Justin Trudeau

[Persons with Disabilities, April 17th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, this government has recognized for many years that Canadians living with disabilities are facing extreme challenges and disadvantages in our economy and in our communities. That is why we have stepped up regularly over the past years with initiatives to reduce barriers in Canada and to create a Canada disability benefit. We are now moving forward with that at the cost of over $6 billion over the coming years to put hundreds of dollars a month, tax-free, in the pockets of individuals with disabilities.

The reality is that there always more to do, but this will help.

[Persons with Disabilities, April 17th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the Canada disability benefit is a major milestone in our strong and unwavering commitment to creating a more inclusive and fairer Canada. There is always more to do, but $6.1 billion over the coming years is going to make a measurable difference in the lives of some of Canada's most vulnerable people. Hundreds of dollars a month, tax-free, will help with the cost of living.

We recognize there is more to do. We will be working with provinces and territories to make sure, first of all, that this disability money is not clawed back and, secondly, that we can do even more in partnership with provinces and territories for Canadians with disabilities.

[Housing, April 17th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Calgary Skyview for his continued advocacy and hard work.

We have put forward the most ambitious housing plan in generations. Our plan will help build more student housing on or by campus, link infrastructure dollars to housing conditions to ensure new apartments are built near public transit, make it easier to save up for a down payment and qualify for a mortgage.

While the leader opposite has no real plan, we are delivering for Canadians.

[The Budget, April 17th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the government is making the choice to invest in a fairer future for all Canadians, for every generation. That is the choice we are making.

The Conservatives are continuing to choose to stand with the wealthiest in this country and to do less to invest in child care, less to invest in solving the housing crisis and less to support young people across the country, who need to feel the opportunities they can build in the future again.

We will continue to be there to put money in the pockets of Canadians, to put homes in their communities and to build a stronger future for them and their families, while the Conservatives continue to promote cuts and austerity.

[The Budget, April 17th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, while the Leader of the Opposition continues to focus on partisan attacks, we are going to stay focused on building a better future for Canadians.

Speaking of inflation, this is the third month in a row in which inflation has been within the Bank of Canada's target range. That is because we continue to govern responsibly, in a fiscally sound way that is at the forefront of the G7, even as we step up to invest in Canadians and in their future.

Confident countries invest in themselves and their people. That is what we are doing, while the Conservatives propose to do less and to invest less to support Canadians.

[The Budget, April 17th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, there are people, like the Conservative Party of Canada, who are going to choose to stand with the ultrawealthy and not stand with young people, who need better supports, as we ensure more housing, more investments and more opportunities for them to succeed in an economy that is increasingly tilted toward the ultrawealthy and away from young people and the middle class.

That is why we are going to continue to step up and put money in the pockets of Canadians who need it, by asking the wealthiest to pay a little bit more, something that the Conservatives will continue to stand against, because they stand with the ultrawealthy.

[The Budget, April 17th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Vaudreuil—Soulanges for his question and for his hard work.

Yesterday's budget is a clear commitment to investing in our future and in the talents of Canadian workers.

However, the Conservative leader has said that he will vote against supporting Canadian clean-tech companies, against our investments in artificial intelligence and against people working on the electric vehicle supply chain.

While we are investing to ensure that every Canadian succeeds in the 21st century, the Leader of the Opposition wants to take us back to the Stone Age.

[The Budget, April 17th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, that would perhaps be a more credible partisan argument if it was not for the fact that the Conservative Party consistently stood against investments to support Canadians. The dental care program we are putting forward is already helping the 1.7 million seniors who have signed up. The Conservatives have not only voted against it, but they are busy spreading misinformation around the country to try to scare people out of that program for partisan gains. The fact is that we are going to continue to invest in child care spaces, because that helps families. We are going to continue to invest in supporting students, so they have less debt. We are going to build more homes. They want to do less.

[The Budget, April 17th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, once again in the face of the challenges Canadians are struggling with every single day, the solution by the Conservatives is for the government to do less, to invest less in supporting Canadians, less for seniors and dental care, less for child care spaces, less for medical supports for health care and less in building more homes. The solution proposed by the Conservatives is for the government to do less for Canadians. We are continuing to invest in people responsibly with the best and lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. We will continue to do that.

[The Budget, April 17th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting to note that, like the Conservative Party, Thomas Mulcair was against increasing taxes on the 1% in order to lower them for the middle class. That is what we did in 2015. We have continued to invest in helping the middle class and young people, while the Conservative Party continues to advocate for austerity and cuts. The Conservatives are siding with the wealthy once again.

We will be there to deliver fairness for every generation, including young people, especially young people.