House of Commons Hansard #133 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was court.

Topics

Public SafetyOral Questions

3 p.m.

Conservative

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

Mr. Speaker, there are so many things being said in the House that are completely false. The fact remains that we are currently seeing a 32% rise in violent crime.

According to the Montreal police, there were 144 shootings in the streets last year. That is one shooting every two or three days. All of these shootings involved illegal weapons.

University of Quebec professor Marc Alain said that our border is literally full of holes and that it has never been easier to access weapons in Canada than it has been over the past four years. We are talking about illegal weapons.

This government is spending billions of dollars to harm honest citizens. Why not take care of criminals and gangs instead?

Public SafetyOral Questions

3 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the amendments proposed in Bill C‑21 will set out an official definition of assault-style firearms. Thus, any new weapons that meet that definition will automatically be classified as such.

We are keeping our promise to tighten gun control by investing in Canadian communities, strengthening our borders and providing law enforcement with more tools to protect our communities. In fact, we seized twice as many illegal weapons at the border this year as we did the year before.

While Conservative politicians want to make assault weapons legal again, we are determined to keep our communities safe.

Climate ChangeOral Questions

3 p.m.

Bloc

Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC

Mr. Speaker, I just got back from COP27 on climate change.

The Prime Minister's chief allies and counterparts, such as Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron, were there. Over 100 heads of state were there. Everyone was there, except the Prime Minister of Canada. Where was he?

How is it possible that, between November 6 and 20, he could not even find half a day to show up and talk about climate change with the rest of the planet?

Climate ChangeOral Questions

3 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, our greenhouse gas emissions reduction plan is one of the most comprehensive in the world. We have a clear plan to stop emissions from rising, and we will reduce them. We are working hard to make our energy supply more sustainable than ever. We are investing in technologies that will help us reduce our emissions and create more well-paid jobs.

We will continue our work. The Minister of Environment and Climate Change identified common threads during COP27 and wove them together into an approach that everyone can rally around.

Climate ChangeOral Questions

3 p.m.

Bloc

Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC

Mr. Speaker, as the leader of a G7 country, the Prime Minister had a privileged platform at COP27 to talk about climate change. Not only did he pass up the opportunity, he handed it over to oil companies. He invited six oil sands operators to make their pitch at a climate summit. He even asked his Minister of Environment and Climate Change to defend these oil companies by preventing COP27 from stating in its final declaration that oil and gas must be phased out.

Did the Prime Minister ultimately boycott COP27 so he would not have to justify his record for the cameras?

Climate ChangeOral Questions

3 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member is well aware, we were very well represented at COP27 by our Minister of Environment and Climate Change, who worked hard to bring the world together for ambitious progress.

At the same time, I myself was at the G20 summit and other important summits where, on a daily basis, I stressed the importance of leadership in the fight against climate change. We have demonstrated that Canada is there, not just at COP27, but in all major global forums, to be a leader in the fight against climate change.

Carbon PricingOral Questions

3 p.m.

Conservative

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Labour from Newfoundland and Labrador declared that he is “sick and tired of people talking about the cold winter”. The people he represents are sick and tired of trying to make ends meet as fuel costs skyrocket, yet the tone-deaf minister brags about the virtues of the failed Liberal carbon tax plan.

When will the Liberal government show some compassion and cancel its plan to put carbon tax on Atlantic Canadian home heating?

Carbon PricingOral Questions

3 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, what Canadians need is a plan that puts more money in their pockets, and that is exactly what the price on pollution does. While Conservatives twist words and misrepresent what people say, we are going to stay focused on what Canadians are actually saying, which is that they need help.

That is why we are delivering help, with a price on pollution that puts more money in their pockets, and with support for dental and rental, which the Conservatives are voting against. We are going to continue to be there to reduce child care costs. We are going to continue to be there to support Canadians, while Conservatives have nothing to say about fighting climate change and nothing to say about growing the economy and helping Canadians.

Carbon PricingOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Conservative

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member for Papineau that he is a servant, not the master. Here is what the masters have to say: A VOCM poll out today asked, “With fuel costs already high, do you feel a federal carbon tax is necessary?” The result was that 91% said “no”.

In light of the opinions of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, will the minister apologize for yesterday's comments and plead with his Liberal colleagues to cancel their plan to push the carbon tax down the throats of Atlantic Canadians?

Carbon PricingOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago I stood in the street in Port aux Basques and held in my arms a woman—

Carbon PricingOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Carbon PricingOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

I am getting a look from the deputy whip, but he is not hearing the yelling that is going on right in front of me. I just want to hear the answer, and I am sure everyone else does as well.

The Right Hon. Prime Minister, from the top, please.

Carbon PricingOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Liberal

Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC

Mr. Speaker, a number of weeks ago I stood in the street in Port aux Basques and held in my arms a woman who had seen her house destroyed by hurricane Fiona. People in Newfoundland and Labrador and across Atlantic Canada know, unlike Conservative politicians, that climate change is real, and we need to do everything we can to fight against it while supporting hard-working families.

That is why, unlike what the Conservative politicians say, we are making sure pollution is not free anywhere across the country, and we are putting more money in the pockets of hard-working families in Newfoundland and Labrador and elsewhere.

Carbon PricingOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Conservative

Rick Perkins Conservative South Shore—St. Margarets, NS

Mr. Speaker, I will tell members what is real. The government has missed every climate change target it has set. Meanwhile, the Liberal minister from Newfoundland says it is good news that we have a carbon tax. The shameless Liberals think it is good news that gas will increase 14¢ a litre. They think it is good news that home heating will increase 17¢ a litre. Any more of this Liberal good news, and food bank usage will go up triple from now.

I ask all those silent Nova Scotia MPs if they will stand up and ask to scrap the failed carbon tax.

Carbon PricingOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, Atlantic Canadians know we need to fight climate change, so yes, it is good news that we have a strong price on pollution right across the country, and it is even better news that the price on pollution puts more money back in the pockets of hard-working families who need it, as we fight climate change. It is impossible to have a plan to grow the economy without having a plan to fight climate change, but all Conservative politicians are offering is a lot of hot air, a lot of criticism and a lot of misinformation, with no solutions to support families or fight climate change.

International TradeOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Liberal

Fayçal El-Khoury Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC

Mr. Speaker, as we know, the Indo-Pacific is of critical importance to Canada, including for economic growth and resiliency. Enhancing Canada's presence in the region means creating new economic opportunities and good jobs for Canadians.

For the benefit of the House and Canadians, can the Prime Minister elaborate on our government's historic investments to increase Canada's presence in the Indo-Pacific?

International TradeOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Laval—Les Îles for his question and his hard work.

Last week, we announced several investments, including $750 million to put in place sustainable and quality infrastructure projects in developing countries and $45 million to launch a series of Team Canada trade missions. We will also be launching our Indo-Pacific strategy in the next few weeks. We will continue to enhance our presence in the region and create good jobs on both sides of the Pacific.

Agriculture and Agri-FoodOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB

Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Budget Officer said tripling the carbon tax will do little to reduce emissions in agriculture. Why? It is because we are already among the most efficient in the world. What the carbon tax will do is punish farmers with more than $1 billion in additional costs. Now the NDP-Liberal carbon tax coalition wants to expand that punishing tax to include Atlantic Canadian farmers.

Emissions from agriculture in Canada are 70% lower than the global average, so why is the Prime Minister punishing Canadian farmers for that incredible achievement, instead of praising them?

Agriculture and Agri-FoodOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, 80% of families in areas where the federal carbon price backstop applies get more money from the price on pollution. That is true for Atlantic Canada. That is true right across the country. On top of it, rural and remote Canadians, like farmers, are able to benefit from a 10% top-up to the climate action incentive that comes to them four times a year. These are the things that make sure we can both fight climate change by ensuring pollution is no longer free anywhere in the country, and directly support the hard-working families who need that support.

Agriculture and Agri-FoodOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister should read his own legislation. The farm tax rebate, through Bill C-8, gives farmers pennies on the dollar back on what they spend on the carbon tax. The result of that is Saskatchewan farmers just had the most expensive harvest in their history. Their on-farm costs exceeded $11 billion, the highest year-over-year increase since 2012. On-farm fuel has more than doubled, and the cost of fertilizer is up 110%. The carbon tax is pounding farmers to the ground and putting our food security at risk.

What will it take for the Prime Minister to cancel his plan to triple the tax on food, fuel and farmers?

Agriculture and Agri-FoodOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, from the supply chain disruptions of the pandemic to the war on Ukraine, there have been global disruptions that have impacted Canadians, including Canadian farm families. At the same time, however, putting a price on pollution not only prepares and ensures we are ready to be competitive in a lower-carbon world in the coming decades, but also puts more money back in the pockets of hard-working families who need it, every single year. This is the approach that fights climate change to ensure a better future for our kids and grandkids while at the same time supporting families right now. We will continue to be there for families.

The EconomyOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister has no problem spending $6,000 of taxpayer money on a single hotel night, Canadians are struggling just to feed their families. Thanks to the Liberals, everything in this country is broken. There are 1.5 million Canadians who accessed a food bank in a single month; inflation is at a 40-year high, and over half of all Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque, finding it difficult to make ends meet.

The question is simple. When will the Liberals stop making life difficult for Canadians and actually give them control of their lives?

The EconomyOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken about the dental and rental supports that will make a real difference in Canadian families' lives immediately, which the Conservatives voted against, but I have not spoken yet today about the child care initiatives that we put forward. Reducing child care to $10 a day and cutting child care fees in half for Canadian families right across the country this year is saving them thousands of dollars at a time when indeed pennies are tight for everyone.

Unfortunately, the Conservative Party continues to oppose child care and continues to oppose rental and dental supports. We are going to be there for Canadians while they leave people behind.

JusticeOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Liberal

Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON

Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that harsh, ineffective policies from the previous Conservative government did not succeed in making our communities safer. They also contributed to the over-representation of indigenous people and racialized and marginalized Canadians in our justice system.

Can the Prime Minister inform the chamber of the concrete steps we are taking to move past those policies and adopt a better working approach to making our justice system accessible, efficient and fair?

JusticeOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Vaughan—Woodbridge for the hard work he does for his constituents.

I am proud that Bill C-5 has now received royal assent. It is a long-overdue and essential step for our criminal justice system. It will give judges the flexibility to impose sentences that fit the crime and contribute to addressing the overincarceration of indigenous, Black and racialized people. We believe in a justice system that is tough when it needs to be tough, but is always fair.