Debates of Dec. 5th, 2024

Tax Relief

[Lisa Hepfner, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, inflation is cooling and interest rates are dropping, but not all Canadians are feeling the relief quite yet. That is why our government is putting a bit more money back into the pockets of Canadians, to help them afford the things they need and save up for the things they want.

The vote passed last week and that means this season, Canadians will not pay GST on things that are holiday essentials for many of us, like prepared meals, kids' clothes and Christmas trees. Oddly, though, one member in the House did not want to give Canadians a tax break this holiday: the Leader of the Opposition, the same guy who loves to talk about axing taxes and even ran on giving Canadians a GST holiday in the last election.

This is the time of giving and caring. Maybe the opposition leader's heart is just two sizes too small.

Finance

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the opposition leader offered the finance minister two hours to present the fall economic statement on Monday. The minister's response was to reject the offer to provide an update that would take no more than a minute.

It is absurd that Canadians are in the dark about how dire the fiscal situation is in this country. The NDP-Liberal costly coalition has created inflationary deficits that are hurting Canadians at the grocery store, at the gas pump and in their monthly heating bills. Canadians are trying to manage household budgets while the government's inflationary deficits are costing every Canadian, as the deficits blow up uncontrollably.

Canadians were promised a $40-billion deficit cap in the spring budget. What is the real deficit number and why will the finance minister not take up the offer by the opposition leader to tell Canadians the truth in the people's House? By hiding the truth, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister are proving once again that they cannot be redeemed at this point and must be replaced by a common-sense Conservative government that will fix the budget.

A carbon tax election cannot come soon enough.

NDP-Liberal Coalition

[Richard Bragdon, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP-Liberal government can be summed up by two principles: pensions and power.

The leader of the NDP will continue to vote confidence in the government so he can receive his pension. It is the perfect partnership. The Prime Minister gets the power and New Democrats get their pensions. It is more hypocrisy from the Maserati Marxist, champagne socialist, jet-setting, high-carbon coalition that has broken our economy, doubled our housing costs, and crippled our natural resource, agriculture and transport sectors. It brought in back-breaking regulations and taxation that have led to record numbers at our food banks and sky-high violent crime.

The New Democrats make their grandiose announcements about breaking up with their Liberal partners, but when push comes to shove, they continue to prop up the very government that has gotten us into this mess. When will the leader of the NDP finally stop the talk, take some action and call a carbon tax election so Canadians can decide between the carbon tax coalition and a common-sense Conservative government that will axe the tax, stop the crime and fix the budget?

Tax Relief

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

Mr. Speaker,

Silent night, holiday bright, Mr. Speaker, we did what is right.
With inflation still hard to bear, we voted for real relief to show we care.
With GST/HST off essential needs, we are helping families to succeed.
Silent night, not all is right; the Leader of the Opposition refused this light.
The leader who vowed to axe the tax turned his back when time to act.
Broken promises, Canadians see a leader who is out of harmony.
Silent night, the question is clear: Why deny hope this time of year?
Canadians deserve to know why tax relief was met with “no”.
This Christmas season, from my family to yours, may joy and cheer bring warmth and peace for the year.

Gaza

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after months of investigating, gathering data, hearing testimony and analyzing the facts, Amnesty International has concluded that genocide is taking place against Palestinians in Gaza.

After the bombing of civilian populations that has killed more than 52,000 people, injured more than 100,000 and displaced two million people in a zone from which they cannot escape, and with a humanitarian crisis where hunger is being used as a weapon of war, this conclusion will come as no surprise. At least, it should not surprise anyone who has been paying any attention at all and has any compassion.

With that in mind, Canada is violating its own legal obligations under the genocide prevention convention. Despite its promises, the Liberal government continues to authorize arms sales to the Israeli regime.

In doing so, the Liberals risk being complicit in a genocide that is happening right before our very eyes. That is why the Liberal government must sanction the Netanyahu regime, stop the arms sales and officially recognize the Palestinian state.

Media Fundraising Drive

[René Villemure, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Christmas is coming as we can see today, not just because we are buried under a nice layer of snow, but because of the annual media fundraising drive.

To launch the 24th annual drive, today volunteers are collecting funds at more than 400 sites in Quebec, including Trois‑Rivières. Under the theme “La faim est si vite arrivée”, or hunger strikes quickly, this year the goal of the drive is to shed light on how anyone can be one misfortune away from food insecurity. Job loss, separation, accident or illness, no one is immune.

Since no one is immune, let us all come together this holiday season. All month long, until December 31, Quebeckers will be able to continue making contributions and food donations. On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I encourage all of us to contribute generously to the great media fundraising drive because generosity warms the heart, even under a layer of snow.

Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada

[Shuv Majumdar, Conservative, Calgary Heritage, AB]

Mr. Speaker, one in four Canadians is skipping meals, and two million are going to food banks. A new report confirms that families will have to spend an extra $800 on food thanks to the NDP-Liberal carbon tax.

What does the NDP leader do? He sells out Canadians to secure his $2.2-million pension. He is refusing to vote non-confidence on a motion that is based on his own words. He stated, “The Liberals are too weak, too selfish and too beholden to corporate interests to fight for people”. However, he is now putting on a show once again. This sellout leader has voted for the carbon tax 24 times. With friends like the Maserati Marxist, it is no wonder the Prime Minister keeps him around. He does not care about workers, paycheques or Canadians. We need to end this costly coalition and put Canadians first by calling a carbon tax election.

Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this week we have learned more about the reports of alleged foreign interference in the Conservative leadership race. Party leaders for the Bloc, the NDP and the Green Party have taken the government up on its offer to get a security clearance. However, the leader of the Conservative Party still refuses to get the security clearance and to access classified documents that would help him protect the party and Canadians from foreign interference. This is not real leadership. Canadians are wondering what the Conservative Party leader has to hide. If he had nothing to hide, he would get the clearance, take the briefing and protect the country.

Finance

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

Mr. Speaker, they say weak men create hard times. The weak Prime Minister's inflationary deficits gave Canadians the worst standard of living in over 40 years. The finance minister promised that one of her fiscal guardrails would be not going over her deficit, which is $40 billion. In fact, the PBO said she blew right past it.

I have a simple question: What is the deficit?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, what my hon. colleague fails to point out is that Canada is projected to have the fastest-growing economy in the G7 next year. He fails to point out that we are creating jobs at a near record pace. He does not understand that wages are increasing faster than inflation.

His strategy for the economy is to make cuts to the programs that are supporting people, cuts to the programs that are building houses. Ironically, he is opposing the tax cut that would deliver relief to families over the holidays. We are going to focus on growing the economy in a way that works for everyone, not the Conservative approach to cut the supports that families need.

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

Mr. Speaker, he could have just said he does not know, as he does not know where the million people he lost went. Even the number-challenged Prime Minister admits that every new dollar of his handouts makes his inflationary deficits worse. He says he is going to leave the economy to the bankers, that he does not think about monetary policy. He said budgets balance themselves. It is the same incompetence that made Canadians bank broke, building broke and belly broke.

Canadians want to know how broken the Liberal deficit is. What is the number?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague seems to have a penchant for alliteration and personal insults, but what he lacks is an ability to advance policies that will grow the economy or actually help people in need. At every opportunity, the Conservatives oppose the investments that are creating jobs in this country. They oppose the investments that are building homes in this country. They oppose the measures that are going to provide tax cuts to middle-class families, to low-income families and to workers in this country. For once, I wish we could have a debate about the issues instead of stooping to these lows; they throw insults instead of advancing policies that help real people.

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

Mr. Speaker, here is a common-sense policy that common-sense Conservatives will bring in when the minister's constituents fire him after the next election: We are going to axe the tax for good, for everyone. These deficits the Prime Minister keeps making have sent over two million Canadians to a food bank in a single month, made one in four Canadians skip meals and sent one in five kids into poverty. The finance minister said all of them are just feeling a “vibecession”.

If she is not going to release her economic statement, will she at least tell Canadians how badly she is going to blow through her deficit?

[Jenna Sudds, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that, the last time Conservatives were in government, more than 16% of kids were living in poverty. That is over a million children. Since we came into government, we have lifted hundreds of thousands of kids out of poverty through such measures as the Canada child benefit, which is supporting families each and every month with up to over $700, and the national school food program, now in place in four provinces across this country, which is helping to ensure kids have food at school. This is not to mention a GST/HST tax break. We are there for Canadians.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of this Prime Minister, supported by the Bloc Québécois, this Liberal government is so bad that it is ashamed of its own results. In the last budget, the Minister of Finance forecast a $40-billion deficit. We now know that this government added $6 billion in inflationary spending to that forecast. However, the Prime Minister is refusing to disclose the state of the public finances.

Will the Prime Minister agree to the official opposition's offer, be transparent with Canadians and present the fall economic statement on Monday? What is he so afraid of? Why does he not want to tell Canadians the truth?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about telling Canadians the truth. What did the Conservative Party leader do when we offered Canadians a tax break during the holiday season, a measure that he was in favour of just two years ago? He told his MPs to vote against it, regardless of what they actually wanted to do.

Conservative MPs are no longer the voice of their constituents in Ottawa. They are now the voice of the Conservative Party leader in their ridings. That is inexcusable. If the Conservatives are serious about helping Canadians, they will vote in favour of the tax holiday.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this member should be ashamed of himself. While the Prime Minister, with the help of the Bloc Québécois, spends without a thought for being accountable to Canadians, families are the ones paying the high price. According to Sylvain Charlebois's food price report, families will be paying up to $800 more for groceries in 2025. The Prime Minister believes that budgets balance themselves. He has also said that deficits cause inflation. The Prime Minister has promised to limit the deficit to $40 billion.

Will Monday's economic statement confirm that he has kept his promise, or will it again result in more inflation and more spending for families?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague has just quoted professor Sylvain Charlebois on food issues. This same professor believes that climate change is the biggest challenge facing the agri-food sector. He published a report today on the macroeconomic impacts on the agri-food sector. On page 14, the first item mentioned in the report is climate change. Pollution pricing is not even mentioned. That is not one of the criteria, according to Mr. Charlebois. The Conservatives are talking nonsense.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I will remind the minister that he may not use documents as props. Members may quote from documents, but may not use them as props by pointing to them.

The hon. member for La Prairie.

International Trade

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this may come as a surprise: The Senate is taking its sweet time with Bill C‑282, the bill to protect supply management. The wise ones in the upper chamber have had this single-clause bill for 18 months now. It has taken them 18 months to look at one clause. Meeting after meeting, they keep postponing the vote on a crucial amendment. They are trying to put this off until after the holidays.

Will all the party leaders tell the senators to stop stalling and vote to pass Bill C‑282 before Christmas?

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

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is well aware that the government supports this bill. The Prime Minister, all the ministers and the entire caucus have spoken with the senators and asked them to do their job. The only party leader whose position is unknown is the Conservative Party leader. We know the Conservative caucus is divided on supply management, but I can assure my hon. colleague that the government fully supports supply management.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, things are not moving fast enough. There are two possible explanations why senators have failed to complete their review of a one-clause bill after 18 months: either they are due for retirement or they are thumbing their noses at us. By “us”, I am not just referring to the parties in the House. They are also thumbing their noses at the supply-managed farmers of Quebec and Canada and the 90,000 Quebec jobs that depend on them. These people deserve some reassurance before the holiday season.

On behalf of our farmers, will all the parties ask the senators to get a move on before the Christmas break?

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

Mr. Speaker, we completely agree with my hon. colleague from the Bloc Québécois. This matter is important for farmers and for every supply-managed sector in Quebec and across the country. We agree with this bill. We support what the Bloc Québécois has done and we support the bill in the Senate. Only the Conservatives do not. I therefore invite my hon. Bloc Québécois colleague to talk to the Conservative leader to make sure that Conservative senators are not blocking this bill.

Grocery Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, people across the country are struggling with the cost of living. A new report shows that a family of four will pay $800 more for groceries in 2025. The CEOs of the big corporate grocery chains are getting richer. The Conservatives want nothing to do with the working class, but they always want to help billionaires. The Liberals could make a real difference.

Will they finally stand up to the greed of the big corporate grocery chains?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. The NDP has an opportunity to help people over the holidays by giving them a tax break. We would like the NDP to work with us to help Canadians by giving more than eight million people a tax break over the holidays. The New Democrats have an opportunity to do just that, and they should take it.