Debates of Dec. 11th, 2024

Finance

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again we see very clearly that for the Leader of the Opposition, it is all about him. Well, for us, it is all about Canadians. It is all about giving Canadians a tax break over the next two months, which the Conservative leader voted against. It is about delivering dental care to 1.2 million Canadians, while three million Canadians are already approved to access dental care in the coming year.

The fact is that we continue to be there for Canadians. The Conservative leader continues to be there for himself to try to block the help we are delivering to Canadians and to make sure everyone thinks everything is broken, because he is busy breaking it.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, he has been the Prime Minister for nine years. Let us review the chronology: Not even eight months ago, his minister said the deficit would not exceed $40 billion, the guardrail. Then he went and got his banker friend, carbon tax Carney, to become his top economic adviser, stripping the power away from his finance minister. Suddenly, the guardrail was broken.

Is he really going to subject his finance minister to the humiliation of reading Carney's fiscal update, which busts through the guardrail?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, this morning, the Bank of Canada announced interest rates are going down yet again. That is terrible news for the Leader of the Opposition, but it is great news for Canadians, for whom things will become more affordable. On top of that, a tax break will be out for Canadians over the next two months that the Leader of the Opposition voted against. Why? Because he cares more about his own political interests than he does about Canadians who are struggling. He will talk about the challenges Canadians are facing to try to instrumentalize them for his own gain, but he will not lift a finger to help Canadians.

Diversity and Inclusion

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

Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights has tabled a report that literally puts Quebec's values on trial. Why is that? It is because Quebec, like most western nations, supports the separation of church and state.

I wonder what the Prime Minister has to say to the hundreds of thousands of Muslims in Quebec who are happy and welcome, in French, in a host society that knows exactly what it is.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we will always protect freedom of thought, freedom of expression and freedom of belief.

That is a fundamental value held by all Canadians and by everyone who comes to Canada. That is why, on this side of the House, we will always protect individual rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. That is unequivocal.

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

Mr. Speaker, I really want to put this in clear, concrete terms. Does the Prime Minister side with the people who are imposing the presence of religion in secular schools in Quebec, or does he side with those who are being literally attacked for wanting to uphold the principle of secularism in Quebec schools?

It has to be one or the other.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is very clear. We will always defend freedom of belief, freedom of expression and the fundamental freedoms so cherished by all Canadians and all Quebeckers. That is why we are moving forward to defend the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

That said, whether it is at universities, which are independent, or at other institutions, everyone has a responsibility to hire the best teachers based on merit. All Quebeckers and all Canadians expect that.

International Trade

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Donald Trump is a bully and bullies prey on weakness. When Trump says jump, the Prime Minister asks how high. When Trump trash-talks Canada, the leader of the Conservatives repeats that garbage. When Trump trolls Canada, hundreds and thousands of Canadians worry they might lose their job.

Why will the Prime Minister not fight back and protect Canadian jobs?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the job of a Canadian prime minister is to stand up for Canadian jobs, Canadian workers and the Canadian economy. That is exactly what we are doing, with a level of seriousness, a level of focus and, quite frankly, a team Canada approach that brings together the premiers and brings together different actors from unions, from businesses and with expertise across the country. That is why we will continue to take this seriously and not freak out like the NDP or repeat the attacks like the Conservatives. We will stand up for Canadians like we have before, as we will again.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

His job is not safe either, Mr. Speaker.

The Prime Minister does nothing while President-elect Trump thumbs his nose at our country and threatens good Canadian jobs. I have fought against bullies my entire life. We have to be firm and not play their game.

When will the Prime Minister stop displaying weakness?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, a few years ago, when Donald Trump's first administration imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum across the country, we responded reasonably, but firmly, and those tariffs were lifted. We were able to renegotiate NAFTA while protecting not only supply management, but things like the cultural exemption and trade continuity between the two countries. We did this by taking the challenges seriously, but working responsibly.

That is what we will do again.

Finance

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister said in 2022, “This is a line we shall not cross.” Then she listed three lines: one, that the deficit would only go down, and it went up; two, that she would pay off the COVID debt, and not only has she not paid off a penny, but the debt has gone up; and three, that the debt-to-GDP ratio would only drop, and it has risen.

Did the finance minister voluntarily cross her own lines, or did the Prime Minister push her?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is once again putting on his little dramatic acts because he is trying to distract Canadians from the core facts.

First, interest rates are down again; second, Canadians will be getting a tax break over the next two months, despite the best efforts of the Conservative leader, who once again, twice this past week, saw that this House has no confidence in him; and third, three million Canadians are now approved for access to dental care for the coming year. These are things that he stood against but Canadians are getting anyway.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is silencing his own finance minister. She was already wildly irresponsible with the public purse, but not irresponsible enough for him. She wanted to keep the deficit at an already massive $40 billion, and he said it was not enough. Canadians are not paying enough inflation, according to him.

Once again, did she voluntarily smash through her fiscal guardrail or did he push her?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition puts on these little performances because he wants to try to distract Canadians from the facts. We have the lowest deficit among G7 countries and will continue to. We are the third-largest receiver in the world of foreign direct investment, number one per capita in the G20, because countries around the world and companies around the world have confidence not just in Canada but in Canadians.

The question people should ask is, why does the Leader of the Opposition not have confidence in Canada or confidence in Canadians?

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

I know it is Wednesday and colleagues are very enthusiastic to participate, but I would invite them not to take the floor unless recognized by the Speaker.

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians do not have confidence in him, nor does his own party or his own cabinet, nor, apparently, does the Bank of Canada, which today was forced into an emergency panicked rate cut to confront the collapsing economy. The Governor of the Bank of Canada said the economy is softer than he expected it would be, and despite the fact that inflation is rising, that all four measures of it are above the target, he is being forced to cut the rates to save the economy from outright collapse.

When will the Prime Minister stop breaking the economy and call a carbon tax election so Conservatives can fix it?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we get nothing but absolute nonsense from the opposition leader.

Sorry, there is no good way to say that in English.

The reality is he is just making this stuff up in a way we could not believe. Inflation has been within the target range of the Bank of Canada for over 10 months now. This is because we have been there to help Canadians with things like dental care, like a school food program, with investments that are growing the economy in a way that has brought down inflation and allowed the Bank of Canada to cut rates faster than just about any other G7 country. We are there for Canadians. He is the one voting against things to happen.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, do members know what is up? Inflation is up and unemployment is up. Inflation is not only up; every single measure of inflation is now above its target. Unemployment is up. It is at 10% in Toronto now—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

Order, please.

The hon. Leader of the Opposition, please start again.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

You know what is up, Mr. Speaker? Inflation is up. All four measures of inflation are now above target. Unemployment is up. In Toronto, it is over 10%. What else is up is housing costs. They have actually doubled. They have risen more than in any other country in the G7. What else is up? Food bank use is up. It, too, has doubled, with two million people lined up at the food bank.

What else is up again? The promise-breaking inflationary deficit, so why does the Prime Minister not tell us, if he has figured out how to count, what the deficit will be this year?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, one has to take a moment to appreciate how difficult it must be to be the Leader of the Opposition at a time when things are getting better for Canadians. He spends all his time, and has for the past—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!