Debates of Nov. 25th, 2024

Public Safety

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the lawless hate riot that we saw on the streets of Montreal is what happens after nine years of a woke Prime Minister pushing radical, woke identity politics, dividing people by race, gender, vaccine status, religion and more.

On top of dividing, the Prime Minister erases our heroes and history, saying Canada has no core identity. He opened the borders to terrorists and lawbreakers. The results were assassinations on Canadian soil, firebombings and terrorist attacks against places of worship and 251% more hate crime.

It was not like this before the Prime Minister and will not be after he is gone. Why not call an election so we can fix what he broke?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I personally believe that it is shameful that anyone would speak of the violence that took place on our streets here in Canada in political terms for purely partisan political intention.

I believe it is all of our responsibility to stand up to such hatred and to condemn it in the strongest possible terms, unequivocally and on behalf of all decent Canadians.

Taxation

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years, this Prime Minister has doubled the cost of housing and inflated the price of food 37% faster here in Canada than in the United States. Now he is using a gimmick so people can save 10¢ on a bag of chips or save money on Halloween costumes, when Halloween is already over.

What did the Bloc Québécois get for keeping the Prime Minister in power? There is nothing for seniors. The leader of the Bloc Québécois is all talk and no action.

When will there be an election so that we can cut taxes and make room for real savings?

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

Mr. Speaker, here is the real question: Who is all talk and who is all action? Today, every member of this Parliament has the right and the obligation to help Canadians and Quebeckers with a small rebate and a bit of help.

My question is this: Will the Conservative members have the right to vote for their constituents?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, after doubling housing costs and inflating food prices 37% faster in Canada than in the United States, with inflationary carbon taxes and deficit spending, the Prime Minister now has a tiny two-month tax trick that will save Canadians 10¢ on a pack of chips, a few pennies on a Christmas tree, but only after their Christmas tree is already up and decorated. They will even save on Halloween costumes, two months after Halloween.

Does the Prime Minister really expect Canadians to fall for this tiny tax trick just before he quadruples the carbon tax on heat, homes, gas and groceries?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am really glad the Leader of the Opposition started by comparing our economic position with the U.S., because the fact is, in Canada, inflation is lower. In Canada, interest rates are lower. In Canada, deficits are lower. In Canada, the public debt is lower. Let us stop talking Canada down.

When it comes to supporting Canadians, what I want to know is, will Conservative MPs be allowed to offer a tax break to their constituents? I know their constituents want it. That is what we are hearing from everyone.

The Economy

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, this is from a minister who, after finding out that the economy is entering its sixth consecutive quarter of shrinking per capita GDP, is income per person, is down while the American income per person is up, and after learning that there are two million people lined up at food banks, 38% more chronic homelessness and 1,400 homeless encampments in Ontario after nine years of the government, says that we are not in a recession. We are in a vibecession, she says.

What is the minister's message to people who are hungry and homeless after nine years of her government? Do they just need to get with the vibe?

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

Mr. Speaker, my message to the leader of the Conservatives is to be a little more economically literate. I guess he did not look at the recent GDP revisions, the upward revisions in GDP that show a good result for Canada in per capita GDP. They also show that Canada has not had a recession, contrary to the predictions of many people when there was the COVID recession. We have had a soft landing; that is something to celebrate.

Seniors

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in regard to the Bloc Québécois's useless measures on supply management and pensioners, let me remind the House that the young man who leads the official opposition voted in favour of those measures.

That being said, the government wants to implement measures to support the purchasing power of Quebeckers and Canadians. The government must realize that these measures will be more beneficial and accessible to people who are millionaires and that cheques will be sent to people earning $150,000, including members of Parliament.

Does the government realize that it is turning its back on those who really need help?

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

Mr. Speaker, I take the Bloc Québécois's concerns about seniors very seriously. I take them seriously because our government shares those concerns.

That is why our government has done more to support seniors across Canada than any other federal government. This year, Canadian seniors will receive $48 billion in federal support. It is only fair, because they deserve it.

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the math required is the same math that people are doing at home. I am talking about people between the ages of 65 and 74 in particular, whose purchasing power has not changed in years and who are being singled out for discrimination. They are not going to get the Liberal government's vote-buying cheque.

I do not get it. Can someone tell me how the Liberals managed to convince the NDP to support that?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by clarifying one detail. I know that a lot of seniors are still working. Working seniors will receive the cheque.

I also want to say that I think we all understand that seniors 75 and over are more vulnerable. They need more help. That is why our government knows that we need to give them more support.

The Economy

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, do members know what is cruel? The Liberal government is excluding seniors, people living with disabilities and people who just started working from receiving the $250 cheque that is going out in spring. What a slap in the face that is.

Why is the Liberal government excluding the most vulnerable in our country?

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

Mr. Speaker, I hope the NDP leader and all members of the House will help work with us to unblock Parliament and to get the support to Canadians that they need and deserve.

When it comes to the working Canadians rebate, we know that there are hard-working people across the country who have been through challenging times. We know that now is the time to provide them with extra support. I hope all MPs will join us in doing that.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, workers, seniors, people living with disabilities and young people just getting their first job desperately need help, but this government is excluding them from the $250 cheques. Talk about a slap in the face.

Why are the Liberals excluding the most vulnerable people?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the leader of the NDP for his question. I hope that he and all MPs will truly help us help Canadians. Our government understands the importance of supporting the most vulnerable. That is what we have been doing since 2015, and we will continue to do so.

Today, we understand that Canada's working men and women need help, and we are going to provide it.

Taxation

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, well, the NDP leader is giving Canadians whiplash with his latest flip-flop and the flop on the flip. First he said he tore up his deal with the Liberal government. Then he said that he had taped it back together because it had signed on to his two-month tax trick. Now he rises on his feet to say that the trick is a rip off of seniors and persons with disabilities.

Why will the NDP leader not put his actions where his words are and vote for a carbon tax election so Canadians can choose between the two-month trick and axing the tax for good?

[An hon. member]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

It will be of no surprise that I ask the hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby to please not take the floor unless recognized by the Speaker.

The hon. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance has the floor.

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

Mr. Speaker, the only inconstant flip-flopper of the House is the leader of the official opposition. For months he has been talking about how Canadians need a little more support, but it turns out that unless someone recites robotically his Dr. Seuss rhymes, he is not going to agree with their approach to helping Canadians. Now is the chance for him and his MPs to actually give Canadians some real support. Let us get together and do—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. member for Thornhill has the floor.

Public Safety

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the streets of a major Canadian city were set on fire this weekend, and the Prime Minister was nowhere to be found. A radical, anti-Semitic, anti-Canadian mob burned cars, smashed windows and assaulted police officers, and the Prime Minister was nowhere to be found. It took him until noon the next day, and he offered the most basic platitudes resembling some standard condemnation that he has been offering after fomenting the hatred he is now surprised about.

I have one question: When was the Prime Minister told about the riot, and why did he decide to keep dancing the night away?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague, I think the Minister of defence properly explained the outrage all Canadians felt at the wanton, reckless violence on the streets of Montreal.

We condemn unequivocally the rising and concerning rates of anti-Semitism and all other hate crimes in the country. We are working with provincial authorities and local police to combat them. Let me be very clear: No matter what group one claims to represent or what cause they are advancing, if they are smashing windows and assaulting Canadians, they are a criminal and will face the full consequences of the law.

[An hon. member]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I am going to ask the member for Calgary Signal Hill to please not to take the floor unless recognized by the Chair.