Debates of Nov. 29th, 2024

The Economy

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity]

Madam Speaker, let us stick to the facts. Over 10 years of Stephen Harper, we saw GDP per capita grow by $1,810. After eight years of this Liberal government, we have seen it grow by over $11,000. Not only are we better for economic growth in this country, we are also introducing mechanisms that are really leading to affordability for Canadians, like P.E.I.'s new school food program. We introduced one in Ontario last week and in P.E.I. this week.

Just yesterday, every Conservative had an opportunity to—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Saskatoon—University.

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

Madam Speaker, new damning data has been released confirming the results of nine years of economic vandalism by the NDP-Liberal government. We saw the worst decline in living standards in 40 years. Consumer debt has hit an all-time record high and today we learned that GDP per capita fell again for the sixth straight month.

Americans are threatening a 25% tariff and the Prime Minister does not have a plan. When will he get out of the way for a prime minister who does?

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, that question has been answered on a number of occasions. However, I want the member to reflect on what happened yesterday and remember that members of the Conservative Party and their leader have been going across Canada, saying they are going to do people a favour; they are going to axe taxes. For the first time, they got a chance to vote on the issue and what did they do? They abandoned their principles, they demonstrated what hypocrites really look like and they voted against a tax break for the holiday season, even though during the last campaign, they campaigned in favour of it.

How would you define hypocrisy, Madam Speaker?

Taxation

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Madam Speaker, the temporary GST pause helps everyone except the people who need help the most. Low-income households will not save a penny on food, because food is not taxable. They will not save a penny on their hydro bill, because hydro is not covered. They will not save a penny on their rent, phone bill or Internet. The measure does not cover any of their major core expenses. The Liberals and the NDP are subsidizing people who have money to spend while ignoring families who will be forced to settle for another bare-bones Christmas.

Can they not see the unfairness of that?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Madam Speaker, people on this side of the House and across Quebec still cannot understand why the Bloc Québécois and the Conservatives voted against reducing the GST. This measure is so necessary to families and to Quebeckers. It comes on top of all the other programs that we have put in place, like dental insurance, which the Bloc Québécois also opposed. We are here for families, and we are here for the most vulnerable Quebeckers. We will always stand up for them.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Madam Speaker, the GST holiday does not cover any of the major core expenses for low-income households who could have used some help this Christmas. At least there is a silver lining for lovers of fine wines. If anyone is buying a bottle of the legendary 1945 Romanée-Conti, which sells for over $700,000, the Liberals and NDP will take off $35,000. That is a lot of money. In fact, it is the median annual after-tax income in Quebec.

This strikes me as a pretty lousy measure. Would my colleague not agree?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Madam Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for my colleague, but I must point out that the Bloc Québécois made a promise to Quebeckers to represent their interests in Ottawa. Yesterday, the Bloc Québécois betrayed Quebeckers. At a time when Quebeckers are talking about affordability, at a time when families are getting ready for Christmas, and at a time when we need to help families, the Bloc Québécois said no to Quebeckers. That is outrageous, but I would say that we on this side of the House will always be there to help families and to help Quebeckers.

International Trade

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Madam Speaker, Canada's economy grew at a rate nearly 10 times slower than the economy of the United States in the last quarter. This week, U.S. President-elect Trump announced that he was considering a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada. This would be devastating to our economy because we export more goods and services to the United States than to the rest of the world combined.

What is the government's plan to prevent these economically devastating tariffs?

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment]

Madam Speaker, we have had four months of consecutive job growth, one million new jobs since before the pandemic and 20 straight months of wages outpacing inflation. We have delivered $50 billion in auto investment that is creating thousands of jobs in this country. Conservatives, in their track record, lost 300,000 manufacturing jobs. Last night, they delivered a kick in the teeth for working families, voting against the tax cut that we delivered. We will be there for workers. All they do is deliver words.

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Madam Speaker, it sounds like the government has no plan to deal with the United States, and Canadians continue to get poorer. Today, Statistics Canada reported that Canada's GDP per capita has declined for six quarters in a row. The situation will only get worse if the U.S. follows through on its threat to impose a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada.

Since the Prime Minister has no plan to deal with the United States, will he get out of the way for a prime minister who does?

[Maninder Sidhu, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Export Promotion]

Madam Speaker, it is this government that has a clear track record of working with the Trump administration. In 2016, we worked with it. In 2018, we renegotiated NAFTA when the Conservatives repeatedly asked us to capitulate. We will continue to stand up for Canadian jobs and Canadian workers. We will continue to be at the table with a team Canada approach, with premiers and with stakeholders across the table.

Every party leader in the House has security clearance except for the leader of the Conservative Party. When will he get his security clearance and join the team Canada effort?

The Economy

[Terry Dowdall, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Madam Speaker, earlier this week, the finance minister said that all is well with the Canadian economy, that it is Canadians that just are not feeling that good, that it is a vibecession. New economic data has just been released from Statistics Canada, which has now confirmed a sixth consecutive quarter with a decline in GDP. Add to that an incoming U.S. administration threatening 25% tariffs across the board.

If the Prime Minister does not have a plan beyond bad vibes, will he get out of the way for—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing]

Madam Speaker, the situation is back to normal levels because of the economic stewardship of the government. Unemployment is at historically low levels as well. They continue to talk about economic issues these days. Let us talk about it but let us look at their record. We cut taxes for the middle class. They were against it. We did that twice, in fact, and twice they were against it. We cut taxes for small businesses. They were against it. During the worst years of the pandemic, we put forward emergency measures to support small businesses. They were against them. Last night, we introduced a tax cut for every Canadian and they were against it. They talk out of both sides of their mouth. They are not serious.

[Terry Dowdall, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Madam Speaker, the government is just not serious. Canadians are facing a made-in-Canada GDP per capita recession. The NDP-Liberals have overseen the worst standard of living decline in Canada in 40 years.

What is the Liberal plan? The Liberal plan is to quadruple the carbon tax, increase housing taxes and implement a capital gains tax increase. That is without a 25% tariff in place yet. A two-month tax trick will not make those bad vibes disappear.

Since the Prime Minister does not have a real plan, will he get out of the way for a prime minister who does?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity]

Madam Speaker, I think the Conservative photocopier must be out of toner because they have asked the same question 15 times today. I will say it again. GDP per capita, under Harper, rose by $1,800 in a decade. In the last decade, under this Liberal government, it has risen by over $11,000. I hope their batteries in their calculators are okay, as $11,000 is more than $1,800.

Yesterday, the Conservatives all had the opportunity to vote to axe the tax, and they did not. It is because they do not care about affordability for Canadians. They only want to axe the tax if it helps their wealthy oil and gas donating friends.

Northern Affairs

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Uqaqtittiji, people in Nunavut are desperate for relief from sky-high food prices. Infant formula is upward of $80. People even feel that every time there is Jordan's principle funding, the North West Company increases the price of food even more. People are pleading with the Liberals but all they offer is another study.

When will the government stop supporting corporate greed and finally help to alleviate poverty?

[Terry Sheehan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Seniors]

Madam Speaker, just recently, the Prime Minister was in Prince Edward Island, announcing our school food program, which is going to put, on average, about $800 in the pockets of the people that are affected. In Ontario, we just had it done last week. It joins Manitoba and Newfoundland in helping hundreds of thousands of kids. We look forward to all provinces and territories signing up for this program because it goes hand in glove with our GST—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Port Moody—Coquitlam.

Infrastructure

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Madam Speaker, Liberals claim they are committed to reconciliation, but their actions do not match their words. They said they would fix the indigenous infrastructure gap, but it is only getting worse, with piecemeal funding that deliberately obstructs self-determination. Indigenous communities have been saying they need reliable roads, homes, airports and marinas, but the Liberals are always letting people down.

Why do the Liberals keep failing indigenous peoples and underfunding their infrastructure?

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for her question. It is an important one.

Our government is committed to closing the infrastructure gap by 2030. Since 2016, we have put more than $25 billion into infrastructure, which has meant more than 9,000 infrastructure projects in Canada for indigenous people.

We are going to continue to work toward reconciliation. We are going to continue to work toward closing the infrastructure gap. On this side of the House, we continue to be committed to reconciliation.

Taxation

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Madam Speaker, families in my riding of Sudbury are worried about the added costs of the holiday season. They are seeing inflation and interest rates come down, but they are not really feeling that in their household budgets or at the cash register.

What is the government doing to help families in Sudbury?

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing]

Madam Speaker, the member is the daughter of a coal miner. She grew up in a working-class household. She later became the executive director of Community Living Greater Sudbury. She understands the everyday challenges of working people. She has always fought for them, and she will continue to do so.

The member understood yesterday why it was important to put forward the tax cut we did. This will help families. This will help workers across the country. It is something that Conservatives do not understand. If we think of a young family who wants to go out to eat or wants to buy a car seat for their growing family, all of that is GST-exempt now for two months.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Madam Speaker, the government has no border plan and no immigration plan. While the minister is busy rage-tweeting and name-calling, he has no answer for how to manage over three million temporary residents before the deadline, no strategy for removals and no serious border enforcement measures in place. The minister's antics are not just embarrassing; they are reckless, risking chaos at our border and straining relations with our closest allies.

Will the immigration minister quit his histrionics and present a Canada first plan to fix the immigration system he broke?