Debates of Nov. 7th, 2023

Opposition Motion—Reducing Home Heating Costs

[Julie Vignola, Bloc, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Budget Officer says that a wealth tax could generate a little over $1.05 billion per year, which is $4.2 billion over five years. That is less than the government would save if it were to reduce the subsidies, tax credits and tax avoidance measures it gives to oil companies.

Why is the NDP settling for a measure that will not cover the cost of its ideas when it could tackle cleaning up the budget to fund more direct and equitable support for people?

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Mr. Speaker, that is one of the better questions asked today, because it contemplates the revenue side of Canada's economy. I would like to suggest to the member to think about this in two ways. One, yes, there would be revenue generation from the windfall taxes on oil and gas companies that would amount to $4 billion to $5 billion. As a matter of fact, when we invest that amount of money in Canadians in terms of looking at the difference between the investment versus the impact to our economy if we did not do those things, we would see that is actually a larger amount.

To put it in perspective, if we can prevent a climate disaster, for example, by mitigating the increase in our global temperatures by 1.5°C ideally or by 2°C maximally, we could save Canadians billions of dollars if we take action on that now. It is not only a question of revenue but also a question of how much we could save in terms of the direct impact to our infrastructure and to Canadians' way of life in future years.

I agree with the member. There need to be more solutions to the revenue side of things, and I welcome co-operation between the Bloc Québécois and the New Democrats to find those solutions.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Edmonton Griesbach for making some important distinctions and bringing some clarity to an otherwise obfuscated debate. I wonder if he wants to take a just little more time to elaborate on why removing GST from home heating would be a better idea and on the problem the Liberals have created by introducing a regional schism into the carbon pricing program.

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Elmwood—Transcona for his hard work and his incredible contributions in this chamber. To my own knowledge, in much of this, he is a good teacher and a very wise person. I am sure that many in the chamber have benefited from his wise advice.

To make it very clear, New Democrats believe that taking GST off home heating is important because we represent Canadians as far north as Nunavut, for example, and as far south as Victoria, as well as everywhere in between. What we know about those Canadians and their experience is that winters get cold. Those cold winters imply that we need to ensure that the cost of heating is as low as possible. One way to do that is to remove GST from home heating.

That is going to affect more Canadians, put more money back into Canadians' pockets and actually ensure that home heating is as low as it can possibly be. The government, at that time, will stand with Canadians.

New Democrats, especially, stand with Canadians. We hope that the government and the Conservatives will also stand with Canadians as we contemplate removing GST.

Public Safety

[Kevin Vuong, Independent, Spadina—Fort York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to bring attention to a critical issue that is threatening the safety of our children and communities. The matter involves the Liberal government providing exemptions for the operation of safe injection sites that would otherwise be illegal under the Criminal Code.

There are four pillars of an effective drug strategy, but harm reduction without enforcement, prevention or treatment does nothing to break the cycle of addiction. There are 35 addiction experts who made a letter public that they wrote to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions calling for safe supply to be reformed or abolished.

National failures have local consequences. Downtown Toronto has become a war zone of increasing violence and danger. If the government provides exemptions that endanger children and communities, it must provide the funds to ensure that neighbourhoods that host such sites have the resources to keep them safe.

In the absence of that, it is time for the Liberal government to listen to the experts and either reform or abolish safe supply.

Carbon Pricing

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives offer anger to Canadians, our government offers solutions. Recognizing that rural Canadians everywhere need relief, we have doubled the pollution pricing rebate. We are also working with provinces to make heat pumps essentially free.

Homeowners who switch from oil save up to $2,500 each year. This is welcome news for the almost 300,000 people in Ontario, including northern Ontario, who heat with oil. We know that oil is the most-polluting form of home heating; it is also the most expensive. Years ago, we helped Canadians get off coal, and now we are doing the same for people who heat with oil. We are increasing what is in their pocketbooks while decreasing harmful emissions.

While the Conservatives lack any strategy to protect Canadians against climate change and are content to watch Canadian communities burn, I will continue to stand behind measures that address climate change and make life more affordable for the people in my riding of Sudbury.

Remembrance Day

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, on Remembrance Day, Canadians honour the sacrifice made by past and present members of our Canadian Armed Forces. One such sacrifice is that of Flying Officer John Earl Stillings, known to our family as Jack, who was in the RCAF during World War II.

He was on voluntary redeployment when the Lancaster bomber he was in was lost over the North Sea on a training mission. To memorialize my great, great Uncle Jack's death, his brother Blake wrote the poem Ode to Jack, which I share with members today:

Your mortal frame must ever lie
In some deep cavern of the sea
Unknown to man, by human eye
Unseen, for all eternity.
But from that prison dark and cold,
Unfettered, from its bonds set free
Your living spirit bright and bold
Shall soar, to course the sunlit skies
Where you gave all for liberty.

All of us, indeed all Canadians, owe our existence to those who sacrificed, from the soldiers who went to fight wars overseas to the CAF members stationed locally at camp Wainwright, across Canada, and around the world.

On behalf of Canada's Conservatives, I saw this: may God bless our troops, may God bless all those who sacrificed and let us commit to always remembering. Lest we forget.

Sustainable Heating

[Stéphane Lauzon, Liberal, Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the people of my riding, Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, are deeply committed to their children's future and to environmental responsibility.

The fact remains that 450,000 households in Quebec are still heating with oil, an expensive method that is harmful to the environment. The cost of acquiring and installing heat pumps, which are cleaner and more cost-effective, is a barrier for many Quebeckers, especially in rural and remote communities. Although the $10,000 in direct assistance provided by the oil to heat pump program is commendable, it is clear that additional assistance is needed.

I applaud the government's commitment to increasing its assistance and to working with Quebec to provide the additional support our families need for sustainable heating solutions. Unlike the Conservatives, who have no plan to protect us from the climate crisis, we are committed to making the transition to a clean economy in a way that leaves no one behind.

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

Before we continue, I would like to remind hon. members to avoid having private discussions during members' statements.

The hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean.

Narges Mohammadi

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Nobel Peace Prize for 2023 was awarded to Narges Mohammadi, a 51‑year old Iranian journalist who has been imprisoned since 2011 for her involvement in the Defenders of Human Rights movement. She is fighting against the death penalty, against the oppression of Iranian women and against the mandatory hijab law. She was able to send a message of gratitude for this prize through her daughter, who has fled to France.

However, for this activist, who has been sentenced to 31 years in prison and 154 lashes, this is no time to celebrate. We found out yesterday that she has begun a hunger strike from her prison cell to protest the lack of medical care for inmates and the requirement for women wanting to receive care to wear a hijab.

To her family, who are concerned about her health, the Bloc Québécois wishes to express its solidarity. To this woman, who is standing up against the authoritarian regime of Tehran, we add to our congratulations for her Nobel Peace Prize our deepest admiration for her courage.

Carbon Pricing

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Speaker, while remaining focused on the fight against climate change and recognizing the unequal impact this fight can have on rural communities, our government has decided to double the pollution price rebate for rural communities from 10% to 20%.

Furthermore, we have instituted a temporary, three-year pause to the federal price on pollution on deliveries of heating oil for the provinces and territories that receive the climate action incentive payment.

Eligible Canadians will be able to access federal and provincial programs within the next three years to switch to heat pumps. This means that my constituents in Madawaska—Restigouche, for example, will benefit from added financial support to meet their energy needs and compensate for their limited access to public transit.

This policy is a huge step forward for rural communities as we aim to ensure that carbon pricing is fair and balanced across the country.

Now that is a real common-sense government initiative.

Hunting

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for many Ontarians, this week marks the beginning of the deer hunt. For rural communities across the country, hunters and anglers represent a much-needed and valued group of Canadians. They are stewards of the land and its animals, keeping wildlife populations in check, while providing food and sustenance to many. However, these people cannot carry out this tradition if they do not have their long guns.

I have proudly voted against the Liberal-NDP government's attempt to punish law-abiding firearms owners who play by the rules. The vast majority of gun crimes involve firearms that were smuggled into our country. None of that will be solved by banning hunting rifles. On top of this, there is the bureaucracy of renewing a PAL licence; it is ridiculous. Canada's Conservatives will continue to protect people's rights and go after criminals to keep our communities safe.

To those taking part in the hunt this season, I say good luck. I hope they enjoy the fellowship and stay safe. We will always stand with them.

Carbon Pricing

[Kody Blois, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago, the government introduced important adjustments to the national carbon pricing plan that matter across the country, including for the people I represent.

First, we are doubling the rural supplement from 10% to 20%. This will mean that, on average, a family living in Kings—Hants will receive $200 more a year than those living in the city. This change is to ensure that those who do not have the same ability to change behaviour are better represented under the national program.

We are also focused on heating oil, which costs upwards of four times the amount to heat one's home and is worse from an environmental perspective. We are pausing the carbon price and expanding a national program to help people make the switch to a heat pump. The carbon price pause will save, on average, $300 a year this winter and ultimately thousands of dollars a year for those who use home heating oil in their houses.

I contrast that with the Conservatives. They are not offering long-term solutions to my constituents in Kings—Hants to help them save thousands of dollars a year. However, we will continue to focus on affordability and environmental progress at the same time.

Sustainable Heating

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, families in Châteauguay—Lacolle are very aware of the climate crisis and they want to act responsibly to protect the environment. We know that one good option is to use heat pumps rather than oil for home heating because they are greener and more cost-effective.

However, the cost of a heat pump may stop some households, particularly those with lower incomes, from making the switch. I therefore commend the federal government for the direct assistance it is providing to help people switch from oil to heat pumps. This program has already proven to be effective in my riding.

I am pleased to learn that Quebec is continuing to work with our government to provide the additional support that families need to transition to sustainable heating solutions. Unlike the Conservatives, who have no plan to protect us from the climate crisis, we are committed to making a responsible and just transition to a clean economy that supports all Canadians.

Child Safety

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Mr. Speaker, a Canada-wide warrant has been issued for high-risk sex offender, Randall Hopley.

His lengthy criminal record includes three sex offences against children. He served six years for kidnapping. He is such a risk that he was designated as a long-term offender, meaning he had a supervision order for years after completing his sentence. He was charged with breaching that order. Rather than jail, he got bail to a halfway house. The protection is an ankle bracelet. Unlike a jail cell, ankle bracelets can be cut, and that is exactly what happened.

Even the NDP premier, an ally of the Prime Minister, has raised alarm bells. He said, “Everybody with a four-year-old in their life is thinking about that child right now and the fact that this man is at large.”

The government needs to take child safety more seriously: no more bail for sex offenders, no more house arrest for pedophiles. The time has come and gone for the government to act. If the government does not want to act, then it can get out of the way because we will.

Climate Change

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Mr. Speaker, we know that putting a price on pollution and rebating all the proceeds back to Canadians remains the most effective way to fight climate change. In Canada, we are reducing emissions faster than any of the G20 nations.

In Atlantic Canada, reliance on heating oil, which has gone up in price by 75% this year alone, and the rural nature of our regions creates added challenges to our families.

That is why we are increasing the oil to heat pump affordability grants for low and medium-income Canadians for homeowner installing a heat pump, which saves them up to $2,500 a year.

Finally, the doubling of the rural top-up rebate and the temporary three-year pause on the price on pollution for home heating oil will help support Canadians in the transition to cleaner energy.

Carbon Tax

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Manitoba Liberal MPs voted against our common-sense Conservative motion to scrap the carbon tax on home heating, proving once again that the Prime Minister just is not worth the cost.

After the vote, the new NDP Premier of Manitoba, Wab Kinew, declared that the carbon tax was “not a silver bullet when it comes to climate change.” The Conservatives have been saying this for years, that the carbon tax is a tax plan and not an environmental plan.

If the Liberal government will not listen to the Conservatives, maybe it will listen to Manitoba's newest NDP premier and the 12 other ones who are opposing this inflationary tax scheme. The premier went on to say that the reality was this, “During this inflationary moment right now, people are suffering.” I could not agree more.

After eight years of the NDP-Liberal coalition, people can no longer afford to live. It is time for the Liberal government to take the tax off and keep the heat on for all Canadians, not just for those who vote Liberal.

Bloc Québécois

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

Mr. Speaker, Quebec, in collaboration with all the provincial premiers in Canada, supported a joint statement sent to the Prime Minister calling for a pause on the carbon tax on home heating.

Although the Bloc Québécois claims to work in the interests of Quebec and in collaboration with the Quebec government, it opted to turn against the Premier of Quebec, who supported the Council of the Federation. Instead, the Bloc Québécois decided to support this Liberal Prime Minister. Imagine, a separatist party working hand in hand with the Liberal Party of Canada. I could not make this up.

It is strange, though, considering that in 2021, the Bloc Québécois was calling on the Prime Minister to resign. Today, it wants to be his best friend and dance partner. The Bloc Québécois does not represent the interests of Quebeckers. It has its own agenda. The leader of the Bloc Québécois has formed a coalition with the Prime Minister that will keep the worst government in history in power for another two years. For a separatist party, that makes no sense.

It would be interesting to know what the Prime Minister offered the Bloc Québécois to let him hold onto power, because right now, a vote for the Bloc Québécois is costly.

Climate Change

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago, we announced that for rural Canadians we doubled the quarterly carbon pricing rebate, and we are in discussions with provinces to make heat pumps essentially free for low and middle-income households.

On average, homeowners who switch from oil to heat pumps to heat and cool their homes can save up to $2,500 per year on their energy bills. This is good for families facing affordability challenges.

It is important to have a clear plan toward clean energy that will protect Canadians from the devastating impacts of climate change and ensures that farmers and fishers can continue to produce the food to feed Canadians and the world.

We are committed to transitioning to a clean economy in a way that ensures no one is left behind.

Kids Centre Co-Op Nursery School

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate 50 years of service to the Transcona community by the Kids Centre Co-Op Nursery School.

The centre began in 1973 as a University of Manitoba student project and quickly transformed into a neighbourhood co-op run by a parent board. Today, it supports 76 children out of its location in Raddison School.

I am proud to say that my own family has benefited from the exceptional learning environment offered by the co-op.

I want to give a big thanks to all the parents and staff who have made the co-op a success. I know many teachers at the co-op, including Director Selena, are former parents or students. This is a testament to the quality of their work and the supportive environment it creates.

I am proud to have run on a commitment for a national child care strategy and to have pushed the current government to implement one. It takes many people to make such a strategy successful.

I thank the people at the Kids Centre Co-Op and the child sector generally for their work. I thank the public servants who are administering the child care agreements, including a competent and dedicated team at early learning and child care Manitoba. Our future will be brighter for the work they do.

Pierre Turgeon

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today, this little guy from Rouyn-Noranda is very pleased to rise to honour one of his childhood idols, Pierre Turgeon, who will finally be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Born in Rouyn-Noranda, Pierre Turgeon was not just a good hockey player. He led our town to the Little League Baseball World Series in 1982. This terror on the mound could have been quite the baseball star had he not chosen hockey.

Pierre Turgeon is the fifth person from Abitibi-Témiscamingue to be inducted into the hall of fame, after Dave Keon, Jacques Laperrière, Serge Savard and Rogatien Vachon. When we think of Pierre Turgeon, we think of how he scored 1,327 points in 1,294 games, including 123 points in a single season. We think of how he was awarded the Lady Byng trophy and how he was the team captain who carried the torch when the Montreal Canadiens moved from the Forum to the Molson Centre. He has had an incredible career.

Trained by the Citadelles, Pierre Turgeon will always be a full-fledged member of our community. Our young people still look up to him today. His sports career, modesty, talent and determination make him a great role model. The “magician from Rouyn” made us dream, and that is why number 77 will live on in our hearts forever.

Carbon Tax

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

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, it is clear that the Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

According to a recent Statistics Canada report, one in three Canadians live in a household experiencing financial difficulties. Despite these difficulties, the Prime Minister decided to respond to his declining polls and the revolt of the Atlantic caucus and axe the tax for only 3% of the population residing in Atlantic Canada.

However, it is cold across all of Canada. I have heard from people who are saying that the cost of living has increased so rapidly that it greatly exceeds their income, so they can only afford food that is on sale. Others are going without meals totally.

Canadians deserve better. When an opportunity came to help Canadians, we saw just yesterday that the people in Thunder Bay were not being heard. They elected a Liberal, the MP for Thunder Bay—Superior North, who was proud to vote against this motion.

After eight years, Canadians want and need a new government that takes care of the people.

Climate Change

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide a reality check for the leader of the Conservative Party today. Climate change is real; it is actually happening. As I have pointed out, the Conservatives like to flip-flop all over the place on the issue.

I want to emphasize a point here for the member across the way. When it comes to the financing of oil, electricity and natural gas, which one does he think is the most costly for Canadians? It is oil. One of the ways we can make a good difference is by getting Canadians to look at heat pumps. With the greener homes program, tens of thousands of Canadians are now using heat pumps.

My question for their leader is this. When will the Conservatives wake up, listen to Canadians and realize they need to care about the environment?

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, this Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

Now, he is in a panic to save not only the carbon tax, but his political career, and the Bloc Québécois has swooped in to help. The Bloc voted to keep the tax on home heating, and we learned from La Presse that the Bloc wants to keep the Liberals in power for two years. On top of that, La Presse revealed that there was a call between the Bloc Québécois leader and the Prime Minister about saving this Liberal government's agenda.

In the interest of transparency, will the Prime Minister tell Canadians all the terms of this costly new coalition?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as everyone in this room knows, I am always here to work with anyone who wants to do more to fight climate change and with anyone who wants to do more to help Canadian families during these difficult times.

I am very pleased that the Bloc Québécois recognizes that one of the best ways to fight climate change is to put a price on pollution and help families with the associated costs. That is what we are doing.

I have regular conversations with the Bloc Québécois leader, but we have not discussed this subject recently. The last time we spoke was about Israel and the Middle East. It was a very important conversation with other party leaders.