Debates of Oct. 17th, 2016

Softwood Lumber

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member just showed, once again, that he does not understand that giving benefits to Canada's wealthiest families does not promote economic growth. That is not what Canadians want. The Conservatives chose to give cheques to millionaires instead of doing what we are doing and that is giving bigger cheques to nine out of ten families, families who really need it.

The opposition party still does not understand that it is by helping the middle class that we create prosperity that is shared by everyone in the country.

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question was about 400,000 forestry workers. I do not know if they are millionaires, as the Prime Minister just said, but I do know they are very worried about their jobs.

The Liberals wanted to be in power, and now they are. The previous Liberal government sat on this issue for 10 years, and in 2006, we dealt with it. It took us four months. We ushered in 10 years of stability and predictability for forestry workers. Now it is their turn.

Will the Liberals take care of this matter for all these Canadian jobs?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are very concerned about what is happening to forestry workers across the country. That is why we are working so hard to resolve the softwood lumber issue.

The fact is that we inherited a broken Canada-U.S. relationship from the former Conservative government. We had so many bridges to build, and that is why we are working very hard to resolve an issue that is of tremendous importance to so many Canadian families, communities, and regions.

Health

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, a year ago, Liberals promised an immediate commitment for home care, but 363 days later, Canadians have seen absolutely nothing, not a cent. The government seems to be using this old commitment to distract from the fact that the Liberals are adopting Stephen Harper's cuts to the health care escalator.

Promises are not negotiating chips; they are promises. Why has the government abandoned true negotiations with the provinces and why has the Prime Minister adopted the Stephen Harper approach to health care?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Actually, Mr. Speaker, the Stephen Harper approach to health care consisted of writing a cheque and then not checking to see whether it was actually spent on health care. Canadians expect that new money invested by the federal government into health care be actually spent on health care.

On top of that, we have made commitments to work with the provinces to invest in home care, because Canadians know that what we need is a system that cares for the sick and elderly, and that demonstrates the kind of collaboration within provinces and with the federal government that did not happen for far too long.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, how do we take care of the sick and elderly when the Liberals are cutting $5 billion a year from the health care escalator by 2020, just like Stephen Harper? Same old, same old.

The Prime Minister will not even sit down with the premiers. He is adopting Stephen Harper's rather insulting approach to provinces. So much for real change.

The premiers have made a good faith proposal to give time to get Canadians out of this immediate health care crisis. We need a simple answer. Will the Prime Minister delay the Harper cuts for a year, yes or no?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are looking forward to investing $21.5 billion in health care over the next five years, of new money. The only expectation we have is the expectation that Canadians have: that this money be actually spent on health care. That is what the previous government missed out on when it was investing in health care.

We know that health care money must flow to health care. That is what Canadians expect. That is what the provinces expect as well.

[Brigitte Sansoucy, NDP, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the Liberals promised immediate assistance for home care. One year into their term, there is not a penny for home care in the budget. If they think they can use that promise to make the provinces forget they are going along with Stephen Harper's health care cuts, they are off to a bad start.

Will the Prime Minister scrap Stephen Harper's approach and commit to negotiating with the provinces?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the hon. member that the federal government is not responsible for health care spending. We have to work with the provinces, which is something the former government did not do. That is why we are very happy to sit down with the provinces and talk about how we can work together to meet Canadians' needs while respecting provincial jurisdiction, of course.

[Brigitte Sansoucy, NDP, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has a duty to pay at least 25% of health care costs.

During the last election campaign, the Prime Minister promised collaborative federal leadership on health care funding. However, he still refuses to sit down with his provincial counterparts to talk about it. Refusing to sit down with the premiers is not real change; that was Stephen Harper's MO.

The Prime Minister must take the time to listen to the provinces. Will he show some good faith and postpone the health care cuts planned for next year?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, respecting the provinces means letting the health ministers get on with their work together.

That is why the Minister of Health is meeting with her provincial counterparts today to talk about how we can work together to meet our commitments to Canadians when it comes to health care, while respecting provincial areas of jurisdiction.

That is leadership, something that has been missing from this House for the past 10 years when it comes to health. That is exactly what Canadians expect. That is what they voted for, and that is what we are working hard to achieve.

Finance

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let us discuss the economy and public finances.

One year ago, the Liberal Party came to power promising a modest deficit of just $10 billion. Six months ago, it voted in favour of a budget that will create a confirmed deficit of $30 billion.

Last week, TD Bank reported that the deficit could reach $34 billion, if not more. That is completely irresponsible. Running a deficit means making our grandchildren pay for today's poor management.

Can the Prime Minister, who is a whiz with numbers as everyone knows, rise and tell us with a straight face what we are headed for?

How much of a deficit will his government run up?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to salute my colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent, who will be joining the Standing Committee on Finance.

As he is beginning his term on the committee, I would like to remind him of the promises this government has made about investing in the middle class and families.

The first thing we did was cut taxes for the middle class. Next, we invested in families. Now, we are going to expand the Canada pension plan.

I just returned from the meeting of APEC finance ministers, which was held in Peru last week, and I can say that Canada's plans are being applauded by all APEC member countries. We are headed in the right direction and will continue down that road.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's fine words, but I would have liked an answer from the Prime Minister.

We understand why the Prime Minister does not answer questions about the deficit. Just two years ago, he said that the budget would balance itself. With that sort of economic theory, it is no wonder we are going into debt.

With regard to the $30-billion deficit, TD Bank said last week that the deficit could be as high as $34 billion and that, if nothing is done, we could end up with a cumulative deficit of $100 billion.

Can the $100-billion-deficit man rise and finally give us an update on Canada's public finances?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has already answered the question posed by my colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent.

I will repeat what I just said because it seems as though my colleague, who is going to join the Standing Committee on Finance, needs to be reminded of what we have already accomplished for Canada's middle class. We cut taxes, we will continue to help families, and we have an historic infrastructure investment plan.

I was at last week's meeting of the APEC finance ministers and all countries there saw Canada as a leader. We are a leader when it comes to investing in the middle class and infrastructure. We are going to continue in that direction. That is the way to grow the economy.

The Environment

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are so out of touch with hard-working Canadians. The federally imposed carbon tax is just another example. Families, farmers, energy workers, charities, and small businesses in Alberta have already been devastated by unprecedented job losses. Imposing a cash-grabbing tax on everything will only make things more difficult for all Canadians, especially for hard-hit Albertans at the very worst time. Albertans want to know why the Liberals are destroying Alberta's economy by kicking us while we are down.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservatives, we are focused on supporting middle-class Canadians and their families at every stage of their lives. Not only did the Conservatives vote against the Paris agreement on climate change, but when it comes to middle-class Canadians they opposed our government-reducing taxes on nine million Canadians, our Canada child benefit, which helps nine out of 10 Canadian families and will lift 300,000 Canadian children out of poverty, and enhancements to student loans, which will help 250,000 Canadians.

Our government is focused on both protecting our environment and growing our economy while helping the middle class and those working hard to join it.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, tens of thousands of Albertans are out of work. People are losing their homes. Food banks and charities are bracing for the damage of a made-in-Ottawa carbon tax. Last week, one family feedlot told me it would add half a million dollars in annual costs, risking their livelihoods. The Elk Island public school board said a carbon tax will add $400,000 in fuel costs every year.

Why are the Liberals taking more away and making everything more expensive when people are already struggling to make ends meet?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, 80% of Canadians already live in a province where there is an effective price on carbon pollution, but more action is needed. It is important to have a price on carbon pollution across the country.

We have listened to provinces and territories, including the Government of Alberta. Every province and territory has the flexibility to decide how they implement a price on carbon pollution, either a direct price or through a cap-and-trade system. Provinces and territories can use the revenues as they see fit, including by reducing taxes, if that is what they so choose to do.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's new carbon tax will raise the price of things like food, heat, and gasoline by $4,000 for the average middle-class family.

The Prime Minister says, “Do not worry, all the money will go to provincial politicians”, like Kathleen Wynne for her part as she plans to spend every nickel of it. The tax is not revenue neutral.

If this is really about climate change and not a money grab, why has the Prime Minister not mandated provincial politicians to give back every single cent through lower income taxes?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, it might be worthwhile mentioning that it was the Conservatives, in their 2008 platform and Speech from the Throne, who committed to implementing a price on carbon pollution through a cap-and-trade system.

Their “Turning the Corner” plan committed the Conservative government to:

Forcing industry to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions;

Setting up a carbon emissions trading market....

Establishing a market price for carbon.

What the Conservatives are saying today is different from what they told us in 2008.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has broken his promise to the middle class.

A worker earning $45,000 a year got exactly zero from the Liberal government's middle-class tax changes, yet that same worker will now pay an extra $1,000 in carbon taxes, federally mandated carbon taxes, that will go to Kathleen Wynne so that she can fund her so-called green energy insiders.

What happened to social justice? Why are the Liberals taxing the working poor to give to the undeserved rich?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are clear, and they were clear in the election. They want us to protect the environment and simultaneously grow the economy.

This government has been working hard to grow the economy, focusing on areas such as clean tech, which will be the future of the Canadian economy in the next 30 to 40 years, and we have developed a strong and robust climate plan that will allow us to ensure that we meet our targets under the Paris agreement.

Canadian Heritage

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage is starting to feel the heat. Last month, I reminded her that she still had some appointments to announce at the CRTC and CBC without further delay.

As CBC reported on the weekend, there is a backlog, CRTC hearings are being delayed, and creators are justifiably concerned. As we know, the minister is busy holding private consultations by invitation only. However, I would remind the House that this is an immediate and serious crisis.

Why go without such expertise?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his important question.

We are fully committed to implementing a new appointment system that is rigorous, transparent, and open. This would apply to all government appointments, naturally.

I invite my colleague to take part in the process and to see which appointments appear on the website. It is important for us to review this process and to have very good appointments.