Debates of April 10th, 2024

Finance

[Anita Anand, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, wages are growing faster than inflation. Under the Conservatives, poverty was at 14.5%. When we replaced the Conservatives, we brought it down to 7.4%. We will continue to invest in Canadians with the supports for affordable housing, for renters and for early learning and child care, and because of our work, we will make life fairer for Canadians, unlike the Conservative leader, who is here for himself.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we are finding out today from the Bank of Canada that the Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

In September, the bank governor said that if government spending were to grow, then interest rates would have to stay high. That was echoed by the former bank governor and incoming Liberal leader, Mark Carney, who indicated that he does not expect rates to fall quickly, and that it is partly because of a lack of fiscal discipline.

If the Prime Minister will not listen to me, why will he not listen to his successor and understand that he is not worth the cost of high interest rates?

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

Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons from the Conservatives—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Order.

The hon. Minister for Innovation.

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I hope that the Conservatives will listen this time, because Canadians are watching at home.

We will take no lessons from the Conservatives. On this side of the House, we have a plan to build more houses. We have a plan to build more prosperity in this country. We have a plan to create more jobs. On the other side, they have slogans. Canadians are smart. They understand that slogans do not build homes. They understand that slogans do not create jobs. They understand that slogans do not create prosperity.

Every day is a good day to fight for Canadians, and that is what we are going to do.

Intergovernmental Relations

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for the past three weeks the Prime Minister has made pre-budget announcements in Quebec’s areas of jurisdiction, but not today. No, today, he is at the Foreign Interference Commission. That means he does not have time for domestic interference. Health, schools, housing, dental care, early childhood centres, it is not the Bloc Québécois that fancies itself as the Government of Quebec, it is the Liberals.

Ottawa may well have the money, but Quebec has the expertise. If the Liberals want to help in an area under Quebec’s jurisdiction, they should increase the transfers. What are they waiting for?

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

Mr. Speaker, the time is always right to talk about the impact of federal investment for Quebeckers.

Let us start with child care services. A $6-billion investment over four years is helping give families, and women in particular, 35,000 new child care spaces. Naturally, this is helping boost family income and reduce poverty, while contributing to gender equality and childhood development—without interfering in anyone’s jurisdictions.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government is treating us to a veritable budget striptease, one item at a time.

The way things are going, we will be having a five-minute lock-up on April 16. There will be nothing left to announce. What will be left to spend after using billions of dollars to infringe upon Quebec's jurisdiction? What I know for sure is that competence is not a jurisdiction of the Liberal government: Phoenix, passports, ArriveCAN, processing of asylum seekers. Nevertheless, that is no reason to trample upon Quebec's jurisdiction.

Could it kindly transfer instead of encroach?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am so happy to answer a second question and give a second example of how we are working very well together.

On the question of housing, two times $900 million equals $1.8 billion. This agreement, which we signed just a few weeks ago, will allow us to build the largest number of affordable housing units ever built in the history of the province of Quebec. This will greatly benefit Quebeckers, especially lower-income residents.

Indigenous Affairs

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Assembly of First Nations made it clear that this government is letting down indigenous people. Right now, the indigenous funding gap in infrastructure has risen to an astronomical $350 billion. That is not just a number on paper. It means that indigenous people are living in mouldy homes. It means that indigenous people do not have access to clean drinking water.

Why did the Liberal government turn its back on indigenous people?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, for decades and decades, Canada has underinvested in indigenous communities, and the Liberal government is putting a stop to that. We have increased funding for housing on first nations by 1,100%. While we know there is a long way to go, I want to thank the AFN for co-writing this report with us. It is very important to understand the size of the gap so that we can work even more quickly to close it together.

Persons with Disabilities

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is not just indigenous people the government is letting down, but also Canadians living with disabilities. Right now, Canadians living with disabilities are disproportionately living in poverty. According to Angus Reid, 90% of Canadians support a Canadian disability benefit, but the Liberal government continues to delay the implementation of this benefit, and the Conservatives voted against it.

Why is the Liberal government continuing to delay? Enough is enough. When will people get their cheques? When will people actually get the benefit?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Minister of Diversity]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows extremely well that the Canada disability benefit is another concrete step to reduce poverty and to support Canadians who need it the most. This is our top priority. We are on track to deliver the benefit.

In the spirit of nothing without us, I want to take this opportunity to thank the disability community for their relentless advocacy and for the work they have been doing.

We will get it right and we will get it out for Canadians living with disabilities.

Carbon Pricing

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Tina from Orangeville just sent me a photo from the Orangeville Food Bank. There is no juice. There is no cereal. There are almost no diapers. That is because the people who used to donate food are now lined up for food. This is actually Canada after eight years of the corrupt, incompetent NDP-Liberal government.

Will the Prime Minister finally show he has even a modicum of compassion for Canadians and pass Conservative Bill C-234 to take all carbon taxes off all farmers, so that Canadians can once again afford food?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is important for this country to address the climate crisis that is facing us, and certainly Canadians understand that. There are significant costs that we are facing, including issues around wildfires as we move forward, if we do not address climate change. However, it is also important that we do that in a manner that is affordable.

Eight out of 10 Canadians get more money back from the carbon rebate than they pay in the price on pollution. If that is taken away, as the Leader of the Opposition would like to do, that would actually be attacking the poorest members in our society. Shame on them.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, these are the great Liberal lies: the budget will balance itself, and the rebate cheque is larger than the cost of the carbon tax. Everyone knows that is not actually what has happened. Do you know who else has joined the carbon tax revolt? Six premiers in this country from Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta, who are calling for a carbon tax summit.

Will the out-of-touch Prime Minister actually call this conference, the carbon tax summit, or is he too busy hiding because he called the premiers liars?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I would like to remind colleagues from all sides of the House that we must be very careful about using the word “lies”. Although it was not directed at an individual, it is really important that we not use language that can disturb the affairs of the House.

The hon. minister.

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

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House we actually believe in facts, and we believe in science. The hon. member made statements that actually have zero bases in facts. Two hundred economists in this country signed a letter two weeks ago, which said that eight out of 10 Canadians get more money back. The Parliamentary Budget Officer said that eight out of 10 Canadians get money back. They can make up all the things they want to, but the facts are on our side. It is an issue that addresses affordability for Canadians, particularly those on modest incomes. It is a plan to address climate change.

Those reckless, irresponsible Conservatives on the other side of the House should be ashamed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Again, I would remind members to please stay away from language that is getting closer to being unparliamentary.

The hon. member for Chilliwack—Hope.

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

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, many Canadians can no longer afford to feed their families. Last year, two million Canadians visited food banks in a single month alone, but instead of bringing down the cost of food, the Prime Minister increased the carbon tax on groceries by 23% on April 1. Clearly, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

Instead of making things worse, will the Prime Minister finally cut the cost of food by adopting Conservative Bill C-234 to take all carbon taxes off farmers in next week's budget?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, it is important that we talk in the House about all the supports we are providing to farmers and the agricultural community in the context of our fight against climate change. However, I would also point out that Conservative senators threatened female senators on amendments on this bill. This is a Conservative private member's bill that they can prioritize at any moment and that they can bring to a vote in the House. It is up to them. Bill C-234's fate is decided on the Conservative side of the House.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government is completely out of touch with ordinary Canadians who cannot feed their families with phony Liberal photo ops. Canadians are already lining up at the food banks in record numbers. Increasing the carbon tax on farmers and food is only making things worse. Seventy per cent of Canadians want the government to axe the tax, and half a dozen premiers are demanding an emergency meeting on the carbon tax crisis.

Will the Prime Minister stop hiding, hold a carbon tax conference with the premiers and listen to their plans to axe the tax?

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

Mr. Speaker, again I would implore the Conservatives in opposition to actually use facts when they make statements. Two hundred economists in this country have validated the fact that the carbon price is the most efficient way to reduce emissions and is done in a manner that is affordable.

When Premier Moe was before the committee a couple of weeks ago, journalists actually called the statements he was making, which were the same as what this fellow is making, a “parade of nonsense” and “completely dishonest”. I totally agree.

Intergovernmental Affairs

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of this Prime Minister, rents have doubled and the dream of home ownership for our young people is dead. Food banks are reporting record demand.

Everything he touches turns bad. He is ruining everything in Ottawa, and now he wants to impose his incompetence on Quebec with his centralizing pre-budget announcements. Does the Prime Minister understand that his meddling is simply making things worse for Quebeckers?