44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 1, 2023 11:00AM
Madam Speaker, I did not know I would make someone happy today. I am pleased too.
I want to reassure my colleague. When he says it is too bad that I am a separatist, I say to him that we are still able to work together. What is more, when Quebec becomes politically independent, we will work even better together because we will be equal counterparts. We will maintain ties and continue to collaborate.
As far as informing the minister is concerned, I do that weekly and persistently. We need to be heard. As far as supply management is concerned, we are pleased with the support that is offered and we would like the next steps to unfold quickly.
We are counting on people in the government to support this Bloc bill that we are extremely proud of. It is non-partisan and is aimed at rallying support for our farmers.
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Madam Speaker, I have a question for my colleague about the alternative minimum tax. This is something in the budget that came up earlier in debate. The budget proposes to increase it from 15% to 20.5%. This is a measure that would prevent the wealthiest Canadians from using various tax measures to drive down the amount of tax they pay and to ensure the wealthiest among us pay their fair share.
We heard earlier that the concern of the member for Peterborough—Kawartha is that, if we tax the wealthiest Canadians, they will give less to charity, which is why we should not be supporting these measures. I wonder if that is a view that he shares when it comes to the alternative minimum tax.
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Madam Speaker, generally speaking, the Bloc Québécois and Quebeckers have always been in favour of revenue sharing. Therefore, we support this type of measure, which ensures more optimal revenue sharing, to a certain extent of course. I believe it is important for the state to redistribute wealth.
Some believe that if peoples' taxes are too high, they will stop donating to charity. This allows me to clarify the following point. Some media say that Quebeckers donate less to charities than other Canadians. Quebeckers pay much higher taxes than other Canadians, and they have collectively chosen to have a more robust social safety net than that of other Canadians, who are beginning to realize it. For example, they just created a child care program. People should be cautious about making judgments.
In answer to my colleague, I believe that these are easy answers. I believe it is important to have concrete measures for sharing revenue.
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Madam Speaker, I commended the Liberals on the fact that they have finally recognized they have been part of the problem in getting major projects built across the country. We have not seen many. Fourteen LNG projects have been shelved and no pipelines have been built. I know that, in northern British Columbia, a number of forestry mills have closed down.
Does the member think this budget will be what restarts major projects being built in this country?
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Madam Speaker, I have only 15 seconds left, which is not much time to answer that question.
We need to make the transition from fossil fuels to renewables as quickly as possible and start investing directly in that. That is what the member for Berthier—Maskinongé believes. It is urgent, and I wish everyone understood that.
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Madam Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise on behalf of the people of Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo. I did a brief video with the member for Cumberland—Colchester, who was a physician in his previous career, recognizing National Physicians' Day. However, my sister told me it is also National Principal's Day, so I am going to give her a shout-out. My sister Rosie Caputo gets a shout-out for being an elementary school principal. Happy National Principal's Day to all those out there as well.
When I looked at the budget, one of the things that stood out to me, actually referenced in question period by the Minister of Public Safety, was a discussion about foreign interference. This is really appropriate today to discuss. The reason I bring that up is because of the news story that was broken by The Globe and Mail in respect of the member for Wellington—Halton Hills. I do feel as though it is relevant to what we are discussing because we are talking about the budget and what will be invested and also about foreign interference.
The question I have is this: Why now? Why is this coming up now? From what I can see, the government was aware of some degree of foreign interference some time ago. It seems almost trite at this point. It is not even debated. I do see that the government has committed some money when it comes to a national foreign interference office; it may not be enough, given what we have heard today. The money has been budgeted, but one of the concerns I have is that, if I recall correctly, the Minister of Public Safety has not spoken about when this registry would be operational. From what I can see, this is something whose time has come on a number of different fronts.
One thing that I would like to speak about and something I talk about frequently is what it is like to be a member of Parliament. Something I will never forget is walking on this green carpet; sitting in the green chair; addressing you, Madam Speaker; the decorum here and the sceptre. This is an honour and a privilege. When I say it is always an honour and always a privilege to rise on behalf of the people of Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, I am mindful of the fact that every time we walk in here we never know when there could be an election. There are 338 of us and we sometimes forget that out of the 36, 37 or 38 million people, we are entrusted with captaining the ship of democracy. A lot of members give up a lot. A lot of people in here have heard me speak about my young children, one of whom has special needs, and about the sacrifices my wife undertakes and my family undertakes in order that I can be here and not only fulfill a dream but also do what I think is really the right thing to do in being here. We all may disagree on different things, but most people here think they are doing the right thing. We may agree on where we are going, but not necessarily on how to get there.
That is why I was so troubled by today's news. We give up a lot to be here. Not only do we give up a lot, but a lot is expected of us. Therefore, when the Globe and Mail story broke, it spoke about the member for Wellington—Halton Hills and his press release. We can all agree that the member is of the highest calibre of integrity and knowledge that this House has seen in some time. I was very troubled by the fact that his statement said that he had not heard about this. Therefore, here we are in the federal legislature of a G7 country and a member of Parliament is not even advised about the impact on their family in relation to a foreign government.
I find that very difficult. On election day, for instance, I had a situation where somebody came up aggressively when I was with one of my children. They were very inappropriate. My Liberal colleague who ran, came up and expressed his dismay. We are here as colleagues and we may not agree, but at the end of the day we are colleagues. In my prior profession as a lawyer, sometimes we would duke it out in the courtroom, but at the end of the day we still took the same oath. We all took the same oath to be here.
Some of us may not believe in the strength of that oath, and I am mindful of that. However, we all took it. Therefore, it really should not matter what side of the House a member is on. However, here we have a situation where the member's family, perhaps for the last two years, has been targeted, and there was not even the courtesy of letting him know from the Prime Minister's Office. This is a Prime Minister who, we are told by his chief of staff, reads everything.
I am puzzled as to how that is acceptable. I know that not everybody can speak out, but I am sure there are people on all sides who really take issue with the fact that somebody who is actively participating in Canadian democracy had their family allegedly targeted, and that person was not informed.
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Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. This may be a very important issue for an opposition day motion. It may be an issue of privilege. However, it has nothing to do with the budget, and we are debating the budget.
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- May/1/23 6:28:17 p.m.
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We are very generous in the leeway we give in debate, but the hon. member for Timmins—James Bay has a point. I am sure the hon. member for Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo will bring us to the discussion on Bill C-47.
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Madam Speaker, I am tying it in. For my colleague from Timmins—James Bay, this is very important, and the way I opened up my speech was to discuss the $13.5 million that was budgeted. Perhaps that was not enough. Why are we actually here dealing with this today? With all due respect, when the budget does talk about $50 million, at foreign interference, everything encompassed in that, including what happens to individual members in this House, is germane. I said what I have to say and was coming to the end of those comments anyway.
I will move now to the budget itself. We have cumulative spending, and I am quoting from one of my Nova Scotia colleagues who did a great deal of work. We are looking here at the national debt rising in the next five years to, in my view, an untenable level. The interest on the national debt will rise from $44 billion today to $50 billion in five years, if the interest rate calculations from the Liberal government are actually correct.
I did a quick search on how much the federal government sends to the provinces in health care transfers. According to a CBC article I reviewed briefly, $49.1 billion is going to be put in health care transfers. We are at the point now where we are putting forward the same amount in federal health care transfers than we are in servicing our debt. I think about that and about how it is problematic on so many different levels.
One of the reasons it is problematic is because the debt has doubled under the current government. When we are talking about how much interest we are paying, so much of it really does lie at the feet of the Prime Minister, because the Prime Minister has done so much when it comes to our debt. This is something I am concerned about.
I am also concerned about inflation, obviously. I was reading about heartbreaking situations. People were talking to me through newsletters by writing back saying that they are a senior who cannot afford groceries. Somebody in his early fifties wrote to me that he cannot afford a condo.
Inflation is a reality. I know the government has finally acknowledged that, but what took a long time was to acknowledge its role in the inflationary fire. I am not sure the government has fully acknowledged that to this day. The government will say it is going to give this or give that. The problem is the price of housing has gone up so high, the price of rent has gone up so quickly and the price of groceries has gone up so substantially that government assistance is meaningless.
In my riding of Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, I think of people who are paying probably $2,000 for a one-bedroom suite. That is what a whole house used to go for. That is what inflation has led to, and that is part of why we have a problem.
The doubling of the national debt is something we cannot overlook. This is also a confidence issue that gives me pause as to why I will not be supporting the government, because I do not have confidence in the government. I do not have confidence in the government's numbers. I do not have confidence food will be more affordable.
One of my colleagues spoke not long ago about the carbon tax and the impact it is having on affordability. The reason that is so contentious is not just because of its impact on affordability, it is also because of the fact the government has missed every single target.
I obviously have much more to say, but I see my time is up and I will answer any questions from my colleagues at this time.
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Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague spoke a lot about foreign interference, election integrity and breaking news. In fact, I wonder if he would like to respond in this place to the breaking news that a Conservative candidate's campaign manager was just charged with violating Canada's Elections Act, and two Criminal Code charges also.
I am wondering if the member opposite, since he spoke so much about his oath in the office, would like to be the first to champion a full investigation within his party to determine who in the Conservative Party knew and if there will be further decisions made within the Conservative Party to make sure these criminal acts do not happen again.
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Madam Speaker, the reality is this. When we talk about standards and something that is foreign interference, that strikes at the heart of democracy in this place, the fact of the matter is that if somebody has committed an offence, if somebody has laid a charge, due process will allow it to happen. If we want to talk about due process, let us talk about due process. Let us talk about a public inquiry. The members are so passionate about due process and a public inquiry that I am going to look right at them and talk about due process.
How does one get to due process? One gets to it by shining a light on the truth, not by filibustering at the procedure—
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- May/1/23 6:34:51 p.m.
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Questions and comments, the hon. member for Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques.
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Madam Speaker, this evening's debate has been very animated.
The first thing that jumps out at me and that I cannot ignore is the point of order raised by my colleague from Timmins—James Bay, who is asking us to return to the budget debate. Earlier, this same colleague and his party imposed a gag order to cut members' speaking time. So much for lessons in democracy and comments on the need to return to the debate at hand.
Mr. Charlie Angus: Is that a question for me? I am ready to answer my colleague. Does he have a question for me?
Mr. Maxime Blanchette-Joncas: Madam Speaker, we can hear him talking again. I would like you to intervene.
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- May/1/23 6:35:41 p.m.
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The hon. member is asking a question. He is making a comment and asking a question of the hon. member for Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo.
The hon. member for Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques.
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Madam Speaker, the member is part of the New Democratic Party, but it is not very democratic to talk while other members are talking.
Once again, the new gag order party—
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- May/1/23 6:36:07 p.m.
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Order. The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay on a point of order.
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Madam Speaker, I want to apologize to you as Speaker. You are an excellent Speaker. I misunderstood and thought the member was asking me a question, for which I am more than ready.
However, I want to apologize to you. I trust your leadership in the chair.
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- May/1/23 6:36:22 p.m.
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The hon. member for Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques.
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Madam Speaker, we hope to exercise our democratic right in the House. We do not want to be gagged and we do not want to have to repeatedly rise on points of order, as my colleague from Timmins—James Bay has been trying to do in the last few seconds.
My colleague—
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- May/1/23 6:36:49 p.m.
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It is a question of politeness, more than even order, to let someone finish a question. I would ask everyone to please remain silent.
The hon. member for Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques.
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