Debates of Dec. 12th, 2023

Carbon Pricing

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is desperate to distract from the misery he has caused here at home. I wonder if he could, just for once, think about Canadians instead of thinking about himself.

We have two million Canadians lined up for food banks, which is a record-smashing number. He has doubled the cost of housing. He wants to quadruple the carbon tax. Nine in 10 young people say that they will never be able to afford a home. We understand that, with this miserable record, he does not want to talk about Canada or Canadians. He would rather spread falsehoods about far away foreign lands. Will he not stand up for once for Canada? Will he not axe the tax so our families can—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The right hon. Prime Minister.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative leader's partisan vitriol and performance games are hurting Canadians. Let us talk about the Conservatives' record directly.

When it came to 988, the suicide crisis help line, how did they vote? They voted against it.

When it came to the Lac-Mégantic rail bypass, how did they vote? They voted against it.

When it came to the new Montreal Holocaust Museum on the first night of Hanukkah, how did they vote? They voted against it.

There is clearly nothing this Conservative leader will not compromise.

Dental Care

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I tried to understand the government's new dental care program, but it is not simple. There are three types of dental insurance: private insurance for those who have it, the federal program and Quebec's program. However, there is only one jurisdiction, and that belongs to Quebec.

Since it should be easy to explain if it is simple, and since the Liberal government keeps compulsively tossing candy to the NDP to try to keep its government going a little longer, can the Prime Minister at least explain his hodgepodge of a dental program to us?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is funny that the Bloc Québécois leader mentions candy, because we have a dental plan to help children who have cavities. We have brought in a plan that will help families across the country who are unable to send their children to the dentist right now. Starting next year, we will be there for seniors with dental care. We will be there for young people under 18 who need dental care and cannot afford it. Eventually, we will cover all Canadians who cannot afford to pay for dental care.

We know that oral health is important for overall health, and we are there to help families.

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is pretty much what we were told about dental health back in grade three, but that does not explain the program. However, I get that it is hard to explain.

The government announced a slapdash program that puts the private sector front and centre, which is surprising coming from the NDP, and that interferes in an area under Quebec's jurisdiction, although that part is no shocker coming from either the Liberals or the NDP.

When the Prime Minister authorized the announcement of the dental care program, was it the health of Canadians he had in mind, or the strength, survival and ideology of his alliance with the NDP?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we know that too many Canadians have no access to dental care. We are a government that has always been there to invest in Canadians and to help them socially and economically. We know that many families that have to pay for their own dental care end up going without other things, such as groceries or rent.

Now, we are making sure that Canadians will no longer have to make hard choices when it comes to dental care, because we are there to help them. It is something that matters to Canadians, and we are there for them.

Foreign Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, to date, 20,000 Palestinian civilians have been killed in Gaza, more than half of whom are women and children. Despite this, the Liberals and the Conservatives refuse to call for a ceasefire. It is appalling. It is inhumane. The NDP has been calling for a ceasefire and the release of all hostages for the past two months.

An important vote is taking place today at the UN. We know that the Liberals refuse to listen to those who have lost their families, but perhaps they will listen to their donors, who are starting to turn their backs on the party.

At the UN today, will Canada vote for a ceasefire, yes or no?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, for the past nine weeks, the Government of Canada has taken a responsible stance in defending civilians and seeking a two-state solution with Israelis and Palestinians, so that they can live in safety and security, in countries recognized by the international community. We will do everything we can to ensure that Canadians are united and to curb the rise in hate, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism that we are experiencing. This government will continue to be there for everyone.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal position is appalling, not responsible. For two months, this government sat and watched while 18,000 innocent civilians lost their lives, and it has refused to call for a ceasefire. We need a ceasefire. We need the hostages removed.

Last week, it was reported that Liberal donors were withholding support because of the moral failure of the Liberals. Today, there is an important vote at the United Nations. The Liberals have failed to listen to the Palestinian people and to Canadian Palestinians. Will they at least listen to their fundraisers and vote for a ceasefire today?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, since October 7, we have recognized the terrorist attack by Hamas that killed well over 1,000 innocent Israelis, and we have recognized Israel's right to defend itself. At the same time, the cost of justice cannot be the continued suffering of all Palestinian civilians.

That is why we are continuing to put forward, including today, in a statement with Australia and New Zealand, a strong and clear Canadian position that we will continue to work with allies around the world on moving toward a two-state solution, with peace for Israelis and peace for Palestinians, living side by side.

Public Services and Procurement

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there has been explosive testimony made by a whistle-blower on the Prime Minister's billion-dollar green slush fund, which has seen $150 million misappropriated to Liberal insiders. Senior NDP-Liberal government officials have said that there is no plan to get Canadians back their missing millions.

After eight years of the Prime Minister, it is clear that he is not worth the cost. It is probably why he would not even stick around.

Will the Prime Minister shut down the slush fund and get Canadians back their money?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is shocking but not surprising to see the Conservative ideology on full display.

We are seeing that Conservatives are willing to attack anyone and any institution that would fight climate change, even institutions that were voted for by the Parliament in 2001. Now the Conservatives are calling into question the integrity of one of the top accounting firms in the country.

We will fight for Canadians. We will fight climate change, and we will restore governance in that institution.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we are fighting Liberal corruption. We will keep doing that. This minister and his chief of staff, although they say it did not happen, were briefed on what was going on at SDTC. It was done orally, so they would not be subject to ATIP rules.

There are 150 million missing dollars, given outside the funding agreement, and we have two Liberal-appointed board members who are under investigation by the Ethics Commissioner. We have an Auditor General investigation, and we have whistle-blowers blowing the lid off this thing, which shows that this minister and the Prime Minister do not have the courage to fight for Canadian tax dollars.

Where are the missing millions? Who got rich?

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

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we will fight for Canadians every day. Let us be very clear. We are seeing, again, for Canadians who are watching at home to not be fooled, the Conservative ideology to fight against anyone, any institution, even one they voted for in this House in 2001, that would fight climate change.

We suspended the funding of the organization. We called for an investigation. The leadership has resigned. We will get to the bottom of this.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the minister will not tell us which Liberals got rich. Government officials, last night, admitted that they were in every single board meeting where this happened in the Liberal green slush fund.

According to the whistle-blower, the former chair and directors took over $150 million of taxpayer money to their own companies. Government officials were present during these meetings and allowed it to happen.

Why did the minister not fire these corrupt Liberal directors?

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, it is great to see my hon. colleague from Atlantic Canada stand up. I wish he and his seven other colleagues had stood up last week.

On this side of the House, we know the great work that the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency does for communities, for not-for-profits and for businesses. If the member truly believed in the great work of ACOA, he would have done what his colleague from Cariboo—Prince George did, who abstained on his beliefs.

What is he going to say to the people of South Shore—St. Margarets and the 108 projects that ACOA funds in his riding? I am going to tell them we have their backs.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it is just not good enough that they will not deal with Liberal corruption at the green Liberal slush fund. In fact, it took the minister 35 months under his watch to suspend the green slush fund when his own officials were in the meeting. The whistle-blower testified last night that the chair of the green slush fund tried to get $2.2 million from the fund into her own vanity project, the Verschuren Centre, a direct conflict of interest.

Since industry officials were in the meeting, why did the minister not fire this Liberal corrupt director the minute that happened?

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

Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons from the Conservatives. Just last week, Canadians saw them vote against CSIS. They voted against funding for affordable child care in this country. They voted to cut the Canadian dental care program.

On this side of the House, we will stand up for Canadians. We will stand up for growth, and we will continue to fight for Canadians at every step of the way.

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

Mr. Speaker, the billion-dollar Liberal green fund paid out $150 million in subsidies to Liberal cronies over a period of months, despite the fact that government officials, his eyes and ears on the green fund board, attended meetings during which Liberal friends lined their pockets.

After eight years, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost. Instead of continuing his cover-up, can the Prime Minister tell us when his Liberal friends will return their ill-gotten gains to Canadians?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are all about “chop, chop, chop”. Last week, the Conservative leader ordered his far-right caucus to cut funding for the Canadian Coast Guard's search and rescue activities. The Coast Guard saves lives. The Conservatives stood up 120 times to vote against measures that support Canadians. Shame on them.

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

Mr. Speaker, this costly NDP-Liberal government learned in May that Liberal friends it had appointed to the Liberal green fund board had dipped into the $1‑billion fund to further their own interests. What did the minister do about it? Nothing.

It gets worse. The minister “lied”, to quote a whistle-blower who testified at committee. He let it happen, and Liberal friends continued to line their pockets with more money. After eight years, this Prime Minister is not worth the cost of all the payouts to his cronies. When will Canadians get their money back?

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

Mr. Speaker, the minister has already adequately answered this question.

What we do not know is why the opposition member, just a few days ago, voted against the dental plan that was announced yesterday. In his riding, nearly 30,000 people will be eligible for this dental plan by 2025. Without this plan, they would not be able to go to the dentist or dental hygienist, which would create the kinds of serious health problems that often land people in the ER or hospital.

Why did the member betray the interests of 30,000 people in his riding?