Debates of Dec. 6th, 2023

Oil and Gas Industry

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, it is important for us to have meetings with participants from every sector of the economy. That includes the oil sector of course, but also environmental groups.

Two weeks ago, I had a meeting with people from Environmental Defence, CAN‑Rac and many other environmental groups to have these very important conversations.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the numbers do not lie: The Liberals have met with fossil fuel lobbyists 2,000 times since last year.

The Prime Minister's Office has met with oil and gas companies twice as often as environmental groups, and the Department of Finance has met with them four times as often. Is that having an impact on policy?

Let us follow the money. The Liberals' flagship environmental measures in Bill C‑59 amount to $30.3 billion in subsidies for oil and gas companies.

When will the Liberals finally base their policies on the climate crisis rather than the oil and gas companies' whining?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, as I have already said, it is important that we meet with people from all sectors of the economy. Of course, I have also met many times with the Bloc Québécois.

This week, we announced new regulations to reduce methane emissions by 75%. We are the first country in the world to make this commitment. It is a very important step in fighting climate change, and we are very proud of it.

Carbon Pricing

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister spent the weekend pressuring Liberal senators, demanding that they kill our Conservative bill that would axe the carbon tax for Canadian farmers. Yesterday, those senators bowed to their political master. They used every dirty trick in the book to gut the bill.

The truth is that the Liberals are not hurting us. They are hurting hungry Canadians who cannot afford higher prices for their food.

Why will the Prime Minister not park his ideological admiration for higher taxes for Canadians, give Canadians a Christmas miracle and finally axe the tax for farmers, first nations and families?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity]

Mr. Speaker, there are no Liberal senators and the Conservative senators did not even vote.

We already know the Conservatives do not believe in climate change, but it seems like they do not believe in math either. University of Calgary-based economists conducted a thorough review of our price on pollution and facts are facts: 94% of families that earn less than $50,000 receive more back through our price on pollution than they pay.

In typical Conservative fashion, the member for Carleton and his merry band of climate change deniers want to steal from the poor and give to the rich. It is risky and reckless.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, AB]

Mr. Speaker, that is the most ridiculous answer I have heard in the House today. There is only one group in the House trying to take away from those who are most vulnerable. When will the Liberals finally understand that if we tax the farmers who grow the food and the truckers who ship the food, it is eventually going to cost more for Canadians to buy the food?

When will the Prime Minister set aside his ideological attachment to the carbon tax and finally give a break to farmers, first nations and Canadian families this Christmas?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity]

Mr. Speaker, farmers are on the front lines of the climate crisis. They are the first to feel the effects of floods and droughts. Wheat yields are down 20% in 2023. Why is that? It is climate change, yet unlike the Conservatives, farmers have no problem identifying climate change as the culprit for the reduction in their yields.

Speaking of wheat, if the Conservatives really want to support food security, they should support the breadbasket of Europe. That is Ukraine. Ukraine says it needs assistance in strengthening economic resilience, yet the Conservatives voted against the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement. I urge them to reconsider that shameful vote at third reading.

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Liberal-appointed senators voted to gut common-sense Conservative Bill C-234, an action that betrays farmers.

For the last decade, the Prime Minister has repeatedly made the claim that the Senate and those he appoints to it are independent, yet this weekend proved otherwise. He and his socialist environment minister were busy employing a campaign of bullying and pressure to force his senators to kill this needed carbon tax carve-out. The carbon tax is punishing the farmers who produce the food and the folks who need it.

Will the Prime Minister finally just listen to Canadians and axe his carbon tax?

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

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is well aware that the other place makes decisions on its own.

The Conservative Party of Canada has senators in its caucus. The Conservative Party of Canada does not have a policy or a plan for the environment.

I can assure my hon. colleague that we do have a plan for the environment. That is why we are able to make an investment of $1.5 billion to help farmers and processors reduce their environmental footprint. We have supported and will continue to support our farmers and ranchers in this country.

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

The hon. minister sits right here and I can barely hear him. Let us try to keep the sound down a little.

The hon. member for Battle River—Crowfoot.

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

Mr. Speaker, I know for a fact that farmers are asking the minister to axe the carbon tax.

The Prime Minister promised that the Senate would be independent, but the actions this past week prove that that is a complete farce. We know he bullied his senators. The Prime Minister himself was on the phone over the weekend telling them they had to gut Bill C-234.

The Prime Minister lied and his minions continue to lie about—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

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

Order. The hon. member, who got here at the same time I did, knows full well that he cannot use that word. The hon. member should retract it and apologize.

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

Mr. Speaker, I will not apologize to the Prime Minister when he continues to lie—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

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

I am asking the hon. member to apologize for the second time and retract that word. The hon. member knows full well he cannot use that word in this chamber. This is the last opportunity.

Will the hon. member for Battle River—Crowfoot be retracting it?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is the truth. I will not apologize to the Prime Minister.

Naming of Member

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

Mr. Kurek, I have to name you for disregarding the authority of the Chair.

Pursuant to the authority granted me under Standing Order 11, I order you to withdraw from the House and any participation by video conference for the remainder of this sitting day.

[And Mr. Kurek having withdrawn:]

The hon. member for Port Moody—Coquitlam.

Persons with Disabilities

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in Canada, over half of women with disabilities are living on less than $10,000 a year. They cannot afford the medication they need, nutritious food or housing. Women with disabilities who are facing intimate partner violence cannot afford to get away or to move out of their homes.

The Liberals have failed these women. Will the Prime Minister stop endangering women with disabilities by releasing the Canada disability benefit now?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Minister of Diversity]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for that really important question. It gives me a chance to, first and foremost, acknowledge that this past Sunday was International Day for Persons with Disabilities, an opportunity for all of us to continue to do the hard work to create a barrier-free Canada and to ensure that we create equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.

On Canada's disability benefit, the hon. member knows very well that we are absolutely committed to getting it right and getting it out as quickly as possible. In the true spirit of “Nothing Without Us”, public consultations for regulations are fully accessible and available online. I hope that all Canadians will participate.

Foreign Affairs

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this weekend, violence between Israel and Hamas resumed. More Palestinian children and humanitarian workers have been killed in Netanyahu's bombardment, and there are still many people being held hostage by Hamas. Doctors Without Borders convoys in Gaza were attacked and destroyed, and aid trucks have been blocked. This is not eliminating Hamas; this is destroying an entire population, yet the Liberals and the Conservatives refuse to call for a ceasefire.

Why is the government's position so cowardly in the face of this humanitarian disaster?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we unequivocally condemn the terrorist attacks that happened on October 7 against innocent Israeli civilians, as we, of course, think that it is completely unacceptable that so many women and children, civilians, in Gaza have died in the context of this crisis.

The cycle of violence will not ensure Israel's long-term security, and the price of justice cannot be the suffering of Palestinian people. The violence must stop.

Gender-Based Violence

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Humber River—Black Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today, we remember the 14 young women who were killed during the École Polytechnique massacre. As the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence comes to an end, we are reminded that our work must continue until we achieve a Canada free of gender-based violence.

Can the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth update the House on how our government is addressing the prevention of gender-based violence?

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth]

Mr. Speaker, today, we remember the victims of the massacre at École Polytechnique. The brazen disregard of the safety of women and the clear intent to harm them cast a shadow on our hearts to this day.

Even now, gender-based violence remains a real threat to women. Because of this, our commitment to end it has not changed. That is why we have signed 10 agreements, alongside provinces and territories, through the national action plan to end gender-based violence. This work will not stop until it ends.

Carbon Pricing

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

Mr. Speaker, today, Canadians across the country are feeling betrayed by the Prime Minister's senators, who voted to gut Conservative Bill C-234, a bill that would have provided carbon tax relief for Canadian farmers and for Canadian families who are just trying to put food on the table.

After eight years, will the Prime Minister end his carbon tax obsession and provide relief for Canadians so they can stop turning to food banks?