Debates of Dec. 14th, 2023

Climate Change

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

Mr. Speaker, it is refreshing to have a question on the reality and the importance of climate change in this House. In fact, we are picking up the pace. When we came into power, in 2015, emissions were going through the roof and now we have been able to reduce emissions levels by 7% below the 2005 level. That is like removing more than 20 million cars, in terms of climate change pollution, from our roads. We know we have more to do and that is why, in the last year alone, we have introduced six new pieces of regulation to ensure that Canada reaches its target in 2030.

Indigenous Affairs

[Ben Carr, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, indigenous people living in urban, rural and northern areas face unique challenges accessing adequate housing and do not qualify for support that is provided to indigenous people living on reserve. Through budgets 2022 and 2023, the government has committed to the codevelopment of a dedicated urban, rural and northern indigenous housing strategy to address these gaps.

Just last week, the House considered funding for this strategy. That is something that the Conservative leader voted to cut. Can the Minister of Indigenous Services tell us how this funding will be used to address the housing challenges facing indigenous people in urban, rural and northern areas?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, last week, it was shameful to see the Conservative Party members get up, all night long, to vote against all of the things that indigenous people need, such as health care, education and housing. While the Conservatives play games with people's lives, on this side we are hard at work. That is why it was so exciting to announce the next steps toward rolling out a historic $4.3 billion toward “by indigenous, for indigenous” housing. That is what working for Canadians looks like.

Carbon Pricing

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Haass Acres has been operating as a family farm since 1930. The family farms about 2,000 acres, and this year they will pay $10,000 in carbon tax, which will quadruple to $40,000. That may not seem like a lot to the Prime Minister and his trust fund, but it is a lot to the Haass family.

Will the Prime Minister call Brian Haass? Will he explain to him how he expects him to pay this extra $40,000? Should he raise prices on Canadians, or should he cut production so that Canadians are forced to import food from foreign polluting farms?

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, just a few days ago, Conservative members voted against the interests of farmers. Just a few days ago, they also voted against measures to promote women's participation in the economy, against free menstrual products, against funding for sexual misconduct investigations and against subsidizing child care. What do the Conservatives have against measures that support women?

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that is classic Liberal deflection. When the Liberals are down, they will deflect at every fact they can.

These are the facts: Under the Prime Minister, housing prices have doubled. Under the Prime Minister, food bank usage is the highest in history. On the OECD, we rank 35 out of 38 in teen mental health. There is suicide.

Who feeds families? Farmers do. Who are the Liberals cutting? They are cutting out farmers. Will the Liberals axe the tax and make life affordable? The jig is up. Everybody knows the Liberals are not telling the truth.

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

We cannot say whether someone has been telling the truth or not telling the truth. Members are to be careful on that stuff.

The hon. government House leader.

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

Mr. Speaker, if the Conservatives want to talk about deflection, it is because they do not want to talk about the vote they took against the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement. There is only one member on the other side who has had the courage of her convictions to stand up to the bullying MAGA style of their leader, and that is the member for Lethbridge.

I heard a lot of members try to say that they support Ukraine over the past couple of days, but actions speak louder than words. Just a couple of days ago, the Conservatives voted against Canada's NATO mission in Ukraine. They need to stop deflecting. They should be honest with Canadians about why they are not supporting Ukraine. Is it because there are several members who are MAGA-style Conservatives? It is a question Canadians need to ask.

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

Mr. Speaker, that is embarrassing deflection from the party that sent back to Russia a gas turbine that is funding Putin's war. It is absolutely embarrassing for those Liberals. They have so much to answer for in how they have abandoned Ukraine where it counts.

Darren is a turkey farmer I spoke to today. He paid $30,000 in the last year in carbon tax. By the time it is quadrupled, it will be almost $120,000. My questions to those Liberals is simple. Do they expect him to raise costs, or to cut back production so that Canadians are forced to import food from polluting foreign jurisdictions?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to food security, we always have to remember that the breadbasket of the world is a country called Ukraine. I am going to use the name of that country deliberately because, when one cannot—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

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

Order, please.

The hon. member for Salaberry—Suroît on a point of order. There seems to be an issue with the interpretation.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this is too much. When interpreters tell us three times that it is too noisy to interpret and they are getting hurt, it is time to stop.

It is our last day. Let us be adults.

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

I would remind the members that we are almost done.

Let us try to keep the temperature down so we can get through this. Interpretation is a challenge on occasions when there is a lot of noise in the chamber.

The hon. Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I use the term “Ukraine” deliberately because, when somebody who aspires to lead this nation is incapable of saying the term “Ukraine” and is calling that nation, which is fighting for its very existence, a faraway foreign land, I find that not just disrespectful to our ally, but immoral.

We, on this side of the House, will stand by Ukraine.

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

Mr. Speaker, how embarrassing. This week, Liberals abandoned Israel at the United Nations, and the member should know that it is Canadian detonators that are ending up in the fields of Ukrainian farmers. They should be absolutely embarrassed and ashamed of themselves for abandoning the farmers of Ukraine.

When it comes to the cost that Canadian farmers are paying for the carbon tax, here is the reality. For Darren, he has to recoup $120,000 somehow. This is an uncomfortable question because high prices are a feature, not a flaw, of the carbon tax. How do Liberals expect Darren to pay the bills?

[Maninder Sidhu, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Export Promotion]

Mr. Speaker, the member mentioned Ukraine. It was shameful to see Conservative MPs attempt, not once, but five times, to silence the MP for Etobicoke Centre when he pointed out the Conservative voting record against supporting Ukraine.

Former Conservative cabinet minister Peter Kent—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

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

Order. We are almost at three o'clock, and the more we attack one another, the louder it is going to get in here. I would suggest that everybody bring it down a notch. Christmas is coming.

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

[Maninder Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, former Conservative cabinet minister Peter Kent put it this way, “When partisan politics trumps principled unity and support for a valiant democracy.” He was referring to the Conservative record of voting against Ukraine and free trade. No amount of doublespeak or MP talking points will change that.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, 2023 has been an extremely difficult year for farmers: rising interest rates, rising input prices, floods, droughts. It is one thing after another.

Meanwhile, the federal government is abandoning them. Ottawa's investments in agriculture do not even amount to 5% of agricultural production value. That is four times less than in Europe.

The government must immediately set up an emergency fund for struggling farmers. We have been saying this for months. Canada also needs to claw its way up from the bottom of the world's agricultural investment rankings.

When is this government going to support our farmers?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I did meet with my hon. colleague yesterday, and I fully understand the concern he has. The program is under what we call the business risk management program, which is put together by the federal government, the provincial government and the territories. The guidelines have been put in place.

As I said yesterday to my hon. colleague, anything I can do to help the farmers in Quebec, I will do, but there are guidelines to follow.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, 2023 was a terrible year for our farmers. Fortunately, there is an easy way to make sure that 2024 is better.

The federal government can push back the January 18 loan forgiveness repayment deadline for the emergency account. That is an easy way to prevent farms from going bankrupt. It is an easy measure that will provide much relief to farmers who are working like mad, but are still walking a tightrope.

Could we please get some good news before the holidays? Will the government push back the January 18 deadline?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, as far as the emergency business account is concerned, I would remind members that during COVID‑19, our government was there to support businesses with the wage subsidy, the rent subsidy and the emergency account.

There are plans available for repaying the emergency account. Plan A, the business owner has the money, repays the government loan and qualifies for loan forgiveness. Plan B, the business owner takes out a commercial loan, repays the CEBA and qualifies for loan forgiveness. Plan C, the business owner stays with us for another three years and pays 5% interest.

Carbon Pricing

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, the cost of food production is at an all-time high. The truckers who transport our grain, deliver the fertilizer and the fuel farmers need, and haul our groceries to the stores for Canadians to buy, pay the carbon tax, but pass it along to the farmer and the consumer.

A trucking company in Swift Current pays $20,000 per truck, per year, in carbon tax. Once the Prime Minister quadruples its cost to $80,000, how does he expect it to pay for this? Will it be through raising prices on Canadians, or should our farmers cut back on production so we are forced to import food from polluting foreign farms?