2024

[Leah Taylor Roy, Liberal, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Chairman, can I ask this question?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Yes.

[Leah Taylor Roy, Liberal, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

What is the relevance of this debate to the motion? That's what I'm trying to establish here, and maybe it's not a point of order. I'm not sure what it is, but this debate is not relevant to the motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I don't have the motion in front of me. Is it long?

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

It's not that long. It reads:

Given that,

a. On April 1st, the Liberal Government increased the consumer carbon tax by 23%;

b. 70% of Canadians and 70% of Provincial Premiers are opposed to the latest carbon tax increase; and

c. The NDP Premier of Manitoba recently came up against the carbon tax and plans to put forward a proposal to exempt the province from the carbon tax.

The committee report to the House its recommendation that the Liberal Government abolish the consumer carbon levy, more commonly referred to as the carbon tax.

It seems very relevant.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Go ahead. Thank you for reading that.

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My point in all of this is that Conservatives are not alone. There are multiple people from multiple parties across Canada who now firmly disagree with the carbon tax.

My Liberal colleagues and their environment minister clearly don't care what their constituents are telling them. I know that Ms. Taylor Roy, Mr. Longfield and Mr. Ali are clearly hearing from their constituents. Unlike the parliamentary secretary, who, as is tradition, must support his government, we have an opportunity to have the freedom of Liberal MPs coming forward to stop supporting a proud, socialist, radical activist environment minister, who was previously best known for his arrests for scaling the CN Tower and climbing onto the roof of Alberta premier Ralph Klein's house.

Instead of shutting down debate, I would encourage my colleagues across the way to explain how many constituents have emailed or called their offices and said that they do not support the carbon tax. I'm willing to bet it is a hefty number.

We were all elected to help our constituents, and I think it's important that we listen to them. Despite the fact that we may all disagree on a number of policies, I think there's a real opportunity, after three weeks of the 23% hike being in place in this country, and angry Canadians from coast to coast, to stand up to the Prime Minister.

I'd be remiss not to mention my colleague from Victoria, who said a few days ago that the carbon tax is not “the be-all and end-all of climate policy”.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

He just misquoted me, so I would like to correct the record.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

You want to correct the record. What did you say?

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

I said that the Liberals have been treating the consumer carbon price like the be-all and end-all of climate policy, like a silver bullet, and that it is one tool in our tool box to fight the climate crisis.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

That's on the record.

Go ahead, Mr. Leslie.

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

I was going to agree with you, because I think you're right that there are many various ways to help reduce carbon emissions that don't involve taxing moms taking their kids to school, to hockey practice or to a tournament on the weekend, a senior driving to the town next door to get groceries or to fill their prescription, or a farmer in Milton drying his corn at the end of harvest.

[Leah Taylor Roy, Liberal, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

On a point of order, he once again is referring to this as a tax, which is not what it is. He's telling a half-truth about what it is. Like Ms. Collins corrected the record, I would like to correct the record that this is not a tax. It's a levy, and that's all returned to the consumer.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you.

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

I would urge the member opposite, in fact, all members, to come and door-knock in my riding. Come to Winkler, Altona, Elm Creek or Carman and try to tell my constituents that this is not a tax and that they are, in fact, better off, and see what the response is. I will happily come to any of your ridings and do the same, or we can collectively as a committee go across this country and door-knock—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Mr. Leslie, speak through the chair, please.

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

I think it would be very enlightening because—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Speak through the chair.

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Through you, Mr. Chair, my colleague Ms. Taylor Roy—

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I will go to the points of order, and we'll get back to Mr. Leslie. Let's do this in an orderly fashion.

Go ahead, Ms. Chatel.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

I think on the door knocking, inviting us to door-knock when they door-knocked the last election in favour of a carbon pricing—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

That's not a point of order, Ms. Chatel.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

What was the answer then when you wanted to have carbon pricing? Did they do door knocking then? I don't know.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Mrs. Chatel, that's not a point of order.

Mr. Leslie, go ahead, please. Please stick to the motion and not so much the canvassing.