Debates of June 10th, 2022

Taxation

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, when questioned about inflation, the government just shrugs its shoulders and says it is part of a global phenomenon. It is true that some other countries that have been running huge deficits are experiencing inflation, but Canada is the only one deliberately making things worse by increasing taxes on consumers.

Dropping the carbon tax and GST on fuel would immediately reduce consumer prices, just as prices dropped in Alberta when the provincial government cut its fuel tax. Why will the government not drop these taxes?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is the NDP that is proposing to increase taxes on oil and gas companies, and it is the Conservative Party that is proposing to cut taxes on oil and gas companies. We are focused on Canadians. We are focused on supporting vulnerable Canadians—

[An hon. member]

You're a liar.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

As much as I enjoy a go between the two parties, when we are calling somebody a liar or what have you, it is unparliamentary. If we could retract that, then we can move on with question period.

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, we are focused on supporting Canadians directly. That is why this year Canadian families will receive up to $7,000 in the Canada child benefit. That is why our new Canada workers program will support over three million workers with an increased top-up. We also have direct payments going to Canadians who are having trouble finding affordable housing. We are there to support Canadians directly.

[Gerald Soroka, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians need the government to listen. Mark works in rural areas in my riding and needs to get to work. Because of distance and terrain, he cannot take a bike and there are no buses or trains. He needs to drive a pickup truck. Mark pays $139 for only half a tank of gas.

Why is the NDP-Liberal government not cancelling the carbon tax increase and suspending the GST on gas to give Mark and all other Canadians a break on fuel?

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

Mr. Speaker, this week, the Conservatives proposed a number of economic policies. One of them was to cancel our price on pollution. A price on pollution, as we know, is the most effective way to tackle climate change. The other was to give oil and gas companies a break by dropping the GST.

The GST works in this country in the following way: The government taxes the oil and gas companies, and the oil and gas companies pass that tax on to consumers. If we drop the GST on oil and gas companies, there is absolutely no guarantee that Canadian consumers will see any benefit at the pumps. It is a tax reduction on oil and gas companies, pure and simple.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Edmonton's food bank is facing record demand. At the same time, it is facing a 30% increase in operating costs due to runaway Liberal gas inflation. These are resources taken directly away from the people they are trying to help. Edmonton charities need help. The Liberals can help immediately by reducing gas taxes and suspending the carbon tax.

Will the Liberals commit to helping those in need, or do they think perhaps the food bank should feed the needy with dishonest Liberal talking points?

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

Mr. Speaker, we have been there for Canadians throughout the pandemic. We have regularly increased our supports to food banks, and we have helped lift over 400,000 children out of poverty. Our programs are supporting vulnerable Canadians every day. This year alone, we have ensured that the Canada child benefit will increase by up to $7,000 for a Canadian family. This is direct support to Canadians, when Canadians need it.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Evangeline Cayanan is a well-known community leader and activist in Edmonton. She is also an undocumented worker. She has given so much of herself to better our community in Edmonton, yet she and her Canadian-born six-year-old daughter are now facing imminent deportation. This is especially traumatizing for her daughter, who has health issues. This is a story of just one in a worrying trend of cruel deportations.

Will the minister stop this deportation and help Vangie and her daughter stay in Canada, their home?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, our immigration system needs to have a compassionate approach. The hon. member knows we are not at liberty to discuss the specific details of individual case files on the floor of the House of Commons. I am happy to continue the conversation we began together about this specific case file. We are aware of it, but we are going to continue to look at the details and ensure the rules were applied fairly, and also with a compassionate lens.

Health

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is experiencing a mental health crisis. Every day it is costing lives. The Liberals have promised time and again to address this crisis, but they have broken their promises. In their election platform, the Liberals promised $4.5 billion to expand mental health services, but there is no sign of this in the budget. They promised to fully fund a three-digit suicide prevention hotline and a suicide prevention strategy, which were initiatives that received unanimous support right here, yet again, no funding was given to these commitments in the budget.

When will the Liberals follow through on their promises to help people who are struggling?

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his ongoing advocacy.

Our government has made historic investments in mental health through $5 billion in bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories, which now provides $600 million on an annual basis until 2027. We are engaging with the provinces and territories to inform the development of the new mental health transfer. We will need the help of all parties and a comprehensive evidence-based plan, including sharing data on indicators and outcomes.

We remain fully committed to the additional $4.5 billion over five years to support the mental health of Canadians.

Climate Change

[Tim Louis, Liberal, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, northern and indigenous communities see and experience the harsh consequences of climate change at nearly three times the rate of the rest of Canada. From housing, airports and community services to melting permafrost, coastal erosion and thinning sea ice, these changes negatively impact traditional ways of living. Since 2015, our government has worked together with northern and indigenous partners to help fight climate change.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Northern Affairs please update the House on our government's work with northern and indigenous communities to fight climate change and improve quality of life?

[Yvonne Jones, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Northern Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for all of his hard work on curbing climate change.

Through Northern Affairs, our government has made historic investments of more than $167 million to fund renewable energy, monitor climate change on the land and address the impacts of sea ice change, permafrost melting, flooding and wildfires. We recently announced $300 million to ensure rural, remote and indigenous communities can move off diesel and be powered by clean and reliable energy by 2030.

We will keep making those investments and partnering with territories and indigenous governments to do the right thing.

Health

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River recently said, “I would suggest that the vaccine requirements for being on planes and at workplaces at the moment, I don’t think the benefits of that mandate warrant the cost.” He is also a medical doctor and a member of our health committee. In fact, it has been reported that a “massive majority” of the Liberal caucus wants to see an end to the mandates.

I know the Prime Minister will not listen to Conservatives, but will he take the advice of one of the doctors in his caucus and end these vindictive mandates?

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

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House our government will continue to make sure we are putting the health of Canadians first, because nobody wants another wave or more lockdowns due to COVID-19.

Let us talk about what some of the Conservatives are saying about vaccination.

The member for Yorkton—Melville claims that the government has a secret agenda and some kind of conspiracy, as she refuses to get vaccinated. Another Conservative, the member for Niagara West, wants to ban all mRNA vaccines, the same ones that have saved millions of lives worldwide.

This type of rhetoric is divisive and misleading, and all members of this House should stop trying to spread misinformation. We all have an obligation to stand up for Canadians and ensure they can continue to be safe—

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

The hon. member for Fort McMurray—Cold Lake.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Mr. Speaker, what Canadians just witnessed was spin-doctoring and political science, not medical science.

It has been reported that a massive majority of the Liberal caucus want to see an end to these mandates. This week the member for Milton asked my colleague, a medical doctor who ran a COVID‑19 ward in Nova Scotia, to stop asking and talking about mandates. On this side of the House, the Conservatives will not be intimidated by the members opposite. When will we see an end to these vindictive vaccine mandates?

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

Mr. Speaker, back in 2020, the Conservatives claimed we would not have enough vaccines for all Canadians. Let me be clear that Canada has a sufficient supply and will ensure that all eligible Canadians are protected for primary series and boosters, as well as for pediatrics and other therapeutics.

In the face of omicron and other unfortunate variants, Canada will be able to onboard more sufficient supply of both pediatrics and boosters to the provinces and territories to expedite simultaneous vaccine campaigns. This is not political science; this is the science of supporting our neighbours.

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have had enough of the Liberals' unscientific vaccine mandates, so too reportedly have the vast majority of backbench Liberal MPs, including medical doctors. One of these medical doctors, the Liberal member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River has even gone on the public record calling for their immediate end. When will the Liberals finally listen to experts within their own caucus, the medical doctors, and end the mandates?

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

Mr. Speaker, in order to keep Canadians safe, our government has put in place emergency border measures, which have been very effective in reducing the risk of importation and transmission of COVID‑19. While COVID‑19 cases in Canada have peaked, other countries are having a resurgence of cases and we need to remain vigilant. That is why we have extended Canada's existing border measures until June 30, 2022.

However, I would indicate to the member opposite that they have changed over the period of time, since November of 2021, they have been in place. As we have said all along, Canada's border measures will remain flexible and adaptable, guided by science and prudence.

Canada Border Services Agency

[Robert Gordon Kitchen, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, my office continues to receive, on a daily basis, emails and letters from my constituents expressing their frustration with the ongoing reduced hours at land border crossings. Back in April, I asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety when the hours would go back to normal. Not only did she not provide an answer to that question, she also fully admitted that she was not even listening when I asked it.

When will the minister take this issue seriously and commit to returning border crossing hours back to normal, or are the Liberals waiting for the House to recess to avoid giving us credit and hearing, “We told you so”?

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, we are working closely with the CBSA to reopen land ports as quickly as possible. We know it impacts Canadians, especially those exporting commercial goods, which is why we have opened 39 land ports. We continue to open all ports that were temporarily closed from COVID.

Passports

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after two years without being able to travel, people are furious about passport wait times, and rightly so. The federal government has allowed the backlog to get out of control, and it has a duty to fix its own mistake.

On Tuesday, the Bloc Québécois demanded that passport offices open on weekends and that there be no extra fee for people travelling within 48 hours.

Tomorrow is Saturday. Will people be able to go to any passport office and leave with their passport in hand, without paying any extra fees? If not, what is the government waiting for to act?