Debates of June 14th, 2019

Infrastructure

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give an update to the House on the construction of the Sackville-Bedford-Burnside connector. This project will improve safety and travel time for commuters and commercial traffic between Burnside and Sackville. The construction of the connector has already begun, and over 500 jobs will be created.

Over 40,000 vehicles travel between Sackville and Burnside each day and cause extensive traffic backlogs. I was proud to attend the Prime Minister's announcement of our government's investment of $86 million to address the issue. After 30 years of planning, this important addition to the 100-series highway network is a great example of the partnership between the provincial and federal governments.

I look forward to sharing more updates with my constituents as we move forward on this very important and successful project from our government.

Natural Resources

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister continues to fearmonger to Canadians by picking fights with the provinces over national unity. What he does not understand is that he is the threat to Canadian unity. Whether it is Pierre Elliott Trudeau or our current Prime Minister, history tells us that whenever there is a prime minister from this family in office, our nation is at risk.

Canadians deserve more than the current Prime Minister, someone who will not divide Canadians by killing pipeline projects and forcing Canadians to pay a job-killing carbon tax.

Canada's Conservatives will not support Bill C-69. Instead, a government under our Conservative leader will repeal the bill when we form government in October, unite Canadians and get Canada's energy sector back to work, all while helping all Canadians get ahead.

Hong Fook Mental Health Association

[Jean Yip, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize Hong Fook Mental Health Association, in my riding of Scarborough—Agincourt, for receiving the Advancing Minority Mental Health award from the American Psychiatric Association Foundation. It is the first-ever agency outside the United States to receive this award, in recognition of its efforts to increase public awareness and to provide comprehensive mental health care for under-served minorities.

I am proud to be part of a government that prioritizes mental health and has made a historic $5-billion investment in mental health initiatives across the country. We reopened Veterans Affairs offices to increase mental health supports for veterans. We supported a pan-Canadian suicide prevention service with trained responders providing 24/7 crisis support, and we have invested in home care for seniors and access to community-based mental health services, particularly for children and youth.

Mental health affects everyone. Our government is determined to continue providing Canadians with the mental health support they need so that they can lead healthy lives.

Quebec Cerebral Palsy Association

[Jean Rioux, Liberal, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Association de paralysie cérébrale du Québec is turning 70 this year. For the past 20 years, the association has been led by president Joseph Khoury, a remarkable, passionate leader. It is an honour for the riding of Saint-Jean to host the association's headquarters.

As members of Parliament, it is important for us to show solidarity with people who have cerebral palsy. We have a duty to educate the public and all levels of government on the urgent needs of the people who struggle with cerebral palsy every day and their loved ones, who are also affected, and the respect they are owed.

I want to thank the Association de paralysie cérébrale du Québec for its outstanding commitment and contribution. Operation Papillon Vert, a campaign that was launched this year, is a concrete example of the work the association does to help people with cerebral palsy.

Natural Resources

[Earl Dreeshen, Conservative, Red Deer—Mountain View, AB]

Mr. Speaker, last night Canadians witnessed the spectacle of the Liberal government choosing to support competing oil-producing nations over Canadian resource developers. The Liberals ignored the pleas of nine provincial premiers, first nations and territorial leaders and millions of Canadians by shutting down debate on Bill C-69.

How many hospitals will be built in Canada through our purchases of Saudi oil? How many social programs will be financed by our friends in Nigeria? How many environmental causes and human rights efforts Canadians hold dear will be jeopardized by these Liberals shutting in the resource expertise of the world's most responsible energy producers?

By following the misguided dogma of the Prime Minister, the Liberals will be following him into the political abyss. The only way to truly protect our environment, to give certainty to job creators and to ensure Canada's strong social fabric is to make this divisive Liberal leader a single-use prime minister. On October 21, Canadians will make that choice.

Dartmouth—Cole Harbour

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honour Dartmouth—Cole Harbour. There has never been a better time to live in Dartmouth. Our city is vibrant, and we feel a deep sense of pride. It is an absolute honour making sure that our community is supported.

Our government invested in daylighting the Sawmill River, revitalizing Sullivan's Pond and the Canal Greenway Park. We invested in our incredible paddling and rowing community, the Legion, Cole Harbour Place, the Sportsplex, the Dartmouth North Community Centre, NSCC, the Beazley Park basketball courts, the Fairbanks Centre, and the Shubenacadie Canal. We invested in the Dartmouth ferry terminal and in new buses and infrastructure. We have made sure that shipbuilding jobs stay in Nova Scotia. Ships stay here. We have also invested in small businesses and non-profits across the riding so they can grow and create more jobs.

I am so proud to call the city of lakes my home. I thank my constituents for putting their support, faith and trust in me.

From the Natal Day parade to the Cole Harbour Harvest Festival, I encourage Canadians across the country to visit Dartmouth—Cole Harbour.

Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation

[Stéphane Lauzon, Liberal, Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC]

Mr. Speaker, young families, seniors, small and medium-sized businesses, and the people of my riding can count on our government.

Through the Canada child benefit, we have invested nearly $6 million, which has helped 9,000 families in my riding.

We have also invested $400,000 through the new horizons for seniors program, to improve the quality of life for our seniors.

We have made historic investments to connect households in my riding to high-speed Internet.

Through various programs, our government has invested over $25 million in infrastructure and innovation projects in Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation. I am proud of the work our government has done to help the middle class and those working hard to join it.

I hope everyone has a great summer, and I look forward to seeing you at the many events that will be taking place in the beautiful riding of Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation.

Carbon Pricing

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Alberta is starting to see some relief, with the lowest fuel prices in the country, because it no longer has a carbon tax.

Meanwhile, in B.C., we are hammered with a carbon tax, driving fuel prices so high that people are actually burning more fuel. They are driving longer distances to cross the border, often idling at long border-crossing lineups just to buy cheaper U.S. gas, and at the same time are creating a safety hazard by filling up jerry cans and putting them in the backs of passenger vehicles, basically converting SUVs into fuel tankers. This is all to avoid paying into the Liberals' carbon tax plan.

Now the Parliamentary Budget Officer reports that the carbon tax would need to increase in some provinces by five times the current punishing rate, to over $100 per tonne, driving up fuel prices another 23¢ per litre.

When will the Prime Minister and his environment minister stop punishing Canadians for just trying to get to work and admit that they do not have an environmental plan, they only have a tax plan?

Government Policies

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank you, the table officers and all the pages for the tremendous work in ensuring the effectiveness of the 42nd Parliament. It has been an honour to serve in Ottawa for the last four years, and I look forward to four more years.

We are making a difference here by lowering taxes on the middle class and for small businesses, creating over a million jobs since 2015, lifting over 300,000 children out of poverty with the Canada child benefit, and ensuring that over 800,000 others are lifted out of poverty and have a chance to make a difference of their own in this country.

We are helping our world's most vulnerable while welcoming newcomers every day to make Canada stronger.

Investments in infrastructure, transit, and renewable energy, a national housing strategy, and our climate plan are all ensuring that we live better, healthier lives.

Canadians elected a government that would, like Toronto's Raptors, be champions, and we are delivering. We are making a difference for the people of Don Valley West and all of Canada.

Anthony Delatri

[Ruth Ellen Brosseau, NDP, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on June 5, the town of Louiseville paid a glowing tribute to one of its great personalities.

Anthony Delatri had an outstanding 26-year-long career as a cartoonist, working primarily for Le Nouvelliste newspaper. He produced over 8,000 cartoons throughout all those years. His cartoons can be found in several books and museums.

Mr. Delatri was also a great athlete who had an immense influence on his community. He was inducted into the Quebec badminton hall of fame in 1994 and the Mauricie sports hall of fame in 2005.

On his 97th birthday, the town's tennis courts were renamed “Tennis Delatri de Louiseville” in his honour.

I would like to sincerely thank the town of Louiseville, as well as Michel Neveu, who had the inspired idea of paying tribute to Mr. Delatri.

We are proud of you, Mr. Delatri. You are a credit to Louiseville.

Carbon Pricing

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Mr. Speaker, one of the most common complaints I hear from my constituents is about the rising cost of fuel. All across this country, Canadians are struggling to pay the government's carbon tax while trying to avoid insolvency. Parents are having to make hard choices between heating their homes and after-school activities for their kids.

Now the Parliamentary Budget Officer is reporting that it is going to get a lot worse for families. To meet Paris targets, all Canadians, no matter where they live, will have to pay five times what they pay now. If they think gas prices are high now, try adding another 23¢ of Liberal carbon taxes on top of that.

The Prime Minister never came clean on the true cost of his carbon scheme, and now we know why. The Prime Minister has no plan to lower emissions. His only plan is another cash grab, which is already hurting over-taxed Canadians. When will the Prime Minister admit that he made a mistake, kill the carbon tax and take real action on climate change?

Toronto Raptors

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, at a YMCA, in 1891, a Canadian named James Naismith invented the game of basketball.

Yesterday night, 128 years later, a Canadian team, our Toronto Raptors, brought the NBA championship home. There were doubters and cynics, but there was also a steely resolve, the resolve of die-hard fans and ones more recently on the bandwagon, who got on board in Jurassic Park from coast to coast to coast in this country and beyond. They got on board to cheer the most diverse team, representing the most diverse city for the most diverse nation on earth.

From Kawhi to Kyle, from Pascal to Serge, from Marc to the indefatigable, toothless Freddy V., this team, our Raptors, showed basketball fans around the world that we do not understand the meaning of the word “quit”, and that when we sing about being the true north strong and free, we mean it.

I thank the Raptors for an incredible run and what is going to be an amazing parade on Monday, and I say, “Let's go Raptors!”

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Budget Officer proved yesterday that the Liberals' carbon tax cannot achieve what is promised unless it is twice as high as they have admitted: “$50 per tonne after 2022, there will be a shortfall. We won't be able to meet the country's targets for greenhouse gas reduction.” The only way to do it is to double the promised price to over $100 a tonne, which translates into an increase of 23¢ a litre for the price of gas.

Will the government admit that its carbon tax, while it makes no sense, costs 23¢?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the hon. member is seeking to mislead Canadians in order to scare them into supporting his party. The analysis that he refers to by the Parliamentary Budget Officer presumes that no further measures will be implemented to reduce emissions over the next 11 years and does not factor in certain measures that have already been announced or are being implemented now, such as the largest investment in public transit in the history of Canada, new subsidies to make electric vehicles more affordable or advancements in innovation that will actually improve carbon sequestration technologies.

If the Conservatives would be honest with themselves, they would realize that our plan is going to make life more affordable for Canadian households at the same time as we bring our emissions down.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, actually, the Parliamentary Budget Officer took into consideration every single policy lever that the current government is using and said that with those policies the country will miss its Paris targets by 80 million megatonnes per year, and that the only way to change that is to increase the carbon tax five times what it is now and twice what the government has admitted, at a cost of 23 painful cents more per litre for gasoline.

Why were the Liberals attempting to hide this higher tax until after the election?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, with respect, the report of the Parliamentary Budget Officer does not represent the government's agenda going into the next election. We have been very clear that when it comes to our plan to put a price on pollution, the price is going to increase to $50 a tonne until 2022, at which time the policy will be reviewed.

I would be happy to speak to the hon. member's constituents, who should know by now that eight out of 10 households that the hon. member represents will be left better off as a result of our plan. If he does not want to accept my opinion on this piece, I would point him to the previous report of the same Parliamentary Budget Officer, who indicates that only the wealthiest 20% would pay more and that 80% of that member's constituents will be better off at the end of the year.

I look forward to seeing him on the doorsteps campaigning on a promise to take $307 from a typical family of four in his constituency.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' promise that the cheque was in the mail was never kept. It was not as advertised. We now know that the rebates were a third smaller and the tax will be twice as high as advertised, so smaller rebates than promised and higher taxes than admitted. These facts are now known to us. We now know that, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, for the Liberals to keep their own promises, they would have to increase the tax to a rate that would cost the average family over a thousand dollars a year in Ontario, including gas prices that are 23¢ higher.

Why did they try to cover it up before the election?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, I find it entertaining that the hon. member is putting so much stock in the PBO's report, when he will not even submit his own party's platform for consideration, because it is hiding the true cost to Canadians.

When it comes to the size of the rebate, we have said the entire time that a typical family of four in the province of Ontario would receive a rebate of $307. That is as true today as it was when we first announced our plan.

He is confusing statistics by saying that the average payout, which pertains to a family of a smaller size, is different than that for a family of four. This is simple arithmetic. I would be happy to walk him through it after question period, but I sense that after a few months he is choosing not to listen because he knows our plan is the right plan.

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

Mr. Speaker, we know full well that the Liberals have spent the past three years trying to convince Canadians that the Liberal carbon tax would allow them to meet the Paris targets and, more importantly, reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That is false on all counts.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed yesterday that Canada would not meet its Paris targets and, worse still, that the Liberals would have to raise the Liberal carbon tax to five times what it is now in order to meet those targets.

Will the Liberals be honest with Canadians and tell them exactly how much they plan to increase the tax if, heaven forbid, they are re-elected in six months?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, I note that the hon. member's own province of Quebec has a price on pollution and our system does not apply. I would be curious if he would go out and say that the province does not have the authority to put the price on pollution that exists and is supported by members of his province.

The hon. member knows that in the provinces where the federal backstop applies, eight out of 10 families are better off at the end of the year. This is not some Liberal partisan plan. We can look to last year's Nobel Prize winner in economics, who has developed this sort of approach. We can look to Mark Cameron, Stephen Harper's former director of policy, who has indicated that families will be better off. We can look to Doug Ford's chief budget adviser, who testified before the Senate in this Parliament, saying that the number one thing we can do to move toward a low-carbon economy is to put a price on pollution and—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.

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

Mr. Speaker, I will ask it in English this time.

Based on the Quebec experience, yes, we have a cap-and-trade system in Quebec, but what are the results? There is zero reduction of emissions. This is the result when we tax people: no reduction of emissions. This is the Quebec experience. This is the truth. These are the facts. This is the science.

Will the minister be clear with Canadians for once? Can the Liberals explain how much they will raise taxes?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, with respect, if the hon. member would listen to the details of our plan, he would realize that as the price on pollution increases approaching 2022, so does the rebate. The more time goes on, the cost is not increased, but the rebate to families increases—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I just want to interrupt the hon. parliamentary secretary. The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent asked a question, and I am sure he wants to hear an answer. With all the chatter, we are depriving him from hearing that.

Order. I will let the hon. parliamentary secretary continue.

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, in the remaining time I have, I will reiterate the point that anybody who has any equity in this conversation knows that the number one thing we can do to reduce emissions is to put a price on pollution.

We have found a way to make life more affordable at the same time, by returning the rebate directly to households. This marries the theme of our government, which is to make life more affordable for those who need it. Whether with the Canada child benefit, the middle-class tax cut or the price on pollution, we are doing the right thing for our environment and making life easier for families.