44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 3, 2022 10:00AM
- Feb/3/22 2:37:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Alberta families are feeling the squeeze as the cost of everyday essentials continues to rise. The cost of groceries and housing is through the roof, and with record high prices at the pumps, just getting to work is becoming unaffordable. Not everyone can work from home, and when people have to decide between putting gas in their cars and putting food on their tables, something has gone seriously wrong.
When will the government get a grip and realize that the more it spends, the less Canadians can afford?
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- Feb/3/22 2:37:40 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-2
Mr. Speaker, it is a bit rich to hear the Conservatives presume to offer any kind of economic advice. After all, let us remember that just before Christmas, when the omicron wave was rising, it was the Conservatives who voted against Bill C-2 and the lockdown support that is providing such essential support for Canadian workers and small businesses across the country, supports the CFIB says are essential.
I am so glad the Conservatives failed in their economic effort.
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- Feb/3/22 2:38:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is about time the government actually does start to listen to some of the Conservative economic advice. As if the cost of living crisis was not hard enough for Alberta families, the government is also attacking their livelihoods. Canadian-made natural resources are a cornerstone of our economy and our Canadian identity.
Alberta's oil and gas workers keep us warm, support our families and keep our economy running, yet the government continues to rely on high-carbon Saudi oil tankers over our own environmentally friendly Canadian energy.
Will the Liberals finally start supporting Canadian energy, or will they just continue to treat our oil and gas sector as the enemy?
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- Feb/3/22 2:39:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, certainly I agree with parts of what the hon. member said. Certainly the energy sector in the country is an important part of our overall economy and will continue to be as we move forward toward a lower-carbon future. We are working actively with companies and with governments to ensure that we are creating the jobs and the economic opportunities for families in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and every province and territory in this country.
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- Feb/3/22 2:39:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I heard the Prime Minister say again this morning that the Ottawa police need to do their job against these occupiers, but the police have been doing their job since day one. It is the feds who are hiding.
From day one, the Prime Minister has been adding fuel to the fire and then hiding behind the police, like a little boy in a schoolyard. The Ottawa police are exhausted. Yesterday the police chief said that this is a national problem, not a City of Ottawa problem, and he is right.
When will the federal government take responsibility? Where is the Minister of Public Safety in this whole mess?
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- Feb/3/22 2:40:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question.
The Ottawa Police Service and the Parliamentary Protective Service are the ones responsible for the areas affected by the protests. If the municipality requests assistance, the RCMP will be ready to respond, as they did at the beginning of this protest. The RCMP will continue to support law enforcement in managing the disruption so that all residents and people working downtown feel safe.
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- Feb/3/22 2:40:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that the Ottawa police are expecting more protesters on the weekend. We know that the trucks are equipped to stay for weeks, even months. We know that the organizers are receiving money from international sources. This is a planned occupation and the federal government is leaving Ottawa and its residents to fend for themselves. That is what is happening, and it is even encouraging people to do the same in Quebec City.
Rather than allow the situation to escalate, when will the Minister of Public Safety take the lead in managing the crisis?
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- Feb/3/22 2:41:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I have said, the RCMP has been there since the beginning of the protest to provide resources and money. There are several agreements between the RCMP and the Ottawa police.
These are independent decisions because they are operations. We have to respect the fact that the government, here in the House, does not make the decisions. These are independent decisions. I know that my colleague understands that.
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- Feb/3/22 2:41:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the crisis is not going to resolve itself.
The Minister of Public Safety needs to set up an official crisis task force with all police forces, the Government of Ontario and the City of Ottawa. He needs to provide a daily update on the situation, the way a real leader would do in a crisis. He needs to make sure the public sees that there is a real pilot at the controls. The situation is getting worse every day. He must not wait until things get violent before stepping in.
Will the minister set up and lead a crisis task force?
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- Feb/3/22 2:42:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I respect my colleague's point of view, and even the concerns of Ottawa residents, many of whom are suffering from numerous disruptions because of the protest.
The protesters' message has been delivered. Everyone understood, but now it is time to clear out, respect the process and respect the freedoms of the people who live in Ottawa.
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- Feb/3/22 2:42:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the increase in the cost of living has hit a 30-year high with 4.8% inflation, a 27% increase in the cost of housing in a single year and a 33% increase in the price of gas. I am not even talking about the cost of groceries, which is skyrocketing. More than one in two families is afraid of not being able to feed their children, and food banks are overwhelmed by the demand.
When will the Prime Minister present a concrete action plan to combat the rising cost of living in Canada?
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- Feb/3/22 2:43:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives continue to denigrate the Canadian economy with a false narrative.
I will therefore take this opportunity to announce some good news. This week, Statistics Canada released new data showing that our GDP increased by 0.6% last November. That is the sixth consecutive month of growth and it means that, before omicron, our economy had completely recovered from the pandemic.
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- Feb/3/22 2:44:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when I listen to the minister, I really feel like she is completely out of touch with the reality of Canadians. I invite her to visit my riding and come with me to see the families who are now knocking at the doors of food banks because they cannot make ends meet. The cost of living is skyrocketing in every area, including the basics of food, shelter and clothing.
People do not want to be given numbers or hear about what is happening in other parts of the world. They want to hear about what the government can do to lower the cost of living for all Canadians. Period.
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- Feb/3/22 2:45:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there may be a reason why the numbers, the data and the international comparisons do not please the Conservatives. That is because there is a stark contrast with what happened during the recession in 2008. It took roughly four more months for real GDP to recover after the 2008 recession, whereas we have already recovered all the jobs that were lost.
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- Feb/3/22 2:45:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the minister is talking and putting everyone to sleep, but that does not change the fact that Canadians' wallets are getting thinner every day as the Liberals spend taxpayers' money.
I have a very simple question for the Minister of Finance. Can she tell me whether she agrees with her Prime Minister, who thinks that budgets balance themselves, or does she believe that the government needs to take concrete measures to manage the money that taxpayers have given them? Will something be done to lower the cost of living and control—
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- Feb/3/22 2:46:20 p.m.
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Order. The hon. Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.
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- Feb/3/22 2:46:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to talk about the concrete measures we have taken, such as the Canada child benefit and the child care plan.
Today, we joined the Province of Manitoba to announce that we are lowering fees for more than 12,000 more children. That is 12,000 families who will pay less for child care. That is a concrete measure. We are very serious about addressing the issue of cost of living for families across Canada, and we are keeping our promises to them.
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- Feb/3/22 2:47:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, over the last five years, more than 25,000 Canadians have died of toxic drug overdoses and the pandemic has only made things worse. In my home province of B.C., drug toxicity is the leading cause of death for those aged 19 to 39. That is why I proposed the bill to decriminalize personal possession and increase access to harm reduction and treatment. It is essential to deal with this crisis and save lives now.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister recognized that this is a health issue. Today it is still a criminal issue. Will he do the right thing and support my bill for a health-based approach to substance use?
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- Feb/3/22 2:47:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, like the member opposite, our government recognizes that problematic substance use is a health issue. We are working very hard to divert people who use drugs away from the criminal justice system. The Public Prosecution Service of Canada issued guidance stating that alternatives to prosecution should be considered for simple possession offences.
Our comprehensive approach builds on the action of $700 million in investments to community-led harm reduction, treatment and prevention projects. We will continue to work with this member and do everything we can to save lives and end this national public health crisis.
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- Feb/3/22 2:48:29 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the COVID pandemic has exposed the dangerous results of underfunding Canada's health care system. Overburdened ICU wards, burnt-out staff, cancelled surgeries, excessive wait times for diagnostic tests and millions of Canadians without a family doctor, mental health care or prescription medicines are impossible to deny, but this is not surprising. The federal share of health care spending has plummeted from 50% to just 22% today.
Will the government provide national leadership at the upcoming premiers meeting and increase the Canada health transfer to ensure the long-term funding needed to protect Canadians?
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