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House Hansard - 202

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 30, 2023 10:00AM
  • May/30/23 2:42:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives never want to talk about the costs of climate change. The Parliamentary Budget Officer reported that there was a $20-billion impact to the Canadian economy in 2021. Six hundred fires are burning from coast to coast to coast. They are devastating our communities, and they are threatening lives and livelihoods. When are the Conservatives going to get serious about climate change and stop the denial?
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  • May/30/23 2:43:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have no credibility when it comes to affordability. Every time we put an affordability measure on the table, whether it is dental, rental or the Canadian child benefit, the Conservatives vote against it. The climate rebate is an affordability measure. It is going to help families be better off. What is not going to leave families better off is investing in cryptocurrency. The Leader of the Opposition has not walked back his comments. He has not apologized. That is because he has no plan for the environment, no plan for the economy and certainly no plan for affordability.
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  • May/30/23 5:52:05 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, Canadians know that climate change is real and that it is an urgent threat that requires significant, decisive action. We see the 1,600 fires that are burning across Canada. Canadians are being evacuated from their homes in Halifax, and the opposition just does not take climate change seriously. I would like to emphasize that Canada has a strong climate plan to address the issue I have just described. Last year, we released the 2030 emissions reduction plan. This plan describes in detail the many actions we are taking to support the global efforts to combat climate change and to meet Canada's 2030 emissions reduction target. Carbon pricing is central to our plan, because it is effective and costs less than any other climate policy. Canadians want the government to act, and carbon pricing is the most affordable way to do it. The federal approach to carbon pricing puts money back in the pockets of Canadians. In fact, most households come out ahead. Low-income households, in particular, do much better. The average household receives more in climate action incentive payments than it faces in direct costs because of carbon pricing. This has been confirmed repeatedly in independent studies. Let us not be nearsighted. Climate change is a global challenge, and the costs of inaction are high. Canadians want climate action. The government owes it to them to be responsible and use the policies that are the most efficient and cost-effective. Our approach ensures that Canadians are well placed to benefit from the opportunities created by the global transition that is under way. Pricing carbon pollution, as well as returning the proceeds to Canadian families and businesses, is an effective and affordable way to combat climate change while supporting the sustainability of Canadian communities.
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  • May/30/23 5:55:18 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, every time we put forward an affordability measure, dental support, rental support, the Canada child benefit or a middle-class tax cut, the Conservatives vote against it. They are incredibly hypocritical when it comes to the affordability challenges of Canadians. Just in closing, evidence confirms that putting a price on carbon pollution works. It spurs clean growth, supports jobs and cuts the pollution causing climate change. The federal carbon pollution pricing system is not about raising revenues. It is about recognizing that pollution has a cost, empowering Canadians and encouraging cleaner growth and a more sustainable future.
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