Debates of Sept. 28th, 2023

Housing

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, I find the hon. member's newfound interest in building more homes for Canadians fascinating when he has a history of voting against measures that would build more homes for Canadians.

I would point out to the hon. member that officials at the finance committee yesterday confirmed the Conservative proposal would build fewer homes than the measures we have introduced already. Why is his plan to cut funding for home building and raise taxes for home builders? It is not going to work.

There are members who will work to build homes for Canadians, and they sit on the government side of the House.

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

Mr. Speaker, so the minister who was responsible for breaking immigration is now responsible for breaking housing even further in this country. I have built more homes than the members of the Liberal government combined have, so I would know a bit more about doing this.

The finance minister is out of touch and out of control. She said two months ago that she solved inflation. It has gone up 43% since then to a whopping 4%. The interest rates went up because of the government's high deficits. When will it finally balance the budget so Canadians do not lose their homes?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, in typical Conservative fashion, the member is ignoring the homes that we have built over the last number of years for low-income people. The reality is that, when I look at the plans the—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

Order. I am really having trouble hearing the minister's answer.

The hon. Minister of Housing.

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it is fascinating that, when we make a point that stings, all the Conservatives have left to do is yell.

The reality is that the plan they have put forward is not worth the paper it is written on. Their plan is to cut the funding to build homes and raise taxes on the people who will build them. It will not work.

We are going to put forward measures that would change the financial equation for builders. We are going to change the way that cities build home, and we are going to build the workforce to get it done.

Natural Resources

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week at the UN, Canada was reminded that it is one of the largest expanders of fossil fuels in the world. It is a major oil-producing country, as the Minister of Environment and Climate Change likes to remind everyone. Instead of standing up for themselves, the Liberals are proud to prove the UN right. They have authorized even more oil exploration off the coast of Newfoundland to double oil production there. Oil companies and the Conservatives are delighted. Environmentalists are appalled.

Clearly the minister has chosen a side. Does he realize that he is on the wrong side of history?

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and to the Minister of Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, under the Conservatives, only 1% of our oceans were protected. Fortunately, we have now protected more than 14%. We brought in protections, conditions, in accordance with international best practices that helped us set targets based on our conversations. Biodiversity is important, and we will consult the Bloc Québécois and all Canadians to ensure that we protect the environment and create jobs.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the UN is not the only one criticizing Canada's oil expansion. So too is former Liberal environment minister Catherine McKenna. Now that she has left politics, she can say what she really thinks. What she told La Presse is that Canada is on track to become the world's second-largest producer of new oil by 2050. However, she also said it does not have to be that way, and she is right. The Liberals do not have to be part of the problem.

Will they back down on their oil expansion plans in Newfoundland?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.

Setting an emissions cap for the oil and gas sector is one of the key measures in our plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Oil and gas companies have proven time and time again that they are capable of innovating and developing new, competitive technologies.

We will continue to work with the provinces, territories and stakeholders to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas production.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Liberal government announced that it wants to double offshore oil production right in a biodiversity protection zone by 2030, even if it is likely to affect threatened species.

The Conservatives think this is the greatest thing ever. Go ahead and kill the whales. Who cares, as long as the oil is flowing. Shame on them. This is a threat to biodiversity and the future of the planet, a threat authorized by the Liberal government and heartily endorsed by the Conservatives.

Will the government finally listen to reason and cancel these irresponsible authorizations?

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and to the Minister of Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, protecting all of the species that live in our marine ecosystems remains a priority.

The proponent was required to develop and implement a plan to protect marine life. The project underwent a major environmental assessment. Its plan was reviewed and approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada experts.

I would like to point out that no oil production projects have been proposed in a marine refuge and that, if possible, such projects will not be approved.

Carbon Pricing

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

Mr. Speaker, what the Conservative team has been warning about for more than a year has become an awful reality. After eight years of the NDP-Liberal government's policies, my home province of Nova Scotia has been plunged into a failing grade, an F in fact, with respect to 13 indicators of poverty.

The punishing carbon tax has vaulted Atlantic Canadians past the point of being able to feed themselves, put a roof over their heads and heat their homes. The Liberal Prime Minister is not worth the cost. Will the Prime Minister cancel his plans to increase his inflationary carbon tax?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, I have to point out that it is unacceptable that the member repeats talking points from a recent $45,000 junket he joined, where he enjoyed porterhouse steaks and chateaubriand, and where they ordered 10 bottles of $600 wine and champagne.

We are going to put forward measures that would protect the environment and put more money in the pockets of families. What the Conservatives are proposing is to take money from my constituents so they can make it free to pollute. In the era when our province has dealt with hurricane Fiona, hurricane Lee, wildfires like we have never seen and floods that have taken loved ones from their families, it is completely unacceptable for a Nova Scotian to take that position.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the outgoing member for—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

I know the hon. member for Timmins—James Bay really wants to ask a question. Maybe he can get on the schedule with the whip. I am hearing lots of people going back and forth.

The hon. member for Cumberland—Colchester has the floor.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is rich that the outgoing member for Central Nova, the failed minister of immigration and now failing Minister of Housing is over there doing the chest-thumping and backslapping antics of the Atlantic Liberal members. The problem is that it is nothing but a charade and it lacks a backbone.

Voters know their carbon tax is increasing the price of home heating, fuel, food and housing, and that is serious business. They want Atlantic Canadians to believe that they are not in favour of the carbon tax, yet they have voted for carbon tax measures more than 23 times since 2015. The Prime Minister's acolytes, the Liberal Atlantic members of Parliament, are not worth the cost.

Will the Prime Minister cancel his plans to increase the punishing and inflationary carbon tax?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague wants to take money from his constituents so he can make it free to pollute. This should come as no surprise because the Conservatives, over the course of my time in this chamber, have wanted to cut or vote against programs that support ordinary people all the time.

They want to take dental benefits away from children. They want to cancel investments in child care. They vote against tax measures that cut taxes for the middle class and raise them on the 1%. We are going to protect middle-class Canadians. We are going to work to defend their pensions when the Conservatives lack the courage to do so.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, here is NDP-Liberal logic. They are going to increase the carbon tax on the farmers who grow the food, on the truckers who transport it, on the manufacturers who process it and on the retailers who sell it, but they are going to try to convince Canadians that these higher taxes do not impact the price of the food we are buying at the grocery store shelves. No one believes them. No one believes them when seven million Canadians have to access a food bank every single year. No one believes them when food bank use in Alberta is up 70%. No one believes them when the Calgary Food Bank supports 700 families every single day.

The Prime Minister is just not worth it. How many families have to rely on a food bank before the Liberals join the Conservatives and axe the carbon tax?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity]

Mr. Speaker, it is disgraceful how the Conservatives are using people's financial struggles and pain to reinforce inaction on the environment and climate change. Canadians know how important it is to fight climate change. They know that on this point the Conservatives have absolutely no credibility and no plan for affordability or to fight climate change. If they do not have a plan for the environment, they do not have a plan for the economy.

We have a plan to address both affordability and climate change. The Conservatives ran on a plan with Erin O'Toole to put a price on carbon. They have spun on their heels with their new leader from Carleton, because apparently climate change is not a thing in that part of Ottawa.

Housing

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister recently praised a shady corporate landlord named Dream Unlimited Corp. for building more housing in Toronto, where rent averages $2,600 a month for a one-bedroom. What has Dream Unlimited done in Toronto? It has jacked up rent in its buildings by 22% in five years. How can this even be considered a solution? It is insulting.

When will the Liberals stop leaving it to the big developers and start announcing measures to build social and co-op housing that will actually get us out of this housing crisis?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague has asked when the Liberal government is going to start investing in housing for low-income families. “Right after we formed government in 2015” is the answer to her question.

We have been putting forward a national housing strategy, backed by $82 billion in investment, that is providing thousands upon thousands of homes for low-income families. However, I would point out that the path going forward involves a mix of investments that will support homes for low-income families and for middle-class families. As a result of the removal of the GST on the construction of new apartments, we are seeing developers announce new projects. There are some that have announced 5,000, 3,000 or 1,000. This is going to put a roof over the heads of hundreds of thousands of Canadians.

Pensions

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Mr. Speaker, for months the leader of the Conservative Party has made it very clear where he stands. He wants to cut Canadians' pensions and make seniors get less money. Now they are applauding that plan. His friend, Ms. Danielle Smith, is taking his lead and threatening to pull Alberta out of the CPP. It is shameful.

Albertans are worried that their pensions will be gambled away by unpredictable and unreliable Conservatives. When will the government get serious and defend the pensions of seniors?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, let me be really clear. I have emails today from Brent, Eva and Ryan, all seniors in Edmonton Centre, and many emails beyond that, imploring our government to make sure that the Premier of Alberta keeps her hands off Albertans' pensions that are in the CPP. Just on performance alone, a few years back, CPP was 20% and AIMCo was 0.5%. The math speaks for itself.

Pensioners need their pensions. This is not the time to play politics with pensions. It is simply not worth it.