Debates of Oct. 17th, 2023

Foreign Affairs

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, hundreds of Canadians are stranded in Gaza. We have heard the distressing accounts of Canadian citizens who have been told to evacuate but have nowhere to go. Water, food and medicine are running out. Canadians waiting at the closed Rafah border crossing are pleading for help, saying they are looking for any glimpse of hope. Lives are at risk. We cannot abandon them or the hostages.

Will the Prime Minister ensure today that all Canadians can safely get out of Gaza?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, for the past 10 days, we have been directly focused on the safety of Canadians and all innocents in the region. We have effectively airlifted out over 1,300 people from Tel Aviv. We have seen more buses come out of the West Bank, and we continue to be extremely concerned about the hundreds of Canadians and their families in Gaza.

We are working with the international community. I spoke with President al-Sisi about the Rafah border crossing. I spoke with many allies about that. We are working directly to ensure humanitarian corridors into Gaza and exits for civilians, particularly foreign nationals like Canadians.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we have to put a stop to the death and destruction going on in Israel and Palestine.

We just learned that a hospital may have been hit in Gaza. The New Democrats have called for the release of hostages and a ceasefire. Some Liberal members also called for a ceasefire, but the Prime Minister rejected these calls.

Is the Prime Minister willing to agree today that Canada must now push for the release of the hostages and a ceasefire?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we have called for the release of hostages from the start. The situation is devastating. We are also calling for compliance with international and humanitarian law. Being there to help civilians is important.

The news about the hospital is shocking and unacceptable. We are there to ensure that we are doing everything in our power to make sure international law is upheld, civilians are protected and hostages are released.

Finance

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, do members remember the middle class and those working hard to join it? Do they remember that the Liberals would take on more debt so Canadians did not have to? Do they remember that the budget would be balanced in six years? Those were the promises, and after eight years there is no talk of the middle class anymore because it is underwater from Liberal-NDP spending sprees. Now the budget will be balanced in the year never.

Has the finance minister completely lost control of the books, or is there a new promise this week about when she will actually stop the inflationary spending so that Canadians do not lose their houses?

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to work for the middle class. We are always happy as a government to continue supporting the middle class. The Conservatives, on two occasions, voted against a tax break for the middle class, and now they pretend to care about the middle class. I am confused. We have legislation on the floor of this House that would stabilize grocery prices and would help build more homes from coast to coast to coast in this country. I know that many Conservatives are voting in favour of that bill; they have said so publicly. What about the leader of the Conservative Party? Will he vote for this bill?

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is not working. It has been eight years, and the only thing Canadians know after eight years is that the Liberals are not worth the cost. Canadians are struggling, and the Liberals are continuing their ballooning deficits that drive up inflation. Even the Liberals are saying that deficits increase interest rates.

Will the finance minister finally confirm for Canadians that she will balance the budget in a specific year so that interest rates can come down and Canadians can keep their homes?

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleague opposite that Canada continues to have the lowest deficit among all G7 countries. I would also advise her, in case she missed the news this morning, that Statistics Canada announced inflation has come down in Canada. That is because our plan is working.

However, we know that Canadians still need support, which is why, before this House at this very moment, we have legislation that would help to reduce grocery store prices for Canadians. Why are the Conservatives playing partisan games with the interests of Canadians and of the middle class?

Housing

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, the federal deficit is projected to exceed $46 billion this year according to the independent budget officer. This spending is driving up interest rates and mortgage costs to the point where people are worried they will not be able to afford to keep a roof over their head.

We know the Prime Minister is not worth the cost, so when will he finally stop his inflationary spending and reduce the deficit so that Canadians can afford to keep their homes?

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the questions coming from the Conservatives, but I wonder if they are keeping up with the announcements made by our government. About an hour ago, we announced new measures that will help reduce costly banking fees, which Canadians have told us are a very real irritant for them. This is real support for Canadians.

We are going to enhance low-cost and no-cost chequing accounts for Canadians. We are going to make sure that Canadians get repayment relief from their banks. We are acting every single day in the interests of Canadians in order to help them meet the moment. Where are the Conservatives? They are nowhere.

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, after eight years of the government, it is too little, too late for many struggling people. We know the government's housing crisis brings with it a generational divide. According to a survey reported on by BNN Bloomberg, nearly 70% of young people have chosen to delay their home purchase. Why is that? They cite rising interest rates and rising home prices. That is why people are overpaying for an individual room or are simply trapped in their parents' basement.

I ask this again: Why does the government not stop its inflationary spending so that Canadians can afford a home?

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, an example of recklessness is the Conservatives' record on housing. There was $300 million spent when they were in power on housing, and less than 100 homes were built. What is also reckless is the fact that they would abandon municipalities that want to build more homes.

We have put on the table $4 billion for municipalities to assist them in building more units. The cities of London, Hamilton and Vaughan have signed on. Other communities are coming to the table. Halifax is there.

We have more to do. We are serious on this agenda. The Conservatives have no plan on this issue.

Finance

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years under this Prime Minister, the situation in Canada continues to deteriorate. That is what the Parliamentary Budget Officer says. It is hard to believe that things could get worse, but they can. Spending and the deficit are even higher than projected. That is nothing new with this government, which only knows how to do one thing: waste taxpayers' money.

Will the government finally admit that the budget will not balance itself? Will it be responsible and stop this inflationary deficit?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, it seems the Conservatives once again failed to look at what we presented. We presented an action plan to stabilize prices in Canada. The first thing the plan will do is ensure that Canada's grocers are accountable to Canadians, something that the Conservatives would never have considered. We also helped consumer groups, another thing that the Conservatives would never have considered.

Will the do-nothing Conservatives at least vote for Bill C-56 to help Canadians for once?

Housing

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what does the minister have to say to Montrealers who have to earn $116,000 a year if they are thinking of buying a property? Elsewhere in Canada, in Toronto for example, a house hunter would need an income of $235,000, and in Vancouver, they would need an income of $250,000.

It is easy to understand why young people have lost hope of ever becoming homeowners. This government has abandoned our middle class and abandoned young people.

After eight years of catastrophic mismanagement, will the government commit to immediately putting an end to its inflationary spending so that our young people can one day hope to become homeowners?

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I represent a riding in Montreal. Having spoken to Montrealers, I can say that they are afraid the Conservatives will set us back. We can expect cuts from the Conservatives, cuts in pensions for our seniors, cuts for families with young children. They will certainly set us back—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Colleagues, it is important that just one person speak at a time, that being the person who has been recognized by the Chair.

I will ask the parliamentary secretary to start her answer from the beginning.

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to respond to my colleague because I know for a fact that Montrealers are afraid that the Conservatives will set us back, because the Conservatives are going to cut pensions for our seniors and subsidies for families with children. They will certainly set us back on the environment and the fight against climate change.

I am surprised to hear a Conservative colleague talk to me about Montreal, because right now I can tell you that Montrealers are not interested in the Conservative plan.

Oil and Gas Industry

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this summer, the CEO of the Suncor oil company told his shareholders that he was fed up with the fight against climate change. Poor thing. According to him, Suncor has been too focused on the energy transition and needs to get back to selling oil, which means producing more oil and more pollution.

However, the federal government renewed $83 billion in subsidies in the last two budgets, particularly with the intention of helping oil companies reduce their pollution. Suncor admits that it cannot be bothered to pollute less, but that it still wants taxpayers' money. Greed is part of its DNA.

When will the federal government cut public funding to Suncor?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I would like to ask members once again not to talk while another member is speaking. I would like to direct my comments in particular to the hon. member for Calgary Signal Hill because I can hear his voice clearly from across the House.

The hon. Minister of Environment.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have good news for my colleague.

We have already cut fossil fuel subsidies. We are the first G20 country to do so. We did it two years sooner than all of the other partners. We even went a step further. We committed to eliminating public funding as well, unlike any other G20 nation, and we will do so by next year.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Suncor's CEO added insult to injury yesterday in committee. He thinks the energy transition is an exercise in futility.

Did members grill him during the meeting? No, the Conservatives protected him by preventing me from asking him questions. Not only that, but one Conservative actually apologized to Suncor on behalf of Canadians. The Liberals were just as bad because they never raised doubts about their subsidies, even though Suncor plans to produce more oil and pollute more.

Are the Conservatives and Liberals registered oil lobbyists now?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have more good news for my colleague.

We implemented measures to make sure the oil and gas sector does its fair share to fight climate change in Canada. We have regulations to reduce methane emissions by at least 40% by 2025. We will hit 65% by 2030. That is one of the most ambitious targets in the world. We are also about to table draft regulations to cap greenhouse gas emissions for the oil and gas sector. We are the only oil-producing country in the world to do so. We are committed to fighting climate change and to working with Canadians to do it.

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, according to S&P Global, Canada will be one of the global drivers of oil production in 2024. With the 5.3 million barrels a day it wants to produce, Canada will be one of the main sources of the world's increased crude oil supply. With support from the Liberals and Conservatives, it is not just Canada's climate change targets that the oil companies are threatening, it is the whole world's targets.

When will these two parties realize that Canada is the engine of a train that is heading straight for a wall?