Debates of May 29th, 2023

Department of Finance—Main Estimates, 2023-24

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Madam Chair, the Bank of Canada officials say inflation is going to go down to 3% this summer. That is good news.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Madam Chair, how much will the government's new spending cost the average household?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Madam Chair, how much did the Harper government's failure to support Canadians after 2008 cost—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Madam Chair, how much will the government's new spending cost the average household?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Madam Chair, the government's investments are supporting those who are vulnerable, and they are driving a strong economic recovery.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Madam Chair, how high do living costs have to go before the Liberal government will take this affordability crisis seriously?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Madam Chair, this is what the Conservatives have not understood: Failure to support Canadians in 2008 led to a protracted recession.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Madam Chair, the government collects GST on carbon taxes. It taxes on a tax. How does the minister justify taxing the taxes that Canadians are paying?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Madam Chair, the real question is, how can the Conservatives justify their flip-flop on climate action?

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Again, Madam Chair, why is the current government condoning taxing taxes? We are in an affordability crisis. How does the government justify taxing taxes?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Madam Chair, the member opposite was elected on a platform that said, “We will assess progress...[so] carbon prices [can be] on a path to $170/tonne.” How does the member explain her flip-flop to Canadians?

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Madam Chair, I was elected on fighting for provincial jurisdiction and respecting that, so I would ask that the minister not put words in my mouth for what I have done.

We are in a housing crisis, and that has been noted by officials, not by this minister or the housing minister, unfortunately. Why is the removal of gatekeepers and red tape not a priority for the current Liberal government?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Madam Chair, it is really astonishing to me that Conservative after Conservative has disavowed the platform that they clearly ran on in 2021. Every Conservative member of the House was elected on that climate plan. How can they disavow it now?

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Madam Chair, again, I asked a question about housing. We are in a housing crisis. Why is the removal of gatekeepers and red tape not a priority for the current Liberal government and this Liberal minister?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Madam Chair, we absolutely believe that Canada needs to build more homes more quickly. That is why we are so glad that our housing accelerator is—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Madam Chair, in the 2015 Liberal Party platform, there was a commitment to balance budgets. Why has the minister abandoned that party platform promise?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Madam Chair, our commitment in 2015 was to not repeat the mistakes of the Conservatives, and to make the necessary investments in Canada and Canadians. That is what we have done. That is why Canada has the strongest growth—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Madam Chair, why has the minister put forward a plan that, by her own account, is unsustainable?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Madam Chair, that is absolutely not the case. By my own account, we are investing in Canadians, driving jobs and growth and—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Madam Chair, we know there is carbon tax 1.0, and carbon tax 2.0 will be coming into effect. Has the minister calculated how much the Liberals' second carbon tax will cost rural Canadians?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Madam Chair, I believe the member opposite is misleading when referring to the clean fuel regulations, which, again, she ran on a platform saying that she would improve the—