44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 20, 2022 10:00AM
- Sep/20/22 2:44:13 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, what will it take for the minister to make serious reforms to EI?
Workers' groups have been consulted. There have been two consultations, so the problems and solutions have been identified.
The minister has a mandate, so what more will it take? Why is she abandoning workers?
49 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:44:39 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to remind everybody in the House of our commitment to extend EI sickness benefits from 15 to 26 weeks. That will be in place by the end of the year. By the end of this year, workers will have access to 26 weeks of EI sickness benefits.
56 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:45:06 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, energy poverty in Atlantic Canada is at nearly 40%, the highest in the country. Newfoundland and Labrador's Liberal premier is begging the Prime Minister not to put a carbon tax on home heating fuel, which will drive up heating costs by 20%. Winter is coming. Seniors will need to choose between food on the table or a warm home.
Will the government pledge to cancel its planned tax hikes on my province's workers and seniors today?
80 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:45:38 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, our government understands the affordability concerns faced by Atlantic Canadians, which is why the federal system is designed to put money back into the pockets of families. If the federal system is applied in the provinces of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, we will ensure they receive the climate action incentive payments via quarterly cheques, which will be in the mail in October.
We remain committed to working in a collaborative and productive way with provincial counterparts to fight climate change while making life more affordable for Canadian families.
90 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:46:14 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, Cory from Gander, and many more like him, are not too impressed with that answer. Does the minister get it? Last year, Cory spent $4,000 on oil to heat his home. The Liberal carbon tax will add $700 to his annual heating bill. Cory considers himself middle class, but with these inflationary tax increases he is worried about paying his bills.
I again ask this on behalf of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, many of whom voted for the current Prime Minister: Will he choose not to hurt them and cancel these planned tax hikes?
96 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:46:57 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we hear Canadians in Atlantic Canada and the issues they have raised with respect to the cost of oil heating, which is why just last week we announced a special program for Atlantic Canada in particular to help them transition from oil to renewable energies and have cleaner, cheaper ways to heat their homes. We are there to support Canadians. We are there to support Atlantic Canadians.
69 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:47:25 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not know that the program only covers 3% of the people in Atlantic Canada. What are the other 97% supposed to do? Nova Scotia has surpassed the 2030 carbon reduction emission targets and will reach net zero by 2050 without a carbon tax. Nova Scotia is getting results with technology, not taxes. Why let outcomes drive the government's policy when it can increase taxes? The carbon tax will add 14¢ more a litre to home heating fuel when 40% of Atlantic Canadians are experiencing energy poverty.
Will the Liberals listen to Premier Houston, implement his plan and commit to not imposing the ineffective carbon tax?
112 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:48:16 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we have been there consistently to support Canadians as we transition to more affordable forms of energy for our homes. As I mentioned, just last week we announced a program that highlights supports for Atlantic Canada. More than that, we are working with the provinces, including Nova Scotia and those in Atlantic Canada, on ways we can provide affordable clean energy. We are there. We will continue working with our provinces, including Atlantic Canada specifically. We are focused on that.
82 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:48:50 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, obviously the motto of the current government is fighting affordability. The Atlantic premiers are not being listened to. They are beating the government's targets, but it will not listen. Why will the current government not listen? Is it because it just wants more tax revenue and more money in the bank to spend on useless programs? When will it commit to not increasing taxes?
67 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:49:21 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member will not believe me, perhaps he will believe the Parliamentary Budget Officer, or perhaps he will believe the commissioner on environment and sustainable development. The reality is that the price on pollution puts more money into people's pockets. Eight out of 10 families will receive more than they pay in through the climate action incentive—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
68 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:49:43 p.m.
- Watch
I will have to interrupt the hon. parliamentary secretary. There are some folks close to my left ear, and I am having a hard time hearing. I am going to ask the member to start from the top please, so that I can hear the whole answer.
47 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:49:57 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I was just repeating what I said before. Eight out of 10 families will be better off. We are fighting climate change. We are delivering on affordability in so many ways, as our Minister of Tourism has highlighted many times today.
Surely the Conservative Party does not want to take money out of people's pockets. Once again, a family of four will receive $745 in Ontario, $830 in Manitoba and about $1,100 in Saskatchewan. That is real money that is going to help with affordability.
89 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:50:40 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, this Liberal government will change the rules for EI, making it harder for workers to get the benefits that they have earned.
Canadian workers are caught between a rock and a hard place. On one side we have the Liberals punishing workers by cutting EI and keeping their wages at rock bottom, and on the other side we have Conservatives intent on abandoning workers altogether who are hardest hit by this economy. At a time when workers are struggling with the rising cost of living, this Liberal government is choosing to make them suffer more.
Will this Liberal government immediately stop the changes to EI and finally fix the broken system?
115 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:51:24 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, as our COVID pandemic economic measures wind down, I can assure everyone in this House that we continue to support workers and we continue to be there for workers. We are working very hard to modernize the EI system. EI for sickness will be in place up to 26 weeks by the end of this year.
I would also remind everyone here that we have recovered 113% of the jobs lost during the pandemic. We have an incredibly low unemployment rate. Our economic rebound has been incredibly extraordinary given everything this world is going through at this time.
100 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:52:01 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, people are struggling with the rising cost of living. Things are getting harder. Instead of helping, the Liberals are clawing back the Canada child benefit. Who will be hit the hardest? It is single mothers struggling to make ends meet. This is cruel. Families need more support to pay rent and feed their children, not less.
Will the Liberals reverse these clawbacks and ensure that families who received pandemic supports are not unfairly penalized?
76 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:52:40 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we understand the high cost of living. In fact, when we came into office in 2015, we got rid of the universal child care benefit that the Conservatives were sending to millionaires and instead brought in the Canada child benefit that can provide up to almost $7,000 a year for children under the age of six for the lowest-income families. In fact, we raised the Canada child benefit this summer, indexed to inflation, because we understand how much families rely on this money to make sure they can give their children what they need.
We have been there for families and we will keep being there.
110 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:53:15 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, last week, the government announced the doubling of the GST credit as one of the measures to help vulnerable Canadians fight inflation.
Can the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance tell us more about this support measure?
41 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:53:38 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, just last week we announced the doubling of the GST tax credit and we tabled that legislation today.
What does it mean? We are talking about a single mom with one child and $30,000 of net income getting $1,160 through that credit. A single senior with $20,000 in net income will get $701. A couple with two children with $35,000 in take-home pay will get $1,401. That is real money in the pockets of real Canadians. That is responsible leadership.
88 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:54:15 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, Canadians should feel confident that when they work hard, they will have a roof over their heads and food on their tables, but under this NDP-Liberal government, Canadians are working harder and harder but falling farther and farther behind. This government's uncontrolled spending is driving up the cost of living, and increased taxes like the failed carbon tax is diving deeper and deeper into their pockets.
When will this NDP-Liberal government stop driving up costs and cutting the paycheques of Canadians?
86 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/20/22 2:54:49 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the supports that we have announced today are targeted to the Canadians who need it the most, vulnerable Canadians who need this help.
I will share with the House some information from Lindsay Tedds, an economist at the University of Calgary, who has said very clearly that this is targeted to low-income individuals who are probably the ones unable to dip into savings or other things to pay for these increased costs. It is unlikely to increase inflation.
The Conservatives are going to deflect and distract. We are going to keep delivering for Canadians. That is responsible leadership.
101 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
