44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 14, 2023 10:00AM
- Feb/14/23 2:19:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this scandal stings taxpayers so much because it comes at a time when housing costs are taking more and more out of Canadian paycheques.
After eight years of Liberal deficits, interest rates have risen, meaning homeowners have to pay more to the banks in interest payments just to stay in their own homes. In fact, after eight years of the Liberal government, the average monthly mortgage cost has more than doubled and the average $600,000 mortgage sees interest costs go from $12,000 a year to over $30,000 a year.
Again, does the minister think it was a good idea for the Prime Minister to bill taxpayers for one night's hotel stay what homeowners pay in two full months on their mortgages?
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- Feb/14/23 2:20:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, does the hon. member think it was smart to vote against real help for homebuyers, the first-time homebuyer incentive, $40,000 tax-free savings account for first-time homebuyers, doubling the first-time homebuyers' tax credit, introducing a once-in-a-lifetime rent-to-own program, $200 million in supports for first-time homebuyers in terms of increasing supply, and banning foreigners from owning Canadian residential real estate?
Does the hon. member really think it was smart to vote against those supports for Canadian homebuyers?
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- Feb/14/23 2:21:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is always smart to vote against inflationary deficits that drive up the cost of living.
The Liberals have learned the wrong lesson from this hotel bill scandal. One would think that, after billing taxpayers $6,000 a night for a single room, the lesson learned would be to book a cheaper room next time. Instead, the lesson the Liberals have learned is to cover it up better.
Emails between the PM's staff reveal government officials scheming to cover up the scandal. One even suggested burying these costs in next year's public accounts. The word finally came down from the minister herself to simply stop answering questions altogether, all this at a time when Canadians are paying more just to stay in their own homes.
Why is treating taxpayers' money with respect never the lesson the Liberals learn?
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- Feb/14/23 2:22:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last fall, Canadians mourned the death of a monarch of 70 years. We had a delegation led by our Governor General and our Prime Minister that was appropriate and was important for Canadians. It was actually essential we attend that.
While that side of the House is focusing on us, we are focusing on Canadians. We are focusing on their cost of living. We are focusing on their cost of housing. We are focusing on their cost of child care. We will continue to be focusing on Canadians while the Conservatives focus on us.
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- Feb/14/23 2:22:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that they think it is normal to pay $6,000 for a night at a hotel. After eight years under this Prime Minister, Canadians are worse off. Inflation is eating away at their wallets. Today we are debating a motion calling on the government to cap its spending, stop wasting resources and eliminate the taxes and deficits that are causing the cost-of-living crisis.
Will the government take the necessary fiscal and budgetary measures to get the country out of this disastrous inflationary crisis?
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- Feb/14/23 2:23:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when the people in the Conservative Party talk about spending and waste, it is important to understand what they are really talking about. They are talking about helping families in need with programs targeting the most vulnerable in our society. When we talk about providing a $500 top-up to the Canada housing benefit, it is to help people in need. When we make dental care accessible to families, it is to help those who need it most.
Instead of voting against all the measures we bring in for Canadians, the Conservatives might want to propose some solutions.
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- Feb/14/23 2:23:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, one solution would be not paying $6,000 for a hotel room.
After eight years of this government, food banks are facing record demand. One in four families will pay an extra $1,000 for food this year. On top of that, a majority of businesses say they will have to raise their prices. This mess is just part of this government's pattern of shortcomings, failures and other displays of incompetence.
When is it going to apologize and set things right?
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- Feb/14/23 2:24:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to point out that when our party took office in 2015, one in eight Canadians were living in poverty. Since taking office, we have lifted over 2.7 million people out of poverty.
When the Conservatives talk about cutting spending and not helping Canadians, what they are talking about is sending those people back into poverty. That is unacceptable.
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- Feb/14/23 2:24:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there is no health agreement. An agreement requires that people agree to it.
The Prime Minister imposed his offer on his counterparts. He exploited the fact that Quebec and the provinces are stretched to the limit by a health crisis, which was caused by federal underfunding that he himself is responsible for. They are so hard-pressed that they must accept the unacceptable.
The Prime Minister could have resolved the problem of chronic underfunding of health care. All he did was buy some peace, and for not a lot of money at that.
Why did he not choose to truly help care for those in need?
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- Feb/14/23 2:25:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question and his interest in this very important issue.
We are delighted with the announcement made today by the Council of the Federation, and we thank the members and the chair of the council for their very important work.
After the Prime Minister convened the meeting on health care last week, we met with the provincial and territorial premiers and the health ministers from across the country.
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- Feb/14/23 2:26:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Quebec and the provinces were demanding that the federal government pay its fair share, meaning 35% of total health costs. The Prime Minister's offer ups its share from 22% to a paltry 24%.
Let us not forget that when the Liberal Party came to power in 2015, the share was 24%. The government is merely righting its terrible wrong. We need 35%. It started at 24%, got cut to 22%, and now it is going back up to 24%. Nothing is changing; we are going in circles.
Does the government realize that, in the meantime, our health care systems are following a nice straight line, straight into the wall?
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- Feb/14/23 2:26:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I do not know where my colleague was this morning when the headlines were touting the federal-provincial health care deal. Newspapers across the country are reporting on this agreement. It is a good agreement that will improve access to family doctors.
I think it is worth it. It means having front-line physicians, investing in our health care workforce—the heroes, the men and women who make a difference every day in health care—investing in mental health, and ensuring the sustainability of the health care system.
This is a good deal. The Bloc Québécois might not like it, but it is a good deal.
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- Feb/14/23 2:27:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Statistics Canada reports that nearly half of Canadians, 44%, are reporting that they are struggling with paying their rents and groceries. On top of that, Canadians pay some of the highest cellphone and Internet fees in the world. The Rogers-Shaw merger will only make things worse. Canadians who are already struggling will have to pay even more for their cellphone and Internet fees.
The government has a choice today. Will it stand up for families and say no to this merger, or will it put billions of dollars into the pockets of billionaires? Which is it?
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- Feb/14/23 2:28:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is very simple. We stand on the side of Canadians.
That is why, yesterday, my hon. colleague was saying we should direct it to the CRTC to lower prices for Canadians and bring more competition into the sector. The member knows, as I have said before, what matters for me is to bring down prices and bring in competition, and the best way we have done that in this country is to have a fourth national player. We will always act in the best interests of consumers in Canada.
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- Feb/14/23 2:28:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, if I just heard the minister correctly, does that mean he will oppose the merger today?
We know the Rogers-Shaw merger will drive cellphone service prices up. Canadians already pay some of the highest fees in the world. This merger will make things worse and raise prices.
The minister has a choice today. Will he block the merger and stand up for Canadians, yes or no?
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- Feb/14/23 2:29:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his important question.
As my colleague knows and as Canadians tuning in today will be aware, we issued a new direction to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission yesterday, asking the CRTC to adopt policies to lower prices in Canada and increase competition.
I have been very vocal about this: It is in everyone's best interest to bring prices down and make sure there is competition. The best way to do that in Canada is to have a fourth national player.
Canadians watching us know this. We will always be there to protect consumer interests.
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- Feb/14/23 2:29:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Liberal Prime Minister's incompetence, home heating has become a luxury. He said he could not find a business case to provide the world with clean Canadian energy and cancelled pipelines, making the cost of home heating double in this country, yet he found a business case to shovel billions of dollars to his Liberal crony insiders, giving them cushy contracts. Now, Canadians are having to turn down the heat and wear blankets right before he triples his failed carbon tax.
Will the Prime Minister come up with a real climate change plan and stop with the virtue signalling so Canadians can keep the heat on and take the tax off?
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- Feb/14/23 2:30:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my hon. colleague that the policies we are putting in place will help Canadians reduce their dependency on expensive fossil fuels and replace them with Canadian-generated clean electricity, reducing their energy bills, which is why we have worked to help Canadians in Atlantic Canada and across the country reduce their home heating bills.
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- Feb/14/23 2:30:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the problem with that plan is that it is not an environmental plan. I looked for it and I could not find it. Can anyone else find it? Mr. Speaker, did you find it?
What I did find was a tax plan that made gas, groceries and home heating more expensive. It is a tax plan that has not helped the Liberals meet a single emissions-reduction target, and they have made emissions go up.
When will they stop their fake virtue signalling and cancel the failed carbon tax so Canadians can keep the heat on?
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- Feb/14/23 2:31:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is somewhat rich coming from the opposition that flip-flops on carbon pricing faster than I can flip my pancakes in the morning. One minute, the Conservatives are in favour of carbon pricing. The next minute, they are not. The minute after that, they are for carbon pricing. In the last election, the members of the opposition campaigned on carbon pricing and now they are saying they—
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