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Sep/20/22 3:08:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada is the fifth largest natural gas producer, but does not export any LNG. The world wants Canadian LNG, but the Liberal gatekeepers killed 16 projects, 100,000 jobs and forced Canada to import. What is worse is that after the Prime Minister's snub, Germany may do a deal with Saudi Arabia instead. Canada could be the sixth largest LNG exporter if all the projects were built and replace all Russian LNG to Europe, Japan and South Korea. Why do the Liberals always export Canadian paycheques and projects to foreign dictators?

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Ms. Julie Dabrusin (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.)

Sep/20/22 3:08:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last month, we welcomed the German chancellor to Canada. What are we exporting? Hydrogen and critical minerals. What are we creating right here at home? Well-paying, sustainable jobs. We had conversations with the chancellor. We responded to what they need, and we will be there to support our allies while supporting Canadian jobs.

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Mr. Michael Coteau (Don Valley East, Lib.)

Sep/20/22 3:09:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Don Valley East, many people are struggling with increased rent and housing costs, especially families, working individuals and the most vulnerable. There is no question that more help is needed and that our government must continue to act. Could the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion please tell the House— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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Mr. Michael Coteau

Sep/20/22 3:10:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Don Valley East, many people are struggling with increased rent and housing costs, especially families, working individuals and the most vulnerable. There is no question that help is needed and that our government must continue to act. Could the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion please tell the House what new measures our government is putting in place to help families through this difficult time?

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The Speaker

Sep/20/22 3:10:02 p.m.
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I am sure the minister wants to hear the question. I could not hear it. I will ask the hon. member to start from the top.

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Hon. Ahmed Hussen (Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, Lib.)

Sep/20/22 3:10:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that it is getting harder for many Canadians to afford the increased rent. That is why today we introduced legislation to provide a $500 federal top-up to the Canada housing benefit. This will help 1.8 million low-income Canadians and will be on top of the already existing $2,500, on average, from the Canada housing benefit. On this side of the House, we will always have the backs of Canadian renters.

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Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Sep/20/22 3:10:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this summer, 21 families a day buried their loved ones because of the toxic drug crisis. This is devastating but was foreseeable. The Public Health Agency of Canada warned that this crisis could continue to get worse. This is just weeks after the Liberals and the Conservatives both voted against an NDP bill to create a national health-based strategy. Instead of supporting real solutions, the Liberals' inaction has cost lives. When will the Liberals fix their mistakes by creating a national health-based strategy to fight this crisis?

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Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos (Minister of Health, Lib.)

Sep/20/22 3:11:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are obviously devastated by the news every day of so many Canadians dying of mental health issues, issues that can be cared for and prevented for the reasons and example the member just gave. We are investing, and very mindful of the need to invest, in the mental health of Canadians. My colleague, the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, is working very hard on that. She has announced many measures and more will come.

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Ms. Laurel Collins (Victoria, NDP)

Sep/20/22 3:11:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Scott Graham, a senior from my riding, is missing. He was last seen in Spain at the Canadian embassy visibly injured and without life-saving medication. His daughters feel like they have been left to investigate on their own. Scott reached out for help, but Canada's system to support people in an emergency failed. When Canadians go to their embassy, they expect to get help. When loved ones go missing abroad, they expect real action for families. What is the minister doing to support the family while making sure this never happens again?

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Hon. Robert Oliphant (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lib.)

Sep/20/22 3:12:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the hon. member that we are very concerned for the well-being of Mr. Graham. Consular officials, both here in Ottawa and in Spain, have taken this very seriously and will continue to advise us as we continue to search for information about his well-being. We will be in contact with his friends and family as well. The minister has asked for a complete understanding of how the department and the embassy have dealt with this situation, and we are happy to report back to the House at a later day.

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The Speaker

Sep/20/22 3:13:15 p.m.
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I wish to draw the attention of members to the 30th anniversary of CPAC, the Cable Public Affairs Channel. CPAC has been broadcasting the debates of the House, gavel to gavel, for three decades. CPAC was originally created in 1992 by a consortium of 27 Canadian cable companies. Its primary mandate was to broadcast the proceedings of the House of Commons to millions of homes with cable, at no cost to taxpayers. Since then, CPAC has expanded to provide continued unfiltered coverage of House of Commons proceedings and parliamentary committees, as well as a multitude of other public affairs activities across the country. Despite the rapidly advancing forms of social and digital communications, CPAC continues to play a key role in keeping our fellow citizens informed about the business of Parliament. CPAC has worked in close partnership with us to ensure that Canadians have a front-row view into the very heart of our democracy. CPAC has come to play such a significant role in Canadian political life that it is truly hard to imagine that such an essential service did not always exist. Today we welcome to the gallery the members of CPAC's board of directors. On behalf of all members of Parliament, I would like to thank them for their invaluable contribution to the Canadian democratic process.

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Mr. Jake Stewart

Sep/20/22 3:15:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Today, in question period, the leader of the official opposition, the member for Thornhill and others cited a March 2022 report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer that shows the carbon tax will be a net cost of $1,461 to Ontario households, $1,145 to households in Manitoba—

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The Speaker

Sep/20/22 3:16:09 p.m.
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I will have to interrupt. I am afraid this is more debate than a point of order. I am sure that if the member checks things out and finds something that is a point of order, he can bring it back tomorrow.

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)

Sep/20/22 3:17:03 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-22

Mr. Speaker, just prior to question period, I talked about what the Prime Minister and members of the Liberal caucus talk a great deal about, and that is moving forward, as we have in the past, and putting an emphasis on Canada's middle class, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that we have an economy that is working for all Canadians. That is something we take very seriously. When we take a look at Bill C-22 and we get an understanding of the real purpose behind it, the principle, as I see it, is to ensure that all Canadians have a better, more equal opportunity to participate. This legislation would enhance the disposable income for literally tens of thousands of people with disabilities from coast to coast to coast. Members should not be surprised at the progressive nature of this legislation. As a government we have demonstrated, virtually from 2015, that we are committed to supporting Canadians who need that additional support. I can recall when we first talked, in 2015, about increasing the GIS for the poorest of all seniors. I made reference before question period to the hundreds of individuals in Winnipeg North who were lifted out of poverty as a direct result of the increase to the GIS. Earlier I made reference to the hundreds of kids in Winnipeg North who were lifted out of poverty because of changes and enhancements we made, and because we brought in the Canada child benefit program. Once again, we are seeing another progressive piece of legislation that will lift tens of thousands of people with disabilities out of poverty. This is the type of government that has made a difference in a very real and tangible way, ensuring that the disposable income of people in many different areas, in all different regions of our country, would be increased. That makes our economy healthier. It will increase and improve the quality of life for people who need it in a very real and tangible way. The legislation itself will set the framework for a national program. Part of that program means that we have to work with the different provincial entities out there. Depending on the province, we could find a patchwork of sorts. There may be disability credits in some areas, possibly. There may be support programs in other areas. As the minister indicated when introducing the bill, we want to make sure that the money we are giving to people with disabilities today is not going to be clawed back in other types of provincial or territorial supports. This should be top-off money. That is something that would require a great deal of effort, an effort we have demonstrated to Canadians we can be very successful in. One need only take a look at the child care program, the first-ever national child care program, on which we were able to achieve agreements with all of the provinces and territories. It is that same sort of worth ethic, working with Canadians and working with other jurisdictions, that will enable us to create the first-ever national disability program, arguably what could be the first such national program in the world. This is a wonderful opportunity for members to be very clear in supporting the legislation. Let us see this bill go to committee, come back and ultimately become law.

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Mr. Adam Chambers (Simcoe North, CPC)

Sep/20/22 3:22:09 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-22

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the member's intervention. I hope he took a break over the summer and was not here speaking the whole time. It is not surprising to hear his voice again in this chamber. My question is relatively simple. The member claims, as do many other members of his party, that this would help hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty, which may be true. Has the Department of Finance booked any amounts of money for this program, or do we still not know how much the program is going to cost?

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux

Sep/20/22 3:22:44 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-22

Madam Speaker, as I indicated, the legislation establishes the framework. There are budgetary measures, no doubt, and discussions that will have taken place between the different departments. However, one of the things that needs to be highlighted is the fact that there are so many variances from coast to coast to coast because of other provincial and territorial programs, and that at the end of the day we are going to have these negotiations to ensure that there is a sense of equity and fairness, no matter where people live in Canada. The ultimate goal is lifting people who have disabilities out of poverty. This legislation is a great step, a historic step forward in that direction.

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Ms. Andréanne Larouche (Shefford, BQ)

Sep/20/22 3:23:45 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-22

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Winnipeg-North for his speech. I am going to need some clarification. I was speaking just this morning with Marie‑Christine Hon of the Dynamique des handicapés de Granby et région. She has been working with people with disabilities for a long time. She knows her stuff. She explained to me that she has looked at the bill. As much as she has read it over and over again, some questions still remain in her mind. Far too many things are left undefined in the bill. As my colleague from Thérèse-De Blainville so aptly said this morning, the devil is in the details, and they are not there in the bill. I would therefore appreciate it if my colleague could enlighten me on that.

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux

Sep/20/22 3:24:30 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-22

Madam Speaker, I do not believe that one can provide the kinds of details that members of the opposition have been requesting in the last number of hours for this legislation. They will come in the form of regulations and in the form of negotiations between the provinces. What is important here is that every member of the House of Commons, whether from the Bloc, Conservative, NDP or Green, should be recognizing the principle of this bill by supporting and voting in favour of the legislation. By doing that, they are sending a very powerful message to all Canadians in all regions of this country that the desire of the House of Commons is to financially support people with disabilities in Canada. That is what this legislation would do, and we can all take great pride in supporting it.

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Ms. Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre, NDP)

Sep/20/22 3:25:31 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-22

Madam Speaker, I welcome any support that lifts persons with disability out of poverty. However, the Liberals have had seven years to put it in place. There are no protections in this bill to ensure that it would lift anybody out of poverty. I put forward a bill in support of a guaranteed livable basic income, Bill C-223, supported by disability groups and organizations through the country, which would lift people out of poverty in addition to current and future government programs and support. I wonder if my colleague is so committed to really lifting persons with disabilities out of poverty and if he will be supporting my private member's bill, Bill C-223, a framework to implement a guaranteed livable basic income.

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux

Sep/20/22 3:26:31 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-22

Madam Speaker, I will, in fact, review the member's bill. However, it is important to recognize that in Manitoba we have actually seen some movement from the province toward an income support program for people with disabilities. This is why I say it is so critically important. It is an opportune time to start looking at what other provinces have and to look for willing provinces with whom to sit down and try to negotiate. I would like to say that Manitoba could potentially be the first province to have an agreement dealing with this legislation and some of the measures that the Province of Manitoba is taking. Hopefully all provinces and territories will be able to come on board, and that is why it is so critically important and why this legislation is timely. Let us get the job done by seeing it ultimately pass through the House.

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