44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 21, 2022 11:00AM
- Nov/21/22 2:21:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, if they had the most comprehensive plan in the world, why are they ranked 58th out of 63 in terms of performance on that plan?
What they have, actually, is a tax, a tax to drive up the cost of home heating, gas, groceries and everything else. They want to triple that tax.
We are now going into the winter, and families are facing a doubling of their home heating bills right across the country. Forty percent of Atlantic Canadians already live in energy poverty. They cannot afford to pay any more.
Instead of spending more inflationary money to try to solve the problem they caused, why do the Liberals not just get rid of the problem itself, by getting rid of the tax?
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- Nov/21/22 2:22:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, since 2015, the government has made enormous progress with respect to fighting climate change. We have one of the most detailed plans that exist in the world, but we were starting from a place where we were following 10 years of Harper Conservatives who did nothing to fight climate change or to ensure a prosperous future for our children.
We are working very hard to ensure that life is affordable for Canadians—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Nov/21/22 2:22:55 p.m.
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I am just going to interrupt. We are going into preholiday season, known locally as the silly season.
I am going to ask everybody to just take a deep breath and not shout out.
I do not want to have to come down hard at Christmas and offer people coal, so please, no shouting or yelling.
There seems to be a problem with the interpretation.
Is it working now?
An hon. member: Yes.
The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Natural Resources, from the top.
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- Nov/21/22 2:23:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada has one of the most detailed climate plans in the world. We are on track to ensure that we are meeting the ambitious targets that we have set.
We started from a base where the previous Conservative government, the Harper Conservatives, did nothing to fight climate change for 10 years.
We are very much committed and we will achieve those targets. We will do so in a manner that is affordable for Canadians. Eight out of 10 Canadian families get more money back when they pay a price on pollution. It should not be free to pollute in this country, and we are making investments, like the announcement we made this morning of $250 million for heat pumps, to ensure that we are moving forward in a manner that is affordable and fights climate change.
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- Nov/21/22 2:24:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, by using technology and not taxes, the Conservative government presided over the only government that reduced greenhouse gases in Canadian history, while the economy grew.
Now we have a government that has missed every single greenhouse gas reduction target it has set, even as its carbon tax has gone up, and now it wants to hit people with a tax, just as home heating bills are expected to double.
Its consolation prize is that some time down the road, one might be able to get a heat pump when the winter is over, if one is lucky.
Why does the government not get rid of the real problem, which is the tax?
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- Nov/21/22 2:25:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I find the phrase that the hon. member uses, “technology and not taxes”, quite ironic for somebody who has spent his entire political career being paid by the taxpayer.
As somebody who has spent 20 years in the clean technology sector, I would note that technology in and of itself is not a climate plan. It is part of a climate plan. It requires regulation. It requires putting a price on a pollution. It requires investments in ensuring that life is affordable.
Fighting climate change can generate prosperity, but only if one actually understands what one is doing.
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- Nov/21/22 2:25:46 p.m.
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Which he clearly does not, Mr. Speaker, by virtue of the results.
The results are higher emissions. The Liberals have missed their targets every single year. Now with 40% of Atlantic Canadians living in energy poverty, rural Canadians facing a doubling of their home heating bills, and some families who will be paying $5,000 and up just to keep the heat on, the Liberals want to go ahead and triple the tax.
Why will the Liberals not get rid of the tax so Canadians can keep the heat on and pay their bills?
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- Nov/21/22 2:26:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we had a prime example in Prince Edward Island of what will happen if we do not continue to address climate change.
We had massive destruction, with winds over 200 kilometres an hour destroying our wharves and over half our softwood forests. We have to continue to make sure we address the climate change. That is what the government has been doing and will continue to do.
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- Nov/21/22 2:26:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' taxes have failed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is not an environmental plan; it is a tax plan.
Now, having driven up the cost of home heating, the Liberals say that if Canadians wait until the end of winter, they might be able to get a rebate for a heat pump if they are among the tiny minority people in this country who will qualify for the program.
The tax the government imposed caused the problems, and now it says it has a government program to solve the problem. Why not just get rid of the problem and get rid of the tax?
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- Nov/21/22 2:27:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have to say I am really quite stunned by the comments from the other side of the floor.
With respect to what happened this year in Atlantic Canada with hurricane Fiona, I had the task of going to visit many provinces. I was in Prince Edward Island. The roof was actually blown off one of the schools completely. When I speak to Atlantic Canadians, they want the government to make sure we take action on climate, and that is exactly what we are doing.
On this side of the House, we have a plan. On that side of the House, they really do not know what they are talking about.
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- Nov/21/22 2:28:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Global News reported that China interfered in the 2019 federal election by funding at least 11 candidates. The Prime Minister was briefed on this subject last January, but he is denying everything. As usual, he is saying that he knows nothing. However, he raised the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20. He supposedly knows nothing about the situation, yet he knows enough to talk about it with the second most powerful man on the planet.
Did he raise the very serious subject of interference in our election with China solely on the basis of a news article, or does he know details that he is hiding from the population?
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- Nov/21/22 2:28:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, safeguarding Canada's democracy is something that we take very seriously. We conducted two non-partisan, independent reviews, which confirmed that the 2019 election was free and fair. What is more, we passed Bill C‑66 to close the loopholes surrounding foreign funding. Any threat of foreign interference will be met with the most severe consequences.
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- Nov/21/22 2:29:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, either the Prime Minister knows the identity of the candidates who got money from China but is not telling, or, worse, he really was unaware, even though he talked to the Chinese President about it, like a rank beginner.
It boils down to two possibilities. One, he is hiding the truth about a Chinese attempt to undermine democracy, much like he hid the truth about Roxham Road and WE Charity. Two, he is admitting to being so diplomatically irresponsible as to be dangerous.
Which is it? Is he not very honest or not very bright?
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- Nov/21/22 2:29:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, protecting Canadian democracy is a responsibility we take very seriously. We are taking steps to combat foreign interference attempts. It starts with election officials and law enforcement and intelligence services, those who investigate and use all the tools at their disposal. Strengthening Canada's essential infrastructure and institutions is a big job. It takes legislation like Bill C‑26 to reinforce cybersecurity and give the RCMP additional resources.
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- Nov/21/22 2:30:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government refuses to acknowledge that corporate greed is making life more expensive for families. We now know that since 2019, the profits of big grocery stores have gone up by 118%. The Liberals refuse to point the finger at these excess profits as one of the causes of the increased cost of living, but they have no problem blaming workers' wages. How hypocritical.
Why attack workers' wages? Why will the Liberals not go after corporate greed?
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- Nov/21/22 2:31:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I respect my colleague and his question.
In the budget, we asked the banks to pay their fair share. We increased the tax rate for banks. In our fall economic statement, we implemented a 2% tax on share buybacks.
Here in Canada, we are asking every business and every individual to pay their fair share of taxes. We have an affordability plan, and it includes having businesses and individuals pay their fair share.
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- Nov/21/22 2:31:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, that did not even come close to answering the question. A new report reveals that the profits of big grocery stores have increased by 118% since 2019. These companies are making massive profits while Canadian families are struggling. In Alberta, food banks have seen a whopping 73% increase over the last three years, yet in the latest government report, the Liberals blame workers' wages for inflation. They do not blame the billionaires. They do not blame the skyrocketing corporate profits. They are blaming workers.
When will the Liberals stop protecting corporate profits and start taking action to protect Canadians?
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- Nov/21/22 2:32:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians are concerned about how much they are paying for gas and groceries. That is why earlier this year the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry wrote to the Competition Bureau to make sure that it was using all of its tools to detect and deter unlawful behaviours in the food sector. Following up to prevent businesses from taking advantage of high prices and profiting off Canadians, we have asked the bureau to immediately look into these matters. We will continue to make life more affordable for Canadians.
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- Nov/21/22 2:32:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today's reannouncement of more government spending does not address the real issue of inflation and unaffordability. The Liberal government has demonized and kicked down Canada's energy industry for years. Instead of building energy projects in Canada that would have helped make home heating more affordable, the Liberals cancelled projects, killing good energy jobs while helping China build pipelines instead. As the government keeps spending, it drives up inflation, making gas, groceries and home heating more and more expensive.
Why will the Liberal government not do the right thing and cancel the carbon tax on all home heating?
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- Nov/21/22 2:33:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, certainly it is unfortunate that it is only the Conservatives in the House who think that it should be free to pollute in this country. It should not be free to pollute in this country. We need a comprehensive plan to fight climate change. That includes putting a price on pollution. It includes regulations. It includes investments in creating prosperity and jobs for the future and investments in ensuring affordability, just like the $250 million announced this morning to help to transition off home heating oil. That is something that will help people with affordability and fight climate change.
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