Debates of Jan. 29th, 2019

Finance

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have been waiting at least three years for the Liberals to keep their promise to return to a balanced budget in 2019. Unfortunately, the reality is altogether different. In 2019, we have a $30-billion deficit.

The Prime Minister is quite likely the only person in the world who believes that budgets balance themselves. Canadians know that budgets do not balance themselves. On the contrary, when we run deficits we have to pay them off one day.

What is the government's plan to return to a balanced budget?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance (Youth Economic Opportunity), Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, in 2015, Canadians had a choice between the Conservatives and the NDP who promised austerity and cuts at all costs.

We knew that after a decade of failed economic policies under the Harper Conservatives, we had to make the right kinds of investments for Canadians. By doing so, Canadians have created over 800,000 new jobs. We have the lowest unemployment rate in 40 years. A typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off.

We know how to grow the economy. We are not going to take the same approach as the failed Conservative economic plan.

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should tell that to 80% of Canadian families who are paying $800 more since the Liberals came to power. I look forward to hearing Liberal candidates say that they keep their promises in a few months. It is not true. The Liberals do not keep their promises.

Canadians want to know how the government plans to return to a balanced budget. Is there even a plan?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance (Youth Economic Opportunity), Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, we committed and kept our promise to grow and invest in Canadians, to grow the economy for the middle class and those working hard to join it.

We did not take on the same economic plan as the Conservatives, because they could not manage the economy to help create a more prosperous economy for everyone. All they did was focus on their millionaire friends. We are focused on Canadians and we know our plan is working. When we invest in Canadians, they create the economic success that—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. I would ask members to listen to both the questions and the answers.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, what millionaire friends? There is the millionaire friend, right in the front row, who inherited a big, multi-million dollar family fortune, as he likes to call it. He says, “You have never had it so great, fellow Canadians.”

For those with family fortunes, that is true. For people who are struggling to pay their bills, who have lost their children's fitness tax credit, their transit tax credit and their textbook and education tax credit, the costs have never been so high.

Why will the Liberals not admit that if given another chance, they will raise taxes, just like they have already done?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance (Youth Economic Opportunity), Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives continue to relay fake information. The fact is that we actually lowered taxes for middle-class Canadians. We lowered taxes for small businesses and we increased benefits like the Canada child benefit.

When will the Conservatives finally tell the truth and say that they are taking their marching orders from Premier Ford and that we are going to see more and more cuts across this country, cuts to education, cuts to Franco-Ontarian language rights? Why will the Conservatives not be honest and tell Canadians about the cuts they plan on making?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there is the Liberal election platform: Do to all of Canada what Kathleen Wynne did to Ontario. She doubled the debt, she doubled power rates, driving the poorest people to the food banks, and she lied about her plans to raise taxes after every single election that she won.

Does that remind us of anyone? Someone sitting right there in the front. He knows that he will do exactly what the Wynne Liberals did. He will hide his plan and he will raise taxes massively and it will cost Canadians a fortune. Why will the member not admit it?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance (Youth Economic Opportunity), Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, look at our record. Over the last number of years we have actually cut taxes. The member is talking about hypotheticals, but the record shows that we reduced taxes. We reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians. We have reduced taxes for small businesses.

It is clear from the fact that the member for Carleton is speaking about Ontario that he just wants to create a nationalized plan of the Premier Ford cuts. That is what the Conservatives' platform is. When are the Conservatives going to be honest with Canadians and tell us what they plan on—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Carleton.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there is the latest defence. Now their plans for higher taxes are hypothetical. In other words, we get to find out about it after the election when the Prime Minister no longer needs voters but still needs their money.

Canadians without trust funds and family fortunes know what he has failed to realize, that never-ending and ever-growing deficits lead to higher taxes down the road. Why will he not tell the truth about that now instead of hiding it until after the election?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance (Youth Economic Opportunity), Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, it is simply not true. A typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off under our plan than under the Harper Conservatives. That is real money in the pockets of everyday Canadians that need it. The Conservatives talk about their austerity and cuts. Let me talk about the Canada child benefit. Over 16,410 children are benefiting in the member's riding alone. Is he going to look those children in the face and take that money from them just to prove a point? We believe in investment. Conservatives believe in—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. The hon. member for Carleton.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, to the contrary, when we created the child care benefit, we did so with a balanced budget and we lowered taxes. By contrast, when the Liberals brought in their changes, they did so by raising taxes on those children's parents and building up more and more debt for those children to pay down the road. We on this side of the House will create a financial environment that is secure for Canadians so that we can keep taxes low. We have a motion before the House. It simply asks the Prime Minister to commit in writing that he will not raise taxes. Will he?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance (Youth Economic Opportunity), Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, we have already cut taxes and the member opposite talks about the Canada child care benefit, which they taxed. We, on the other hand, made it tax free. We continue to make the right kinds of investments. We are focused on Canadians. At the end of the day a typical Canadian family is $2,000 better off. With a decade under the Harper Conservatives, we know what Conservative cuts look like and Canadians voted against them.

Pharmacare

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we are in year four since the Prime Minister issued a mandate letter to the health minister directing her to lower prescription drug prices for Canadians. This was important because Canadians pay among the highest drug prices in the world and millions cannot afford their medicine.

Now officials at the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board admit that they have abandoned their plan to reduce the prices that drug companies can charge Canadians.

Will the Liberals admit that they have folded and betrayed Canadian patients because of pressure from the pharmaceutical industry?

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that Canadians should not have to choose between buying groceries and paying for medication. That is why this government has taken action. As a government we have joined the pan-Canadian pharmaceutical alliance, which is able to bulk purchase drugs with all provinces and territories. As a result, we have saved billions of dollars.

Also in budget 2018, we were pleased to launch the advisory council on the implementation of a national pharmacare program. We expect that report in the spring of this year.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that Canadians are choosing between medicine and their rent. The Liberals promised these reforms in 2016 and said they would be in place last year. This is a straight betrayal of a clear promise. The Liberals also said these changes were essential to bring in universal pharmacare and that we could not have it until prices were reduced. That is not happening.

With Eric Hoskins soon to release his study on pharmacare, can Canadians expect to see the Liberals once again cave in to the drug lobby and refuse to bring in universal, comprehensive and public pharmacare?

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the NDP, this side of the House wants to have a plan. That is why we have introduced the launch of the advisory council for the national pharmacare program. We are pleased that this council is being led by Dr. Eric Hoskins and a group of stellar Canadians to really look at this issue.

I am looking forward to receiving that report in the spring of this year, with its recommended options and also a path forward.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lévis—Lotbinière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has had no control over the issue of illegal migrants in Canada from the very beginning. The influx of illegal migrants at our borders is costing another $115 million. Why? This is the fault of the Prime Minister, who tweeted out a welcome to everyone in January 2017. When will the Prime Minister secure our borders and stop making Canadians pay for his mistakes?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental and Northern Affairs and Internal Trade, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, no matter how loud my colleague gets, his alarmist statements are not based on fact. Although the number of border crossings continues to go down, we understand that, in partnership with the federal government, the Province of Quebec and the City of Montreal play a key role in providing temporary housing. Our partnership with the Government of Quebec is very important to us, as is the issue of border security. We will continue to work with our partners to ensure that we maintain both at the same time.

[Bob Saroya, Conservative, Markham—Unionville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberal government announced another $114 million for illegal border crossers. Yesterday, the Liberals also closed the application window to sponsor parents and grandparents in just 10 minutes. Under the current Prime Minister, if people are illegally entering the country, they get immediate entry into Canada and free hotel rooms, yet if one's grandmother is trying to legally enter the country, she would get the door shut in her face.

Why is the Prime Minister making Canadians pay for his mistakes?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, it is amusing to watch the Conservatives pretend to care about family reunification because, under their watch, parents and grandparents were stuck in a backlog of 167,000 people and had to wait seven to eight years to reunite with their family members.

We have slashed the wait times down. We have ended the backlog. We have quadrupled the number available for Canadians and permanent residents to reunite with their families. While the Conservatives are busy dividing Canadians, we are focused on reuniting families.