44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 27, 2022 10:00AM
- Sep/27/22 2:22:48 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is never the right time to raise taxes on the working poor, yet that is exactly what the minister admits she will do. She admits that raising the EI premiums, the EI payroll taxes, will take $2.5 billion extra out of the hands of Canadian workers, and not to fund EI. She also admits through her own public filings that the government will take $10 billion more in EI taxes than it will pay out in benefits, money the Prime Minister will raid from the account and spend however he likes.
Will the Prime Minister get his hands off the EI fund and the paycheques of our workers?
112 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:23:29 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the EI contribution rate today is $1.58. Next year, it will go up to $1.63. Both of those rates are lower than the EI contribution rate was in every single year when Stephen Harper was prime minister, yet the new Conservative leader, who was actually the employment minister during those years, now wants to slash our contributions.
Who do the Conservatives think was the better economic manager: Prime Minister Harper or their new leader?
78 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:24:07 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we were terrific economic managers together, and we will be again. I am just getting a little practice on answering questions. We will be doing more of it when we are in government soon.
EI payments have gone up for the average $60,000-a-year worker, from $930 when I was the minister to $948 now. That is a small increase, but the big $2.5-billion tax increase is just ahead. The minister admits the money will not even go to EI; it will go to government spending.
Why will the Liberals not get their hands off the EI fund and the paycheques of our workers?
110 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:24:48 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, a Canadian earning $49,500 a year paid $931 in EI premiums. Next year, that same Canadian will pay $807. That is nearly $125 less than she paid when the Conservative leader was the minister in charge.
Yet again, Canadians really need to understand this: Whose policies do the Conservatives support: Stephen Harper's or their new leader's?
63 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:25:27 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is both. The total payroll tax of a $60,000-a-year earner went from $3,400 under the previous Conservative government to $4,168 today. The reality is that none of that was necessary and the Liberals want to use the money for anything but EI.
On top of that, now they plan to triple the carbon tax, raising gas, heat and grocery costs and killing jobs for many people in many sectors. Their policy is paycheques down and costs up, and in fairness they are succeeding at both.
Will they stop that policy and cancel their tax hikes?
103 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:26:08 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I have already explained that Canadians earning around $50,000 a year next year will pay $125 less in EI premiums. However, now I want the Conservatives to come clean on what they want to do to our pensions. Their proposal is an irresponsible scheme to eviscerate our pensions. As Rob Carrick pointed out, “Canada Pension Plan premiums are not a tax” and “the CPP is the bedrock of a Canadian retirement plan”.
The Conservatives want to undermine all of our pensions, but we will not let them.
94 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:26:49 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, that is absolutely false. The Conservatives protected the CPP, increased benefits for seniors every single year we were in office and did it without any tax increases at all. We can do that again. Everybody agrees that we should keep contributing. Nobody agrees that we have to hike taxes on workers to do it.
To get back to the carbon tax, the Liberals want to triple this tax on groceries, gas and heat at a time when Canadians can barely afford to pay their bills. They want to add 40¢ a litre to gas taxes right now with 40-year-high inflation.
Will the government cancel this tax on Canadian energy?
114 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:27:31 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, let us get serious. Canadians know that the Conservative leader does not have a serious climate plan, and that means he does not have a serious economic plan. The economic reality is that our most important trading partners, the U.S., the EU, our customers and our markets are all taking aggressive climate action. Canada cannot afford to fall behind. Our economy cannot afford it.
67 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:28:07 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the CBC reports that the federal government is transforming Roxham Road into a permanent crossing and that this has already cost more than $500 million. The federal government has signed contracts up until at least 2027 for hotels, land and trailer leases, for goodness' sake.
All this will stay until at least 2027. That is why they are not suspending the safe third country agreement. That is why they are not cracking down on criminal smugglers. They want it to last.
Who does it benefit to make the crossing at Roxham Road permanent?
96 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:28:42 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we believe in the strength of our asylum and immigration systems. We are working closely with stakeholders on the border situation.
We are working with our U.S. counterparts on issues related to our shared border, including the safe third country agreement. We will always work closely with all of our partners.
54 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:29:22 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, let me explain who benefits from making Roxham Road permanent.
It benefits the smugglers who traffic people. It benefits the criminals who see the families' desperation and figure there is money to be made. It benefits Liberal donors who get all kinds of contracts from this government.
They are laughing. They know that Roxham Road will stay open for the next five years. It may never close. Thanks to the federal government, they can turn their little racket into a thriving economic sector.
Why is the government drumming up business for criminals instead of thinking about what the migrants need and closing Roxham Road permanently?
107 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:30:00 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate that we believe in the strength of our asylum and immigration systems, and that we are working with our U.S. counterparts on all issues related to our shared border, including the safe third country agreement.
I want to say to our colleagues in the Bloc that we can and must work together on immigration because it is an economic issue for Quebec and all of Canada.
73 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:30:40 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I spoke with Mayor Savage from Halifax earlier today about the devastation of hurricane Fiona impacting the Atlantic region. So many people lost power and so many people lost cell service. In fact, many people lost cell service because telecommunication companies are not putting in place the right infrastructure to be prepared for extreme weather.
When will the government force those companies, which are fully regulated by the federal government, to put in place the necessary infrastructure so that families do not get disconnected ever again?
88 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:31:16 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, let me start by saying directly to every single Canadian who has been hard hit by Fiona that we are with them and we will be with them to the end, until we finish rebuilding their homes and their communities. The Canadian Armed Forces are on the ground in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
When it comes to cell service, that is absolutely a priority for Canadians, in good times and during disasters. That is why we are working hard with cellphone companies to ensure they give Canadians the service they need.
96 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:31:56 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, because of the climate crisis, extreme climate events are becoming more common. The experts are clear: If telecommunications companies do not build solid infrastructure, people will continue to lose their cell service.
When will this government force these businesses to do what it takes to prevent people from losing their cell service in future?
56 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:32:26 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by telling all Canadians affected by hurricane Fiona that, as a government, we are doing everything we can to ensure that everyone affected by the storm has what they need. The Canadian Armed Forces are on the ground in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
Obviously we understand the importance of cell service and we are also working with the companies to ensure that Canadians have access to that service.
78 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:33:06 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the wine industry in Cumberland—Colchester is dominated by Jost Vineyards. From recent conversations, it is clear that hurricane Fiona has had a significant and profound negative impact. Almost 20% of the crop is now on the ground, and they only have the ability to process 25% of the crop due to a lack of electricity.
What specific and targeted programs will the government have to support the industry in its time of need?
77 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:33:39 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, as our colleague from Cumberland—Colchester knows, the Prime Minister is currently in Nova Scotia and is visiting Prince Edward Island today as well. I have had very constructive and positive conversations with Premier Houston and the other Atlantic premiers.
We can be very clear. The Government of Canada will be there not only to support the residents of the area who were hard hit, but to work with provinces as well to ensure that the economic engines of those provinces, like the agricultural industry that my colleague referenced, are also supported fully by the Government of Canada.
101 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:34:19 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, Jost Vineyards and other farmers in Atlantic Canada need more than platitudes from the government; they need action.
The other thing we need action on is cellphone service. We have already heard about it in this question period, but we also know of it from the member for Charlottetown. Last evening, he reiterated that cellphone service is essential for the safety of Canadians and that the system failed again. The government knew after hurricane Dorian three years ago that the system was tenuous at best, and once again the government has failed to act.
Atlantic Canadians need a concrete plan to ensure reliable cellular service. What is the outline from the government for this plan?
117 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/27/22 2:35:03 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we know that the cellular network is essential. Again, this became clear as tropical storm Fiona passed through.
As a government, we are doing everything in our power to restore services. We are working in collaboration with the province. I assure the House that we are on the ground and we will do everything we can to restore all the necessary services for the Canadians affected by this storm.
71 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
