House of Commons Hansard #148 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was everyone.

Topics

Question No.962—Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON

With regard to the effect of the federal carbon tax on the price of groceries: (a) does the government have any projections on how much each increase in the carbon tax will raise the price of groceries, and, if so, what are the projections; and (b) what is the projected increase in the cost of groceries each year for an average family in each of the next five years?

Question No.962—Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

University—Rosedale Ontario

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, GGPPA, is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by ensuring that pollution pricing applies broadly throughout Canada. In those jurisdictions that do not meet the federal benchmark, that is, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, the bulk of the proceeds from pollution pricing are returned directly to individuals and families through climate action incentive payments, which help offset the additional cost associated with pollution pricing.

In 2023-24, the federal fuel charge will continue to apply in these provinces and will come into effect as of July 1, 2023, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, where 90% of direct proceeds will be returned to residents through climate action incentive payments. Starting in July 2023, a family of four will receive $328 in Newfoundland and Labrador, $240 in Prince Edward Island and $248 in Nova Scotia each quarter. Starting in April 2023, such a family will receive $244 in Ontario, $264 in Manitoba, $340 in Saskatchewan and $386 in Alberta on a quarterly basis. Families in rural and small communities are eligible to receive an extra 10%. Some eight out of 10 families receiving climate action incentive payments get more money back than they pay in direct costs under this system, with families that earn less benefitting the most, on average.

Canada and the rest of the world has also been experiencing a period of higher inflation, including for food and groceries. This is part of a global phenomenon, driven by the impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which have led to sharply higher food and energy prices, as well as persistent impacts from supply chain disruptions and the COVID pandemic.

With respect to the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax, or GST/HST, the GST/HST is a broad-based tax that is calculated on the final amount charged for a good or service. The general rule that was adopted at the inception of the GST and carried over for the HST is that this final amount includes other taxes, levies and charges that apply to the good or service and are generally embedded in the final price. This long-standing approach to calculating the GST/HST helps to maintain the broad-based nature of the tax and ensures that tax is applied evenly across goods and services consumed in Canada. It also makes it easier for vendors to calculate the amount of tax payable, for consumers to understand and for the Canada Revenue Agency to administer.

To support those most affected by the high-inflation environment, starting November 4, 2022, an estimated 11 million low- and modest-income people and families will receive an additional goods and services tax credit payment, equivalent to doubling the credit for six months. Single Canadians without children will receive up to an extra $234, and couples with two children will receive up to an extra $467. Seniors will receive an extra $225 on average.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

Winnipeg North Manitoba

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Furthermore, Madam Speaker, if the government's response to Questions Nos. 942, 944, 945, 947, 950, 951, 953 to 956, 958, 960, 963 and 964 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Liberal Alexandra Mendes

Is it the pleasure of the House that the foregoing questions be made orders for returns and that they be tabled immediately?

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Question No.942—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

With regard to the government's plan for a just transition for workers in the oil and gas sector, broken down by department since fiscal year 2015-16: (a) what initiatives, programs, and projects have been created for workers to transition towards a green economy; (b) what funding has been allocated for the purpose of carrying out the initiatives, programs, and projects in (a); and (c) of the funding allocated in (b), how much funding has been spent?

(Return tabled)

Question No.944—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

Alex Ruff Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON

With regard to violent crimes committed in Canada, since October 2015, broken down by year and by those committed in Ontario and in the riding of Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound: how many crimes have been committed by individuals (i) out on bail, (ii) on probation, (iii) on conditional release, including day or full parole, statutory release, and temporary absences, pursuant to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act?

(Return tabled)

Question No.945—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

Scott Aitchison Conservative Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON

With regard to occupancy levels of government-owned building spaces, broken down by metropolitan area: (a) how many building spaces are owned by the government; (b) what are the maximum occupancy levels of the building spaces; (c) what are the current occupancy levels; (d) what are the projected occupancy levels, once the public service finalizes its transition from working remotely during the pandemic to the post-pandemic occupancy level; and (e) what is the estimated amount of square-footage represented by the (i) occupied building space, (ii) unoccupied building space, associated with (b) through (d)?

(Return tabled)

Question No.947—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

John Brassard Conservative Barrie—Innisfil, ON

With regard to COVID-19 vaccine doses procured by the government, broken down by manufacturer (Pfizer, Moderna, etc.): (a) how many doses obtained by the government have been delivered to Canada but have yet to be administered as of October 27, 2022; (b) how many doses are set to be delivered between October 27, 2022, and the end of January 2023; (c) of the doses currently on hand in (a), how many are set to expire each month until the entire batch is expired; and (d) of the doses scheduled to be delivered in (b), when are those doses scheduled to expire?

(Return tabled)

Question No.950—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

Damien Kurek Conservative Battle River—Crowfoot, AB

With regard to changes made to the names of government departments or agencies, since November 4, 2015, broken down by each change made: (a) what was the name changed (i) from, (ii) to; (b) on what date did the new name officially come into force; (c) what are the total costs associated with the changes; and (d) what is the itemized breakdown of the costs in (c)?

(Return tabled)

Question No.951—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

Chris Warkentin Conservative Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, AB

With regard to misinformation or wrong information released by the government, since 2016, broken down by department, agency, Crown corporation or other government entity, and by year: (a) how many times did the government put out misinformation or wrong information; and (b) what are the details of each instance, including, for each (i) the date, (ii) the misinformation or wrong information that was released, (iii) the date of the correction, (iv) what was done to correct the original misinformation?

(Return tabled)

Question No.953—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Kram Conservative Regina—Wascana, SK

With regard to Proactive Disclosure and glitches in the travel expenses section of the Open Government website: (a) as of October 27, 2022, why do the expenses of other people with the same last name as the Prime Minister appear when a user enters the Prime Minister’s last name in the search bar, and none of the Prime Minister’s travel expenses appear; (b) have the Prime Minister’s travel expenses been removed from the site, and, if so, why; and (c) if the Prime Minister’s travel expenses are still listed on the site, what is the link to his expenses that functions correctly?

(Return tabled)

Question No.954—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

Alex Ruff Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON

With regard to employees responsible for operationalizing the federal government’s pandemic support programs since 2020: (a) how many employees were assigned, broken down by month, department and program, to recovering overpayments related to the (i) Canada Emergency Response Benefit, (ii) Canada Recovery Benefit, (iii) Employment Insurance, (iv) the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit, (v) Canada Emergency Business Account; (b) of these employees, how many received bonuses, broken down by program; (c) of the employees in (b), how many were (i) below the executive (EX) level, (ii) at the EX level or higher; and (d) what was the total amount paid out in bonuses to such employees (i) below the EX level, (ii) at the EX level or higher?

(Return tabled)

Question No.955—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Mazier Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB

With regard to the Climate Action Incentive Fund (CAIF), broken down by province: how much money was returned through the CAIF’s Municipalities, Universities, Schools and Hospitals Retrofit stream, in (i) 2019, (ii) 2020, (iii) 2021, (iv) 2022?

(Return tabled)

Question No.956—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Mazier Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB

With regard to the Climate Action Incentive Fund (CAIF), broken down by province: how much money was returned through the CAIF’s Municipalities, Universities, Schools and Hospitals Retrofit stream, broken down by (i) municipality, (ii) university, (iii) school, (iv) hospital?

(Return tabled)