Mike Morrice

[Oil and Gas Industry, November 21st, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to come back to my question to the Prime Minister about the need to address the subsidies being given to the oil and gas industry.

I will start by sharing why this is important. The UN Secretary General recently shared with the world, “We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator.” He then said, “We are in the fight of our lives. And we are losing...And our planet is fast approaching tipping points that will make climate chaos irreversible.” He went on to say, “The global climate fight will be won or lost in this crucial decade – on our watch.”

We also heard from the co-chair of climate scientists making up the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Jim Skea, who said, “It's now or never, if we want to limit global warning to 1.5°C. Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, it will be impossible.”

While we have those global calls being made, profits in the oil and gas industry are off the rails. Imperial Oil is one example I mentioned to the PM in my question. Its profits are up and now totalling $6.2 billion in the first nine months of 2022. That is compared to $1.7 billion the same period in 2021. It is four times higher. Why is that? It is obvious they are gouging Canadians at the pumps. In the same period of time, we know wholesale margins, or profits, are up 18¢ a litre.

I will turn to promises that are being made. The PM was in Glasgow last year at COP26, where he promised to end international financing of oil and gas. That has not happened yet. It is also promised in the supply and confidence agreement between the Liberals and the NDP, which provides them the confidence of the House, to phase out public financing of the fossil fuel sector, including early moves in 2022.

This would be a great time for those early moves. Instead, what we are seeing are new subsidies being added. One example is $8.6 billion more in a tax credit for so-called carbon capture and storage. This is a false solution being peddled by the oil and gas industry, study after study shows. In fact, in 32 out of 40 times this has been tried around the world, emissions have gone up and not down. It is the number one item in the so-called emissions reduction plan.

We could also turn to the $10-billion loan guarantee for the Trans Mountain pipeline. We know there are solutions. Number one is to end the subsidies now, all of them. Next is to introduce a windfall profits tax on these excess profits, as I asked the Prime Minister to do in my question, and use the funds to invest in proven climate solutions. The Green Budget Coalition, for example, points to deep energy retrofits in residential buildings that would return $2 to $5 in taxes to the public coffers for every dollar spent. For a just transition for workers, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is calling for a just transition benefit.

The fact is that our kids' futures are at stake. This is about the world they are going to grow up in. I understand the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance is with us tonight. I would love to hear him share more about when the government will stop dragging its heels on ending these subsidies.

[Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2022, November 21st, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I want to start by thanking Climate Action Network International for its work on the climate change performance index that was referenced by the member for Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, which ranks Canada 58 out of 63. It is a deplorable record. One reason that is the case is that we continue to add new subsidies to the fossil fuel sector. One example is the new $8.6-billion tax credit for carbon capture and storage at a time when oil and gas companies are making record-breaking profits.

I wonder if the member could comment on whether he is similarly concerned with the wholesale margins in the oil and gas industry right now. The reason why Canadians are feeling the pinch at the pumps is that those margins are up 18¢ a litre. Is he concerned about that and would he support a windfall tax on those profits so we can do more with respect to taking action on the crisis we are in?

[Climate Change, November 21st, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, it needs to be said: There is no such thing as a credible climate plan that does not include phasing out oil and gas while supporting affected workers.

At COP27, the federal government claimed at the last minute to support text to phase down unabated fossil fuels, yet back home it approved new oil exploration permits off the coast of Newfoundland.

Is the government ready to talk seriously about equitably phasing out fossil fuels, or is it going to continue to protect the profits of its friends in the oil and gas industry?

[Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2022, November 4th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I want to start by recognizing that tensions are high today with respect to workers' rights. I appreciate that colleagues of mine have brought up the importance of being mindful that a province has invoked the notwithstanding clause to trample on workers' rights and that the federal government has the power of disallowance in the Constitution to override that.

I understand the member for Bay of Quinte does not want to speak about that, so I would like to ask a question related to Bill C-27 with respect to political parties not being required to protect consumers' private data and this gap not being addressed in the current version of Bill C-27. I would like to know if the member for Bay of Quinte is as concerned about this as he is about a number of other items in Bill C-27, and if so, if he would like to speak about that.

[Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2022, November 4th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, as it stands today, federal political parties do not have to follow the same privacy laws that apply to others across the country.

I wonder if the minister could speak to why this is not addressed in Bill C-27 and if he would be open to addressing this in the future.

[Petitions, November 4th, 2022]

Madam Speaker, I rise to present a petition this morning calling for the Government of Canada to introduce a guaranteed livable income for all Canadians. The petitioners recognize that a guaranteed livable income would establish an income floor below which no Canadian would fall and would reflect regional differences in the cost of living. It would be progressively taxed based on income. It would reduce poverty across the country, thereby reducing demand on social services, law enforcement and health care and would provide a social safety net for all Canadians.

[Fall Economic Statement, November 3rd, 2022]

Madam Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to follow up with another item. What is mentioned in words in the fall economic statement, but not so much in actions, is addressing the housing crisis that we find ourselves in. It is in the preamble, but when it comes to actual measures, there is only one mention of moving forward on a flipping measure on assignment sales for homes, but nothing when it comes to, for example, ensuring homes should be places for people to live and not simply a commodity for investors to trade.

Can she comment on the measures she would have wanted to see that would have more directly addressed the housing crisis, not just the rhetoric but actual measures?

[Fall Economic Statement, November 3rd, 2022]

Madam Speaker, in a previous question, the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands spoke about a guaranteed basic income. In the House, there is legislation put forward, Bill C-22, that would provide that for Canadians with disabilities who are living in legislated poverty. However, in this fall economic statement, we did not see anything with respect to funding the benefit, nor did we see anything with respect to emergency supports, like what was done with CERB, to address the conditions of those living in poverty and those living with disabilities across the country.

Can she speak more about this opportunity? If it is not in this fall economic statement, how can all parliamentarians work together to continue to advocate to ensure that, if not now, then perhaps by budget 2023 these critical supports can be put in place?

[Fall Economic Statement, November 3rd, 2022]

Madam Speaker, I want to start by thanking the member for Elmwood—Transcona for showing members in this place that it is possible to vigorously and passionately disagree while still being respectful of other people. If we had more of that here, Canadians would be better served by members in this place, so I thank him for his contribution in that way.

He was able to also point out both areas where money can be saved and revenue could be generated for government if we were to properly tax real estate investment trust, for example. He also spoke to the important needs Canadians have. For example, there are the needs of Canadians with disabilities, who are crying out for emergency supports while living in legislated poverty.

Can he speak more about the important connection between the dollars that need to be raised to fund the investments required to meet these important needs?

[Fall Economic Statement, November 3rd, 2022]

Madam Speaker, we are in the midst of a climate emergency, yet big oil and gas companies are making record profits. In light of that fact, I am sure the member for Joliette was as relieved as I was that, at the very least, the governing party did not introduce new fossil fuel subsidies in this economic update.

Then again, the government did not introduce a windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas companies, it did not completely end fossil fuel subsidies and it did not invest in major energy retrofits with those funds. Is the member concerned about that?