Debates of Sept. 19th, 2024

The Economy

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just appointed Mark Carney, a millionaire investment banker from Goldman Sachs, to dictate their economic agenda. The Conservatives have lobbyists from Loblaws and Walmart sitting on their front bench and setting policy. New Democrats are listening to working Canadians, who are experiencing real economic struggles on the ground. Canadians deserve a government that understands their needs and works for them.

Why do the Liberals and Conservatives keep putting the interests of elites ahead of hard-working Canadians?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote the member for Edmonton Strathcona. In June 2024, she said, “economists, journalists and members of Parliament have made it very clear that the carbon tax is not what is responsible for the cost of food increasing so much.”

I can also quote the member for Victoria, who said, “the PBO has put out a number of reports that confirm...that 80% of Canadians get more money back than they pay.” That was in March 2024. In September 2022, the member for Victoria also said that the carbon tax is a crucial part of any climate plan.

Housing

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, indigenous peoples across the country face a horrific housing crisis brought on by constant government underfunding rooted in systemic discrimination. The Liberals are holding back 99.8% of the promised housing funding for indigenous communities. It is shameful. The Conservatives are no better. They voted over and over again against funding indigenous housing.

When will the Liberals end this discrimination and make sure indigenous people have the homes they need?

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

Mr. Speaker, this government has been investing in historic ways to close the infrastructure gap for first nations communities across the country. I do not know where the member is getting her information from, but it is incorrect, quite frankly. We have spent all of our housing allotment every year. In fact, we have accelerated our expenditures in housing, and we are working with first nations on solutions that will be long-lasting and respectful of their culture and identity.

National Defence

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Standing Committee on National Defence, I hear from experts, members and academics alike about the importance of creating a respectful and professional work environment for the brave men and women of our armed forces. Over the past two years, Canadians have watched as Supreme Court justices Arbour and Fish have put forward recommendations to modernize Canada's military justice system.

Can the Minister of National Defence please update this House on the progress we are making on these very important recommendations?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to share with the House that the military justice system modernization act is being debated in the House this week. Among a number of substantive amendments to the National Defence Act, this legislation would codify in law that CAF would no longer have jurisdiction over Criminal Code offences and sexual offences committed in Canada, and it would increase the independence of military justice actors.

This is the right thing to do for our people, for our military and for our country. Let us not engage in political gamesmanship with this important legislation. Let us get it to committee to allow it to do its important work, and let us get it done. People are counting on us.

Government Accountability

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government is having another big day. The Liberal Prime Minister is so bad for Quebec that his Quebec lieutenant has decided to jump ship in order to better stand up for Quebec.

However, the position did not stay vacant for long. The leader of the Bloc Québécois was quick to put his name forward to become the new Quebec lieutenant. Negotiations did not take long. The position was open.

Can the Prime Minister tell us when he plans to swear in the Bloc Québécois leader as his new Quebec lieutenant?

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

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives certainly cannot be counted on to defend Quebec's interests, and certainly not those of the Quebec government.

The Conservatives, including unfortunately my colleague from the Quebec region, want to cut everything, and this includes cuts to child care, housing, public transit and health transfers.

How is making cuts, cuts and more cuts, including cuts to supports for Quebeckers, good for Quebec?

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we are going to cut taxes and cut cost increases for Quebeckers. That is where we are going to make cuts.

The “Liberal Bloc” has made no gains for Quebec. Now, it is going to blindly support a centralizing Liberal government that is taking money out of Quebeckers' pockets to feed a big federal machine that imposes programs in areas under Quebec's jurisdiction; a government that is creating immigration chaos, pushing Quebec to the breaking point; a government that is imposing an order that will wipe out forestry jobs. Even the Premier of Quebec is begging the Bloc Québécois to vote to defeat this terrible government.

Will the Liberal Prime Minister admit that his new Bloc ally is harming Quebec's interests?

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

Mr. Speaker, instead of undermining the interests of Quebeckers, my colleague from Mégantic—L'Érable should be looking out for his constituents and correcting the lies told by his Conservative leader, who says that the Canadian dental care plan does not exist. In my colleague’s riding, 11,000 seniors have registered for the Canadian dental care plan, yet he stands by while his leader claims that the Canadian dental care plan does not exist.

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

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Bloc Québécois showed his true colours yesterday when he promised to support the Liberal government with no benefits at all for Quebec. There is absolutely nothing for forestry workers or seniors. That is the “Liberal Bloc”.

When will the Prime Minister officially announce that the leader of the Bloc Québécois has become his Quebec lieutenant?

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

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, we cannot count on the Conservatives' lieutenant to defend the interests of Quebec either. A few weeks ago, he had a good idea. He said that the money for modern public transit should go to the people of Quebec City. A few hours later, his leader rebuked him and humiliated him. He said not to listen to his Quebec lieutenant, that the money going to the Quebec City region would be stolen and sent elsewhere. It is not the Conservative leader's money; it is the money of the people in the Quebec City region.

I invite my colleague to stand up for the people of the Quebec City region.

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

Mr. Speaker, as a representative of the Quebec City region and political lieutenant for Quebec, I am proud to support the citizens of Quebec City who want a third link, while the member for Québec, who is the new acting political lieutenant until the leader of the Bloc Québécois takes his place, is refusing to support a third link in Quebec City.

Today, the Government of Quebec clearly asked the Bloc Québécois to stop supporting this government because it knows that nothing can be done with the Liberal government and that it will not get anywhere with the Liberal government.

That is what we have been seeing for nine years.

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

Mr. Speaker, if he spends so much time in Quebec City, then my colleague, the Quebec lieutenant, should have heard what his Conservative leader said on Radio-Canada recently. He said that the Canadian dental care plan does not exist. He said that he cannot say why he is against it because he does not think that it exists, and yet 10,500 seniors in his riding have received their cards for the Canadian dental care plan.

How can the member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles let his lying Conservative leader say things like that?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

That statement is not in keeping with the Standing Orders of the House. I invite the hon. minister to rise and withdraw this unparliamentary accusation.

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I apologize. I said something I should not have.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal-sponsored surge in temporary immigration is creating serious problems when it comes to delivering public services. Look at what is happening right now with asylum seekers. Four provinces are refusing to help Quebec by shouldering their fair share of the responsibility. I am talking about the Conservative premiers of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and Alberta. These Conservative premiers are forcing Quebeckers to take in a disproportionate share of asylum seekers. Interestingly enough, we have never heard the Conservative leader tell his buddies to stop overburdening Quebeckers.

Would the immigration minister say that this is because the Conservative leader agrees with his buddies?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I listened very closely to the question and I would say that there is no smoke without fire.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the spring, the Liberals promised a plan to spread out asylum seekers among the provinces. It is now the fall, and there is no plan, but that is not stopping Conservatives from concocting ways to sabotage the non-plan before it even sees the light of day. Quebeckers are trapped in the middle, and their public services are overwhelmed. Some asylum seekers in Quebec are unable to get their basic needs met because Quebec has exceeded its intake capacity.

When will the Liberals and the Conservatives understand that their irresponsibility is hurting Quebeckers and asylum seekers?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, it is everyone's responsibility to adopt a humanitarian approach to asylum seekers. The provinces have to be on board. If some provinces attempt to gain political advantage at the expense of asylum seekers, that will get complicated.

These conversations will be ongoing. We will keep working with the provinces to make sure they are doing their fair share. The burden is obviously greatest for Quebec and Ontario, but we are working to achieve a more even distribution.

Forestry Industry

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it was interesting yesterday in committee to be able to talk to forestry workers. They are very worried about their future. The Minister of Environment's order is putting at least 1,400 jobs in jeopardy, not to mention the closure of several businesses and the possible disappearance of some communities. If the Conservatives were in power, we would not be talking about an order.

That is why I do not understand why the Bloc Québécois is keeping the Liberals in power without negotiating the cancellation of the order. Why does the “Liberal Bloc” not understand that our regions need the forestry sector and our workers?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague that, in 2013, the Harper government used the same emergency order to protect a species. It was not radical then, but suddenly it is radical now because we are the ones using it. It is hogwash.

I met the workers too. They came to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. Experts, environmentalists, the first nations and workers are saying that we must protect the forest to protect jobs.

Only the Conservative Party does not understand that.

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, with the cost of living, inflation and interest rates, Quebeckers already have a lot on their plate.

Now, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change wants to make life even harder for forestry workers by imposing his catastrophic order. Many of them are worried and wonder why he is choosing to go after them.

At the same time, the Bloc Québécois, which claims to defend Quebeckers, is supporting the Liberals by giving them its vote of confidence without even demanding that the order be revoked.

Will the Prime Minister think about the people and promise not to impose his order?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, we held consultations with hundreds of people over the summer: workers, people from the regions, experts, industry representatives, environmental groups and first nations.

The order is being developed, and there is a very simple way for us not to have to impose our order. The Quebec government must, as it has promised, present a plan for protecting caribou habitat. It is quite simple. Quebec has committed to doing this eight years ago. At some point, there needs to be action. The Conservatives, of course, will never act.

We are taking action to protect the environment, and to protect jobs as well.

Finance

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, not only is the Bloc Québécois helping to keep the Liberals in power, but it is also holding up important work in committee to protect the Prime Minister.

Hiring carbon tax Carney is a conflict of interest, and the Bloc Québécois is okay with Mr. Carney advancing his interests without being accountable to Parliament. He should be required to come to committee to answer to Canadians.

Why does Mr. Carney not hold a job as a public servant, one that can be examined by the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, instead of hiding from Canadians?