Debates of June 19th, 2019

Finance

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

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately I have some very bad news for our friend the Prime Minister of Canada.

Sadly, we all remember when he suggested that budgets balance themselves. I have bad news for him, but especially for Canadians: in the four years he has been Prime Minister, there have been four budgets and four consecutive deficits. That is the hallmark of this Prime Minister.

Since he promised exactly the opposite four years ago, could he stand in his place, on this last day when we can ask him questions, look Canadians in the eye and tell them, “I was wrong”?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I will take no lessons from the Conservatives, who ran eight consecutive deficits.

The reality is that the investments the Conservatives made did not create any growth because they made bad investments. The Conservatives still believe that the best way to create economic growth is to give advantages and benefits to the wealthy.

It is by investing in the middle class that we created one million jobs, reduced poverty, lowered the unemployment rate and helped middle-class Canadians.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to refresh the memories of the Prime Minister and all his Liberal henchmen.

Four years ago, he promised that they would run three small deficits and then balance the budget in 2019. Four years later we know what really happened: they ran three big deficits and then a $20-billion deficit in their so-called zero-deficit year.

Again, I ask the Prime Minister: Will he stand in his place, look Canadians in the eye and tell them, “I lied to you”, since that is what he did?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member knows that he used an unparliamentary word. I would ask him to apologize.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives added $150 billion to our national debt, all while posting the worst economic growth under any prime minister since R. B. Bennett during the Great Depression.

The reality is that not only did our decision to invest in the middle class, lift children out of poverty and invest in our communities and infrastructure create good economic growth, but it also set a record in terms of reducing poverty and making life better for Canadians. This is unheard of in the world—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Carleton.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, remember this great hit. “I'm looking Canadians straight in the eye and being honest, the way I always have. We are committed to balanced budgets, and we are. We will balance that budget in 2019.” The Prime Minister only missed that promise by $20 billion.

When he looks Canadians in the eye in the next election and promises not to raise their taxes again, why should anyone believe what he says?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the promise we made in the last election was to invest in Canadians and create growth that for 10 years, Stephen Harper was unable to build.

That member opposite was part of a government that added $150 billion to Canada's national debt with nothing to show for it; the worst growth rate since the Great Depression. Why? Because the Conservatives insisted, and continue to insist, that the way to create growth was to give advantages to the wealthiest. We know that does not work. That is why we invest in the middle class.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when the previous Conservative government was fighting the great global recession, that member said that we should spend more, spend now, spend faster. His only complaint was that the deficits were not big enough.

We left him with a balanced budget. He promised that in 2019 the budget would balance itself. He is off by just $20 billion on top of the taxes he raised on the middle class.

The Prime Minister broke that promise. Which other promises will he break if he is re-elected?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, what Canadians wanted from that Conservative government was for it to invest in the kinds of things that would create growth. Instead, the Conservatives invested in signs, door-knobs and gazebos.

We instead chose to invest in the middle class, in lifting kids out of poverty, in ensuring everyone had a real and fair chance to succeed. It is working. A million new jobs have been created over the past four years. We have the lowest unemployment in 40 years, because we are investing in Canadians.

Indigenous Affairs

[Georgina Jolibois, NDP, Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Denesuline of northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba were supposed to sign an agreement with the government after 18 years of negotiating for their land, harvesting and resource rights. A week ago, the minister backed away and now refuses to meet with them. She broke her promise and betrayed the Dene.

Meaningful reconciliation is about working with indigenous people and meeting in good faith. Will the minister meet with the Dene while they are in Ottawa and explain why she broke her promise, face to face?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, no relationship is more important to Canada than the one with indigenous people. Working to renew relationships on the basis of affirmation and implementation of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership is central to everything we do.

Concerns have been raised by indigenous groups in the Northwest Territories about the terms of the agreement and the impact on their communities and their rights.

We have a responsibility to meaningful consultations with communities in order to understand and work through the issues that they have brought forward.

The Environment

[Richard Cannings, NDP, South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today a report on the state of Canada's birds is expected, with findings of dramatic declines in many species, most of this resulting from habitat loss. For instance, over the last 40 years, we have lost over half of our grassland bird populations, birds like meadowlarks and burrowing owls.

The Liberals promised to protect 17% of Canada's wildlands and water by 2020, but have only hit 11%. An NDP government would protect 30% by 2030.

Why are the Liberals making nothing but empty gestures and breaking their promise to protect our wildlife?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, speaking of empty gestures, the NDP have put forward targets with no plan to reach them. On the contrary, we are going to be reaching our targets to protect marine and terrestrial areas. We have worked very hard on that. We recognize that protecting our environment is not just about growing the economy; it is also about fighting climate change.

We recognize the importance of wetlands and a broad range of environmental ecosystems, which have a significant role to play in fighting climate change as well. This is why we are continuing to move forward with a real plan to protect our environment and fight climate change.

Carbon Pricing

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Speaker, here are some sobering numbers: 48% of Canadians are $200 away from insolvency and 24% cannot meet their monthly obligations. To make life harder, the Prime Minister has stepped on the throats of Canadians by imposing a carbon tax on the necessities of life in Canada. The carbon tax is not an environmental plan; it is a tax plan.

How could he raise taxes on those who can least afford it, like seniors, but give advantages to the wealthiest by giving $12 million to his billionaire friends at Loblaws for fridges?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the members opposite continue to mislead Canadians. The reality is that the climate action incentive and our plan to put a price on pollution actually get more money in the pockets of middle-class Canadians than without a price on pollution. This is in fact an environmental tax break for middle-class families. That is what we are moving forward with, a way to both protect the environment, fight climate change and make it affordable for Canadians.

The plan that the Leader of the Opposition is planning on putting forward tonight surely will not do that.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, here is another one of the Prime Minister's shining moments.

Many will recall his infamous January 2017 tweet, which said “To those fleeing persecution, terror and war, Canadians will welcome you... #WelcomeToCanada”. Since that day, more than 45,000 people have come from New York, seeking asylum at Roxham Road. Meanwhile, genuine refugees continue to suffer in UN camps.

Will the Prime Minister admit that he made a huge mistake in January 2017?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the UN reported this week that 70 million people are currently displaced around the world.

I am sure the hon. member does not think this is because of something I tweeted a few years ago. The reality is that more and more people are immigrating all over the world. Canada has a robust system to ensure that everyone who arrives in this country, through regular or irregular migration, is processed properly.

All of our system's rules are carefully followed.

Ethics

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, a law firm that the member for Steveston—Richmond East owns had been implicated in a scheme that allegedly laundered money in the Vancouver area for a foreign drug lord. Today, the member is at the Prime Minister's right hand. He is front and centre. Compare that to another Vancouver area MP who got kicked out of his caucus simply for standing up to him and doing what was right.

This begs the question that if he is such a feminist, why the obvious, on display, double standard?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to a robust regime to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

With budget 2019, we created the action, coordination and enforcement team and the money laundering centre of expertise. These will help better identify and meet evolving threats. We have provided over $160 million to the RCMP, FINTRAC and CRA. We support policing and real estate audit teams.

The Conservatives actually cut over $500 million from the RCMP's budget, while we will ensure that law enforcement teams have the resources and tools they need.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please. The hon. member for Edmonton Manning ought to remember that the time to speak is when he is called upon and has the floor and not otherwise.

The hon. member for Nepean.

Housing

[Chandra Arya, Liberal, Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this government has made unprecedented investments in giving more Canadians a place to call home.

This week, we unveiled details about the new first-time homebuyer incentive, which will help middle-class families by making their mortgage payments more affordable.

Could the Prime Minister tell the House how the first-time homebuyer incentive will help middle-class families in my riding of Nepean and across Canada achieve the dream of buying their first home?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Nepean for his question and his hard work.

With the first-time homebuyer incentive, we are helping middle-class families achieve the dream of home ownership by increasing the RRSP withdrawal limit and reducing their monthly mortgage payments without increasing the amount they need to save for a down payment.

We are putting home ownership within reach for more middle-class families. We are building on our historic commitments to giving more Canadians a safe and affordable place to call home.

Government Priorities

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, right now in Cape Breton we are seeing a story as old as time. The Liberals are taking $18 million from taxpayers to fund a private airport at the elite Cabot Links golf resort for their millionaire friends to park their private jets. This Liberal decision is decimating the Allan J. MacEachen Port Hawkesbury Airport and small businesses like Celtic Air Services.

Will the Prime Minister put small businesses ahead of his millionaire Liberal golf buddies and stop any funding for a competing private airport in Inverness?