Debates of Dec. 11th, 2024

Public Safety

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, let us see what the police have to say about that. After a 116% increase in gun crime under this Prime Minister and a repeat violent offender out on early parole allegedly murdered a 34-year-old woman in Toronto on Sunday. The Toronto Police had this question for the Prime Minister: “How was this person, with their history, allowed to access a firearm and be alone with a partner when they were supposedly living in a supervised community setting? What answers are you providing ... to the victim’s family, or our communities who continue to see the heartbreaking results of your weak policies on crime?”

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, despite Conservative opposition, we continue to move forward on bringing in red flag laws and yellow flag laws to make sure that people who are charged with domestic violence do not have access to firearms. Conservatives stood against that and fought against that every step of the way. Just like they are working hard to make legal again assault-style weapons that we rendered illegal in this country four years ago, they want to unfreeze the handgun bans. Last time they were in office, they cut 1,100 workers from the CBSA who were there to prevent illegal guns flowing in from the United States.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has not banned a single gun. He spent over $60 million to fail to take a single gun off the road. He has had to give an amnesty to reverse all of the announced gun bans that he did, standing in front of a cartoon image of a scary Hollywood-style gun. What has been the sum total of all of this? It has been a 116% increase in gun violence since he became Prime Minister.

When will he realize that banning Grandpa Joe's hunting rifle is not going to stop crime and that instead we actually have to lock up the criminals?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, instead of trying to scare Grandpa Joe, the member should be honest with Grandpa Joe. We have banned assault-style weapons and already we have seen thousands of assault-style weapons collected and destroyed. These are things that we are doing that the Conservative Party and its funders, the gun lobby, continue to stand against. They would re-legalize assault-style weapons in this country and unfreeze the market on handguns. That is what they promised the gun lobby, and they hide behind Grandpa Joe because they cannot admit it out loud.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, he admitted he does not even know what an assault rifle is, let alone be able to ban one. He spent $60 million and his government admits it did not take a single firearm off the road. There has been a 116% increase in gun violence under his leadership and 99% of the shipping containers that come in are not inspected at all, even though the previous Conservative government increased the number of frontline border officers.

Why is the Prime Minister so busy trying to protect turkeys from hunters that he does not protect Canadians from criminals?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, not only has the House defined what an assault-style weapon is in law, but the RCMP is now acting on that classification—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

I am certain all members can exercise restraint here. I am inviting all members, please, to do so.

The right hon. Prime Minister, from the top, please.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, not only has the House defined what an assault-style weapon is, over the objections of Conservatives, but we are now removing those guns and destroying those guns while we compensate those who lawfully purchased them. That is what responsible gun control looks like. Unfortunately, the leader of the Conservative Party has promised the gun lobby that he will relegalize assault-style weapons, reopen the frozen market for handguns and make things more dangerous for Canadians, and particularly for women, right across the country. Shame on him.

Government Priorities

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have been through a lot in the last few years, and they are looking to all levels of government for relief and support. That is something I hear at the doors in Halifax West, and it is the call I bring every day to Ottawa when I represent my constituents, unlike the Conservatives, who have been forbidden to advocate for their communities.

Can the Prime Minister give an update on what this Liberal government is doing to make life better for Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Halifax West for her advocacy and her hard work.

There was good news this morning. The Bank of Canada has cut its interest rate by another 50 points, and today we announced that three million Canadians have been approved for dental care, with more than 1.2 million Canadians, mostly seniors, already having received care. The good news does not stop there. On Saturday, a tax break will go into effect for all Canadians. The Conservative voted against it, but it is real. Canadians are going into Christmas and the holiday season with lower interest rates, lower taxes and more money in their pockets.

Forestry Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, forest biomass energy production has the potential to provide Canadian electrical grids with a sustainable source of energy. This will also create high-paying jobs for rural communities, like the paper mill in Port Alberni. The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act includes tax incentives for biomass, putting Canada's forest sector at a competitive disadvantage. The Liberals promised a clean technology and electricity investment tax credit in 2023 but failed to deliver.

Will the Prime Minister finally commit to the timely passage of these tax incentives to help protect Canadian jobs in the forestry sector?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, biomass is an important part of the solution as we move forward into being more reliant on renewable energy and understanding how important our forestry industry is not just for creating good jobs and goods to export and build homes with, but also to contributing to our energy opportunities and challenges.

We will continue to stand up for innovation in our energy industry. We will continue to stand up for energy workers right across the country in all industries as we work to decarbonize, as we work to invest and innovate and as we create a better future for all Canadians.

Taxation

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Monday, we will find out the extent of Canada's deficit. The Greens offer some solutions: Offset deficits by taxing the excess profits of big oil and big banks and by taxing the billionaire class.

Why will the government not make them pay their fair share?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, following the pandemic, we actually brought in an excess profits tax on the big banks and insurance companies that were very profitable through a very difficult time for Canadians, and those measures continue. We will always look at making sure everyone pays their fair share.

In regard to the oil and gas companies that are creating incredible profits by selling oil and gas to Canadians, we are actually making sure there is a limit to how much they can pollute, because no industry should have unlimited pollution. They can continue to produce, but they need to reduce their emissions. They need to invest in new ways of supporting their workers and supporting our future.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

Colleagues, I draw the attention of members to the presence in the gallery of our former colleague and former leader of the opposition, Gilles Duceppe.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

Fall Economic Statement

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties, and if you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, notwithstanding any Standing Order, special order, or usual practice of the House, at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, December 16, 2024, the Speaker shall interrupt the proceedings to permit the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance to make a statement followed by a period of up to 10 minutes for questions and comments; after the statement, a Member from each recognized opposition party, and a Member of the Green Party, may reply for a period approximately equivalent to the time taken by the Minister's statement and each statement shall be followed by a period of 10 minutes for questions and comments.

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

All those opposed to the hon. minister's moving the motion will please say nay. It is agreed.

The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

(Motion agreed to)

Syria

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties, and if you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That,

(a) the House welcomes the end of the brutal and corrupt Assad regime;

(b) Canada has been and will continue to be a friend to the Syrian people who have the right to live in peace and dignity;

(c) in this time of great uncertainty for their country, Canada stands in solidarity with the Syrian people as they pursue their legitimate aspiration to build an inclusive state for all;

(d) the House call on the Canadian government to help advance efforts for a democratic Syria that respects the rights of all its people; and

(e) we call on the transition government to reject extremism and support an inclusive government that represents the diversity of Syrians.

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

All those opposed to the hon. member's moving the motion will please say nay. It is agreed.

The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

(Motion agreed to)

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

Mr. Speaker—

[An hon. member]

No.

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

You have no idea what I was going to say. It gets good.

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the House leaders. I move that, given that the Liberal government will—

[Some hon. members]

No.