Debates of May 10th, 2023

Passports

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, right now, veterans across the country are being reminded of what the Conservatives did with veterans. They wrap themselves in the flags and the symbols any time they can, but they, in fact, nickelled and dimed our veterans, used them for photo ops and shut down nine veteran services offices across the country so they could try to save a little money through cuts.

Conservatives have always disrespected veterans while wrapping themselves in the imagery. We are going to continue to deliver for veterans every single day.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, despite that high school drama production, he just closed every single veterans office in Canada by causing the biggest strike in Canadian history.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order. There seems to be some excitement building. I want to nip it in the bud. We are here to have a clear debate, which means that when someone is speaking, members do not shout, regardless of what side one is on.

The hon. Leader of the Opposition may take it from the top, please.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the new passport they are so excited about, they have erased Vimy Ridge to put in an image of a squirrel eating a nut. They have erased Terry Fox, a guy who ran halfway across the country to fight cancer, to put in a man raking leaves, and they have erased Quebec City to put in what appears to be an image of the Prime Minister in his boyhood swimming at Harrington Lake.

Could the Prime Minister be any more out of touch with Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives are trying to pick fights here in the House, we are focused on delivering for Canadians. As we move forward with the budget implementation act, which would protect homeowners with anti-house flipping measures, we are stepping up on—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I will have to interrupt the right hon. Prime Minister. It seems to be starting to pick up again, so I will ask everyone to listen to each other, not interrupt each other.

The right hon. Prime Minister may begin from the top, please.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, while the Conservative Party continues to try to pick fights in the House, this government is focused on delivering for Canadians, for hard-working families and for workers. While they filibuster at committee against the budget implementation act, which would create greater transfers for workers with the Canada workers benefit, we are delivering anti-flipping measures to help homeowners and moving forward with significant measures to help Canadians.

They are playing games. We are focused on affordability for Canadians. They are focused on picking fights.

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister found out about the closing of the Main, a famous deli, he tweeted, “Ouch”, but his “Ouch” was not for the 35-year-long employee who lost his job; his “Ouch” was that he is not going to be able to eat his favourite sandwich anymore. We found out from a loyal customer that the reason why the Main closed is that food prices have skyrocketed under the Prime Minister. He is determined now to increase his carbon tax threefold, which will send food prices flying higher.

Why does he not park his plane, cancel the hypocrisy and axe the tax?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Trudeau—Mr. Speaker, Montrealers, like Canadians all across the country, care deeply—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I do not think I have to remind members not to use proper names.

Order. Members have gotten it out of their system; now let us go on.

The Right Hon. Prime Minister, from the top, please.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Montrealers, like Canadians all across the country, care deeply about protecting the environment and also know that the only way to create good jobs, strong communities and a better future is to fight climate change while we build a stronger economy. That is exactly what we have a plan to do. That is why we put a price on pollution and are sending the climate action incentive back to Canadians, where it applies, so that eight out of 10 Canadians are doing better with that.

We are fighting climate change and building a stronger economy, two things that the Conservatives apparently know nothing about.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the only one thing that the Prime Minister wants to know about is himself. That is why he cannot help but use his own name right here on the floor of the House of Commons.

It is why the only concern he had about a business closing is that he is not going to get his favourite sandwich. That means people are losing their jobs. Customers are losing the ability to eat. One in five Canadians is skipping meals now, after eight years of the Prime Minister, and 1.5 million are going to the food bank. The carbon tax hits the farmers who make the food and the truckers who ship it, and therefore it taxes the food itself.

Why will he not bring down food prices, bring home lower prices and axe the tax?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, if the member opposite wants to talk about how we use social media respectively, let us remind everyone that he used misogynistic, anti-women hashtags to make sure that he was reaching out to dark corners of the Internet with all of his YouTube videos until we called him out for it.

That kind of misogyny, the casual approach that they take on that side against fighting for women's rights, around reopening the abortion debate, around being absolutely irresponsible with the approach of standing up for rights, continues from them. So, yes, let us judge each other on our social media. I look forward to Canadians looking carefully at what he says.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

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

Mr. Speaker, the Quebec government has taken a firm position against the federal government's plans to bring 500,000 immigrants into the country every year.

There are challenges related to the cost for the health care system, the cost for the education system, the cost for child care services, and the housing crisis. Obviously, language and culture are fundamental concerns.

I would like to hear directly from the Prime Minister what he has to say to the Premier of Quebec about imposing his new immigration targets.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, every year, the federal government puts forward a three-year immigration plan. This plan takes account of economic challenges, the labour shortage and forecasts for positive growth nationally.

Of course, Quebec has tremendous control over its own immigration thresholds. When it comes to Canada, however, the federal government decides.

Not only are we putting forward a responsible plan for economic growth, we are doing more than any other federal government to protect the French language and promote francophone immigration.

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

Mr. Speaker, Coalition Avenir Québec is opposed to the idea of 500,000 immigrants a year. Our own cousins in the Parti Québécois are obviously against it. Québec Solidaire, cousins to their NDP bedfellows, are very uncomfortable with the idea. The Liberals in Quebec City, the blood of their blood, are no more in agreement with it than anyone else. No one in the National Assembly agrees with this.

What does the Prime Minister have to say to the Quebec National Assembly?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we presented our immigration numbers in November. It took Pierre Karl Péladeau and Québecor putting it on the front page for the Bloc to wake up.

The reality is that we are going to continue to table an ambitious plan to meet our country's economic needs, for the growth that we are going to create in communities across this country. We still respect Quebec and we will still protect the French language. When I go to Abitibi, Beauce or any other region in Quebec, business owners are telling me that they need workers. That is exactly what we are delivering.

Pharmacare

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has a very cozy friendship with the pharmaceutical industry. In fact, in less than a year, it met with the pharmaceutical lobbyists more than 126 times. It is no wonder we are the third most expensive place for medication in the world.

In 2017, the Prime Minister promised to make a small change that would have significantly reduced the cost of medication but has yet to do it six years later, so when will the Prime Minister stop protecting billionaires and start protecting Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, no one in Canada should have to choose between putting food on their table and paying for their prescription medications. That is why we are continuing our work to lower drug prices. The member opposite speaks about small changes. We have made big changes by moving forward on bulk-buying power, by including and developing a national strategy for drugs for rare diseases and by progressing toward a universal national pharmacare program, which includes tabling legislation and working to have it passed by the end of this year.

We will continue to work to build a better health care system for all Canadians, and we welcome everyone in this House working together on that.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister made a promise in 2017, and six years later has not done it, because he in the pocket of the pharmaceutical industry.

Canada is the third most expensive country for medication in the world. That is really something, if medication is more expensive here than in Germany, France or Australia. The only countries where medication is more expensive are the United States and Switzerland. It is not that hard to understand why.

Why are the Liberals in the pocket of big pharma? When will the Prime Minister stop protecting billionaires and start protecting people who need their medications?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, over the years, we have taken concrete steps to lower the cost of medication, and we will continue to do so, especially by developing a national strategy for drugs for rare diseases and progressing toward a universal national pharmacare program. This includes tabling legislation and working to ensure that it gets passed by the end of this year.

We will continue to work to build a better health care system for all Canadians.

Housing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, since the Prime Minister promised to lower the cost of housing, the cost of an average down payment has doubled, the cost of a mortgage payment has doubled, and the cost of the average rent in Canada's 10 largest cities has doubled.

What did the Prime Minister do for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the agency responsible for housing? He increased the bonuses paid to executives. The fact is, 100% of the executives received a bonus, which translates into $25 million in bonuses paid by people who are buying homes.

Why are Canadians being asked to pay twice?