Peter Fragiskatos

[Tax Relief, December 9th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, a tax cut for Canadians is exactly what this government is going forward with, beginning on December 14 and carrying through to February. We have heard from Canadians. We know the challenges they have been through in previous years. During the pandemic, we stood with Canadians, and into the modern day, we stand with them. I have stood with my constituents during this time.

I know what this will mean for them, this lifting of the GST and HST off of the cost of groceries and off of the cost of a night out for a meal for a family of four. Members can imagine what that will do at a family restaurant and what that will do for the entrepreneurs of those restaurants. It is no surprise that restaurant owners across the country, including restaurant associations, are completely behind this measure. I also think about the young families looking forward to bringing a new little boy or girl into the household. Those car seats are expensive. I have personal experience with that. Lifting tax on that is going to go a long way.

That is why we did it. We are going to continue to stand there for the people of this country.

[Infrastructure, December 6th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, first of all, this falls under municipal jurisdiction. It is a municipal issue.

If there is an opportunity after question period, I would be pleased to speak to my colleague about this. For me, this is obviously a municipal issue.

[Housing, December 2nd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, we will agree to disagree on that point; $10 a day child care is moving forward in communities across the country. As I said, where it is not available, it will be available in communities throughout the land, and that is critical to our country's economic success and to our shared future.

On the point at hand, again, the accelerator fund, the proposal by the member's party would get rid of the program, which would be a detriment to communities in his riding. The Lytton First Nation is counting on the fund for 176 new homes. The Boston Bar First Nation is counting on 65 new homes as a result of the program. Finally, the Seabird Island Band is counting on the accelerator fund for 251 new homes.

I am not sure what the official opposition has against the federal government's working with municipalities and with indigenous communities to get more homes built and attaching conditions to ensure that more homes get built. We are doing that and we will continue to do it. The Conservatives are standing in the way.

[Housing, December 2nd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest to the member. He is a good member, and I know he cares a great deal about his community. He talks about families in his community and across the country. What he does not mention is that the Conservatives would, right away, if they were to assume office, cut child care support, which has now moved in many parts of the country to $10 a day. Where it is not at $10, it will soon be, which will make life much more affordable.

The Conservatives would get rid of the school food program, which we have seen tremendous progress on. Recently, the provincial government in Ontario came together with the federal government. Manitoba and Prince Edward Island are also moving forward. What about support to help people living with diabetes? The Conservatives would get rid of free insulin.

To the point at hand, the Conservatives would also get rid of support for housing. The member talks about the so-called big, bold idea the Leader of the Opposition has put forward to lift GST off the purchase price of a home. How would they pay for that? They would do so by getting rid of the housing accelerator fund, which unfortunately my friend has not characterized correctly here today.

I do not discount at all the importance of development charges; they are an impediment to getting more homes built, and municipalities have to find a way to lower them as much as possible. However, what the member does not talk about is the systemic changes that come as a result of the federal government's attaching conditions to federal funding for municipalities, so that, for example, zoning changes can become possible.

Throughout too much of Canada's history, certainly into the modern day, the building of certain types of homes has been outright illegal in this country. In some neighbourhoods, it has been outright illegal to build duplexes or triplexes or fourplexes, or row houses or mid-rise apartments. All of those would add tremendously to affordability to help the families in the member's community. I especially have on my mind the young couples, for example, who have a tough time, if they can put together a down payment, finding a home that is affordable for them. They cannot do it right now in so many instances. Zoning changes would allow for that.

What the federal government has done is said that we recognize that restrictive zoning is a huge impediment to getting more homes built, and we have attached conditions onto municipalities that if they want federal dollars for housing and infrastructure, they agree to make zoning changes. Many are doing so. At this point, there have been 178 agreements, and the number will grow.

Finally, the member also fails to mention that the GST proposal of the Conservatives would lead to the cancellation of the government's infrastructure support for communities. We cannot have housing unless we have infrastructure, for example to connect water systems and roads to homes, and to make neighbourhoods possible.

We have said there is a need for infrastructure, and we have attached a condition for it too: that development charges be frozen to April 2024 levels to ensure that development charges in that issue are in the first instance dealt with, but also to ensure that municipalities are doing what they need to do to build more homes. This is why the condition exists, and the Conservatives want to get rid of it.

[Taxation, November 29th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, the member was a broadcaster in his community. He was well in touch with that community, covering everyday stories. He is well placed to raise this matter.

It is very true. Last night, we cut taxes for everyday people, for all Canadians, on many items. We know that it is an important time because this is the most expensive time of year for workers, for families, for Canadians. What do we see in January? Anyone who has worked in retail, restaurants or sectors like that knows that January offers a bit of a lull, but this offers stimulus. People will go back out there and get involved in the economy. However, the Conservatives are not—

[Taxation, November 29th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, the member is the daughter of a coal miner. She grew up in a working-class household. She later became the executive director of Community Living Greater Sudbury. She understands the everyday challenges of working people. She has always fought for them, and she will continue to do so.

The member understood yesterday why it was important to put forward the tax cut we did. This will help families. This will help workers across the country. It is something that Conservatives do not understand. If we think of a young family who wants to go out to eat or wants to buy a car seat for their growing family, all of that is GST-exempt now for two months.

[The Economy, November 29th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, the situation is back to normal levels because of the economic stewardship of the government. Unemployment is at historically low levels as well. They continue to talk about economic issues these days. Let us talk about it but let us look at their record. We cut taxes for the middle class. They were against it. We did that twice, in fact, and twice they were against it. We cut taxes for small businesses. They were against it. During the worst years of the pandemic, we put forward emergency measures to support small businesses. They were against them. Last night, we introduced a tax cut for every Canadian and they were against it. They talk out of both sides of their mouth. They are not serious.

[The Economy, November 29th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, he talks about our relations with the United States. I remember back when I was first elected in 2016. What did we see with the rise of Donald Trump in the United States? We saw a government that was there for Canadians, and we saw a Conservative Party at that time that was telling the government to capitulate. We will not do that. We will stand for everyday Canadians, as we always have. On the issue of what happened yesterday, they do not want to talk about it, but let us talk about it. It is very critical to note yet again that they turned their back on Canadians. They voted against a tax cut. They did it years ago; they have done it again. They were against middle-class tax cuts.

[The Economy, November 29th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, inflation is back to normal levels. Unemployment levels in this country are around historically low levels. That member continues to talk about GDP per capita like all of them do. On that measure specifically, which has been roundly criticized by economists as not presenting a fair economic picture, let us look at it. We exceed the U.K., France and Japan. Yesterday, Conservatives had a chance to vote for a tax cut for Canadians, and what did they do? They did what they always did. They voted on the opposite side. They do not care about the middle class. They do not care about everyday Canadians.

[The Economy, November 29th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, GDP per capita is one measure, and the Conservatives continue to raise it, so let us focus on it for a moment. Our country's GDP is in fact growing. On that measure, though, specifically, we exceed GDP per capita by leaps and bounds compared to the U.K., France and Japan. That is World Bank data and IMF data.

On the issue of tax cuts, which the Conservatives love to talk about, yesterday they had an opportunity to cut taxes for Canadians, all Canadians, and they said no. They showed who they are.