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Apr/7/22 4:38:18 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I notice the minister is wearing Conservative blue today, but that does not in any way transform her budget from being the first left-leaning NDP-Liberal budget. The most pressing issue facing Canadians today is the cost of living, especially the housing affordability crisis. Millions of Canadians have seen their dream of home ownership slip through their fingers, and uncontrolled spending from the NDP-Liberal government has had a lot to do with that. The minister's budget includes $10 billion for housing and homelessness, including $4 billion for a housing accelerator that will actually go to municipalities and not to those who wish to purchase homes but cannot afford to do so right now. In her speech, the minister made the following promise: “Over the next 10 years, we will double the number of new homes we build.” This is a serious question. Can the minister tell us exactly how many homes she and her government have actually built over the past, say, seven years? I would like just the number, please. I know she has to have the number because she made the claim. Again, how many homes has her government built over the last seven years?

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Hon. Chrystia Freeland

Apr/7/22 4:40:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite, first of all, for pointing to the colour of my suit today. I chose it intentionally, and I chose the colour of this button. I thought it was important to show my solidarity, and I think the solidarity of everyone in this House. I am glad to see the member opposite wearing a blue and yellow tie. I have recently learned in fact that his roots, like my own family's, are in Ukraine. I am glad the member opposite spoke about housing. Maybe that is something else we can all agree on. Housing is the most pressing economic and social issue in Canada today. That is why it is the centrepiece of this budget, just as early learning and child care was the centrepiece of last year's budget. What is new and important about this budget, which again the member opposite has helpfully pointed out, is a focus on supply. What is new is an understanding that what we need to do as a country is find ways to tear down the barriers to building more homes. The member correctly points out that many of those barriers are at the municipal level. There are a lot of former city councillors and mayors in this House. They all understand very well that what we need to do is find ways to work together with municipalities, provinces and territories to build more of the homes Canadians need. We will do it. We got early learning and child care done. We are committed, over the next 10 years, to doubling the new housing starts in Canada.

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Mr. Jean-Denis Garon (Mirabel, BQ)

Apr/7/22 4:42:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Quebec, the provinces and Quebec's health sector are calling for an increase to the Canada health transfer to cover 35% of system costs. Not only is there no health transfer increase this year, next year, the year after or the years after that, but the government goes so far as to write that if the provinces call Ottawa, they will be advised about how to better manage their health care systems and make them more effective. Can the minister tell me why she thinks that a government that has never managed a hospital in its life can manage health care systems better than the provinces?

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Hon. Chrystia Freeland

Apr/7/22 4:43:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we fully understand that the provinces and territories are responsible for the Canadian health care system, which is excellent. We also understand that the federal government must help fund the health care system. That is why, and it is written in the budget, we have “only” provided $2 billion to the provinces and territories to help them with the problems the COVID-19 crisis has created in the health care system. I would like to add that in this budget we are proposing a massive investment of $45.2 billion through the Canada health transfer to support provinces and territories. That is a 4.8% increase over the baseline.

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Mr. Daniel Blaikie (Elmwood—Transcona, NDP)

Apr/7/22 4:44:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the minister has heard from hundreds of experts who have told her that carbon capture, utilization and storage is “neither economically sound nor proven at scale, with a terrible track record and limited potential to deliver significant, cost-effective emissions reductions”, yet despite the IPCC just releasing another damning report about the state of the climate crisis, carbon capture and storage is the cornerstone of the climate efforts in the budget. Does the minister recognize that the over two and a half billion dollars they have allocated for carbon capture and storage is a missed opportunity to build national renewable energy projects, like a western power grid that could put people to work and actually help us create new renewable sources of energy in Canada? This is something we absolutely have to do if we are going to electrify our economy and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

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Hon. Chrystia Freeland

Apr/7/22 4:45:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think Canadians at home listening to the proceedings of the House will be a bit confused by what they are hearing, because they have heard a lot about collaboration between progressive parties, yet on this issue, I must differ from my hon. colleague. I absolutely believe in, and our budget is very clear on, the value of CCUS when it comes to a realistic, achievable and attainable emissions reduction plan. The oil and gas sector is part of the Canadian economy and needs to be part of our emissions reduction effort. The CCUS plan, which we have worked on collaboratively with our environmental partners and oil and gas partners, is a very important part of that plan. It will help Canada reduce its emissions, and that is something that I think all of us agree is essential. The member has spoken about the need to invest in renewable energy. We agree. That is why this budget includes considerable investments in the green transition, building on the vast investments in the green transition that our government has hitherto made, including the Canada growth fund, which will crowd in private capital for this essential economic transformation.

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Mr. Kelly McCauley (Edmonton West, CPC)

Apr/7/22 4:47:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this appears, like all the other budgets so far from the government, to be one with lots of spending and good intentions but no results. The Parliamentary Budget Officer states that there are as many Canadians living in vulnerable homes now as there were when the government started, despite billions spent. Despite billions spent, the Library of Parliament says GHG emissions are going up every year. The Library of Parliament also says the government has had the 29th worst performance on debt-to-GDP ratio. Furthermore, the report “The Long Road” says Canada, for the next 30 years, will have the worst economic growth in the OECD. If non-stop spending and crippling debt have not worked so far, what has changed that is going to work now?

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Hon. Chrystia Freeland

Apr/7/22 4:48:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am really sorry to say that the member opposite is simply inaccurately citing statistics. The reality is that Canada's economic growth today is among the strongest in the world. Our GDP grew more than 6% in the fourth quarter and is on track to grow 4% in the first quarter. Canada's economic recovery is robust, and it is remarkable, particularly when it comes to jobs. In terms of debt to GDP and deficits, Canada is in the strongest fiscal position of any G7 country.

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Hon. Ed Fast (Abbotsford, CPC)

Apr/7/22 4:49:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” That is a proverb one of my Liberal colleagues used earlier today, but it was in a different context. It was used in the context of Easter. However, the context in which I am going to use it is the budget, which is absolutely bereft of any vision. The budget is bereft of any vision to meaningfully address what currently matters most to Canadians, which is the skyrocketing cost of living and the housing affordability crisis. There is no real plan to fight the inflation that has exacerbated this government's tax-and-spend profligacy. There is no overarching investment into economic growth, and no growth plan to improve our productivity and our ability to compete in the global marketplace. There is no grand plan to restore Canada's tarnished reputation as a good place to invest. Right now, we are dead last among the OECD countries when it comes to investment. Nor is there is a grand vision to manage the massive debt load that my children and grandchildren will be left to repay, with interest, of course. Like last year's budget, this one fails to put forward a credible fiscal anchor that outlines a clear pathway and a firm target to return to balance. There is no grand vision for restoring Canada's reputation as a trusted middle power among the world's nations, neither is there a serious plan to harness the power and potential of our sustainably produced natural resources to address the environmental challenges facing our world. In short, this budget fails to deliver the visionary leadership that these times call for. Instead, this budget is emblematic of an unserious Prime Minister, an unserious Minister of Finance and unserious government. “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” That is from the Proverbs of Solomon, who is considered to be one of the wisest men ever to walk the earth. We need a vision, and I will have more to say in the days ahead. Until then and until tomorrow, I move: That the debate be now adjourned.

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The Deputy Speaker

Apr/7/22 4:52:10 p.m.
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Pursuant to Standing Order 83(2), the motion is deemed adopted and the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1). (The House adjourned at 4:52 p.m.)

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