Oh, oh!
House of Commons Hansard #381 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was ndp.
House of Commons Hansard #381 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was ndp.
The Speaker Liberal Greg Fergus
I am going to ask members, in particular the member for Dufferin—Caledon, to please not take the floor unless recognized by the Speaker.
The hon. member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, there has been chaos at the border since 2017. Hundreds of thousands of people have crossed our border following the Prime Minister's reckless invitation. Canada now has 500,000 people who entered illegally. That is on top of the three million people on temporary permits who may decide to stay here.
The Prime Minister has lost control of immigration and of the border. How does he plan to fix the problem?
Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipOral Questions
Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs Québec
Liberal
Marc Miller LiberalMinister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, we introduced reforms to Canada's asylum system back in May. We know it is necessary.
What did the Conservatives do? They did absolutely nothing. They spend their time making up rhymes and puffing out their chests, trying to look tough. They are doing absolutely nothing. When it is time to take action, they do absolutely nothing. They just sit back and do nothing.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, the first thing we did, in 2017, was immediately criticize the Prime Minister's infamous tweets. Not only were they completely reckless, they made no sense whatsoever. We have been limited to criticizing for nine years, given that we are on this side of the House. When we are on the other side, we will deal with the problem.
In the meantime, what we are seeing is a loss of control at the border. Weapons, drugs and human beings are being trafficked. Criminals are taking advantage of our weakness to bring illegal weapons into Canada. Smugglers get paid thousands of dollars to bring migrants across the border, which creates an even bigger mess.
Does the Prime Minister have a real plan or do we call an election so that the Conservatives can deal with the problem?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, it is completely irresponsible to pretend that they can solve the problem by adding to the existing misinformation about the security of our border.
I would ask our colleague to be more responsible before repeating slogans that I am sure his head office has forced on him. That is not in the interest of Canadians or in the interest of the Canadian economy.
What is in our interest is to work with the Americans, to support Canadian law enforcement agencies and their American partners in maintaining a safe, secure border while preserving its integrity, as is the case now.
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by saying that the Bloc Québécois stands in solidarity with the workers who are losing their jobs at Lion Electric. It is the eleventh hour for the Quebec flagship of electric transportation, and Ottawa needs to intervene.
Lion Electric believed the Prime Minister and his government when they came to its plant in 2021 and announced billions of dollars for the electrification of transportation in Canada. Lion Electric made massive investments to be ready, but the zero-emissions transit fund did not live up to the government's promises.
Will the government finally activate its program and keep its promises?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Innovation
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I think that all members of the House are concerned about the situation, particularly the plight of workers. Lion Electric is a flagship of Canada's electrification of transportation industry. We have been with Lion Electric every step of the way, having witnessed its creation and its evolution, as it grew.
Hundreds of electric buses will be built under the federal program. We will always be there for Lion Electric workers. We will continue to work with the Government of Quebec.
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, Rassemblement pour la laïcité stands united with the Quebec government. Both are calling for the government to remove the religious exemption in the Criminal Code that allows people to spread hate speech without consequence.
The Liberals have said they are, and I quote, determined to find solutions that meet the needs of all Canadians. Luckily enough, the Bloc Québécois can help them out. Bill C‑373 does exactly that, and it is supported by 66% of Canadians and 75% of Quebeckers.
Will the government finally commit to supporting our bill?
Jean-Yves Duclos LiberalMinister of Public Services and Procurement
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for raising an issue that brings the House together. We all have the right, and I would even say the responsibility, to support all the initiatives that we can, as the Canadian government, in order to encourage inclusivity and growth in a great country where diversity has been our strength and pride for many years. We are working with the Quebec government at all levels and at all times.
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am going to have to listen to that again. It did not seem to me like an answer to the question.
Hate speech is supposed to be a crime, period. Either we believe that or not. Quebec is asking that the religious exception protecting hate speech in section 319 of the Criminal Code be repealed. The timing is good, because the Bloc Québécois's Bill C‑373 does exactly that. It is the only bill to do so. It conveys a clear principle that deserves clear support.
Will the government finally get behind the Bloc Québécois to amend section 319 of the Criminal Code and abolish the religious exemption?
Arif Virani LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I completely agree with the Bloc Québécois's suggestion. This bill addresses a terrible situation in Canada, with hate and hate crimes on the rise across the country, both in Quebec and the rest of Canada.
To free up the House so that we can advance our debate on this bill, we would like the Bloc Québécois's help. I also want to point out that Bill C‑63 already addresses the aspects and sections of the Criminal Code targeted by this bill. If Bloc members are interested in co-operating with us on efforts to combat hate, we are all with them all the way.
Adam Chambers Conservative Simcoe North, ON
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister's report card is in. Canadians have the highest consumer debt in the G7, per capita GDP has fallen for six consecutive quarters and Canadians now make $30,000 less than their American counterparts. This is a made-in-Canada per capita GDP recession, and in the face of global trade and economic uncertainty, the finance minister's plan is to increase taxes on energy, entrepreneurs, farmers and physicians.
Will the finance minister reverse her tax increases so Canadians can keep their jobs and investments at home?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives seem to have an inferiority complex vis-à-vis the United States, but on this side of the house, we are proud to be Canadian. We are proud that the inflation rate in Canada has been within the Bank of Canada's target range all year; we are proud that we have the lowest debt and deficit in the G7, far lower than the United States; and we are proud of our universal single-payer health care system, which means Canadians live four years longer than our friends south of the border. We are proud to be Canadian. Conservatives should be, too.
Adam Chambers Conservative Simcoe North, ON
Mr. Speaker, every day I turn around and there is another scandal coming from the government. We are proud to be Canadian, and we are going to fix it after the next election.
Since the finance minister does not like answering the complex question, let us start with an easy one. Last year, she made a commitment that the deficit would be no greater than $40.1 billion. This goes exactly to the finance minister's credibility. Will she confirm that last year's deficit was less than $40.1 billion, or has she broken yet another deficit promise?
The Speaker Liberal Greg Fergus
Order, the hon. member for York—Simcoe, please.
The hon. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance has the floor.
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, if the Conservatives are so keen on supporting Canadians, as they like to claim every single day in the House, I have a great idea for them. Why do we not, together, give Canadians a tax break for the holidays? That is right. Why do we not lift the GST on prepared foods so a working mom can pick up a rotisserie chicken on the way home and make it easier for parents to buy toys for their kids for Christmas? If the Conservatives were honest and true to their professed ideals they would be supporting us in this measure.
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, the holidays are fast approaching, and inflation is forcing Quebeckers to tighten their belts. One in four people in Quebec say they are spending less this holiday season, which is a sign that the food inflation of the past nine years is still not under control.
The Bloc Québécois is complicit in this government's inflationary spending. On top of that, the Bloc has betrayed Quebeckers and is preventing an election from being called this fall.
Everyone has just one burning question. When will the election be called?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, it seems that the member opposite is not looking at the economic figures, because the numbers show that inflation has been within the Bank of Canada's target range for the past 10 months. As a result of that success, the key interest rate has already been cut four times.
Still, we agree that Quebeckers need our support during the holidays. That is why we are going to give everyone a GST break.
The Conservatives need to help us do that.
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, the best the Liberal Santa Claus and the Bloc Québécois elves can do for Canadians this Christmas is give them inflationary policies.
Canadians are struggling and will be spending less at the most wonderful time of the year because of this Liberal government's incompetence. The “Liberal Bloc” coalition is no gift.
When will Canadians no longer need a wish list? When will they get the best gift ever, a Conservative government?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, that is yet another completely incoherent question about the economy.
Nevertheless, I am very pleased that the Conservatives are talking about inflation, because we have good news for Canadians. For the past 10 months, inflation in Canada has been within the Bank of Canada's target range. That is why we can afford to give Canadians a real Christmas gift, a GST holiday.
The Conservatives need to help us do that.
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, according to an investigation by the Ontario coroner's office, an additional 220 deaths occurred at Ontario residential schools, more than 50% higher than previously believed. This confirms what we already know. The Indian residential school system was a genocidal project, yet the government has not acted to protect survivors from rising residential school denialism, undermining truth and justice.
Will the Liberals support my bill to include in the Criminal Code the protection of survivors from denialists inciting hate?
Jaime Battiste LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
Mr. Speaker, I think the more we find out about the residential schools, the more Canadians realize the horrific tragedies that occurred there. I can say, as a nephew of multiple aunts who went to residential school, we continue to focus on support and healing. That is why we have the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, to continue to have these discussions and to open the minds of Canadians to the experience of many first nations who went to residential school, the Métis, the Inuit, but also their descendants. We are going to continue to be focused on that support for Canadians.
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Speaker, today there are nearly one million Canadians under the age of 29 who are neither employed nor engaged in training. We have not seen a youth unemployment crisis this severe since the Conservatives were in power. According to Deloitte, this will cost our economy $18 billion over the next decade. Will the Liberals listen to New Democrats and set up a youth climate corps so young Canadians can gain the skills and experience they need while protecting our environment?