Debates of June 6th, 2023

Democratic Institutions

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Johnston was forced to remain behind a veil of ignorance. By his own admission today, he said that he was not aware of information that the former Conservative leader already knew about the government in Beijing spreading disinformation using state organs. This is on top of learning today that Mr. Johnston hired a lifelong Liberal donor who was at a fundraiser with the leader of the Liberal Party just two years ago.

In addition to other Liberal consultants and NDP strategists to do damage control, will we put an end to the act, fire this rapporteur and call a public inquiry now?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, let me read a quote on the former governor general:

I think we're dealing with a very credible individual, and I think that that distant history bears little relevance to the fact that he has a very distinguished career. If we're suggesting just because at some point in history he was appointed by a former Conservative prime minister that he should be disqualified from participating in public life, I think that is a little bit extreme. This is a very qualified individual, and frankly, I haven't heard anybody question his integrity, and I have no reason to do so.

That was the Leader of the Opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, that is another reason it is so tragic that the Prime Minister has destroyed the reputation of this man. By putting a former member of the Trudeau Foundation in this terrible position and surrounding him with Liberal staffers, Liberal donors and Liberal lawyers, he has ruined perceived objectivity and caused a conflict of interest, one that he could reverse at any time.

Why will the Prime Minister not put an end to the charade and launch a full public inquiry now?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as the Leader of the Opposition formerly said, David Johnston is a man of integrity, and when I chose to appoint him to be an independent expert, I did not hold against him the fact that he had been appointed by Conservatives in the past. I knew that his judgment was top-notch, and that is what he has demonstrated every step of the way.

The judgment in question is the judgment of the Leader of the Opposition, who continues to refuse to get briefed on top secret matters that would allow him to understand what is actually going on with foreign interference, instead of making baseless personal attacks.

Housing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it is no longer just me who is pointing out that deficits cause inflation. It is the former Liberal finance minister John Manley, who said the government is putting its foot on the inflationary gas while the Bank of Canada is slamming its foot on the brakes by raising interest rates on Canadians. There are literally hundreds of thousands of families that took on big mortgages when interest rates were artificially low that will face massive increases in their monthly payments when they come up for renewal if the rates do not go back down.

Will the Prime Minister balance the budget to bring down inflation and interest rates so that Canadians can keep their homes?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, in the name of austerity, the Conservative Party continues to filibuster and block our measures. They—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I am going to interrupt. We are starting to build up again. Yesterday was such a nice day, and I would like a repeat of it. Everyone can take a deep breath.

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

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party continues to focus on austerity and cuts rather than being there to help Canadians. It is blocking and using parliamentary games to hurt Canadians who need help right now.

He is busy blocking an anti-flipping tax for residential properties to help out homeowners. He is blocking the doubling of the tradespeople's tools deduction at a time when we know that we need our tradespeople to continue delivering new housing across the country. He is even blocking the enhanced Canada workers benefit.

His partisan games are hurting Canadians. When will he let the BIA pass?

The Economy

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, families are already dealing with austerity.

Speaking of cuts, parents are being forced to cut back on how much food they eat and on other needs for their family. What we are blocking is the $60‑billion inflationary deficit that is driving up the cost of living and the interest rates. Even the Minister of Finance admitted that deficits add fuel to the fire of inflation.

Will the Prime Minister finally listen to his own Minister of Finance and stop throwing that fuel on the fire of inflation for Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, that is more nonsense from the opposition leader.

He accuses us of imposing austerity and in the same breath accuses us of investing too much to help Canadians. Come on. The opposition leader is making no sense.

What he is doing is blocking measures that will help Canadians, such as the anti-flipping tax and the doubling of the tradespeople's tools deduction, and he is against the enhanced Canada workers benefit.

Just as he voted against dental care for children and blocked it, he also blocked help for low-income renters—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Belœil—Chambly.

Democratic Institutions

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

Mr. Speaker, the not very independent rapporteur has tabled a preliminary report that the Prime Minister is quite happy with.

In writing that report, he did not talk to the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, he did not talk to Canada's election commissioner, he did not talk to anyone from the Chinese diaspora who has been targeted for intimidation, yet he decided, in his great wisdom, that an independent public inquiry was not necessary.

Who did David Johnston talk to?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I know full well that the leader of the Bloc Québécois is eager for Mr. Johnston to go on a tour this summer to talk to communities, such as the Chinese communities that have been affected by foreign interference, and for him to continue his work.

Let us talk about wilful ignorance. That is exactly what the Bloc Québécois leader is choosing by refusing to accept top secret briefings on the content of the reports and the concerns of our intelligence agencies.

For him to choose to continue his baseless partisan attacks by refusing to accept the facts is not—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Belœil—Chambly.

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

Mr. Speaker, when I refer to the Prime Minister's ignorance, I get chastised, but he gets away with it.

I believe the rapporteur, the Prime Minister's friend, spoke to the Trudeau Foundation. Things are easier among friends. I believe the rapporteur spoke to the Prime Minister. The question is whether he was in fact reporting to him.

As he explained this morning, his belief is that a commission of inquiry takes too long and costs too much. Keeping secrets is better; it is faster and cheaper.

Is Mr. Johnston's true mandate actually to sweep this Chinese interference business under the rug?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Bloc Québécois might need a little more credibility before he talks about keeping secrets.

He refuses to accept information that would enable him to get to the bottom of things regarding foreign interference. He refuses to allow our security and intelligence agencies to give him the information he needs to understand what is going on when it comes to foreign interference.

For him to choose ignorance over facts on an issue as serious as foreign interference shows that the members on that side of the House just do not get it.

Housing

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the cost of a house has exploded under the Prime Minister. If we look at the rising interest rates, they are making things even worse. Here is the situation in the city of Toronto: Someone earning $236,000 a year has to save for 25 years before they would have enough money for a down payment, according a CTV article. That is absurd. That is something very serious.

When will the Prime Minister take this seriously and start taking steps to deal with the housing problem?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we know Canadians are struggling with the rising cost of housing, whether it is a young family looking to buy its first home or a student trying to rent an apartment near campus. That is why we are taking action on so many fronts.

We are helping Canadians save up for their first home. We are investing in building and repairing more homes, including supporting local governments to fast-track the creation of 100,000 new homes. We are providing support for low-income renters, and we are assuring housing is used as homes by curbing unfair practices that drive up prices, which includes bringing forward an anti-flipping tax. Unfortunately, Conservatives are choosing to block this for political games instead of delivering for Canadians.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition wants us to believe that he understands people, while he lives in a residence paid for by the state, and has a cook and a gardener. He is only here to protect the rich who are profiting from this crisis.

Rising interest rates are hurting ordinary Canadians. There is even a rumour that the Bank of Canada is going to raise interest rates again—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I am sorry to interrupt the member. I will ask him to repeat his question because there is a bit of noise in the chamber. I do not know where it is coming from. Folks are talking a bit loudly.

I am asking people to whisper if they are going to speak to each other. The noise is starting to creep up again, and I do not want it to get out of hand.

The hon. member for Burnaby South can begin from the top, please.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition wants us to believe that he understands Canadians, while he lives in a residence paid for by the state, and has a cook and a gardener. He is only here to protect the rich who are profiting from this crisis.

Rising interest rates are hurting ordinary Canadians. There is even a rumour that the Bank of Canada is going to raise interest rates again.

Does the government have a plan to limit the disastrous impact these rates will have on the majority of Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians are having a hard time paying for their housing. That is why we are taking action on multiple levels. Our plan involves co-operating with the municipalities, particularly by investing $4 billion to speed up residential construction approvals, and by creating 100,000 new homes. It creates a link between infrastructure investment and housing. Our plan helps Canadians save up to buy their first home, offers assistance to low-income renters, a measure the Conservatives are voting against, and converts surplus federal lands to affordable housing.

The Economy

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister admitted that deficits fuel inflation. It is hard to believe she even understands this concept, as her government piled on more debt on to Canadians than every government before it combined. This led to the highest bank interest rate hikes seen in a decade, and now 63% of Canadians' paycheques go toward monthly mortgage payments alone. After knowing all this, she still threw a $63-billion jerry can of fuel onto the inflationary fire she started with her failed budget, and now a mortgage crisis looms.

Can she tell us on what date she will stop her inflationary spending and balance the budget so interest rates can finally come down?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite represents an Alberta constituency, and I am sure he and his constituents, like me, are proud of Alberta's Ukrainian-Canadian heritage.

I wonder if his constituents know that the Conservatives' blocking tactics are stopping measures in the BIA that would support Ukraine. They are preventing us from withdrawing most favoured nation trading status from Russia and Belarus. That is the practical consequence of the blocking, filibustering and partisan jockeying of the Conservatives.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my constituents, like all Albertans, rejected the Liberal-NDP government and elected a strong Conservative government just last week. She can spare us her Disney+, Mickey Mouse lectures because not all Liberals are as incompetent as the government is. Former Liberal finance minister John Manley said that Liberal spending fuelled inflation. The former Liberal premier of Nova Scotia Stephen McNeil said that governments continuing to spend beyond its means would only increase inflation.

How come random Liberals understand the importance of balancing a budget and the incompetent Liberal government does not?