Debates of Dec. 16th, 2024

The House resumed consideration of the motion, of the amendment as amended and of the amendment to the amendment.

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I listened intently to the member's speech this morning. I would just like him to comment a little on the issue of a rare sighting today, a sighting as rare as the mythical dinosaurs or dodo birds. It was a Liberal with principle, apparently. I did not know that the former minister of finance had principle, but apparently she does, and she resigned over excessive spending by the government.

I am wondering whether the member could comment on the fact that the leader of the NDP seems to have less concern or principle. I believe that if the Prime Minister were to stand up and say that there is going to be an election, the leader of the NDP would probably say that now is not the time for an election.

Could the member comment on the apparent principle that the former minister of finance has, compared to the current NDP leader?

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

Mr. Speaker, often I would think it is a trap, but I thank the member for such a great and thoughtful question.

The member is absolutely right. It is sad to see that the NDP has lost all principles. Just for the greed of the leader of the NDP's $2.2-million pension, New Democrats have sold out Canadians entirely. They have supported the same policies that doubled housing costs, and they have supported the carbon tax scam that has made the cost of everything go up. These are the same policies that drove more than two million Canadians to a food bank in a single month, and now one in four people is starting to skip meals.

The leader of the NDP has sold out Canadians. Also, I do not see many other leaders driving a Maserati, but the leader of the NDP is the guy who sold out and propped up the corrupt government.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. We know that the opposition member will say anything and do anything to get attention, but the leader of the New Democratic Party does not drive a Maserati. Lying does not help further the member's argument. I ask for him to withdraw the comment.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Order.

First of all, the hon. member raised a point of order, but he used the word “lying”, and he knows that is not acceptable in the House. Could he withdraw the comment, please?

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Madam Speaker, I know truth hurts, so I withdraw.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I would ask members to make sure when they withdraw that they just say “I withdraw.” I think that will prevent a lot of dissension in the House.

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

Madam Speaker, I would argue that if the member for Timmins—James Bay gave attention to his own riding, he would not run away before the next election, hiding before his own constituents fire him.

I will get back to the point. Over his $2.2-million pension, the leader of the NDP is willing to sell out Canadians to prop up the corrupt, weak, woke, fake feminist Prime Minister, who has driven more Canadians into poverty and who has continued to bring about policies that drive more and more people to a food bank.

It is time for a common-sense Conservative government that will bring back the Canada we once knew.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Madam Speaker, my colleague's speech was passionate. He dedicates his life to his riding, his country and this place, to ensure that Canadians get the election they desperately need right now.

We talk about $400 million of a green slush fund that was supposed to help with environmental projects, but not one was done; in fact, Liberal insiders got rich. My question to the member is as follows: What could $400 million do if it were used properly in this economy to help the Canadians who are suffering so much? What difference could $400 million, which the Liberals misused and gave to their friends, do?

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

Madam Speaker, the $400 million could do a lot, but first of all, let us just address the $400 million that went to Liberal insiders. A slush fund was created under the guise of climate change just to reward Liberal insiders.

The money could have gone to our brave men and women who serve Canada and who are underserved by the Liberal-NDP government, which refuses to stand up for them and for our brave veterans, who are calling out the Prime Minister for saying that they are asking for too much. They deserve all the respect, and they deserve more than what the corrupt Liberal-NDP government has given them.

Business of the House

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

Mr. Speaker, given the events from earlier today, I would like to inform the House that, notwithstanding the special order adopted on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, there will not be a statement by the Minister of Finance at 4 p.m. today.

Fall Economic Statement

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as you would know, that was an order of the House that the minister is trying to unilaterally withdraw. I seek guidance from you and from the table on whether a minister of the Crown can withdraw a unilateral order of the House to prevent the government from making a statement. I am looking for your advice on whether the government, due to its own disorder and chaos, can now unilaterally withdraw an order of the House of such magnitude.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I thank the hon. member.

The member for Berthier—Maskinongé is rising on a point of order.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on the same point of order.

The Bloc Québécois is asking for clarifications on the next steps in the process. We received the order that there would be an economic statement today at four o'clock. Our members are here to respond to it. The contents of the economic statement were disclosed in lock-up, so we are ready to address them. We are asking that the opposition's right to ask questions, to seek clarifications, be respected. We need to know what is going to happen next.

The term “chaos” was used. I think that is a very appropriate word. Amidst all this chaos, what will happen next?

We need some order.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

First of all, I would like to thank the hon. member for Perth—Wellington.

I would also like to thank the member for Berthier—Maskinongé for raising these very important points.

I would like to quote the motion that that House unanimously adopted last week on December 11. By unanimous consent, it was ordered:

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 purpose of this motion, which was adopted by the House of Commons, was to enable the former deputy prime minister and minister of finance to present her economic update. That order asked the Chair to interrupt the House at 4 p.m.

The hon. member for York—Simcoe.

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

Mr. Speaker, just for the opposition, could you clarify who the deputy prime minister is and who the minister of finance is at this time?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I am afraid I cannot respond to the hon. member. That is not a question that would be posed to the Speaker, but it is a question that would be posed to the government.

The hon. member for Berthier—Maskinongé has a point of order.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want this on the record in Hansard. This is absolutely unacceptable. It shows a profound lack of respect for all Quebeckers and Canadians, for all the elected members of the House of Commons. It makes no sense. This is total chaos. It is proof that this government is now completely dysfunctional and that we need an election sooner rather than later.

We needed a demonstration—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Before I recognize hon. members who are rising on a point of order, I will say the following.

It being 4 p.m., pursuant to order made Wednesday, December 11, 2024, I am required to interrupt the proceedings to permit the Minister of Finance to make a statement.

That being said, given the information provided by the government House leader to the House, indicating that the government does not intend to proceed with the statement at this time, the remaining provisions of this motion cannot take effect, which is the period reserved for questions and comments, and the replies from the various parties that are dependent on the statement being made.

In the absence of a statement, the House will resume the business that would normally be before it at this time.

I will go to a point of order raised by the hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby, followed by the hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this has been a chaotic day, but the reality is that this is an order of the House that cannot be countermanded by the government. Our expectation is that the finance minister will be in the House to present the fall economic statement. That is what New Democrats are prepared for. That is what we want to comment on and want to criticize. That is why we are here. This cannot be countermanded by the government itself. Parliament must be respected, and, Mr. Speaker, you must uphold the motion that was adopted unanimously by the House.

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

Mr. Speaker, this is not to make the same point as my hon. colleague from New Westminster—Burnaby, but given that there was a moment when the Speaker had to stop at four o'clock and seek the presentation, I suggest to you, Mr. Speaker, that we are in a really difficult quandary here, as opposition party members. We were given access, on a confidential, embargoed lock-up basis, to read the document, and now we will not hear it being presented.

I am in a quandary, Mr. Speaker. I think the hon. table officers have many volumes in front of them, but unless they have a volume by Lewis Carroll, I do not know if they can answer my question. Am I allowed to talk about the document that is not happening?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I am going to listen to the points of order from various members before I come back to members.

The hon. member for Regina—Qu'Appelle is rising on a point of order.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to go over the facts of this case.

Last week, a few days ago, the government House leader negotiated in good faith, with all the opposition parties, a process by which the fall economic update could be tabled in the House. We all agreed on that. That was not something that was going to happen automatically. It took the participation of all parliamentary parties to allow that to happen. We agreed in good faith. We expected it to happen.

Everything that has happened today has been entirely of the government's own making. Parliamentarians should not be deprived of the information as to what the fiscal situation is here in Canada. Canadians are facing an unprecedented crisis on housing, inflation, debt and deficits. The Liberal government has a statutory obligation to table these documents by the end of the year. This is the second last sitting day, and you have just denied a request for an emergency debate on this very same issue.

There is no other opportunity for parliamentarians to find out just how bad the books are. I go back to the point as to the fact that the government itself initiated this agreement. The government committed to opposition parties that it would happen today.

I ask you this, Mr. Speaker. The fact that it is in chaos is not the problem of parliamentarians. It is a problem for Canadians, but it is not a problem caused by Canadians, and they have a right to know exactly what is happening with their tax dollars. For the government to come in at literally the last minute and pull the carpet out from under an economic update is unbelievable. It is not the actions of a serious G7, NATO partner country.

At the very least, Mr. Speaker, I ask that you find the government in contempt of the House order that was passed by all members of this place.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I thank the hon. member for Regina—Qu'Appelle.

I see that the hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill is also rising on a point of order.