Debates of Feb. 7th, 2024

Housing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, who honours them with a tent to live in? He honours them with a $450 increase in their rent. Before the Prime Minister, we did not have masses of military members living in tent cities. They could put a roof overhead.

In fact, we did not have 30 tent cities in Halifax. We did not have two million people lined up at food banks in lines that are reminiscent of the Great Depression. We did not have young people forced to wait until age 40 to get a home.

The good news is life was not like this before the Prime Minister and it will not be like this after he is gone.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, why does he not just say it straight out? He is planning to make Canada great again.

The reality is that Canada is great. Canada is the best country in the world. Yes, there are challenges and that is why we are stepping up to invest. Whether it is with $445 million for military housing, dental care for vulnerable seniors and youth, cutting child care fees in half or continuing to step up for vulnerable youth, we are going to be there for Canadians, while he proposes cuts to services, cuts to programs and cuts to the supports that Canadians need.

The Economy

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, that is what the Prime Minister has to say to the two million people lined up around street corners, clamouring for the food bank, after eight years: that things are just going great.

To the people in Montreal who have seen their rent quadruple after his eight years, life is just great for them too. To the Torontonians who have to spend 25 years now saving up for a down payment on an average home, he says things are just great.

How can he possibly fix the misery he caused if he cannot even realize it is right in front of his face?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition may not think that Canada is the best country in the world, but we do. The reality is that we recognize Canadians are struggling right now and that is why we continue to invest in supports for them.

Whether it is cutting child care fees in half, investing in the kinds of jobs and careers we are going to need in the number one battery supply chain country in the world, drawing in significant investments right across the country, or moving forward into a brighter economic future, we recognize that Canadians need support now.

He offers fear and cuts, while we offer support and a brighter future. That is what we are going to—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government still owes Quebeckers $470 million for taking in asylum seekers, who are actually Ottawa's responsibility. The funding announced for housing future asylum seekers is good, but it will not cover the federal government's debt, which has been accumulating since 2021. Every time we raise the issue, the Minister of Immigration ratchets up the rhetoric and insults.

Today, we are appealing to the Prime Minister because this is too important. I would invite Ottawa to take the high road. It is essential if we want to continue offering services to asylum seekers.

Will the Prime Minister finally repay the debt he owes Quebeckers?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as I have often said in the House, Quebeckers have shown tremendous generosity and commitment to the vulnerable people who come to Canada. We are grateful for that, and we are here to help and to invest in Quebec to make it possible to welcome these people.

We recognize that this has created additional costs not only for the Quebec government, but also for social services and community organizations. That is why we are working with Quebec on an ongoing basis to make sure that we recognize its sacrifices and efforts, and to make sure that we thank and reward it for that.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister must also ensure that there are not too many asylum seekers entering the country at the same place. Quebec has exceeded its intake capacity. There are 289,000 asylum seekers in Canada, and Quebec has shown that it has taken in 160,000, or 55% of the total number.

Quebec's immigration minister even announced yesterday that she is considering holding a referendum on the repatriation of all immigration powers because she is so frustrated with the federal government's inaction.

Does the Prime Minister understand that when people start talking about a referendum, it might be time for him to wake up?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, for many years, Quebec grappled with the challenge of Roxham Road. We worked with the Quebec and United States governments. We fixed that problem.

Now there is a new issue at airports, but we will be there to help the Government of Quebec and Quebeckers deal with the situation. We will always work together. The Bloc Québécois is the only one looking to pick fights and hold referendums.

We will always be there to work hand in hand and respectfully with the Government of Quebec.

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost of food after eight years of the NDP-Liberal carbon tax. It has caused food prices to rise 20% in the last two years alone. So much for the affordable food they promised when they signed their coalition with the NDP leader. So much so that the Kanata food bank is now forced to cut in half the number of potatoes it is giving out. They are too expensive and there is too much demand.

Instead of just telling those people who are eating half as much in Kanata that things are great, why will he not follow our common-sense plan to axe the tax?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as the member for Regina—Lewvan recognized yesterday, there is absolutely no data to support any link between our price on pollution and higher grocery prices. There simply is none.

On this side of the House, we are a government anchored in evidence and data, and we will continue to be there to deliver things like the grocery rebate to Canadians to put more money back in Canadians' pockets, even as we put a price on pollution with the carbon price rebate. We will continue to defend Canadians' interests against the cuts proposed by that Conservative.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, he wants to know the link between the carbon tax and the food price. Well, I will help him out. Farmers use something called diesel. It goes in their tractors, combines and drying machines. It goes in their on-farm fuels that pay the carbon tax, and he wants to quadruple the tax. Then the truckers who pick up the food and transport it to the grocery store pay the carbon tax. Then the grocer pays the carbon tax to power the heat in that big Olympic stadium-sized chamber we call a grocery store.

If he does not get the link, how is he ever going to fix the problem?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the problem with the story the Leader of the Opposition just told is there is absolutely no data to support it. He is all about political attacks. He is all about inventing reasons to not take action on the fight against climate change, because his Conservative Party still does not understand that one cannot have a plan for Canadians' future or the future of the economy if one does not have a plan to fight climate change. Not only are we fighting climate change, we are putting more money back in the pockets of Canadians and building the economy of the future.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, speaking of no evidence, we actually filed an Order Paper question asking for proof that his carbon tax is reducing emissions, and it came back that there was no evidence. After eight years in government, after years of raising the tax, they have no proof it reduces emissions at all.

However, we know it increases food prices, and this is why Canada's food professor said, “I am recommending a pause on the carbon tax for the entire food industry from farm gate to stores and restaurants.”

If the Prime Minister does not have the common sense to axe the tax, will he listen to the food professor and cancel his plan to hike it?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is actually reducing its emissions faster than our G7 partners largely because we put a price on pollution.

The Leader of the Opposition wants to make pollution free again. We do not think that is the right path for Canada. We know that investing in reduction of carbon emissions while putting more money back in Canadians' pockets, switching from home heating oil to heat pumps, moving forward in responsible ways as we are investing in supporting Canadians is the way to build a stronger future, but he proposes ideology, cuts and fear tactics.

Automotive Industry

[Fayçal El-Khoury, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since 2015, the government has made the development of the battery sector a priority and we are seeing results, with hundreds of millions in investments in thousands of well-paying jobs that have been created.

Can the Prime Minister inform the House of the progress on this file?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Laval—Les Îles for his important question and his hard work.

While the Conservative leader does not even believe that climate change is real, we are taking the lead with historic investments in the electrification of our automotive sector and we are investing every day in homegrown talent and ingenuity and in Canadian workers. It is working. Canada is now the world leader in lithium-ion battery manufacturing.

While the Conservative leader would cut these investments, we are proud to invest in Canada and in Canadians.

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it has been eight years since the costly Prime Minister took office, but it was two years ago that he signed a deal with the NDP leader that promised it would bring more affordable food. Since that time, the NDP-Liberals have helped raise food prices by 20%.

Their favourite inflationary instrument is the carbon tax. Now they plan to quadruple the carbon tax on the farmers who produce the food, the truckers who ship the food and, therefore, all who buy the food.

Canada's food professor is calling for a cap on the carbon tax. Will the Prime Minister cancel his 23% carbon tax hike for April 1?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again, we heard in a parliamentary committee yesterday absolutely no evidence and no data to support the Leader of the Opposition's contention that the price on pollution impacts grocery prices.

The reality is that our price on pollution returns four times a year more money to 82% of Canadians in the areas where it is in play than it costs them. That is how we can both fight against climate change and put more money into the pockets of Canadians.

The Leader of the Opposition is proposing to take away those four-times-a-year rebate cheques from Canadians.

Housing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the New Democrats also promised affordable housing when they sold out their constituents and signed on to a coalition with the leader of the Liberals. However, since that time the rent is up well over 20% as they fund more bureaucracy to block homes and deficits that drive up interest rates, so much so that Tim Chen, a student in Vancouver, actually needs to commute to university from Calgary. Yes, he has to fly back to Calgary where he can afford the rent under a Conservative government and then fly over to Vancouver in order to study. How crazy is it that he has to commute across—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The right hon. Prime Minister.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition likes to talk about the challenges Canadians are facing, and while we are busy solving them, he is proposing nonsensical solutions.

Let us talk about the Conservative leader's housing plan. It would not build homes fast enough. It would not reach enough cities. It would create unnecessary bureaucracy. He would also rip up our housing accelerator agreements, which are unlocking half a million new homes, and would put the GST back on apartment construction.

Housing experts like Mike Moffatt say his plan is exceptionally weak and a sign that the “Conservatives don't understand the...scale of the housing crisis.”

We will take no lessons from—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the results speak for themselves. When I was the housing minister, rent was $950. It is now over $2,000. When I was the housing minister, the average mortgage payment on a newly purchased home was $1,400. It is now over $3,500.

My common-sense plan would require cities to permit 15% more homebuilding as a condition of getting federal money. It would require that they build housing around transit stations rather than having empty fields there. It would require the sale of 6,000 federal buildings and thousands of acres of federal land to build.

Why will the Prime Minister not build homes instead of building bureaucracy?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that Canadians just cannot trust the Conservatives, their attacks and their talking points. Why? Because an active paid lobbyist is the one giving them all the advice on how to win their campaign.

The reality is the big business and money behind the Conservatives is once again driving their agenda as they propose cuts to vulnerable Canadians, underinvestments in housing and no solutions to the very real challenges Canadians are facing. They are in the pockets of big business, as evidenced by Jenni Byrne's work for Loblaws.