44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 16, 2021 10:00AM
- Dec/16/21 2:29:50 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-2
Mr. Speaker, I really want to thank my colleague for his question because I truly believe that COVID-19 is the greatest challenge today.
That is why I hope that all members will support Bill C-2. This bill will create support measures for individuals and businesses in the event of another lockdown, precisely because we agree with the NDP members that these support measures are necessary.
I hope that all members will vote in favour of Bill C‑2.
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- Dec/16/21 2:30:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, COVID cases are increasing everywhere, and people are already gearing up for reduced limits to the numbers of people in stores and restaurants to limit the spread. This means people will once again be out of work, except for this time, there is nothing to help them. There is no CERB for workers and no wage subsidy for small businesses. How can the government cut help for people when we are up against possibly the worst of this pandemic?
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- Dec/16/21 2:31:04 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-2
Mr. Speaker, I think that COVID is the greatest challenge facing Canada today. That is why I focused on it in the economic and fiscal update. I agree with him that we need to have support measures in place for people in businesses in the event of additional lockdowns. That is why I urge all members of the House to support Bill C-2. It would create precisely those tools. We need them. I really hope all members will support the bill.
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- Dec/16/21 2:31:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I guess it is throwback Thursday. The Silence of the Lambs and Beauty and the Beast were on the big screens. Brian Adams' I Do It for You topped the charts. Mushroom cuts were in vogue, and the World Wide Web was first introduced to the public.
That was the last time inflation was this high. That was 30 years ago. When will the Prime Minister realize that his disastrous policies are to blame for our record-breaking inflation?
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- Dec/16/21 2:32:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, let us ignore Conservatives' scaremongering and look at the global facts. In the U.S., November inflation was 6.8%, which was an increase from October. In Germany, November inflation was 6%, which was an increase from October. In the U.K., November inflation was 5.1%, which was an increase from October. Meanwhile in Canada, inflation is lower than in all of these countries and did not increase from October to November.
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- Dec/16/21 2:32:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadian families are already stretched to the limit and struggling to make ends meet.
Despite the fact that inflation is at 4.7%, the highest level since 1991, the Prime Minister does not consider monetary policy to be a priority.
When will the Prime Minister finally put some thought into monetary policy?
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- Dec/16/21 2:33:24 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-2
Mr. Speaker, we all agree that the cost of living is a challenge, but I do not hear many concrete solutions coming from the Conservatives.
I would therefore like to propose one. Let us support all Canadians who work in tourism, restaurants and other hard-hit businesses across the country by supporting Bill C-2.
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- Dec/16/21 2:33:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, while working Canadians struggle to make ends meet, the finance minister continues to mislead Canadians by arguing that our economy is strong. That may be the case for some, but the conversations around the kitchen tables in rural Canada tell a very different story. Bills are piling up and credit cards are maxed. “Just inflation” has Canadians at their breaking points financially and emotionally.
When will the government take bold actions to strengthen the economy and combat inflation, instead of repeating tired old talking points?
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- Dec/16/21 2:34:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our government understands that to pay the bills, the single most important thing is to have a job or to keep a business afloat. That is why, when COVID hit, we took immediate action. We have recovered every single one of the three million lost jobs and more. Fewer businesses have gone bankrupt over the past year than in the year before COVID.
Conservative austerity would have devastated the lives of millions of Canadians. We are proud to have acted decisively to save jobs and businesses. That is how to make life affordable.
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- Dec/16/21 2:35:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am not sure how that member is talking about making life affordable. Regardless, a job does not keep people from being hungry. One in eight people who visit food banks are employees. The growing cost of housing, rent and grocery prices are affecting those struggling the most to make ends meet, particularly single parents. Over 30% of visitors at food banks in Canada are children. This is wrong. This is heartbreaking, and it needs to change now.
When will the Liberals stop the “just inflation” crisis, which is hurting our most precious commodity, our children?
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- Dec/16/21 2:36:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is very difficult to take the Conservatives seriously that they care about single parents and children when they voted against the Canada child benefit, which helped lift 400,000 Canadian children out of poverty. It is hard to take them seriously when they campaigned on getting rid of the Canada early learning and child care system.
Let me tell members that we are making difference. Families right across this country are going to see a 50% reduction in fees as of January right through to the end of this year. That is going to help them with the cost of living and it is going to make sure that our kids have the very best, positive start in life.
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- Dec/16/21 2:37:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we gave this government an opportunity to do the right thing by Saskatchewan to remove a long-standing tax exemption in our Constitution. Rather than do the right thing and ensure that large, profitable corporations pay their share of taxes, the Liberals decided to block our attempts to stand up for Saskatchewan.
I ask the Minister of Justice this: Can we work together to ensure that the people of Saskatchewan are not left paying the bill for a sweetheart deal that was made over 150 years ago, or will the Liberals continue to ignore my province?
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- Dec/16/21 2:38:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the hon. member's concern on the issue.
We have agreed, as a government, to a take note debate on this in February. Our objection yesterday was to the fact that one does not make a constitutional amendment with a unanimous consent motion without ever having discussed it or debated it in any forum in the House. We respect Saskatchewan. We will do that take note debate, and we will act accordingly.
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- Dec/16/21 2:38:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, farmers depend on effective rail service. They cannot get paid for their hard work if they cannot ship their crops to market. Now, a foreign hedge fund has started a campaign to take over the board of CN Rail with a plan to make service cuts to maximize profits for shareholders. Farmers know what happens when services are cut back in the interests of shareholders. Terminals cannot get cars to load, and ships sit empty, waiting.
When will the government take action to protect farmers and ensure healthy competition and reliable rail service?
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- Dec/16/21 2:39:18 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to advocate for efficient and safe rail service. The fluidity and reliability of our supply chain is critical to our economy.
I have been hearing about this ongoing situation with CN in the media and also in popular podcasts. CN is responsible for its own leadership decisions, but let me assure my hon. colleague that our government will take action to continue to protect the interests of Canadians and the safety and reliability of our rail network to ensure fluid supply chains.
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- Dec/16/21 2:39:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the economic update will not go down in history, but it speaks volumes about federal priorities.
The crux of this document is a promise to pick a fight with Quebec and the provinces over health care. Five days after all the premiers called for a meeting to negotiate an increase in health care funding, Ottawa told them they will not get another dime until 2027.
Why is the government trying to pick a fight when, really, everyone should be coming together to support health care workers?
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- Dec/16/21 2:40:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for raising the issue.
The last thing we want to do is pick a fight. On the contrary, we have been working together very closely for 21 months. I had another meeting yesterday evening with all my provincial counterparts, the ministers of health. We know how important it is right now to work to get through the upcoming omicron variant crisis.
We all agree that it is important to speed up the administration of vaccine boosters, to make sure that rapid testing is available for people who need it, and to continue to tell people to follow public health guidelines. In Canada, we have the strongest system in the world to overcome the wave that is coming in the next few weeks.
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- Dec/16/21 2:41:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, recent developments are a stark reminder that we are still in the midst of a health crisis and that our health care system remains overburdened.
Nevertheless, this week, despite Quebec announcing new restrictions because of concerns about the variant, despite Ottawa recommending no travel, despite the Liberal Party recommending that people work from home, despite all of that, the government tabled an economic update in which it indicated that there will be no funding until 2027.
Can any of the geniuses across the way explain that to me?
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- Dec/16/21 2:42:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague's question gives me the opportunity to reiterate two extremely important things.
The first is the strength of mutual support, especially in our federalist country these past few months. Without the co-operation of all levels of government, we would have had thousands more deaths, we would have suffered major economic losses, and we would have put the health of millions of Canadians at risk.
Next, I commend all of my provincial and territorial colleagues for their extraordinary co-operation and for proving that, in Canada, when we work together, we are stronger and we go further.
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- Dec/16/21 2:42:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am impressed.
No one is questioning the fact that Ottawa spent money during the pandemic. The problem is that the government made cuts to health care funding before the pandemic.
The government is now saying that it will not make any investments until 2027. The federal government was not making investments before the pandemic and will not be making any after it. The Liberals confirmed this week that they did not learn anything from COVID‑19 and the fact that health care workers are exhausted. It is frustrating.
How can the government be so oblivious to what is happening in our health care facilities?
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