Debates of Nov. 30th, 2022

Telecommunications

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague from Sudbury for her dedication to her constituents.

Every Canadian, wherever they are in the country, deserves good and reliable high-speed Internet. Today, 93.5% of Canadians are connected to this essential service, compared to 79% in 2014 under the previous government. Through our nearly half-billion-dollar top-up to the universal broadband fund, we will bring 60,000 more rural homes online. It is all part of building an economy that works for all Canadians.

Democratic Institutions

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a specific question for the Prime Minister. It is not about money from China. It is not about the government's election panels. It is not about the overall integrity of the last two elections. It is specifically about whether the Prime Minister was ever briefed about interference by Beijing involving any candidates or riding associations. Was he briefed?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as Canadians would expect, I am regularly briefed by our intelligence officials on a broad range of ongoing attempts at interference against Canadians and against our institutions by a number of countries, including China, but I can also highlight that during elections, all parties designate teams that also get briefed by our intelligence experts to ensure that before, during and after the elections, they understand the threats of foreign interference that have happened.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, he is the Prime Minister.

It is rather surprising to learn today that he did not ask for any new briefings on the allegations reported by Global News. That was several weeks ago, and the RCMP has even opened multiple investigations to shed light on these allegations.

My humble advice to the Prime Minister is that he ask for a new briefing from CSIS and the RCMP immediately, and that he be more straightforward in answering the opposition's questions.

Then again, perhaps he would rather continue to bury his head in the sand. Who is he protecting by refusing to come clean?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, allow me to correct my hon. colleague.

I am regularly briefed on all sorts of issues affecting Canada and Canadians. The reality is that when it comes to matters of national security, I need to be deliberate about my answers, and that is exactly what I am doing, because I do not want to put Canadians at risk.

The reality is that, yes, our intelligence services are very active on many files that they keep us informed about. They keep all parliamentarians informed on these files through the security and intelligence committee of parliamentarians.

Carbon Pricing

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this Liberal government is really out of touch with what is happening in Canada. Inflation is hurting Canadians, who can no longer make ends meet.

I often talk about workers who have to use food banks, namely, 1.5 million in just one month; young people who are living in their parents' basement because housing prices have doubled in Quebec City alone; and students who have to sleep in shelters. I have been talking about these issues for a long time. I want to remind members that we are living in a G7 country.

Does the Liberal government recognize these hardships and will it take real action like not increasing the carbon tax?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about real action.

Tomorrow, families that could not afford to send their children to the dentist will be able to start filing claims for the money to be able to do so.

The reality is that it will make a big difference in the lives of many families that are struggling to make ends meet to be able to get dental care for their children.

Unfortunately, despite my colleague's interjection, she and all of the Conservatives voted against these measures to help families access dental care.

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, he is talking about going to the dentist. I am talking about buying groceries.

People are telling us they are struggling, but the Liberals ignore them and keep going. They want to raise taxes.

Each of my colleagues here today has long been sharing in the House some of the awful things that their constituents are going through in their community.

I will repeat my question: Will this Prime Minister and his government cancel their carbon tax plan?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I know full well how concerned all Quebeckers and Canadians are about the fight against climate change. That is why we put a price on pollution.

Unfortunately, the Conservatives want to make it free to pollute across the country. We will continue our fight against climate change.

I will point out that in the places where the federal price on pollution applies, families are receiving more money than it costs them a year. We are there to help families in need while fighting climate change, which is what most Quebeckers want.

Democratic Institutions

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

Mr. Speaker, when questioned a little more closely, the Prime Minister talks about everything, but not once did he mention the riding of Papineau.

He is responsible for protecting our democracy, but he seems to care more about funding by Chinese interests and the British Crown than about democracy. I will try again.

Does the Prime Minister recognize that in 2016, in 48 hours, his riding received $70,000 in funding from Chinese nationals?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we put in place measures to protect the integrity of our institutions, our elections and our election funding. We have always followed all the rules for election funding and we introduced new measures to bolster Canadians' trust despite the personal attacks by politicians here.

Canadians can rest assured that our institutions and the rules governing them are respected. The integrity of our institutions has not been breached.

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

Mr. Speaker, assuming I will not get a more specific answer than that, let me be perfectly clear. I am taking that as a “yes”.

In 2016, the riding of Papineau received $70,000 from Chinese interests in 48 hours. Basically, I have two questions.

Was the Prime Minister briefed on funding in his riding? Here is the second thing I am curious about. Was there an investigation into funding in his riding? Was he the recipient of Chinese funding, or the target of Chinese influence or interference in Papineau in 2016?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, our federal electoral rules have long ensured that the only people who can donate to federal political parties are Canadian citizens and residents of Canada. There are perhaps some suggestions that border on intolerance and stereotyping when my colleague talks about China. We raise funds, and we have always done so in various communities. We will continue to reach out to Canadians of all backgrounds and encourage them to participate in the electoral process.

The Economy

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Ontario food bank usage is at a record high because of the Prime Minister's reckless inflationary spending. Forty-six per cent of food bank users are there because they cannot afford food. Fourteen per cent are there because they cannot afford housing. Eleven per cent of those users' wages are being eaten alive by the Prime Minister's inflation.

When will the Prime Minister realize the pain this inflation is causing Canadians, stop his reckless spending and get in touch so that Canadians do not have to keep skipping lunch?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, having spoken with many families across the country that are having to rely on food banks, I can say that they are also extremely worried about being able to send their kids to the dentist. These are the kinds of things they do not get to do when they are squeezed for resources.

As of tomorrow, we are opening applications for supports so that families of all income levels can send their kids to the dentist. Unfortunately, the member and all Conservatives voted against giving $1,300 for dental support over the next two years to families who need it.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the trust fund Prime Minister is completely out of touch. The supports he is talking about are being vaporized by his own inflation. His inflation is going to cost each Canadian $3,500.

When my family moved here, we lived basement to basement while the Prime Minister lived in taxpayer-funded mansions. That is why he has no clue. He has not only driven out investment; he is also driving out newcomers.

When will he stop driving newcomers out of this country, get in touch with reality and stop forcing families into food banks?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives continue to focus on personal attacks on me, I will continue to focus on Canadians, with supports so all families can afford dental care in this country, something the Conservatives voted against, and with a $500 top-up to help low-income renters, something the Conservatives voted against. Indeed, we are continuing to move forward by cutting in half child care fees across the country, something the Conservatives campaigned against in the last election.

We will continue to be there for Canadians while the Conservatives continue to ignore them.

Carbon Pricing

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, all the supposed supports the Prime Minister is talking about are being vaporized by inflation. It is crushing Canadians.

The Prime Minister continues to crush them with his plan to triple the carbon tax. It is going to punish Canadians for living their lives, for buying groceries, for heating their homes and for driving to work. While food bank usage is at a record high, a third of food bank users being children, the Prime Minister is sipping champagne in a $6,000-per-night taxpayer-funded hotel room.

The Liberals are out of touch and Canadians are out of money. When will the failed Prime Minister cancel his failed carbon tax?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about children. Let us talk about the Canada child benefit that has lifted hundreds of thousands of kids out of poverty, a benefit that the Conservatives campaigned and voted against.

Let us talk about the fact that we are cutting child care fees in half right across the country, making a difference of thousands of dollars in the pocketbooks of Canadians, something the Conservatives voted against.

Let us talk about the fact that kids from lower-income families cannot go to the dentist because their parents cannot afford it. As of tomorrow, they will get the support to send them to the dentist, which is going to make a huge difference. Unfortunately, Conservative politicians voted against that as well.

On this side of the aisle, we will stand up for Canadians. On that side of the aisle, they will ignore them.

The Environment

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, protecting species at risk and working hard to achieve our conservation objectives is a priority for my constituents. We know how important wild species and natural spaces are to our way of life, and we also know that nature is a crucial ally in our fight against climate change.

Can the Prime Minister tell us what our government is doing to protect species at risk and stop biodiversity loss?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Châteauguay—Lacolle for her question and her hard work.

Our ecosystems are precious and fragile, and we must protect them. On Monday, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change announced more than $8.7 million in funding over the next three years through the habitat stewardship program for species at risk. This funding will support 67 conservation projects led by people across Canada who are taking action to recover species at risk in their communities. It is the right thing to do, and we are doing it.

Carbon Pricing

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Mr. Speaker, a successful agri-food business owner in my riding has shown me his freight bills with large surcharges from shipping companies that have been added due to the carbon tax. This entrepreneur takes great pride in using made-in-Canada inputs but wonders how much longer he can continue to absorb these extra costs.

Will the Prime Minister stop this made-in-Canada inflation and cancel his plan to triple the carbon tax, or will he just triple down and let his carbon tax cancel this entrepreneur's made-in-Canada success story?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I have heard directly from farmers and agricultural producers about how the disruptions in global supply chains, the energy shortages, the challenges we are facing around the world with the war in Ukraine and coming out of the pandemic and other issues have contributed to real challenges for many families. That is why we are going to continue to step up even as we move forward in the fight against climate change.

We know that protecting our lands and resources and protecting families that live off the land will be unbelievably important for decades to come. That is why it is such a shame to see the Conservatives continue to have no plan for the future of our environment.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the government does not have a plan for the environment. It has a tax plan that it is going to triple.

Even the Governor of the Bank of Canada has said that the carbon tax is inflationary. These surcharges are a textbook example of made-in-Canada inflation. A food processor, like my constituent, has to pass on those surcharges. The carbon tax is driving up the cost of groceries and forcing more Canadians to the food banks.

Will the Prime Minister give people some hope and cancel his plan to triple his carbon tax?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it seems to be only Conservative politicians who do not understand that we cannot have a plan for the future of the economy if we do not have a plan to fight climate change.

What we have demonstrated over the past seven years, by making sure that it is not free to pollute anywhere across the country and making sure we are investing in transforming and decarbonizing our industries, is that we are securing good jobs for the future. The investments we are making in steel, agriculture and manufacturing are making a huge difference in creating good jobs for decades to come for Canadians and communities from coast to coast to coast.