44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 31, 2023 10:00AM
- Oct/31/23 2:17:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years, rampant corruption and gross mismanagement of taxpayer dollars are being exposed in the Prime Minister’s billion-dollar green slush fund at Sustainable Development Technologies Canada. A friend of the Prime Minister who is chair of the board has funnelled millions of dollars to her company, and she even had executives pressure and mislead staff into approving millions more.
Recent reports reveal that of a small sample of companies that received funding, three of them were ineligible, but they still received a staggering $53 million. The companies did not need the funding, and the external reviewers recommended against funding them, but they got tens of millions of taxpayer dollars anyway because under the NDP-Liberal government, insiders get paid and Canadians pay the price.
Conservatives have alerted Canada’s Auditor General to the corruption in the Liberal green slush fund and have called for a full forensic audit. Canadians deserve answers, because the Prime Minister is just not worth the cost.
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- Oct/31/23 2:18:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last week in members' statements and question period, Conservatives made 179 statements they knew were not accurate or factual. We can put this down to political hyperbole, but link it to other things Conservatives have been doing, and a dark picture emerges. Since they named their latest leader, Conservatives have consistently worked to tear down Canada's democratic institutions, government agencies, the CBC—
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- Oct/31/23 2:19:13 p.m.
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I am going to interrupt the member for Fleetwood—Port Kells. To indicate that any hon. member in the House deliberately made false statements is against the rules of the House. If the member is able to, I will encourage him to start his statement again. Understanding what I have just said, he would conduct himself accordingly.
The hon. member for Fleetwood—Port Kells has the floor, from the top in an amended fashion.
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- Oct/31/23 2:19:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last week in members' statements and question period, there were 179 statements that were not accurate or factual. We could put this down to political hyperbole on the part of the Conservatives, but link it to other things the Conservatives have been doing, and we get a very dark picture. Since they named their latest leader, Conservatives have consistently worked to tear down Canada's democratic institutions, government agencies and the CBC; to dis our economy; to attack our courts; and to disrespect the Speaker as well.
The phrase “everything is broken” promotes distrust. The Conservatives feed the public a steady diet of anger and doubt. Is this a set-up to create citizens' willingness to elect a strongman who would take away some of their freedoms in exchange for an illusionary sense of protection? Is this the Conservative leader's agenda? If so, it is risky and reckless. If not, then he should follow the advice from Cicero: “When [some] speak ill of thee, live so that [none] would believe them.”
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- Oct/31/23 2:21:10 p.m.
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Colleagues, once again, I will encourage you to please reread the statement that I made from the chair almost two weeks ago regarding trying to bring more decorum to the House. It is really important, not only for ourselves but also for all Canadians, that we understand that each member of Parliament who comes here comes with the best of intentions to serve her or his country, to do so with honour and to do so with integrity.
There are statements we can make that can certainly reflect a point of view people have, but let us make sure we do not cross over the line into calling into question the dignity and honour of all members.
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- Oct/31/23 2:21:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's flip-flop on his carbon tax creates two classes of Canadians: some who are temporarily exempt from taxes on their heating, and others who will have to pay the second carbon tax, which applies in Quebec and will continue to drive up the cost of gas, diesel and food for Quebeckers.
The Prime Minister's Minister of Rural Economic Development said that Prairie Canadians are going to have to continue to pay the carbon tax because they did not vote Liberal.
Will the Prime Minister denounce her divisive comments or admit that he is hitting Canadians with higher taxes as punishment for not voting for him?
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- Oct/31/23 2:22:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, people across the country are facing very high prices because they heat their homes with oil. That is why they are not always able to switch to more affordable options, like heat pumps. Last week's announcement focuses on replacing oil heating with heat pumps, and that goes for the whole country.
We are here to work with all the provinces that want to make sure low-income households get heat pumps for free so they can get rid of the type of heating that pollutes more, is more expensive and does not help families.
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- Oct/31/23 2:23:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's panicked flip-flop on the carbon tax for oil heating proved that everything he said for eight years about the tax is wrong. It is not worth the cost. He said that the tax would make people better off. He has now admitted that it is not true. He said it is about the environment, but he leaves the tax on lower-emitting and more environmentally friendly natural gas. Now, the Prime Minister is dividing Canadians based on where they live.
Will he stop creating two classes of Canadians? Will he take the tax off all so Canadians can keep the heat on?
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- Oct/31/23 2:24:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the goal from the very beginning of our fight against climate change and the price on pollution was to put more money in people's pockets and encourage protecting the planet. That is exactly what we have seen over the past number of years.
As a step, one of the things we are targeting right now is home heating oil, which is used right across the country, primarily by lower-income residents. They pay more for home heating oil than they would for natural gas, and it is dirtier and more emitting than natural gas.
We are going to provide free heat pumps for low-income families in provinces that are willing to participate with us and drive down emissions.
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- Oct/31/23 2:25:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister admits that he is keeping the tax on cleaner and lower-emitting natural gas. This is clearly not about environmental science; it is about political science. That political science with him is always to divide and conquer. It tears the country apart to serve his own narrow, personal interest.
Does the Prime Minister not realize that what he is doing is not just bankrupting Canadian households, 14% of which are living with unsafe temperatures because of higher energy costs, but also actually tearing our national unity apart?
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- Oct/31/23 2:25:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what we see from the Conservatives, yet again, is misinformation.
The price on pollution applied to natural gas does put more money back in the pockets of eight out of 10 Canadians across the country. That is what the Leader of the Opposition refuses to recognize. When Canadians receive a climate action incentive cheque, it more than compensates, for eight out of 10 households across the country, for what they spend on the carbon price with natural gas.
The math does not apply to home heating, which is why we are phasing out home heating oil by replacing it with free heat pumps for low-income Canadians.
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- Oct/31/23 2:26:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising that the Prime Minister continues to contradict the Parliamentary Budget Officer, who said that 60% of Canadians pay more in his carbon tax than they get back in rebates. Now he is contradicting what he said on Thursday, wherein he admitted that Canadians are made worse off on a net basis by his tax. That is why he is having to put in a pause until after the election.
Already 14% of Canadians are living with unsafe temperatures in their homes. One in 10 has missed paying a heating bill in the last 12 months. Will the Prime Minister, before people go cold and hungry, axe the tax so that people can keep the heat on?
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- Oct/31/23 2:27:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, home heating oil is more expensive, more emitting and more polluting and is in households that in general are lower income and do not have the means to support it. That is why we are putting forward a program that is going to get free heat pumps installed right across the country, as long as the provinces step up and partner with us the way three provinces already have.
We know the best way to support families is to have them save thousands of dollars a year on heating. That is what they are going to be able to do with heat pumps. That is why we are delivering them right across the country as provinces step up.
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- Oct/31/23 2:28:12 p.m.
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Before I move on, I would like to thank the whips for signalling to their members to keep the noise down. I would ask all members to please look at their whips and follow their example.
The hon. Leader of the Opposition.
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- Oct/31/23 2:28:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister admits that natural gas is cleaner and lower-emitting, and that is exactly why he is going to penalize Canadians for using it.
He says he wants to bring in a pause for some people in some places. I want to get rid of the tax for all people in all places and forever, but why do we not let Canadians decide? Why does the Prime Minister not pause the tax across the country until Canadians go to the polls, so we can have a carbon tax election and Canadians can choose his plan to quadruple the tax or my plan to axe the tax?
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- Oct/31/23 2:29:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is amazing to me that after three failed elections in a row by the Conservatives, they still want to fight another election on denying climate change and denying the costs of climate change. After the summer we have had, they continue to say no plan against climate change is what is good for Canadians, good for our economy and good for businesses. They are wrong, and Canadians are going to show them that once again.
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Oct/31/23 2:30:09 p.m.
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Again, I thank the whips for encouraging members to please exercise self-control, especially when we are listening to someone providing an answer.
I will let the right hon. Prime Minister continue.
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- Oct/31/23 2:30:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in homes across the country that heat with natural gas, the carbon rebate delivers more than the carbon price costs in eight out of 10 homes across the country. That is how we are fighting climate change and putting more money back in people's pockets. Home heating oil is dirty and more expensive, and we are phasing it out and replacing it with free heat pumps if the provinces sign up.
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- Oct/31/23 2:31:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Environment announced a pathway, but he has not announced new immigration targets. The plan is for him to announce them tomorrow, but he candidly admitted that he does not know them. Today, he does not know the numbers he will be announcing tomorrow.
That worries me a little. This is not a high school project one puts together the night before it is due.
Why would he not wait until he knows the targets and has done consultations before announcing the announcement date?
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- Oct/31/23 2:31:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know immigration enriches our country. It enriches us in terms of the economy and diversity, and it enriches communities from coast to coast to coast.
We will continue to welcome people from all over the world, and we will always do so responsibly, taking into account what our businesses, our families and our communities need, as well as what is needed internationally. We will continue to do so responsibly, and I am very much looking forward to making that announcement tomorrow in due course.
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