Debates of May 16th, 2022

The Economy

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians are smart. Canadians know perfectly well that inflation, including high gas prices, is a global phenomenon caused by the pandemic, Putin's illegal war in Ukraine and China's zero-COVID policy.

We understand that this is making life difficult for Canadian families, and that is why our government has taken action. Our response includes, for example, increasing old age security.

Justice

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

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, the Supreme Court suggested that Parliament adopt legislation to prevent anyone who commits a violent crime while extremely intoxicated from using that state as a defence.

The majority of victims of this type of crime are women. The Supreme Court's ruling has serious consequences for victims. We are prepared to work with the government on this.

Will the Minister of Justice commit to introducing a bill in the next few days to remedy this situation?

[David Lametti, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, our government is unwavering in its commitment to ensuring that our criminal justice system keeps our communities safe, respects victims and holds offenders to account, all the while upholding Charter rights. We are carefully reviewing this decision to determine its effects on victims and on criminal law.

It is critically important to emphasize that Friday's decision does not apply to the vast majority of cases involving a person who commits a criminal offence while intoxicated.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that defendants accused of violent crimes such as homicide and sexual assault can use self-induced extreme intoxication as a defence, striking down a federal law supported by women's advocacy groups. Sexual assaults remains one of most under-reported crimes, according to the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics. This ruling is taking us backwards.

When is the government going to respond and put the needs of victims first?

[David Lametti, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, as I just said in French, our government is unwavering in its commitment to ensuring that our criminal justice system keeps communities safe, respects victims and holds offenders to account, all the while upholding charter rights. We are carefully reviewing this decision to determine its effect on victims, as well as on the criminal law. It is critically important, though, to emphasize that Friday's decision does not apply to the vast majority of cases involving a person who commits a criminal offence while intoxicated.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government continues to provide inadequate answers to the real questions facing Canadians. We know that the current system is not set up to protect victims. The lack of self-reporting, victim fear and psychological stress are only a few of the reasons why this system is failing. Women's advocacy groups, legal experts and many others are concerned with the Supreme Court ruling. Our job is to protect victims, not add to their burdens. When will the government introduce legislation to close the loophole?

[David Lametti, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said a number of times publicly, we are investing in victims and protecting victims within our system. They are always at the forefront. This decision came out on Friday. It does propose a few ways forward. We are studying those ways forward in a responsible manner to get to a response that protects victims and eliminates gaps in our criminal law.

Official Languages

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there were so many Liberals at the Bill 96 demonstration on Saturday that it was like being at their convention.

In attendance were the members for Mount Royal, Saint‑Laurent, Vimy, Saint‑Léonard—Saint‑Michel, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, Lac‑Saint‑Louis, Pierrefonds—Dollard and Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle. It was quite the party.

This raises questions. Is the federal government now going to wage war on Quebec's Bill 96? If not, will the Deputy Prime Minister tell her merry band of superstars to mind their own business?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, the government has introduced Bill C‑13 to strengthen French not only in Quebec, but throughout Canada. That is exactly what we will do, while respecting the rights of all minorities.

Unlike the Bloc Québécois, our MPs are not locked up, they are not handcuffed and they are not chained to posts. They have the right to demonstrate to defend their point of view, unlike the Bloc Québécois.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the federal Liberals are currently fighting two battles with respect to French. There are the superstars who are trying to fight Quebec's Bill 96 and a group of ministers, with their own bill, Bill C-13, who want to block one of the key measures of Bill 96, which would impose the Charter of the French Language on federally regulated businesses.

Both groups want to thwart Bill 96 or lessen its impact by promoting English as the language of work.

Do the Liberals want to defend French or further anglicize Quebec?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I will point out that what these federal MPs are superstars at is defending both official languages.

We do not make a distinction, as the Bloc Québécois does. We are all proud to be Liberal MPs. The 35 MPs from Quebec are not less Québécois than the members of the Bloc Québécois just because they do not want Quebec to separate. We are just as Québécois as they are. We love French and Quebec just as much.

The Economy

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the government's shamelessness is reaching new heights in Canada. While the big oil companies are posting record profits and paying out millions in bonuses to CEOs, the government has decided that it will give these companies even more public subsidies.

In the meantime, people are already struggling to make ends meet and are now paying more than $2 a litre at the pumps.

When will the government stop subsidizing polluters and how will it provide real help to those who are paying twice: once at the pump and again through the subsidy?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, our government made a strong commitment to put an end to all subsidies for the oil industry in 2023. That is a firm commitment and we will follow through.

I also want to point out that carbon capture is a very important way to reduce emissions across the country, for example, in the steel, concrete and aluminum sectors.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, gas prices are reaching record highs across the country, and costs are only expected to increase in the summer. Canadians are frustrated. After years of the pandemic, many had plans to travel across Canada to visit loved ones, but the high cost of gas is ending that dream. While Canadians are getting gouged at the pumps, big oil and gas are making record profits, and the Liberals are handing over more public money to support that profit. How about the Liberals be accountable to Canadians? When will the government make big oil and gas pay their fair share?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we already do that. Our government has put forward the most ambitious climate action put forward by any Canadian government in history, including a price on pollution, which is the most economically effective and powerful way to get our emissions down.

I want to just remind Canadians that we are committed to eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, and that will happen by 2023.

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

Mr. Speaker, gas prices are at record highs, and Canadians are suffering. As other G7 leaders take action on high gas prices, when given a chance to support a Conservative motion to give Canadians a break at the pumps by dropping the GST on fuel, the Prime Minister and his spend-DP-Liberals voted against it. This is the same Prime Minister who said four years ago in Vancouver that high gas prices were exactly what he wanted.

Does the Prime Minister stand by what he said in Vancouver four years ago?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I think everyone in this House needs to be mindful of the fact that none of us should be doing Vladimir Putin's work for him, and that means we all need to recognize the reality and be honest with Canadians about the reality that inflation, including the higher price of fuel, is a global phenomenon. It is being driven by Vladimir Putin's illegal war in Ukraine. It is being driven by China's zero-COVID policy.

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Europe has cancelled fuel taxes, amounting to over 20 billion euros. In contrast, the government has decided to gauge $2 billion more in fuel taxes from Canadians. The Minister of Finance says that inflation is a global phenomenon, but when her government has a tool to curb one of inflation's main causes, she sits on her hands. This is the only government in the world increasing fuel taxes.

Will the minister pay attention to what is happening around the world and provide Canadians the same relief from inflation?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the price on pollution is such an effective economic mechanism to bring down our emissions because the money goes back to Canadian families. The member for Calgary Centre knows that in Alberta, a family of four will receive up to $1,079. In Ontario, the province that I represent, a family of four will receive $745. In Saskatchewan, it is $1,100.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the objective of Canada's carbon tax is to make gasoline more expensive. The Liberal member for Halifax even said there needs to be pain at the pumps. Well, mission accomplished. The difference in pump prices between southwest New Brunswick and northeast Maine after the exchange rate is 50¢ per litre. It is $2 in my riding and $1.50 in Calais, Maine. Since New Brunswick's oil refinery supplies both countries with pump gasoline, that difference is all tax.

Why are the Liberal ministers and the Deputy Prime Minister not taking credit for making energy more expensive? It is precisely what they want.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, I would say a couple of things to my hon. colleague. The first is, as he should know very well, it is President Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine that has driven up gas prices around the world. We are certainly working to ensure, and have instructed the Competition Bureau to monitor the situation to ensure, there is no collusion here.

With respect to the price on pollution, I would be quite happy to have a conversation with the member so he can understand how it works. The average family gets more money back than they actually pay on the price on pollution. It is an effective way to reduce emissions, but doing so in a manner that maintains affordability for all Canadians.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think Putin's invasion affects Maine, but gas is going for $1.88 in Saskatoon today. People have to choose between filling up their gas tanks and putting food on the table. These are hard-working Canadians who commute to work, take their children to hockey and cook meals for their families. Postponing the increase in the carbon levy is absolutely within the minister's control. She is clearly refusing to act. As a result, she is directly cutting the purchasing power of Canadians and contributing to increasing the cost of everyday goods.

Will the minister offer immediate relief to all Canadians by rolling back the carbon tax increase on gasoline?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Saskatoon West began his remarks by saying he did not think that Putin had an effect on Maine. What I would like to underscore for all members of the House is that Putin's illegal war in Ukraine is having a devastating effect on the entire global economy. It is raising the price of energy for everyone. It threatens to create a famine in the world. That is what we need to be focused on. When it comes to the great people of Saskatoon, a family of four in Saskatchewan will get $1,101 back.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Mr. Speaker, gas prices reached yet another record high this weekend, with many in Ontario and across Canada paying more than $2 per litre. The pile-up does not stop there, with drivers being urged to brace for yet another increase. According to a gas prediction website, prices are expected to reach $2.15 per litre for most Ontario cities by Victoria Day. While experts are urging Canadians to stay home and stop driving, countless Canadians across the country, including many in my riding, have no choice but to drive for their livelihoods.

What does the government say to hard-working Canadians who are being gouged by government inaction?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, like the member opposite, I too am a member of Parliament for the great province of Ontario, and that is why I am happy to share with the constituents of the member opposite and with my own constituents the fact that our price on pollution is not only economically effective in driving down emissions, but also puts money back into the pockets of Canadian families.

In our province of Ontario, the average family of four will get $745 back.