44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 3, 2022 11:00AM
- Oct/3/22 2:45:41 p.m.
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The hon. member for Kelowna—Lake Country.
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- Oct/3/22 2:45:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is reported that one in six small businesses are having such a tough time that they are considering closing. Restaurants Canada reports that 85% of restaurants have taken on new debt, yet the Liberal government defends forcing payroll tax increases on small businesses. The associate minister of finance said, on payroll tax increases, that small businesses “can afford” this, and the finance minister herself admitted that raising EI premiums would bring in an extra $2.5 billion.
Will the government end its planned tax hikes on small businesses?
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- Oct/3/22 2:46:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for her persistence on this issue about supporting small businesses.
We share that persistent prioritization. What we have been doing for the past two and a half years is supporting small businesses through the pandemic with targeted wage supports and supports for rent. What we have been doing since the pandemic is launching a women's entrepreneurship strategy and a Black entrepreneurship strategy, and we are empowering indigenous businesses. We know the power of small businesses will be unleashed through inclusive growth, and that is what we are prioritizing.
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- Oct/3/22 2:46:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians are suffering and even dying, because getting help for their mental health is not affordable and wait lists are months or even years long.
This week is Mental Illness Awareness Week, and mental health organizations are once again calling for the government to recognize that there is no health without mental health. During the last election, the Liberals promised to spend $4.5 billion over five years to expand mental health services and address backlogs. They still have not delivered.
When will the Liberals follow through on their funding promises to improve mental health services for struggling Canadians?
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- Oct/3/22 2:47:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his ongoing advocacy, particularly during Mental Illness Awareness Week.
Mental health is health, as he said, and our government has made mental health a priority. Since 2015, we have made historic investments in support: $5 billion to the provinces from 2017, $600 million every year still ongoing, and almost $600 million for a distinctions-based mental health and wellness strategy for indigenous people. We know that we need to do more, and we will do more.
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- Oct/3/22 2:48:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are clawing back the Canada child benefit for parents who needed pandemic support, but do members know what they are not clawing back? It is the wage subsidy from corporations that gave out executive bonuses or shareholder dividends, like Air Canada, which got $554 million and gave out $10 million in bonuses, or Imperial Oil, which got $120 million and paid out $324 million in dividends.
Why are the Liberals clawing back child benefits from single moms trying to feed their kids while letting big corporations off the hook?
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- Oct/3/22 2:48:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our government absolutely believes in supporting Canadian children and Canadian families. That is why we have worked so hard to put a national program on early learning and child care in place. That is going to help families with affordability and help our economy. That is why the Canada child benefit, which has lifted hundreds of thousands of Canadian children out of poverty, is such an important program.
We know that everyone in Canada has to pay their fair share. That is why we are imposing a COVID recovery dividend on our banks and insurers.
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- Oct/3/22 2:49:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Mississauga—Malton, rent and housing costs have risen for so many, especially working individuals, families and our most vulnerable. They need help, and they need it immediately.
Could the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion please tell the House what our government is doing to help renters and those struggling with the cost of housing through this difficult time?
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- Oct/3/22 2:50:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Mississauga—Malton for his important question and hard work on this important file.
We know that the cost of affordable rent is increasingly out of reach for many Canadians. That is why we introduced legislation to introduce a one-time top-up of $500, which would help 1.8 million renters and would be on top of the existing average $2,500 as part of the Canada housing benefit.
I urge Conservative members to stop getting in the way and to help us pass this important legislation so that we can get this important rent relief to Canadians as soon as possible.
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- Oct/3/22 2:50:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, constituents in B.C. are tired of the Liberal government cutting into their paycheques, yet the Prime Minister plans to triple the carbon tax, raising fuel, heat and grocery costs, and to increase paycheque taxes, killing jobs.
The finance minister even admits that the money would not go into EI but to cover out-of-control government spending. The paycheque taxes would take $2.5 billion extra out of the hands of hard-working Canadians.
Will the government end its planned tax hikes on Canadians' paycheques?
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- Oct/3/22 2:51:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is really important for us to be clear and honest with Canadians about their pensions and about EI.
Right now, at a time of real uncertainty and volatility in the global economy, it would be the height of irresponsibility to cut our contributions to the Canada pension plan and to EI. Too many Canadians depend on both. That is why our government is absolutely committed to supporting Canadian seniors and to supporting Canadian workers who depend on EI.
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- Oct/3/22 2:52:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the inflation crisis in B.C. is exploding. It is not only food and shelter costs that are taking a hit. Vancouver's gasoline prices are now the highest in North America, yet the Prime Minister wants to force B.C. to triple the carbon tax on everything, making life completely unaffordable for families.
While the Prime Minister fiddles around, life has become hopelessly expensive and Canadians are now losing hope. Will the Prime Minister now cancel his plan to triple the carbon tax on gas, groceries and home heating, yes or no?
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- Oct/3/22 2:52:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think we are all really glad to hear today from the member for Abbotsford, who is an MP we all know and respect. I listened to him carefully during the campaign, when he said:
I am deeply troubled by suggestions by one of our leadership candidates that that candidate would be prepared to interfere already at this stage in the independence of our central bank.
I wonder if the member for Abbotsford has persuaded his new leader to see the wisdom of his previous comment.
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- Oct/3/22 2:53:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this tax-and-spend government plans to raise the carbon tax from the current level of $50 a tonne to $170 a tonne by 2030. British Columbians are already stretched thin by an out-of-touch government that is now asking B.C. to triple its carbon tax, making life even more unaffordable.
Will the government back down from forcing B.C. to triple, triple, triple its carbon tax on gas, groceries and home heating?
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- Oct/3/22 2:54:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, earlier during question period, I referred to the member for Durham, who spoke about the benefit of pricing carbon to fight pollution. I would also like to refer to the member for New Brunswick Southwest, who also urged his premier to adopt the federal system because “cheques will begin to roll out to New Brunswick families”. That is exactly right. We can work to fight pollution, work to fight climate change and help Canadian families. I agree with the member for New Brunswick Southwest.
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- Oct/3/22 2:54:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this government is out of touch with reality, with food prices being up more than 10% and the absurd tripling of the carbon tax. That is to say nothing of the 35% tax on fertilizer that many farms are still struggling with. Farmers want to help feed our families with safe and nutritious food, but their input costs just keep going up under this government.
Will the government stop its plan to triple, triple, triple the carbon tax on Canadian farmers?
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- Oct/3/22 2:55:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question.
I know it is a bit complicated, but the federal government's pollution pricing does not apply to Quebec because Quebec has its own cap-and-trade system. We have decided to respect that, and we will do the same for all the other provinces that want to have their own pollution pricing system.
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- Oct/3/22 2:55:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, shots were fired in downtown Montreal again last night, and a body was found in the trunk of a burning car. Things are going from bad to worse. The year 2021 was the worst year of the decade for shootings; 2022 is on track to be even worse.
The first step to solving a problem is acknowledging it. The problem in this case is illegal weapons crossing the border.
Is the minister aware that he has not introduced a single measure to effectively tackle arms trafficking?
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- Oct/3/22 2:56:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, our thoughts are with the victims' families. This is a very difficult time.
Over the past year, we have invested $321 million to strengthen the integrity of our border. That is exactly why we have made so much progress going after criminals attempting to import illegal firearms. This is an issue with a lot of challenges.
We will move forward with our plan, Bill C‑21, which will give the police more tools and increase the penalties for those involved in organized crime. We need to pass this bill as soon as possible.
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- Oct/3/22 2:57:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there has not been that much progress. Last year, 1,100 firearms were seized at the border, but at the same time Montreal and Toronto seized 2,500. That is more than double. It just proves that firearms are getting across the border and ending up in our cities.
Last week, Yves Francoeur, from Fraternité des policiers et policières de Montréal, said on the show Tout le monde en parle that it has become common to arrest young people with illegal firearms that they purchased out of fear, to defend themselves. That is gun culture. The more firearms there are around, the better armed you need to be. It is a vicious circle.
Does the minister realize that this culture is growing under his governance?
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