44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 28, 2022 11:00AM
- Mar/28/22 2:28:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for giving me the opportunity to say more about the important investment we announced on Friday: a $2‑billion unconditional top‑up to the Canada health transfer, in addition to the $45 billion, effective April 1, to reduce wait times for treatments, surgeries and diagnostics, which have done so much harm over the past few months. It is time to clear the backlogs in order to prepare the health care system for future challenges.
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- Mar/28/22 2:29:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is not as though this government is known for excellence even in its own areas of jurisdiction.
Everything it touches in its own jurisdictions turns into a fiasco. The Phoenix pay system is not even able to pay its employees. At the immigration department, the backlog is never-ending. It is chaos for Ukrainian refugees. First nations do not even have access to clean drinking water.
The list is long. There is one fiasco after another. Now the federal government is telling us that it is going to look after health care, one of Quebec's jurisdictions. May I say that this makes us very nervous?
Why does the federal government not just increase health transfer as everyone is asking it to do?
It is simple.
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- Mar/28/22 2:29:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my suggestion is that, after question period, we go invest in shirt manufacturers. At the rate the Bloc Québécois members are tearing their shirts in outrage every day, there is money to be made.
The Bloc Québécois should recognize that it is perfectly possible for Ottawa and Quebec to work together, that it is possible to work together for all Quebeckers.
As the Minister of Health clearly stated, there are no conditions attached to the $2 billion. That is something the Bloc Québécois does not want to hear.
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- Mar/28/22 2:30:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the President of Ukraine is criticizing the international community for being too slow to impose sanctions on Russia. Meanwhile, Canada is home to the global headquarters of Russia's largest uranium producer.
The company is owned by the Putin government, but this sector has been virtually untouched by the Liberals' sanctions. There is no way to know how many assets have been frozen in Canada or whether the sanctions are hitting Putin where it hurts. The people of Ukraine are fighting for survival and deserve more than empty rhetoric.
Will the government finally tell us how many assets have been frozen as part of the sanctions on Putin?
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- Mar/28/22 2:31:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his important question and for the opportunity to clarify a few points.
When we impose sanctions, we are making the assets of individuals or entities completely useless and depriving them of value. They cannot be sold or transferred. In short, no transactions are possible. Going against sanctions is also a criminal offence.
We will impose further sanctions, because it goes without saying that we must continue to put pressure on the Russian regime.
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- Mar/28/22 2:31:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, that was not the question my colleague was asking. Ukrainians are fighting for their lives. President Zelenskyy is pleading for help as Putin commits war crimes against the Ukrainian people. Zelenskyy has said that governments have been too slow in implementing all possible sanctions to stop the Russian invasion. We still do not know if the sanctions are being enforced, and we still do not know if they are being enforced effectively and if Russian assets are being frozen.
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- Mar/28/22 2:32:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, obviously, we have imposed sanctions and we have delivered lethal and non-lethal aid. Have we done a lot? Yes. Is there more to be done? Absolutely. That is why we will continue to impose sanctions. Just to be clear, when we impose sanctions, we are making their assets completely useless and are depriving them of value. Going against sanctions is also a criminal offence.
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- Mar/28/22 2:32:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my question is for the new NDP–Liberal Prime Minister. During the last election, the NDP promised to spend a whopping $214 billion of taxpayer money with no plan to balance the budget. Now, the NDP and Liberals have negotiated a backroom deal to go on a massive spending spree that would cheat future generations out of their prosperity.
How many billions has the Prime Minister bargained away to hang on to power, and how many of the NDP's spending demands will we see in the upcoming budget?
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- Mar/28/22 2:33:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives continue to talk down the Canadian economy and spin economic fiction, so let me take this opportunity to share some good news and some facts. StatsCan data showed that our GDP grew by 6.7% in Q4, exceeding market expectations. Our economy is the second-fastest growing in the G7. Our economy will be the fastest growing in the G7 next year. Our GDP is now back to prepandemic levels. Those are the facts.
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- Mar/28/22 2:34:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, to the new NDP–Liberal finance minister, inflation is raging and Canadians have been left behind. The cost of everything is skyrocketing: gas, groceries and household goods. Millions of families have seen the dream of home ownership slip through their fingers. Canadians are struggling to balance their budgets, yet the minister refuses to balance her own.
When will she finally tell us what she plans to do about the affordability crisis? When will she finally stop borrowing and spending and get inflation under control?
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- Mar/28/22 2:34:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the opposition is raising the important issue of affordability, and today we saw incredible news on that front. This government has signed a deal with Ontario on child care. This multi-billion dollar deal will be good for children and families across the province, and now we have a deal with every province and territory in the country. That is affordability. That is focusing on families. That is focusing on Canadians.
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- Mar/28/22 2:35:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is estimated that this new NDP–Liberal agreement will cost taxpayers upward of $40 billion by the end of the term. Last week, Scotiabank said, “The finance minister risks further undermining Ottawa's credibility in...tackling [runaway] inflation.” That is because when inflation is more than double the 2% target, and with where we are in the business cycle, additional spending will only make inflation worse.
Will the Minister of Finance change her course or will she continue to plow ahead with additional spending that will make inflation worse?
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- Mar/28/22 2:35:57 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-8
Mr. Speaker, the other side of the aisle continues to obstruct and delay important legislation that would benefit Canadians and make life more affordable. On Bill C-8 alone, which is up for debate right now, the Conservatives could stop blocking and gutting the bill so that $1.7 billion could flow for COVID rapid tests, along with $100 million for ventilation systems in our schools, tax relief for teachers and real action to help with the cost of housing. While they are obstructing, we are constructing. We are going to work every day for Canadians.
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- Mar/28/22 2:36:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last week, a 73-year-old constituent named Dot called me, frustrated and upset, because she can barely afford groceries and does not have enough to cover her monthly bills. Under the Liberals' fiscal watch, inflation has spiralled to 5.7% and Canadians are paying more for essentials because of the carbon tax, a tax that disproportionately affects seniors and rural Canadians.
When will the NDP–Liberal government realize that its carbon-tax hike and the corresponding out-of-control inflation are hurting Canadians?
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- Mar/28/22 2:37:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we all know that climate change is real and that we should protect Canadians from the associated dangers and real costs. We introduced a price on carbon pollution across Canada because it is a market mechanism and the most effective way to ensure that we continue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Here are the real numbers for Canadian families. An average family of four in Ontario gets back $745. It is $832 in Manitoba, $1,100 in Saskatchewan and $1,079 in my home province of Alberta. That is real action on climate change and real action on affordability.
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- Mar/28/22 2:37:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on Friday, the deputy governor of the Bank of Canada said that gas and groceries are facing some of the fastest price gains, that all households are affected by high inflation and that this situation is especially painful for low-income households because they tend to spend a greater share of their earnings on such items.
That is exactly what Conservatives have been saying for weeks. We have to tackle inflation because it affects the most vulnerable members of society. Unfortunately, all this government knows how to do is spend, spend, spend, and that is driving inflation up. Will the government reduce or, better yet, cancel the tax hike set for April 1?
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- Mar/28/22 2:38:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we all know that climate change is real and that we have to protect Canadians from its real dangers and costs. We implemented carbon pricing across Canada because it is a market mechanism that works.
Let us look at the cash going directly into taxpayers' pockets: $745 in Ontario; $832 in Manitoba; over $1,100 in Saskatchewan; and over $1,000 in Alberta. That money goes back to taxpayers. That is the plan, it works, and we are continuing to make life more affordable.
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- Mar/28/22 2:39:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, here are the realities and facts. Inflation, at 5.7%, is the highest it has been in the past 40 years.
The fact is that April 1 is this Friday. There will be a Liberal tax increase this Friday, and Canadians do not want it. One way to help Canadians with inflation would be to cancel this tax increase. Will the government finally see reason and give Canadian families a break?
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- Mar/28/22 2:39:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising to see the Conservatives campaigning for less climate action and pushing a false narrative about Canada's carbon pricing regime.
Even the Conservative member for New Brunswick Southwest has urged his province to bring in pollution pricing so that New Brunswickers can get some money back in their pockets. He recognizes that this will result in quarterly payments from Ottawa and that federal carbon tax refunds will be mailed to individuals living on low, moderate, middle and fixed incomes.
That is the law. Here on this side of the House, we are taking action.
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- Mar/28/22 2:40:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said before the European Parliament that we cannot abandon Ukraine.
However, today, Radio‑Canada confirmed that his government is abandoning Ukrainians. He is plunging them into endless administrative chaos, which is preventing them from seeking refuge in Quebec and Canada. Despite our collaboration, despite our proposals and our efforts, the federal government's failure on the ground when it comes to helping refugees is even worse than we could have imagined.
We can deal with the paperwork later. There has been enough dilly-dallying. When will the government charter planes and start airlifting families out?
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