Debates of Dec. 1st, 2022

Democratic Institutions

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, that could not be further from the truth. Let us review some of the facts about what our government has actually done.

One of the first things we did was repeal Stephen Harper's unfair elections act. What did that do? It actually closed foreign funding loopholes that the Conservatives and that member seemed to have had no problem with in past elections.

In addition, let us also talk about the fact that the 2019 NSICOP annual report that was tabled in this very House talked about the foreign interference attacks, and that member knows members could access—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I want to remind hon. members that when someone is speaking, shouting at them is not parliamentary and it is not polite.

The hon. member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I invite that hon. member to read the NSICOP report that was tabled by a member of her own government, which was, in fact, scathing about the government's failure to respond to the persistent problem of foreign interference.

We know that the Prime Minister's secrecy and refusal to answer basic questions about foreign interference is putting this debate on its back foot. He is putting his personal interest ahead of the national interest by not listening to CSIS on the benefits of sunlight and giving us the information.

Will the Prime Minister answer the question. Has he received briefings or memos on this subject since he last denied it, yes or no?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, it seems I have hit a nerve with members opposite.

Let us review the facts. The first is the fact that foreign interference does happen and, as a result, in this country, we have put in place strong measures to strengthen our democracy. The Conservatives seem to just be waking up to this fact now. Foreign interference, due to the strength of our democracy, does not always mean that those attempts work.

When it comes to the work we are doing, like I said, and the member opposite should know, I was a member of NSICOP and am very well aware of the reports. However, they received briefings and they—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable.

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

Mr. Speaker, let us talk facts. I have a note here from the director of our national security agency concerning a top secret briefing for the Prime Minister that says: “Canada could make good use of an open and transparent policy that would draw attention to the fact that [foreign interference] must be made public”. Yesterday, the Prime Minister himself said, “I know the member opposite, who sat in a cabinet, understands the importance of respecting national security guidelines.”

Why does the Prime Minister refuse to follow our national security agency's instructions? Why continue to withhold information from Canadians?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have put in place a number of measures to increase transparency about threats of foreign interference. For example, we have the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians and the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency, independent bodies that have issued two reports confirming that the 2019 and 2021 elections were free and fair. We will improve transparency because it is a value that protects our democratic institutions.

Health

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, children's hospitals are overflowing like never before, yet, the day before yesterday, the Prime Minister once again blamed the provinces instead of announcing solutions.

Seriously, this has to stop. The provinces are not to blame; underfunding is. For two years now, Quebec and the provinces have been asking the government for $28 billion, and, for two years, the government has been fighting them on it.

Does the government finally realize that holding back money needed for hospitals has consequences?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

Our government has been working with the provinces and territories for a long time now, not only to provide funding, but also to create a national vision for health care and systems that meet Canadians' needs. We will increase Canadian health transfers by 10% in March 2023, which is in addition to the extra 5% increase announced a few months ago.

We will continue to work with the provinces and territories to improve health care in Canada.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it has to be said that the only two things the federal government has done to respond to the crisis at children's hospitals is to blame the provinces and hold back the money. I challenge any Liberal member to visit a pediatric emergency room in their riding and tell a parent that it is the provinces' fault that there are no health transfers.

We do not have any more time to waste playing political games. The federal government has but one thing to do and that is transfer the money. When will the government transfer the money?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

Since the start of the pandemic, our government has invested more than $72 billion to protect Canadians' health. We will continue to work with the provinces and territories.

Our health system is facing significant challenges, and it is vital that we work together to improve health care for Canadians. By working together we will move forward.

Carbon Pricing

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, inflation is at a 40-year high. Interest rates have increased at their fastest rate in decades, and the Bank of Canada is telling us that they need to go higher. The Prime Minister's solution is to spend more and raise taxes. While his inflation tax eats into the paycheques of Canadians, they are cutting into their diets.

If the Prime Minister really was serious about making life more affordable for Canadians, he would cancel his carbon tax increase immediately. Will the Liberal government stop forcing its failed carbon tax on Canadians?

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we have put forward a responsible plan that is going to help vulnerable Canadians while ensuring that we maintain the lowest deficit and the lowest debt among G7 countries.

Unlike the Conservative leader, who has proposed no economic plan for Canadians, we have put forward something solid. The Conservative plan can be summed up as abandoning our fight against climate change and advising Canadians to invest in cryptocurrency to opt out of inflation. As a result of the news this week that BlockFi declared bankruptcy, I think we can all agree that was—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, The Liberals have not met an environmental target yet. Canadians are staring at bare cupboards and wondering how they are going to pay their heating bill this winter. Some 1.5 million Canadians have been forced to use food banks in a single month. One in five are skipping meals, and with the cost of home heating going up, they will not be able to afford to heat their homes.

The choice for Canadians is not between Disney+ and Netflix; it is between heating and eating. Will the Liberal government stop forcing its failed carbon tax on Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, as usual, the Conservatives are spreading misinformation. Emissions are going down. We are on track to meeting our targets. Eight out of 10 families will be better off under our price on pollution.

What is the Conservatives' record? They cut $350 million from the climate change budget. They blew up Kyoto and blew up our emissions targets at the same time. Now they are blaming us for their inaction.

They have no plan for climate change. They have no plan for the economy. They have no plan for affordability.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is the Liberals who have no plan for the environment. It is a tax plan.

I just received a propane bill from a mother of three. It was $614 for propane and $55 for the Liberal carbon tax, and winter is just starting. This is getting vindictive. A carbon tax will triple home heating, gas and food.

While the Prime Minister spends Canadian tax dollars on ritzy $6000-a-night hotels, Canadians are suffering. The Liberals are out to lunch and Canadians are being forced to skip theirs. When will the Liberals stop punishing hard-working Canadians and axe their failed carbon tax?

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Mr. Speaker, we must address the current affordability pressures while concurrently continuing to address the threat of climate change and building a prosperous low-carbon future. A price on pollution is an efficient market-based approach to reducing pollution, an approach that squarely addresses affordability. Under our plan, eight out of 10 Canadians receive more than what they pay, and that is the truth.

Disaster Assistance

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, as Nova Scotians continue to rebuild their lives after hurricane Fiona, they have been helped by the fact that this government has been there for them. Thanks to the hurricane Fiona recovery fund, businesses across my region have been able to begin the process of rebuilding in the aftermath of this horrible storm.

Can the Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency tell the House and all Atlantic Canadians how this government will continue to help our communities rebuild?

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Halifax West for her important question and her hard work.

In the past few months, I have been fortunate enough to travel to Atlantic Canada on several occasions and have seen first-hand the impact of hurricane Fiona on the ground. Our communities were greatly affected. That is why we quickly set up the hurricane Fiona recovery fund.

This week we announced that people may begin submitting their applications so that we can support the hardest-hit communities and sectors that are not eligible for other sources of funding. We will always be there for Atlantic Canadians, in good times and in bad.

Finance

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are struggling to make ends meet. The one-time handouts by the Liberal government are not a solution to financial insecurity. The government continues to give its friends lucrative contracts, raising the price on groceries, gas and heating just to subsidize its reckless spending. Canadians are rightly concerned about their financial future.

Will the government finally listen to Canadians and stop its inflationary spending?

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, I find it really interesting that our colleagues across the way do not understand what it means to invest in Canadians. For example, this government signed agreements with every province and territory across this country to make sure that Canadian families have affordable, high-quality and inclusive child care, which is not just good for families but great for the economy. On average, families across this country are seeing a 50% reduction in fees, with $4,000 of real cash, in addition to all of the other benefits, whether it is the CCB or those for the dental and rental, which the Conservatives voted against.

This is not about spending; it is about investing in families. Why are—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Peace River—Westlock.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' malevolent spending is causing Canadians' lives to get more and more expensive. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has recently raised the alarms about costs going up and said that the massive spending plans have no transparency. We know that the Liberal government has tried to funnel funds to its friends at WE Charity in the past while the Prime Minister's own family was receiving almost half a million dollars.

On what date will the Liberals stop their malevolent inflationary spending?

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada has the lowest deficit and the lowest debt among G7 countries. Experts have said that we have been extremely fiscally responsible. That is reflected in the numbers.

However, we have also been there to support Canadians, and today Canadian parents will be able to apply for the new dental benefit that is going to help 500,000 Canadian children under 12 in this country. That is real money going back into the pockets of Canadians.