Debates of May 27th, 2024

Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 2517 and 2523.

Question No.2517—

[Gerald Soroka, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

With regard to the impact of the carbon tax on school boards, divisions, and educational institutions across Canada, since 2019: (a) how many school boards, divisions, and educational institutions have been consulted or met regarding the impact of the carbon tax on their financial situation, and what are the details of each such consultation, including (i) the date, (ii) who did the consultation, (iii) who was consulted, (iv) the location, (v) the type of consultation; (b) of the 10% of carbon tax revenues earmarked for funding programs aimed at reducing emissions, how much has been allocated to school boards, divisions, and educational institutions, broken down by (i) province and territory, (ii) year, (iii) recipient, (iv) project description; (c) what is the total amount of carbon price revenues collected from school boards, divisions, and educational institutions since 2019, broken down by (i) province and territory, (ii) year; (d) what is the government's estimate of the annual amount of carbon tax collected on gasoline or fuel purchased for school buses; (e) if the government does not have any estimate for (d), why has this not been studied; and (f) has the government conducted any analyses to determine the total financial net cost of the carbon tax on school boards, divisions, and educational institutions, and, if so, what are the details, including, for each, (i) the name of the study, (ii) who conducted the study, (iii) the date, (iv) the findings?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, climate action is critical to Canada’s long- term health and economic prosperity. Carbon pricing is widely recognized as the most efficient means of reducing our greenhouse gas, GHG, emissions, which is why the Government of Canada continues to make sure that it is not free to pollute in Canada.

Pollution pricing applies broadly throughout Canada. The federal fuel charge is generally paid by fuel distributors.

The federal price on pollution is revenue-neutral for the federal government; the direct proceeds from the federal carbon pricing system remain in the province or territory where they are collected. Put simply, every dollar collected from the carbon price is returned.

In provinces where the federal fuel charge applies, over 90% of projected direct proceeds are returned to residents of those provinces through the quarterly Canada carbon rebate. Most households receive more in rebates than the costs they face from the federal pollution pricing system. The other projected fuel charge proceeds are used to support small and medium- sized businesses and indigenous governments. Proceeds relating specifically to the use of natural gas and propane by farmers are returned directly to farmers via a refundable tax credit.

Question No.2523—

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

With regard to the government's response to the April 1, 2024, “Axe the Tax” rallies across Canada: (a) did the Minister of Public Safety issue any directives or advice to the RCMP or other police agencies in relation to the rallies, and, if so, what are the details, including the directive or advice; and (b) did the RCMP issue any directives or advice to RCMP officers assigned to the rallies and, if so, for each instance, (i) who provided the directive or advice, (ii) what was the directive or advice, (iii) what location or locations was the directive or advice intended for?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), the Minister of Public Safety did not issue any directives or advice to the RCMP in relation to the rallies.

In response to (b), the RCMP did issue directives and advice to RCMP officers assigned to the rallies.

In response to (i), the director general and acting director of national criminal operations, contract and indigenous policing, RCMP national headquarters, did provide advice and directives.

In response to (ii), the advice and directives were the following: (a) Command for the “Axe the Tax” rally response will be led by the appropriate commander of the RCMP in the province or territory where the RCMP have police of jurisdiction status and in accordance with their local situational factors; operational direction will not be issued by RCMP national headquarters; (b) national criminal operations will facilitate communications between RCMP provincial and territorial commanders as well as their external police counterparts in order to share information and best practices; (c) national criminal operations facilitated the dissemination of legal advice produced by the legal services unit, RCMP; the content of that advice is protected by solicitor-client privilege; (d) national criminal operations facilitated the dissemination of intelligence and information across various RCMP jurisdictions in real time.

In response to (iii), the directives and advice were intended for the RCMP who have police of jurisdiction status in British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nunavut, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. However, the RCMP in Ontario and Quebec also participated in the communications in order to maintain situational awareness in participation with their external police counterparts.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, furthermore, if the government's responses to Questions Nos. 2509 to 2516, 2518 to 2522, 2524 and 2525 could be made orders for return, these returns would be tabled in electronic format immediately.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No.2509—

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

With regard to the Public Service Pension Plan, as of January 1, 2024: (a) what is the number of (i) public sector employees, (ii) retirees, (iii) former employees, in Group 1 of the Public Service Pension Plan; (b) what is the number of (i) public sector employees, (ii) retirees, (iii) former employees, in Group 2 of the Public Service Pension Plan; (c) what is the projected surplus in the Public Service Pension Plan; (d) what percentage of the plan is funded; and (e) what plans, if any, does the government have to distribute funds over the permissible surplus level?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2510—

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

With regard to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC): (a) what is the total amount of grants and contributions provided by ECCC to (i) not-for-profit organizations or charities, (ii) academia, (iii) international non-governmental organizations, broken down by year since 2019; and (b) what are the details of each grant or contribution in (a), including, for each, the (i) date, (ii) amount, (iii) recipient, (iv) purpose of the funding?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2511—

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

With regard to the Deficit Reduction Action Plan, between January 1, 2011, and January 1, 2016: how many jobs were cut or eliminated from the federal public service, broken down by (i) province and territory, (ii) department and agency, (iii) job type?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2512—

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

With regard to federal investments in Canada’s telecommunications sector, since January 1, 2006: how much federal funding has been provided to (i) Rogers Communications Inc., (ii) BCE Inc., (iii) Telus Mobility, broken down by company, year and type of funding?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2513—

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

With regard to bonuses paid out at government departments or agencies in the 2023-24 fiscal year, broken down by department or agency: (a) what was the total amount paid out in bonuses; (b) how many and what percentage of officials (i) at or above the executive (EX) level or equivalent, (ii) below the EX level or equivalent, received bonuses; and (c) of the amount paid out in bonuses, how much went to officials (i) at or above the EX level or equivalent, (ii) below the EX level or equivalent?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2514—

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

With regard to bonuses paid out at Crown corporations in the 2023-24 fiscal year, broken down by Crown corporation: (a) what was the total amount paid out in bonuses; (b) how many and what percentage of officials (i) at or above the executive (EX) level or equivalent, (ii) below the EX level or equivalent, received bonuses; and (c) of the amount paid out in bonuses, how much went to officials (i) at or above the EX level or equivalent, (ii) below the EX level or equivalent?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2515—

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

With regard to the Canada Revenue Agency, broken down by month since January 2022: (a) how many requests for technical assistance have been received by (i) income tax service providers, (ii) the general public; and (b) of the requests in (a), what is the breakdown by the (i) type of tax filer, (ii) type of issue requiring assistance, (iii) forms, (iv) tax measures involved?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2516—

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

With regard to reports, studies, assessments, and evaluations (hereinafter referred to as "deliverables") prepared for the government, including any department, agency, Crown corporation or other government entity, by McKinsey & Company since December 1, 2020: what are the details for each deliverable, including the (i) date that the deliverable was finished, (ii) title, (iii) summary of recommendations, (iv) file number, (v) website where the deliverable is available online, if applicable, (vi) value of the contract related to the deliverable?

(Return tabled)