Randy Boissonnault

[Taxation, December 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, what I want to talk about today is the fact that Canada is not alone in facing high food prices. We have drought, we have failed crops and we have supply chain issues that are causing prices of food to rise around the world. That is why we have supports in place to help Canadians.

However, the Minister of Industry has reached out to the commissioner of the Competition Bureau to make sure food companies are respecting all the protections in place for consumers. That is real action. That is what we are doing.

[Carbon Pricing, December 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, if we want to set the record straight and talk about which side of the House is putting more money in the pockets of Canadians, it is the government side.

The member and her colleagues, just last week, voted against tax cuts, tax breaks and supports directly to Canadians. Quite frankly, take a look at the remarks from Stephen Poloz, who said that our investments during the pandemic not only supported Canadians but prevented and staved off a period of deflation.

What is it that the Conservatives want, more or less? That is not clear. We are going to support Canadians.

[Carbon Pricing, December 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, let me remind my hon. colleague from Calgary Forest Lawn of the heat dome that caused people to die in my riding of Edmonton Centre, and of the atmospheric river that drowned parts of British Columbia. Let me remind him that people in my riding, in the middle of a pandemic, did not say, “Hurry up on the child care,” although they wanted that, and did not say, “Give us more supports on COVID,” although they wanted that. What did they say? “Fight climate change and make sure we can have a future for our kids.”

The other side does not understand market economics. We do, and that is what is going to help Canadians and Albertans.

[Carbon Pricing, December 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, Canada and Canadians are not alone around the world in facing high prices. It is true that extreme weather has led to very bad harvests, and supply chain issues are still causing food prices to rise, which is why we have put in place supports to provide housing opportunities for Canadians, to double the GST tax credit and also to put in place dental supports.

If the Conservatives are serious about getting these supports to Canadians, they can support the government and vote for the fall economic statement, Bill C-32.

[The Economy, December 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is not the only country facing high food prices. We know this is a challenge for Canadians.

It is also true that extreme weather conditions have led to poor harvests and that supply chain issues have led to higher food prices.

That is why we have a plan to double the GST credit and provide support for dental care and housing. We are taking action. The Conservatives are voting against it. We are here for Canadians.

[Carbon Pricing, November 25th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I find it highly questionable that a member who lived through the Calgary floods is saying that the best market mechanism to combat climate change should somehow not be in place in this country.

There was hurricane Fiona, atmospheric rivers and the heat dome in my city and my province. It is the best market mechanism. Emissions were down in 2019 and 2020.

That side of the House cannot even resolve itself to climate change. We have, we will, and we are doing the right thing. They do not have to be happy about it, but we are and so are Canadians.

[Carbon Pricing, November 25th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully during this question period, and all this talk of axes reminds me of a famous song from the Conservative chorus, which is the “Conservative Austerity Shuffle”. How does it go?

Cut a little here,
Cut a little there,
Cut a lot here,
Cut a lot there.

Who was responsible? They were. Who was damaged by that? It was seniors, veterans, families, scientists, our environment and our international reputation.

Not on our watch. We are going to build this economy, support Canadians and do the right thing.

[Carbon Pricing, November 25th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the Conservative record on reducing taxes for Canadians. It does not exist, so there is not a lot to say, but I can tell members about the Liberal record on cutting taxes.

For the Canada child benefit, the Conservatives voted “against”. For cutting taxes on the middle class, they voted “against”. For the $15 minimum wage, they voted “against”. For providing dental and rental supports for half a million kids, how did they vote? It was “against”.

[Carbon Pricing, November 25th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, what is shameful is when Conservatives vote—

[Carbon Pricing, November 25th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are facing a tough time, as are people around the world, due to rising global inflation. This weekend, residents in my riding of Edmonton Centre thanked us for reducing child care costs because they said it is really making a difference.

We are doing more than that for the residents of Kelowna—Lake Country and people across the country by eliminating student and apprenticeship loan interest, by speeding up the Canada workers benefit, by providing a $500 housing top-up, by providing dental care to half a million kids and by making housing more affordable. It may not matter to some Conservatives that we are putting $500 into the pockets of people, but we are doing it because it is the right thing to do.