Debates of May 29th, 2023

Department of Finance—Main Estimates, 2023-24

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

Madam Chair, last November, the government said that it would balance the budget by 2027.

Now, when will Canada's budget be balanced?

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

Madam Chair, for us, the most important things are jobs and economic growth. We are getting excellent results.

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

Madam Chair, for Canadian taxpayers, the most important thing is having some money left in their pockets.

The Liberal government just invented a second Liberal carbon tax.

Can the Minister of Finance tell us, on average, how much that will cost a family in Quebec?

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

Madam Chair, is the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent talking about the fuel regulations on which, during the 2021 election campaign, the Conservative Party, including members from Quebec—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.

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

Madam Chair, on average, how much will the second Liberal carbon tax cost Quebec families?

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

Madam Chair, Quebec is a province that believes climate action is important, so I think that—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.

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

Madam Chair, the Parliamentary Budget Officer indicated that the second Liberal carbon tax will cost Canadian families an average of $436 more. Is that true or false?

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

Madam Chair, we will assess progress so that the price of carbon is on the path to $170 a tonne. That was the plan—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.

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

Madam Chair, we are not talking about the tax per tonne. We are talking about the money that this is going to cost taxpayers—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Order. The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism on a point of order.

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

Madam Chair, I am sorry to have interrupted my colleague.

My colleague has already directly asked the minister a number of questions, even though we know very well that, in committee of the whole, we have to ask the question through the Chair.

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

If I did not catch it, I apologize.

The hon. member must address his questions and comments through the Chair.

The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.

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

Madam Chair, does the Deputy Prime Minister agree with the Parliamentary Budget Officer, who stated in a report that the Liberal carbon tax will cost Quebec families an average of $436 more, yes or no?

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

Madam Chair, does the member opposite agree with his platform in the 2021 election campaign and with the promises he made to his Quebec constituents, who believe in the importance of action?

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

Madam Chair, does the Deputy Prime Minister agree with the Parliamentary Budget Officer's assertion that the second version of the Liberal carbon tax will cost the average Quebec family an additional $436? Is that true, yes or no?

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

Madam Chair, I agree with the Parliamentary Budget Officer who appeared before the Standing Committee on Finance and said that our plan is fiscally responsible and that our deficit is responsible, especially in comparison with other G7 countries.

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

Madam Chair, does it means an extra $436 for families, yes or no?

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

Madam Chair, is it $170 per tonne as the Conservatives promised, yes or no?

[Stephen Ellis, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Madam Chair, what is Canada's household debt as a percentage of the GDP?

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

Madam Chair, what is the Conservative plan on climate, because we have heard a lot of—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Stephen Ellis, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Madam Chair, why did the Liberal government cancel the clean tidal energy program to produce power in Nova Scotia?