SoVote

Ms. Lisa Marie Barron (Nanaimo—Ladysmith, NDP)

Dec/5/22 5:27:47 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-32

Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the member can help me to understand. I am hearing from the Conservatives who are speaking about the increased cost of living and the impacts on Canadians. I agree that there are some real issues that need to be addressed. However, around the actual asks that are coming forward from the Conservatives, for example on the carbon tax, we know that provinces and territories have their own carbon pricing, whereas if we were to look instead at removing the GST from all home heating, we would be able to provide relief for more Canadians across Canada. I am wondering if the member could explain to me what the Conservative stance is on that, and why we are not seeing support for removing the GST from home heating and are instead looking at carbon pricing, which would benefit only a portion of Canadians.

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Context: House Hansard - 141 - Dec/5/22

Ms. Lisa Marie Barron (Nanaimo—Ladysmith, NDP)

Dec/5/22 6:12:56 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-32

Madam Speaker, I heard the member talk about listening to people and wanting to make sure we are putting in place real solutions. I cannot seem to wrap my head around and understand why we would not all be on board with taking away the GST from home heating instead of pushing for the carbon tax to be removed, which would only benefit a small portion of Canadians. I am trying to look at this from a practical perspective. Why would we be pushing for a solution that benefits a few when we could be looking at a solution that benefits many, so they can keep food on the table, heat their homes and get by? Those are all things the member was talking about just now.

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Context: House Hansard - 141 - Dec/5/22

Mr. Michael Barrett

Dec/5/22 6:26:16 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-32

Madam Speaker, I am so glad to talk about the effect of the carbon tax on Canadians' home heating. Some hon. members: Oh, oh! Mr. Michael Barrett: Madam Speaker, it seems some disorder has broken out on the other side, but I am laser focused with my Conservative colleagues on making life more affordable for Canadians. We need to scrap the carbon tax. That would allow Canadians to buy more of what they need, which is fuel to heat their homes. That is what we are focused on.

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Context: House Hansard - 141 - Dec/5/22

Mr. Michael Barrett (Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, CPC)

Dec/5/22 6:30:29 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to have the opportunity to talk about some of the policies the government has put forward and, frankly, its lack of action with respect to the finances and the financial troubles Canadians are facing. We are facing 40-year-high inflation. Canadians are making tough choices between heating their homes and feeding their families. It is unconscionable that with these record-high prices that Canadians are facing at this time, the government is planning to triple its tax on everything: gas, groceries and home heating. Why will the government not relent? Why will the Liberals not put aside their pride and do what is right for Canadians? The prices Canadians are facing at the grocery store are unbelievable. The government has an opportunity to give them some relief by cancelling the carbon tax. Staples like soup are up near 20%, and potatoes are up nearly 11%. Dry or fresh pasta, which people used to stock their cupboards with for tough times, is up 32.5%. The government needs to take a look in the mirror and make some hard decisions. It needs to cancel its carbon tax. It needs to commit to not undertaking any new spending for which it has not found savings elsewhere, and it needs to commit to not introducing or increasing taxes. However, the Liberals seem determined to do the opposite of those things. It is incredibly frustrating for Canadians to hear that driving to work and driving themselves or a family member to a medical appointment are behaviours that need to be corrected. That is what the Liberals have said. There is no subway that runs in Victoria-by-the-Sea, Prince Edward Island, and there is no LRT in Vancouver Island or in the north. In Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, there is certainly no mass transit for folks to be able to correct that bad behaviour that the Liberals say they are undertaking by just supporting themselves, putting gas in the truck so they can get to the job site or putting gas in the car so they can take their children to an extracurricular activity. It is very simple: The government needs to axe its carbon tax and allow Canadians to have some breathing room, to not have to make those dire choices about skipping meals. Nearly one and a half million Canadians went to the food bank in a single month, with 500,000 of those food bank users being children. These are the stark choices Canadians are having to make in this economic climate. The government has all the cards, and there is a quick one that it can play. It is the wild card. The government can axe its carbon tax and make life more affordable for Canadians.

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