44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 16, 2023 10:00AM
- Feb/16/23 2:37:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the minister has some nerve to quote a 9% reduction. What he does not tell Canadians is that the economy contracted by 5% at the same time. If the Liberals' plan is to reach a 45% reduction, that means the economy has to contract 25%. When they say who they are, believe them. That is their plan for the economy.
When will they admit this disastrous program is only hurting Canadians?
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- Feb/16/23 2:38:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it must really be tough to be a Conservative these days. There is nothing so devastating for a Conservative than for the facts to get in the way of a good economic reality.
There were 150,000 new jobs in January alone, 326,000 new jobs since September and the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the world. We are on a path to grow this economy. Conservatives do not want to help Canadians; we do. That is our plan. We have one, and we are going to deliver.
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- Feb/16/23 2:39:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when one has absolutely lost the argument, one tries to change the channel.
Let us get back to the channel. After eight years of the Liberal government, 35% of Canadians say they find it hard to make ends meet every single month; 25% say that if they get an expense of $500, they cannot pay it. The government is pushing Canadians to bankruptcy.
When will Liberals admit that is what they are doing? If they will not fix it, they should get out of the way, because Conservatives will.
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- Feb/16/23 2:39:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it seems that my colleagues across the way have amnesia about when they were cutting cheques for millionaires instead of helping Canadian families. That is why we introduced the CCB in 2016. The CCB has helped over 3.5 million families and six million children in this country. There were 435,000 children lifted out of poverty.
The Conservatives have a lot to learn. When they are busy cutting, we are making sure Canadian families' needs are being met.
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Mr. Speaker, in an open letter to Quebeckers, the member for Westmount tells us that Canada is an anglophone country. Even though he changed the letter after he was criticized for it, I think he told us how he really feels.
To the member for Westmount, defending the Charter of the French Language amounts to attacking the anglophone community, which speaks Canada's only official language.
Will the minister remind the member that the only official language under threat in Canada is French?
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Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. We are the first government to recognize the decline of French in the country and that is precisely why we are moving forward with an ambitious bill.
As an Acadian who lives in New Brunswick in an official language minority community, I know the importance of protecting and promoting French across the country, including in Quebec.
However, we also have to ensure that we are there to protect official language minority communities. Like stakeholders from one end of the country to another, I look forward to the passage of the bill. Bill C‑13 will really change things in the lives of Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, there are Canada's interests, there are Quebec's interests, and it looks like there are also West Island's interests.
For the actors in “West Island Story”, that is all that matters. They are willing to sacrifice Canada's francophone and Acadian minorities, and they refuse to protect French in Quebec. The only thing that matters to them are the interests of West Island.
Can the minister tell us whether these MPs and ministers in the Liberal caucus will vote for the Liberal bill?
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Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear, my priority as Minister of Official Languages is to make sure that we are doing everything we can to protect and promote French across the country, including in Quebec. We also have a responsibility to protect official language minority communities.
I think this is a goal we share. It is what we all want. We want to make a fair contribution so that we can bring solutions to this decline problem. I hope that, eventually, this bill will get passed, since implementing this legislation is going to make a real difference. Our stakeholders are eager, they want to see the bill passed, and I hope that happens as soon as possible.
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Mr. Speaker, just imagine: Montreal West Island Integrated Health and Social Services Centre had to take to the media to set the record straight after the member for Saint-Laurent spread misinformation about Bill 96 and the Charter of the French Language.
In Quebec, francophones can get care in French and anglophones can get care in English. Even a patient who speaks neither English nor French can get services in their language, even if that means using interpreters, because we care.
Will the minister call the member for Saint-Laurent to order and demand an apology?
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They care, Mr. Speaker. As for judgment, I am not so sure.
I am glad the Bloc Québécois is interested in French. It just had a whole opposition day, and members could have talked about the environment, our seniors, the fight against poverty or even French, but no, they got together and decided to talk about the Constitution. That is their priority.
Meanwhile, Liberals are working for all Canadians, including all Quebeckers.
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- Feb/16/23 2:44:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have finally admitted failure. We all know that their carbon tax is not an environmental plan but simply a tax plan. Today, they have admitted that their real plan; the only way that they were able to reduce emissions was because of COVID. The Liberals' carbon tax will cost farmers up to $150,000 a year. That cost is crippling to a family farm.
It has been eight years. For the sake of Canada's farmers and all Canadians, will those Liberals finally axe the tax?
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- Feb/16/23 2:44:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, that is complete disinformation. It is irresponsible to increase the anxiety of farmers when they are the first ones to be impacted by climate change—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Feb/16/23 2:45:13 p.m.
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I would ask the hon. minister to please start from the top so that we can hear the full answer.
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- Feb/16/23 2:45:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think my colleague is sharing disinformation; this is totally false. They are twisting the facts of a certain study. They are not giving the full information. It is misinformed, and it is increasing the anxiety of farmers. I think it is totally irresponsible.
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- Feb/16/23 2:46:00 p.m.
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I just want to ask all the members, including the ministers, to be very judicious with their words when they are in the House.
The hon. member for Northumberland—Peterborough South.
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- Feb/16/23 2:46:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we heard today from the Governor of the Bank of Canada that after eight years of the Liberal Prime Minister, inflation continues to be a concern and interest rates will stay high for the foreseeable future. Despite the fact that Canadians are continuing to struggle just to heat their homes and to feed their families, on April 1, the Liberal government will increase the inflationary carbon tax.
Will the Prime Minister finally axe this tax or at least get out of the way so that Conservatives can?
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- Feb/16/23 2:47:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in this House, it would be enormously important for Canada if we actually had an official opposition that believed in the reality of climate change and understood that we actually had to have a plan to address climate change. Like our American, British, German and French friends, we plan to address it in a manner that will promote economic growth and opportunity in every region of this country.
We are working to do exactly that to ensure we leave a planet that is sustainable and prosperous for our kids.
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- Feb/16/23 2:47:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when someone is losing an argument, they distract and deflect. The truth of the matter is that the Liberals are as incompetent at fighting climate change as they are the affordability crisis. The Liberals do not have an environmental plan; they have a tax plan. I was there at public accounts when the environmental commissioner scolded the Liberals for not hitting a single target.
Will the Liberals finally get out of the way so the Conservatives can fight climate change and bring prosperity back to our country?
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- Feb/16/23 2:48:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when this government came to power in 2015, we inherited a target from the Harper Conservatives, which was 30% below 2005 levels by 2030. The problem with the Harper approach was that there was no plan to achieve that target.
We put together the most comprehensive climate plan Canada has ever had. We built a plan that would not only meet but actually exceed that target. After that, we raised the target by 50% to make it science-aligned to ensure we are actually fighting climate change and doing so in a manner that will leave a prosperous and healthy environment for our children.
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- Feb/16/23 2:48:45 p.m.
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Uqaqtittiji, rural and remote indigenous communities are in dire need of housing. Nunavummiut are living in canvas tents in the winter, sleeping in shifts in overcrowded rooms and waiting years for adequate housing. Together, the Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik have asked for $500 million over three years, starting in the upcoming budget.
Will the government properly invest in Nunavut housing so northerners can sleep in safe, comfortable homes?
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