Debates of June 10th, 2024

Carbon Pricing

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost. Canadians are struggling to afford food and the NDP-Liberal government does not care.

From its carbon tax to red tape to its ban on plastics for produce, every single bad policy the government announces hurts our farmers and makes food more expensive. One farmer paid over $25,000 in a single month in carbon tax alone. Farmers cannot absorb these costs, and, no, they do not get a rebate cheque.

When will the NDP-Liberals get out of the way and pass Bill C-234 in its original form?

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

Mr. Speaker, we believe it is essential to make investments to make life more affordable for Canadians. That is why we have put forward the most ambitious housing program in Canadian history. That is why we are making dental care available to two million Canadians already. That is why we have created a national system of early learning and child care. We know it is important to pay for this in a fiscally responsible way, so we have a plan for tax fairness. However, the Conservatives prefer austerity and helping their wealthy pals. Tomorrow they are going to have to admit it.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that is another fairy tale from a Liberal who clearly does not understand food production.

The government cannot deny that paying $25,000 in a single month in carbon tax is punishing this farmer. The NDP-Liberals live in la-la land if they do not think that these costs get passed on to Canadian families.

When will the government leave fantasy land, stop hurting our farmers and pass Bill C-234 in its original form?

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers know, but the member apparently does not, that 95% of all farm fuels are already exempt from the price on pollution.

As for Bill C-234 and the very tortuous parliamentary process that party has submitted that bill to, I am glad that my counterpart, the Conservative House leader, has finally relented and allowed the bill to be debated today. However, we will see how the opposition determines to go forward on that bill, which it presented and is responsible for.

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years, the “Liberal Bloc” continues to make life more expensive for Canadian farmers and families. By allowing the Senate to gut Bill C‑234, it is contributing to the demise of a generation of farmers. The Bloc Québécois and the Prime Minister are not worth the cost. Food prices are at an all-time high, and food bank use in Beauce has increased by 25% in the past six months.

Will the government commit today to voting for what Canadians want and passing Bill C‑234 in its original form?

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

Mr. Speaker, the farmers in Beauce are very smart people. They know full well that 95% of the fuels used on farms are exempt from any kind of price on pollution. The message seems to have escaped the members representing them, though. I would like to remind the member that the bill he is talking about will do nothing to help those farmers.

I cannot wait to see the convoluted process that the Conservative Party is going to use to get this bill passed.

Labour

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Steelworkers Local 2918 at IMT Defence is proud to build the equipment Ukraine needs to defend itself against Putin's illegal invasion. However, the workers are underpaid and cannot afford food or rent. Despite receiving millions in taxpayer dollars and sky-high profits, their employer has not been treating these workers with the respect they deserve. They have been on strike since early June to demand fair wages.

When will the Liberals finally stand up for Canadian workers and ensure tax dollars go to well-paying unionized jobs?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Labour and Seniors]

Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the situation. We will stay on top of it and we will keep the member informed.

Telecommunications

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, big telecom companies are adding to the struggles of women and gender-diverse people fleeing violence. While telecom CEOs lay off staff and give themselves huge bonuses, a recent report found that Bell, Rogers and Telus forced extra fees and long wait times on victims trying to change their phone numbers or leave shared plans with their abusers.

When will the Liberals stop being soft on telecom giants and force them to improve services for people fleeing violence?

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

Mr. Speaker, that is a very important question. I found the situation my colleague described as unacceptable. As she knows, we have been very tough on telecom CEOs around the country. Despite the Conservatives who are laughing, this is a very serious question. This is about protecting women. This is about protecting consumers. This is about being Canadian. We will follow up and make sure that we rectify the situation.

Taxation

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, if we were creating our tax system from scratch, what choices would we make as Canadians? Would we give the greatest tax advantages to those who make the most money, or would we insist on paying a fair share to keep Canada strong? The next generation of young Canadians across the country are leading the way in telling us that they want a fairer and forward-looking Canada.

Could the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance tell Canadians how this government is making this vision a reality?

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians believe in fairness. Many of the wealthiest Canadians make most of their money through investments and they can often wind up paying a lower overall tax rate than a nurse or a carpenter. That is not fair. That is why today our government is introducing changes that will result in a small number of well-off Canadians paying a little more tax. This will make our tax system fairer. That is fairness for all generations.

Democratic Institutions

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was warned multiple times about security threats from foreign interference. He was told measures to protect something as fundamental as our democracy were insufficient and he repeatedly failed to do anything about it.

We now know that members of the House knowingly assisted hostile foreign states against Canada's interests, and the government hides behind national security and cabinet confidence, while these members are still allowed to sit in caucus, sit in the House and serve their communities.

The Liberals have redacted and withheld documents from the Hogue commission. Will they hand over all the documents unredacted with names?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier in question period, our government has always collaborated with the Hogue commission, and senior public servants who are responsible for decisions around redactions work collaboratively and constructively at all times.

As I said, obviously the government will ensure that the Hogue commission has access to all the documents necessary to do the important work that we have asked it to do. That has been our position since we created the Hogue commission and that will continue to be the work we will do.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that is a really long way to say no. Canadians want to know who is working against—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I am going to stop the hon. member just so we do not injure either our interpreters or other members who are listening on the earphones. If there are any earphones near a microphone, I would ask members if they could put them in the proper place to make sure we do not get that Larsen effect.

The hon. member for Thornhill from the top, please.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that is a very long way to say no. Canadians deserve to know who is working against Canada. Their responses have been a convoluted, finger-pointing exercise of secret committees or, worse, dismissive “Boo-hoo, get over it” statements from someone who once sat on the very committee that just—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I am going to stop the member once again. Members are not getting any translation services. There is now translation.

I am once again going to ask the hon. member to start from the top.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians deserve to know who is working against Canada, and the best way—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

We still seem to have translation difficulties.

The hon. member for Joliette.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the interpreter is saying that there was some feedback. There is a problem. They are no longer able to interpret.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

For members of Parliament who are asking questions, I would ask their neighbours to make sure their earphones are away from the microphone.

Sitting Suspended

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

We are going to suspend the House for a couple of minutes as we explore this issue further.

(The sitting of the House was suspended at 2:54 p.m.)

(The House resumed at 3:40 p.m.)

Sitting Resumed

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Colleagues, I thank you for the patience you showed while we made changes to our process.

I would like to thank all members for their patience. Before we continue with question period, I would like to just take a moment to explain the delay.

First of all, I would like to reassure all members, as many members have come up to the Chair wanting to know if any interpreter had been injured.

I am pleased and relieved to report that no interpreters were injured as a result of this feedback.

We do have a protocol in place to ensure workplace safety for our interpreters.

The Larsen effect is a very serious effect for our interpreters. Their ears are their tools, and their ears help us, of course, do the work that we do here in the House.

I am going to ask members, out of an abundance of caution, that if their earphone is not on their ear, to please put them in the desk.

That way, we will ensure that interpreters are not injured in the House of Commons.

I would also like to thank our new team of interpreters. As per protocol, when a situation like this arises, a new team is put in place. Let us thank these interpreters for their work.

Also, one last thing, thank goodness we have the clerk to remind me. Members will find that the default setting on their earphones has now been set to low. So for those who are expecting interpretation, they will have to turn up the microphone.

We will continue where we left off. The hon. member for Thornhill, from the top.