Debates of Nov. 21st, 2022

Carbon Pricing

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister just gave zero answers whatsoever about how to alleviate the cost of home heating for Atlantic Canadians and people right across the country. They need relief now. Canadians cannot wait for programs that will not even cover half of the $10,000 to $20,000 it will take to install a new home heating system, which will still need a backup. They cannot wait a year to install new windows or reinsulate their homes, or years to replace their furnaces.

Canadians live in the real world, not in the Liberal fantasy. In that real world it gets really cold in December. Canadians are freezing, and the Liberals are freezing them out.

Why will they not cancel their cruel carbon tax on home heating?

[Terry Duguid, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, Atlantic Canadians faced the worst climate catastrophe in history just one month ago. We are going to be there with $300 million to help them recover and rebuild. We are also going to be there to help them with the transition to greener forms of energy. There was a wonderful announcement this morning that is going to help Canadian families. It is going to help Atlantic Canadian families. We are there for Atlantic Canadians, ever and always.

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

Mr. Speaker, COP27 just ended.

Something very important happened on Novebmer 15. The Canadian Minister of Environment issued a challenge to the rest of the world, calling on all countries to impose a carbon tax, as his government is doing to all Canadians.

Could the Minister of Environment tell us, a week later, how many countries have accepted this invitation to impose the carbon tax?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, affordability is extremely important, and we have taken concrete action to address these issues, including doubling the GST credit. Regardless of what the Conservatives might say, eight out of 10 Canadians are better off because of the climate action incentive.

It is worth noting that the Conservatives misled Canadians in the last election when they campaigned for a carbon tax. Given their position, every Conservative in the House is breaking promises they made to their constituents who elected them.

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

Mr. Speaker, once again, I am pleased to congratulate the minister on his French, but he could have answered my question, because the answer is the same in either English or French: Not one country has taken up Canada's invitation to impose a carbon tax. Why?

The reason is very simple. The Liberals have governed Canada for seven years, and the carbon tax has existed for seven years. Far worse, Liberal Canada ranks 58 out of 63 countries in the fight against climate change.

Will the Liberal government understand that tripling the carbon tax is not good for all Canadians?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague knows, many countries around the world have a carbon tax. Sweden and many European countries have a carbon tax.

It is part of a comprehensive climate plan to fight climate change in a way that will accelerate Canada's energy transition and prosperity. It is something we work on every day and that perhaps my colleague could consider.

Health

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on the topic of health, the Prime Minister came out of his meeting with François Legault at the Sommet de la Francophonie a changed man, I would say.

He said that Quebec is doing, and I quote, “a very good job” with data collection. It is amazing how things progress when we communicate. Imagine how much progress would be made if the Prime Minister brought all the premiers together to address the issue of transfers.

My question is simple. When will the Prime Minister invite his counterparts to a public summit on health care funding?

We have been asking for over a year.

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's question. Our health care system is facing major challenges.

Our government remains committed to working with the provinces and territories to further discuss health priorities, missions, and outcomes in order to improve health care services for all Canadians, in particular by reducing backlogs and supporting our health care workers, improving access to family health services, improving mental health care and addictions services, helping Canadians live in dignity closer to home and—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Jonquière.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is a fine grocery list, but that is not what we are talking about.

Incredibly, this is the first time in over a year that the Prime Minister has had anything good to say about Quebec or the provinces in terms of transfers. All it took was a face-to-face meeting. In my mind, that would suggest that organizing meetings could lead to an agreement on increased funding for health care.

I have a very simple question for my colleague. Why is the federal government stubbornly refusing our request for a public summit on health funding? What is so scary about that?

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

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague. Working together is the right thing to do.

As we have heard, during the latest health ministers' meeting, our federal, provincial and territorial representatives collaborated to prepare a concrete action plan to advance the use of health data and digital health for Canadians. Our fifth objective is to use health data and digital health more effectively.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we must act now. The time for distractions is over. For over a year now, we have been calling for a premiers' summit on increasing funding for health care. Meanwhile, surgery waiting lists are extremely long. Some people feel ill but cannot get a diagnosis. Some health care workers are thinking of changing careers. All of these people expect their governments to reach an agreement to increase funding for health care.

How much more precious time will the federal government waste before holding a summit on health care funding?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, as we know, the Prime Minister of Canada and the Premier of Quebec had an excellent meeting. It is easier for parties to agree when they act in good faith and want to collaborate. That is the case for both levels of government.

I will say it: The Bloc Québécois is trying to pick a fight, whereas we are trying to collaborate. While the Bloc Québécois is being difficult, we are looking for solutions.

Carbon Pricing

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Mr. Speaker, according to Statistics Canada, families in Atlantic Canada are hardest hit by the Liberal's carbon tax on home heating fuels. On a year-over-year basis, families in New Brunswick are paying 50% more to heat their homes. It is up over 75% in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Liberals believe heat pumps will solve this energy crisis, but their carbon tax is already forcing families to decide between heating and eating.

When will the Liberals do the right thing, cancel their carbon tax and give families in New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada the break they need this winter?

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, what is clear on this side of the House is that my colleagues opposite are suffering from the ostrich syndrome, with their heads in the sand. We really have to recognize that climate change is real and we really have to take action.

Once again, as the minister responsible for the ACOA, I have seen first-hand the devastation on the ground. What we do need right now in the province of New Brunswick is for the province to return the money on the federal tax to its constituents in New Brunswick as opposed to keeping it in the federal coffers. That is really what will be helping Atlantic Canadians right now.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Mr. Speaker, no one is taking that minister's advice. No one in Atlantic Canada wants to see home heating fuels double this year. Nobody is asking the federal government to make heating more expensive.

The Liberal carbon tax is fuelling inflation. Even the Governor of the Bank of Canada says so. It is driving up the price on energy. It is driving up the price on food. It is driving up the price on life.

When Ontario, Alberta and New Brunswick were able to reduce taxes on gasoline and home heating fuels, we saw prices go down. Under the government, they are going up because it keeps raising the carbon tax and it is going to triple it. They need it to stop.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, anybody who witnessed Fiona in Atlantic Canada would understand there truly has to be measures taken. This government has taken measures to make sure that we will be able to live in Atlantic Canada. In fact, the heat pump announcement is a very important part of making sure we help Atlantic Canadians heat their homes this winter.

We have and will continue to address the climate change issue.

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

Mr. Speaker, what that minister just said was a pile of baloney. He should take a meteorology course.

Back home today, winter is setting in. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are cutting their Disney+ subscriptions left, right and centre, but what they are finding with their DIsney+ savings is that it does not even give them one gallon of oil per month.

Will the left-wing government do the right thing and cancel its plan to put a carbon tax on Atlantic Canadians' fuel this winter?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, I think the one thing we can agree on across the aisle is that affordability is very important—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We have all day. Members can take their time.

The hon. minister, from the top please.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I think the one thing we can all agree on across the aisle is that affordability is extremely important to Canadians, and certainly to all political parties. We have taken significant measures to address current affordability concerns through doubling the GST tax credit and, this morning, through the investment of $250 million to accelerate the transition off home heating oil.

It is also the case, no matter how much the Conservatives attempt to mislead folks, that eight out of 10 Canadian families in places where the federal backstop is in place get more money back than they actually pay in the price on pollution. It also bears stating that the Conservatives misled Canadians during the recent election campaign when they campaigned on putting in place a carbon tax. Seeing their—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Rosemont—La Petite Patrie.

Climate Change

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, COP27 has wrapped up and the entire world can see that, when it comes to climate change, the Liberals say one thing and do another.

Other than Japan, Canada is the G20 country that gives the most money to oil companies. According to the climate change performance index, Canada ranks 58 out 63. Congratulations, that is impressive. Worse yet, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change invited oil lobbyists during COP27, as the planet is heading to catastrophic warming.

When will the Liberals wake up and come up with a serious and coherent policy?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, combatting climate change is very important and, as I said, we have put in place a comprehensive plan to combat climate change that will accelerate Canada's transition and prosperity.

Our government is committed to eliminating public funding of fossil fuels by the end of 2022. We have already phased out eight tax subsidies for the fossil fuel sector.