Debates of Oct. 28th, 2024

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are making a lot of accusations of corruption. We agree with them on the motion. However, when they were in government, they were also routinely criticized for corruption, influence peddling and so on. I would like to know if a Conservative government will come up with ways to reduce or eliminate corruption.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member may recall that the second thing we did as government when the Conservatives were in power was to enact a law to end corruption. While it has worked well so far, it does need to be augmented. We would bring in amendments to improve the Federal Accountability Act, which our current leader shepherded through Parliament.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we are now in the third week of debating this privilege motion. It is the third week since the House came to a standstill, and it does not have to be this way. The blame lies four-square on the shoulders of the Liberal government. It is essentially snubbing its nose at Parliament; at you, Mr. Speaker; and ultimately at the Canadian public.

Parliament has a right to request documents, to hold the government to account and to get accurate information so we may or may not see, we do not know for sure, if there has been corruption at the expense of Canadians. The House requested that the documents related to Sustainable Development Technology Canada be provided, based on damning reports from the Auditor General.

The Liberals did produce some documents, but far from the number they were supposed to and they blacked out page after page. We are getting, “Oh, that's very interesting information,” not. It is blacked out. “This is very interesting information,” not. It is blacked out.

It is a mockery of Parliament. Our party and the other opposition parties appealed to the Speaker's office to rule on this violation. I have to commend the Speaker, who made a careful examination, along with the table officers, and came back saying the Prime Minister and the Liberal government were in violation of members of Parliament's privilege. That is why we are having this debate.

I know there are questions and accusations from the Liberals, saying we are just trying to delay Parliament, but the fact is that the Speaker ruled that they need to produce these documents and they have not. We are reminded of another situation not that long ago where a Liberal Speaker, a Liberal member of Parliament in the Speaker's role, just as the current Speaker is, ruled that documents regarding the lab in Winnipeg be produced. What did the Liberals do? They would not produce the documents. The Speaker ruled that they should produce them, and the government said it would take court action against the Liberal Speaker at the time.

It did not go that far. He did not have his day in court. The Liberals thought maybe it was not the best idea, taking a Speaker to court, someone who was voted in as a Liberal, and that maybe it would be an opportune time to call an election, in the middle of the pandemic. It was something they said they would not do but then took advantage of, while hiding the information that never came out. It was probably damning information that would have impacted their electoral fortunes. That is what they did. They blocked, to prevent information from coming out. That is what what we are seeing happen again and again. I hope the Speaker does not find himself in court because of the decision he made.

As I mentioned, this debate would stop if the government would produce the unredacted documents. The question is, why has the government not produced them? I did not ask why it will not, because there is still the slimmest of hope that the government will do the right thing, the democratic thing, and produce the documents. I am not going to hold my breath, but I am hopeful that there is a slight possibility. We are still here and they can still act on it.

The public and all of us are wondering what the big deal is. Why will the Liberals not just do the the right thing, the appropriate thing, and produce the documents? Is it because the current government has grown long in the tooth, has run out of steam and is happy to let the parliamentary calendar waste away? It seems that way. We are on our third week and it does not seem very anxious to produce these documents. We want to get back to business.

[An hon. member]

No, you do not.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Mr. Speaker, actually, we do not. That is a good point from the Liberals. We want to be working on business, but we do not like their business.

This goes to my second point. Maybe the Liberals have had visions in the night and subconsciously recognize that Canada is going in the wrong direction under their mismanagement. Maybe they are feeling a bit of collective shame in their hearts and saying, “We should really let this parliamentary calendar continue to ebb away, because our actions are destroying this nation.” If that is the case, then I have to commend them, kind of.

For example, maybe in that vision at night they saw how the per capita income of Canadians is going down under them. When I was an MLA in British Columbia, I would talk to people who would come to visit, even Americans. This was during the Harper years. At that time, it was a Conservative Parliament. They were just amazed at how well things were going in Canada compared with the United States, where the economy, the housing situation and everything was going downward and was in real distress, as opposed to what was happening here. There was a contrast between Canada and the United States with respect to how things were going under Stephen Harper, a Conservative prime minister, and what was happening in the United States. The Liberals have decided they do not want Americans to feel bad when they come up here and see that Canadians are doing so well, they want them to feel good, so they are going to destroy our nation economically. Our per capita income has gone down significantly. People are struggling financially to buy a home, so it is tough. Young people do not feel they are ever going to be able to buy a home.

However, good news is on the way, and I hope we are going to see a Conservative government soon. Even today the leader of the Conservative Party announced an initiative that would remove the GST from all new housing built up to $1 million. That is about 5%. It is up to $50,000, not including the interest over the years, which could easily double or more than double the value. This is a common-sense approach to help young people and kick-start housing, which has been going down under the Liberals. We anticipate 30,000 new homes would be built every year under this initiative.

Our leader has also announced our intention to encourage the provinces to remove the sales tax on all new housing production. When the Liberals came into power in October 2015, it took 39% of the median pre-tax household income to cover home ownership. What is it now? It is 60% of pre-tax income. Basically, it is people's full income and more. People are drowning. This is a measure that would generate new construction jobs, which is good news and stands in stark contrast to the Liberals.

In the vision of the night among the Liberals collectively, all the same night, miraculously, maybe they recognize that what they are doing is just making this country much less safe, which would be true. After nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, violent crime is up 50%, while violent gun crime has increased 116%. I am giving some numbers: 50% and 116%, but we are talking about tens of thousands of Canadians suffering under violent crimes and gun crimes, and people getting killed. It falls on the Liberals. A lot of it has to do with their policies, their legislation.

Therefore I am very happy to be debating the topic and not trying to either pass or oppose legislation that the Liberals bring forth in the House, because the majority of it, and I will not say “everything” because I am sure there must be one or two things that are decent but could be better, by far is not helpful to Canada. It is taking us down, dragging us down, so we are quite happy to take our time.

We would not have to be debating the privilege motion if the Liberals would just comply with the Speaker's request and do the right thing, but their heels are dug in. Again, is it because of the collective pang of conscience that they recognize how bad their legislation is? The Liberals brag about banning firearms for law-abiding Canadians, while completely ignoring gun smuggling and the crime wave unleashed by the government.

Police associations from across this country, last week or the week before, were forced to correct the Prime Minister. The Toronto Police Association, for instance, wrote to the Prime Minister, telling him, “Criminals did not get your message.” It went on to say, “Our communities are experiencing a 45% increase in shootings and a 62% increase in gun-related homicides compared to this time last year.” Things are getting chaotic, deadly and crazy.

The Toronto Police Association also said to the Liberals, “What difference does your handgun ban make when 85% of guns seized by our members can be sourced to the United States?” It does not make sense, but then we have come to expect that from from the Liberals, unfortunately.

The Toronto Police Association statement was followed by similar condemnations from the Vancouver Police Union and the Surrey Police Union. Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, the riding I represent, is in British Columbia. The Vancouver Police Union wrote to the Prime Minister, saying that the Liberals, who are really upheld by the NDP, are “not aware of the ongoing gang war here in B.C. which is putting both our members and public at risk on a daily basis." Addressing the Prime Minister, it said, “ Where do you think their guns are still coming from?” It is suggesting he should really think about it.

The Surrey Police Union wrote that the Prime Minister's “handgun freeze fails to address the real issue: the surge of illegal firearms coming across our borders and ending up in the hands of violent criminals.” A Conservative government will deal not with duck hunters but with criminals.

Maybe the Liberals recognize their incompetence, as is demonstrated by overdose deaths. Under the Liberals, there were 47,000 deaths, and many more are dying every day. I am wearing a poppy as we are approaching Remembrance Day. Tens of thousands of Canadians lost their lives on the battlefield, but there are actually many more who have died from the opioid crisis alone.

There are a staggering number of deaths due to the opioid crisis, and the Liberals are just making things worse and worse. They do not know what is going on. Maybe they want the current debate to continue because they realize they are making things worse. The opioid crisis is evidence of that. I have met many people who have lost loved ones. I have personally known people who have died from the crisis. It is a terrible situation here in Canada.

On Friday I was in my constituency office. The majority of the time when I go out the back door of my office, I see shattered people taking drugs and on fentanyl highs. On Friday, three times, just behind my office, ambulances had to come. There were people lying right in the middle of the parking lot. This is what has happened under nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, and it is a shame. It is terrible. There needs to be a change.

Maybe the reason the Liberals are letting this drag on is that it is for their pensions. I sure hope not; maybe it is just a comment, but we have to wonder why they are doing this. When millions of Canadians are struggling, I sure hope the reason the Liberals are not calling a carbon tax election is not their own paycheque as a cabinet minister, or for their pension.

Maybe the reason the Liberals are not producing the documents and are just allowing the debate to go on and on is that they want to prorogue Parliament to try to reset things and deal with their internal chaos. This would be an opportune time to prorogue Parliament, to say they are not working well together and to have a leadership race.

As a matter of fact, 24 Liberal MPs signed a letter asking the Prime Minister to step down. Mark “carbon tax” Carney is waiting in the wings. Christy Clark has announced. The vultures are circling. No disrespect is meant to individuals; I am just saying that things are bleeding. I was reading today about Jody Wilson-Raybould, the former Liberal minister of justice and attorney general of Canada. She said that the Prime Minister simply is not capable of self-reflection.

The Prime Minister remains, not in the interest of Canadians and not even in the interest of my colleagues in the Liberal benches. He is not there for them. He is certainly not here for Canadians. It would appear that his interest is himself and the ability to jet-set around the world, hobnobbing with elites. That is what it would appear from here. From watching the news, I have a good idea that some of the members on the Liberal benches feel the same way.

I will introduce a teaser. Maybe I will get some questions on it. Maybe the Liberals really do have something to hide. I think that may be the reason. They do not want any more biopsies. They do not want the public to know how far the cancer has spread.

My wife had breast cancer. It has been nine years now. She had five operations. Doctors tested different lymph nodes to see whether it had metastasized. Thank God it had not. I am thankful she is here with me. She is a tremendous support. However, maybe the Liberals know that a cancer, which is what we are dealing with right now, has metastasized all throughout the government. It does not want the public to know.

Parkinson's Disease

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Mr. Speaker, every day in Canada, 30 individuals are diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, and more than 100,000 people in Canada are now living with Parkinson's, including my sister Paula and my wife, Barbara. There is currently no test to confirm Parkinson's, and diagnosis can take time. There is currently no cure.

Tomorrow between 9 a.m. and noon in the Wellington Building, room 310, I am pleased to co-host a round table with Senator Greene and Parkinson Canada, where we will discuss the growing economic burden of Parkinson's, innovative care models and current research to improve the lives of people diagnosed with Parkinson's.

I am proud to support research into neurodegenerative diseases, like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, through our federal budget. Every Parkinson's experience is unique. Together we can ensure that a full and vibrant life with Parkinson's is still possible.

Remembrance Day

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this Veteran's and Remembrance Day week, let us take a moment to recognize the people who have bravely served Canada in times of war, conflict and peace. We gather at Remembrance Day services to honour and pay tribute to Canadians who made the ultimate sacrifice defending democracy and human rights around the world, as well as those who continue to serve today. By remembering, we pay tribute to Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP members who serve to defend our values and freedoms.

Kelowna—Lake Country has The British Columbia Dragoons; 39 Signal Regiment; Royal Canadian Legion branch 26 in Kelowna and branch 189 in Oyama; and Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada unit 367, which all play roles supporting veterans and their families and help educate the next generation. The Field of Crosses display, a multi-partner community service memorial project in Kelowna City Park, is an impactful visual reminder of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Buying poppies supports our local veterans. May we never take their sacrifice for granted. Lest we forget.

Oxi Day

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this Oxi Day, we pay tribute to the courage of Greece, the cradle of democracy, for standing strong against tyranny.

Eight-four years ago, in 1940, a resolute “no”, “oxi”, from Greece's Prime Minister Metaxas to the Axis Powers' ultimatum was a choice to protect Greece's sovereignty and democratic ideals from Fascist and Nazi tyranny that had swept over Europe.

This stance was not only a military decision but also a powerful moral one. Greece, with its rich democratic heritage, became a beacon of resistance, reminding nations everywhere of the profound cost and importance of liberty. In a world overshadowed by authoritarian regimes, Greece's defiance in history reminds us of the importance of protecting both freedom and democracy.

Today, we celebrate an act of bravery and an enduring commitment to the values we all cherish.

[Member spoke in Greek]

New Quebec Whisky

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am in a particularly good mood today and I want to spread that joy. Be happy, because I found an incredible whisky in my riding that you just cannot pass up. It is sure to become the Speaker's whisky. It is 100% organic, 100% made in Quebec and it tastes damn good.

Pembroke whisky is the latest creation of the Grand Dérangement distillery in Saint‑Jacques, which has already brought us a gin, to commemorate the Acadians, and a vodka, both certified organic. The creators of this whisky are quite proud of the fact that it was designed, produced, distilled and aged back home in Montcalm. From the grain to the bottle, from our soil to your glass, let us share a drink, Mr. Speaker. I challenge anyone in the House to present you such a good, top-quality whisky.

Congratulations to the Grand Dérangement distillery on its vision and its tasty creativity.

King Charles III Coronation Medal

[Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary May Simon, gave me 20 King Charles III coronation medals to present. I want to congratulate the 20 recipients for their remarkable contribution to Canada. They are Valérie‑Micaela Bain, Madwa‑Nika Phanord‑Cadet, Déborah Cherenfant, Connie Cusano, Louis‑Edgar Jean‑François, Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, Manuel Mathieu, Stéphan Morin, Emilie Nicolas, Jean Ernest Pierre, Frédéric Pierre, Lucy Santos Rodrigues, Chantal Rossi, Beverly Salomon, Nathalie Sanon, Rony Sanon, Komlan T. Sedzro, Édouard Staco, Rodney Saint‑Éloi and Martine St‑Victor.

Congratulations to all the recipients.

The Economy

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

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the Liberal-NDP government, everything is broken. Its failed and woke policies made Canadians poorer and broke Canada's economy, sending two million Canadians into a food bank.

The housing minister first broke immigration and now housing, as he doubled rents and mortgages. He brought record amounts of newcomers to Canada without available homes, jobs or health care. The finance minister broke the economy, as GDP per person has been in decline for six consecutive quarters, meaning weaker paycheques, higher prices and less competition. The Prime Minister broke Canada by making Liberal insiders rich, while ignoring the cost of living, housing and crime crises he created. They called anyone who questioned these radical policies racist, even though the Prime Minister did racist blackface more times than even he can remember.

Common-sense Conservatives will unleash the economy, bring home powerful paycheques and lower prices by axing the tax, building the homes, fixing the budget, stopping the crime and bringing home the Canada that we all once knew and still love. We are going to bring it home.

Oxi Day

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today Greeks around the world are celebrating the famous “no”, oxi, which refers to the response given by the prime minister of Greece, Ioannis Metaxas, on October 28, 1940, to an ultimatum given by the Axis forces to allow them to enter Greece in order to occupy strategic locations within the country.

Metaxas rejected the ultimatum with the words “Then it is war”, which led the Axis forces to attack Greece. They expected Greece to fall quickly, but the Greek resistance drove the Italian forces back in less than a month and forced Hitler to change his plans and delay his invasion of Russia by at least two months.

According to Sir Winston Churchill, “If there had not been the virtue and courage of the Greeks, we do not know which the outcome of World War II would have been.” Today we honour the Greek heroes who fought with courage to defend our values.

[Member spoke in Greek]

Foreign Interference

[Paul Chiang, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the serious issue of foreign interference in Canada. Recent RCMP investigations have uncovered evidence linking agents of the government of India to violent criminal activities on Canadian soil, including targeting of South Asian Canadians.

This interference is a direct threat to our national security and public safety. In Markham—Unionville, which is home to a vibrant South Asian community, families are fearful and community leaders are concerned about intimidation. No Canadian should live under the threat of foreign interference or violence.

Canada will not tolerate any nation threatening our people or undermining our sovereignty. Six Indian diplomats have been expelled and we urge the government of India to co-operate fully with our investigation. We will always defend our values, protect our citizens and uphold the laws of the land.

Finance

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost. The record of nine years of the NDP-Liberal government will be one of waste, corruption and no respect for Canadian taxpayer dollars. This legacy will include a $400-million slush fund that violated its own conflict of interest policy 186 times; a $223,000 in-flight catering bill for one trip for the Prime Minister.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates the Liberal government will run a $46.8-billion deficit this year. The Liberals have missed their own spending target by $7 billion, meaning that they have blown away all of their fiscal anchors, leaving Canadians adrift among a fiscal nightmare.

Enough is enough. This runaway spending and corruption train must be stopped with a carbon tax election so that Canadians can elect a common-sense Conservative government that will fix the budget and end this inflationary spending.

Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada

[Terry Sheehan, Liberal, Sault Ste. Marie, ON]

Mr. Speaker, attempts at foreign interference unfortunately have become a reality in Canada and around the world.

Whether it is the Indian government's involvement in serious criminal activities against Canadian citizens, or Chinese, Russian and Iranian attempts to influence our country, our leaders must be prepared to confront these challenges head-on, and that is what leaders do. They take these issues seriously. They learn about them and they work with our national security officials to prevent them. They do not stick their heads in the sand.

The leader of the Conservative Party is the only leader in the House who has chosen not to obtain the security clearance needed to review the intelligence that could keep Canadians safe. Will the leader of the official opposition come out of hiding, get the security clearance, take the security brief and keep Canadians safe?

Government Priorities

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, life has never been so hard for Canadians after nine years of the NDP-Liberal government.

A shocking report out today confirmed that there are now more than two million Canadians relying on food banks every month just to survive. Many of these food banks regularly run out of food because of skyrocketing demand, with lines stretching for blocks.

The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. His failed agenda has forced people into choosing between paying rent, heating their homes or putting food on the table. The Liberals have only made it worse by increasing the carbon tax by 23%, with plans of quadrupling it and forcing even more Canadians to go hungry.

Canadians may not be well fed, but they are fed up. The Prime Minister must call a carbon tax election now.

Housing

[Tako Van Popta, Conservative, Langley—Aldergrove, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today the leader of the common-sense Conservatives announced that we will be axing the federal sales tax on new homes. It is going to have a huge impact on ground zero of the housing crisis in metro Vancouver and right across the country.

Homeowners will save $50,000 on a million-dollar home purchase, reducing their mortgage payments month after month, year after year. This tax cut will also spark the construction of 30,000 extra homes every year. This means more homes for young families that are trying to get into the real estate market for the very first time.

Where are we after nine years of the NDP-Liberals? Double the rent, double the mortgage payments, double the down payment and 80% of Canadians feel that home ownership is only for the very wealthy. However, rest assured, the Conservatives will put an end to these failed Liberal housing programs and we will actually build the homes, as we have done in the past and as we are doing with today's announcement.

Let us axe the tax and build the homes.

Democratic Institutions

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, almost two years ago, we found out that a number of countries, including China, Russia and India, are trying to interfere with Canada's democratic processes.

Last June, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians tabled a report alleging that certain parliamentarians are the targets of, or witting participants in, efforts by foreign governments to interfere in Canadian politics. These serious and disturbing allegations have cast a shadow over our democratic institutions.

Ever since then, all but one of the opposition leaders have obtained their security clearance so that they can take action on foreign interference within their party. The public inquiry into foreign interference clearly showed that each member of the House has a duty to fight foreign interference in our democracy.

I have an easy question for the leader of the Conservative Party. When is he going to get his security clearance, take his head out of the sand, and put the safety and security of Canadians ahead of his own partisan interests?

Bissell Centre

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Mr. Speaker, for over 110 years, the Bissell Centre has supported people in Edmonton experiencing poverty and houselessness. Its mission is to save lives. It serves individuals facing complex challenges like intergenerational trauma, addiction, food insecurity, unemployment and housing vulnerability. Of those accessing its services, 67% identify as Black, indigenous or people of colour. Its holistic wraparound services go far beyond just housing supports.

Last year, the Bissell Centre supported over 9,000 people experiencing the worst outcomes of poverty. It housed over 500 people and supported an additional 675 community members in eviction prevention.

I think members would agree that organizations like the Bissell Centre are a vital resource for our communities, and I urge the Government of Canada to work with and provide urgent support for organizations such as the Bissell Centre. The workers at the Bissell Centre are the very best of us, and we owe them our tremendous thanks.

Latin American Heritage Month

[Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, Bloc, Terrebonne, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud of my Quebec roots, but I am also proud of my Peruvian roots, and I want to acknowledge the importance of Latin American Heritage Month.

Throughout the month of October, I have been thinking of my mother, who was born in Peru. After earning her doctorate in the United States, she chose to settle in Quebec and embrace Quebec's vision of a strong social fabric, resilience and tolerance. In fact, Latin Americans are the second-largest ethnolinguistic group of immigrants in Quebec.

As October comes to a close, let us recognize the important impact of these communities made up of people like my mother. Whether they come from Mexico, Chile, the Caribbean nations or beyond, Latin Americans are known throughout Quebec for their rich culture and vitality. Shining a light on their unique contribution to Quebec society reminds us of our commitment to an inclusive and tight-knit Quebec.

As they say in Spanish, la diversidad nos enriquece, diversity enriches us.

Housing

[Scott Aitchison, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, Canadians know it is not worth the cost of housing.

Nobody makes more money on housing than governments, and Canadians are paying the price. The good news is that common-sense Conservatives will deliver results. A Conservative government will axe the tax on new homes sold. On an $800,000 house, this tax could save a homeowner $40,000. That is $2,200 a year in mortgage payments. A common-sense tax cut like this will lead to an additional 30,000 homes being built each year.

In Ontario and British Columbia, government charges account for more than 30% of the cost of a new home and the federal government takes the biggest share of that. That is just wrong.

After nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, 80% of Canadians now believe that home ownership is only for the rich. The Prime Minister has doubled the rent, has doubled mortgage payments and has doubled the down payment. Common-sense Conservatives will bring home real solutions to the housing crisis that the Prime Minister created.

Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, each and every MP is a representative of Canada in the House. Each and every MP has a responsibility to protect against foreign interference in our democracy. For the few who lead political parties, that responsibility to defend and protect our democracy is much heavier, yet the Conservative leader refuses to get his security clearance so that he can see top secret documents.

Why is the Conservative Party leader continuously refusing to get his clearance? Out of all five party leaders, all but one, the Conservative leader, has refused to get security clearance. What is he hiding? What is he running away from? The Conservative leader in no way, shape or form is qualified to be critiquing our government on matters of national security. He must not and should not have a single day in government. This is nothing but common sense.

Housing

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of this NDP-Liberal government, it is clear the Prime Minister is not worth the cost of housing.

He created housing hell by doubling rents, mortgage payments and the needed down payment, and as housing prices skyrocket, the greedy federal government rakes in the cash. The Prime Minister now collects more in taxes on the sale of a new home than the carpenter or electrician who actually builds the house. The solution is our common-sense plan to axe the federal sales tax on new homes. On an $800,000 home, this would save a homebuyer $40,000, so why not provide some much-needed relief and axe the tax off new homes?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to see the Conservatives have taken some inspiration from our plan for removing the GST to help get more homes built, but what is completely unacceptable is how they say they are going to pay for it, and this is telling about their strategy across a range of policy areas.

They want to cut the programs that are going to deliver housing for low-income and middle-class families today, just like they plan to cut the programs that are going to provide dental care for families who need it; like they plan to cut the programs that will deliver birth control to Canadian women for free; and like the way that they oppose programs to support seniors with pensions, students with student loans and families with the cost of raising kids.

It is time to build, not cut.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, actually, the Liberals' own housing adviser said that the Liberal plan is “turning out to be nothing more than a heist of tax dollars flowing from the feds to the municipalities.”

They fund bureaucracy and photo ops, not building new homes. It used to be, in this country, that it took 25 years for the average family to pay off their house. Now it takes 25 years just to save up for the down payment. Our plan on an $800,000 home would save a new homebuyer $2,200 a year in mortgage payments.

Eight hundred thousands dollars used to buy a mansion; now someone is lucky if they get four walls and a roof in Toronto or Vancouver, so why not adopt our plan and axe the tax off new homes?