Debates of May 9th, 2023

Finance

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Conservatives for underscoring just how wonderful our Liberal convention was. It was held here in Ottawa, and it was a great chance to gather together with Liberals from coast to coast to coast.

The facts show that Canada has the lowest deficit and the strongest economy of any G7 country. Our government is there to support Canadians.

The Conservatives oppose what we are doing, yet we are delivering results. This is our duty as Liberals.

Housing

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve is one of the neighbourhoods hardest hit by Montreal's housing crisis.

However, the Liberal member for this riding, who is also the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Housing, refuses to meet with the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve housing committee. Not only that, but she has not provided the organization with any Canada summer jobs positions that would enable it to help renters in the parliamentary secretary's riding.

The Liberals claim that solving the housing crisis is a priority, but their actions say otherwise. When will the Liberals address the housing crisis with the urgency it deserves?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion]

Mr. Speaker, to make housing more affordable for Canadians, we have to build more housing faster.

That is why we are making unprecedented investments to quickly increase the supply of housing and put Canada on track to double the rate of housing construction over the next decade. That is what the federal government's housing plan looks like.

Indigenous Affairs

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the government announced some funding for indigenous shelters and transitional homes that it first promised two years ago. No shovels are in the ground yet, and it could take years before the money is spent. MPs declared the crisis of MMIWG2S an emergency, yet the Liberals have only spent 5% of the violence prevention strategy funding since 2020, plus they are cutting $150 million from women's shelters in September.

Why are the Liberals not acting with the urgency this crisis deserves? Will they reverse the cut to women's shelters?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to talk about the investments we are making and the announcement the government made just this week to fund 22 shelters, including shelters for women and for 2SLGBTQ people fleeing domestic violence and intimate partner violence. We have worked with communities to make sure these shelters will be appropriate and custom built. By the way, they will be supported with operational funding, so the communities will have the certainty that when there is trouble at home, there is a place to go.

Women and Gender Equality

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am a strong believer that the right to choose for women should not be politicized, and I think that many Canadians without a doubt can agree with that. However, here we are politicizing how women can access health care and debating choices they have to make. I believe all Canadians deserve to know what the government is doing to protect the right to choose and access to important health care, including abortion.

Could the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth speak to how our government is increasing access to important health care services, including abortion?

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth]

Mr. Speaker, access to abortion is simply health care. That is why, today, $4.2 million went to Action Canada and UBC to increase access to abortion.

Women's rights are being attacked everywhere, even in this country. An attack on women's rights is an attack on human rights. We will always unequivocally defend a woman's dignity and right to choose her own future.

Carbon Pricing

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Banff—Airdrie, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Budget Officer reports that the Prime Minister's carbon tax will cost families in Alberta an extra $2,800 per year. For a hard-working dad in Airdrie, that could be a month's pay. For a single mom from Cochrane, that might mean two months' rent. For a senior in Crossfield, that is four months of old age security payments.

Because of the Liberal government, life costs more. Will the government finally show some compassion and axe the carbon tax?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, in this document, the platform of the Conservative Party during the last election—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I am going to stop the hon. minister for a second.

Order, please. I want to remind all members that if they are referring to something, it is a reference, but as soon as they hold it up and show something, I am afraid it is a prop.

I will let the hon. minister put his document away and start from the top.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the document from “the man with the plan” states—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order, please. I think we have everything in order. The hon. minister will start from the top, and I am sure everyone will be very quiet and listen to what he has to say.

The hon. minister.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, one would think the Conservative Party of Canada would be in agreement with the platform of the Conservative Party of Canada's last election, but maybe not.

Let me quote from said platform:

Our plan will ensure that all Canadians can do their part to fight climate change, in the way that works best for them, and at a carbon price that is affordable: ...increasing to $50/tonne...

The document further states, “We will assess progress...[so] carbon prices [can be] on a path to $170/tonne.” That is exactly what our government is doing.

They said they were in favour of it in the last campaign. What is going on?

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Banff—Airdrie, AB]

Mr. Speaker, that sort of political answer is absolutely what makes Canadians lose faith in a government like that. The government is laughing at the discomfort Canadians are facing because they are struggling to pay their bills.

If the member and his Prime Minister really believe in their carbon tax, why do they not at least show some solidarity with the one in five Canadians having to skip meals because they cannot afford groceries. Maybe they will show some solidarity and start skipping meals themselves, because those Canadians cannot afford to eat because of their carbon tax.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, climate change is no laughing matter. As we are faced with forest fires in Alberta and as people in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia are faced with flooding, climate change is costing Canadians. According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, in 2021—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I am having a hard time hearing.

The member for Niagara Falls is shouting in my ear, and I am going to ask him to maybe just keep it down. We will let the minister start over again.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, climate change is no laughing matter. People in Edmonton and around Alberta are being evacuated because of forest fires at the beginning of May. People in Quebec, Ontario and B.C. are being evacuated because of flooding. The Parliamentary Budget Officer said that, in 2021, the cost to Canadians of climate change was $20 billion. Climate change is no laughing matter. On this side of the House, we take the issue seriously. It seems that on that side, they do not.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, under the current government, it costs more to live. The Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that if the Prime Minister triples the scam carbon tax to 41¢ a litre on gas, with tax rising on heat and food, it would cost average Alberta families an extra $2,800. Food costs in 2023 are up an extra $1,000 compared with last year. More Canadians are visiting the food bank just to get by. Will the Prime Minister end his plan to triple the cost of gas, groceries and home heating and cancel the carbon tax?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, as my hon. colleague, the Minister of Environment, pointed out just a few minutes ago, that member campaigned in the last federal election under a commitment to implement carbon pricing.

The reality is that we have discovered a way to make sure that we put a price on pollution that makes it more expensive for polluters to damage our atmosphere at the same time as we put more money in the pockets of families. From the moment we formed government in 2015, we have been laser-focused on affordability. We stopped sending child care cheques to millionaires and put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 families. We are putting forward a grocery rebate that is going to help 11 million Canadian households, and we are putting a price on pollution that will clean up our environment and leave families better off. I wish they would finally get on board.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, ever since this Prime Minister came to power, everything costs more. A family of four will have to hand over $1,065 more for food. One in five Canadians is skipping meals, and more and more people are turning to food banks. What is this Prime Minister doing? He is making things worse by increasing the carbon tax. Contrary to what he is saying, this increase has an impact across the country, even in Quebec.

Will he finally get rid of these policies, which increase the price of everything we buy?

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

Mr. Speaker, what Canadians know is that the country is currently grappling with forest fires, floods and the impact of climate change. What Canadians know is that a responsible government does several things at the same time, such as fighting the climate crisis and, with the measures in our budget, helping the people who need it most.

That is what a responsible government does. Unfortunately, the Conservatives have already said that they will vote against our budget and, therefore, against helping Canadians.

Democratic Institutions

[René Villemure, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the government finally expelled the Chinese diplomat involved in intimidating the member for Wellington—Halton Hills and his family. The government did that yesterday, not in 2021, when it found out what was going on.

In other words, the Chinese diplomat was not expelled for threatening the member in 2021. He was expelled because his threats have been making headlines for the past week. The Liberals' main concern is not that an MP was threatened; it is that the public knows they did nothing. That is one more reason they cannot be trusted to shed light on Chinese interference.

When will there be an independent public inquiry?