Debates of March 21st, 2024

Carbon Pricing

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to stand up for British Columbians on this. British Columbians led the way with a price on pollution. It was Gordon Campbell, a right-wing premier in B.C., who actually put in place the first price on pollution, led Canada and was a leader in the world.

My goodness, it is a shame to see British Columbians like that who deny the reality of climate change. I agree very much with David Eby when he says that we should stop listening to the ”baloney factory” over there.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Order. The Speaker would like to hear the question from the member for Chilliwack—Hope and the response that will be offered in answer to it.

The hon. member.

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, after 15 years of that NDP-Liberal plan, emissions are up and British Columbians continue to get poorer. The B.C. NDP budget says that $9 billion will be taken from British Columbians over the next three years, but it will only give $3 billion back in rebates, pocketing the extra $6 billion.

The carbon tax coalition is making the most expensive place in the country more expensive to live by jacking up the price of gas, groceries and home heating. Why does it not give Canadians a voice and allow us to vote to spike the carbon tax?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, every party is entitled to its opinion—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Order. I encourage members, especially the member for Kingston and the Islands, to please not have a conversation across the way. That also goes for members on the other side in responding.

The hon. Minister for Natural Resources.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, the Conservative Party is certainly entitled to its own opinions, but it is not entitled to its own facts. Emissions are down and Canada is growing a clean-growth economy for the future.

I was in Germany earlier this week and the German government told me that Canada was a model for the world in the fight against climate change and the work to address the issue that is an existential threat and to grow a clean economy. We signed an agreement on hydrogen that is going to create jobs and economic opportunity in Atlantic Canada.

We believe in climate change, we are fighting climate change, and those climate deniers on the other side of the House should be ashamed of themselves.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker, those Liberals think Canadians have never had it so good, but after eight years of the NDP-Liberals, Melody from Nova Scotia is losing hope, because the 23% increase in the carbon tax that is happening on April 1 will put the cost of everything up.

Melody had to sell her dream home, because the Liberals forced her to choose between food, heating and having a mortgage. To help Melody, the Liberal leader in Nova Scotia has now joined in the fight against the carbon tax.

For the sake of Melody, if the Liberals will not axe the tax, will they at least spike the hike?

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, we are going to say it again. The Canada carbon rebate puts more money in the hands of eight out of 10 Canadians every single day.

What we have not talked about today is the cost of not taking action on climate. I know that the member opposite was impacted by hurricane Fiona. They have had fires. They have had droughts. They have had floods. The conversation we all need to have in the House is what happens to our kids and grandkids if we do not take action on climate change.

We have a plan. I wish the Conservatives did.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker, that answer is cold comfort for the families in my community that have increased the usage of the St. Margaret's Bay Food Bank by 30%. Why? Because the Parliamentary Budget Officer said that the average Nova Scotia family pays $1,500 in carbon tax and gets back $963 of its own money. That is less. Since she cannot add, that is $537 in more taxes than fake rebates. The Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

If the Prime Minister will not spike the hike or axe the tax, will he at least let the people decide and call a carbon tax election?

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, again, the Canada carbon rebate is putting more money in the pockets of Nova Scotians.

On April 4, the average family outside of Halifax is going to get $989. Add that to what we are doing in $10-a-day day care, what we are doing in lowering taxes for everybody, what we are doing in so many things for people, especially the oil to heat pump program. That is saving hundreds and hundreds of dollars every year for Canadians.

We are there to help Canadians every day. I wish the Conservatives were.

Justice

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a year ago, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court criticized the government on its judicial appointment process. He said, and I quote, “The government's inertia regarding vacancies and the absence of satisfactory explanations for these delays are disconcerting.”

Since then, the Liberals have been dragging their feet. There were 85 vacancies; now there are 68. In February, the Federal Court ordered the government to take action. We learned on Monday that, instead of taking action, the Minister of Justice is fighting that ruling in court.

When will the minister take the justice system seriously and appoint the judges we need?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to congratulate all Ismaili Canadians celebrating Navroz today. Navroz Mubarak.

With respect to the question asked by the member opposite, I would point out that I have been in this post for seven months. I have already appointed 74 judges in seven months. The average number of appointments made by the Conservative government was about 60 each year. I am working twice as fast as the previous government. I will continue to do so.

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, doing nothing twice as fast still amounts to doing nothing.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Federal Court are telling the government that the number of vacancies is preventing our justice system from working properly. The Chief Justice of Canada wrote, and I quote, “Access to justice and the health of our democratic institutions are at risk”.

It is not just anyone who is saying that. It is the Chief Justice of Canada. Rather than speeding up the appointment process, the Minister of Justice is challenging the Federal Court's decision and looking for excuses for his inaction. Clogging up the courts with political partisanship is not going to solve the problem. Judges must be appointed.

What is the minister waiting for? Liberal applicants, perhaps?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, that is a rather important question. What I want to point out to all Canadians who are watching right now is that we have never had any former Liberal staffers sit on a committee that recommends judicial appointments. That is not the case in my own province of Ontario, for example.

We put measures in place to prevent partisanship, to appoint top-notch judges who reflect the diversity and bilingualism needed by judges, not just in Quebec, but across Canada.

Government Priorities

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Beauce did not get an answer, so I will try again.

The Bloc Québécois is keeping this Prime Minister in power, even though he broke our immigration system, raised taxes and doubled our national debt. It is costly to vote for the Bloc Québécois. It is going to cost even more come April 1, because this Liberal-Bloc government is going to raise the tax by 23%. That is unacceptable.

What did the Prime Minister promise the Bloc Québécois in return for keeping this government in power?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers watching at home just do not understand. This is not the first time they fail to understand the Conservative Party. What the member just said does not apply to Quebec. They are the party of inaction; that is what we are hearing today.

What Quebeckers want is action against climate change, action to grow the economy, action to promote green jobs.

While those members on the other side of the House want to vote for inaction, on our side, we are going to vote with Quebeckers to move Canada forward.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague just talked about what Quebeckers understand. He did not understand my question. I will try a third time to get an answer from this government.

Food banks are overwhelmed, which is unprecedented in Canada. People who voted for the Bloc Québécois must be regretting it. That party is propping up the Liberals and keeping them in power. I would remind the House that this Liberal-Bloc government is going to impose an additional 23% tax on April 1, and that is no joke. It will be costly to vote for the Bloc Québécois.

Will the Prime Minister tell us about the secret deal he struck with the Bloc Québécois?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, it is not very nice of my colleague to chastise the Bloc Québécois like that. Bloc members are already having a hard time, especially today.

To come back to what my colleague said, it is another example of inaction. The minister said it so well. Theirs is the party of inaction. What is the result of inaction? It leads to forest fires, it leads to the displacement of people, it leads to flooding.

Where were they when this was happening in Quebec and across Canada? While they sit around, twiddling their thumbs, we are taking action.

Carbon Pricing

[Gerald Soroka, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of that NDP-Liberal Prime Minister, food bank usage in Edson is up nearly 300%. Now, on April 1, those Liberals want to raise the carbon tax another 23%, making groceries, gas and heating more expensive for Canadians. They are on track to quadruple the carbon tax. The average family in Alberta will pay nearly $3,000 of carbon tax this year.

Will the Liberals finally allow a carbon tax election so that Albertans can decide to axe the tax?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, the member of Parliament for Yellowhead is simply wrong. Albertans in rural Alberta, with the doubling of the rural top-up, will receive $2,160 in rebates in the upcoming year. That is more money, $700 more. It is $960 more if someone is in rural or remote Alberta.

I have one message for Albertans and for Canadians, and that is to stop the Conservatives and do not let them ruin the rebate.

Tourism

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, tourism drives economic growth in communities across the country.

In 2022, tourism supported 1.9 million jobs in Canada. No other sector has such a massive economic impact in every region of the country. The federal tourism growth strategy highlights the opportunity we have here in Canada to attract more international events, such as conferences and conventions.

Can the Minister of Tourism tell us how the government is seizing the opportunity presented by business tourism?

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, let me start by thanking my colleague from Lac-Saint-Louis because, like me and like our government, he believes that Canada is a destination of choice for international business events.

This week, we announced that Destination Canada will get $50 million to attract major events to convention centres across the country. Investing in such events, whether they take place in urban centres, such as Calgary, Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver, or in the regions, could generate more than $170 million for Canada's economy.

I look forward to seeing how the Conservatives vote tonight.

Public Services and Procurement

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, scandal runs rampant in the Liberal-NDP government. We all know about ArriveCAN and now we know about another $5 million in fraudulent billing. To make matters worse, the billing is across 36 departments and dates back to 2018, pre-pandemic. This is only the first wave of even more fraudulent billing cases. The Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

Could the minister answer one simple question: How many millions of dollars in fraudulent billing did arrive scam cost Canadians?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, the member said, or did not say, that fraudulent billing is totally unacceptable. That is why it was so important that yesterday we released the information. Thanks to better data since the pandemic, and thanks to having a better ability to analyze and use that data, we are now able to proceed much more quickly and much more efficiently with identifying and prosecuting cases of fraudulent overbilling in Canada in 2024.