Debates of Sept. 28th, 2023

Industry and Technology

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 17th report of the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology in relation to Bill C-34, An Act to amend the Investment Canada Act.

The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments.

Post-Secondary Education

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in the House of Commons today to present this petition on behalf of graduate and post-doctoral science students to support science. It is signed by hundreds of students.

Graduate students and post-doctoral scholars are Canada's workforce in research and innovation. The undersigned have asked for an increase in the value of tri-agency graduate scholarships, post-doctoral fellowships, tri-agency graduate student scholarships and tri-agency research grant budgets.

Water Conservation

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise virtually in the House to present a petition of concern to citizens of Saanich—Gulf Islands and some from beyond Saanich—Gulf Islands.

The petitioners ask the House to consider the state of Canada's waterways. They point out that healthy waterways are critical for our forests, watersheds and fisheries. When we have a healthy watershed, it is essentially green infrastructure. It purifies our water and does real work. The petitioners point out that our water laws are inadequate to protect waterways. They particularly isolate large corporations that use their muscle to allow waterways to be denigrated by pollution from their operations.

The petitioners call on the government to update Canada's water laws and ensure that our waterways across the country are protected from industry and pollution. They urge the government to work with experts and professionals in the field of water conservation.

Ethiopia

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand and present this petition on behalf of Canadians from across the country who would like to draw Parliament's attention to the ongoing unrest and violence happening in Ethiopia.

The petitioners would like the Government of Canada to take the following actions immediately. They are calling for an end to the violence and for restraint from all sides and parties involved in the ongoing conflict given that there is an election expected in the coming months. They are calling for an increase in humanitarian aid and attention to that part of the forgotten conflict and those who are suffering because of it. They are calling for international investigations into potential reports of war crimes and violations of human rights law.

Health

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions sent to me by citizens of North Okanagan—Shuswap concerning the natural health products regulations the government is proposing.

The citizens on these petitions call on the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry. They say that new regulation changes should only be implemented once the self-care framework is adjusted, the backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure that stable operations continue.

Freedom of Political Expression

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, I have one petition to table, which is in support of my private member's bill, Bill C-257.

Religious Freedom

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to stand and present a petition on behalf of Canadians who are concerned about what is happening in India. The petitioners are calling on Canada to recognize what the report from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom says: that various actors are supporting and enforcing sectarian policies in India. The petitioners say that Christians, Muslims and Dalit groups are being persecuted.

The petitioners are asking the government to ensure that freedom of religion is upheld in India and that any relationship between Canada and India be based on a human rights framework.

Climate Change

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of Canadians who are calling to the attention of the government the most recent intergovernmental panel on climate change. It is bringing to notice the impacts of flooding, wildfires and extreme temperatures. They indicate that addressing the climate change crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

The petitioners are calling on the government specifically to move forward immediately with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Madam Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Mrs. Carol Hughes]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Opposition Motion—Carbon Tax

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

moved:

That, given that,

(a) the Bloc Québécois supported the so-called "Clean Fuel Standard", a second national carbon tax, which will raise gas prices in Quebec by 17 cents per litre, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer;

(b) the Bloc Québécois said carbon taxes need to be “increased much more radically than it is now”;

(c) the New Democratic Party and Liberals supported measures to quadruple the carbon tax to 61 cents per litre; and

(d) Atlantic Liberal members of Parliament allege they are not in favour of the carbon taxes but have supported carbon tax measures 23 times since 2015,

the House call on the government to introduce legislation, within seven days of this motion being adopted, to repeal all carbon taxes to bring home lower prices on gas, groceries, and home heating.

Madam Speaker, I was saddened today to see the lineups in Quebec City. It is unprecedented. This morning, Quebeckers are waiting in line for food because they can no longer pay their bills. Groceries are expensive. The cost of food has skyrocketed by more than 20% in the last two years, and that increase corresponds almost perfectly to the carbon tax imposed in the country. Obviously, if the government imposes a tax on the gasoline or diesel used by farmers who produce our food and the truckers who deliver it, it becomes a tax on everyone who buys the food. Unfortunately, more and more Canadians can no longer afford to buy their own food. A report published the food banks association two or three days ago indicates that 1.5 million Canadians depend on food banks to eat. A full 7 million Canadians are currently not eating enough because of the cost. That is the reality after eight years of this Prime Minister.

What is the Bloc Québécois doing?

Not only did the Bloc Québécois support the Liberal Prime Minister's inflationary policies, it also wants to radically increase the carbon tax. The member for Longueuil—Saint-Hubert said in the House, “Madam Speaker, the carbon tax is a very good measure. However, it needs to be increased far more drastically than it has been so far.” That shows just how out of touch the Bloc Québécois is with ordinary people.

The leader of the Bloc Québécois is trying to distance himself from his own position. A few days ago, he appeared on the TVA network and suddenly forgot he had supported the carbon tax. He said that the tax did not apply to Quebec, but that is not true. The second carbon tax does apply to Quebec. According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, it will add 17 cents to the price of a litre of gas. With the sales tax applied on top of the carbon tax, the total increase will amount to 20 cents a litre. For that reason I will be sharing my time with the member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles.

The Bloc Québécois voted against a motion to eliminate this second carbon tax and allow Quebeckers to keep their own money, and the leader of the Bloc Québécois forgot that too. He said that he never voted on the second carbon tax, but the June 5 record of the House of Commons debates says otherwise. Either he forgot or he wants Quebeckers to forget. We have not forgotten. I remember that he voted for the second carbon tax. I also remember that the Bloc Québécois wants to radically increase taxes at Quebeckers' expense. Quebeckers should not have to send their money to Ottawa. Why would a supposedly sovereignist party want to give Quebeckers' money to Ottawa and hand it over to federal politicians and bureaucrats?

I believe that Quebeckers should be masters of their own house and masters of their own money. That is why I am going to eliminate the carbon tax. Voting for the Bloc Québécois is costly. It is very costly. We will make sure no one forgets that.

The Bloc Québécois leader is also trying to forget something else he did to attack the values of Quebeckers in the regions. His own member supported amendments to Bill C‑21 to ban a 300-page-long list of hunting weapons. The Liberals presented the committee with a 300-page list of hunting weapons.

Here is what the Bloc Québécois member for Rivière-du-Nord said, and I quote:

I almost get the impression that the definition in G‑4 was written by the Bloc Québécois. I know that's not the case, since it's a government proposal, but I must say that it meets the Bloc's expectations. Now, it remains to be seen whether the definition is satisfactory.

This means that he may have wanted to ban more hunting rifles. Contrary to what the Bloc Québécois with its far left ideology thinks, hunters in the regions of Quebec are not criminals. Hunters have the right to continue keeping their heritage alive and to do so respectfully, without being attacked by the government. That is why the Conservative Party is the only party in the House of Commons that will stand up for hunters in Quebec and across Canada.

Speaking of hunting, because food is so expensive, hunting has become more than just a recreational activity for many communities. People are hunting to feed themselves. After paying their bills, people cannot even afford to feed themselves, so they have to be able to hunt. It is necessary to their survival as human beings. The only party that stands up for hunters in the House of Commons is the Conservative Party.

Here we are today with 1.5 million people relying on food banks and seven million people having cut their diets below what they should be eating because they cannot afford the price of food. This is the misery that has unfolded after eight years of the Prime Minister's inflationary deficits and carbon taxes.

It is worse. Now the Prime Minister, with the necessary help of the NDP, plans to quadruple the carbon tax to 61¢ a litre. When one taxes the gas and diesel of the farmer who makes the food and the trucker who ships the food, one taxes all who buy the food. No wonder people cannot afford groceries. The NDP-Liberal government is taxing those groceries and now, terrifyingly, plans to quadruple that tax.

Amazingly, members of the Atlantic caucus of the Liberal Party are now saying the opposite in their ridings to what they are doing on Parliament Hill. They have voted 23 times to hike the carbon tax when they are here, but then when they go back to Atlantic Canada, they say they are against the carbon tax. The people of Atlantic Canada are smarter than that. They are not going to be fooled by politicians who say one thing in the Atlantic and say the exact opposite when they are on Parliament Hill. They will realize. This is a very simple principle: If the Atlantic Liberal MPs do not vote for Atlantic Canadians in the House of Commons, then Atlantic Canadians will not vote for Liberals at election time.

Atlantic Canadians know there is only one party that will axe the carbon tax, that only one party has stood up and fought this tax every step of the way. Over the weekend, we will make sure Atlantic Canadians are aware their MPs will be voting on Tuesday on whether to quadruple the tax to 61¢ a litre or axe the tax. That is the choice, and all the constituents in their ridings will be watching carefully. We will make sure it does not slip by.

As well, we will make sure all the constituents of the NDP, which has sold out working-class people in favour of big government and big corporations, know the NDP is busy picking their pockets and is serving government greed in Ottawa rather than the interests of hard-working Canadians and seniors across our country.

This is common sense. It is the common sense of the common people united for our common home, their home, my home, our home. Let us bring it home.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Madam Speaker, Erin O'Toole ran on pricing pollution in the last federal election. Does the member for Carleton think Mr. O'Toole made the wrong decision in doing that, and if so, why did he not say something at the time?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Madam Speaker, I did. I spoke out against the carbon tax. One can look at the records of this chamber. I have been speaking out against the carbon tax since 2007. One does not have to go back to 2021; one can go back almost two decades. I have been fighting the carbon tax completely consistently.

This member has people line up at food banks in his riding. He votes in here to quadruple the tax that his government imposes on their gas, heat and groceries. The people of Kingston deserve better than that member of Parliament.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Madam Speaker, one thing that does not work for Quebeckers is lying. People will quickly realize that what the leader of the official opposition is saying—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I must interrupt the hon. member. There seem to be discussions going on between the other two parties. I would like the hon. member to start again, because I know the leader of the official opposition would like to hear the question.

The hon. member for Jonquière.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Madam Speaker, I am sure he will be happy to hear what I have to say. One thing that does not work for Quebeckers is lying. People will soon realize that what the leader of the official opposition is saying about carbon pricing is false. It is not true.

Now I have a question for him. He claims to be standing up for Quebec, but what will he do when Bill 21 is challenged in court? Will he stand up for Quebec, or will he sit down and fail miserably?

I would like him to answer that.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Madam Speaker, where is the lie? The motion we moved in the House states that “the Bloc Québécois supported the so-called ‘Clean Fuel Standard’, a second national carbon tax, which will raise gas prices in Quebec by 17 cents per litre, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer”. That is true. On June 5, the Bloc Québécois voted against our motion to eliminate this second carbon tax. That is on the record. I encourage everyone watching us to go back and look at the public record.

The Bloc Québécois has also said that the carbon tax needs to be increased much more radically than it is now. That is also on the record. It was the member for Longueuil—Saint-Hubert who said that.

Is the member going to deny the reality that all Quebeckers can see with their own eyes?

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Madam Speaker, on that speech, this entire day of debate and this motion: honestly, if that member was a kid in a playground, he would be the kid kicking sand in everyone's eyes. It is not exactly a good look. It does not look like someone who is working with others.

I will say one thing. This is the same party that voted against an excise profit tax for the oil and gas industries that were making $38 billion in profit in one year. This is the same party whose member tweeted about the carbon tax while her own city was on fire. This is the same party whose counterpart in Alberta is going to take Albertans' money and 53% of the CPP.

Does he think Danielle Smith is entitled to 53% of the CPP?

Does he agree with that plan? Will he—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Before I go to the point of order, I do want to remind members that somebody else has the floor. I know that the Leader of the Opposition would like to hear the question. I would ask members, if it is not their turn, if they are not being recognized, to not speak out of turn.

The hon. member for Kingston and the Islands is rising on a point of order.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Madam Speaker, I think the deliberative process affords all of us the chance to listen. I could barely hear what was being said, due to the heckling. Maybe you would allow the member to repeat her question.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I am sure the leader of the official opposition heard the question. I just want to make sure, though, because the voices were starting to get higher.

I know that the leader of the official opposition is quite capable of answering questions, so I would ask members to hold back on their thoughts.

The hon. leader of the official opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Madam Speaker, if I were that NDP member, I would be back in Edmonton apologizing to Albertans for her betrayal of that province.

Her leader wants to shut down the single biggest industry in Canada, which is our responsible energy sector. The NDP literally works against the union jobs in Canada's energy sector in that member's own province. The member votes in favour of a 61¢-a-litre carbon tax that is nearly unanimously opposed by the people of Alberta. Albertans understand what Canadians across the country now understand, which is that the NDP has betrayed working-class people to favour a radical leftist authoritarian agenda.

We as Conservatives are the only party defending the working-class people of Alberta and all of Canada.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I am still hearing some voices of members who are not being recognized. I would ask members to please hold on to their thoughts. I know everyone wants to participate, but there are opportunities to do that.

The hon. member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles.