House of Commons Hansard #346 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was lebanon.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Bloc Québécois is still picking fights with the Government of Quebec. Instead of standing up for the Quebec nation, he says he is glad an order might be issued against the forestry sector. Quebec's environment minister says the opposite. I would like the Bloc Québécois to be more assertive than it is being right now.
Will the Prime Minister listen to common sense and permanently cancel the order against the forestry sector?
Jean-Yves Duclos LiberalMinister of Public Services and Procurement
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative leader mentioned picking fights. He is the one who insulted Quebec municipalities by calling them incompetent. Will he apologize for calling Quebec's municipalities and, indirectly, all their employees and the Government of Quebec, incompetent? Let us not forget that, during his term as minister responsible for housing, he built six affordable housing units.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, the famous carbon tax Carney became conflict of interest Carney when the Prime Minister named him to be effectively the phantom finance minister to advise on economic policy while he presides over a massive multi-billion dollar, multinational corporation that sought 10-billion Canadian tax dollars to take over our pension system.
He got a $2-billion loan for a friend, and now we have learned that the economic task force he heads up has only one person. Is he not a walking, talking conflict of interest?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we are glad to get economic advice from smart former Canadian central bankers like Mark Carney and like Steve Poloz, who is doing some great work advising us on how to encourage Canadian pension funds to invest more in Canada.
Meanwhile, on that side of the House, they get their foreign policy advice from Elon Musk and Tucker Carlson. They should be ashamed of themselves. The people of Ukraine certainly know what is going on.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, today the very courageous and common-sense Premier of New Brunswick launched a renewed lawsuit against the quadrupling carbon tax. He is pointing out that the carbon tax would force the layoff of nurses, doctors and teachers because of the extra costs it would impose for operating schools and hospitals.
Instead of requiring courts to decide on the quadrupling carbon tax, why will the Prime Minister not let the people decide in a carbon tax election?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I am so glad that the Leader of the Opposition gave me an opportunity to talk about the price on pollution.
We made a great announcement just a few minutes ago, and that is that small businesses in the province of New Brunswick, which he was talking about, that have one to 499 employees are going to get rebates of $43,413. In the province of Ontario, which we both represent, a business of one to 499 employees can get a rebate of nearly $300,000. They are going to get that money directly in their bank accounts by the end of the year.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, almost a year ago today, Tehran-backed terrorists unleashed the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Ever since, they have continued to push this genocidal aim. Today, hundreds of rockets came from Tehran towards Israel, forcing millions into shelter. Two terrorist attacks were carried out.
The Prime Minister has talked out of both sides of his mouth, saying one thing to one group, and the opposite to another. Will the Prime Minister state clearly that Israel has the right to defend itself by defeating Hezbollah, Hamas, the IRGC and all the other terrorists?
Mélanie Joly LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, we have all seen the attacks by Iran against Israel today, and of course we condemn them unequivocally.
These attacks from Iran will only serve to further escalate the situation in the region. That is why I have been in contact with my Israeli counterpart this morning. I have been in contact with many G7 foreign ministers, as well as Arab countries' foreign ministers.
This is a very dangerous time for the Middle East, and we need to make sure that this war stops.
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
Mr. Speaker, if the Liberals do not want an election, they need to support seniors fairly. That is why seniors' groups are here on the Hill today. FADOQ is here with its Mauricie branch, as well as the Association québécoise de défense des droits des personnes retraitées et préretraitées, or AQDR, the Association québécoise des retraité(e)s des secteurs public et parapublic, or AQRP, the Outaouais branch of AREQ and the Table de concertation régionale des aîné-e-s des Laurentides. They are here to make sure the federal government puts an end to the two classes of seniors. They are here to demand a 10% increase in old age security for seniors aged 74 and under.
Will the government finally listen to them?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Labour and Seniors
Mr. Speaker, we are a little incredulous at everything the Bloc Québécois is saying, when we know what it voted against. It voted against dental care, which is currently saving hundreds of thousands of Quebeckers and Canadians hundreds of dollars. We are incredulous at the fact that the Bloc Québécois voted against enhancing and increasing the guaranteed income supplement, which helps the poorest seniors. Yes, we are incredulous at the hypocrisy of a Bloc Québécois that voted against seniors.
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
Mr. Speaker, today is National Seniors Day. Let us just say that it is not the best day to avoid answering questions about old age security, especially when seniors' representatives are watching us. We will give the Liberals another chance. Time is of the essence. They have until October 29 to stop depriving seniors 74 and under of a 10% OAS increase. It seems to me that National Seniors Day would be a heck of a good day for the Liberals to finally be able to say yes to seniors.
Will they grant a royal recommendation for Bill C‑319, yes or no?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Labour and Seniors
Mr. Speaker, I want to wish a happy National Seniors Day to everyone, including the people from the Outaouais branch of AREQ who are here, according to the member for La Prairie. The member for La Prairie rises every day, but he seems to forget that when we voted to lower the retirement age to 65, he voted against that. He wanted to keep the retirement age—
Lori Idlout NDP Nunavut, NU
Uqaqtittiji, it is another injustice and another day in court for the Liberals. Two Ontario first nations are suing the government for its discriminatory underfunding of fire services in their communities. With climate change and aging infrastructure, first nations are at a higher risk.
Instead of wasting more time in court, will the Liberals stop their discrimination against first nations, truly commit to reconciliation and deliver the funding needed to save lives?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is right. We all have to do more to protect the lives of indigenous people, in particular first nations children who are many times more likely to die in a house fire than their non-indigenous counterparts. That is why we have invested over $136 million for first nations' self-determined projects to reduce the risks of fire, including making homes safer and ensuring equipment is available and working.
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, indigenous people have a right to culturally informed community health care when they need it. Due to failed health care policies under the Liberal and Conservative governments, nearly 10 years since the release of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, health care gaps for indigenous people have widened.
Why will the Prime Minister not listen to indigenous experts and leadership to design a health care system that ensures access to this basic human right?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what the government has done with the renewed health transfers, separate money and $2 billion dedicated to first nations leaders who are working on health transformation and self-determined health care services across this country. On top of that, there is another 10 years of funding for the First Nations Health Authority to continue to plan and deliver health services for first nations people in B.C. We will get this work done together.
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am going to quote one of the world's most credible news organizations on financial and economic matters. A headline from the Financial Times of London on May 10, 2024, reads: “'Breakdown nations' like Canada have a lesson for the world: Canada leads nations which have suffered a sharp decline in per-capita GDP”.
I have a simple question: Does the government agree that Canada leads nations that have suffered a sharp decline in per capita GDP?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, what the government agrees with is that Canada was the first G7 country to lower interest rates for the first time. Canada was the first G7 country to lower interest rates for a second time, and Canada was the first G7 country to lower interest rates for a third time. The government also knows that wages in Canada have outpaced inflation for 19 months in a row. Meanwhile, inflation, which was 2% in August, has been within the Bank of Canada's target range.
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Bank of Canada has become the first central bank to cut rates because Canada has become the first leading economy to go through an economic contraction. Again, the Financial Times, for which the finance minister once worked, said, “Canada’s GDP per capita has been [shrinking] 0.4 per cent a year since 2020, the worst rate” for any developed economy in the top 50.
Does the government agree that Canada's per capita GDP is shrinking at the worst rate of any of the top 50 economies?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that what matters to Canadians is inflation. That is why it is so important that inflation was 2% in August and that it has been within the Bank of Canada's target range all of this year. It is because of that progress that interest rates in Canada have come down three times.
That is real relief to homeowners. That is real relief to businesses. That is real relief to anyone who wants to buy a home. All the Conservatives know how to do is talk Canada down.
Adam Chambers Conservative Simcoe North, ON
Mr. Speaker, the government loves to tout its economic record, but the results are simply underwhelming. Canada has the worst housing inflation among its peers and the worst performance in per capita income among the G7. The gross fixed capital formation has not increased in a decade, and R and D spending as a per cent of GDP is at its lowest point in 20 years. It is no wonder young Canadians and businesses are packing up in search of better economic opportunities and higher standards of living.
When will the government admit that its economic policies are putting the future of Canada at risk?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, what I find so interesting about these Conservatives is that the only thing they know how to do is talk Canada down. A couple of months ago, the only thing they wanted to talk about was inflation, but we have good news on inflation, and with that good news on inflation comes good news on interest rates.
On this side of the House, we celebrate good news for Canada and Canadians. On that side of the House, all they want to do is break things and cut.
Adam Chambers Conservative Simcoe North, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am not surprised that the minister is not persuaded by my comments, but perhaps she might listen to economist Trevor Tombe, who wrote, “If Canada had simply kept pace with the U.S. over the past two years, our economy would be 8.5 percent larger.” That is $6,200 per person richer we would be. Trevor Tombe says that this is an incentive for Canadians and businesses to move south of the border in search of greater economic opportunities and higher standards of living.
When the Deputy Prime Minister says that her economic plan is working, is this what she means?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Innovation
Mr. Speaker, we did even better than that. We have attracted $60 billion of investment in this country. Even Bloomberg put Canada ahead of China for the battery ecosystem.
We have the talent. We have the ecosystem. We have the critical minerals. We have the renewable energy. We have access to the market. Let us talk about possibilities. Let us talk about opportunities. Let us talk about Canada in the 21st century.
