44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 4, 2022 11:00AM
- Apr/4/22 2:24:30 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague across the way for reminding Canadians how fiscally responsible the Liberal Party and our government are and how the Liberals under previous governments and under this government have focused on the most vulnerable people in Canada.
We brought in the Canada child benefit, which has helped lift 300,000 children out of poverty. We have supported more than 900,000 seniors. Today, we brought in a program to provide access to $20 tests for vulnerable individuals.
82 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:25:08 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, all health care professionals are now calling for a public summit on health care funding, which would bring together the federal government, the premiers of Quebec, the provinces and territories, and all parties concerned.
The entire health care community is tired of the shortfall in federal funding, which is negotiated piecemeal and, especially, by playing hardball behind closed doors. The entire sector wants a permanent and unconditional increase in health transfers.
Health experts are the ones who actually provide care to people. Will the government convene a summit to hear them out?
94 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:25:44 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I would like to join the member in thanking and congratulating all health care workers in Quebec, who have worked so hard over the past two years to protect us against COVID-19.
Thanks to the extraordinary co-operation of all levels of government, we collectively saved tens of thousands of lives and tens of billions of dollars in revenue for families and small businesses. We are very proud of this result. We will continue to work hard together to continue moving forward.
85 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:26:16 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, today, Quebec's general practitioners, specialists, hematologists, oncologists, nurses and other professionals in the FIQ, professionals and technicians in health and social services, the FTQ, the CSQ, the CSN, the CSD, and the APTS all called for a public summit on health care funding. They have all had enough of the government's disregard for health transfers, and they criticized the government for always providing one-time contributions with conditions.
When will a summit be held?
78 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:26:54 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian government has invested a total of $63 billion over the past two years to support all of the amazing work that my dear colleague just spoke about.
This $63 billion was invested to protect the health and safety of workers and residents, and the outcomes we have seen have been extraordinary, especially compared to what might have happened under another government or in another country. We are very proud of the results. We also look forward to continuing to work together in the coming months and years.
93 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:27:33 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, another IPCC report, another clarion call.
Humanity has less than three years to reverse the current greenhouse gas emissions trend in order to ensure the planet's viability. We have to cut current emissions in half by 2030.
We need urgent action, but the Liberals' plan is not good enough. They are counting on technology that does not work, and they are still pouring billions of dollars into fossil fuels. We are not going to hit these targets by increasing fossil fuel production.
Will the Liberals put an end to oil subsidies and invest in clean energy for our children's future?
104 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:28:13 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie for his question.
As he is well aware, we committed to ending fossil fuel subsidies, including those for Crown corporations, by 2023, which is two years earlier than all of our G20 partners.
Last week, we announced $9.1 billion in new money on top of the $100 billion our government is already investing across Canada to make this country a global energy transition leader.
77 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:28:44 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, today's IPCC report tells us we are racing toward a climate disaster. Worse still, we know what needs to be done and we have the tools, but the government is failing to act. There is no time left to delay, but the Liberals' emission reduction plan is far from what is needed. They continue to hand out billions of dollars to big oil and gas instead of scaling up renewables and supports for workers.
The world's top scientists are clear: It is now or never. Why is the government acting like there is no emergency?
99 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:29:20 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, in fact, we are very seized with the emergency, which is why we presented the most ambitious, transparent and solid climate change plan we have ever seen in this country.
Do not take it from me. Take it from Greenpeace. Take it from Équiterre. Take it from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Take it from Andrew Weaver—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
66 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:29:52 p.m.
- Watch
I was having trouble hearing, so I will let the minister back up to answer that one.
17 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:30:00 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I was having problems hearing my own voice.
Our plan is such a good plan that organizations such as Greenpeace, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
33 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:30:13 p.m.
- Watch
Order. I want to be able to hear the minister's answer.
The hon. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
20 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:30:23 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I was saying that Andrew Weaver, an IPCC scientist and ex-leader of the B.C. Green Party, said that with the plan we tabled last week, Canada reclaims its status as an international leader on climate change. Do not take it from me; take it from him.
50 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:30:43 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, while Canadians are facing sky-high inflation, which has led to higher grocery and gas prices, and a housing affordability crisis, they want real solutions from this government. They want a plan to fight the skyrocketing cost of living that has left so many behind. Another budget with an avalanche of spending will only fuel inflation, leaving future generations with more deficits and more debt to repay.
I ask the minister this: Will the government's upcoming budget present a plan to fight inflation, grow our economy and return to balanced budgets?
94 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:31:25 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the opposition is raising the issue of affordability, so let us go to the facts.
Our government lowered taxes on the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest 1%. Conservatives voted against that. We created the Canada child benefit and indexed it to inflation. The Conservatives voted against that too. We provided seniors 75 years of age and over a $500 payment last summer. The Conservatives voted against that. They voted against Bill C-2, and they are on track to vote against Bill C-8. Why do they not just double down on affordability and vote with us on Bill C-8?
106 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:32:00 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, my question is to the minister.
Money does not grow on trees. Virtue-signalling does not feed people or put gas in their car, and it does not buy a home. What Canada needs is a plan for growth with investments in jobs and productivity. We need a budget that has a real debt-management strategy with a firm fiscal anchor and a clear path to returning to balanced budgets.
Will the upcoming spend-DP-Liberal budget include a plan to control inflation, a strategy to grow our economy and a return to balanced budgets?
97 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:32:48 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, what I can share with the member opposite is a real plan to grow our economy. In every province and territory across this country, families now have access to reduced child care fees. In fact, if women across Canada choose to enter the workforce at the same rate as women in Quebec did 25 years ago, that is 240,000 workers in this country able to join the economy and able to grow the economy.
We are committed to fiscal responsibility, and we will do just that.
89 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:33:21 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, last week, the former parliamentary budget officer indicated that this is not the environment in which we want to do deficit spending. The economy is in recovery, and unemployment is low, while the Bank of Canada is struggling to deal with inflation we have not seen in 30 years.
Does the Minister of Finance realize that additional spending risks making inflation worse, yes or no?
67 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:33:51 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I will remind Canadians and opposition members that they campaigned on deficit spending of $168 billion.
Our fiscally prudent plan, which will be revealed in the budget later this week, will continue to not only make investments in Canadians but also set us on a very prudent course for the future.
Our GDP is now above prepandemic levels. We have recovered 3.4 million jobs. We came into this crisis with the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7, and after investing half a trillion dollars in Canadians, it is still the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7.
103 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/4/22 2:34:27 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I guess if everything is so good, why do we need to keep spending?
The government's only answer to every problem is to spend more money, but now the chorus of warnings is growing. Just last week, Scotiabank said that spending commitments undermine the government's ability to tackle inflation. Even Stephen Poloz and a former Liberal finance minister agree that now is not the time for stimulus.
For a government who claims to listen to the experts, why is it burying its head in the sand when it comes to inflation, out-of-control spending and affordability?
101 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
