Debates of Feb. 16th, 2023

The Economy

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

Mr. Speaker, when one has absolutely lost the argument, one tries to change the channel.

Let us get back to the channel. After eight years of the Liberal government, 35% of Canadians say they find it hard to make ends meet every single month; 25% say that if they get an expense of $500, they cannot pay it. The government is pushing Canadians to bankruptcy.

When will Liberals admit that is what they are doing? If they will not fix it, they should get out of the way, because Conservatives will.

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, it seems that my colleagues across the way have amnesia about when they were cutting cheques for millionaires instead of helping Canadian families. That is why we introduced the CCB in 2016. The CCB has helped over 3.5 million families and six million children in this country. There were 435,000 children lifted out of poverty.

The Conservatives have a lot to learn. When they are busy cutting, we are making sure Canadian families' needs are being met.

Official Languages

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in an open letter to Quebeckers, the member for Westmount tells us that Canada is an anglophone country. Even though he changed the letter after he was criticized for it, I think he told us how he really feels.

To the member for Westmount, defending the Charter of the French Language amounts to attacking the anglophone community, which speaks Canada's only official language.

Will the minister remind the member that the only official language under threat in Canada is French?

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

Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. We are the first government to recognize the decline of French in the country and that is precisely why we are moving forward with an ambitious bill.

As an Acadian who lives in New Brunswick in an official language minority community, I know the importance of protecting and promoting French across the country, including in Quebec.

However, we also have to ensure that we are there to protect official language minority communities. Like stakeholders from one end of the country to another, I look forward to the passage of the bill. Bill C‑13 will really change things in the lives of Canadians.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there are Canada's interests, there are Quebec's interests, and it looks like there are also West Island's interests.

For the actors in “West Island Story”, that is all that matters. They are willing to sacrifice Canada's francophone and Acadian minorities, and they refuse to protect French in Quebec. The only thing that matters to them are the interests of West Island.

Can the minister tell us whether these MPs and ministers in the Liberal caucus will vote for the Liberal bill?

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

Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear, my priority as Minister of Official Languages is to make sure that we are doing everything we can to protect and promote French across the country, including in Quebec. We also have a responsibility to protect official language minority communities.

I think this is a goal we share. It is what we all want. We want to make a fair contribution so that we can bring solutions to this decline problem. I hope that, eventually, this bill will get passed, since implementing this legislation is going to make a real difference. Our stakeholders are eager, they want to see the bill passed, and I hope that happens as soon as possible.

[Denis Trudel, Bloc, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, just imagine: Montreal West Island Integrated Health and Social Services Centre had to take to the media to set the record straight after the member for Saint-Laurent spread misinformation about Bill 96 and the Charter of the French Language.

In Quebec, francophones can get care in French and anglophones can get care in English. Even a patient who speaks neither English nor French can get services in their language, even if that means using interpreters, because we care.

Will the minister call the member for Saint-Laurent to order and demand an apology?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

They care, Mr. Speaker. As for judgment, I am not so sure.

I am glad the Bloc Québécois is interested in French. It just had a whole opposition day, and members could have talked about the environment, our seniors, the fight against poverty or even French, but no, they got together and decided to talk about the Constitution. That is their priority.

Meanwhile, Liberals are working for all Canadians, including all Quebeckers.

Carbon Pricing

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have finally admitted failure. We all know that their carbon tax is not an environmental plan but simply a tax plan. Today, they have admitted that their real plan; the only way that they were able to reduce emissions was because of COVID. The Liberals' carbon tax will cost farmers up to $150,000 a year. That cost is crippling to a family farm.

It has been eight years. For the sake of Canada's farmers and all Canadians, will those Liberals finally axe the tax?

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

Mr. Speaker, that is complete disinformation. It is irresponsible to increase the anxiety of farmers when they are the first ones to be impacted by climate change—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I would ask the hon. minister to please start from the top so that we can hear the full answer.

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

Mr. Speaker, I think my colleague is sharing disinformation; this is totally false. They are twisting the facts of a certain study. They are not giving the full information. It is misinformed, and it is increasing the anxiety of farmers. I think it is totally irresponsible.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I just want to ask all the members, including the ministers, to be very judicious with their words when they are in the House.

The hon. member for Northumberland—Peterborough South.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we heard today from the Governor of the Bank of Canada that after eight years of the Liberal Prime Minister, inflation continues to be a concern and interest rates will stay high for the foreseeable future. Despite the fact that Canadians are continuing to struggle just to heat their homes and to feed their families, on April 1, the Liberal government will increase the inflationary carbon tax.

Will the Prime Minister finally axe this tax or at least get out of the way so that Conservatives can?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in this House, it would be enormously important for Canada if we actually had an official opposition that believed in the reality of climate change and understood that we actually had to have a plan to address climate change. Like our American, British, German and French friends, we plan to address it in a manner that will promote economic growth and opportunity in every region of this country.

We are working to do exactly that to ensure we leave a planet that is sustainable and prosperous for our kids.

Climate Change

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when someone is losing an argument, they distract and deflect. The truth of the matter is that the Liberals are as incompetent at fighting climate change as they are the affordability crisis. The Liberals do not have an environmental plan; they have a tax plan. I was there at public accounts when the environmental commissioner scolded the Liberals for not hitting a single target.

Will the Liberals finally get out of the way so the Conservatives can fight climate change and bring prosperity back to our country?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, when this government came to power in 2015, we inherited a target from the Harper Conservatives, which was 30% below 2005 levels by 2030. The problem with the Harper approach was that there was no plan to achieve that target.

We put together the most comprehensive climate plan Canada has ever had. We built a plan that would not only meet but actually exceed that target. After that, we raised the target by 50% to make it science-aligned to ensure we are actually fighting climate change and doing so in a manner that will leave a prosperous and healthy environment for our children.

Housing

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Uqaqtittiji, rural and remote indigenous communities are in dire need of housing. Nunavummiut are living in canvas tents in the winter, sleeping in shifts in overcrowded rooms and waiting years for adequate housing. Together, the Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik have asked for $500 million over three years, starting in the upcoming budget.

Will the government properly invest in Nunavut housing so northerners can sleep in safe, comfortable homes?

[Terry Duguid, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, the lack of safe, quality housing across the north is unacceptable. This is why our government, in collaboration with partners, is making historic investments. Our government has been clear that we will not impose solutions on northerners. Instead, we will work with them to support their priorities. Through Northern Affairs alone, we are investing $200 million to support housing and related infrastructure in the north. This flexible funding allows territorial partners to continue to advance their most pressing housing needs.

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Mr. Speaker, that answer was not the one expected by the member for Nunavut.

The member asked for $500 million, and $200 million is not even close. In my riding, it is no better. It is Edmonton Griesbach's worst problem. We have indigenous people who are living on the streets and enduring the housing crisis; they have been let down by the Prime Minister and the premier of Alberta. Too many are paying more than they can afford. They are living in overcrowded homes or have no homes at all.

Will the government stop the rhetoric and start investing in indigenous housing, for indigenous and by indigenous, now?

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

Mr. Speaker, we believe in a “for indigenous, by indigenous”-led urban, rural and northern indigenous housing strategy. That is why budget 2022 included over $4 billion more to close the gap in indigenous housing. It included $300 million as an initial investment in a dedicated urban, rural and northern indigenous housing strategy informed by a for indigenous, by indigenous approach, and that is the beginning of the process. We will continue to invest to close that gap.

Justice

[Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since the murder of George Floyd, our government has announced several measures to combat systemic racism.

We know that Black people are overrepresented in prisons. Yesterday, the Minister of Justice announced the establishment of the steering group for Canada's Black justice strategy. Can he tell us more?

[David Lametti, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the member for Bourassa, for his question and for participating in our announcement yesterday. The reality is that Black people are overrepresented in our justice system, both as victims and accused persons.

We therefore established a steering committee consisting of nine Black experts who understand and live the current reality. The discrimination they face is systemic, and our response must be ambitious, comprehensive and fair.

Canadian Heritage

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for over 10 months now, the alliance between the Bloc Québécois and the centralizing Liberal Party of Canada has scorned Quebec with respect to the bill on the CRTC.

Ten months ago, the Quebec government asked to be heard. The Bloc-Liberal alliance refused to respond to that. The Quebec National Assembly voted unanimously on a motion to that effect just this week. There was even one a year ago, but with the complicity of the members of the Bloc-Liberal alliance, nothing was done.

Time is running out. It is imperative that Quebec be heard. Will the Bloc-Liberal alliance agree to hear Quebec in a parliamentary committee, to hear what Quebec has to say and—