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May/17/22 3:33:39 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, before question period, I was having a conversation with the Minister of the Environment, and we were talking about the green transition. We were speaking about how, in the province of Alberta, through renewable energy and job creation, somewhere in the neighbourhood of several thousands of jobs, just in that one province, have been created. I think we underestimate, as the Minister of the Environment would no doubt tell us, those nations, countries, provinces and provincial governments that get engaged on the whole concept of green technology and what we can do as provincial or federal entities to encourage and promote it. Those are good jobs for the future, and thousands of jobs are being generated because of some of the budgetary measures we have put in this last budget, specifically, but others also.

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Mr. Greg McLean (Calgary Centre, CPC)

May/17/22 3:34:41 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I always enjoy hearing the parliamentary secretary to the government House leader on the other side of the House, but I want to ask him about this, because he drifted away from the substance of this motion when he started talking about trees. Three years ago, his government committed to planting two billion trees in 10 years. That is about 200 million a year. Three years later, it is planning to plant the first 30 million, because it actually did not figure out the execution. Much like everything in its policies, it likes announcing things, but it does not actually know how to deliver. This kind of thing spins around in their heads for three years, and then they think, “Oh, yeah, we should probably start moving on that.” Has he thought about the execution of the policies he is talking about concerning an actual energy transition?

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux

May/17/22 3:35:28 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, yes, we have actually given a great deal of thought to it. On the issue of the trees, I look forward to eight years from now, when the member on that side of the bench will be able to ask questions, and we will be able to provide the answers to those questions and the success of planting those two billion trees. In time, we will see that we will achieve the two billion, but we have to emphasize that we have to gather the seeds and the different types of seeds. It takes a while for those seeds to become seedlings and to put them into the ground. We cannot just click our heels and wish them into existence. There is a process, and we in government will achieve that process. Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

May/17/22 3:36:12 p.m.
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Order. There are a lot of reactions happening, and I would just ask members, if they want to react loudly, to maybe leave the chamber and then come back in when they have composed themselves. The hon. member for Mirabel.

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Mr. Jean-Denis Garon (Mirabel, BQ)

May/17/22 3:36:28 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is rare to see the member for Winnipeg North so out of sorts. He was so out of sorts that he had to read notes, because his government has forced him to say that the oil subsidies are investments in the environment. In committee, the oil companies told us that they needed public funding because they do not have the means to pay for their own investments. Does the member for Winnipeg North agree with the oil companies' assertion that they are too poor to make their own investments and they need money? In my opinion, that money should be invested in health and in seniors.

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux

May/17/22 3:37:09 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, there are many different industries in which the Government of Canada invests. We want to see the advancement of technologies that are going to create the good, solid middle-class jobs going into the future. Whether it is jobs through green transition or jobs—

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

May/17/22 3:37:31 p.m.
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Order. Is there a problem with the interpretation? Mr. Jean‑Denis Garon: Madam Speaker, I would like to raise the fact that my colleague is not answering the question. He spouted nonsense. The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes): Since that is not a point of order I would ask the members to listen to the response. The hon. parliamentary secretary has time for a brief response.

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux

May/17/22 3:37:58 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the point is that we have a government that is prepared to invest in technology, to work with both private and public sectors, and to ensure that we can create the types of jobs Canadians want to see for the future. Green transition is of critical importance. We say that, and we believe in it, and that is why we have invested literally hundreds of millions, going into the billions, of dollars. It is because that is where the future jobs, in good part, are going to be.

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Ms. Arielle Kayabaga (London West, Lib.)

May/17/22 3:38:37 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity to take part in today's debate— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

May/17/22 3:38:47 p.m.
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There is an individual whom I have recognized and who has the floor, yet we still have other individuals who wish to have conversations. I would ask them to take those conversations out of the chamber, or if they are just reacting, maybe they would like to leave and come back when they have composed themselves. The hon. member for London West.

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Ms. Arielle Kayabaga

May/17/22 3:39:08 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased that my colleagues are so excited to see me rising in the House. I will start again. I appreciate the opportunity to take part in today's debate. Our government fully understands the importance of phasing out or rationalizing inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. We take Canada's G20 commitment to do so very seriously. More importantly, we have already made important progress toward achieving this goal. This includes action we have taken to phase out or rationalize tax measures providing preferential tax treatment to the fossil fuel sector. Taking into account the phasing out of flow-through shares for oil, gas and coal activities in 2023, which was just announced in budget 2022, nine inefficient fossil fuel subsidies will have been phased out or rationalized by this government. This includes the phase-out of the accelerated capital cost allowance for oil sands, announced in budget 2007 and completed in 2015; the reduction in the deduction rates for intangible capital expenses in oil sands projects to align with rates in the conventional oil and gas sector, announced in 2011 and completed in 2016; the phase-out of the Atlantic investment tax credit for investment in the oil and gas and mining sectors, announced in 2012 and completed in 2017; the reduction in the deduction rate for pre-production intangible mine development expenses to align with the rate for the oil and gas sector, announced in budget 2013 and completed in 2018; the phase-out of the accelerated capital cost allowance for mining, announced in budget 2013 and completed in 2021; allowing the accelerated capital cost allowance for liquefied natural gas facilities to expire as scheduled in 2025, announced in 2016; the rationalization of the tax treatment of expenses for successful oil and gas exploratory drilling, announced in 2017 and completed in 2021; and the phase-out of the tax preference that allows small oil and gas companies to reclassify certain development expenses as more favourably treated exploration expenses, announced in 2017 and completed in 2020. To support its efforts to phase out or rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, Canada committed to undergo a peer review of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies under the G20 process. Once the process is completed, the results will be communicated in a very transparent and timely manner. Canada will continue to review its measures that could be considered inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, with a view to reforming them as necessary. We have been taking effective action to help Canadians with the high cost of living, and we continue to support Canadians struggling with the high cost of living, as called for in today's motion. Our government understands that Canadians are being hit by rising prices. We are also taking effective action to meaningfully support them so they can deal with this challenge. For example, we are investing in cutting taxes for the middle class while raising them on the wealthiest 1%. We continue to increase support for families and low-income workers through programs such as the Canada child benefit and the Canada workers benefit. Thanks to the CCB, nine out of 10 Canadian families have more money to help them with the cost of caring for their children than they did with previous benefits. Our expanded Canada workers benefit will support an estimated one million additional Canadians, which could mean $1,000 more per year for a full-time minimum-wage worker. Our financial support for Canadians does not stop there. In budget 2021, our government laid out an ambitious plan to provide Canadian parents with an average of $10-a-day regulated child care spaces for children under six years old. In less than one year, we have reached agreements with all provinces and territories. This means that, by the end of this year, families across Canada will have seen their child care fees reduced by an average of 50%, which is an average of $6,000 in savings per child for families in British Columbia and Ontario. These are not savings that will appear in five or 10 years; these are savings that will occur by the end of December. By 2025-26, our plan will mean an average child care fee of $10 a day for all regulated child care spaces across Canada, meaning thousands of dollars in savings for families across Canada. To support vulnerable Canadians at the other end of the demographic spectrum, we have also increased the guaranteed income supplement to top up the benefit for low-income single seniors and enhanced the GIS earnings exemption. We are also increasing old age security for Canadians aged 75 and older in July of this year. This 10% increase would provide about $800 in additional benefits to full pensioners over the first year. About 3.3 million seniors would benefit from this and no action will be required on their part. They would automatically receive the payment if they are eligible. This is the first permanent increase of old age security pensions since 1973, other than just adjustments due to inflation. To protect Canadians from the impact of inflation, the government indexes the Canada child benefit to inflation, as well as the Canada pension plan, old age security, the guaranteed income supplement, the goods and services tax credit and other benefits for the most vulnerable people. To further help make life more affordable for Canadians, we have also increased the basic personal amount, BPA, that Canadians can earn before paying any federal income tax. To ensure this support is targeted to the middle class, the benefits of the increased BPA are phased out for high-income taxpayers. When this measure is fully implemented next year, single individuals will pay $300 less in tax each year and families will pay $600 less. Our government is also returning the direct proceeds from the federal carbon pollution pricing system to their province or territory of origin, with most of these proceeds going to families in those jurisdictions. In fact, in jurisdictions that do not have their own pricing system consistent with the federal benchmark criteria, which is to say Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, approximately 90% of direct proceeds from the fuel charge are being returned to the residents of these provinces through climate action incentive payments. Between 2022 and 2023, a family of four would receive $745 in Ontario, $832 in Manitoba, $1,101 in Saskatchewan and $1,079 in Alberta. In addition, families in rural and small communities are eligible to receive an extra 10%. The reality is that, as a result of these CAI payments, most households are getting back more than they paid in increased costs they faced from the federal carbon pollution pricing system. What is more, the remaining fuel charge proceeds are being used to support small businesses, farmers, indigenous communities and other organizations. Going forward, the federal carbon price will continue to be revenue-neutral for the Government of Canada. At the same time, we are also ensuring that taxes are appropriate and fair. Our government knows that those who can afford to buy expensive cars, planes and boats can also afford to pay a bit more, and Canadians agree. Our government campaigned on this promise in 2019 and 2021 and was elected to enact this. To that end, we are also following through on our commitment to introduce a tax on the sale of new luxury cars and aircraft with a retail sale price of over $100,000 and on new boats over $250,000. The revenues raised by this tax can be used to offset costs for Canadians and invest in a strong economic recovery that supports their highest priorities. Another example of our government's commitment to tax fairness is our proposed tax for non-resident-owned, non-Canadian-owned residential real estate that is considered to be vacant or underused, which would become effective as of January 1, 2022. While this tax would not be paid by individual Canadian homeowners, it would definitely benefit Canadian families. That is because the recent and rapid rise in housing prices has made finding an affordable place to call home increasingly difficult. The underused housing tax would help support investments in housing affordability so that all Canadians can have a safe and affordable place to call home. Our recent federal budget introduced what may be the most ambitious plan to build new housing that Canada has ever seen, putting Canada on the path to double the number of new homes we build over the next 10 years. These—

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

May/17/22 3:49:04 p.m.
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I am sorry. The hon. member's time is up. I have been trying to give her some signals, but she was quite into her speech and I can understand that this is a very important issue. Questions and comments, the hon. member for Cowichan—Malahat—Langford.

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Mr. Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, NDP)

May/17/22 3:49:35 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, families in Cowichan—Malahat—Langford right now, when they are filling up their vehicles, are looking at those eye-watering prices, and then they read the news and hear about the billions of dollars of profits that oil companies are making. Then, to add insult to injury, they learn that their hard-earned taxpayer dollars are directly subsidizing those companies, especially in unproven technology. I have a very clear question for my hon. colleague: Does she not agree that this is precisely the wrong time to continue subsidizing oil companies, not only because of the climate danger, but because of the pressure that working families are feeling? Is it not time to directly invest those dollars, instead, into the pockets of working families to help them out and give them a break? I want to hear a clear answer from my Liberal colleague on putting that money directly into working families' pockets through an increase in the GST credit.

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Ms. Arielle Kayabaga

May/17/22 3:50:31 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question from my colleague across the aisle. I believe that our government has been working to invest in making life more affordable for Canadians. There are a number of measures that we put in budget 2022 to make sure that families are able to afford life. There are things that we are working through right now, after the pandemic, but we are taking strong measures to have a green recovery, to invest in child care, to invest in families, to invest in young Canadians being able to afford homes. I understand that gas prices have been frustrating, as the member on the other side mentioned, but the important part is that we are committed to making sure that life is more affordable for Canadians and we have taken measures to do so.

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Mr. Ted Falk (Provencher, CPC)

May/17/22 3:51:45 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the member from London West made the comment that most Canadian families are getting a bigger carbon tax credit than the carbon tax they would incur throughout the year. I would suggest that a lot of the carbon tax that families are going to be incurring throughout the year is now hidden in the cost of goods and services and we can see that, whether it is on the grocery shelves, in the lumber stores or in retail shops. Can the member explain to us exactly why she thinks that the average Canadian family will actually receive more back than it is costing them? The costs will certainly be hidden.

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Ms. Arielle Kayabaga

May/17/22 3:52:31 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I find that question very interesting, because I did mention the numbers and the amount of money that we are going to be putting in the pockets of single people and families to make sure that Canadians are getting the money from this tax back. Once again, I just want to reiterate that budget 2022's main goal and primary driver is to make life more affordable for Canadians, and we are doing that.

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Ms. Monique Pauzé (Repentigny, BQ)

May/17/22 3:53:02 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to point out that Canada subsidizes the oil and gas sector more heavily than any other G20 country. The member talked a lot about subsidies for families, but I would like to talk about subsidies for oil companies. She spoke about the carbon tax. On one hand, the government is taxing carbon, taxing pollution, but then on the other hand, it is subsidizing the polluters. Does she not find that somewhat illogical?

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Ms. Arielle Kayabaga

May/17/22 3:53:31 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, once again, I want to reiterate that our government is committed to reducing fossil fuel subsidies. At COP26, we reiterated our commitment to phase out Canada's fossil fuel subsidies by 2023, two years earlier than originally planned. We continue to do that and we continue to do all that we can to have a green recovery for all Canadians.

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Mr. Jagmeet Singh (Burnaby South, NDP)

May/17/22 3:54:11 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with my hon. colleague, the member for Vancouver East. We put forward this motion for a number of reasons. I want to lay out, first of all, the context. In our country right now, Canadians are paying over $2 a litre for gas. That means that families are being hurt. Families have been isolated because of this pandemic and have not been able to visit their close ones, and now, when they finally have the opportunity, they are considering cancelling road trips to visit dear family members because they simply cannot afford it. What makes it even more offensive is that oil and gas companies are posting massive profits, in some cases record profits. Imperial Oil is experiencing the highest profits it has enjoyed in 30 years. In light of that, what adds insult to injury is that the Liberal government continues to hand out billions of dollars in subsidies to these very profitable oil and gas companies. That is wrong. Gasoline costs more than $2 a litre in much of the country. People are struggling, and it is getting harder and harder to make ends meet. At the same time, these oil companies are making huge profits, record profits in some cases. It gets worse. The Liberal government continues to throw billions of dollars in subsidies at these companies. People are struggling, while big oil is making record profits. That is unacceptable, and we are saying that we can do things differently and fix this problem. Any time the cost of everything goes up, it hurts families, but there are also winners. While families are hurt as the cost of living goes up, inflation rises and gas rises, oil and gas companies are benefiting from this moment. The sad thing is that the only solutions ever proposed in times when there is inflation are measures that make things even worse for families, increasing interest rates, which only further squeezes families that are already so hurt. Why is it that the only response in difficult times is to put more pressure and burden on the families and workers who are already struggling? The New Democrats contend that to deal with the rising cost of living, to deal with the cost of goods going up and to deal with inflation, we have to find a solution that does not follow the traditional path of putting more burden on families. We have to find a solution that helps families, does not put the burden on them, lifts them up and provides them with support. Whenever the cost of living rises, there are winners and there are losers. Families lose because the cost of living goes up and it gets harder and harder to make ends meet. Oil companies win because they rake in huge, record profits. The only solutions proposed, traditionally, actually make things worse for workers and families. New Democrats believe profoundly that we need solutions that help workers and families, and that is exactly what we are going to put forward. I want to be very clear. Whenever the cost of living rises and inflation rises, there are winners and there are losers. Families are hurt, workers are hurt and people who are precariously employed are hurt, but the oil and gas companies are benefiting. They are winning. They are making more and more profit, and the only solutions proposed, traditionally, are solutions that put further and further weight and burden on the shoulders of families. That has to end. The New Democrats believe profoundly that we need solutions to deal with the cost of living and inflation that actually support families, help workers and lift people up. People across this country are paying hundreds of dollars more in their costs, and oil and gas companies are enjoying record profits. On top of that, they are receiving billions of dollars of public money, which is our money. Our solution is to stop subsidizing already profitable companies, end those subsidies and invest that money back into people by doubling the GST tax credit, increasing the child benefit and supporting families that need help the most. While oil and gas companies make massive profits as the cost of oil rises and enjoy profits they have never seen in 30 years, the New Democrats are calling on the government to end fossil fuel subsidies and use that public money to invest in people, to support families and to invest in renewable energy. That is the way forward. Right now, families are struggling. They are spending hundreds of dollars more because the cost of living and the cost of gas have gone up. New Democrats want to end fossil fuel subsidies and invest that money to help families. We want to double the GST tax credit, increase the Canada child benefit and invest in renewable energy in our country. That is what we see as the way forward, a way that will do more to help people. Families are struggling at the pumps with the cost of gas going up. At the same time, families are struggling with worry about the climate crisis. We have seen the impact in our lives in B.C., with intense flooding and intense record-setting temperatures, the cost of which was a loss of lives. We see flooding and forest fires across the country. We know that the impact of the climate crisis is real and it is now, and instead of giving public money to these profitable oil and gas companies, we must end those subsidies and use that public money to fight the climate crisis, invest in renewable energy, support workers who are hurt by the climate crisis and help families that are struggling with the cost of living. While the Liberals talk about ending fossil fuel subsidies, their actions are very different. Instead of ending fossil fuel subsidies in this budget, they have increased them by $2.6 billion for a carbon capture tax credit, which we are not very certain is actually going to help in tackling the climate crisis. Either way, we should force profitable companies to do the right thing, be environmentally conscious and make the right decisions to protect our planet and our environment. We should also be spending public money on sectors that need more support, such as the renewable energy sector, so that we can have renewable energy in our country and good jobs that are long-lasting. At the end of the day, politics is about choices. The choices we make reflect the priorities we have. It is clear that the Liberal government's priority is protecting the profits of billion-dollar oil and gas companies. It continues to give them billions of dollars more in public money instead of standing up for workers, families and people struggling with the cost of living. The New Democrats would make different choices. Our choice would be to end the billions of dollars in public money flowing to profitable companies and use those financial resources to help families and people and invest in renewable energy. There are better choices we can make, and the New Democrats are outlining those better decisions.

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Mr. Patrick Weiler (West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, Lib.)

May/17/22 4:03:59 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, Canada has made the ambitious target of reducing emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40%, relative to current levels, by 2030, and is in the process right now of developing regulations to cap emissions and have them steadily reduced to net zero by 2050. I think we would all agree on the need to reduce emissions, but as we develop more stringent regulations, there is a risk that jobs and investment could move to countries that have less stringent regulations but have deposits of energy. Would the member for Burnaby South want Canada to work with industry to reduce emissions and keep jobs in Canada, or would he rather that emissions be eliminated in Canada simply by eliminating production and we move them to another country?

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