House of Commons Hansard #270 of the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was iii.

Topics

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This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.

Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act Members debate a motion to reject Senate amendments to Bill C-234, which removed the carbon tax exemption for barn heating and shortened the duration. Conservatives and NDP support restoring the full exemption for farmers on drying and heating fuels. Liberals express differing views, while the Bloc considers accepting the amended bill as a compromise to secure the grain drying exemption and avoid delay. 8500 words, 1 hour.

Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023 Second reading of Bill C-59. The bill implements parts of the fall economic statement and budget. Conservatives oppose it, arguing it fails to axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget, or stop crime, blaming Liberal policies for high costs and housing issues. The Bloc opposes the bill due to tax credits for oil companies and perceived federal interference in housing. The NDP supports some provisions it pushed for, like labour conditions and a digital services tax, but criticizes it for not addressing corporate greed or significantly funding non-market housing. Liberals defend the bill, citing Canada's economic position and housing investments. 17000 words, 2 hours.

Statements by Members

Question Period

The Conservatives focus on the rising cost of living, highlighting the impact of the carbon tax on food and heating, and calling for Bill C-234 to pass. They criticize the housing crisis, citing soaring rent costs and lack of construction. They also attack government spending and debt and mention issues like ArriveCAN.
The Liberals focus on efforts to build more homes faster, highlighting the housing accelerator fund and removing the GST. They defend their approach to the cost of living by emphasizing support working families through programs like $10 a day in seven provinces and carbon price rebate cheques, alongside backing small businesses. They also address Islamophobia, immigration, and Canada's sustainable public finances, and pay tribute to Ed Broadbent.
The Bloc raise concerns about federal immigration targets and the handling of asylum seekers, arguing Quebec is overwhelmed and seeking reimbursement and fair distribution. They call for reinstating visas for Mexicans. They also highlight problems with CEBA loan repayments leading to SME bankruptcy.
The NDP highlight the severe housing and homeless emergency in cities like Edmonton and Toronto, criticizing both major parties for their lack of action on renovictions and profits. They condemn the pausing of UNRWA funding as collective punishment. They call for action on online hate and demand reining in oil and gas CEO profits. They also pay tribute to Ed Broadbent's legacy.
The Green Party questions the extended deadline for the sustainable jobs act plan and pays tribute to Ed Broadbent, reflecting on his call for civility in the House.

Procedure and House Affairs Members debate the 55th report of the Procedure and House Affairs Committee on the Speaker's conduct. The Bloc Québécois seeks to refer the report back to committee to study new information about the Speaker attending a partisan event, arguing he has lost confidence due to repeated actions. Liberals defend the Speaker, citing apologies and past Speaker conduct, and argue the report recommendations are sufficient. Conservatives support referring the report back, seeking a recommendation for resignation based on new facts. NDP support clearer rules for the office. 23000 words, 3 hours.

Finance Members debate the RBC-HSBC merger approved by the Finance Minister. Conservatives argue the merger exacerbates Canada's monopoly problem, leading to higher consumer costs, particularly for mortgages and cell phone bills, and lower wages across various sectors. They criticize the government for approving the deal despite committee opposition and the NDP for adjourning debate. Liberals acknowledge the issue of lack of competition. 2400 words, 15 minutes.

Public Accounts Members debate a report on protecting Canada's food system during the pandemic, addressing rising food prices and insecurity. NDP members highlight corporate profiteering and supply chain issues as key factors. Conservatives blame the carbon tax and a proposed plastics ban for increasing costs, moving to amend the motion to send the report back to recommend axing the carbon tax for agriculture. 8000 words, 1 hour.

Adjournment Debates

Electric vehicle battery subsidies Garnett Genuis requests the disclosure of contracts related to electric car battery subsidies. He worries they subsidize foreign workers, and accuses the NDP of siding with the Liberals to hide the contracts. Adam van Koeverden defends the subsidies and the need to bring in foreign experts, while accusing the Conservatives of not supporting workers.
Oil and gas emissions cap Laurel Collins accuses the Liberal government of failing to hold oil and gas companies accountable for emissions. Adam van Koeverden defends the government's oil and gas emissions cap as ambitious and a world first. Collins says the cap is watered down; Van Koeverden insists the measures are working and emissions are falling.
Carbon tax and affordability Rosemarie Falk argues the carbon tax is raising the cost of living. Adam van Koeverden counters that economists do not believe the carbon price is the primary cause of inflation. He says most low and middle-income families get more money back than they pay.
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(Return tabled)

Question No.1967—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB

With regard to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's Express Entry program: how many construction or trades workers have been admitted through the program, broken down by stream, year, and each of the major and minor groups within category 7 of the National Occupational Classification codes (trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations), since 2016?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1968—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:35 p.m.

Green

Mike Morrice Green Kitchener Centre, ON

With regard to formal consultations and engagements between the federal government and the provincial and territorial governments or long-term care industry organizations on the Safe Long Term Care Act: (a) what are the details of the discussions or meetings, including, for each, the (i) date and location, (ii) participants, (iii) subject matter discussed, (iv) outcome; (b) do any supporting documents related to these discussions or meetings exist, including, but not limited to, e-mails, briefing notes, memos and reports, and, if so, what are the details of such documents; (c) were any reports or briefs submitted to the federal government by the provincial or territorial governments or long-term care industry organizations, and, if so, what are the details of such documents; and (d) what is the government’s projected timeline for tabling the legislation in Parliament?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1969—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:35 p.m.

Bloc

Yves Perron Bloc Berthier—Maskinongé, QC

With regard to the Local Food Infrastructure Fund (LFIF): (a) how are organizations that have submitted an application that complies with the program told that their application will not be considered due to a lack of funds and that the evaluation criteria were changed during the program; (b) how is it that on the government website the LFIF program still shows the original criteria, causing other organizations to prepare applications that will not be considered; (c) how and on what criteria was the decision made to allocate resources to certain communities rather than to others; (d) how are funds allocated to the LFIF program distributed, broken down by municipality and by province or territory; (e) why does the government website still show the original criteria, even though organizations are being told by letter that their application will not even be assessed because the criteria have changed; (f) what is the total amount allocated to the program; and (g) are there any plans to replenish these funds so that applications submitted in good faith by organizations can be properly assessed, and, if so, when?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1970—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:35 p.m.

Bloc

Mario Simard Bloc Jonquière, QC

With regard to the Canada Greener Homes Initiative administered by Natural Resources Canada: (a) for each of the two programs, the Canada Greener Homes Grant and the Canada Greener Homes Loan, what are the (i) eligibility criteria, (ii) total budget allocated for Canadians, broken down by province and territory, (iii) various amounts that can be allocated as grants or loans to install equipment or appliances based on the eligibility criteria; (b) for the Canada Greener Homes Loan program administered by the private Vancouver-based company Intellifi Corporation, what are the actual terms of the service contract entered into with this company, including (i) the tendering process that led to the selection of the company, (ii) the value of the contract and the amounts committed by Natural Resources Canada to the company, (iii) the duration of the contract and the date on which it ends, (iv) an exhaustive description of the company’s responsibilities; and (c) given that Quebec residents submit their applications through the provincial program Rénoclimat, which then forwards them to Natural Resources Canada, and that since spring 2021, only 23% of the 48,000 applications forwarded by Quebec to Natural Resources Canada have been processed, and that Quebec applicants have complained about service efficiency and quality, including follow-up e-mails sent in English only, what resources are dedicated to processing these applications, such as the (i) entities involved in managing the applications, (ii) total number of employees able to process applications in English only, (iii) total number of employees able to process applications in French only, (iv) total number of employees able to process applications in both official languages, (v) total number of applications submitted in each of the two official languages, broken down by year since the program was implemented, (vi) minimum language skills required of employees responsible for processing applications in French, (vii) name and year of the computer operating system used to administer and manage applications eligible for the program, (viii) number of applications processed per quarter and the number of applications, (ix) average number of days it takes to obtain a response for applications in French and applications in English?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1973—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:35 p.m.

NDP

Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC

With regard to the commitment in the December 16, 2021, mandate letter for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to ban thermal coal exports from and through Canada as swiftly as possible, and no later than 2030: (a) what steps has the government taken to advance this commitment, including details and dates of consultations with (i) provinces and territories, (ii) stakeholders and the public; (b) for the years 2015 to 2022, broken down by year, how many tonnes of thermal coal have been exported (i) from, (ii) through, Canada; (c) for the years 2023 to 2030, broken down by year, how many tonnes of thermal coal are projected to be exported (i) from, (ii) through, Canada; and (d) what are the associated greenhouse gas emissions for the thermal coal exports identified in (b) and (c)?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1975—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC

With regard to government support for the lnuvik Wind Project: (a) how much funding has been (i) allocated, (ii) delivered to date, to the project, by the government; (b) how much funding has been (i) allocated, (ii) delivered to date, by other sources, broken down by source (private sector, territorial government, etc.); (c) what is the government estimate on the total costs required to complete the project; and (d) what is the projected timeline for when the project will be completed and producing power?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1977—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Falk Conservative Provencher, MB

With regard to the government's requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic that civil servants provide proof of vaccination, broken down by department, agency, Crown corporation or other government entity: what were the total costs associated with implementing the vaccine requirement, broken down by type of cost, including any legal costs or expenses incurred as a result of legal activity (settlements, mediation agreements, etc.)?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1978—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Lianne Rood Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON

With regard to Farm Credit Canada's (FCC) Indigenous Agriculture and Food section: (a) how many employees or full-time equivalents (FTE) are currently assigned to the section; (b) is the section currently fully-staffed, and, if not, (i) when will it be fully-staffed, (ii) how many employees or FTEs will be assigned to the section once it is fully staffed; (c) what is the projected annual budget for the administration of the section for each of the next three years, in total, and broken down by type of projected expense; (d) broken down by each of the last five years, how many different Indigenous or First Nations (i) farmers, (ii) entrepreneurs (excluding farmers), (iii) economic development corporations, (iv) communities, have received financing from FCC; (e) what was the total amount of financing received in (d); and (f) what is the breakdown of (d) and (e) by province or territory and type of farm or business?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1979—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC

With regard to the $5 billion in funding through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements to British Columbia, committed in the 2021 Fall Economic Statement, in response to extreme weather events: (a) how much of this commitment has been delivered to British Columbia to date, in total, and broken down by specific project funded; (b) when will the outstanding amount be delivered; and (c) what is required before the outstanding amount is provided to British Columbia?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1980—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC

With regard to the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program: (a) how are communities chosen for the program; (b) which communities are participating in the program, broken down by province or territory; (c) for each community in (b), how many workers have participated in the program; (d) how does the government quantity the program's level of success; and (e) does the government have any evidence or statistics which demonstrate that the program has measurably reduced labour shortages, and, if so, what is it?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1981—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Shannon Stubbs Conservative Lakeland, AB

With regard to the government's promotion of heat pumps: (a) how many applications for funding through the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program have been received; (b) of the applications in (a), how many (i) were denied, (ii) were granted, (iii) are still awaiting a decision; (c) how many heat pumps have been installed through the granted applications in (b); (d) what is the breakdown of (a) through (c), by province or territory; (e) how many applications for funding for heat pumps have been received through the Canada Greener Homes Grant; (f) of the applications in (e), how many (i) were denied, (ii) were granted, (iii) are still awaiting a decision; (g) how many heat pumps have been installed through the granted applications in (f); and (h) what is the breakdown of (e) through (g), by province or territory?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1982—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

January 29th, 2024 / 4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Adam Chambers Conservative Simcoe North, ON

With regard to the Canada Revenue Agency and net worth assessments of individuals, broken down by year since 2015: (a) how many net worth assessments have been done; (b) of the net worth assessments in (a), how much additional taxes have been (i) assessed, (ii) recovered; (c) of the net worth assessments conducted, how many were based on leads from the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada or other government entities which focus on money laundering; and (d) of the net worth assessments in (c), how much additional taxes have been (i) assessed, (ii) recovered?

(Return tabled)