Debates of Dec. 5th, 2024

Opposition Motion—Confidence in the Prime Minister and the Government

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Since there is no consent, pursuant to Standing Order 85, the amendment cannot be moved at this time.

With questions and comments, the hon. member for Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne has the floor.

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his speech. I will be honest, I am going to miss him when he is not in this place.

The member spoke about the importance of a team Canada approach when we have a collective issue facing Canada and the importance of people who want to hold leadership positions to actually act like leaders. I understand that the Prime Minister had a meeting with all the leaders of the opposition parties this week to talk about the tariffs and our relationship with the United States.

However, I understand that, immediately following that, the Leader of the Opposition came out bashing Canada again. Can the member comment on that?

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

Mr. Speaker, that really goes to my point that we are at a really important moment, yet what do I see, and what do Canadians see?

We see four or five toxic kids sitting in a sandbox throwing stuff at each other, and everyone is running down the street saying the tsunami is coming. This is the nature of Parliament right now. It is a broken Parliament. It is being interrupted in its work.

At a certain point, we need to put aside certain divisions to make sure that we are ready to deal with the Trump administration, to make sure that we can keep our economy going, because people sent us here to do that. This is our job, regardless of whether we like each other or not. To undermine Canada at this time is very concerning.

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

Mr. Speaker, we are debating an opposition day motion put forward by the Conservatives calling for non-confidence in the government, using the leader of the NDP's very own words, and the New Democrats are saying they are not going to vote for it.

We have never had this record high food bank usage in our history. We have never seen child poverty at this rate. We have never seen homelessness at this rate. How can the member and his party justify continuing to sell out Canadians in their time of genuine suffering? How does he go home to his constituents and reconcile that he continues to keep the Prime Minister in power, despite the suffering that the government is causing?

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

Mr. Speaker, here is a member who just voted against taking HST off food items for children, after she ran on it. She ran on it, and then she voted against it.

That is a member who voted against school food programs and then comes in here and cries crocodile tears all over the floor about poor hungry children, who they would not support. That is a member who just stood up to vote to send women to backdoor abortionists because she has taken the abusive support of her leader.

She would not stand up for women and families ever. To the idea that we would ever stand with the Conservatives, not on your life.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I would remind members to ask questions and make comments through the Chair.

The hon. member for Longueuil—Saint-Hubert.

[Denis Trudel, Bloc, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr Speaker, I really enjoyed my colleague's speech. I really like the slogan, “Eff the chef”. That is very good. I like it a lot. However, I would like to talk about a completely different topic with this experienced member of the Canadian left who has been in Parliament for 20 years. He talked about the Conservatives. Right now, unfortunately, we are seeing a rise of the right, and not just in Canada. We have seen it in the United States, in Europe, particularly in France, as well as in other countries. Polls show that young people between the ages of 18 and 35 are starting to turn to the right. It is starting to percolate in Canada. This rise of the right-wing just about everywhere in the world is worrying, in my opinion.

I would like to know what my colleague thinks about this as a representative of the Canadian left for 20 years. How can we fight this? It is all well and good to denounce the Conservatives in the House, but this is a global trend in our society. What are we doing to counter this scourge?

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

Mr. Speaker, my colleague's question is a good one, and I thank him for it. The attack on democracy is clearly a plan concocted by conspiracy theorists and right-wingers in France, Germany and the United States, as well as in Stornoway. Democracy is important to protecting workers. Clearly, the Conservative leader must be called out for using digital tactics, as should Conservative caucus members who amplify disinformation, paranoia and conspiracies. Their actions undermine people's confidence in our system.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Uqaqtittiji, before I became an MP, the word “solidarity” was just a word for me. After I became an NDP MP, I really learned the true value of what acting in solidarity means.

I want to ask the member, in the House, because we have not been doing enough, if he agrees that we, as a country, have not been doing enough for what is going on in Gaza. I want to ask about how that solidarity needs to show, especially when we have groups in Canada that have posters that say Jews are against the war on Gaza, and how important that solidarity is and how important it is for us to act to make sure that we are showing our solidarity with the Palestinian people.

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

Mr. Speaker, this is what I spoke about at the beginning. The role of Canada to be a voice for justice is important. It is not acceptable to watch a genocide and say that we do not want to say anything because the people committing the genocide are our allies. We have no allies who commit genocide. What we have is an obligation to speak up and defend people's rights. We have to defend all the rights.

The NDP spoke up against the horrific attacks of Hamas on October 7. Those were crimes against humanity. We expect the international court to act. We also expect Canada and the Prime Minister to stand up for the protection of people who are being deliberately starved.

Canada has a bad history. It used deliberate starvation in an attempt to take the land from the indigenous people. People will never give up the land. That is the message we need to give to Netanyahu. We cannot starve the people off the land, and we cannot bomb the people off the land, but we can be held accountable for the crimes that we commit on the land.

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

Mr. Speaker, I asked the member opposite from the NDP a very honest question. The reality is that he is not listening to his constituents in Timmins, where the food bank usage is the highest in history. People cannot afford to do what they are doing. His rebuttal to me was not an answer.

The opposition day motion is that there is no confidence in the Prime Minister because, after nine years, we have chaos and suffering. My questions, again, to the member opposite in the NDP are these: Why is he voting against his leader's own words, the leader of the NDP's own words? Why is he continuing to have confidence in a Prime Minister who has caused so much suffering? It is a very simple answer. What would he tell his constituents in Timmins?

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

Mr. Speaker, I will try again for the member, who comes in and cries crocodile tears about hungry children but votes against supporting food for children. It is appalling the way Conservatives use children and their suffering, yet vote against these measures every single time.

Conservatives say that they are using the NDP leader's language. Yes, he spoke about defending workers, something that party will never do. We will always stand on the side of workers, something that party will never do.

They want to call a Christmas election because the member for Stornoway is desperate to stay ahead of a CSIS investigation. I just pointed out to the member that she voted to send women to backroom abortionists. If she thinks that we are going to support her and her leader in forcing a Christmas election in order to take away the HST off children's snowsuits and food, she lives in a Conservative bubble. I am sure they are all going to go back and be really angry at me tonight, but not in a million years. No. I am sorry. If she needs an explanation a third time, I will write it out for her in big block letters.

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is always great to be back in this place representing the amazing folks of Essex.

I will be splitting my time with the member for Flamborough—Glanbrook.

Here we are again. The NDP leader, the member for Burnaby South, said it himself: “I...ripped up the Supply and Confidence Agreement” with the Liberal government. Let us call it what it is: a stunt. It was designed to distract from the fact that the NDP leader and his party have been propping up the government that has been failing for years.

The NDP leader has been outspoken in opposing actions that weaken unions' power. He has stated unequivocally that if any vote in Parliament impacts workers' rights, the NDP will vote against it regardless of the consequences. However, despite his strong words, his actions have not always matched his words. While the NDP leader has condemned the Prime Minister for taking away the Teamsters' and ILWU Local 514's right to strike, he has remained largely silent on other issues affecting workers.

The Prime Minister has launched a brutal assault on workers, hurting their paycheques through inflation, driving up prices with a carbon tax, doubling housing costs, hiking taxes, cancelling major projects that could create union jobs and issuing orders that undermine workers' chances of giving every Canadian a fair shot at a decent life and affording necessities. Despite these actions, the NDP leader has continued to support the Liberals.

Now the NDP leader faces a crucial choice: Will the NDP continue propping up a government that makes decisions that harm workers, or will it stand by its principles and vote to fix the government? The NDP leader said on November 12 that the Liberals are never going to be able to count on the NDP if the Liberals are going to take away the rights of workers. The time has come for the NDP to act on those words.

We are at a crossroads, and it has become clear every day that everything is broken. Seven in ten Canadians now say they feel the same way: that nothing is working anymore. Our economy is stuck and families are getting squeezed at every turn. According to Equifax and TransUnion, consumer credit debt has hit an all-time high, and Canadians are now paying more in taxes than they spend on housing, food and clothing combined. The cost of living has become so unbearable that 26% of Canadians are seriously considering leaving this country because it is simply too expensive to live here.

In the last year alone, 1.4 million children were living in poverty, and the number of Canadians turning to food banks has reached staggering levels with record-breaking numbers: over two million visits in a single month. One million people in Ontario alone used food banks last year. For the first time in Canadian history, 80% of Canadians believe home ownership is now reserved for the super-rich, with some families even forced to spend 100% of their income on rent.

Let us not ignore the reality on our streets. Violent crime is up 50%. Gun violence has more than doubled, and auto theft is rampant. However, instead of fixing these issues, the Liberals and the NDP continue to ignore the rising tide of hardship across the country.

In the middle of all this is the member for Burnaby South. The NDP leader has spent more time posing for cameras than standing up for Canadian families. He promised he would be an opposition voice and an advocate for the working class. Instead he handed over his principles to keep the Liberals in power.

After his big media stunt, the member for Burnaby South still refuses to say whether he will vote to force a carbon tax election at the first chance. He voted to quadruple the carbon tax to $0.61 per litre. It is a plan that will drive Canadians to food banks and grind the economy to a halt, killing hundreds of thousands of jobs. Remember that this is after he promised to be the voice against high taxes and big government. He promised to be the workers' champion, but instead he voted to punish workers and raise taxes on everything from gas to groceries.

Let us also not forget the real reason the member for Burnaby South is playing this game: his pension. It is not about workers or about Canadians; it is about the NDP leader's getting his $2-million pension. He is delaying the election until next year when he qualifies for that fat payout. The—

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

There is a point of order from the hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

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

Mr. Speaker, I know we are living rent-free in the member's little head, but the NDP leader does not have a $2-million pension. If the Conservatives are going to continue the falsehoods, perhaps the member can explain how much the member who lives in—

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

That is falling into debate.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I am just going to let everybody catch their breath. Order. We are done.

The hon. member for Essex has the floor.

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, I do agree. The NDP leader does not have his pension yet. He has to wait until next year.

Under the NDP's coalition with the Liberals, the working class has been betrayed. While the Liberals continue to sell out hard-working Canadians, the member for Burnaby South has abandoned his responsibility to stand up for them, choosing instead to focus on securing his own political survival. He is playing games with taxes, pensions and Canadians.

Let us not forget that the government's policies hurt the very people Conservatives are fighting for: the people who have been neglected by this failure. Let me highlight a prime example. My private member's bill, Bill C-241, would directly address the struggles of hard-working Canadians, particularly those who are essential to our country, our tradespeople: the welders, electricians, carpenters and plumbers who keep everything running smoothly.

Nonetheless, for all their hard work, tradespeople are often left behind, with their contributions barely recognized. These men and women are the backbone of our economy, yet they are often left behind, overlooked and undervalued. These workers are often required to leave their family, travel across the country and sacrifice precious time with their loved ones just to ensure that their kids have access to basic necessities like food and medicine.

However, as we see time and time again, New Democrats have quickly aligned themselves with the Liberals, leaving us wondering whether the NDP genuinely stands for working people or whether it is just another party caught up in the political game. By siding with the Liberals, it has allowed the status quo to continue, and working Canadians are the ones paying the price.

Therefore, who is truly fighting for hard-working Canadians? The answer is clear. It is not the Liberals and certainly not the NDP. It is the Conservatives who are committed to standing up for people who keep this country running, the workers who deserve more than just empty promises and political games. We can do better for tradespeople and hard-working families across the country.

The member for Burnaby South has completely forgotten the working class and the labour movement that once defined his party. He has abandoned hard-working Canadians in favour of a Liberal government that has disregarded their hardships in exchange for political survival. While the government raises taxes, the cost of living has increased dramatically. Housing is out of reach and food prices are still rising.

In spite of his pledge to defend workers, the member for Burnaby South has safeguarded his personal interests by obtaining a pension at the expense of people who are most in need of assistance. His backing of the Liberal government directly contributes to the escalating cost of living crisis and undercuts workers' rights.

In Windsor-Essex, the housing crisis is out of control. Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex has been forced to shift focus as families struggle to afford homes. While it has built or repaired 125 homes over 30 years, the need keeps growing. Families are spending 75% to 95% of their income on rent, far beyond what is affordable. The member for Burnaby South continues to prop up the government in its failure to address the crisis.

The NDP-Liberal coalition has only made things worse, with policies that drive up costs for Canadians. It is time to axe the carbon tax, build more affordable homes and bring the cost of living under control. The people of Windsor-Essex and all of Canada deserve better. It is time to stop supporting a government that caters to the wealthy, and to start putting working Canadians first. The member for Burnaby South has sold out his own supporters.

We need change: Conservatives who are ready to stand up for workers, cut taxes, fix the housing crisis and, finally, give every Canadian a fair shot at a decent life.

In closing, I would be remiss not to thank the hard-working men and women in the Windsor-Essex area, such as members of IBEW and of the carpenters' union, ironworkers, and members of LiUNA and Unifor, just to name a few. They build the homes, the infrastructure, the vehicles and the soon-to-be-completed Gordie Howe International Bridge. Their passion and dedication do not go unnoticed and are most appreciated.

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

Madam Speaker, I really enjoyed my hon. colleague's speech. Living rent-free inside his head has been quite the experience. I would have thought he would have thanked us. We saw the Conservatives' behaviour the other night, and we are willing to take the GST off alcohol. I would have thought that would have helped them in their behaviour.

I want to get serious for a moment because we know now from CSIS investigations into the guy who lives in the 19-room mansion that there were multiple efforts by a foreign government to interfere. I want to ask about the member for Calgary Nose Hill, whom I like a lot but who seems to have disappeared ever since we found out that as co-chair for Patrick Brown's campaign, she was pressured by agents of a foreign government to withdraw her support in the race. I know that the Conservative Party is a party whose leader cannot get a security clearance.

Will the member tell us who in his caucus has worked for a foreign government in undermining Canadian democracy? Surely he knows. I know he is on the backbench, but members must talk.

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Madam Speaker, it really astonishes me that there are mothers at home who cannot buy diapers or feed their children. It blows my mind that seven out of 10 young adults do not believe that they will ever be able to afford a home. It blows my mind that the member is talking about a security clearance, when there is another discussion, about the green slush fund. If it is that important to—

[An hon. member]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Order.

I just want to remind the member for Timmins—James Bay that he had the opportunity to ask a question. If he has something else to add, he can wait until the appropriate time.

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay is rising on a point of order. Can he quote the standing order?

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

Madam Speaker, yes, it is section 10 of the Standing Orders. I just want to apologize. I think that what I said was uncalled for. When the member said that some things blew his mind, I said that it was just a little puff of smoke. I retract that.

[Denis Trudel, Bloc, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Madam Speaker, my colleague said a lot about housing. He criticized the Liberal government, and rightly so, because it has done precious little to tackle the housing crisis. Its record is dismal, in my opinion.

Earlier, I talked about homelessness, which doubled in Quebec over the last decade. The number of people who have died on the streets in Quebec has tripled over the past few years. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation says that 5.8 million housing units must be built by 2032 to achieve market equilibrium. I have never heard the Conservatives talk about any solution other than waiving the GST on houses priced under $1 million. I have never heard them talk about any other measure to build homes.

How are the Conservatives planning to address this major issue of our time?