Debates of Nov. 16th, 2022

Taxation

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this morning the first snowfall arrived in my riding, and the children were out playing, making snowmen and throwing snowballs. However, the snow unfortunately served as a harsh reminder of the difficult winter to come and the challenges parents will face as they decide whether they pay for home heating or they pay for groceries.

Will the Liberals finally show some compassion and cut their planned tax hikes on gas, groceries and home heating?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, on no less than five occasions the Liberal government reduced taxes on Canadians, and every single time the Conservatives voted against it. What did they vote against? They voted against the Canada child benefit, cutting taxes on the middle class, reducing taxes on small businesses and reducing taxes on workers. They voted against the $15 minimum wage. When they had a chance to support half a million kids to get dental care for the first time in their lives, which they receive on the other side of the House, they voted against it.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, winter is here and Canadians will be paying thousands more dollars to heat their homes because of the inflationary Liberal carbon tax. They will paying more for everything because of the out-of-control spending of this greedy NDP-Liberal costly coalition. Canadians need help now.

Will the Liberals end their inflationary spending and cancel their plans to triple taxes on gas, groceries and home heating?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, today there are a couple of things that are happening across the world that we have to be very mindful of: the existential crisis of climate change and the reality of inflation. Inflation is something that is making it very difficult for people across the world to pay their bills. Canada is below not only the EU but also the G7, with one of the lowest inflation rates that exist in the world. That is not good enough.

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

That is cold comfort to hungry families.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite says, it is cold comfort.

What they expect are solutions, not raising anxiety, not raising fears and not pretending those issues do not exist. Climate change is real. Inflation is real. It demands maturity and real answers.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Speaker, Thelma and Everett from Twillingate spent $5,500 on home heating fuel last winter. They wrote to me saying, “we are in our sixties, still working, with no pensions. We can't afford that kind of bill.” Since last winter, the price of home heating fuel has increased by 77.3% in Newfoundland and Labrador. With the addition of the carbon tax on that the grand total is 97.3%.

Will thePrime Minister have mercy on Thelma and Everett, and many like them, and cancel his plan to triple the carbon tax on gas, groceries—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. government House leader.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I have no doubt that the member's constituents, the people he was referring to, are facing a great deal of anxiety. They would want to know, as an example, that the money they are paying for the price on pollution they will actually get back. The member opposite knows that. They would also want to hear that they have a government that cares, if they have grandchildren, about the type of world they will be inheriting.

The costs that are involved with climate change are in the trillions upon trillions of dollars. Let us talk about the legacy the Conservatives are giving to their grandchildren by ignoring the climate crisis, pretending it is not real, pretending the facts are not facts, lying to them, frankly, about the reality of that circumstance—

[Brad Vis]

It's unparliamentary.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I do not know if it was parliamentary. I had a hard time hearing it.

The hon. member for Brampton South.

Child Care

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we know that the Canada-wide early learning and child care system is now up and running across the country. Families in my home province of Ontario are already seeing the benefits of the significant investments that Canada and the province are making.

Can the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development update the House on the progress that Ontario has reached as this national system continues to build out?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague from Brampton South, who has been a tireless advocate for universal child care in this country.

I am really pleased to report to the House that Ontario has had 92% of licensed child care providers sign on. That means families are receiving rebates of up to 25% dating back to April 1, and as of December 31 they will receive a 50% reduction in fees. I spoke to one mother who said she specifically went back to work because she can now afford it because of these child care fees.

Child care is a home run. It is a win for our children, it is a win for our families and it is a win for our economy.

Public Safety

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to be able to trust that the government will not manipulate RCMP investigations into serious crimes, but lately they have not been so sure. People want more accountability from the current government. Yesterday, the RCMP commissioner agreed. That sounds like a clear endorsement of my bill to ensure transparency between the RCMP and the government.

Will the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Safety commit to restoring public trust in our institutions by supporting my proposal?

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, the independence of our law enforcement is vital to our democracy, and I thank my colleague for his important advocacy and work on this issue and all issues related to public safety. Good government is essential for good policing. We will review his bill, and I look forward to continuing to work with him and all members of the House on the continued independence of the RCMP.

Cannabis

[Kevin Vuong, Independent, Spadina—Fort York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Izabela and many other parents from my riding are worried about the proliferation of illegal cannabis shops in our community, which specifically target children. They are selling copycat pot edibles that doctors say look like candy, but are poisoning kids.

I also recently met with the Cannabis Council of Canada. It feels that a lack of enforcement on the many regulatory rules that legitimate businesses must follow allow black market operators to flourish. The millions of dollars gained from illegal cannabis selling is known to be used to buy firearms and fund organized crime.

What is the government doing to stop these illegal pot shops?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for raising this important issue. The health and safety of our children is fundamental and the most important thing for this government.

The Cannabis Act is there to protect the health and safety of Canadians, while serving as a flexible legislative framework that adapts and responds to the ongoing emerging needs of Canadians to help displace that illegal and illicit market. I will have a look at what the member opposite has raised, and I thank him again for his advocacy.

The House resumed from November 4 consideration of the motion that Bill S-245, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (granting citizenship to certain Canadians), be read the second time and referred to a committee.

Citizenship Act

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

It being 3:15 p.m., pursuant to order made on Thursday, June 23, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at second reading stage of Bill S-245 under Private Members' Business.

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #216

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I declare the motion carried.

Accordingly, the bill stands referred to the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.

(Motion agreed to, bill read the second time and referred to a committee)

The House resumed from November 14 consideration of the motion that Bill C-281, An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act, the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law), the Broadcasting Act and the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

International Human Rights Act

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Pursuant to order made on Thursday, June 23, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at second reading stage of Bill C ‑281.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #217

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I declare the motion carried. Accordingly, the bill stands referred to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

(Bill read the second time and referred to a committee)