Randy Boissonnault

[Finance, November 9th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that my colleague is so enthusiastic about the fall economic update.

I want to point out that Canada's economic fundamentals are strong, and we are delivering results for Canadians and Quebeckers. A million more Canadians and Quebeckers are employed than before the pandemic. The IMF predicts that we are going to have the best economy of the G7 in 2024. We will continue to build housing, we will continue to build an economy that works for everyone, and we will unveil our plan on November 21 when the Minister of Finance delivers her fall economic statement.

[Carbon Pricing, November 6th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, that is another silent Conservative on the issue of pensions in Alberta. What a shame to be a Calgary Conservative.

Let us talk about Conservative priorities coming out of Alberta. Instead of building housing, instead of growing our economy, instead of actually doing the work of Albertans, what are the priorities of the UCP AGM? Turning back protections for LGBTQ2 people, taking our province back. They actually voted in favour of conspiracy theories when it comes to voting machines and 15-minute cities. They are out of touch, reckless and not worth the cost.

[Carbon Pricing, November 6th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows well that we have billions of dollars in budget 2023 for carbon capture use and storage. We have green and clean electricity regulations and money that will benefit Alberta.

That member does not want people to know that he is one of the CPC silent 30 who have not come to the aid Albertans. He is not defending the Canada pension plan. He does not care that the Conservative Government of Alberta is scaring pensioners. He is silent. We are going to protect pensions. That is our job, and we are going to do it every day.

[Carbon Pricing, November 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, we have the opportunity in Alberta to join the federal government and provide heat pumps for those who need it, but let us look at the facts.

What have the MP for Calgary Skyview and the MP for Edmonton Centre, who happens to be me, done for Albertans? We have worked with the Liberal government to cut child poverty by over half. We have delivered a Canada child benefit to our ridings. We have implemented $10-a-day child care, and we got a new pipeline to tidewater, which is something the members on that side of the aisle could never accomplish. Two Liberals have done more than 30 MPs in six years. They do not like it, but we do, and so do Canadians.

[Carbon Pricing, November 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, the hockey team that plays in my home city is called the Oilers and we just handed a defeat to his former team, the Flames.

That being said, if I misspoke, let me be clear in this House. Albertans right now can actually use a federal program to go from natural gas to a heat pump with a $5,000 credit from our government or a $40,000 interest-free loan. It is the green homes program and the green loans program. If Premier Smith wants to extend free heat pumps to Albertans to get off of heating oil, she can join Atlantic premiers and work with the feds to make exactly that happen.

[Carbon Pricing, November 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I will tell the House who is feeling abandoned by their leader. It is Conservative Albertans, New Democrat Albertans and Liberal Albertans, because Danielle Smith is trying to take Albertans out of the Canada pension plan.

What do we hear from the Leader of the Conservative Party? We hear weak sauce and platitudes. The pretender to the throne can stand here today and give a full-throated defence of the Canada pension plan, while his 30 Alberta MPs stand in silence. Will he or will he not? I know we will. Albertans can count on us defending them every single day, along with their pensions.

[Carbon Pricing, November 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, let us bring the temperature down and talk about exactly what we have done here.

We have accelerated the replacement of home heating oil with heat pumps. It is a national program. If the Premier of Alberta and the Premier of Saskatchewan want to make sure that people who heat their homes with oil in those provinces have access to the same heat pumps, do members know what they can do? They can join three Atlantic provinces and B.C. and sign up for a plan to help low-income people in their province. Will they do it? Time will tell.

[Carbon Pricing, October 31st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives like to talk about axes, and it is clear that they have been working with the Premier of Alberta, because she wants to axe renewables. She wants to axe low electricity rates in Alberta by doing a six-month moratorium that has already cost us $12 billion in investment, with $30 billion more probably leaving our province. They want to slash supports for students, seniors and working-class Canadians. The icing on top of the cake is that they want to pull Albertans out of the CPP. Shame on them.

We are going to move forward on climate change and protect Albertan pensioners.

[Carbon Pricing, October 31st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, let us look at the facts. Child poverty in our country has been cut in half, thanks to the Canada child benefit. How did the Conservatives vote? They voted against an affordable child care system that is saving Alberta families up to $10,000 a year and creating 65,000 new spaces. How did the Conservatives campaign? Against. On a pipeline to tidewater, what did the Conservatives do as we were getting TMX ready to be built? They argued against.

We are here for Canadians. We are here for Albertans. We are going to make sure that our climate plan works. They can argue against. We are here for Canadians every step of the way.

[Carbon Pricing, October 31st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, we have always worked to respond to regional needs as a government.

Let me be clear: We put billions of dollars in the last budget for carbon capture use and storage that would predominantly go to Alberta and Saskatchewan. We have put flexibility in our clean electricity regulations, an exemption that would take us out to 2035, burning natural gas.

If the Premier of Alberta and the Premier of Saskatchewan want to scope this in, they can join us and help low-income Canadians to get heat pumps and get off of heating oil.