44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 11, 2023 10:00AM
- May/11/23 2:35:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives talk a big game when it comes to energy in Canada, but here are the facts.
Under the Conservative government, foreign oil imports were double what they are today. It is a fact that imports from non-U.S. sources have declined 80% under our government. These facts speak for themselves.
Under our government, more Canadians are using Canadian energy. The member opposite may not like it, but a fact is a fact.
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- May/11/23 2:35:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the fact is that the Liberals have not met one single climate target.
Liberal taxes are breaking the backs of Canadians. Liberal policies are discouraging workers by clawing back more and more of what Canadians earn. The Liberals are making it impossible to get ahead. So many Canadians are discouraged and concerned about buying their first home, starting a family or working toward financial independence.
Will the Prime Minister cancel his plan to raise taxes on food, heat and gas, and give Canadians some hope?
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- May/11/23 2:36:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to let the hon. member know that from the very time we formed government we have been laser-focused on making life more affordable for Canadians. I note that at every step along the way when we have cut taxes for the middle class or delivered benefits directly to families, the Conservatives have reliably been there to vote against the measures we put forward.
With respect to some of the comments that are coming from the Conservative Party right now about money that is being earned by Canadians is so-called being taken away, the reality is that those are the funds that go toward ensuring Canadians have access to the Canada pension plan. Those are the funds that go toward making sure Canadians have access to employment insurance if they fall upon hard times.
We will defend the social programs that keep my neighbours well during difficult—
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- May/11/23 2:36:52 p.m.
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The hon. member for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.
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- May/11/23 2:36:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, The Globe and Mail reported that the Trudeau Foundation was used as part of an influence operation to get access to the Prime Minister. We heard from the CEO this week that with the donation there was no oversight and no due diligence or audit.
Within five weeks of the Prime Minister's brother signing this $200,000 donation agreement with two Beijing-backed donors, they both had direct access to the Prime Minister.
The question is very simple. Does the Prime Minister still believe the allegations in The Globe and Mail are false?
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- May/11/23 2:37:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what has been said time and time again in the House is that the Prime Minister has not had a connection, direct or indirect, with the foundation for more than 10 years. It is an independent foundation that is responsible for giving scholarships to young leaders, who are going to have tremendous futures in our country. If members have questions about that organization that gives those scholarships, they should ask the foundation directly.
However, what we have seen from the testimony is that whether it is attacking the CBC or independent organizations, those members have no care for whom they attack with their partisan attacks or what damages it does. They are just seeking partisan—
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- May/11/23 2:38:03 p.m.
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The hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable.
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- May/11/23 2:38:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what we saw is that the president of the Trudeau Foundation, a long-time Liberal and good friend of the Trudeau family, Edward Johnson, was a good student. Like the Prime Minister, he wilfully chose to turn a blind eye to Beijing's attempted interference in the foundation to influence the current Prime Minister. The foundation manages $125 million in taxpayer money and Mr. Johnson, a good soldier, put a freeze on all internal investigations into this $140,000 donation from the regime in Beijing.
Why will the Prime Minister not acknowledge that he too wilfully turned a blind eye because his party benefited?
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- May/11/23 2:38:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the foundation in question is independent. The Prime Minister has no direct or indirect involvement in the foundation. That is clear.
The foundation is responsible for scholarships. The foundation is independent and ensures that future generations of leaders receive support for their education. If the member across the way has any questions, it is important to address them to the foundation directly.
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- May/11/23 2:39:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government can go ahead and say that it is not following the Century Initiative, but it is using the same targets. I said “the same”, but that is not accurate. The Century Initiative is recommending that Canada welcome 475,000 newcomers in 2025, but the government chose to go with 500,000. It is moving even faster, despite the unanimous opposition of the Quebec National Assembly, and without even consulting Quebec or holding a public debate.
The Bloc Québécois is calling on all parties, especially the Liberals, to listen to my question. If they want to copy the Century Initiative or even increase the level of immigration even faster, will they at least be honest enough to tell Quebeckers about it?
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- May/11/23 2:40:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, that is interesting. It is obvious that my friend across the way did not read the federal government's plan for immigration levels. If he had read the chapter on francophone immigration, then he would know that it is possible to create a system that will welcome the largest number of francophone newcomers in the history of Canada. That is the government's plan right now.
However, the situation in Quebec is very different. Quebec now has the power to set the level of newcomers to Quebec. Quebec has the power to choose every person who comes to Quebec through the economic class.
Now—
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- May/11/23 2:40:40 p.m.
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The hon. member for Lac‑Saint‑Jean.
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- May/11/23 2:40:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, they reached their francophone immigration target once in 20 years and they are boasting about it. That is ridiculous.
Immigration thresholds are not an abstract concept or just a number in a notebook. They are not statistics that are just thrown around. Behind the numbers there are people with needs. These people need housing, they need health care, day care and schools for their children. They also need to integrate into their new society, learn its language and its culture. We cannot look at immigration from a strictly economic point of view. We are talking about human beings.
Will the government commit to rejecting this bad initiative and finally consider the ability to integrate these people when establishing these thresholds?
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- May/11/23 2:41:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his intervention.
When I think about immigration, I think about the labour shortage. What we need to make clear to all Quebeckers watching today is that Quebec has the authority to select immigrants.
What we are hearing across Quebec and in the regions is that there is a need for workers. When we make investments, for example in the GM plant that will be built in Bécancour, the mayors and officials of the RCMs tell us that they need skilled people.
That is how we will build Quebec and Canada.
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- May/11/23 2:42:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, let us talk about health transfers.
The provinces said they needed $28 billion a year. The federal government gave them only one-sixth of that amount. That was insulting enough, but that was only to provide care for the current population. That did not take into account the Century Initiative.
The Liberal target is a minimum of 500,000 people per year. What studies have they looked at to determine that Quebec and the provinces can provide health care to at least 500,000 more people every year with one-sixth of the money we already need?
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- May/11/23 2:42:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, as the Bloc Québécois is well aware, because the minister has already said so, the initiative mentioned is not a policy of this government. That is the first point.
My second point is that, to my knowledge, there were no Bloc Québécois members present with the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and the Minister of Health when they were negotiating an additional $8 billion in health transfers to Quebec.
That is what Quebeckers wanted from our government and that is what we delivered.
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- May/11/23 2:43:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the finance minister refuses to appear at the finance committee for two hours to answer basic questions about her failed budget. She spent more time in a round-trip flight between Toronto and—
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- May/11/23 2:43:24 p.m.
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I have to interrupt the member for a moment. I would like to remind all hon. members that, when they speak among themselves, other people can hear them.
We have great acoustics, but it echoes all over. I want members to be mindful so we can hear the questions and the answers. I know that some of it is not done on purpose and that members are talking among themselves, like being at work and talking to the next person maybe four or five benches over, but it really does echo and it interferes. I just want everybody to be conscious of that.
The hon. member for Calgary Forest Lawn, from the top, please.
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- May/11/23 2:43:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the finance minister refuses to appear at the finance committee to answer basic questions for two hours about her failed budget. She spent more time in a round-trip flight between Toronto and Ottawa than she did in the finance committee in the last year.
Her failed budget added an extra $4,200 cost on struggling households with the $43-billion Liberal budget bonanza.
Why is she hiding from answering for two hours at the committee? Is she as embarrassed by this budget as much as Canadians are?
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- May/11/23 2:44:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have been very clear on this issue. The finance minister is very ready and is scheduled to appear at the finance committee. Guess what is happening.
This morning, once again, the Liberals showed up to work to listen to testimony on the budget implement act, but what did the Conservative MP for South Shore—St. Margarets want to talk about? It was the Taxman from the Beatles. I have nothing against the Beatles, but I do want supports getting out to Canadians.
Therefore, my appeal to every member in the House is this. Let us come together, right now, and pass the bill.
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