Debates of Jan. 30th, 2024

Public Safety

[Arpan Khanna, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Liberal-NDP government's soft-on-crime policies, crime, chaos, drugs and disorder are ravaging communities across our country.

Under the Prime Minister, crime is up 39%. Shootings are up, extortion is up, car thefts are up and homicides are up. Canadians do not feel safe walking down their own streets anymore. They are waking up to find their cars stolen and shipped out of the country. Car thefts have increased by 34% nationally. What is the government's response? It is more photo ops, large summits, more talk and no action. The Prime Minister is not worth the crime or the chaos.

Only a common-sense, Conservative government would bring back jail and not bail for repeat violent offenders. We would secure our ports to stop stolen vehicles from being shipped out, and we would bring back mandatory jail time for serious violent crimes that were repealed by the government. It is time to support victims and put them first, not the criminals. That is just common sense.

Women in Peacekeeping

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last December I had the opportunity to lead the Canadian delegation to the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial in Accra, Ghana. It was encouraging to hear so many countries talk about the importance of women, peace and security and, in particular, the Elsie initiative.

Known as the “Queen of the Hurricanes”, Elsie MacGill was the first woman in the world to earn an aeronautical engineering degree and did much to make Canada a powerhouse in aircraft construction. She was a champion of gender equality in an industry that had, up to that point, been entirely dominated by men. The Elsie initiative carries forward her legacy.

Since its launch, the Elsie initiative has created interest globally as a unique, bold and insightful policy intervention that seeks to ensure that military and policewomen are represented in UN peacekeeping, across all ranks and functions, in an environment that is conducive to their meaningful participation.

Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Speaker, here is a question: How many Canadians stayed in a $9,000-a-night resort owned by a friend over Christmas for free? The answer is very likely none, but there was one, and that was the Prime Minister.

At a time when two million Canadians are using food banks, the carbon tax is punishing families and businesses, housing is unaffordable for young Canadians while those in their houses can barely afford them as mortgages become due for renewal, and seniors cannot afford groceries and are not eating nutritiously because of the NDP-Liberal government, the Prime Minister did not for a second think that maybe an $87,000 free vacation to a luxury resort was not a good look right now. He clearly did not care.

What about the 100 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions put into the atmosphere from the not one but two private jets he needed for the trip? We can understand why Canadians are upset about his lack of judgment and his hypocrisy.

It is clear to everyone that after eight years of the Prime Minister, he is not worth the cost. Canadians see that everything is about him, and that while we live in his world, the rest of us are just squirrels looking for nuts, nuts that not many can afford anymore.

Carbon Tax

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians across this country are paying a high price for the NDP-Liberal government's tax-and-spend agenda.

After eight years with the carbon tax-obsessed Prime Minister, Canadian families are struggling to put food on the table, put gas in their tanks and keep a warm roof overhead, yet the Prime Minister only wants to punish them more. His April 1 carbon tax is only going to make things worse for the two million Canadians who are already lined up at food banks.

Bill C-234 is a common-sense piece of legislation that would remove the carbon tax on farm operations to help lower our grocery prices. However, the Prime Minister is hell-bent on quadrupling the carbon tax on farmers and on Canadians.

It is clearer than ever that the Prime Minister is simply not worth the cost.

Gender Equality

[Ben Carr, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend marked the 108th anniversary of a historic milestone in our nation's journey towards equality. It was on January 28, 1916, that my home province of Manitoba blazed a trail by granting women the right to vote; it was the first province in Canada to do so.

This decision was the result of years' worth of brave and courageous actions by women across Canada, marking a turning point for our country, fostering inclusivity and shaping a more representative democracy. Their efforts deserve our recognition and gratitude.

As we celebrate this anniversary, let us take pride in the progress made, acknowledge the depth of work yet to be achieved, and commit to continuously advancing gender equality in all spheres of Canadian life.

Indigenous Language Revitalization

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Nuu-chah-nulth people have suffered enormous loss throughout their 200-year history of colonization, not the least of which has been the devastating loss of language and culture.

Today, Nuu-chah-nulth elders, educators and learners are making tremendous progress towards revitalizing their indigenous language, in spite of the uncertainty of federal funding from one year to the next. Now their language program funding may be cut by up to 57% because of a newly proposed federal heritage funding formula. The formula fails to recognize that British Columbia has the highest concentration of indigenous language and cultural diversity of any province or territory in the country, with 35 distinct languages and more than 90 dialects.

As B.C.'s First Peoples' Cultural Council reminds us, “the revitalization of languages, arts and cultural heritage is an essential step in recognizing the rights of and finding reconciliation with indigenous peoples.” Language revitalization is essential to reconciliation, along with fair, predictable, sustained and long-term funding.

Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Volunteers

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

Mr. Speaker, on the evening of September 21, 2018, off the coast of the Lower St. Lawrence, a 22-foot sailboat ran violently aground on a reef, leaving its two sailors clinging to the mast, fearing the worst. Despite extreme weather conditions, 100-kilometre-an-hour winds and three-metre waves, the Canadian Coast Guard auxiliary volunteers in my region took to the sea with one goal in mind: to save lives. Thanks to Ted Savage and his crew, the worst was avoided.

More than five years after the events, the men who risked their lives to save others have never received any recognition. These people, acting on a volunteer basis, with very little means, deserve all the honours in the world for the acts of bravery they carry out every day.

That is why I feel humbly compelled to officially thank Johnatan Brunet, Philippe Charbonneau, François‑Xavier Bérubé‑Dufour and Ted Savage on behalf of the people of Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia.

Conservative Party of Canada

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians will face a choice in the next election.

One choice is the out-of-touch, NDP-Liberal coalition. It is a costly coalition with an ever-increasing carbon tax pushing grocery and gas prices higher and higher. It has doubled the cost of housing and increased violent crime by 40%; its dangerous, taxpayer-funded drugs have destroyed thousands of lives.

However, the other choice is the common-sense Conservative plan to axe the tax on gas, heat and grocery bills; to build more homes instead of more bureaucracy; to cap spending and cut waste to bring down Liberal inflation and interest rates; to make our streets safer by bringing treatment, not taxpayer-funded drugs; and to bring in jail and not bail for repeat violent offenders.

The choice is clear, and in the next election, Canadians will choose a common-sense Conservative plan to bring it home.

Ajit Singh Badh

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a community leader, Mr. Ajit Singh Badh, who passed away on January 13 at the age of 87.

Mr. Ajit Singh Badh immigrated to Canada in 1969, and over half a century, he made several impactful community contributions. He was a founding member of the first Canadian Sikh Panth magazine, Sikh Samachar, and the first individual to own and operate a Punjabi-language radio station outside India.

Pioneer Ajit Singh Badh deeply believed in the power of community in creating meaningful and positive change. I offer my sincere and deepest condolences to the entire Badh family. Although Mr. Ajit Singh Badh will be deeply missed, his legacy will continue to inspire for generations to come.

Public Services and Procurement

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, the Prime Minister says that he had no choice but to double the national debt and drive up inflation and interest rates because every penny he spent was absolutely necessary.

Today, however, we learned that 76% of the contractors paid from the $54 million spent on the ArriveCAN app did no work.

Will the Prime Minister get our money back and stop wasting it?

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know full well that when Conservatives talk about spending, what they really want is to make cuts.

They want to take away dental care for Canadians. They want to shut down child care centres. They want to end investments in the green economy. That is the reality of Conservative policy, which is so dangerous for Canada.

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we will cancel the $54 million for the ArriveCAN app, an example of corruption and a Liberal scandal.

There is also the carbon tax on farmers. The other day when I said that the leader of the Bloc Québécois fully supported the Liberals' economic policies, the spending, the taxes, and the hikes in inflation and interest rates, the Bloc leader flipped out. However, yesterday, he admitted that he was going to change his mind and vote to keep the carbon tax on farm buildings.

How much will this tax cost farmers and people who buy food?

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

Mr. Speaker, obviously, as an anglophone and member from Ontario, I cannot speak for the Bloc Québécois, but I know that Quebec, the Quebec nation, understands the importance of the environment and the importance of industrial investments in the green economy.

We are proud to do that. We are proud to do that with the support of all members who understand the importance of Canada's industrial economy.

Public Services and Procurement

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister doubled the debt and drove inflation and interest rates to their highest levels in a generation, he said he had no choice, that every penny he spent was necessary. Along came ArriveCAN, a $54-million app that we did not need, that did not work, and that could have been done for $200,000 or $300,000. Now, we have learned, based on the ombudsman's audit, that 76% of the contractors did absolutely no work for the money they received.

Will the Prime Minister get back this stolen money for taxpayers and stop the waste that is not worth the cost?

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have learned through bitter experience that, when Conservatives talk about the public finances, what they are really talking about is cutting the government support Canadians depend on. What they are talking about is cutting early learning and child care, which is supporting labour force participation at record levels in Canada and, by the way, making life more affordable for Canadian families. They want to cut dental care. They want to cut essential investments in our green future.

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we want to cut waste and mismanagement; this has risen to a level that is not worth the cost after eight years under the Prime Minister.

Speaking of wasteful, the Prime Minister loves to lecture Canadians on how they use energy. He says that he is just like every other Canadian when he stays with a friend for an $89,000-a-week vacation. The average Canadian emits 15 tonnes of carbon per year. His trip emitted 100 tonnes of carbon in one week.

Did he pay the full carbon tax on each tonne he emitted for his luxurious vacation?

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

Mr. Speaker, since we are asking questions of MPs, I have a couple of questions for the Leader of the Opposition. I want to know how much it costs to heat the 19-room government mansion that he lives in. That would be interesting for Canadians to understand.

The good news for Canadians is that we are helping them with the cost of heating with the carbon rebate. Did his family cash their carbon rebate cheque? It is almost a thousand bucks.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I can tell the member that I pay for my own vacations and those of my family. Canadians who pay for their own vacations are also paying too much for food. We have a common-sense Conservative bill, Bill C-234, that would take the carbon tax off the farmers who feed us and the consumers who desperately need to put nutrition on their tables.

Will the Prime Minister stop blocking the bill and pass this law so that Canadians can afford food?

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

Mr. Speaker, people who live in glass houses really should not throw stones, and the Leader of the Opposition may be bragging about what he pays for, but I think Canadians should understand that he does not pay any rent on that 19-room mansion that he lives in. In fact, he has been on the government payroll for more than 20 years, and he qualified for a full pension at 35. Now, he wants to take the rebate away from Ontario families. It is $1,000 a year, and he wants to take that away.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister said that “immigration levels are based on our capacity to welcome and integrate newcomers.” Unfortunately, that is entirely untrue.

As early as 2022, his public service warned him that if he raised his immigration targets, he would worsen the housing crisis and other things. The Prime Minister went ahead and did it anyway. Now he has to fix a situation caused by his poor judgment.

On November 1, the Prime Minister promised to review his immigration targets as early as 2024 on the basis of intake capacity and after speaking with Quebec.

Will he keep his word?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, we can welcome newcomers and build housing at the same time. That is why we negotiated a $1.8-billion contribution agreement with la belle province to build 23,000 housing units and 8,000 affordable housing units.

We are going to continue to work with our partners in Quebec to welcome newcomers who contribute essential skills to our economy and build houses at the same time.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals knew that increasing immigration levels would exacerbate the housing crisis. They did it anyway.

Today, the consequences are blowing up in their face and there is no sign of them rectifying the situation, which they seem incapable of doing.

No, on the contrary, in 2024, the number of immigrants will increase to 485,000 and in 2025, to 500,000. Even in the middle of a crisis, they continue to increase immigration targets against the advice of their public service and economists.

When will they do the responsible thing and adjust immigration levels to integration capacity?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the member across the way seems to forget that we have a unique agreement with Quebec, the Canada-Quebec accord, which transfers more than $700 million a year to Quebec precisely to manage its levels.

Quebec is almost exclusively responsible for choosing who comes to Quebec. We will work with Quebec to ensure that this is consistent with its integration capacity.

I have a question for the member across the way. He seems to want to reduce immigration. Where would he like to make these cuts?

Housing

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, with 24 Liberal MPs in Toronto, we get a housing crisis and a Davenport MP who gaslights and attacks the city and the housing workers who are struggling to make sure people have a place to call home. Whether someone was born here or moved here, no one should live on the streets. The city and the housing groups are just asking the Liberal government to do its fair share.

Will the Liberals provide the $250 million that Toronto needs now?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for pointing to the importance of the great city I have the privilege of representing, Toronto, which is such an engine of economic growth for our entire country. We are having very constructive conversations with the City of Toronto and with the Province of Ontario. We are providing $1.5 billion for Toronto in 2023-24. We are there for Toronto more than any government in Canadian history.