Debates of Feb. 2nd, 2026

Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit Act

[Sandra Cobena, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry.

It is a privilege to rise in the House and once again represent my neighbours in Newmarket—Aurora.

Today I am speaking to Bill C-19, the Canada groceries and essentials benefit act, but before I go any further, I want to take the opportunity to thank the Newmarket Food Pantry, the Aurora Food Pantry and the countless volunteers and community organizations who work every day to make sure that the most vulnerable in our community have food on their tables. I have visited them. I have seen the shop floors and heard the stories. They are struggling to keep up with the demand. Every month that goes by is a record month. Our community is incredibly generous, but generosity is not enough.

After months of advocacy, the government has finally acknowledged what Canadians have been telling us all along, that food insecurity in this country is real, is growing and is serious. Given the magnitude of the food affordability crisis, I support this temporary groceries and essentials benefit to lift families who are struggling, and because this infusion was asked for by Food Banks Canada.

That said, when Canadians are facing historic cost of living pressures, we have a responsibility to focus on solutions that do not just offer relief today but actually make life more affordable tomorrow. Conservatives have been putting forward those solutions: Scrap the taxes that increase the cost of food, boost competition in grocery chains and reverse the massive inflationary deficits.

Canada has created a homegrown affordability crisis. Food inflation in Canada is disproportionately higher than in countries around the world. In fact, it is the worst in the G7. When we pile taxes on farmers, food processors and truckers, the very people who make sure that food shows up on our table, those costs do not disappear; they get passed on to Canadians at the checkout. When grocery stores do not face competition, prices go up and profits soar.

The now Minister of Finance stated, in 2023:

I will continue to keep a close eye on Canada’s largest grocery chains, the food processors and other industry actors to make sure that the price of food in Canada will be stabilized. It’s just the beginning!

He was keeping an eye on them, so it is under his watch and the Liberal government's watch that prices have continued to soar.

When the government doubles down on its inflationary deficits, the value of our money declines, and everything we buy is more expensive. Families across this country are doing everything they can to keep up. They are exhausted. Too many are watching their paycheques fall further behind the cost of everyday life. Many of my constituents have told me plainly that every bit helps, and I respect that, but they have also told me that they do not want to live at the mercy of government handouts. They want to be able to have the dignity to provide for themselves, for their children and for their families. We need to take decisive action to fix this problem for the future.

Today, countless times, I heard several members of the Liberal government stand up in this very House to say that Canadians are overjoyed. Not a single Canadian has told me they are overjoyed when they visit the grocery store. In Newmarket—Aurora, I hear constantly about the cost of groceries. I hear from parents, seniors and young families. They tell me grocery bills have become the most unpredictable expense in their household. Some are using credit cards to cover the cost of food, as they are being pushed to their limits.

Yes, an increased groceries and essentials benefit would provide some relief. To be specific, it would be $10 a week in relief, but Canadians also deserve transparency. This rebate was not included in the government's budget. It was not included in the $78-billion deficit presented in November. It will cost $12.4 billion over five years and nearly $1.4 billion in interest charges over five years. Parliamentarians have not been told how this will be paid for and neither have Canadians. This matters because borrowing to fund rebates does not lower the cost of food; it fuels the very inflation that is crushing families.

To be clear, this very credit was offered in 2022, and it was meant to solve deeper issues of affordability, but we still have the problem. The idea did not work, yet the government is choosing to recycle it.

The people of Newmarket—Aurora elected me to advocate for fiscal responsibility and for policies that actually reduce costs. What I hear is not a demand for endless temporary programs. I hear a call for stability, predictability and lasting affordability. Here are the facts: Food inflation in Canada has reached 6.2%. This is double that of our neighbour, and it is higher than it is in France, Italy and Germany. It is, in fact, the worst food inflation in the G7.

This year, it will cost about $17,600 to feed a family, and that is up $1,000 just from last year. According to the MNP Consumer Price Index, 71% of Canadians expect the cost of living to get worse and 41% say they are “$200 or less away from...insolvency”. These are kitchen table realities.

Here is another reality that hits me deeply as a mother: One-third of food bank visitors are children. This should stop every single one of us in our tracks. We need to appreciate the urgency, but also bring forward long-term solutions.

I spend a lot of time chatting with my neighbours in Newmarket—Aurora to learn what is important to them. There is one conversation that stuck with me. A mother stood at her doorstep and broke down in tears as she explained the impossible choices she is making because her dollars do not buy as much as they used to. She was not asking for sympathy; she was asking for solutions. As a mother myself, I feel this deeply.

Her story is not unique. I hear it through emails and surveys and at community events. Canadians are working hard, but they still feel like they are falling behind. In my first speech in the House, I said, “inflation is the slow undoing of a family's dignity”. When fiscal discipline disappears, the consequences are not rhetorical. They show up at the grocery store. They show up when the rent is due. They show up when families decide which bill can wait.

The choices we make here shape the daily lives of Canadians. That responsibility should push us all toward policies that are lasting, and Conservatives have been putting forward those solutions. We need to end this homegrown affordability crisis with solutions for the future.

[John-Paul Danko, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Newmarket—Aurora gave a thoughtful speech. She has genuine concern for the families, parents and seniors who are facing affordability issues in their communities.

In the city of Hamilton, the average family income is significantly lower than other parts of the province, so this issue is particularly acute in the areas that I represent. A credit of $7,500 over five years is substantial assistance, but the member talked about the need for long-term measures to decrease food prices. In this bill, there are measures for the strategic response fund and the food security program, as well as funding for increasing the domestic production of food.

I am wondering what other recommendations might be brought forward if this were to proceed to committee.

[Sandra Cobena, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I know my colleague's riding well. I used to cover it when I was in the financial sector.

As I mentioned in my speech, Canadians have been pushed beyond their limits. They are doing everything they can to make ends meet, and they are exhausted. On that basis, every little bit helps. This $10 a week will provide some sort of relief, but the reality is that we need to address the root of the problem. This rebate idea was presented and offered, in 2022 to be exact, and it did not solve the problem.

The Minister of Finance, then minister of industry, said he was watching the prices of groceries, but it did not solve the problem. We need to address the root cause of the problem, which is over-taxation, lack of grocery chain competition and massive inflationary deficits.

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

Mr. Speaker, we at the Bloc Québécois have long been proposing an increase to the GST credit, and we think it would have been better to increase this amount regularly starting now, rather than making a single payment by June.

We agree with the subsequent 25% increase, but we propose paying the credit monthly because we know that the most vulnerable are really struggling financially. Since credit cards and other bills have to be paid every month, this would give these individuals more stability, allow them to pay less interest, and, I think, make better use of that money.

I would like to know my colleague's thoughts on that.

[Sandra Cobena, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member's suggestion.

In speaking to my neighbours in Newmarket—Aurora, any sort of relief would be helpful at this moment. Monthly relief would also be helpful to them, but I do want to reiterate that Canadians have been asking for serious long-term solutions to the root of the problem that is driving up the cost of food disproportionately compared to other G7 countries. When we refer to other countries, we know that this is a Canadian homegrown problem, and it is because of the overtaxation and lack of competition.

[Connie Cody, Conservative, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague's speech was very compassionate. The rise in the cost of food is also an issue in my riding and in my community. People want government to prioritize lowering these costs. They are struggling and cannot put food on the table to feed their families.

I am wondering if my colleague could share how food insecurity is affecting her community, especially mothers, and the difficult choices they are being forced to make.

[Sandra Cobena, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I inevitably think of this one mother, a single mother of three, I met in Newmarket. She is a mother of three boys. When I knocked on the door, she was very reluctant to open the door, and I later understood why. She is struggling to pay her rent. When I introduced myself after she opened the door, she burst into tears and told me she cannot keep up with the rent and that she does not know what she is going to feed her boys next week.

That is the reality that Canadians are living through, particularly mothers. This is a serious problem that deserves urgent solutions.

[Eric Duncan, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to rise on behalf of the good people of Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry and be on the record discussing the latest Liberal legislation. This time it is their attempt to address ever-increasing grocery prices under their watch. The piece of legislation we have before us, first and foremost, is frankly an admission of failure.

It was only two months ago that the Liberals tabled their budget with an $80-billion deficit, and here we are two months later, and they are adding another $12 billion over the coming years, and their latest rebate program would do little to address the core root issue of food prices and increasing costs at the grocery store.

I think it is important, as I start my comments today, to provide Canadians a reminder, a lay of the land, of where we are when it comes to grocery prices and food prices in this country and the Liberal record of the last 10 years. When the Liberals came into office in 2015, parents with two children could go to the grocery store and, for $160 a week, they could get their groceries. Over the course of the last 10 years, we have seen grocery prices double in this country. After carbon taxes, red tape and endless deficits causing inflation, it now costs more than $340 a week for that same family of four to go to the grocery store. That is a double-digit increase, on average, every single year that the Liberals have been in office. It is more than 10%, on average, per year.

It is a fact, and this is the government's own data from Statistics Canada, that it is going to cost the average family of four $17,600, on average, just to feed itself this year. That is an expected increase of $1,000 at the grocery store checkout for families this year. That is the reality of the record of the last 10 years and why we are in a situation where the government needs to offer more rebates to Canadians. It is because of its failed record, when it comes to food prices, and I will get into the reasons and what we can do to stop it in just a few minutes.

We are also seeing this situation play out with the stats at food banks right across this country. There are 2.2 million Canadians using a food bank every month in this country, and as always, I am grateful for those local food banks that are working very hard in our community of SDG to support thousands and thousands of families and individuals in their time of need. Whether it is the House of Lazarus in Mountain, Agape in Cornwall, the Salvation Army and Saint Vincent de Paul in both Cornwall and Alexandria or the Community Food Share in Dundas county, they are doing an incredible amount of work in very trying circumstances.

When I speak to those organizations, they tell me that the usage in the last couple of years has doubled and the increases are only going up and getting worse. As a matter of fact, the Agape Centre in Cornwall had some pretty eye-opening statistics when it had its annual general meeting last fall. It now uses over a million pounds of food to help people in the city of Cornwall alone. There were nearly 40,000 visits to its food bank and 31,000 visits to its soup kitchen and meal program, and it has helped thousands of individuals. When I did some rough math, I realized that nearly one in every 10 people in the city of Cornwall is using the food bank today. That is not sustainable, and it is a damning indictment of the record of Liberal governments after 10 years in office.

The Prime Minister has been in office for the last year. Let us take a look at the specific record of the Prime Minister. Right now, under his leadership after one year, food inflation has doubled to 6.2% and is the highest of all the countries in the G7. We talk about this as a homegrown problem in our country because the Liberals try to blame everybody but themselves for the situation we find ourselves in, with the highest inflation in the G7. They blame tariffs and global factors, but let us make this very clear: Every other G7 country has those same issues of battling tariffs and battling global factors, but our food inflation here in Canada is only going up.

The rebate that is being offered is far from a real and long-term solution. Conservatives have said we would let this pass, because at the end of the day it would be about $10 extra a week, when we break it down, for a grocery bill that often costs hundreds of dollars for individuals or families.

This is an admission of failure because the Liberals just tabled their budget two months ago, and they are admitting now, just two months later, that they need to smash glass and spend an extra $12 billion over the course of the next couple of years to try to get it under control.

This is only if someone qualifies. If someone does not receive the GST credit, they do not qualify for this benefit. There are going to be millions of middle-class families struggling to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads that are going to get zero dollars in rebates from this latest Liberal proposal.

I do not give the Liberals too many compliments. I would give them a bit of a backhanded compliment, if I could. They are the best at announcements. They make everybody feel like the cheque is in the mail, that everybody is going to get it and that it is coming soon. The fact is that a majority of Canadians, and those in the middle class who are struggling to get by, are not going to get it. The Liberals did this with the rent rebate. We can remember they said they were going to send $500 to millions of Canadians. A very small percentage of Canadians qualified for and received that rebate. It is all announcement. It is rhetoric. It does not meet the reality of the moment that we are in.

Conservatives have done a good job while the Liberals try to paint a rosy picture of what is going on. It is far from the reality. They have a lot of rhetoric that does not match the reality. What the Liberals are doing is not addressing the root cause of the issue. They are offering a rebate, but it is going to do absolutely nothing to slow down the rate of inflation. In fact, when we add $12 billion in deficits and spending, we are fuelling the inflationary fire that is causing the inflation of food, housing and other general expenses.

I get asked what Conservatives would do. I want to be very specific with my time today and provide Canadians with an alternative. It does not have to be this way. We do not have to accept this sacrifice argument from the Prime Minister and say that this is just the way it is going to be, that Canadians need to accept that we have the highest food inflation in the G7, that there is nothing we can do about it and that it is not something the Liberals are causing. That is far from the truth.

There are several things and several taxes the Liberals have in place on food that we could scrap immediately. Conservatives have said we are willing to support legislation and fast-track it through the House of Commons if it would tackle the root causes that we face in this country.

One is the industrial carbon tax. The Liberals cancelled, finally after years and years of stubbornness, the consumer carbon tax. However, it is important for Canadians to remember that the industrial carbon tax remains in place. It taxes farmers, fertilizer, businesses and trucking organizations that are shipping our food all across this country. It is driving up the price.

A key thing that I think is important for Canadians to know is about the latest carbon tax that is hidden and baked into the price of gas and diesel in this country. That is the new fuel standard tax. People do not have to take my word for it. The Parliamentary Budget Officer said the rules that the Liberals put in place in July 2023 have required that gasoline and diesel used in Canada meet certain reduction requirements. Right now, because of that, it is adding 7¢ a litre to the price of gasoline and 6¢ a litre to diesel. They have said that, by the year 2030, it is going to be 17¢ a litre on the price of gas and 16¢ a litre on diesel.

Do members remember the phony rebates, where the Liberals said to not worry about the carbon tax and that people were further ahead because they got more in rebates? They have all admitted that was nothing but a scheme. There are zero rebates when it comes to the new fuel regulations and when it comes to the industrial carbon tax. Canadians are paying the bill when it comes to that. Conservatives have called to scrap the industrial carbon tax, scrap the new fuel standard and the fuel tax that they have in place.

We are not stopping there. We have the food packaging tax and the plastics ban that the Liberals are imposing on Canadians. It is now estimated that the packaging tax on food is going to cost about $1.3 billion more because of all the red tape and regulations.

At the end of the day, we can get inflation under control by getting our deficits under control. We cannot have endless $80-billion deficits in this country. We cannot continue to fuel the inflationary fire. Conservatives are going to get rid of the industrial carbon tax, the new fuel tax and the food packaging tax, and get inflation under control so we can get food prices under control.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the member talked about how they are going to get rid of this and they are going to get rid of that as the Conservative Party. We know and understand that the Conservative Party has a certain mentality. That mentality has been demonstrated yet again today, which is just to get out of the way and get the government to stop providing for Canadians.

It appears as if the Conservatives are prepared to allow this legislation to go through. I am grateful for that, because I believe that this legislation, in a very targeted way, is going to help 10 million Canadians on the issue of affordability, particularly with dealing with grocery prices.

My question to the member is on the attitude the Conservative Party has of getting out of the way. Does he genuinely believe that programs such as the national school program for nutrition, which is now a permanent program, and the dental program are programs that his own constituents would not support?

[Eric Duncan, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it sounds like gaslighting to me, because the reality is that, after 10 years, the Liberals have driven up food costs and housing costs. Housing costs have doubled. Food costs have doubled, and it was under their watch. Now they are pretending that they have the solutions to fix the very problems they created.

Here is the reality when we talk about getting out of the way: It is getting taxes lower in this country. That is what Conservatives stand for; it is a key principle. We remember the carbon tax that the Liberals had in place for years. They said that people made money on the carbon tax because the government gave so much money back in the rebate. We had a Liberal member speak today and say that the Liberals cut the carbon tax to save people money at the pumps. They are finally admitting that their carbon tax cost money. The industrial carbon tax and the new fuel standard are doing the same thing and driving up the cost of food, the cost of trucking and the cost of groceries in this country. Those are examples of what we would do to get out of the way.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I think that, like me, my colleague is concerned about the impact inflation is having on people.

I would like to share that, shortly before Christmas, I was walking around Chandler, in my riding. I stopped at an arena to chat with people. One of the volunteers, who might have been over 65, came up to me, took me by the arm and asked me what we are doing here, because he cannot make ends meet on his old age pension. That is what inflation really means. It means people are eating less, or not eating as well, and it certainly means people are feeling stressed.

We support the government's proposal, but we believe that more needs to be done. Would my colleague agree to work with us, the Bloc Québécois, to push for more money in seniors' pockets by increasing old age security for people aged 65 to 74?

[Eric Duncan, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, Conservatives are always in favour. The line I use is that money is better spent by someone who earns it than by somebody who collects it. For seniors, small businesses and all families in this country, the more money that stays in their pockets in the first place to afford groceries, to afford rent or a mortgage and those costs of living, the better off they will be.

I am all in favour of measures, but when we talk about inflation, it is important that the Bloc support our effort as well to axe the industrial carbon tax and scrap the fuel standard. For those families out there paying 7¢ going up to 17¢ a litre more in gasoline with zero rebates, it is going to drive up their day-to-day expenses, and it is going to make food more expensive to ship in every part of this country. When we talk about lowering inflation, there are two concrete measures we can do to lower food prices and stop these massive increases we are seeing.

[Tako Van Popta, Conservative, Langley Township—Fraser Heights, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-19, the proposed Canada groceries and essentials benefit act, is legislation introduced by the Liberals whereby they would give a handout to Canadian citizens to fill the gap they created in the first place. First, they erode Canadians' wealth by economic mismanagement, and then they give a temporary benefit and boast about their generosity.

Perhaps the member could expand on his earlier comment, which is that the introduction of this legislation is really an admission of failure.

[Eric Duncan, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have used this line before so I apologize for the repetition, but it is like asking the arsonist to put the fire out, which is kind of what this whole situation is. The Liberals have created this mess over the course of the last 10 years, and now they are pretending to be the answer to all of these problems.

We have seen this rebate program before, back in 2022 or 2023, give or take. The Liberals had this temporary rebate that was given back to Canadians. What did we see? It did not address food prices, which have only gone up by record numbers since then. We are seeing more Canadians use a food bank. At the end of the day, inflation is still out of control, and our deficits are still out of control. They have learned nothing over the course of the last couple of years.

[Brendan Hanley, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Pickering—Brooklin. I am thankful for this opportunity.

Affordability in Canada is a challenge that Canadians face on a daily basis. In the north, daily costs like food, fuel, housing and transportation are all higher, so any effort to improve the lives of Canadians is particularly important for northern residents. That is why I am pleased to participate in this debate today following the tabling of Bill C-19, the Canada groceries and essentials benefit act.

When I am home and I go run errands, it is a great opportunity to chat with voters and support local businesses, but also to see first-hand the constant rise in food prices. I am lucky in that I can buy what I need, but I know that it is getting harder and harder for many Canadians to buy all the groceries they need for their families. Whether we are talking about fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs or fish, everything is a bit more expensive now.

In recent years, many Canadians have been feeling the pinch of rising costs, and our government is committed to continuing to find ways to help those who need it most. We are focused on making Canada stronger. We continue to support Canadians through the programs they rely on, such as affordable child care, the Canada child benefit and the Canadian dental care plan. In addition, we are building housing and infrastructure at a pace never seen before.

However, while we wait to see the long-term benefits of these investments in Canada, our government needs to give Canadians a helping hand to make ends meet. That is the purpose of these new measures, including the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, which will help Canadians cope with rising costs. We are stronger when we take care of each other and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

That is why we are moving forward with actions to make life more affordable for Canadians. With the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit, our government is going to put more money back into Canadians' pockets.

This past weekend, I was talking with constituents. Many have taken notice of this new benefit and how it will help Canadians who are bearing the highest burden of the affordability crisis that we are in. I know that this measure will greatly help many people in my riding, especially seniors and families.

As the Prime Minister announced last week, the Canada groceries and essentials benefit will replace what was formerly known as the goods and services tax credit, and it will be more generous. The amounts paid will increase by 25% for five years, beginning in July 2026, and we will index this benefit to inflation, so payments go up every year to match future increases in the consumer price index. Notably for the short term, we are also providing a one-time payment equivalent to a 50% increase this year.

What does that mean exactly for Canadians? It means a family of four will receive up to $1,890 this year and about $1,400 a year for the next four years. For a single person, that person will receive up to $950 this year and about $700 a year for the next four years.

I am pleased to say that the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit will provide additional significant support for more than 12 million Canadians. It is a measure to truly support Canadians who need it the most. That is why Food Banks Canada recommended we support Canadians in this way. Many Canadians will be able to afford nutritious food to feed their families thanks to this new benefit. I will therefore encourage my colleagues to support Bill C-19, so we can roll it out as soon as possible.

After the one-time payment is made this spring, eligible families and individuals will receive the enriched regular payments under the Canada groceries and essentials benefit as of July 2026. The benefit will be paid quarterly, at the start of the quarter, to permit timely access to the funds to help families with day-to-day expenses.

This new benefit is an important step forward to support Canadians, but we are also moving forward with other important measures. Again, Yukoners have taken note of this.

For example, the government is setting aside $500 million from the strategic response fund to help businesses address the costs of supply chain disruptions without passing those costs on to Canadians at the checkout line. For the same reason, the government is creating a $150-million food security fund under the regional tariff response initiative for small and medium enterprises and the organizations that support them.

Our government is also introducing immediate expensing for greenhouse buildings. Thanks to this measure, producers will be able to fully write off greenhouses acquired on or after November 4, 2025, and that become available for use before 2030. This measure supports increased domestic supply and investment in food production over the medium term.

Our government is also aware that food banks across the country are under pressure, as many Canadians need support. That is why we are investing $20 million in the local food infrastructure fund. This measure supports food banks and other national, regional, and local organizations to deliver more nutritious food to families in need.

However, I want to point out that our government understands that long-term solutions are needed to address food insecurity. Now more than ever, we need to tackle the root causes of food insecurity. That is why we are developing a national food security strategy. This new strategy will strengthen domestic food production and improve access to affordable, nutritious food.

There will also be measures to implement unit price labelling and support the work of the Competition Bureau in monitoring and enforcing competition in the market, including food supply chains.

Our government is focused on building a stronger economy to create more career opportunities and higher wages. In parallel, we are introducing measures, like the one I just discussed, to bring down costs and make life more affordable in communities across the country. By doing so, we will empower more Canadians with greater certainty, security and prosperity.

We have already moved forward with many measures to make life more affordable. For example, we have made the national school food program permanent, providing school meals for up to 400,000 children each year and saving participating families with two children in school an estimated $800 annually on groceries.

We have also cut taxes for 22 million middle-class Canadians by lowering the first marginal personal income tax rate from 15% to 14% as of July 1, 2025. With this tax cut, we are providing relief of up to $420 a year per person or up to $840 a year for two-income families.

The government also cancelled the consumer carbon price, effective April 1, 2025, directly helping most Canadians save money at the pump.

Our government recognizes that many Canadians who are under pressure because of the cost of living need immediate support. That is why we are providing them with rapid support through Bill C‑19, which will implement the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit. This new benefit will provide significant and immediate support to Canadians who need it most, while the government puts its plan to build the strongest economy in the G7 in motion.

This benefit would help many Canadians put food on the table and help them make ends meet; therefore, I encourage all my colleagues to support Bill C-19.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in his speech, my colleague mentioned something that I had previously mentioned in the House: the root cause.

I think Yukoners can agree that food prices have gone through the roof. One thing about Yukon Territory is that it can get its groceries by truck instead of needing to have them delivered by plane. One of the reasons groceries can be so expensive for all Canadians is that there is still an industrial carbon tax on all the trucks that have to truck the groceries, whether it is to the Yukon or to southwestern Ontario. From farm to fridge, we are still paying the industrial carbon tax.

The root cause of all the food price increases in Canada is directly related to government policies. I am wondering if the member opposite would agree that the Liberals need to address the root cause of the food price increases, which is their policies, and to change their policies to bring food costs down so farmers can afford to produce food at a good price.

[Brendan Hanley, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member opposite for her frequent visits to the north and for her advocacy for the north. However, that is where we will have to part ways.

What the member points out is a perceived link between industrial carbon pricing and food prices, which actually does not exist. We are looking forward to building a modern economy, and part of that is sticking with progressive policies. We are looking forward to examining where we can find the true root causes and how we can increase our food sovereignty and food autonomy as a nation looking forward.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this government has perfected the art of devising band-aid solutions. Putting big band-aids on big problems is a good look for the government, since it creates the appearance of coming to people's aid.

A measure is being introduced to assist people for five years. After that, these people will probably feel some anxiety, especially seniors, the most vulnerable in society, whose numbers are only going to grow as the years pass. In five years, the government will have to leave the band-aid in place or peel it off. No one knows and no one will know until immediately prior to an election, which is highly likely by the way.

I would like to know whether my colleague thinks that the government should introduce measures that allow interested seniors to return to the labour force without their GIS benefits being clawed back. Could measures be implemented to make it easier for seniors to return to the workforce or that improve worker conditions to help them better cope with the skyrocketing cost of living?

[Brendan Hanley, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for drawing that parallel with band-aids and health measures.

This measure is a very important solution for the coming years, because it will work like a bridge. With all the other measures we are putting in place to strengthen Canadian sovereignty and the economy, we anticipate that things will be easier for everyone in a few years.

The important part for me is that there are targeted actions for the coming years.

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member for Yukon's sharing his insights. As someone who has visited Yukon Territory, I know it is a very different experience in the Yukon than it is for constituents within the riding of Waterloo. The constituents within the riding of Waterloo want members to work together. I know that the Conservatives had their convention this weekend and are coming with a new approach to say they want to help Canadians.

The legislation would benefit the constituents in the riding of Waterloo. The sooner we can get it passed and enacted, the greater benefit they would receive, and sooner. I would like to hear from the member what the benefits would be to the Yukon, and what the benefit would be of all members' coming together to recognize the importance of helping Canadians during these times. What would the legislation do for them?

[Brendan Hanley, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Waterloo for her advocacy.

This weekend, I was speaking with many of my constituents, and I think this is a moment when Canadians everywhere, in the north and across the country, are expecting us to work together. In that vein, I am hoping we can all work together in the House to have the bill pass as soon as possible.

[Juanita Nathan, Liberal, Pickering—Brooklin, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to participate in today's debate on Bill C-19, the Canada groceries and essentials benefit act.

We are at a pivotal moment in Canadian history. We are all bearing witness to a rapid change in the global landscape. Trade shocks are hitting countries around the world, and geopolitical threats are intensifying. This transformation is thrusting workers, businesses and whole economies into a state of uncertainty.

As the Prime Minister said recently at the World Economic Forum in Davos, “We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition.” He argued that the rules-based order is fading, but there is still much that can be done. Canada's new government is focused on what it can control, and a big part of taking things into our own hands is building a strong economy to make life more affordable for Canadians.

Of course, our plan would generate big payoffs for Canadians over time. However, we know that many Canadians are feeling the financial squeeze of everyday expenses right now. They want immediate relief, and we are delivering. Our government is proposing the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit to help more than 12 million low- and moderate-income Canadians afford day-to-day necessities right now. Alongside this benefit, we are also proposing a one-time lump sum payment based on eligibility for the goods and services tax credit.

The positive impact of the Canada groceries and essentials benefit and the one-time payment would come quickly, when Canadians need it the most. If the legislation receives swift royal assent, the support would start rolling out as early as this spring. I urge all hon. members to pass Bill C-19 without delay so we can ensure that Canadians get this much-needed relief as soon as possible. I know the Canada groceries and essentials benefit would be a difference maker for so many Canadians, including Canadians in my riding of Pickering—Brooklin.

The benefit would be indexed to inflation and would build on the existing GST credit. Our government has designated the benefit to provide $11.7 million in additional support over six years. To help address affordability challenges, the benefit would provide a one-time top-up payment equal to a 50% increase in the annual 2025-26 year value of the GST credit. This support would be paid out as early as possible this spring, or no later than June 2026. It would deliver $3.1 billion in immediate assistance to individuals and families already getting the GST credit.

There is more. In addition, the value of the Canada groceries and essentials benefit would increase by 25% for five years, starting in July 2026. This expansion would deliver another $8.6 billion in support over the 2026-27 to 2030-31 period, and would ensure that the benefit goes to half a million new individuals and families.

Combined, these measures would deliver extra support of up to $402 to a single individual without children, $527 to a couple and $805 to a couple with two children. For example, a single senior with $25,000 in net income would receive a one-time top-up of $267 plus a longer-term increase of $137 for the 2026-27 benefit year, for a total increase of $402. In total, for the 2026-27 benefit year, they would receive $950, including the top-up.

Here is another example. A couple with two children and $40,000 in net income would receive a one-time top-up of $533 plus an increase of $272 for the 2026-27 benefit year, for a total increase of $805. In all, for the 2026-27 benefit year, the couple would receive $1,890, including the top-up.

I want to be clear on my next point. At these levels, the government would be offsetting the rising cost of groceries beyond the overall inflation growth that we have experienced since the pandemic. After the one-time payment is made in the spring of 2026, eligible families and individuals in Canada would receive the enriched regular payment under the Canada groceries and essentials benefit as of July 2026. The benefit payment would arrive quarterly, to ensure families can use the funds to help with their day-to-day expenses.

As we know, the benefit would be only one example of the many ways we are supporting Canadians. It would be in addition to existing benefits such as the Canada child benefit, the Canada disability benefit and the guaranteed income supplement. The new Canada groceries and essentials benefit would not only help Canadians at a difficult time; it would also support our drive to build the strongest economy in the G7.

Canada's new government has been relentlessly focused on bringing costs down for Canadians. Above all, the government will empower Canadians by helping them get ahead and reducing their cost of living. When Canadians keep more of the money they earn, they can better support their families, invest in their communities and build the future they want.

The government is committed to improving affordability in Canada, and our actions have been fulfilling this pledge. Through measures such as those outlined in budget 2025, we have taken important steps to ease the financial pressure on Canadian households. For instance, as part of Bill C-4, we are eliminating the GST for first-time homebuyers on new homes up to $1 million and reducing the GST for first-time homebuyers on new homes between $1 million and $1.5 million.

We are also delivering major tax cuts. Since July 1, 2025, Canadians have been paying less tax after the government announced lowering the first marginal personal income tax rate from 15% to 14%. The rate reduction, which is currently before Parliament as part of Bill C-4, would apply to taxable income of up to $58,523 in 2026.

This change would ensure that nearly 22 million Canadians benefit from tax relief of up to $420 per person, saving two-income families up to $840 this year. Notably, most of the tax relief would go to Canadians with income in the two lowest tax brackets.

The government has also cancelled the divisive consumer fuel charge, directly allowing Canadians in provinces and territories where the fuel charge applies to save money with the price they pay at the pump. This action has reduced gasoline prices in most provinces and territories by up to 18¢ a litre in comparison to 2024-25. It has also helped to lower headline inflation.

Actions on affordability, such as those I have highlighted today, are key examples of how the government is empowering Canadians to shape their own future. In the words of the Prime Minister, we cannot control what other nations do, but we can control what we build for ourselves.

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

Mr. Speaker, one thing I am trying to wrap my head around is that they are talking about how important Bill C-19 is and how important this initiative is, to give some money back to Canadians. That in itself should really be a signal to Canadians that the Liberals have failed when it comes to grocery price inflation. Canada has the highest food inflation in the G7 right now, and it has been that way for a while.

If this was such an important initiative, why was it not in their fall budget? Why did they have this “come to Jesus” moment now, to put cheques in mailboxes for the election they want?

[Juanita Nathan, Liberal, Pickering—Brooklin, ON]

Mr. Speaker, what is important about the bill right now? The bill is timely, to put money back in the pockets of people for them to use right now. It is true that we have to tackle the root causes of food insecurity, and we are developing a national food security strategy. Strategies like that take time in terms of domestic food production and improved access to affordable, nutritious food. In the meantime, measures such as this do help everyday Canadians.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my esteemed colleague for her speech. It was clear that she carefully weighed every word.

That being said, one thing I feel the government has not weighed is the impact this will have on national debt, because we know that everything this government does only adds to the debt. According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, we are talking about an additional $12.4 billion of debt over six years. Meanwhile, there is no direct increase in seniors' income. There is no increase to OAS. What will happen in 2031? Inflation will have eaten away at everyone's income and people will not have a penny left.

Is that a responsible measure?