Debates of Feb. 8th, 2023

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, we are making progress; the Prime Minister now understands that we need doctors, nurses, care, surgical procedures and mental health supports. That requires skills, which they do not have. It takes money, which they are holding back.

Could the Prime Minister forget yesterday's negotiation-free monologue and transfer funds to the provinces and Quebec?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers and all Canadians understand full well that it will take additional investments in our health care system. That is what we are doing.

They also know full well that money is not the only solution. We need more family doctors, more support for mental health care, more help for frontline workers, more data, more information to improve the quality of care. That is what we are working on, together with the provinces.

While the Bloc Québécois is looking to pick another fight, I am very eager to work with the provincial premiers to get results for Canadians.

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

Mr. Speaker, I cannot do it here, so let us imagine that I am speaking to someone from outside. I would ask him what he knows about this as someone who has never operated a health care system.

That kind of rhetoric pops up in every election campaign, but let us tell it like it is. Imagine if the NDP took an actual stand, which I believe is possible. Does the Prime Minister really think this kind of hogwash will get his budget passed?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, during the pandemic, the federal government invested an extra $72 billion to keep Canadians safe and secure. Yes, we are here to deliver services and help Canadians, especially those in the armed forces and on indigenous reserves.

We know we can deliver the best services to Canadians by working hand in hand with the provinces and territories. Canadians are counting on us, so that is what we are doing. We will work hand in hand, not constantly pick fights like the Bloc.

Justice

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, there has been a 32% rise in violent crime, a doubling of gang murders, and police and innocent Canadians being murdered by violent repeat offenders getting bail and being back on our streets, day after day. This is Canada after eight years of the Prime Minister's broken Liberal bail system, and yet he voted against taking action on this issue.

What is it going to take for the Prime Minister to fix the bail system and keep repeat violent offenders off our streets?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, our top priority on this side of the House is always the safety of our communities. That is why we have continued to make innovations and investments in bail reform and why we continue to work with the provinces and territories on these issues.

We will make sure we are keeping Canadians safe, but the Conservatives' so-called focus on community safety does not explain their opposition to stronger gun control laws. We are going to continue to step up to make sure there is a freeze on handgun ownership across this country and that we keep assault-style weapons banned across the country. The Conservatives continue to be in the pockets of the Canadian NRA.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, that answer is not good enough for victims of violent repeat offenders. It is not good enough for their families. They deserve results.

All 13 premiers, the police and all big-city mayors in Ontario are united in saying this is the Prime Minister's issue to solve, and yet the Prime Minister refuses to lift a finger to keep violent repeat offenders out of our communities. To top it off, he is the one who broke the Liberal bail system.

Can we really trust that he is going to be the one to fix it when he is the one who broke it?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to be there for victims of crime. We will continue to ensure there is less violent crime so that fewer people are made victims.

When we moved forward on our bill, Bill C-75, we did not change the criteria for when accused persons can be released. The bill put in place a reverse onus for certain firearms offences, meaning it is up to the accused to prove they can be released. The law is clear that people should be detained if that is necessary to protect public safety.

I know the Minister of Justice will continue to work with his counterparts across the country to ensure we are keeping people safe.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, this bail crisis is a crisis of the Prime Minister's own making. What he is doing is not working. Violent crime in the last eight years is up 32%. The Liberal minister loves to stand up and say Canadians deserve to feel safe. What Canadians are saying is they deserve to be safe. Canadians do not have the privilege to travel with armed guards like the Prime Minister does.

After eight years, the Prime Minister is badly out of touch. Will he take responsibility today for his broken bail system and commit to changing it today?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice will continue to work with his provincial counterparts to see what improvements can be made, but while the members opposite continue to attack the improvements that were made to the system, they are misinforming Canadians.

When we brought out, for example, the criteria for when accused persons can be released, they were not changed by Bill C-75. The law is clear that people should be detained if that is necessary to protect public safety. The bill also put in place a reverse onus for certain firearms offences, meaning it is up to the accused to prove they can be released.

We are going to continue to stand up for Canadians.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's Bill C-5 passed with the full support of the Bloc Québécois and the NDP. This legislation endangers the lives of Quebec women. Consider the case of Jonathan Gravel. He was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and yet will be allowed to serve his sentence in the comfort of his own home, thanks to the Prime Minister.

If a man can rape a woman, and the only consequence is that he has to stay home with Netflix and a cold beer, then this government is deluded if it thinks it is protecting women. Shame on the Prime Minister. When will he do the right thing for victims and ensure that criminals stay behind bars?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we know that survivors of sexual assault deserve a justice system that treats them with respect and dignity, a system that they can trust.

We have made it very clear that serious crimes must carry serious penalties. It is important that our justice system include a mechanism that allows for decisions to be appealed and reviewed.

Seniors

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, during the pandemic, we heard horrific reports from long-term care homes, stories of seniors crying out for food and water and seniors being left in soiled diapers and linens. The Prime Minister promised to change that and did the opposite. Families say things have not gotten better.

In the offer to the premiers, there is no mention of long-term care, no additional dollars and no help for seniors. Why?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we have seen first-hand the challenges seniors in long-term care faced across the pandemic, and all Canadians know we all need to act together. That is why we welcomed the release by the Health Standards Organization and the Canadian Standards Association, which is a good start to new standards.

We have also provided $4 billion to support provinces and territories in their efforts to improve long-term care in their jurisdictions, because regardless of where they live, we will continue to ensure seniors receive the quality of care they deserve.

Housing

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem admitted that the government's approach to dealing with the inflation, rate hike after rate hike, has only made things worse for Canadians. Household debt and the cost of housing are through the roof. Now what we are dealing with is a Prime Minister who promised to make it more affordable for people to find homes to call their own but has done the opposite.

Why has the Prime Minister made it so expensive to find a home to call one's own?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, in our last budget, we moved forward with historic investments to support people buying their homes, whether it is by moving forward to eliminate some of the predatory practices in the real estate market, moving forward with $4 billion for municipalities to accelerate the construction of new homes to create more opportunities for buyers and renters, or moving forward with a tax-free savings account for first-time homebuyers to help them buy their own homes. We know there is much more to do and we are going to continue doing it by working with all parliamentarians.

Health

[Peter Schiefke, Liberal, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

Mr. Speaker, many of my constituents depend on a functioning health care system.

Whether we are talking about emergency rooms, intensive care units or long-term care, they need their staff to have all the resources necessary to care for our children, our seniors and the most vulnerable.

Can the Prime Minister update the House on the recent progress made with his provincial and territorial counterparts toward ensuring that everyone has access to high-quality health care?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague from Vaudreuil—Soulanges that our health care system is facing significant challenges. That is why we are working with the provinces and territories to ensure that all Canadians have access to a quality health care system.

As a result of this work, yesterday we announced $198 billion in federal funding for health care over the next 10 years, including $48 billion in new funding.

This will ensure that Canadians have access to more family doctors, shorter wait times, better mental health services and more.

Carbon Pricing

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Liberal Prime Minister, it has never been more expensive to grow or to buy food, and it is going to get worse. When the Liberal-NDP carbon tax coalition triples its tax, the typical farmer will pay $150,000 a year in the carbon tax alone. There are consequences. Not only will this bankrupt farms; it will drive record-high food prices even higher.

Will the Prime Minister take responsibility for putting our food security at risk and axe his farm-killing carbon tax?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, in my conversations with farmers over the years, I have heard directly from them how concerned they are about the long-term sustainability of their families, of their industries and of their ability to continue to deliver high-quality food to all Canadians. That is why they are focused on fighting climate change and doing so in a way that is going to make sure we are building a stronger future for everyone.

We will continue to work with farmers across this country to make sure they are equipped for the changes that are coming while at the same time able to continue to thrive in their communities and in their families as they work hard to feed all Canadians.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the number one concern of Canadian farmers, the number one threat to their livelihood, is Liberal government policy. The Liberals have to understand there are consequences. Taxing Canadian food production is taxing Canadian families out of being able to put food on the table.

The consequences are that grocery prices are up 11%, the highest in 40 years. Let us put that specifically. Vegetables are up 13%, pasta is up more than 20% and margarine is up more than 30%. Canadian families cannot afford to put food on the table.

Yesterday I had a poultry farmer, Hessel, call me and say his carbon tax bill for the month of January is $20,000. Will the Prime Minister cut the carbon—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The right hon. Prime Minister.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the farmers I speak to talk about the fact that flood, drought, fire and upheavals in our climate are the challenges they are most worried about for their kids and grandkids, and continuing—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I am just going to interrupt. I am going to help the whip.

Please continue.