Debates of Sept. 19th, 2024

Carbon Pricing

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadian seniors are cutting back because of the government's cost of living crisis. They are cutting back on food and home heating because of the carbon tax and inflation that the government caused.

Let us go back to the NDP leader. He had a really dramatic show this summer in which he pretended to rip up the agreement. However, he would never commit to actually voting non-confidence and giving Canadians the carbon tax election they so desperately want. It was all just a show.

My question is simple. During all those meetings between the Prime Minister and the leader of the NDP, was the Prime Minister just giving him acting lessons?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Labour and Seniors]

Mr. Speaker, it is very interesting to hear my friend from Regina—Qu'Appelle, who was around in those days. In fact, he was sitting right where you are sitting, Mr. Speaker, when Prime Minister Harper went to, yes, Davos. As a reminder for some members in the back, that is the World Economic Forum. He went there to do what? He went there to tell Canadian seniors that their retirement age was moving to 67 from 65.

How dare the member for Regina—Qu'Appelle stand in the House and talk to us about pensions?

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years under the NDP-Liberals, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and time is up. The Liberals and the NDP believe in quadrupling the carbon taxes to 61¢ a litre. This is at a time when two million Canadians a month are going to food banks, seniors are turning down their heat and people are living in RVs at truck stops. Canadians cannot afford this costly coalition.

When will Canadians have a carbon tax election so they can decide between the costly NDP-Liberal coalition and common-sense Conservatives?

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

Mr. Speaker, it would be nice if people actually used facts in the House. At the end of the day, a price on pollution is actually an affordability mechanism. To get rid of the carbon rebate would actually make people who live on modest incomes poorer. At the same time, it would imperil the future of our children, abandoning them to a future where we have runaway climate change. It is so ridiculous that, after 300 economists have said it and the Leader of the Opposition refuses to talk to any one of them, that Conservatives can get up and make up these fairy tales.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is not a fairy tale that people cannot afford to feed themselves in Canada. The NDP leader has voted 24 times for the carbon tax. The NDP members talk a big talk, but they cannot be trusted to do what is best for Canadian families. The NDP-Liberals tax people's food, punish their work, take their money, double their housing costs and unleash crime and drugs in their communities. Common-sense Conservatives will axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime. Time is up.

When will we have a carbon tax election so Canadians can choose their future?

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

Mr. Speaker, setting aside the fact that both the Parliamentary Budget Officer and 300 economists have said that eight out of 10 Canadians get more money than they pay in carbon pricing, we have a report today from the independent organization, the Climate Institute, which shows that emissions were down again in Canada in 2023. The report also shows that, without our plan, emissions would be 41% higher. The Conservative Party of Canada has a non-plan. It would be the equivalent, in terms of pollution, of an added 60 million vehicles on our road. That is what we are talking about here.

Finance

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and now time is up. The Liberals have ballooned costs and driven up taxes to the point where people are struggling to feed, heat and house themselves. It is why Canadians deserve a carbon tax election, where they would be able to choose between our common-sense plan to axe the tax or the NDP-Liberal plan to quadruple the tax.

Why is the NDP continuing to sell Canadians out by supporting the Liberal government?

[Jenna Sudds, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity that the Conservatives have given me to speak about what is up. Do members know what is up? The number of child care spaces available for families across this country is up. In addition, women's participation in the workforce is at an all-time high. Because of our investments in the early childhood educator workforce, we have also seen that wages have gone up for this workforce. One more thing is that the Canada child benefit was raised in the summer, going up.

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that is cold comfort to the people struggling to fill their gas tanks, put food on the table and afford simple basic necessities. We know the NDP members will only pretend to stand up for Canadians if they can be assured that they have the backing of the Bloc to keep this tired and corrupt government in power. In fact, 24 times the NDP voted in favour of the carbon tax while Canadians struggled just to get by. Once again, this is why we need a carbon tax election: so that Canadians can choose between our plan and the NDP-Liberal plan.

Why are they so afraid to give Canadians a choice at the ballot box?

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

Some voices are more distinct than others. The hon. member knows whom I mean. I just remind all members to keep their voices down unless they are recognized.

The hon. member for Shefford.

Seniors

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let us not forget that seniors are watching us. They have had it with evasive answers. It is time for decisions.

All year, I have been meeting with seniors throughout Quebec, and they are unanimous. The Liberals have to increase old age security for people aged 65 to 74, just like they did for people 75 and older. It is urgent. There is no justification for creating two classes of seniors.

Will the Liberals end this by raising old age security by 10% starting at age 65?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Labour and Seniors]

Mr. Speaker, I know that it is painful. I know that they do not like to hear this, but actions and votes have consequences. The Bloc Québécois voted against the national dental care program that is currently under way in the member's riding. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Bromont in the Eastern Townships with my colleague. I met one of her constituents, who is one of the 14,000 people in that riding who are currently receiving dental care. She expressed her thanks.

My colleague voted against that.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have a choice: Either they put an end to the two classes of seniors that they created or they go to the polls to keep those two classes of seniors.

The Bloc Québécois has made its choice. We choose the side of all seniors, the side of equity and justice. It is time for the Liberals to make a choice. They can choose to do away with age discrimination or they can choose to promote this unjustifiable discrimination.

What will it be?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Labour and Seniors]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the member is raising the spectre of an unnecessary election instead of taking concrete action, like voting to help Quebec seniors, which is something she has not done since she arrived here. She voted against increasing the guaranteed income supplement. She voted against the dental care plan that 14,000 people in her own riding have signed up for. Still, the member claims to speak on behalf of seniors.

The government that is getting things done for our seniors is a Liberal government.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

Once again, loud voices are being heard. I know the member knows who I mean. I therefore ask members not to speak until they are recognized by the Chair.

The hon. member for Jonquière.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, not only are the Liberals discriminating against seniors, but they are even going so far as to cut funding to the organizations that support them. For months, they have been depriving community organizations of funding from the age well at home initiative because they refuse to come to an agreement with Quebec. This is yet another cynical attempt to encroach upon Quebec's jurisdictions at the expense of seniors.

Quebec's intergovernmental affairs minister said, “That is disgusting”. Those are his words, not mine.

When will the Liberals come to an agreement with Quebec and stop holding seniors hostage?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Labour and Seniors]

Mr. Speaker, we do in fact have a very important pilot project that is helping seniors live well in their own homes. We are receiving some excellent projects, including one from the Centre communautaire l'entraide plus de Chambly. We have another project called Ancrage. Thanks to a growing pool of volunteers, this project proposes to expand and add more assisted living services for vulnerable low-income seniors in mostly rural areas.

That is where the Government of Quebec is blocking things. What my colleague should do is talk to the Government of Quebec to get the money flowing.

Carbon Pricing

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of this costly coalition, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and time is up. The NDP-Liberal government's reckless policies have forced two million people to food banks. Its destructive carbon tax has made it almost impossible for farmers to make affordable food to put on the tables of Canadians.

Canadians want and deserve a carbon tax election. They can decide between the costly coalition and a common-sense Conservative government that will axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime.

When will the lame-duck Prime Minister call a carbon tax election so that Canadians can have their say?

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

I will remind members to be careful about making comments about specific members of Parliament.

The hon. Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, let us review the facts about the carbon price for a moment. The carbon price reduces pollution and puts money back into the pockets of Canadians. In fact, eight out of 10 families receive more money back than they pay with an increasing price on pollution. It is the single best market mechanism known to reduce carbon footprints. We used to have a lot of parties in this chamber supporting that price. Unfortunately, we have seen a flip by virtue of the leader of the NDP's position. What that does is it signals voter cynicism. However, it also signals to progressives, including those in my riding of Parkdale—High Park, that if we want a party that is going to fight against climate change, our only choice is the Liberal Party of Canada.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Mr. Speaker, when a single mother is deciding whether to put milk in the fridge or gas in the car for their children, that answer is going to give them no comfort this winter. The NDP has sold out Canadians, and for what? It is time to know the truth.

Will the NDP stand with Canadians and make sure there is the carbon tax election that they want? Otherwise, is it true that the leader of the NDP cares more about his pension than what Canadians want?

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

The hon. member for Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberals, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and time is up, but instead of fighting for Canadians, the NDP leader sold out workers by voting to increase the carbon tax to 61¢ a litre. In fact, he voted for the carbon tax 24 times. We know that the NDP leader is keeping the Prime Minister in power to secure his own pension.

Will the Prime Minister listen to Canadians and call a carbon tax election?

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

I am trying to provide members with as much leeway as possible, knowing that some questions come around and end up being relevant to the administration of government. This is an important time for us to seek accountability from the government. It is important, then, to ask questions that are germane to the administration of the government as opposed to questions that are better directed in a private conversation or in a public declaration, not at question period, because it is not relevant to the administration of government.

The hon. member from Vancouver Kingsway.