Debates of Nov. 9th, 2023

Carbon Tax

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, winter has arrived, and the NDP-Liberal government has left Canadians out in the cold. The Prime Minister's carbon tax carve-out of home heating oil leaves 97% of Canadians without relief, including 90% of Saskatchewan homes heated with natural gas. After eight long years, he is once again pitting region against region and Canadian against Canadian.

The common-sense Conservative bill, Bill C-234, offers a solution to this divisiveness through long overdue carbon tax relief for farmers. By axing the tax from the on-farm use of natural gas and propane, farmers would save almost $1 billion between now and 2030.

The alternative is unacceptable. The coalition's plan to quadruple the carbon tax on those who grow the food will make everyone pay more. Farmers will fail, and a great number of Canadians will be forced to make the choice between eating and heating. The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost.

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal-NDP government is just not worth the cost. After eight years of pushing his carbon tax on Canadians, the Prime Minister announced that he was pausing the carbon tax on home heating oil but not on natural gas. This flip-flop will benefit one region of the country while leaving other regions out in the cold.

When asked why they were picking winners and losers, a Liberal cabinet minister said that perhaps they need to elect more Liberals in the Prairies. I wonder what other policies the Liberals have that are based on the way a region votes. They do not support carbon capture and storage, despite its success in my province of Saskatchewan. They do not support liquefied natural gas projects, and new mining projects have to spend millions of dollars and wait for years just to get through the permitting process.

Fortunately, Canada's common-sense Conservatives are here for all Canadians in all regions of the country.

World War II Veterans

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to acknowledge two incredible and brave World War II veterans, Major Naib Singh Grewal and Subedar Kanwal Jit Singh.

There were over 365,000 Sikh soldiers who fought with us and our allies during World War I and World War II, and Major Naib Singh Grewal and Subedar Kanwal Jit Singh were two of them.

Major Naib Singh Grewal served from 1939 to 1945, and Subedar Kanwal Jit Singh served from 1939 to 1947. Both Major Naib Singh Grewal and Subedar Kanwal Jit Singh were a part of some of the most decisive battles of the Burmese front at Imphal and Kohima.

Major Naib Singh Grewal is set to celebrate his 101st birthday in just a few days, and Subedar Kanwal Jit Singh just celebrated his 100th birthday in September.

The Indian Ex-Servicemen Society in my home city of Surrey has been essential in reconnecting Indian veterans and ensuring their well-being through events that are put on throughout the year.

As Veterans' Week wraps up, let us all remember the sacrifices they took to ensure our freedom, safety and well-being.

Taxation

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the living wage reflects what people need to earn to afford the basic necessities of life.

In the village of Daajing Giids on Haida Gwaii, working parents need to each earn $26.25 per hour to afford those necessities. That is the second highest of any B.C. community, and we know many families are struggling to make ends meet.

Why is life is so expensive on Haida Gwaii? It is so remote, and the main access is a seven-hour ferry ride to the mainland, and that is seven hours in good weather.

The northern residents tax deduction was designed to help residents of remote communities with affordability. For over a decade, Haida Gwaii residents have been asking the federal government to provide them with the full deduction. It is a simple change to the Income Tax Act, yet it is one that would make such a big difference for families on Haida Gwaii. I urge the minister and the parliamentary secretary for finance to make this change at the soonest opportunity.

Kevin Lambert

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what a season in the life of Kevin Lambert. Shortlisted for a Prix Goncourt, winner of a Prix Décembre and now, following in the footsteps of Marie-Claire Blais, who incidentally was an inspiration for his latest novel, young writer Kevin Lambert has won the prestigious Prix Médicis, 57 years after his muse.

This is the third time a Quebecker has won the Prix Médicis, following Marie-Claire Blais in 1966 and Dany Laferrière in 2009, and it is a good sign for our literature. I invite people to visit a bookstore and pick up Que notre joie demeure. If that title is not available, they can try Querelle de Roberval or Tu aimeras ce que tu as tué. If those are not available either, people should buy any Quebec book. Our literature is amazing, wacky and creative, and it transports the reader to unsuspected places.

I want to congratulate Kevin Lambert. I want to thank him for making Quebec culture shine and for being a unique voice. I want to thank him for the hours of joy, awe and surprise his pages provide. What a season in the life of Kevin Lambert.

Carbon Tax

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years it has never been more clear that the Prime Minister is not worth the cost. He told Canadians that, if they just paid their costly carbon tax, the NDP-Liberal government would meet their environmental target.

However, in a bombshell report, Canada's environment commissioner revealed that, despite a punishing carbon tax, the Liberals will fail to achieve their own emission targets. In fact, the only time emissions went down under the current government was when the entire economy was shut down. It is all pain and no gain under the NDP-Liberal government.

The truth is finally exposed. The carbon tax was never an environmental plan. It was always just a tax plan. After eight years of environmental failure, the Prime Minister is definitely not worth the cost.

Remembrance Day

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Whitby, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for all Canadians, Remembrance Day is a day to pause and reflect. As the member of Parliament for Whitby, I want to take this opportunity to pay my respects to the veterans of Whitby.

This Saturday my wife and I look forward to attending the ceremonies hosted by branches 112 and 152 of the Royal Canadian Legion and The Court at Brooklin retirement home.

From Vimy Ridge to Juno Beach and various UN peacekeeping missions, all over this country, we remember the courage and sacrifice of the many men and women who fought to preserve what we too often take for granted: our values, our institutions, our freedom and our democracy.

We wear this poppy as a small way to thank the members of our armed forces, past and present. We will forever be indebted to veterans for their courage, their duty, their honour and their selflessness.

Lest we forget.

Foreign Affairs

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, Montreal's Jewish community is being targeted.

This week alone, here is what has happened: a Montreal synagogue has been firebombed, a hate preacher has called for the extermination of Jews, Jewish students have been called the K-word, terrorists have fired bullets at two different schools and the U.K. foreign office has warned of likely terrorist attacks in Canada.

We have all seen the Prime Minister's theatrical words, but what concrete steps has he taken this week to protect Jews and all Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, we unequivocally condemn the attempted firebombing and the shooting at two Jewish schools overnight last night in Montreal. There is no room and there is no place for anti-Semitism in Canada. There is no room and there is no place for hate. There is no room and there is no place for violence.

We condemn this unequivocally. We stand with Jewish Canadians across the country. The SPVM in Montreal is investigating, and we will continue to monitor this situation, call for calm and ensure that Canadians are safe.

Public Services and Procurement

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, fine words will not protect people. We need real action.

The scandal surrounding the Prime Minister's $1-billion green fund is only getting worse. Not only did whistle-blowers compare this fund to the sponsorship scandal, but the chair of the fund also directed $200,000 in taxpayers' money to her own company.

Why did the Prime Minister not fire that chair?

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

Mr. Speaker, let me bring some facts into the Leader of the Opposition's fairy tale. From the moment I learned about an allegation of wrongdoing, I demanded a third party investigation. After receiving the report, we demanded that there be corrective action at the management level and at the board level.

We expect the highest level of governance from any entity that has received money from the Government of Canada.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the minister and the Prime Minister have known for six months about the scandal brewing at their green slush fund. It is a billion-dollar fund that one of its own public servants compared to the sponsorship scandal, saying there was money for nothing. Yesterday, Canadians learned that the chair of the fund directed 200,000 tax dollars to her own company. The minister has known for six months.

Why has the Liberal chair not been fired from the job?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. I would like to provide some facts about his story. As soon as we heard about the allegations regarding the management of funds at that agency, I called for an external investigation to get to the bottom of the matter. Based on the results that we obtained, I asked for corrective action to be taken.

We expect the highest level of governance from all agencies that receive funding from taxpayers. We will continue to get to the bottom of this situation.

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, not only is the Prime Minister not worth the cost, but he also still does not have a climate plan. He said that if Canadians paid his carbon tax, it would save the world, but here are the facts: Canada now ranks 58th out of 63 in climate action; Canada is the only G7 country not to have reduced its emissions below 1990 levels; the Prime Minister has missed seven of eight of his targets over the last decade; and, finally, according to a bombshell report by his own environment commissioner this week, he will not hit his 2030 Paris accord targets.

Why will the Prime Minister not just admit that he does not have a climate plan; he has a tax plan?

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

Mr. Speaker, what the Leader of the Opposition is saying in the House is factually incorrect.

The facts are as follows: We have had the best performance in greenhouse gas reductions since 2019. We have a plan that has been applauded by environmental organizations, research organizations and municipalities. Even the oil companies have applauded our climate plan.

This morning, at the environment committee, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development said that not only is pollution pricing working, but it is responsible for 30% of the emissions reduced in Canada since 2019.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it is funny that the minister keeps focusing on 2019 and the year that followed. That year was the only year in which emissions went down, because the economy was locked down. In every other one of the eight years the Prime Minister has been in power, he has missed his emissions targets.

He now ranks 58th out of 63 nations. He leads the only country in the G7 that has not reduced its emissions below 1990 levels, and his own environment commissioner said that he will not hit his Paris targets.

Will the Liberals finally admit that, after eight years, this carbon tax is all pain and no gain?

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

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, what the Leader of the Opposition is saying is still factually incorrect. We have not missed any of our targets. The only target we have is for 2030.

Canada has missed many targets because, for 10 years, the Conservative Party did nothing to fight climate change. It did nothing to support clean energy. It did nothing to support the electrification of transportation. It did nothing on adaptation. That is why Canada has been missing our targets.

With the current government and Prime Minister, we will meet our targets. We are at 85% of our 2030 target already.

Public Service and Procurement

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, premiers François Legault and Doug Ford released a public statement calling for an open competition to replace the Aurora aircraft. That is all they are asking for, an open competition. The Liberals need to end their policies that are hurting Quebec and the aerospace industry. They have no business offering $9 billion without a bidding process to Boeing instead of Bombardier. They have no business giving Quebeckers' money to the Americans without a competition. Liberal policies are harmful for Quebec, period.

When will the Liberals launch a competition?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for taking the time to ask that very important question.

This gives me an opportunity to say how important the aerospace industry is in Quebec and across the country. It contributes nearly $25 billion to the GDP every year and provides more than 200,000 aerospace jobs across the country, including, obviously, at every supplier in the huge supply chain. That is why we have the opportunity to continue to support it, and we will have the opportunity to continue to do so over the coming years.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Bombardier is not asking for charity; it simply wants to be allowed to compete. Even that is too much for the Liberals. For the oil companies out west or the auto industry in Ontario, the Liberals are there. For Quebec and the aerospace industry, they are there too, but only to get in the way. They generously hand out taxpayer money to the Americans, to keep Americans working, but not Quebeckers.

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry is a Quebecker. When will he stand up for Quebec, bang his fist on the table and launch a competition?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for pointing out the amazing work that the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry and all the other ministers from Quebec accomplish for Quebeckers every day. One example that I am sure he knows about is the Davie shipyard, which is very close to my riding. In March 2023, it became part of Canada's new national shipbuilding strategy, all because of the effective leadership of Liberal members from Quebec over the past few years.

Labour

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today is a good day for Canadian workers. The NDP has achieved a historic result. Anti-scab legislation that will give workers more power to demand better wages and working conditions has been introduced in the House. We used our leverage in Parliament to deliver legislation that the Liberals have always refused to introduce in the past. From now on, there will be a true balance of power at the bargaining table so that labour disputes, like the one at the Port of Québec, do not drag on.

Will the minister commit to working with us to pass this bill as quickly as possible?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Labour and Seniors]

Mr. Speaker, today is indeed a historic day for workers right across this country. Workers in this country have been looking for replacement worker ban legislation for generations, and today we delivered; we tabled the legislation. It was done properly. It was done in great spirit and with a great deal of work and co-operation with the hon. member and many members of his team. I think we have come forward, and I present to the House a simple but historic and meaningful piece of legislation for workers right across this country.

Grocery Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, it is anti-scab legislation thanks to the NDP.

Now, Loblaws and Walmart have rejected the government's voluntary code of conduct on grocery pricing. That is 40% of the Canadian market, which means that the government's voluntary plan has failed.

Conservatives have never raised the issue of food price gouging, but Liberals have a choice, thanks to the NDP. Will they stand up against food price gouging that hurts so many Canadian families? Will they adopt the NDP bill to lower food prices now?

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

Mr. Speaker, we did even more than that. For the first time in Canada's history, we called all the CEOs to come to Ottawa to tell them one thing. We expressed the frustration of 40 million Canadians, and we expect everyone to do their part, including signing the grocery code of conduct to help stabilize prices in Canada.

However, there is one thing that the members on the other side can do to help Canadians, which is to vote for Bill C-56 so we can reform competition and ensure that we have more competition in this country. Why will they not act?