Debates of Nov. 24th, 2023

Finance

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals should do more to fight for Canadians. If the minister wants numbers, I will give him some. We know that inflation rose at its fastest rate in 40 years. A record number of two million people use food banks in a single month. The cost of housing has doubled in eight years, the price of rent has doubled, mortgage payments have gone up by 150%, the down payment for buying a home has doubled, and the cost of housing is 50% to 75% higher in Canada than in the United States. The Liberals should be ashamed of what they are doing to Canadians. Every expert says that Liberal spending has increased the cost of everything.

When will they show some responsibility and tell us when we will return to a balanced budget?

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

Mr. Speaker, what people in Canada need is leadership. That is exactly what we are giving them in the mini-budget. Canadians asked for two specific things, namely for help with affordability and help with housing. That is exactly what we are doing in the mini-budget.

On top of that, we are announcing the biggest change to the Competition Act in 30 years. Why are we doing that? In this country, we want fewer mergers, more competition and better prices for Canadians. We will continue to fight for Canadians every day.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government owes Quebec the $460 million that the province spent on asylum seekers, who come under federal jurisdiction. Quebec is doing far more than its share, and now it is time for the federal government to do its part.

Yesterday, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship not only refused to settle the bill, he had the temerity to say that he was giving Quebec too much money. He said that not only would he refuse to reimburse these costs, he might even send Quebec a bill of his own. Instead of picking fights, why does the minister not get out his chequebook and pay up, so that we can take in asylum seekers the way they deserve?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I have stated very publicly that we need to sit down with Quebec and our respective finance ministers to sort all this out and put all our cards on the table. If we included all the extra amounts that we have invested in the Canada-Quebec accord, Quebec would definitely be the one getting the bill.

That is something I hesitate to discuss in public. I would rather sit down with my provincial colleagues and talk this over privately. We need to sort this out. Our goal is to work together on behalf of immigrants and asylum seekers.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is talking about additional amounts, but one has to wonder whether he has ever met with an asylum seeker or one of the organizations that support them. He will not find anyone on the ground who is saying that there is too much money for asylum seekers.

There is no such thing as too much money when we have to support people who do not even have the right to work because the federal government is not giving them permits. There is no such thing as too much money when people are sleeping in tents in the winter. There is not too much money, there are just too many political games being played at the expense of vulnerable people.

When will the minister take responsibility, stop playing petty politics and reimburse Quebec?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, playing petty politics is to presume that this is a one-way relationship, when it is actually a two-way relationship. It takes two to tango.

Obviously, both levels of government have to assume some responsibility. That is what we are trying to do. Obviously, under the Canada-Quebec accord, Quebec has all the responsibility and a duty to welcome asylum seekers. We can do this together as a country.

However, given the reductionist approach of the Bloc Québécois and its friends in the Quebec National Assembly, which are sending questions to the Bloc members, I would ask them to sit down with us to sort all this out. We will be able to see that the bill would very quickly fall to Quebec to pay. We can all work it all out together.

Housing

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

Mr. Speaker, a 30-year-old Sherbrooke man cannot find affordable housing. Without housing, Alexandre is getting ready for his first winter living on the street. According to the Sherbrooke tenants' association, this is part of a new wave of homelessness.

Under successive Liberal and Conservative governments, Canada has lost one million affordable housing units over the past 17 years. People need housing today, not two years from now. When will the Liberals take action to build the social housing that people need now?

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

Mr. Speaker, yes, it is true that Canada is in the midst of a housing crisis. What approach is our government taking? I believe it is an example of co-operation.

It is co-operation with the parties across the way that want to do something on housing, with provinces, with municipalities and with the not-for-profit sector.

To take an example, the national housing strategy is getting people housed. Thousands of people across the country who did not have a home have a home now. Those who were homeless are now able to access the wraparound supports they need in order to have something better. We have more work to do and we are going to get it done.

Grocery Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, pretty words like that do not put a roof over the heads of the thousands of Canadians sleeping out in the streets of our country tonight. Seniors are there too. A retired couple in Holyrood, Newfoundland, with teachers' pensions, were just forced to sell their home. They spent their whole lives working to teach our kids, but they cannot afford to live there anymore.

Food price gouging is hurting them badly and their pension cannot keep up. Will the Liberals support the NDP's plan to lower food prices by stopping price gouging, to give seniors like them a needed break now?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that we have the NDP's support on Bill C-56. As we know, there are competition measures in it that would hold grocery chains to account.

On the question of housing, the more we build, the more we ensure that costs come down. I have good news for the member. Right across the country, we see residential construction up. In Manitoba, it is up 34%; in Saskatchewan, 25%; in New Brunswick, 23%; in Alberta, 11%; in Newfoundland, 10%; in Quebec, 9%; and in my province of Ontario, 7%.

It is working. We have a plan. We are going to get it done, as I said.

Finance

[Scott Aitchison, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Speaker, rent is up. Interest rates are up. Mortgages are up. Groceries are up. Taxes are up. Debt is up, and Canadians are fed up.

The Bank of Canada governor and Scotiabank economists are all sounding the alarm bell. The NDP-Liberal government's massive borrowing is making everything more expensive for Canadians.

With two million people using food banks now, we know the Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. When will he stop the inflationary borrowing that is hurting so many Canadian families?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, what is up? Let me tell members what it is up. Jobs are up. Foreign direct investment is up. Homebuilding is up. Support for Canadian families is up. Women's labour market participation is up.

Let me tell members what is down. Inflation is down. Food prices are down. Unemployment is at a historic low. The cost of child care is down. Canada has the lowest deficit and net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7.

Conservatives want to cut and move to austerity while we continue to invest in Canadians.

[Scott Aitchison, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Speaker, housing starts are actually down in Canada, so I do not know what fiction the member is listening to. Perhaps it is from the Minister of Finance, who thinks the dream of home ownership has never been so good in this country.

The NDP-Liberal government will spend more on interest on the debt next year than on health care, so my question is simple. When will the Prime Minister stop abusing the national credit card, cancel his $20 billion in extra inflationary spending and borrowing, balance the budget and bring down interest rates so that Canadians can afford to live in this country?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that Conservatives want to try to claim that we are fiscally irresponsible. What I say is irresponsible is downplaying our economy when we are faring better than any G7 country in the world. What is irresponsible is voting against the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement and abandoning Ukrainians in their time of need. What is irresponsible is calling an incident at the border a “terrorist attack” without having the facts.

Do members know what that shows? That shows a lack of judgment. It shows risky and reckless behaviour. That is all I have to say.

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after eight long years of the Liberal government, Canadians by the millions are depending today on food banks. However, on Tuesday, the NDP-Liberal government released its mini-budget, adding another $20 billion in inflationary spending.

The Prime Minister is not worth the cost. When will the government cut the line of credit so that Canadians can afford to heat, eat and keep a roof over their heads?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, while our government has stayed steadfast in our commitment to support Canadians with affordability challenges, evidenced by budget 2023 and now the fall economic statement, we have seen the Conservatives this week flip-flop multiple times and showcase their risky and reckless behaviour and judgment. They say they are committed to supporting Ukraine but then they abandon them in their time of need. We have also seen Conservatives stand up and oppose the affordability act, yet last night they all stood up and voted for it.

Why do they not come clean and let Canadians know where they stand?

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the member should know that Conservatives were the ones to successfully negotiate the current Canada-Ukraine trade agreement. A common-sense Conservative government would modernize the existing agreement without the expensive Liberal carbon tax. Ukraine does not need this woke agenda.

The Prime Minister has added more debt than the previous 22 prime ministers combined. When will he put the chequebook away?

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, we hear more and more that the leader of the Conservative Party is just not worth the risk. The bottom line is that the Conservatives might have supported the free trade agreement with Canada and Ukraine years ago, but just the other day, every one of them, with the leader of the Conservative Party leading the pack, voted against the Canada-Ukraine trade agreement.

There is no way they can get away from that fact. That is the reality. You have betrayed Ukraine and it is shameful the way you have conducted yourselves in the last couple of days.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I would like to remind all members that comments are to be brought through the Chair.

The hon. member for Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis.

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, over the past eight years, this Prime Minister has added billions of dollars to the debt, more than the other 22 prime ministers combined. Let that sink in for a moment. Next year, he will spend more on servicing his debt than he has on health care transfers to the provinces. Clearly, this Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

Why are the Liberals ignoring our calls to present a plan to return to a balanced budget in order to lower interest rates and lower inflation?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative leader has called our plan “disgusting”, yet he is hiding his cuts from Canadians. What would the Conservative leader cut? Would he cut EV factories for Windsor, St. Thomas and Quebec? Would he cut CCUS investment tax credits for projects in Alberta? Would he cut clean hydrogen investment tax credits for projects in Newfoundland?

Our government is delivering an economic plan that is balanced and fiscally responsible. Conservatives should come clean with Canadians and let us know where they are going to cut.

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there are not enough hours in the day to talk about how wasteful they are. The numbers are undeniable: two million Canadians use food banks every month; a family of four will spend an additional $1,065 on groceries this year; students are sleeping in shelters; and mortgage payments have doubled. The Prime Minister signed off on this mess. He is not worth the cost.

Does he at least have the humility and decency to admit that the country is in such a deplorable situation because of his inflationary spending?

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's question. I even have an idea for her. Christmas is coming. If she is so concerned about affordability, she can give Canadians a gift by voting in favour of Bill C‑56.

Why? With this bill, we are going to reform competition. This is a reform that has been needed for the past 30 years. We are going to have fewer mergers, more competition and better prices.

My colleague should convince all of her colleagues to pass this bill as soon as possible to help Canadians before Christmas.

Canadian Heritage

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, less than a month ago, Québecor announced it was cutting 547 jobs, a third of its staff, but the fact that our television is in crisis does not seem to bother the Minister of Canadian Heritage. There is nothing in the economic statement, not one red cent, for our television and radio.

The media crisis is a crisis of democracy. Access to information is under threat, especially in the regions. What is really under threat is the advancement of our culture and our sense of belonging. The minister, who sees perfectly well what is going on, is doing nothing.

Why?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague on the fact that the media is in crisis.

That is why we have been there since day one, bringing in new programs to support our news media. We have also modernized the Broadcasting Act. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission—