House of Commons Hansard #266 of the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was ukraine.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Bill C-59—Proposal to Apply Standing Order 69.1 Andrew Scheer raises a point of order arguing Bill C-59 is an omnibus bill that should be divided for voting under Standing Order 69.1. He contends it contains unrelated measures and its main purpose is not budget implementation, citing previous rulings. He proposes dividing the bill into multiple thematic groupings for separate votes. 1600 words, 10 minutes.
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, 2023 Report stage of Bill C-57. The bill is concurred in at report stage and moved to third reading; subsequent debate is dominated by procedural points of order about a Liberal MP's remarks on Conservative party votes. 900 words, 10 minutes.
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, 2023 Third reading of Bill C-57. The bill implements the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement. Liberals support it, arguing it is vital for Ukraine and criticizing Conservatives' opposition, which they link to the US MAGA movement. Conservatives oppose primarily due to carbon pricing language, calling it a "poison pill" and asserting principled opposition, while criticizing Liberal actions they say harmed Ukraine. Bloc and NDP support the bill but raise concerns about ISDS and the negotiation process. 18300 words, 2 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Ways and Means Motion No. 19—Speaker's Ruling The Speaker rules on a point of order challenging the admissibility of Ways and Means Motion No. 19 and Bill C-59. The Official Opposition argued the motion/bill is substantially the same as two private members' bills already in committee, violating the same question rule. The Speaker finds Bill C-59 is broader in scope and not substantially similar, allowing it to proceed. 1500 words.
Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023 Second reading of Bill C-59. The bill C-59 implements certain provisions of the 2023 budget and fall economic statement. Debate focuses on its impact, with Conservatives arguing it adds inflationary deficits and is "false advertising" by funding bureaucracy instead of promised programs like affordable housing or a school food program, contributing to high costs and housing unaffordability. 15300 words, 2 hours.
Canadian Aviation Regulations Members debate Motion No. 96 concerning alleged shortfalls in Canadian aviation regulations for airport rescue and firefighting. Issues discussed include response times and the rescue mandate. Some Members argue for urgent action to align with international standards, while others contend the matter requires further study at committee. 6300 words, 1 hour.
Jean-Denis Garon Bloc Mirabel, QC
Madam Speaker, on a point of order, we know that Private Members' Business will begin at 5:42 p.m. If the leader of the official opposition continues until 5:42 p.m., I would like to know if he could come back tomorrow morning to answer questions.
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes
It is up to the Leader of the Opposition to decide whether to continue his intervention tomorrow when the House reconvenes.
The hon. Leader of the Opposition.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Madam Speaker, the NDP was happy to see all these financial institutions and billionaires increase their wealth, not because of the invention of any new, great product, but because they had the government shovelling printed cash into their vaults.
We believe in entrepreneurial capitalism where someone can make money by producing goods and services that make other people better off. They believe in the state crony capitalism where someone gets rich by favours from the state. We believe that people should be able to make money. They believe that people should be able to take money. We want businesses that get ahead by having the best product. They want businesses that get ahead by having the best lobbyist. We want businesses that are obsessed with consumers. They want businesses obsessed with—
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes
We have a point of order from the hon. member for Elmwood—Transcona.
Daniel Blaikie NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Madam Speaker, I noticed the leader of the Conservative Party does not want to answer questions. He has ditched his glasses. His hair is getting more voluminous. Is he trying to replace the Prime Minister?
Bill C-59 Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023Government Orders
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes
The member has unlimited time and it is his right.
The hon. Leader of the Opposition.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Madam Speaker, I can understand why the NDP is so sensitive, because their betrayal of the working-class people they have so long claimed to represent is becoming more clear the longer I speak, and they are desperate to silence that voice. Everywhere I go, I meet working-class New Democrats, people who voted for the NDP their whole lives, who say that they have been betrayed and that is why they are now standing with the common-sense Conservatives.
The reality is that when $600 billion of cash is created, is funnelled through the financial system and is lent out to wealthy investors, they are obviously going to bid up land and housing costs, which they did. One of the critiques, of the bought-and-paid-for Liberal press gallery, of my documentary is to claim that it was COVID that caused housing prices to go up. First of all, that does not explain why they went up so much more in Canada than in all the other countries in the world, where they also had COVID.
Second, it does not make any sense. All of the phenomena related to COVID should have brought house prices down. Immigration was ground to a halt. Wages dropped. Job losses occurred. A recession happened. All of those things are typically associated with declining house prices, not rising house prices. Do not just take my word for it, CMHC predicted, in the spring of 2020, that these COVID phenomena would lead to a 32% drop in house prices. What caused the market to reverse what otherwise would have been such a serious drop and instead turned into a 50% increase in two years in house prices? Obviously, it was the massive flood of new cash into the financial system, which was lent out. We need to have accountability for that.
Why does this matter, given that the quantitative easing program seems to be over for now? We have to elect a government that would never use the central bank as a personal ATM, to print cash, to inflate costs and to destroy the purchasing power of the working class. When I am Prime Minister, we will get the central bank back to its core mandate of stable, low prices, not paying off politicians' spending. That is common sense.
What we are really talking about here is common sense. I am proposing common-sense measures that are attracting the support of Canadians across the political spectrum and in every corner of the country. Let us start with my first priority of common sense, which is to bring home lower prices. How are we going to do that? We are going to start by axing the tax.
Everything the Prime Minister said about the carbon tax has proven false. First, he said the tax would never go above $50 a tonne. Well, it has gone above that already, and he admits he is going to quadruple it. It is going to go up to $170 a tonne, plus there will be a second carbon tax caked on top of it, which would have the effect of quadrupling the current tax from roughly, depending on the province, 15¢ or 16¢ a litre, up to 61¢ a litre. That is his radical and insane plan, fully supported by the NDP. The NDP wants to raise taxes on working-class Canadians for the crime of heating their homes, gassing their trucks or feeding their family food grown on a farm.
That is the choice in the next election. We are going to have a carbon tax election. The Prime Minister could try to avoid it—
Kody Blois Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I would like to seek unanimous consent to ask the member opposite a question specific to what he is talking about right now.
Some hon. members
No.
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes
The hon. Leader of the Opposition.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Madam Speaker, I am glad that member stood up. I know the question he was going to ask. He was going to say—
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am confused. The Leader of the Opposition just said that the next election would be a carbon tax election, but I would like to know what will happen in Quebec, since the carbon tax does not apply to Quebec.
I want to know what—
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes
I am sorry, but that is a point of debate.
The hon. Leader of the Opposition.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Madam Speaker, I know the member for Kings—Hants was going to ask me about the monstrous axe the tax rally I held in his community. Roughly 1,000 people crammed into that room. If I could pay the member a compliment, he represents some great people. They are wonderful, common-sense people, but I am afraid they are very unhappy with the member.
I am told that what happened is he found out about the size of the rally and the number of people who were going and had a total meltdown. He burst into tears. He called the PMO and said that, when he was growing up, he was told he would always be somebody. He was going to be an important guy, and now he was on the verge of losing his seat. He said that if the PMO did not give him a pause on the carbon tax, he was going to march out of the caucus. He then whipped up a group of Atlantic MPs, and they marched over to the Prime Minister's Office and began banging on the door and said—
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes
The member for Kings—Hants is rising on a point of order.
Kody Blois Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to ask the member a question.
Some hon. members
No.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Madam Speaker, all the Atlantic MPs were banging on the door. The Prime Minister was behind the door in a fetal position, sucking on his thumb and crying his eyes out, because his Liberal MPs were threatening to walk out of caucus. He walked out—
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes
The hon. member for Elmwood—Transcona is rising on a point of order.
Daniel Blaikie NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Madam Speaker, when the leader of the Conservative Party decides to get his first job outside politics, I wonder if he too will be a drama teacher.
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes
I could not even hear what the hon. member for Elmwood—Transcona was saying, so I will ask him to repeat it.
Daniel Blaikie NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Madam Speaker, I am sorry I was not loud enough the first time.
I was wondering aloud if, when the leader of the Conservative Party decides to get his first job outside politics, he will be a—
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes
That is not a point of order, but a point of debate.
The hon. Leader of the Opposition.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Madam Speaker, so says the guy who has been living off a parliamentary paycheque since he was born, because his dad was a member of Parliament. He still is.
The reality is that the member for Kings—Hants was among those Liberal MPs banging on the door, begging the Prime Minister to relent on his carbon tax.
The Prime Minister, shaking on the ground, finally agreed to relent. Out he walked to an unannounced, unscheduled press conference, without any written materials. It was not even in his itinerary moments earlier. He announced that he would put in a temporary three-year pause, but just for some people, in regions where his poll numbers were plummeting and his caucus was revolting. There is now that temporary pause on the carbon tax, a carve-out.
His environment minister said there would be no more carve-outs. There already have been. For example, there is no carbon tax on the industrial sector in Canada. It has a carve-out. There is no carbon tax on large cement plants or concrete factories—
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes
The hon. member for Jonquière is rising on a point of order.