Debates of Sept. 27th, 2024

Carbon Pricing

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

Mr. Speaker, I find it very interesting that the Conservative Party of Canada is campaigning on behalf of Mr. Rustad and the Conservative Party of B.C. I guess its members share his views on anti-vaccination and his denial of climate change, along with a range of other things, including very ludicrous stories coming from the Internet about eating bugs. This is something that has perhaps infected our friends across the way.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP-Liberal coalition has failed Saskatchewan. Scott Moe is right. Besides the heavy cost of the carbon tax on consumers, the NDP-Liberal carbon tax will be costing Saskatchewan's health and education systems $380 million by 2030. That is money that could be used to get more teachers, doctors and nurses in our province.

The NDP is delusional if it does not end its costly coalition on Tuesday. The Prime Minister knows his carbon tax plan is a failure, and Canadians want him gone. Is that why he is so afraid to call a carbon tax election?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I said, this is an affordability mechanism where eight out of 10 families get more money back, and it is the poorest, the most vulnerable, who actually get the most back.

However, I would encourage the member across the way to have a conversation with Premier Scott Moe, who actually said, when he looked at the price on pollution and the alternatives, that all of the other alternatives are too expensive. Scott Moe's solution, which I guess is the Conservative Party's solution, is essentially to do nothing to fight climate change.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of NDP-Liberals, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and time is up.

I am proud of our Premier Scott Moe for standing up to the NDP and Liberals as they attack Saskatchewan, stripping $6 billion out of our economy over the next six years and reducing our GDP by 1.5%. I agree with Moe. This NDP-Liberal coalition must go.

The Prime Minister knows that his carbon tax plan is a complete failure. Is that why he is so afraid to call a carbon tax election?

[Lisa Hepfner, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth]

Mr. Speaker, I want to take the opportunity here to point out that tomorrow is International Safe Abortion Day, and to reaffirm that, on this side of the House, we always stand up for a woman's right to choose. We are investing in reproductive health across this country, unlike the Conservatives, who are, to this day, still green-lighting candidates who want to make abortion illegal in this country.

Public Safety

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberals, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and time is up.

After nine years, violent crime is up 50% and sexual assaults are up 75% in Canada. A serial rapist in Edmonton was released on day parole only four years after he sexually assaulted five women. Earlier this year, a child sex abuser was allowed out on bail. A warrant was issued for his arrest and, at that time, he allegedly sexually abused another child. Bail and parole in this country are ruined under the Liberals and their NDP supporters.

When will the Prime Minister call a carbon tax election and finally put the rights of victims first?

[Lisa Hepfner, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth]

Mr. Speaker, gender-based violence has always been a problem. Many women in the House know this viscerally.

When the Conservatives were in power, many sexual assaults were considered unfounded. They were not even counted, and that has changed. We listen to women now, and on this side of the House, for the first time ever, we have a government finally doing something about it. We have got a national action plan and half a billion dollars rolling out across the country. The Conservatives oppose these measures. Their hidden agenda is not so hidden.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, that member voted for Bill C-5, which allowed house arrests for sexual assault. They also supported Bill C-75, which made it easier for repeat violent offenders, including rapists, to get bail. That is their record, which the NDP has supported every step of the way.

When will they call a carbon tax election so we can finally stop the crime in this country?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is incredibly disturbing to see the member opposite talk about violence against women and then bring in their “carbon tax election” slogan. It just shows how disingenuous Conservatives are when it comes to violence against women.

If they truly care about protecting women, then they should support our position on moving forward to get guns that were designed for the battlefield off our streets. As we know, women are disproportionately affected by gun violence, and it is a shame that Conservatives serve the gun lobby ahead of women.

International Trade

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we have issued an ultimatum for supply management. That date is October 29. Yesterday, senators once again took our Bill C‑282, which protects farmers, off their agenda. The Senate has been stalling on this bill for a year and a half now, even though all parties voted for it. The Liberals should ask themselves whether they want to put their fate in the hands of some unelected senators.

Will they be making any calls to the Senate to send a clear message that if Bill C‑282 is not passed, an election will be called?

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I have made some calls, and I would encourage my colleague to make the same calls. Our government has always defended supply management, but imagine what would have happened if the Conservatives had still been in power in 2018. They wanted us to kneel down before the American negotiators. We stood up for dairy farmers. We stood up for poultry farmers. We will always stand up to protect supply management.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, every party should be speaking out about the fact that senators are acting like elected members and obstructing the will of the House, which is to protect farmers. The Liberals should be even more motivated to do so because their fate is on the line. These unelected senators believe they have the right to decide for the Liberals. This is our appeal to the Liberals and the other parties as well.

Are they going to pressure the Senate to respect democracy and finally pass Bill C‑282?

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I would encourage my friend, once again, not to spend his time trying to convince us. We are already convinced. He should spend more time on the phone making calls to the other place.

Our government has always defended supply management and it will always defend it. Indeed, we gave $5 billion to protect our dairy farmers, to ensure that our poultry farmers have a future here in Canada. Our government has always defended supply management and it always will. I encourage the Bloc Québécois members to make calls to the other place.

Carbon Pricing

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberals, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and time is up.

According to Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, the carbon tax will cost the province's education system $204 million and the health care system $175 million. That is because schools and hospitals need heat and electricity during the cold Saskatchewan winter.

When will the NDP-Liberals break up their costly coalition and call a carbon tax election?

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

Mr. Speaker, just like the Conservative Party of Canada, Premier Moe in Saskatchewan has no effective plan to address climate change and no effective plan to build an economy that is going to be strong in the future.

We have designed the price on pollution in a manner that addresses affordability concerns and helps with affordability concerns with those most vulnerable in our society. We have built the most comprehensive climate plan in the world. We are on track to achieve emissions reductions. This is progress. At some point, the climate-denying Conservatives on the other side need to get with the program, recognize the reality of climate change and embed that in environmental and economic policy.

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Saskatchewan hospitals, schools and municipalities are struggling to provide services to people because the NDP-Liberal government keeps raising the carbon tax. In fact, the Government of Saskatchewan estimates the carbon tax will take $6 billion out of the province's economy by the end of the decade. That is money that could be used to hire doctors, nurses and teachers.

Why does the Prime Minister not call a carbon tax election?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and to the Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, it is sad to see Conservatives denying the need for climate action, given that businesses are hurting right now. Climate damages are leading to economic losses of $25 billion per year and will quadruple by mid-century. That is real incentive to act, and industry and businesses demand it. The Conservatives can no longer deny the economic realities of climate change and hide behind their fanciful, little, empty, self-serving slogans.

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after nine painful years of the NDP-Liberal government, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up, time is up and we are all fed up. While the NDP-Liberal government claims the carbon tax impact on Canada's economy is minimal, the Parliamentary Budget Officer reveals the true cost to the economy will soar into the billions by 2030. It is time the NDP end its costly coalition with the Prime Minister on Tuesday.

If the Prime Minister is so convinced his carbon tax is good, why is he so afraid to call a carbon tax election?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would commend the hon. member on actually getting the various tag lines correct. I am sure the gold star will actually be on the board in the Conservative Party office.

At the end of the day, I would invite folks on the other side of the House to actually look at the facts. There are 300 economists in this country who have validated the fact that eight out of 10 Canadians get more money back, and we have seen that putting a price on pollution is an effective way to reduce emissions. Carbon emissions are down in this country. We are on track to achieve our climate goals, and we are moving forward to build an economy that will be strong and create economic opportunity for Canadians in every province and territory.

The Economy

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of this Liberal government, young Quebeckers are suffering. The cost of living is horrendous. Half of young people are living paycheque to paycheque and are unable to save any money.

The Bloc Québécois can no longer justify keeping this centralizing and inflationary Prime Minister in power. They are not being fair to Quebeckers and they are not helping young people, quite the opposite.

Will the Bloc Québécois finally start serving Quebeckers instead of forcing them to live in misery to benefit the Liberal Prime Minister?

[Élisabeth Brière, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, we are absolutely looking after Canadians, which is why we are bringing in various measures to help them get through these slightly more difficult times. Take, for example, the Canada child benefit, which can put up to $7,000 more in the pockets of families per child under the age of 6 and up to $6,000 more per child between the ages of six and 17. That is $350 more than last year.

We will continue to be there to support families.

Indigenous Affairs

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, indigenous people make up 5% of Edmonton's population and, yet, between 55% and 65% of unhoused people are indigenous. Instead of building homes to solve the crisis, the Liberals are delaying action. Not one single home has been built under the urban, rural and northern indigenous housing strategy. The Liberals have been delaying action, and we know that the Conservatives would just cut these crucial programs and give the money to luxury developers.

Why are the Liberals denying indigenous peoples a safe place to call home right now?

[Jenica Atwin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services]

Mr. Speaker, decades of underinvestment and discrimination means that there is a tremendous lack of safe, affordable housing and housing supports for indigenous peoples across this country. We have taken action to support indigenous peoples in urban, rural and northern communities to build strong, healthy communities.

In our efforts to close this gap, we have increased our funding for on-reserve housing by 1,300%. We have supported the construction, renovation and retrofit of over 36,000 homes with 23,000 completed.

We will not stop. We are focused on results, following the lead of indigenous partners that is creating tangible, lasting, indigenous-led solutions to close this gap.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, toxic drugs continue to kill people's loved ones in northern B.C. at an alarming rate and first nations' families are disproportionately affected. In Terrace, the rate of death from toxic drugs is the second highest in our province. The Northern First Nations Alliance has been pushing for years for more detox and treatment capacity so that people do not have to travel to the Lower Mainland for services.

The alliance has urged the Liberal government to help. Why has the government not acted?

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, there is no community that has been left untouched by the illegal toxic drug supply. It has been a tragedy for so many communities that are losing their loved ones. We know that indigenous communities are disproportionately affected. We have answered that call, after listening to communities, in budget 2024, with the emergency transfer fund. It will be launched shortly to work directly with communities to address the overdose crisis.

We know that communities need help. We have been there for them with over a billion dollars in investments to date and we will continue to do the work.