Debates of May 29th, 2023

Emergency Preparedness

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, thousands of Nova Scotians had to flee their homes as wildfires spread across the province.

One fire is ongoing and still not under control in the Upper Tantallon and Hammonds Plains areas of my riding of Halifax West. People's homes have been put at risk in the blink of an eye. The situation is so serious that Halifax regional municipality has declared a state of local emergency.

Could the Minister of Emergency Preparedness update the House on the situation on the ground and the conversations our government has been having with the province?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague from Halifax West for this very important question and for the strong advocacy of all of our colleagues from Nova Scotia.

Let me first take the opportunity to commend the incredible hard work being done by firefighters, first responders and community volunteers, who have been working tirelessly to protect Nova Scotians throughout this event.

We are hearing reports that many homes have been lost, and our thoughts are with the over 16,000 people who have been displaced during this extremely challenging time. My office has been in regular contact with our provincial counterparts. I spoke with Minister John Lohr of the provincial government this morning to ensure that they will have the support they need. Our shared priority is the safety of all Nova Scotians. We will be there to help all of those impacted as they recover from this tragic event.

Carbon Pricing

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, while Canadians are struggling to put food on the table, pay their mortgages and put gas in their cars, the Liberals are doubling down on their disastrous carbon tax, a tax that will increase the cost of a litre of gas by 41¢ and increase the price of everything.

Now, the Liberals' second carbon tax would add 17¢. Including GST, that is 61¢. Just how high does the Prime Minister want prices to go?

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

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives do not seem to realize that there is a cost to climate change.

There was a $9-billion impact to the Canadian economy, in B.C. in particular, from the fires, drought and floods. Six hundred people died under the heat dome, and there was a $4-billion impact from hurricane Fiona. Fires are raging in Nova Scotia and northern Alberta.

What is it going to take for the Conservatives to stop the denial and take climate change seriously?

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister does not care about monetary policy, Canadians pay the price.

These combined carbon taxes would cost Saskatchewan families $2,840. That means fewer available dollars for groceries, gas and mortgage payments. The Liberal financial crisis has already forced 1.5 million Canadians to use food banks in a single month.

With gas prices already at $1.60 a litre, just how high does the government want prices to go?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, we are barely at the start of the hot summer season and fires and forest fires are burning in several places in Canada, which will entail extraordinary costs for families, municipalities, the provinces and the federal government. It is totally irresponsible of the Conservatives to want to not only get rid of the price on pollution, but also vote against the budget that proposes meaningful measures to help families while inflation is high. It is irresponsible.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Speaker, carbon tax 1 and 2 would hammer Atlantic Canadians, with it ranging from $2,081 in P.E.I. to $2,166 in my home province.

Atlantic premiers, including the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, begged the Prime Minister to not put carbon tax on home heating fuel. Their request fell on deaf ears.

Now these premiers, including Premier Furey, ask the environment minister to not implement carbon tax 2. Will the Liberal government stop trampling over the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and axe this useless carbon tax?

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Minister of Rural Economic Development]

Mr. Speaker, we have heard from our colleagues on both sides of the House about the devastating fires in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. I would like to remind my colleagues about the devastation of hurricane Fiona. All that comes with a price. It is sad that the others do not have a plan to address all this because there is more coming. I hope and pray that no one is hurt in this because there are more disasters coming. We have a plan to address this climate change. I wish the people across the aisle did.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Speaker, there they go again with that stupid guilt trip. Fishermen like the Jacobs brothers—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I am sorry. I know it is an emotional word, but I do not think it is a parliamentary word. I am going to let the hon. member start over and use proper language, please.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Speaker, there they go again with that unbelievable guilt trip. The Jacobs brothers from Fogo Island and fishermen like them who take to the ocean in Canada's most dangerous profession are going to be hammered when a carbon tax is placed on the very fuel that they need to feed their families. Will the current government that knows its carbon tax is a failure axe this useless carbon tax and stop trampling on the people of Newfoundland and Labrador?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, I think that we can all agree that affordability is very important. That is why we have put into place programs like the heat pump program, which will directly benefit Atlantic Canadians disproportionately across the country.

However, it is also important that we actually have a plan to fight climate change, which is an existential threat to the future of the human race. It is appalling that the party opposite has no plan to fight climate change. It has no plan for the economy of the future in terms of building an economy that can thrive in a low-carbon future. Later this week, I will be in Newfoundland to make a major announcement that is the direct result of having an appropriate, thoughtful plan to fight climate change.

Democratic Institutions

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, according to rapporteur David Johnston, Chinese interference is everyone's fault. Yes, it is the fault of the media, CSIS and officials. In short, it is everyone's fault except that of China and, above all, that of the government.

Seriously, the government wants an inquiry into Chinese interference that does not talk about China's interference or about the Liberals, who were the targets. No one will accept such a charade.

When will there be an independent public commission of inquiry?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as the government, we took action from the start to create authorities to review our measures to counter foreign interference in our democratic institutions.

A committee of parliamentarians representing all parties and having access to the most sensitive information will evaluate all measures that are in place and make recommendations to the government on how we can further strengthen the measures we implemented.

That is precisely the work we look forward to doing with all parliamentarians.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is incredible what the government would have us swallow if we were to accept Mr. Johnston's findings.

The investigation into Chinese interference would not be about interference, simply about the bureaucratic process. David Johnston, the man chosen by the Prime Minister, would be at the helm to the very end. Furthermore, his findings would only be disclosed behind closed doors to people who would then be sworn to secrecy for the rest of their lives.

That is ridiculous. If that is not an attempt to obfuscate, what is it?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, all of Canada's national security allies are taking appropriate action to protect Canada's most secret national security information. I know the Bloc Québécois does not like that, but that is exactly how a responsible government works.

However, we have accepted the special rapporteur's recommendations on the difficulties in order to share information with political leaders within the government. The good news is that my colleague from Public Safety and the Prime Minister have addressed these deficiencies.

Carbon Pricing

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this Prime Minister is dropping the hammer on Canadian families who are already struggling to put food on the table. He is crushing Canadians with yet another carbon tax on July 1.

Here is what is going to happen: Canadian farmers are already facing $150,000 a year in carbon taxes on carbon tax 1. Carbon tax 2 will make farming financially impossible. It will also increase diesel prices 25¢ a litre, further driving up the cost of food. Eight million Canadians are already using a food bank every single month. The Liberals should be embarrassed. Why does this Prime Minister not realize that when the government increases taxes, farmers go bankrupt and Canadians go hungry?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, what I find very disturbing is that we have not heard a single word about the wildfires from the Conservative Party of Canada that are raging across the country right now. Instead of talking about the impacts—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order. I just want to remind people that shouting someone down can be considered a form of bullying, and nobody wants to be accused of being a bully.

The hon. minister from the top, please.

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I guess I hit a nerve with the Conservatives, because they are quite agitated about the fact that I pointed out—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Regina—Lewvan has a very strong voice and tends to drown everyone out. I just want to remind him to keep it down.

The hon. minister from the top again, please.

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I guess I hit a nerve with the Conservatives, because they are recognizing that they have not spoken about wildfires and the thousands of their own constituents who have been driven from their homes.

Instead of talking about the real impact and cost of climate change, they choose to talk about the fact that we have a plan and are actually fighting it because we care about Canadians, we care about their future, and there is no future for Canadians if we are not protecting their livelihoods, and their lives quite frankly, and making sure that we are fighting climate change while protecting them.