Debates of Nov. 24th, 2021

Climate Change

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, in the plan that we presented at COP26 and in the plan that we presented to Canadians during the last election, we recognized that we need to put a hard cap on oil and gas sector emissions and reduce them until we achieve net-zero emissions.

Many major oil companies in Canada have already made that commitment.

We are going to make decisions based on science. We are going to reduce our emissions across the country. We are going to create good jobs for a better future for everyone, while fighting climate change.

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to science, the new minister’s previous readings were obviously more instructive than his new ones.

However, the Prime Minister is caught between western Canada, which is heavily dependent on oil, and Quebec, which is much greener.

Simple math tells us that cutting greenhouse gas emissions per barrel is actually a licence to increase production, so in the long run, nothing changes.

Does the Prime Minister not wonder whether his solution is a recipe for failure?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to my hon. colleague from the Bloc Québécois, I would like to explain to him that in Canada, in a federation, we have something called provincial jurisdiction and that the provinces manage resource production—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Anthony Rota]

I cannot hear the answer. I would ask everyone to refrain from yelling in the House.

The hon. Prime Minister.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

The hon. member should know full well that the federal government can pass legislation and regulate emissions, but it cannot directly control or address production, which is an area of provincial jurisdiction.

That is something he should know full well.

The Economy

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the cost of government is driving up the cost of living. Almost half a trillion dollars of inflationist Liberal deficits means more dollars chasing fewer goods, driving higher prices. However, the Prime Minister says he does not think much about monetary policy. That is no surprise; after all, it is “Justinflation”.

Given that housing and gas prices are up by a third, has he had time since he got off the surfboard to think a bit more about monetary policy?

[The Speaker, Anthony Rota]

I know we have been gone for a while and we are back. I want to remind the hon. members that, when we are talking in the House, we cannot mention someone's name in the House. We refer to them by their title or their riding.

The right hon. Prime Minister.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives play silly partisan games, we are focused on Canadians. We know that what Canadians are facing is a serious situation, and that is why we have taken real action.

First of all, in disagreement with the Conservatives, we invested to support Canadians through the pandemic. What was not just the right solution for the health crisis was also the right solution to make sure our economy would come roaring back. That is why we are moving forward on investments like child care and housing to make sure we are helping Canadians through this affordability challenge as well.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, every time he creates a new program, the cost of the said object goes up. For example, he spent $70 billion on affordable housing to make housing prices go up by almost $300,000. Many members of this House were not even born when Liberals first started promising to make day care affordable.

When will he realize that more dollars chasing fewer goods means higher prices and that the more he spends, the higher the cost?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Carleton and, indeed, the Conservative approach on the economy are well known by Canadians and that is why it was—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Anthony Rota]

Order. I want to make sure we are okay to continue.

The right hon. Prime Minister.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, they were soundly rejected three times in a row by Canadians.

Our focus has been on growing the middle class and supporting hard-working Canadians throughout. That is exactly what we have been doing. We put forward a plan for $10-a-day child care that has been accepted by a number of Conservative premiers across the country. The federal Conservatives promised to rip it up.

As we choose to move forward on investing in housing, they want to give tax breaks to landlords to sell their buildings. That was the wrong approach; this is the right one.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, he likes to blame his inflation on something that is happening in a faraway place around the world. Why is it then that Canadian consumers are paying higher rates of inflation than Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Singapore, India, China, Japan, Germany, Italy, France, the U.K., the eurozone? In fact every country, except the money-printing mammoth south of the border, has lower inflation than us.

Why does he not take responsibility for the higher cost of living that his out-of-control spending is piling on the backs of Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I am impressed to see the high esteem in which the member for Carleton seems to hold me, that I was able to create a global inflation crisis with our initiatives to support Canadians through this pandemic, because that is exactly what he is saying.

Everywhere in the world they are seeing record-high inflation. Here in Canada, we continue to invest in ways to support Canadians with world-class child care investments, with housing, and with investments in reconciliation, in fighting climate change and in building a better future, while they choose to hide their heads in the sand.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to get his facts straight. The fact is, other countries have lower inflation than Canada. France, Italy, Germany, Japan and the U.K. all have much lower inflation rates than Canada. Only the United States, which is printing money like crazy, has a higher inflation rate.

The Prime Minister wants to copy that. Everyone knows that this Prime Minister does not think about monetary policy. After all, it is “Justinflation”, but will he start thinking about the real cost burden he is putting on the shoulders of Canadians?

[The Speaker, Anthony Rota]

Perhaps the member did not understand when I said this in English. Once again, I would remind him that, in the House, we refer to other members by their riding name or their title. I think that is clear now, in both languages.

The right hon. Prime Minister.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I think I will use a phrase that served me well when I was a teacher. If the member for Carleton spent more time doing his homework and less time playing word games, he might realize that the whole world is facing an inflation crisis, which is severe in all countries. Yes, it is even worse in the United States than in Canada.

That is why we are coming up with concrete solutions, such as investments in early childhood education and the creation of day care spaces, as well as investments in housing. We will continue to be there for Canadians, while the Conservatives continue to focus on me.

Housing

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we are in a housing crisis where people cannot find a home to call their own. It is impossible for people to find a home. They are seeing the forces of speculation driving up the cost of housing and this federal government and previous governments have not invested enough money in building homes that people can actually afford.

Given this crisis, why is the Prime Minister not responding to the seriousness of this crisis with the response necessary to help people find a home that they can actually afford?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as outlined in the Speech from the Throne, housing is a major priority for this government, and we will deliver with programs like the housing accelerator fund, which will help municipalities build more and better, faster.

Whether it is building more units per year or increasing affordable housing, we will work with partners to get real results for Canadian families, including helping families buy their first home sooner with a more flexible first-time homebuyer incentive, a new rent-to-own program and reducing the closing costs for first-time buyers.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there is a housing crisis. It is impossible to find affordable housing right now, and this government does not know what “affordable” means. It thinks that $2,225 a month for rent in Montreal is affordable. That is crazy.

Why has the Prime Minister not taken the urgent action necessary to address the housing crisis and help Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are taking action.

As outlined in the throne speech, housing is a major priority for our government, and we will deliver with programs like the housing accelerator fund, which will help municipalities build more and better, faster.

Whether it is building more units per year or increasing affordable housing, we will work with partners to get real results for Canadian families, including helping families buy their first home sooner with a more flexible first-time homebuyer incentive, a new rent-to-own program and reducing the closing costs for first-time buyers.

Disaster Assistance

[Patrick Weiler, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my province has been devastated by natural disasters over this past year. Between wildfires, landslides and flooding, my constituents and countless British Columbians are having their property and lives threatened, or even lost.

With the ever-worsening reality of climate change, we know these weather events are going to become more frequent and severe.

Can the Prime Minister please update this House on his critical work to address this issue?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, my thoughts, and everyone's in this House, remain with the people of British Columbia.

As a result of the recent floods, we approved a request for federal assistance, and over 500 members of the Canadian Armed Forces are on the ground and will remain there as long as needed, with reinforcements at the ready. We will do more to mitigate the damage from these natural disasters and move forward on a low-cost national flood insurance program.

We will be there with the people of British Columbia every step of the way as they clean up, as they recover and as we all rebuild together.