44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 21, 2023 10:00AM
- Apr/21/23 11:45:43 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians are out of money, and the Prime Minister is out of touch. Currently, food bank usage is at an all-time high, mortgage and rent costs have doubled and many cannot afford to heat their homes. While 24% of Canadians say they cannot afford a vacation this summer, the Prime Minister decided to jet off to Jamaica on a luxury vacation at a private villa, courtesy of a big-time Trudeau Foundation donor. Will the Prime Minister finally tell us how much he personally paid for this luxury vacation in Jamaica?
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- Apr/21/23 11:46:21 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, while the opposition members continue to focus on the Prime Minister, we are focused on Canadians and making sure that life is more affordable. How are we doing that? We are doing that through programs like child care and dental care. We are investing in health care to make sure that premiers in the provinces and territories have the resources they need to deliver the health outcomes that Canadians expect. We are doing all that while having the strongest fiscal framework in the G7. That is what responsible government does and what good ideas look like.
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- Apr/21/23 11:46:51 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, unpaid caregivers in this country take care of children, aging parents and loved ones. They do an incredible amount of unpaid labour. In the finance minister's mandate letter, the government has promised to provide a refundable Canada caregiver credit, but the Liberals failed to deliver it in the last budget.
Families rely on caregivers, who receive so little compensation. Why are the Liberals so quick to move mountains for their rich buddies but not to support caregivers who care for their loved ones?
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- Apr/21/23 11:47:27 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, health care is essential, and this could not be more true for those who are most vulnerable, particularly seniors. A couple of weeks ago, before the budget, I was able to sit down with the SEIU, which is a union that supports and represents personal support care workers right across this country. Budget 2023 invests in the wages of those workers.
Some of the most vulnerable people are also taken care of by immigrants and temporary foreign workers. We need to make sure those people are taken care of too, and this government is on the right side of that equation.
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- Apr/21/23 11:47:59 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Swiss multinational resource company Glencore is trying to take over Teck Resources, one of Canada's biggest mining companies. The British Columbia premier is urging the federal government to stop this. If this hostile takeover moves forward, thousands of Canadians could lose their jobs. Moreover, our sources of critical minerals would be at risk. Worse, Glencore has been accused of human rights abuses; the company even pleaded guilty to bribery and market manipulation.
Will the Liberals do the right thing for Canadians and block this hostile takeover?
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- Apr/21/23 11:48:37 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, the Investment Canada Act provides for the review of the most significant investments by non-Canadians to ensure the net benefit to the Canadian economy. All investments, no matter their value, are subject to a national security review under the ICA. Therefore, the acquisition of a Canadian company by a foreign company would be subject to review. As the member knows, due to the confidentiality provisions under the act, we cannot comment further.
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- Apr/21/23 11:49:06 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, across Canada, people are increasingly feeling the effects of climate change. My home province of British Columbia is experiencing severe floods, droughts and fires, all of which have taken a toll on the health of our iconic forests.
In this context, planting two billion trees in the next decade will support the expansion of Canada's forests and the restoration of important habitats.
Can the Minister of Natural Resources please update the House on how the government is supporting these efforts in British Columbia—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Apr/21/23 11:49:35 a.m.
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Order.
I did not hear half that question. I am going to let the hon. member back up to the question part of his question so he can actually ask it to the minister.
The hon. member for Steveston—Richmond East has the floor.
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- Apr/21/23 11:49:49 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in this context, planting two billion trees in the next decade will support the expansion of Canada's forests and the restoration of important habitats.
Can the Minister of Natural Resources please update the House on how the government is supporting these efforts in British Columbia this planting season?
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- Apr/21/23 11:50:13 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this week, we kicked off the planting season by announcing an agreement with British Columbia to plant over 37 million trees. The effect is like taking almost 470,000 cars off the road. It is going to turn burnt areas into healthy forests and restore wildlife habitat and ecosystems.
I would like to wish everyone who is working in the planting fields, such as the scientists, planners, nursery workers and recipients the best throughout this year’s planting season.
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- Apr/21/23 11:50:52 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last year, Volkswagen had the same revenue as the Government of Canada, at $413 billion. Now the Liberals are providing a $14-billion subsidy from taxpayers.
My question is simple. How many jobs in the plant does $14 billion buy for this auto company, which was convicted of environmental law crimes in Canada?
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- Apr/21/23 11:51:23 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my friend may not have heard that the world is facing a new future built on the green economy. President Biden reminded us in this chamber that the countries able to develop green economies within their borders will be the countries that will win. This is a historic investment for all Canadians.
I will point out to the member that our investment is not a subsidy. In fact, this investment is equal to the economic impact of just five years of operations at this new plant. The scale of the site will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs. Our government is bringing the auto sector back to St. Thomas after a plant closed under the Conservatives' watch in 2011. The area MPs and the Conservative premier are behind this; why is this not the case for the member and his party?
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- Apr/21/23 11:52:07 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, perhaps the member should listen to his Minister of Finance who, on Wednesday, said that competing with the subsidies of the Biden inflation act is a “race to the bottom”. Liberals surely would not give away $14 billion in taxpayer money without a contract on the exact commitments of jobs in the plant.
I will ask again: How many jobs in the plant will this $14-billion subsidy buy?
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- Apr/21/23 11:52:39 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, every day in the chamber, the government members come to work to make life more affordable for Canadians, grow the economy and take action against climate change.
This investment by Volkswagen and the federal government is a game-changer for the positioning of Canada as the world's green supplier of choice. It means that we are well on our way. There will be thousands of jobs created in the St. Thomas area. There will be thousands of knock-on jobs created in adjacent industries.
This is a win for Canada, and it is a win for the world.
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- Apr/21/23 11:53:15 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, “we see the interest rate increases over the course of 2022 leading to lower housing starts this year.”
Those are the words of a market analyst at the CMHC. Excessive Liberal borrowing and spending caused a spike in interest rates and will stall new housing construction. CMHC has also said that we need to build 5.8 million homes by 2030 if we have any hope of restoring affordability.
Why, then, is this costly coalition so determined to block the construction of the homes Canadians so desperately need?
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- Apr/21/23 11:53:53 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question. Indeed, too many Canadians are struggling with the cost of housing, and that is unacceptable. That is why we have good news: The federal government is showing bold leadership by quickly increasing housing supply, helping Canadians who are struggling with the cost of housing and protecting the dream of home ownership.
We launched a $4-billion housing accelerator fund and introduced a federal top-up of $500 to the Canada housing benefit that will help 1.8 million renters. We also created a tax-free savings account of $40,000 for first time homebuyers. I could go on.
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- Apr/21/23 11:54:37 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, well, it is pretty clear it is not working. The average rent in Toronto for a one-bedroom apartment is now over $2,500 per month. Canadians who are going to renew their mortgages this year are faced with record increases in interest costs, and now the CMHC has increased fees by up to 200% on the programs builders use to finance multi-unit residential construction.
If the government really wants to build more homes, why does it continually make it so much more expensive?
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- Apr/21/23 11:55:13 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservatives, we believe that every Canadian has the right to live in a safe and affordable place. That is why we brought in the first national housing strategy.
It is an ambitious plan of over $82 billion that has already helped hundreds of thousands of Canadian families get the housing they need. We have also introduced new measures in budget 2023—measures that the Conservatives voted against—to double construction, directly support Canadians and help them save for their first home.
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- Apr/21/23 11:55:54 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the UN issued a warning to the entire planet this morning reporting that glaciers are melting at a record rate because of greenhouse gases. It warns that it will take several decades to stop this negative trend. When it comes to melting glaciers and rising sea levels, we have already lost the fight.
At the same time, the federal government's climate change plan has been slammed in no less than five reports by the commissioner of the environment and sustainable development.
When will the federal government finally take action instead of watching our chances to stop climate change melt away before their eyes?
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- Apr/21/23 11:56:31 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for that question. She is giving me the opportunity to say, first, that we thank the commissioner for his reports and all his recommendations, which we are taking seriously.
This is also an opportunity for me to say that the results of our national inventory report of greenhouse gas emissions show progress in our fight against climate change. In 2021, there were 53 million fewer tonnes of pollution in our cities. That is the equivalent of taking 11 million cars off of Canada's roads.
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