Debates of June 18th, 2024

Official Languages

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for giving me the chance to remind the entire House that all federal institutions, including Crown corporations like Canada Post, are subject to the Canadian government's Official Languages Act. The good news is that this act was strengthened in the past few years. For the first time in this country's history, this act and the Canadian government recognize that we must defend the French language throughout Canada, but especially in Quebec.

This is everyone's responsibility. It is the responsibility of the Canadian government. What is more, we have a multi-billion dollar plan to help communities across the country.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, by hiring unilingual anglophone employees, Canada Post is undermining the right of all its employees in Quebec to work in French. This issue is putting the reformed Official Languages Act to the test.

Let us not forget that Quebec and the Liberals reached a compromise that does not require federal corporations to comply with the Charter of the French Language. Canada Post is using that compromise to anglicize its workplaces.

Does the minister realize that this is further proof that, reform notwithstanding, the Official Languages Act still promotes the anglicization of Quebec?

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

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, for the first time in this country's history, the new Official Languages Act recognizes that French is in jeopardy in Quebec and that it must be protected across the country, but especially in Quebec. I have already answered that question. I made it clear that all Crown corporations are subject to the same treatment.

I have a few seconds left, so, on behalf of all members, I want to thank the latest cohort of pages, who will soon be leaving us, for their outstanding service over the past year.

Taxation

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Larry the plumber from Winnipeg told the finance committee this morning that the Liberal change to the capital gains tax is not fair to his generation. He is not wealthy. He does not have a gold-plated public sector pension or a trust fund to fall back on, like the Prime Minister—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Colleagues, I am having difficulty hearing the hon. member's question. I am going to ask him to start from the top.

The hon. member.

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Larry the plumber from Winnipeg told the finance committee this morning that the Liberal change to the capital gains tax is not fair to his generation. He is not wealthy. He does not have a gold-plated public sector pension or a trust fund to fall back on, like the Prime Minister. He worked hard to build a small plumbing company, to save for retirement, for his family, and now, the Prime Minister is pulling the rug out from his retirement plan, penalizing his hard work.

Will the Prime Minister exempt plumbers like Larry from the capital gains increase, yes or no?

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

Mr. Speaker, these deflecting and deceiving Conservatives should be a little bit careful when it comes to talking about gold-plated public pensions. After all, their leader has worked his entire life for the government. He currently lives in government accommodation—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Colleagues, like I was having difficulty hearing the member for Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, I am also having difficulty hearing the Deputy Prime Minister.

I would ask that the Deputy Prime Minister please respond again, from the top, and I am asking all members to please allow the Speaker to be able to hear the member.

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to do so.

These deflecting and deceiving Conservatives should be a little careful when it comes to talking about gold-plated public pensions. After all, they are led by someone who has worked his entire life for the government and someone who currently lives in government, luxurious housing and has a government chef.

Now, when it comes to working people, we are on their side. The Conservatives have just shown that they are not.

Forestry Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Environment, with the support of the Bloc Québécois, is preparing to force more radical policies on Quebeckers by imposing a decree that will destroy the forestry industry in Saguenay—Lac‑Saint‑Jean.

TVA Nouvelles reports that the Bloc environment critic also believes that it is fine for Ottawa to get involved in the caribou issue. The Conservative Party is the only one defending Quebec's forestry workers.

Can the Minister of Environment let Quebec manage its territory the way it sees fit?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. He knows very well that we have always been there for the forestry industry. We will always be there for the forestry industry.

Forestry workers understand that we have to balance the environment and the economy. They, too, want to ensure there are jobs now and for generations to come.

That is why we will continue to invest in innovation, continue to support the industry and always side with forestry workers in Quebec and across the country.

Taxation

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance, who never thinks about farmers or consults them.

With help from the Bloc Québécois, she found a new way to undermine our farming sector. This new tax increase on capital gains will jeopardize the retirements and succession plans of our farming families. The president of the UPA, Martin Caron, wrote the minister a letter on June 6. It was a heartfelt plea denouncing this situation.

Will she make a promise today that no farmer will lose their retirement because of this tax increase?

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

Mr. Speaker, as a proud farmer's daughter, I truly want to reassure my hon. colleague that I often talk with farmers and I respect their work very much.

That is why I am proud to announce that on June 25, we are increasing the lifetime capital gains exemption to $2.5 million for a couple. This is an important measure for farmers in Quebec and Canada.

Dental Care

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, thousands of seniors, including those in my riding of Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, have already been to see their dentist to get dental care. This shows the importance of implementing the Canadian dental care plan.

Unfortunately, the opposition continues to oppose this program day after day.

Can the Minister of Public Services and Procurement give us an update on how successful this program has been for seniors in Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel?

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

Mr. Speaker, not only is the Conservative leader against the Canadian dental care plan, but he also misled seniors in Quebec City by saying on the radio just a few days ago that the Canadian dental care plan does not exist and that people should not try to register for it. That shows contempt for seniors in Quebec.

The good news is that it is not working, because over one-third of the two million seniors who have already registered are in Quebec. Another piece of good news is that, next week, as of June 27, all children between the ages of zero and 18 and people with disabilities will also be able to sign up for the new Canadian dental care plan.

Taxation

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Mr. Speaker, congratulations for all the wrong reasons. Canada is now a world leader in high taxes. Ranked behind only Chile and Denmark, we now have the third highest capital gains tax rate in the world. In the midst of a productivity crisis, how can the Minister of Small Business support a tax hike that will kill jobs and decimate our entrepreneurs?

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

Mr. Speaker, yet again, the Conservatives need to work just a little harder, not only on being less hypocritical about support for working Canadians, but also on just getting their facts straight. After this move, the capital gains rate in Canada will be lower than the tax paid in California or in New York City. Furthermore, the METR, Canada's marginal effective tax rate, is the lowest in the G7, and anyone who read the budget would have seen that.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years, this Prime Minister is not worth the cost. Shaughn, a 20-year veteran planning to retire next year, is gutted that he will have to put that off, given the Liberal government's punitive policy on capital gains. It was not enough for the Prime Minister to leave veterans high and dry because they were asking for more than he could give. Now, despite Shaughn's decades of service and prudent planning for his retirement, the Prime Minister wants to take even more, so my question is this: How is that fair?

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

Mr. Speaker, we have already established that the Conservatives are not on the side of working Canadians. They are not on the side of the nurse, the plumber or the soldier who is living from paycheque to paycheque. They are on the side of the multi-millionaire who has already made $250,000 in capital gains profit in a given year. However, in opposing this measure, they are also opposing dental care that will help nine million Canadians, school food for 400,000 children and our plan to build four million homes in Canada. Shame on them.

Ethics

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

Mr. Speaker, the environment minister is already under fire for his $30-billion carbon tax cover-up. He was a lobbyist for Cycle Capital. Cycle Capital companies got more than $200 million from the Liberal green slush fund. Now we learn that he is still a big shareholder in Cycle Capital, and since he became environment minister, Cycle Capital companies have gotten another $17 million from the green slush fund.

Liberal insiders are getting rich on taxpayer money. There is a carbon tax cover-up. The environment minister is profiting from the green slush fund sleaze. When will Liberal corruption end?

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

Mr. Speaker, do those members know what is profiting from all the work of this government and all the members in the House? It is record investment in green technologies in our country. We rank number one, ahead of China, for the battery ecosystem in the country and have more—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Colleagues, we are almost there. There are a couple of more sleeps.

The hon. Minister of Innovation, from the top, please.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have more to say for the sleepy Conservatives.

On this side of the House, we know what we are doing. Thanks to the work of this government, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Environment and the Prime Minister, we have seen record investment in our country. We rank first in the world for the battery ecosystem, ahead of China. In Windsor, St. Thomas, Bécancour and Kingston, Canadians are winning, Canada is winning, and we will fight for Canada at every step of the way.