Carbon Pricing  That is because carbon tax revenue is given back to Canadians. Big polluters pay more. That is why middle-class and lower-income families get more money. Eight out of 10 families have more money in their pockets thanks to the carbon tax. What the Conservatives want to do is reward big polluters while taxing, penalizing and punishing families in the middle class and those working hard to join it.

Government Accountability  Madam Speaker, the pharmacare deal by the governing coalition makes Canadians again wait for the smoke and mirrors to clear. They have seen a dented dental deal that leaves out the middle class and makes seniors wait until age 87. They have seen numerous carbon tax grabs rake in billions but do little for the environment, and they have seen a child care strategy eliminate 100,000 spaces.

Government Accountability  A few weeks ago, when the government tabled pharmacare legislation, the Leader of the Opposition ran away from reporters at a press conference when they asked him about pharmacare. That party does not care about the middle class and does not care about the vulnerable. We are going to do all these things that Canadians require in order to ensure success.

Government Priorities  Madam Speaker, the first thing we did when we came to power was lower taxes for the middle class. The first thing the Conservatives did was vote against that. The second thing we did was bring in the Canada child benefit. The second thing they did was vote against the Canada child benefit.

Labour  Well over 100 workers and retirees welcomed the Prime Minister and heard him talk about the new partnership with labour; about delivering on our battery plant and 2,500 well-paying jobs; and about delivering policies unions have long sought, such as dental care, child care, pharmacare, 10 days' paid sick leave and a ban on replacement workers. Unions built the middle class and the fight continues. The Prime Minister said thanks to the salt workers who were out on strike for 192 days; the auto workers who bargained the largest contract in history; the transit workers who defended their right to 10 days' paid sick leave; and the workers at Jamieson and GreenShield fighting for better.

Business of Supply  The place we come from, a working-class suburb, a railway town, really, I think the hon. member would agree, made us very sensitive to the needs of working people and to the aspirations of the middle class. I still call Transcona home. I am not going to go on. I just want to, again, thank the member for his contribution to the House, to my province and to our country. He is an intelligent, thoughtful and always well-prepared member of the House.

Business of Supply  Everything is more expensive, not to mention the fact that it affects low-income households disproportionately because they spend a larger percentage of their income on energy, food and transportation. The Prime Minister is not at all for lower- and middle-class Canadians but rather for himself and for those in the upper echelons. That is who the Prime Minister is, but now it gets worse because on April 1, he intends to play a very cruel joke on Canadians, which is to increase the carbon tax by another 23%.

Business of Supply  We have had two of the worst years of rampant inflation this country has ever seen. Inflation is the insidious thing that takes away the prosperity of the middle class. That is what this government has done. It is taxing them to death. Because of the printing of money and the overspending, we have had an inflationary crisis in this country that has driven the cost of living so high that most Canadians now cannot make ends meet.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister, and the government as a whole, has been very clear. We want an economy that works for all Canadians. It is supporting Canada's middle class and those aspiring to become a part of it. Nothing has changed in that approach. Day in, day out we work on economic policies that can lower inflation, which would include issues of affordability.

Business of Supply  If we got rid of the carbon tax, it would only help the wealthiest people in Canada. The highest-income earners will benefit and the lowest earners and middle-class Canadians, who are the majority of hard-working Canadians in this country, will lose out. I appreciate my colleague's question. I want to say that we are helping Canadians and that we always want to help the middle class.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, after eight long years, the Liberal government's war on the Canadian middle class is finally being realized. Inflation is up and house prices are up. Debt is up and bankruptcies are up. Canadians are visiting food banks in record numbers; 300,000 of them went in a single month in Toronto.

Human Resources committee  Thank you, Minister. From our perspective, as New Democrats, the middle class is also a creation of the labour movement. This movement has made it possible, through labour contracts and free bargaining, to improve working conditions, wages and the health and safety of workers in this country.

Business of Supply  For the people in Newfoundland and Labrador, they would $680 worse off, even after the rebate scheme. We are talking about average middle-class Canadians. If we look at one income bracket just below that group, they are still worse off too. They are not better off. These families are still paying more in the rebate, but that middle group is significant.

Government Operations committee  More importantly, it's something extremely important for Canadians and communities. When it comes to supporting the standard of living for middle-class families, creating opportunities for everyone to succeed, creating cleaner and safer environments, goods and services.... Service Canada is working currently on the dental insurance plan.

Government Operations committee  Well, that's another great point you're making. Obviously, as we just said, constructing new homes in your riding is essential for middle-class families and many other families. It's also very important for the federal government to partner appropriately with the construction industry across Canada. We need their support to maintain, renovate and construct buildings for the federal government.