Debates of Dec. 7th, 2023

Carbon Pricing

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

Mr. Speaker, there is only one caucus in Parliament that is losing its mind, and it is the Conservatives, because the Conservative senators did not show up to vote on Bill C-234 in the other place.

We are happy to be here as long as it takes, because we will always stand up for Canadians and we will always stand against bullies.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that is the exact opposite of what the minister said yesterday. Because of ministers like this, more Canadians than ever will use food banks, and more simply will go without any food at all. For the new year, everyone is going to spend $700 more on groceries.

While the Liberals fight for a few extra days of Christmas vacation, we are going to fight for Canadians, and then we will send the Prime Minister on the permanent vacation that Canadians desperately want him to take.

Why will the Liberals not axe the tax for families, for farmers and for first nations, for good?

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

Mr. Speaker, 98% of farm fuel emissions are already not impacted by the price on pollution. Farmers, though, are on the front lines of climate change. They understand the critical importance of addressing the climate issue. There are many factors that are contributing to the rise of food prices in Canada and around the world, including the war in Ukraine.

While the Conservatives continue to vote against Ukraine and oppose the free trade agreement they need in their fight against Russia, we are taking action to reduce, to ensure affordability for Canadians and to support the government of Ukraine.

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

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of this Prime Minister, grocery prices are skyrocketing. Canada's Food Price Report is saying that families will be paying $700 more for food next year. The price of meat, fresh vegetables and baked goods will rise by 7% again next year.

The costly Bloc-Liberal coalition continues to want to drastically increase the inflationary taxes that are driving up the cost of everything. It is costly to vote for the Bloc Québécois.

Will this Prime Minister reconsider his intention to drastically increase the carbon tax for farmers and families so that people no longer have to go hungry?

[Jenna Sudds, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, every day that I come into the House and take my seat, I am humbled, as I know all of my colleagues on this side of the House are, to work on behalf of Canadians.

We talk about the need to support Canadians, but just yesterday, every Conservative on that side of the House voted against a national school food policy, a policy that would have given food to children so they would not be hungry at school.

We will continue to do everything to support Canadian families.

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

Mr. Speaker, what is true after eight years of this Liberal government is that children are asking for gift cards so they can eat at Christmas. That is unacceptable.

After eight years of this Prime Minister, housing prices have doubled and interest rates are through the roof. Grocery prices have risen by 23% and will continue to rise next year.

Will the Liberals do the right thing for once and vote to end the carbon tax so grocery prices can come down and people can have enough to eat this Christmas?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, every Canadian and every Quebecker knows that the Conservatives do not support the less fortunate. Our government is the one supporting all Canadians, including the less fortunate.

This month, UNICEF released data showing that poverty levels in Canada have decreased by 22%. The Conservatives only know how to make cuts. We are here for all Canadians, especially the less fortunate.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers take in 48% of all the people who seek asylum in Canada. It is costing us $460 million. Quebeckers deserve to be reimbursed, not insulted.

However, not only is the Minister of Immigration refusing to reimburse them, but, in committee on Tuesday, he reiterated his plan to send Quebec another bill. We provide 100% of the services and foot 100% of the bill, yet he thinks Quebeckers owe even more money. I cannot make this stuff up.

The Minister of Immigration is meeting with his Quebec counterpart tomorrow. Will he check his arrogance at the door and bring his chequebook instead?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, what is arrogant is to think that a relationship is a one-way street.

We have a great partnership with Quebec. I hope to meet with Quebec's representative tomorrow. Hopefully everything will be settled in the House of Commons in terms of our marathon votes. That is not related, but the fact is that we are going to meet with my counterpart from Quebec. We will have a good discussion. Hopefully, afterwards, we will have a discussion with our respective finance ministers.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about collaboration. What is the federal government doing for asylum seekers? They are the federal government's responsibility, after all. It offers zero social services. It pays 0% of the bill, and the icing on the cake is that Ottawa's delays in issuing work permits and reviewing applications mean that Quebeckers pay even more.

In short, Quebeckers provide 100% of the services, pay 100% of the bill and, because of federal incompetence, pay too much. We can do without the lessons.

Tomorrow, will he tell the minister that he is reimbursing Quebeckers?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, only the Bloc Québécois would say that $700 million a year, plus millions in social transfers in blocks with no strings attached is nothing, but let us leave it at that.

Grocery Industry

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, seven million Canadians are struggling now because they have to use food banks. The price of food is going to up by $700 next year just to put food on the table.

In committee this morning, the Walmart CEO said that he is not supporting a stronger Competition Bureau. Maybe that is why the Leader of the Opposition did everything he could to block the legislation.

Galen Weston, as we all know, earns 431 times what his average employee makes and thinks that his $12-million bonus was reasonable. What is the Prime Minister going to do to bring down grocery prices and end the free ride for these CEOs?

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

Mr. Speaker, Bill C‑56 will enable us to further strengthen the Competition Bureau and put consumers' interests first. I hope our colleagues will support this bill, because it is important. It will help harmonize and freeze prices and bring down the prices of basic goods.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, seven million Canadians, including more and more workers, are using food banks because they cannot afford groceries. Today we learned that they will have to budget an extra $700 for groceries in 2024.

This morning, Galen Weston, who earns his employees' annual salary in the time it takes to make himself a coffee, told the committee that his $12-million bonus was reasonable.

What is the Prime Minister going to do to lower prices and put these CEOs in their place?

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

Mr. Speaker, we are monitoring the measures the grocers are taking to provide relief, including commitments to harmonize prices, freeze them, and give discounts on basic necessities.

We are also working on long-term solutions to improve competition in the grocery sector. Bill C‑56 will allow the Competition Bureau to hold grocers responsible and give priority to consumers' interests.

We are closely monitoring what the CEOs are doing.

Carbon Pricing

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, Canadians are learning the hard way that the Prime Minister is simply not worth the cost. The latest food price report shows that Canadians are bracing for another devastating blow next year, with families being forced to pay over $700 more for groceries. That is on top of all the price increases the Prime Minister's carbon tax and inflationary deficits have already caused.

Instead of making food more expensive with planned tax hikes, why do the Liberals not support our common-sense plan to take the carbon tax off families, first nations and farmers?

[Jenna Sudds, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives continue to do all they can to paralyze government, we are here to work on behalf of Canadians and are happy to do so.

We will continue to make the necessary investments in our social programs, in the Canada child benefit and in our $10-a-day national early learning and child care program. These programs are transformational for Canadian families, saving them hundreds of dollars each and every month. We will continue to work hard on behalf of Canadian families.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the transformation the government has caused to families is that working people now have to go to food banks after eight years of the Prime Minister.

Let me read a quote from the food price report: “Canadians are reducing their expenditures on groceries, either by reducing the quantity or quality of food they are buying”. This is unbelievable. This is in Canada. We used to have a high quality of life, especially for working people, and now people with jobs have to put water in their milk or literally go hungry.

Do the Liberals not realize what they have done to this country? When will they finally take the tax off so food prices can come down?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons from the Conservatives when it comes to supporting the most vulnerable in Canada.

Let us review the facts. UNICEF came out with a report just this month that showed child poverty in Canada has decreased by 22% compared to where the Conservatives left Canadians. Under our government, 2.3 million more Canadians have been lifted out of poverty.

The Conservatives know how to cut. They do not know how to support Canadians.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, farmers are protesting, first nations are taking the Liberal government to court and families literally have to choose: “Do we eat, or do we heat our homes?” This is Canada after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, and now Canadians get to pay $700 more for food. Merry Christmas, brought to them by the Liberal government. Canadians would have preferred a lump of coal.

Will the Prime Minister finally listen to Canadians and take the carbon tax off farmers, families and first nations?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, Canada today has 1.1 million more jobs than before COVID. The jobs recovery has been six months faster than it was after the 2008 recession, when the Conservatives were in office. Canada's GDP is more than 104% higher now than it was before COVID. The GDP recovery was four months faster than after the 2008 recession, which was much more mild.

The Conservatives do not know how to support the most vulnerable among us and they do not know how to have an economic plan for jobs either. We do.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister wants to talk numbers; that is great. Let us talk about the two million Canadians who visited a food bank in a single month as a result of the NDP-Liberal government. About 800,000 Ontarians went to the food bank. It would be like the third-largest city in Ontario being dependent on a food bank for food.

The finance minister says she will not take lessons. Even a third grader could figure out the Liberals have destroyed Canadians and driven them to food banks. They could fix it if they cared. All they have to do is take the carbon tax off families, first nations and farmers. Will they do it?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, for once, we heard something true from the Conservatives. Yes, the finance minister does believe in talking about numbers, so let us talk about some numbers. There are 1.1 million more jobs in Canada now than before COVID. Eight out of 10 Canadians have more money in their pockets thanks to carbon pricing.

Last week, I was in Edmonton. We have one of the largest investments in Canadian history, more than $11 billion from Dow. Do members know why? It is because of our price on pollution. That is what the Dow CEO told us was underpinning his investment—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. member for Portneuf—Jacques Cartier.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Christmas is fast approaching and to me it would make sense to give Canadian families a bit of help.

Our motion today calls on the government to leave more money in the pockets of Canadian workers. Aided and abetted by the Bloc Québécois, the Liberals want to radically tax—even more—with the carbon tax.

Will the Prime Minister repeal his carbon tax on farmers and Canadian families?