Debates of Jan. 28th, 2019

Foreign Affairs

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising the Prime Minister does not worry about Canadians' money. He has never had to worry about money. He has never had to balance a household budget, so he thinks budgets balance themselves. He thinks he can borrow his way out of debt and that others should pay for his mistakes, so it is no wonder the debt has grown three times more than what he promised. Why will he not tell the truth before the next election, that his wasteful spending and runaway deficits will mean higher taxes for Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is no surprise that all we get from the Conservatives are warmed over Stephen Harper attacks and the economic plan that failed Canadians for 10 years. They continue to want to give tax breaks to the wealthiest, where we are focused on growing the middle class by investing in people and in their communities.

We lowered taxes for the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest one per cent. That has led to not only stronger growth than Stephen Harper ever saw but has led to the creation of 800,000 jobs and the lowest unemployment rate in over 40 years. We are going to continue to invest in Canadians.

Carbon Pricing

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, everything the Prime Minister just said is false. With his changes, the richest Canadians are paying less in tax, and hard-working Canadian families are paying more, and they are going to continue to pay more, because government documents show that the carbon tax will rise six times higher than what the Prime Minister now admits, which means higher gasoline costs and higher home heating costs. Canadians are already paying for his mistakes, so why is he also covering up the real cost of his carbon tax from Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we lowered taxes for the middle class. The only way the Conservatives can make those numbers work is if they completely ignore a policy they voted against, the Canada child benefit. The Canada child benefit has made more difference in the lives of hard-working Canadians than any other policy in recent history. They voted against it. Maybe they do not want to talk about it because they plan to take it away from Canadians. We are going to continue to invest in Canadians.

When it comes to climate change, it has been 274 days since the member opposite promised a climate plan for Canadians. Where is that plan?

Housing

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is becoming increasingly difficult to access housing in Canada. It is a problem for buyers, who are shut out of many markets, and for low-income renters, who are affected by the shortage of affordable and social housing.

In British Columbia, for example, tent cities are springing up in places such as Maple Ridge, Nanaimo and Victoria, right here in Canada in the 21st century.

Will this urgent situation be taken into consideration in the next Liberal budget?

Will immediate investments be made to address the current crisis?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we certainly recognize that Canadians deserve safe, affordable and accessible housing. That is why we created the first national housing strategy, which is making unprecedented investments in housing. To date, it has already helped more than one million Canadians find housing.

However, we know that there is more to be done. We will continue to invest in Canadians to ensure that everyone has safe and accessible housing.

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that sure sounds great, but 90% of that money will not be allocated before the upcoming federal election, not before 2020, but housing is desperately needed right now.

More than 1.5 million Canadian households are in urgent need today. New investments are needed right now, not in three or four years.

There are solutions. For example, the government could spur investments by removing the federal portion of the GST/HST from the cost of building new affordable housing units. The Liberals should know how this works. That is what they promised in 2015, but they have since shelved the idea.

I will repeat my question.

They will have one last chance with the federal budget. Will they invest and act now?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to point out that the historic investments we have made in housing in recent years have helped more than one million Canadians find affordable housing.

We know that more money and more solutions are needed. However, make no mistake, the investments we have already made and that we continue to make in the national housing strategy are making a real difference in people's lives.

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

Mr. Speaker, just last week, media reports said that 46% of all Canadians are now only $200 away from financial insolvency in a month, but instead of bringing in immediate relief for people facing a housing crisis and crushing personal debt, the Liberals' priority has been to give billions of dollars in corporate giveaways.

The current Liberal government continues to tell Canadians to wait for real action on housing. Will the Prime Minister commit to making different choices this year? Will he make affordable housing a top priority in this year's budget?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, over the past three years—indeed, over the past three budgets—we made housing a priority for Canadians. We know that it needs to be safe, affordable and accessible for all Canadians. That is why we moved forward with a historic national housing strategy that re-engages the federal government in housing right across the country. We have not waited to invest. On the contrary, the significant investments we have already made have helped close to a million Canadians access more affordable housing. That is making a real difference now and, yes, many years into the future.

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

Mr. Speaker, that answer shows how out of touch the Prime Minister is, and people know it.

Sarah, for example, is a nurse with three children who is struggling to find affordable housing in Burnaby, B.C. The only places she can find will take her entire paycheque, leaving no money for food or anything else. That is the reality of the housing crisis.

Mayors from across the country are raising housing with the Prime Minister today, saying that we need action now. Will the Liberals stop siding with corporations and side with people who need affordable housing now?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to sit down with the big city mayors this morning, who thanked me and congratulated me for the work we have done on investing in housing right across the country.

We are making a real impact in the lives of Canadians as we invest in housing that is making a significant difference in people's lives. We will continue to do just that while we focus on making a concrete and sure difference in the lives of Canadians right across the country.

The Economy

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, by the end of their term, the Liberals will have racked up a deficit of more than $80 billion. Back in 2015, however, the Prime Minister formally promised to balance the budget by the end of this year.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed that, due to the irresponsibility of the Prime Minister and his Minister of Finance, we will not see a balanced budget until 2040.

The Prime Minister loves telling everyone that budgets balance themselves.

Could he tell us right now who is going to pay for these deficits?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we have been clear that we are making investments, which are critical to improving Canadians' lives. We have invested in the middle class and delivered significant results.

Unemployment is now at its lowest in over 40 years, and growth is strong. We are going to continue making investments. It is important for the future, and we can do it in a fiscally responsible way.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we are in a new House of Commons, but we are getting the same old answers.

Why will the Prime Minister not just tell Canadians the truth?

He has no plan, and sadly, it is Canadians who will have to pay for his inept and irresponsible fiscal management. The public should not be forced to pay for his failures, his mistakes and his irresponsible and out-of-control fiscal management.

Will he at least have the guts to tell workers and Canadians who is going to pay for these deficits?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the good news is that Canadians are now better off thanks to our approach. Our investments have created more jobs across the country. It is true. What is more, middle class Canadians are paying fewer taxes. That is for sure.

Our approach is much better for Canadians, and we have been able to do all this while maintaining a debt-to-GDP ratio that works for the future of our country.

Taxation

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister promised Canadians that they would get rid of the deficit by this year, and they have clearly failed. We find ourselves in a situation where the rich are actually paying less taxes, and in their spending review, the Liberals did not find any ways to save money but did find ways to spend more. Fail.

Canadians will ultimately pay for these mistakes. Will the Prime Minister admit to Canadians that his higher deficits will lead to higher taxes for Canadians?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, what we have done over the last more than three years is make a real, important difference for Canadians, with higher growth rates and lower unemployment. Clearly, the approach we have taken has worked.

The options that we had in the last election were the approach of austerity and cuts, which was being proposed by the Conservative Party at that time, versus our approach of investing in Canadians. What we have been able to show is that our approach works. We can do it in a fiscally responsible way, and we will continue to have a plan that makes sense for Canadians.

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, his talking points are all an attempt to make sure that they do not panic the flock before the fleecing. That is what it is all about.

How can the finance minister stand here and honestly say that Canadians are doing better when 46% of Canadians feel that they are $200 away from insolvency?

I know the Prime Minister and the finance minister have not felt this, but I can tell them that people lose sleep and that the anxiety is crushing. Canadians know that they are not in good shape, and they are afraid of these new taxes.

When will the Prime Minister level with them and just tell them that more taxes are coming?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear.

Actually, middle-class anxieties are something we have been very focused on from day one. That is why we reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians, a policy that the Conservatives voted against. That is why we put in place the Canada child benefit, helping nine out of 10 families with more money. On average, middle-class families with two kids, this year, will have $2,000 more than they had when the last Conservative government was here in 2015.

We are helping with middle-class anxieties, while the opposition continues to vote against policies that help these people.

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

Mr. Speaker, 2019 will be a historic year. This year, we were scheduled to move into a new House of Commons, and we have done that. This year, the Liberals promised to balance the budget, but that is not going to happen. That is the Liberal reality.

We were supposed to get back to zero deficit this year, but instead we have a $30-billion deficit.

I congratulate the President of the Treasury Board on her appointment. Could she please assure Canadians that she does not believe that budgets balance themselves and tell them that, unfortunately, a Liberal deficit will lead to tax hikes for all Canadians? That is the reality.

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, obviously, we have a plan. It is clear that investing in the middle class is working. Now, our economy is working for the middle class. The alternative, an austerity approach, is not really a plan since it involves making cuts or increasing taxes. That is the Conservatives' plan.

Our approach involves lowering taxes for the middle class, and Canada is better off because of it.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that my question was for the President of the Treasury Board. Are men answering the questions now that it is 2019? The issue here is that, in 2015, they promised to eliminate the deficit, but there is now a $30-billion deficit. That is a fact.

I would like to give the President of the Treasury Board another chance. Will she tell Canadians that, unfortunately, Liberal deficits will lead directly to higher taxes for all Canadians?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the approach we have chosen is good for Canada. Our approach has made things better for the middle class. We know there are inequalities within the middle class, and that is why we lowered their taxes. We have also made things better for Canadian families with the Canada child benefit. Thanks to our measures, our economy is growing. Our approach is working and I hope future governments will adopt a similar approach so that we can ensure a bright future for our country.

Housing

[Sheri Benson, NDP, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Speaker, across Canada people are struggling with extreme cold temperatures. For the 30,000 Canadians who are homeless, finding warm shelter can be a matter of life or death. Shelters are near capacity and people seeking refuge in tent cities are being served with eviction notices. Where are people to go? They cannot wait 10 years for a national housing strategy to ramp up.

Will the Liberal government step up and legislate, as promised, the right to housing for all Canadians—yes or no?