Debates of Oct. 19th, 2023

Housing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, none of the bills are affordable after eight years of the government. I asked why it is that one can buy a castle in France for a lower cost than a middle-class home in Ontario, and his response was basically “let them eat cake”. The fact is that people cannot even afford bread after eight years of inflationary policies.

Will the Liberals reverse their inflationary deficits and their tax hikes so Canadians can eat, heat and house themselves?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, again, the Leader of the Opposition refuses to explain to Canadians why he will not support legislation that would make housing more affordable, build more rental units for Canadians and make groceries more affordable. It has been clear that, over the past eight years they have been opposition, the Conservatives have not done anything to support Canadians. We do know they have constantly voted against measures that support Canadians, such as child care, the Canada child benefit and this legislation. They have an opportunity to do the right thing and vote for Canadians.

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have been promising for eight years that their bills would lower the cost, but since that time housing costs have doubled. They promised their carbon tax would make people better off, and then they brought in a second carbon tax.

We asked the government's own officials at committee yesterday if their analysis showed that the cost would rise for energy and if these costs would be borne disproportionately by the poor and middle class, and a government official confirmed they would.

Why is the government taxing the people who can least afford it? Will the Liberals admit that after eight years, they are simply not worth the cost?

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

Mr. Speaker, according to a study that came out two days, in Canada, 60% of small and medium-sized businesses across the country have been affected by extreme weather events this year alone, and 44% of them say that it has had a direct hit on their revenue.

What is the response from the Conservative Party? They want to make pollution free again, have more climate change, more air pollution and more water pollution. Canadians cannot take any of the propositions that the Conservative Party has for them.

Foreign Affairs

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on day 13 of the war between Israel and Hamas, humanitarian needs are more urgent than ever. The United States announced $100 million in humanitarian aid, while Canada announced too little. Even more important than money is assurance that the aid will reach the civilians who so desperately need it.

As we speak, only 20 trucks have been permitted to enter Gaza. According to the UN, 100 trucks a day is the minimum required. The current number does not even come close. Has the Prime Minister spoken with Israel and with Egypt to urge better access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, in fact, the Prime Minister has spoken with the President of Israel and the President of Egypt. At every opportunity, we have called for humanitarian access to Gaza. Right now, Gaza is one of the worst places to live on Earth, which makes it all the more important for humanitarian aid to reach it. We will continue to engage with different countries in the region to make that happen.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there is one thing that Canada can do on the world stage: show some humanitarian leadership. I know that it is a lot to ask Egypt to open its border even more to a territory occupied by Hamas and I know that it is a lot to ask Israel when Hamas is holding 203 hostages, but humanity can only come from them. It cannot come from the monsters of Hamas.

Humanitarian aid needs to be directed to the civilians. What is the Prime Minister doing to ensure that this is done quickly?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of International Development]

Mr. Speaker, we are deeply concerned about the current humanitarian situation because civilians are the primary victims of this tragedy. Canada's commitment to provide vital humanitarian aid remains unwavering. The protection of civilians is essential. We are calling on all parties to protect the civilians and meet their obligations under international humanitarian law at all times.

Housing

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Toronto's housing crisis is out of control, worsened by the loss of thousands of affordable homes by both Conservative and Liberal governments.

Asylum seekers were left homeless this summer, while the City of Toronto had to carry the weight of housing them. The federal government promised $97 million in assistance, but Toronto has not yet received it.

Why are all the Toronto Liberal MPs so ineffective and unable to convince their own Prime Minister to deliver the help Toronto needs?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to speak to Mayor Chow to address the interim needs, obviously, with winter coming, to make sure people have roofs over their heads.

It is work we need to do with the Ontario government, the City of Toronto and with the GTA generally because we know that asylum seekers have spread out into all of those areas. They need to have a roof over their head for winter.

Clearly, what we need to see from the City of Toronto are the receipts. We have asked Mayor Chow for the receipts. We are glad to pay those receipts, once we receive them.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister should try that answer on someone who has to live on the streets.

The story of 76-year-old Jeannette Chiasson, who was evicted from her home and forced to move into a smaller, less suitable and more expensive apartment, is unacceptable. The Conservatives and Liberals let more than one million affordable housing units slip through the cracks, and this is the result.

Why is the Prime Minister turning his back on Jeannette Chiasson and thousands like her?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

There is one thing he can do to help Canadians, and that is vote in favour of the affordability bill. Why is that? It is because our legislation will overhaul competition in this country and also reduce the GST on new housing construction.

I implore the opposition and all members of the House to cast a vote that will benefit Canadians. They desperately need help.

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

Mr. Speaker, after eight long years of the Liberal-NDP government doubling the national debt, mortgages and rental costs, Canadians can also see a 40% increase in their monthly mortgage costs. The Prime Minister is not worth the cost. Of variable rate mortgage holders, 85% believe they are worse off. Liberal inflation fuelled by Liberal deficits has made the most rapid interest rate hikes ever. Now Canada is most at risk in the G7 for a mortgage default crisis.

When will the Prime Minister rein in his inflationary spending so that interest rates can come down and Canadians can keep a roof over their heads?

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

Mr. Speaker, as you know, Canada has the lowest deficit among all G7 countries. Canada has been reaffirmed its AAA credit rating because our fiscal frame is responsible.

We continue to support Canadians, and the Conservatives continue to call for cuts. Canadian families are relying on the supports we provide. They are relying on the Canada child benefit. They are relying on their pensions. The Conservatives' plan is to cut all of those supports for the Canadians who need them.

The Economy

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

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister cannot even drive responsibly, and the Liberals want us to believe that she is fiscally responsible.

Many Canadians are uncomfortably close to broke according to an MNP survey, with more than 50% being $200 away from insolvency. After eight years of failed Liberal policies, the Liberals are just not worth the cost. There are young Canadians and fixed-income seniors living in their cars and under bridges in tents. That is the state of Canada after eight years of their failed policies.

Will the Prime Minister balance the budget and get inflation and interest rates down so more Canadians do not have to live out on the streets?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have been a member of Parliament since 2015. From day one, that side has pursued an austerity agenda. The Conservatives want to cut the Canada child benefit. With respect to supports for seniors, they have never been there. With respect to supports for businesses during the pandemic and since, they have never been there. We brought down taxes for small businesses not once but twice. They opposed it every single time. We are helping cities with public transit and other infrastructure, and they are not there. They are not worth the risk.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, a survey released this morning by the financial firm Edward Jones Canada states that Canadians are stuck in a “chaotic whirlwind of personal finance stress”. It also states, “The poll clearly shows that Canadians are so preoccupied with just getting through the day, that the idea of paying debt feels like a distant dream.” It found that 88% of Canadians are saying that their personal financial situation is affecting their well-being.

The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. When will he stop his inflationary spending so people can take back control of their lives?

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

Mr. Speaker, I invite the member opposite to listen to some of the testimony from experts at this morning's finance committee who refuted those statements.

However, I would like to get back to the legislation that is before this chamber because the Conservatives have an opportunity to help stabilize grocery prices across the country. That is legislation they can vote on right now to support Canadians. It also includes a measure to help stimulate the construction of more homes across this country, another way the Conservatives can actually help Canadians.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it has been eight years. What the Liberal member opposite is saying does not match the facts. The Liberal deficit spending has increased inflation, which has increased interest rates.

A resident from my community said that food prices had risen so quickly that she had been left to pray that her garden would be enough to supplement her household of four teenagers.

I used to hear from residents saying that they were hoping they could save for a home one day. Now I am hearing from residents saying that they are praying for a bountiful harvest to feed their family.

The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. When will the NDP-Liberal government end its inflationary spending so people can feed their families?

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

Mr. Speaker, we all feel for what she has said. Instead of having words, why do we not talk about action? There is one thing the opposition can do, not many, I agree, but one thing. It can vote for the affordability bill.

If she really cares about the lady she refers to, why does she not convince her caucus to vote for the affordability bill, so they can do something for once for Canadians?

Carbon Pricing

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

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of Liberal inflationary deficits, the cost of living is going up everywhere, but it is worse in Quebec. At nearly 5%, Quebec's inflation rate is the highest in the country. Everything costs more. Interest rates are rising. Young people are giving up on the dream of owning a home.

The Bloc Québécois has a great idea for helping Quebeckers. It wants to drastically increase the carbon tax. A vote for the Bloc Québécois is costly.

Will the Liberal Bloc admit that it is time to stop piling more taxes on Canadians and Quebeckers?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my hon. colleague that Quebec was the first jurisdiction in North America to implement its own carbon pricing system, which it did over a decade ago, well before the federal government and all the other provinces introduced theirs.

If my colleague is having a hard time understanding that system, I would be happy to explain to him what makes Quebec's system unique in Canada and one of the first of its kind in North America.

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

Mr. Speaker, when Quebeckers go to the grocery store and pay 23% more for their food than they did three years ago, they can see that the carbon tax has affected the transportation and production of that food. They get it.

When they pay their grocery bill, they see the effects of the Liberal-Bloc Québécois tax, which the Bloc Québécois wants to drastically increase. A growing number of Quebeckers are lining up at food banks. They are middle-class Quebeckers.

Do the Liberals and the Bloc Québécois agree? Do they feel ashamed about it, or are they just going to keep taxing them more?

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

Mr. Speaker, for all the people from Mégantic—L'Érable watching us today, there is something their MP can do: convince all Conservative members to vote for the affordability bill. Why? We are going to overhaul competition. We are going to give the Competition Bureau more authority and put a stop to dangerous practices or practices that hurt consumers.

Will he do his job and convince his colleagues to vote for Canadians for once?

Finance

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the government voted against a simple request: a plan for an eventual return to a balanced budget. A plan is not too much to ask. We are not asking the government to cut services to balance the budget. We are just asking for a plan.

Everyone knows the first part of the quote from Émile de Girardin: “Governing means planning ahead”. However, he then adds, “and he who does not plan ahead is doomed”. The Liberals just might be doomed. All we want is a plan. Is that really too much to ask?