Debates of Feb. 16th, 2023

Official Languages

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in today's episode of West Island story, the Liberal house is burning.

It just keeps going. Every day, we learn that another Liberal member from Quebec is opposed to modernizing the Official Languages Act. It is even spreading to cabinet. At first, it was just a smoke show, but now it is a fire. The suspense is killing me.

Will there be a free vote on this bill or will all Liberals have to vote as one? If they vote as one, will they vote for or against? We are confused.

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear: Our commitment has not changed. Our government stands firm. We will do everything to protect and promote French across the country, including in Quebec, and protect our official language minority communities.

I am following the work of the committee closely. Our bill will expand the powers of the Commissioner of Official Languages. It will ensure that employees will be able to work and obtain service in French in federally regulated private companies in Quebec as well as outside the province in regions with a strong francophone presence.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the “West Island story” actors keep spouting nonsense.

Canada is an anglophone country, says the member for Westmount. French is not in decline in Quebec, says the member for Saint-Laurent, in between two trips to Greece. I cannot support Bill C‑13 because it contains certain Conservative and Bloc amendments, says the member for Mount Royal.

These are Liberal government members. Will they vote in favour of the Liberal government's Bill C‑13?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I do not see what he is worried about, because the Bloc members will vote against a bill designed to strengthen French in Quebec and across the country and give the Commissioner of Official Languages more powers.

The Bloc Québécois-Conservative coalition is going to try to bring down a bill that is good for French everywhere.

We will take a stand and continue to fight for French everywhere in Canada.

The Economy

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, everyone in our country should be able to find a job that pays the bills, a home that is in their budget and build a good life for themselves and their families, but sadly that is not the case—

[Son hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I am going to ask the hon. member to maybe wait a moment. I will ask everyone to calm down a bit. I am having a hard time hearing the question, and we will want to hear the answer of course, so I am going to ask everybody to take a deep breath and relax a bit.

The hon. member for Burnaby South, from the top, please.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, all Canadian should be able to find a job that pays the bills, find a home that is in their budget and build a good life for themselves and their families. They reality is that this is not the case. The cost of living continues to rise, and paycheques are not keeping up.

When times are tough, that is when the government needs to step, and it is tough right now for people, particularly with their rents. We are seeing rents rise across the country. In my riding of Burnaby South, rents have gone up as much as 30%. We have forced the government to double the GST rebate in the past year. We need that to happened again.

Will the government do that in the upcoming budget to give people some hope?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion]

Mr. Speaker, we are a government that has introduced the groundbreaking Canada housing benefit that is delivering almost $2,500 to vulnerable renters across the country. In partnership with the members of the party opposite, we introduced a top-up to the Canada housing benefit of $500, which is going to almost two million vulnerable Canadian renters.

On this side of the House, we will always have the backs of Canadian renters.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I know it is difficult because we have forced the government to do so many things. I was talking about the GST rebate that we forced the government to do, not just the rental subsidy that we forced it to do.

The reality is that the cost of living is going up, and it is getting harder and harder to make ends meet. When times are tough, it is the government's responsibility to help people. We forced the government to double the GST rebate.

Is the government prepared to do that again in the upcoming budget, to give hope to people who are really struggling because of the cost of living?

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

Mr. Speaker, I acknowledge the efforts of the NDP leader who worked with us on doubling the GST credit, as I acknowledge the support of the House for the one-time $500 top-up to the Canada housing benefit.

My colleagues in the House know very well that I cannot comment on the budget. What I can say is that we will be there for Canadians, as we have been in the past, and we will be there to build a strong economy that benefits everyone.

Carbon Pricing

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, the Liberal Prime Minister is scaring newcomers away. When they are not stuck in this Liberal-made backlog mess, one in five are saying that they are already planning on leaving. The number one reason, according to a new poll, is the high cost of living.

This Liberal inflation is driving up the cost of everything and the Liberals will make things even worse for newcomers when they triple their failed carbon tax.

When will the Liberals show some compassion and axe the failed carbon tax so newcomers actually want to stay, stop forcing them to leave, and keep the heat on?

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

Mr. Speaker, dreams do come true. In March 2022, the member for New Brunswick Southwest said, “The backstop will kick in“ and “cheques will begin to roll out to New Brunswick.” Today, Premier Higgs of New Brunswick decided to go with the federal plan on carbon pricing. He said that they needed to make a choice that was in the best interests of New Brunswickers. We agree with Premier Higgs.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister continues to peddle misinformation. His own budget watchdog has proved that Canadians get less in their pockets than what they have to pay for this failed carbon tax. He has missed every single emissions-reduction target that he set for himself, and emissions have gone up. That sounds like a failed tax plan to me.

When will he stop with the misinformation, stop the virtue signalling and axe the failed carbon tax so Canadians can keep the heat on?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have been Minister of Environment and Climate Change for a year and emissions are down 9% below 2005 levels. Let us keep going. If I may quote again, the premier of New Brunswick, Premier Higgs, talking about—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. Minister of the Environment, from the top, please.

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

Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, I have been Minister of the Environment and Climate Change for a year and our emissions are down 9% below 2005 levels.

Let us keep going. I will quote, again, the premier of New Brunswick, Premier Higgs, who decided to go with the federal pricing system. He said, “What this does right now is provide relief.” We can fight climate change and support Canadians. We agree with the premier of New Brunswick.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the current Liberal government, life is so expensive that Canadians, 20% of the them, are skipping meals in order to make ends meet. It is about to get even worse because the Liberal government is about to triple the carbon tax.

Will the Prime Minister do the right thing and axe the tax, or at least get out of the way so we can fix what he broke?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, it is a critically important issue for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. It is fundamentally why we have rolled out a number of programs to try to support those who are most vulnerable. It is exactly why the price on pollution is refunded, so that eight out of 10 Canadian families, particularly those who live on modest incomes, receive more money than they pay in terms of the price on pollution.

The Conservatives keep quoting the PBO report. I would invite them to actually read it.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, what I find interesting is that the members opposite continuously, when they are asked about the carbon tax, talk about the incentives that are being given out in a monetary fashion from the government, but they are not able to talk about any difference that is being made with regard to the environment.

After eight years of the Liberal Prime Minister, Canadians can no longer afford to eat, or heat or house themselves. Life is expensive. Canadians are feeling the pain. A Conservative government would keep the heat on and take the tax off. Will the Prime Minister do the same?

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

Mr. Speaker, I will say it for a third time today in this House. Emissions pollution under our watch is down 9% below 2005 levels, on our way to reducing them by at least 40% by 2030. Methane emissions are down in the oil and gas sector and sales of electric vehicles—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Dufferin—Caledon.

The Economy

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

Mr. Speaker, the minister has some nerve to quote a 9% reduction. What he does not tell Canadians is that the economy contracted by 5% at the same time. If the Liberals' plan is to reach a 45% reduction, that means the economy has to contract 25%. When they say who they are, believe them. That is their plan for the economy.

When will they admit this disastrous program is only hurting Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, it must really be tough to be a Conservative these days. There is nothing so devastating for a Conservative than for the facts to get in the way of a good economic reality.

There were 150,000 new jobs in January alone, 326,000 new jobs since September and the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the world. We are on a path to grow this economy. Conservatives do not want to help Canadians; we do. That is our plan. We have one, and we are going to deliver.