Debates of Feb. 15th, 2023

The Economy

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

Mr. Speaker, let us look at the facts. After eight years of this Liberal Prime Minister, Canadians have never been in worse financial shape. After eight years of this Liberal government, 44% of Canadians say they could not afford an unexpected $500 expense. After eight years of Liberal promises, nearly half of 35- to 44-year-olds are worried and struggling to pay their bills.

Will the Prime Minister understand that he and his inflationary policies are responsible for this crisis? When will he stop hurting Canadians?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, since this government took office in 2015, we have lifted over 2.7 million people out of poverty by implementing measures that support those who need it most. That is what we continue to do.

We know that times are tough right now. That is why we are providing support so that families can take their children to the dentist and so that there is cheaper child care across the country. We are here to support Canadians.

The Conservatives vote against these measures every single time.

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

Mr. Speaker, does this Prime Minister understand, after eight years of not answering questions in the House, that blaming the Conservatives is not the way to help Canadians? Inflation is at an all-time high. Food is so expensive that some Canadians are going without meals. Middle-class workers are being forced to turn to food banks because they cannot afford to pay their bills. That is all to say nothing of the rising cost of gas and housing, including rent and mortgage rates.

Will the government assume its responsibilities rather than spending its time blaming everyone else?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative opposition has had many opportunities in the House to vote with Canadians.

When we lowered taxes for the middle class, what did the Conservatives do three times? They voted against it. What did the Conservatives do when we introduced a $500 top-up to the housing benefit for Canadians? They voted against it. What did the Conservatives do when we gave more money to Canadian workers from coast to coast to coast? They voted against it.

We are taking action to ensure the well-being of Canadians, and they are voting against that.

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, the territories, the provinces and Quebec asked for $28 billion a year for health care, but they got $4.6 billion. I fully understand that they did not have a choice. It was that or nothing.

To rebuild a decent health care system, reduce emergency room and surgical wait times, and help people grappling with mental health issues, the provinces asked for $28 billion. My question is simple: Is $4.6 billion enough?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

Under our plan, the premiers of the provinces and territories must agree to three key commitments to obtain funding through tailored bilateral agreements, in addition to an immediate top-up to the Canada health transfer, or CHT.

These commitments include collecting, sharing and using vital information on health to guarantee the CHT top-up and entering into tailored bilateral agreements that strengthen the Canada Health Act.

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

Mr. Speaker, the member is quite welcome for the question, and just to show that there are no hard feelings, here is another.

We were talking about $28 billion in new money, but I want to know this. If $4.6 billion is not enough, why give only that much? If $28 billion is too much, someone needs to explain why it is too much. If it is not enough, someone needs to explain why it will remain not enough for 10 years.

Is the legacy of the fiscal imbalance that, over time, Ottawa will run surpluses and, over time, the provinces will financially suffocate?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, the worst thing that can happen to the Bloc Québécois is for the provinces and Quebec to agree with the federal government. That is what happened. We have an agreement with Quebec and all of the provinces to help the pediatric hospitals, to reduce waiting lists and to cut wait times for mental health services.

This is a good deal for Quebec and Quebeckers. It is bad for the Bloc Québécois.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, under the government's watch, people across this country are spending money out of pocket for surgeries. It costs $30,000 for hip surgery and $70 to see a family doctor. In fact, one of the corporations making this happen, Maple, is owned by Loblaws, so Loblaws is not only ripping off Canadians when it comes to their groceries, but is also exploiting the desperation of Canadians who need to see a family doctor.

On top of all this, it is actually against the law. According to the former minister of health under the Liberal government, it is clearly against the law.

When will the government finally stop American-style health care from entering our country?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we believe that all one should need to get health care is a health card, not a credit card. Canadians are proud of this system, and they should be. Our discussions with the premiers included the importance of upholding the Canada Health Act, which means making sure services are based on need and not someone's ability to pay.

We will always protect Canadians' equitable access to universal public health care services, because the role of Canada's Minister of Health is to ensure the Canada Health Act is respected.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, if the government really wants to defend public health care, it should stop American-style health care from entering our country.

The facts are clear. Thousands of people are paying thousands of dollars to have operations. This is clearly against the law. Their former health minister said so herself.

The government has a choice: Will it let American-style health care continue, or will it stop it?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport]

Mr. Speaker, I agree. We believe that all one should need to get health care in Canada is a health card, not a credit card.

Canadians are proud of our system, which is based on need, not ability to pay. Canadians should have access to medical services based on their need, not their ability to pay.

Carbon Pricing

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Prime Minister, it has never been more expensive to grow or buy food.

A Saskatchewan farmer told me yesterday that his carbon tax bill just to dry his grain was $2,000 in one month. The Liberal tariff on fertilizer costs eastern Canadian farmers more than $34 million. Under the Prime Minister's watch, we have lost hundreds of farms to bankruptcy, and food prices are up 12%.

Will the Prime Minister help Canadians put food on the table and axe his farm-killing carbon tax?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the House of the facts: 70% of the prices we are seeing at the pump are related to crude oil prices going up, largely because of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am getting there. Another 25% is a result of provincial taxes and refining margins. We recycle 100% of the revenues to Canadians, with 10% specifically to small businesses and agricultural industries in Canada.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I guess the minister did not understand I was asking a question about agriculture, not about oil prices.

What the Liberals have to understand is their carbon tax has very real consequences. What it is doing is suffocating Canadian farm families and giving Canadian families sticker shock when they go to the grocery store.

It is only going to get worse. When the Liberal-NDP carbon tax coalition triples its carbon tax, a farmer will be paying $150,000 a year in carbon tax. There are consequences. The consequences are that produce is up 13%, bread is up 16% and pasta is up more than 20%.

Will the Prime Minister take responsibility for this food crisis and axe this farm-killing carbon tax?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, as usual, the Conservatives are twisting the information, misquoting the research and talking about a typical farm of 5,000 or 6,000 acres, which is a—

[An hon. member]

Oh, oh!

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, he does not want to hear about everything we do for farmers. We are investing $1.5 billion in environmental farming.

Yesterday we announced $150 million to support the supercluster on protein. We are working with farmers for farmers.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that Liberal minister is completely out of touch with reality. The reality is that after eight years of the Prime Minister, Canadians are struggling to eat and our food sovereignty is in jeopardy.

The Liberal plan to triple the carbon tax is going to price our farm families right out of business. The carbon tax and fertilizer reductions are going to make it more difficult for Canadian farmers. The government is making it more difficult. Here is a news flash: no farms, no food.

Will the Prime Minister take responsibility for empty cupboards and empty stomachs, give Canadian farm families a break and axe the carbon tax?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, once again, my Conservative colleagues missed the point that over eight out of 10 Canadian families actually get more money back than they pay in the context of the carbon tax—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I am sorry. Members started off with a little rumbling, but now there is shouting at the top of their lungs. That is really not acceptable in the House. We can tolerate a bit, but once it starts becoming shouting, it almost becomes bullying and is like members are in a schoolyard trying to bully someone into stopping. I am going to ask everyone to take it down a notch.

We will let the hon. minister continue, please.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, the Conservatives conveniently ignore that eight out of 10 Canadian families actually get more money back than they pay with respect to the price on pollution.

In the modern age, it is not a responsible position for a political party in this country to take to simply ignore the reality of climate change, which the Conservatives do, conveniently, every day in this House. To have a relevant economic plan for this country, we need to have a plan to fight climate change. That is exactly what we are doing—