Debates of March 20th, 2024

Foreign Affairs

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. member is a very experienced member and knows that, when the Speaker has chastised him a little for the use of language, it is not considered parliamentary.

I ask him to withdraw those comments and rephrase the question without using those words.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this is a Prime Minister who authorized the export of gas turbines to pump gas from Putin's economy into Europe to fund the war. He is someone who signed on to allow Russian detonators to blow up Ukrainians on the battlefield, and he is pro Russia's energy policy to fund the Russian economy.

We will take no lessons—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, that is pretty weak sauce from the Leader of the Opposition. The reality is that President Zelenskyy—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I see that the opposition House leader is asking members to be calm. I will ask all House leaders to please ask all of your members, on all sides, to be calm.

The right hon. Prime Minister may continue.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is flailing in every way he can to try to divert attention away from the fact that his members voted against a request made by President Zelenskyy himself to support a Canada-Ukraine free trade deal. The reality is that constituents across the country feel betrayed by the Conservative Party voting against Ukraine.

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Ukrainians asked for us to give missiles. The Conservatives support Ukraine, not giving turbines and detonators to Russia, which is what he has done.

The Prime Minister has failed Ukrainians abroad, and he has failed Canadians at home. Canadians are good and decent people. They do not have to live this way. They do not have to give up the things they used to take for granted, such as affordable food and homes, all for the incompetence and ego of one man. He is not worth the cost or the corruption.

Will he call a carbon tax election so Canadians can decide?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, members can notice how desperate the Leader of the Opposition is to try to find any excuse he can to justify their voting against Ukraine. Suddenly, he is not talking about the price on pollution that Ukraine put in itself years ago. He is not using that as an excuse, even though that was all we heard as a justification for why they voted against Ukraine, voted against Ukrainian Canadians and voted against the reconstruction of Ukraine, which we are committed to through a free trade agreement.

He stood in the House and voted against Ukraine, and he is now trying to do anything he can to hide from it. He let down Ukraine, and that showed who he is.

Climate Change

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, climate change is a reality that impacts my constituents in Ottawa—Vanier. They have asked the government to reduce emissions while putting more money back in their pockets. That is why, every year, they receive $1,120 from the Canada carbon rebate.

While Conservative politicians fail to recognize that climate change is real and that there is an even greater cost of inaction, can the Prime Minister inform Canadians—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Order. I would ask the member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier to restrain himself while someone is asking a question.

The hon. member for Ottawa—Vanier.

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, while Conservative politicians fail to recognize that climate change is real and that there is an even greater cost of inaction, can the Prime Minister inform Canadians as to why our plan is so important?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Ottawa—Vanier for her hard work. The opposition leader would take away over $1,000 from families in Ontario every year. That amount might be minimal to him when he is cashing his CCB cheque, but it is not to middle-class families.

We now know why he wants to take money away from Canadians. He is in the pocket of big business. We learned from media reports that he was partying with oil lobbyists and CEOs at private, cash-for-access fundraisers in Banff just last year. He cares about his wealthy donors getting richer. He does not care about—

Families, Children and Social Development

[Lisa Marie Barron, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, families in Nanaimo—Ladysmith and across Canada should not have to worry about how to keep their kids fed while at school. A national school food program would make sure kids get the food they need to grow and learn, but the Liberals have been delaying for years. What about the Conservatives? They voted against feeding kids while putting the profits of CEOs first.

Children should not be left to go hungry. Will the Prime Minister make sure a national school food program is in the spring budget?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, like all members in the House, the member is going to have to wait until April 16 to find out what is in the budget.

I can give people a preview right now. There will be support on housing. There will be help on affordability for Canadians. There will be opportunities to invest in growing the economy and creating good jobs for the future while we help Canadians through tough times right now. We are focused on young people. We are focused on seniors. We are going to keep delivering, including by working with provinces on important programs like school food programs.

Persons with Disabilities

[Mike Morrice, Green, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the powerful advocacy of people with disabilities across the country, every MP in the House supported legislation meant to lift people with disabilities out of poverty. Nine months later, there is still no commitment from the government to fund what will be called the Canada disability benefit.

When it came to MAID legislation, this government sure moved fast to make sure that people with disabilities could die well. Will the Prime Minister show he is ready to ensure that people with disabilities live well and commit to a fully funded benefit in budget 2024?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the member is better than the question he just asked. He knows that it is really important to be there both to protect people when they are most vulnerable and to support their wishes. That is something that is foundational in Canada.

In regard to people living with disabilities, we have invested more in people with disabilities over the past eight years than ever before, and there is more to do.

We were very, very pleased to move forward on the Canada disability benefit, and we will have more to say in the coming months.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier wishes to raise a question of privilege, but the House decided to proceed directly to the vote. After the vote, we will continue with questions of privilege.

The House resumed from February 9 consideration of the motion.

Science and Research

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

It being 3:23 p.m., the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion to concur in the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Science and Research.

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #669

Committees of the House

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I declare the motion carried.

The House resumed from March 19 consideration of the motion.

Opposition Motion—Carbon Tax

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion of the member for Regina—Qu'Appelle relating to the business of supply.

(The House divided on the motion, which was negatived on the following division:)

Vote #670