44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 6, 2022 10:00AM
- Dec/6/22 2:29:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the army had to be called into long-term care homes in this country, and now the Red Cross has been called into children's hospitals in Ottawa. It is clear that our health care system is in crisis, but the Prime Minister has been missing in action. Leadership is not looking for excuses. It is showing up and finding solutions.
When will the Prime Minister show leadership, step up, call for an emergency meeting of the first ministers and solve the crisis in our health care system?
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- Dec/6/22 2:29:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I agree with the hon. member. Urgent actions are indeed required to address the current health workforce crisis. That is why we have taken significant steps forward by establishing a coalition for action for health care workers to inform immediate and long-term solutions to address these challenges, by introducing measures to facilitate the entry of foreign national physicians and permanent residents, and by announcing a national nursing officer to provide strategic advice from a nursing perspective.
Our government's priority remains working together for better outcomes for Canadians, and that includes the youngest patients in our hospitals. I appreciate the attention to this very important matter.
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- Dec/6/22 2:30:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, doctors, nurses and health care workers are sharing horror stories about what is happening in our health care system. This is a crisis, that much is clear. We have children who are getting sick and cannot access health care services. This Prime Minister lacks leadership.
When will this Prime Minister show some leadership and do what it takes to save our health care system?
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- Dec/6/22 2:31:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the leader of the NDP for his important question. We obviously share his concerns about the issues we are seeing in the public health care system across Canada. He talked about the difficulties in children's hospitals. The shortage of health care professionals is an important issue, and it is exactly what we are discussing with the premiers and the ministers of health.
We are really encouraged by these conversations. We are going to increase federal resources to ensure that these challenges end as soon as possible.
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- Dec/6/22 2:31:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today, the Auditor General released a damning report confirming that Liberal mismanagement led to at least $32 billion in inflationary spending. This is more costs and no control. The Liberals' lack of transparency contributed to the affordability crisis. The Auditor General is deeply concerned by the lack of controls, and her report shows the Liberals are going to keep their failed approach for current and future programs.
Why are Canadians continuously on the hook for Liberal failures?
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- Dec/6/22 2:32:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it bears repeating that the Auditor General found we achieved the goals we set out. We kept Canadians safe, we made sure Canadians were paid quickly and we averted significant social and economic hardship for our country.
This Parliament approved the attestation-based approach. We knew when we committed to this, and we were very transparent from the beginning, that we would do post-payment verification. We are methodically going through that and will continue to do so, working individually and with Canadians to make sure we have a fair and equitable response to this.
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- Dec/6/22 2:32:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, if the Liberals' goals were to lack transparency, lack accountability and lack control, the Auditor General confirmed that in her report today. The Liberals' legacy of mismanagement has made life more unaffordable, sending more Canadians to food banks than ever before. Record high food, rent and mortgage costs are being driven up by the Liberals' inflation. The more the Liberals fail, the more Canadians have to pay.
How many more Liberal failures are Canadians on the hook for?
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- Dec/6/22 2:33:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we took important action when we understood that the high cost of living was having an impact on Canadians. In fact, yesterday the Financial Post noted that our child care policy has been a success. It said, “government policy has played a role in getting women back in the workforce...especially when it comes to child care.... Women feel more confident going back into the workforce because they won’t be spending their whole paycheque on child care.”
We are there for Canadians and we are delivering.
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- Dec/6/22 2:33:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government will blame everyone else for its inflationary spending, but when the Auditor General confirms that a minimum of $32 billion in COVID overpayments and suspicious payments need more investigation, there is little argument that this mess added to inflation. The Auditor General has sounded the alarm bells on the lack of control on COVID spending. There are lots of checks and no balances, and the government is continuing the same approach with current legislation and current programming.
How can Canadians trust the government?
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- Dec/6/22 2:34:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I will get to the hon. member's question in a moment.
I want to add my voice to that of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and others in the House today on this 33rd anniversary of École Polytechnique. I was a 19-year-old student at the U of A when word got to us that 14 women were gunned down at École Polytechnique. It became worse when we realized it was motivated by hate and misogyny. We must do everything in the House to protect women and end violence against women.
On the substantive question the hon. colleague asked, millions of mothers who received CERB benefits did not cause inflation, and neither did the businesses that took supports so they could keep their doors open.
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- Dec/6/22 2:35:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are not talking about those cases. Canadians deserve transparency about the $32 billion the Auditor General says is just the tip of the iceberg of people who got money, and it needs to be investigated. Canadians deserve to know that there was no control when the money was going out, and now they have learned there is no control or accountability for taxpayers to get that money back.
As food bank use is at its highest rate and one in five Canadians is skipping meals, I will ask this again: How can Canadians trust the government?
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- Dec/6/22 2:35:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the CRA does not agree with the Auditor General's calculations concerning recipients who were not eligible for the wage subsidy. The CRA's actual audits indicate that compliance with the subsidies was high and that the Auditor General's figure is exaggerated. This is not the Auditor General's fault. We all know that she was pressured by the opposition to produce this report. Political games notwithstanding, let us not forget that the wage subsidy saved the economy.
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- Dec/6/22 2:36:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, according to a new report released yesterday, the cost of groceries is going to keep going up in 2023. The grocery bill for an average family will climb to $16,300 next year. That is a big hit to the family budget. Parents are already stretched thin and are unable to feed their family. Now they are being told it is only going to get worse. All these increases are unaffordable for Canadians. I never would have thought that people in Canada would not be able to eat or stay warm.
Will the Liberals promise not to increase taxes so that Canadians can eat?
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- Dec/6/22 2:37:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the difference between us and the Conservatives is that on this side of the House, we have confidence in Canadians. We understand that less fortunate Canadians need this help. We will provide them with help for dental care, housing, and early childhood and child care services.
We have confidence in Canadians, and we will be there to support them today and in the future.
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- Dec/6/22 2:37:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe that the member opposite gave us that answer when the government has completely lost control of public spending. The Auditor General confirmed that the government is trying to track down $32 billion in benefits that were paid to ineligible recipients. What are the consequences of that?
Nationwide, Canadians' debt is increasing. People do not have enough money, so they are charging their groceries to their credit cards. The Liberals have allowed themselves to lose billions of dollars.
Once again, will the Liberals show compassion and not increase taxes?
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- Dec/6/22 2:38:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our approach is based on compassion, responsibility and fiscal prudence.
If we look at the facts, millions of mothers who received CERB did not create inflation, and neither did the thousands of businesses that took wage subsidies.
If the Conservatives truly, from the bottom of their hearts, want to help Canadians get through these difficult times, they can do the right thing and vote for Bill C‑32, which will benefit Canadians.
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- Dec/6/22 2:38:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Quebec's finance minister will table his economic update on Thursday. He will have to make do with what he has because the Liberal government is still stubbornly saying no despite Quebec and the provinces calling for higher health transfers for years.
ERs are in crisis. There are not enough workers. Even pediatric units, which care for our children, are paying the price, yet Ottawa continues to say no. Why?
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- Dec/6/22 2:39:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question.
Our health care system is facing major challenges, and we must work together to improve health care for Canadians. We are disappointed in the outcome of the meeting and in the provincial and territorial premiers' statement.
Nevertheless, our government remains ready to work with the provinces and territories and to continue discussing priorities.
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- Dec/6/22 2:40:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government does not want to increase health transfers. It wants standards. What standards?
What makes Ottawa think it can tell Quebec and the provinces how to do their job? Consider what Ottawa did with Phoenix, Roxham Road, the passport crisis, the old age pension delays, and the delays with EI and the immigration department, which is where applications go to die.
How dare the government play backseat driver and tell Quebec and the provinces how to do their job?
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- Dec/6/22 2:40:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, as my hon. colleague is well aware, to say that we are not prepared to increase health transfers is not true. We have been very clear. We will work with the provinces to increase federal transfers to the provinces, which are responsible for managing their health care systems. We recognize that.
We are simply asking to have a transparent discussion with the provinces to ensure that, together, we get results for patients and families in Quebec and Canada.
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