Debates of March 22nd, 2022

Intergovernmental Relations

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. We are increasing our defence spending by 70% over the nine-year period beginning in 2017. We are very committed to our NATO and NORAD alliances, and we will continue to ensure that our Arctic is sovereign, that our continent is secure, and that we are ensuring and upholding the rules-based international order.

Taxation

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP-Liberal government will continue to fail Canadian farmers. They have lost markets and trade agreements, and they will continue to treat producers like a piggy bank with the farm-killing carbon tax that is devastating Canadian farmers. According to CFIB, Canadian farmers paid $14,000 a year in the first year of the carbon tax and $45,000 last year. It is devastating to Canadian farmers. This is no joke. On April Fool's Day, the carbon tax goes up yet again, and the NDP wants that tax to be even higher.

Here is the question. On April 1, just how much more are Canadian farmers going to have to pay for this new carbon tax coalition?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I have to say that our farmers across the country are very aware of the importance of addressing climate change. What is most important to them is their land. They are the first to be affected by extreme weather conditions such as the drought in western Canada last year and flooding.

We have created several programs to help them adopt good practices, plant cover crops and implement rotational grazing as well as precision agriculture. We also have programs to help them purchase new clean technologies.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, energy self-sufficiency is national security, but the Liberals have killed four pipelines, more than 300,000 oil and gas jobs and more than $150 billion in energy and indigenous projects, and they have lost 18 LNG export proposals. There is now a scheme with the NDP to end oil and gas in Canada and hike the carbon tax. Canada has the most responsible oil and gas and among the largest reserves in the world, but it still has to import.

Does the Liberal-NDP cabal really want to keep Canada having to rely on oil and gas from corrupt regimes and hostile despots?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. We need to lower emissions in Canada's oil and gas sector. We are investing in a range of non-emitting technologies that will get us to net zero.

There is great opportunity right across our country from these investments, including in Alberta and Saskatchewan. We have seen solar farms and a growing industry in renewables. This is a good opportunity going forward for our country.

Intergovernmental Relations

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has just experienced its own orange wave.

Once again, the jurisdictions of Quebec and the provinces will be undermined. Housing, child care, long‑term care, health care, pharmacare—it is pretty obvious that these sound like planks in a provincial party platform.

No matter how carefully we pore over the agreement, we will never find the words “right to opt out with full compensation”.

I wonder. Has the Prime Minister decided, with the NDP's blessing, to consolidate his power by taking power away from Quebec and the provinces?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois lives for bickering, so much so that it cannot understand how parties can agree and how good this is for Quebeckers and Canadians, for the fight against climate change, for reconciliation, for workers and for families.

When something is good, it is bad for the Bloc, so the Bloc does not like it.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague is starting in with the same old refrain about bickering. What Quebeckers actually want are health transfers.

There is now an NDP-Liberal alliance that is proposing conditions, as though Ottawa knows how to manage hospitals or how the health care networks in Quebec and the provinces work.

Everyone has seen that the government is struggling to manage its own jurisdictions. Now, it claims to know better than anyone what is needed in health care, housing and child care.

The NDP-Liberal alliance is wasting its time. Why not listen to what the provinces and Quebec have to say about their own jurisdictions and increase health transfers to 35% without conditions?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, we are listening to the provinces and Quebec. We are not, however, listening to the Bloc, because all it does it bicker.

The Bloc wants to bicker over jurisdictions. Bickering over jurisdictions does not create a single job. Bickering over jurisdictions does not bring in another doctor or nurse. Bickering over jurisdictions is only good for the Bloc. It is not good for Quebeckers or anyone else.

On this side of the House, we will meet the needs of Quebeckers and all Canadians.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, without a sound argument, it just sounds like bickering.

Pharmacare, home care, long-term care, hiring doctors and nurses—none of this is a federal responsibility.

Obviously, the NDP-Liberal deal is about more than just strengthening the minority government. More than that, it aims to weaken the powers and choices of Quebec and the provinces, unless there is an opt-out.

In everything announced today, are the government and its buddies committed to giving Quebec and the provinces the right to opt out with full compensation, with no strings attached?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, since our government took office, we have been working with the provinces on important issues like health care, as well as on how to protect Canadians during a pandemic, and how to build and continue to invest in a public health care system that is the envy of the world.

These are exactly the constructive conversations we are having with all the provinces, including the Government of Quebec. We look forward to continuing these conversations.

The Economy

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

Mr. Speaker, the government is set to increase fuel prices on April 1. This will drive inflation on already soaring food prices. It is not only Canadian lives that Liberals are making harder. International students are already suffering due to the racism at IRCC and this Liberal-made immigration backlog.

In the metro Vancouver area almost 70% of food bank users at the Guru Nanak Food Bank are international students. Why is the NDP-Liberal government so good at making so many people miserable?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives would like to have Canadians think that a temporary pause on taxes would actually benefit Canadians at the pumps. We know that is simply not the case. We know that the oil companies would not pass those savings on to Canadians. On this side of the House, we are focused on real, long-term plans to address affordability, not cheap, political gas gimmicks.

Taxation

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, clearly the government does not care if it makes lives miserable for Canadians. The pocketbooks of Canadians cannot keep up with skyrocketing costs. Just last week the Bank of Canada revealed that the carbon tax alone increased inflation by 0.4%, confirming that this Liberal policy is hurting Canadians. It is a failed policy that is even more costly for those living in rural communities, and it is set to increase.

If the NDP-Liberal government will not abandon the carbon tax, will it at least provide Canadians some immediate relief with a GST holiday on gasoline and diesel?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, our plan is designed so that the majority of households receive more in climate action incentive payments than they pay. This has been confirmed by the independent analysis of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. As our carbon tax increases, these payments also increase, leaving the majority of Canadians with more money in their pockets. In Ontario, households will receive $600 this year, $720 in Manitoba, $1,000 in Saskatchewan and $980 in Alberta.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, who did not know the price of a package of bacon, is probably surprised to hear inflation is at 5.7% and rising. His carbon tax has generated surplus revenue, taking money out of the pockets of average Canadians.

When will the NDP-Liberal government give some of that back to the Canadians who work hard to pay it?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, let me talk about some facts about affordability that this side of the aisle is putting into place. A single mom with two kids will receive $13,600 from the Canada child benefit. The average family in Saskatchewan will get almost $1,000 in their carbon price rebate. Seniors received an extra $500 this summer. A student will save $3,000 through our changes to student loans. These are real facts on affordability, not political gimmicks.

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Governor of the Bank of Canada revealed that the carbon tax contributed to inflation by nearly half a per cent. While the Liberals claim this is not their fault and that it is a global phenomenon, those who think and understand monetary policy know otherwise. This is costing the Canadians I hear from who are paying more for their home heating and more at the pumps.

Will the NDP-Liberal government commit today to scrapping its carbon tax increase to come into effect on April 1?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we know that a price on pollution is the best way to fight climate change and that inflation is a global phenomenon. The data the member opposite is citing from the governor does not factor in the rebates that are putting more money in the pockets of Canadians, now with quarterly payments. While it is not surprising to see Conservatives campaigning for less climate action and against the climate action incentive that puts more money in the pockets of eight out of 10 Canadian families, it is still disappointing.

While they decide on climate change, we are going to fight climate change.

Gender-Based Violence

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government said supporting women fleeing violence is its top priority. Gender-based violence has been rising at an alarming rate. In my city of London it has increased by 53%, but organizations, like Anova in London, that support women are being told they will not get the necessary funding to run their life-saving programs. Without action, women in Canada will continue to experience devastating violence. In the upcoming budget, the government must provide core stable funding.

When will the Liberals keep their promise and stand up for women?

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to let the hon. member know that we on this side of the House have been standing up for women. When COVID-19 hit we were there with $100 million in shelter funding that helped 1,200 organizations. We knew, when the pandemic hit, that home was not safe for everyone, and we made sure that we provided the funding to help women. We will continue to do so.

Health

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, 34% of people who menstruate had to sacrifice other needs to afford menstrual hygiene products. It costs an individual an average of $6,000 over a lifetime for these products. Menstrual hygiene products are essential health necessities, not luxuries, yet the current government makes us beg for a pad.

When will the Liberal government acknowledge the reality of period poverty in this country and ensure equitable access to free menstrual hygiene products for all?

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her advocacy. It is good to work with her.

I will say this. My team and I are working on that. It is part of my mandate letter. We take it very seriously. We are also consulting with organizations on the ground that will inform us on the path ahead.

Diversity and Inclusion

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday was the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. This day reminds us that, while progress is being made to fight systemic racism, hate and injustice, there is much more work to do. That work is really important, because uplifting vulnerable communities improves the health and prosperity of all Canadians, including our economy.

Can the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion please tell us what our government is doing to combat racism so that communities like mine, in Mississauga—Erin Mills, can continue to flourish and prosper?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for her advocacy on an important matter.

Our government has taken the issue of tackling racism as a top priority. That is why we have invested over $100 million in the anti-racism strategy, including investing $70 million in community organizations fighting racism on the ground. However, we know there is more work to be done. That is why we are committed to fighting systemic racism in our institutions. We are committed to renewing our anti-racism strategy and supporting racialized Canadians every step of the way.