44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 2, 2023 10:00AM
- Nov/2/23 4:20:28 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the hon. member said that the current NDP-Liberal government has spared no effort to make life more affordable for Canadians. Guess what: It is not working. Rent and mortgages have doubled, and there is 40-year-high inflation and 20-year-high interest rates. That is the record of the NDP-Liberal government. Meanwhile, the hon. member's constituents are being penalized by the punitive carbon tax on home heating. They will not benefit from the suspension with respect to home heating oil, which was a desperate effort by a desperate government to save Atlantic MPs.
Will the member finally, for once, stand up to his boss, the Prime Minister, and vote in support of our Conservative motion so his constituents can keep the heat on? Will he vote to axe the punitive carbon tax?
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- Nov/2/23 4:21:32 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I represent the people of my riding of Vaughan—Woodbridge, and I always listen to them.
I always will stand up for the citizens of my riding, and I have done so ever since I was elected in 2015. They know me quite well. The government has put in place policies that always put the citizens of Canada first, and we have done this again with this measure that we have brought in. The income tax cuts we brought in for 2015; the basic personal expenditure amount; the Canada child benefit; the Canada workers benefit; the dental benefit for kids under 12 and now, going forward, for seniors; and the national early learning and child care program, which, in my riding, is saving residents literally thousands of dollars a year, are measures I am very proud of.
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- Nov/2/23 4:22:58 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, obviously there is a lot of concern about the real hardship that Canadians are facing right now. We know that the Conservatives are playing political games, saying that they have the backs of working people. We know that time and time again when it came to taking action to show it, when they were in government, they did the opposite.
What are the Liberals doing to reinvest in the programs that Canadians need today? I asked about the $120 billion that Canadian corporations are funnelling offshore to avoid paying taxes here in Canada. The Liberal who responded said that the Liberals care about this, but what are the Liberals doing to crack down on wealthy tax cheats and to reinvest that money into Canadians who are hurting right now?
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- Nov/2/23 4:23:49 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, ever since we were first elected in 2015, we have brought into place income tax measures on high-income earners here in Canada. We have also put in place the dividend recovery on banks and financial institutions earning over a certain amount. We have increased resources to the Canada Revenue Agency to make sure we go after Canadian institutions and organizations pursuing measures that try to minimize their taxes in illegal ways and so forth. We know that to have a strong economy, we need a strong social fabric, and we can do that only by ensuring that all Canadians pay their fair share.
I know that the hard-working citizens in my riding of Vaughan—Woodbridge, the residents who go to work every day, play by the rules, save for their kids, go to their soccer tournaments on the weekends and bus their kids around, are working hard. They need to know that all 338 of us are working hard to represent not only the residents of my riding but also all the residents across Canada.
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- Nov/2/23 4:25:20 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup.
It is always an honour to rise as the representative for the amazing people and spectacular region of North Okanagan—Shuswap. It is also an honour to rise to speak to the Conservative opposition day motion that is in front of us today, which is, “That, given that the government has announced a ‘temporary, three-year pause’ to the federal carbon tax on home heating oil, the House call on the government to extend that pause to all forms of home heating.”
Winter has started in our nation, and Canadians are having to pay more than ever to heat their homes. Heating our home is not a luxury; it is essential for survival, and that is an important point that the Liberal regime and its NDP enablers wilfully and recklessly ignore. In the past week, we saw an admission from the Liberal-NDP government that the federal carbon tax is hurting Canadians and their homes. However, the Liberals' token partial deferral of federal carbon tax in predominantly Liberal regions is unacceptable. I cannot recall an instance when the federal government acted in such a divisive, cynical and self-interested way by relieving pain inflicted by the government for some, but not for all.
Too many members of the House continue to ignore or deny the hurt being inflicted by the Liberal-NDP coalition, so let me share with everyone how the hurt has recently been described to me by a constituent, who said that the more that Canadian families are forced to pay for necessities of basic survival, like home heating, the less they have to pay for other basic or essential expenses, such as groceries and clothes for their kids. These are the realities, and if the Liberals are serious about reducing the pain experienced by Canadians, then they must start by recognizing the problem.
The Conservative motion before the House today proposes a solution for the pain inflicted on Canadians by the Liberal government. The motion’s proposal is inclusive of all Canadians, not exclusive to the chosen few, the 3%. Not only is this common-sense motion reasonable, universal and fair, but it is also essential, because it would directly support the ability of all Canadians to meet the essential need of heating their homes. Canadians struggling to keep the heat on are watching and will be watching when members vote on the motion next week. I will read the motion again so it is very clear what we are debating here today and what we will vote on next week: “That, given that the government has announced a 'temporary, three-year pause' to the federal carbon tax on home heating oil, the House call on the government to extend that pause to all forms of home heating.”
As the NDP-Liberal coalition and Bloc collaborators continue to deny carbon tax pain, the Governor of the Bank of Canada has clearly stated that the carbon tax is adding to the devastating inflation affecting the lives of Canadians, especially low-income Canadians, who are being hit the hardest. The member for Northumberland—Peterborough South recently asked Mr. Macklem what the effect on inflation would be if the federal carbon tax were removed. Mr. Macklem confirmed that removing the carbon tax would, in fact, achieve a much-needed reduction of inflation. He went on to state the following: “[I]t is the most vulnerable members of [our] society who are suffering...from high inflation. They are feeling the brunt of affordability more than everybody else. They can't just move [down the market]. They're already at the bottom of the market. Much of their spending is already on necessities. You can't cut back on that. That's why it is so important that we get inflation down. Inflation is a tax that disproportionately affects the most vulnerable members of [our] society.”
We know that the carbon tax is adding to inflation, which is adding to the cost of living, which is in turn adding to the number of young families, single parents, seniors and many others having to make the choice between heating and eating.
I hear from Canadians in the North Okanagan—Shuswap about how food banks are struggling to keep up with demand and how businesses are trying to balance their books to avoid going under. Small business owners are forced to dip into their savings in an effort to avoid laying off workers. I would like to share a couple of recent emails from good people at home who are struggling under the inflationary load forced on them by the NDP-Liberal government.
This one came in just today from an entrepreneurial couple in Salmon Arm: “Mel, well, let’s talk about sticker shock. We purchased fuel for the generation of power electricity today. Kind of hard to run solar or electricity on a gravel screening plant. Carbon tax of $294.59 and $149.04 for GST. Pretty darn sure that is part of the problem why many of our fellow small business people are facing bankruptcy. Sincerely, taxed to death constituents, Peter & Anne.” That is over $400 just on one tank of fuel so they can run their plant. That fuel would have been used to clean gravel to build roads, homes and farms, and the carbon tax will compound each transaction and add to the cost of all those operations that are needed so badly for people to move, have a home and have food to eat.
This message is from Ed: “Look at house insurance, property tax, heating fuel and electrical with carbon tax, auto fuel cost, home repair costs. Look at furnace replacement, in 2018 the cost was 5,000 and the same furnace in my kid’s home was quoted by the same contractor at 10,000. What senior could save an additional 5,000 in 4 years when they can’t make ends meet. Heat pumps, 4,500 to 11,000 in 4 years. Again, no senior could afford this should they have a breakdown.”
These are messages I am getting and I am sure many MPs are getting because of the NDP-Liberal government's policies. The Prime Minister is choosing once again to divide Canadians. Instead of every Canadian feeling proud of being part of one country and pulling in the same direction, we have a Prime Minister who is pitting one group of Canadians against all others. His plan to temporarily pause the carbon tax on home heating will apply only to 3% of Canadians, while 97% are left out in the cold to figure out whether they can afford heating or eating.
Even the NDP Premier of British Columbia has said that while people in Atlantic Canada are struggling to make ends meet, so are residents in B.C. He went one to say, “At a minimum, fairness demands equal treatment of British Columbians. People struggling with affordability around home heating face the same struggle in B.C. It's not a distinct or different struggle.”
In the neighbouring province with abundant, clean-burning natural gas, which, by the way, will receive no carbon tax exemption anywhere in Canada, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages has a suggestion for Albertans angry with his Liberal government’s special treatment of Atlantic Canada over the carbon tax. He said that Canadians could always switch their natural gas furnaces for heat pumps instead. However, now what is being exposed is that insurance companies do not want homeowners to install heat pumps in locations where winter temperatures fall below -20°C. That is about 85% of Canada's land mass.
The Liberal cabinet minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency really took Atlantic opportunities to heart last weekend when she said, “[The Liberal Atlantic] caucus was vocal with what they've heard from their constituents, and perhaps they need to elect more Liberals in the Prairies so that we can have that conversation as well.”
Conservatives have a better opportunity for Canadians. Instead of dividing Canadians like the Liberals do, a Conservative government would axe the carbon tax for good to make life affordable for all Canadians, not just for the ones who vote Liberal.
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- Nov/2/23 4:35:22 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the member, right at his conclusion, said that the Conservative Party would axe the carbon tax for Canadians. Conservatives have made that very clear. No doubt it will be part of their campaign platform.
The issue I have with the simplicity of the message the member just gave is that he does not talk about the rebates being given to the people of Canada. For example, in Winnipeg North, over 80% of the residents I represent will get more money back through the rebate than they will pay in carbon tax. That comes from the Parliamentary Budget Officer, so it is not just me saying that.
The member is telling Canadians that you are going to axe the tax, but would you still be providing the rebates? If you do not still provide the rebates, you are taking money out of the pockets of more than 80% of the residents I represent.
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- Nov/2/23 4:36:24 p.m.
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I want to remind the hon. member, who has been here for quite some time, that he should know he is to address all questions and comments through the Chair.
The hon. member for North Okanagan—Shuswap.
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- Nov/2/23 4:36:37 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, that question is very pertinent, and I am really glad the member asked the question.
What we are going to do is not take the money out of Canadians' pockets in the first place. If it is not taken in the first place, it does not have to be provided back as an incentive or enticement to vote Liberal in the future.
Why would Liberals take money out of the pockets of Canadians only to give it back? It only creates more bureaucracy within a government that is just so corrupt and so wasteful that we have to put an end to it.
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- Nov/2/23 4:37:18 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I agree with my colleague that we do need to have regional fairness in Canada. That is one of the tenets of federalism that we have to realize.
However, my colleague from British Columbia should know very well that anything to do with carbon pricing in the province of British Columbia is run out of the legislature in Victoria and not out of Ottawa. That is because the Province of B.C. does not like taking an “Ottawa knows best” approach, unlike Conservative premiers elsewhere in Canada.
The member would also know that his Conservative colleague, the current member for Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, was a member of the B.C. Liberal government that proudly brought it in in 2008, and he used to sing its praises when they were bringing it in. They have now changed their tune.
Would my hon. colleague from B.C. at least correct the record and acknowledge that the policy in B.C. is set in Victoria, not in Ottawa?
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- Nov/2/23 4:38:17 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, that question gives me an opportunity to set the record straight here.
When the carbon tax was originally brought in in B.C., it was a revenue-neutral tax. There were no extra funds going into the government coffers. When an NDP government was elected in B.C., that carbon tax became a revenue generator. It is no longer revenue-neutral. The government makes money off it.
Will the member back up what his NDP provincial premier has stated, which is that this should be fair and equitable in all regions of the country, as we are proposing in our motion?
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- Nov/2/23 4:39:22 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for enlightening the government that, if it does not take the tax money from Canadians' pockets, it will not have to give the money back to them.
One of the things the government has never thought about because they do things on the spur of the moment, without thinking about things, is the cost of these free home heating units that will be going out. With basically close to 400,000 homes, just in the Maritimes alone, at $10,000 each, that is $4 billion.
Could my colleague quickly comment on where he thinks that money would come from? Who is the government going to tax if it follows through with this?
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- Nov/2/23 4:40:17 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I could only speculate on what the government may do.
We know that it is going to quadruple the carbon tax. That is right; it will quadruple it. Perhaps the Liberal government needs to quadruple it to pay for some of these “free” heat pumps they are going to be giving out. It seems scandalous. It is like every other scandal within the Liberal government. There seems to be a free heat pump or a free scandal for every Liberal member over there.
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- Nov/2/23 4:41:04 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in the House to speak to this opposition motion, which reads, and I quote:
That, given that the government has announced a “temporary, three-year pause” to the federal carbon tax on home heating oil, the House call on the government to extend that pause to all forms of home heating.
Note that we are talking about a “temporary, three-year pause”. That means that it will be coming back.
This is a fair, reasonable and common-sense motion. It could not be simpler. I think that everyone in the country can understand this. That is what we are asking for today and during the vote on this motion next Monday.
The Prime Minister gave to some. Now he must give to everyone. This motion calls on the Prime Minister to be fair to all Canadians, whatever region they live in or whatever form of home heating they use.
Last week, the Liberals announced three changes to the carbon tax aimed at Atlantic Canadians: a three-year pause on the carbon tax for home heating; a 10% increase in the rural top-up; and the creation of a program that will reward Canadians who register to switch from oil to heat pumps.
A heat pump costs between $5,000 and $10,000 and as much as $12,000. I hear it will be free depending on the province. I cannot wait to see that. I do not know of anything in life that is free.
This is all quite the coincidence. Our leader was actually in the Atlantic provinces for a rally against the carbon tax when the Prime Minister made his announcement. It appears the Prime Minister panicked, or perhaps it is because he realized his popularity was plummeting. In short, this is a disaster.
The problem is that this announcement only impacts 3% of the population; the other 97% will continue to pay the carbon tax on heating. Quebec will also continue to pay. The western provinces will also continue to pay. The Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency even had the nerve to say that people in the Prairies should just vote Liberal. Talk about condescending. It is impossible to make this up.
I want to be very clear. The carbon tax is making everything more expensive, contrary to what the Bloc Québécois has been saying for weeks. Contrary to what the Bloc Québécois has been saying, the carbon tax does have an impact on Quebec. Whether it is direct or indirect, the tax does have an impact on Quebec. Every product or food that comes from another province is affected by the carbon tax. Other provinces import services and consumer goods, particularly groceries, and this drives up prices in Quebec as well. The carbon tax therefore does apply to Quebec. As soon as those products hit the shelves and are consumed in Quebec, they are subject to the carbon tax.
Quebec is not self-sufficient. Even if Quebec were independent, as the Bloc Québécois wants, it would not be completely isolated from the world. It is absurd to think that Quebec could produce everything that needs to be produced in its own hypothetical country, which is what the Bloc Québécois wants to see someday. The reality is that Quebec imports goods. These goods are affected by the carbon tax, which the Bloc Québécois wants to radically increase. Let us imagine the end result. What will happen in five or 10 years? The government wants to quadruple the carbon tax and the Bloc wants to increase it as much as possible. This will inevitably have an impact on Quebec.
The Liberals granted their wish. The Prime Minister imposed a second carbon tax. The clean fuel regulations will raise the price of gas by up to 20¢ a litre by 2030. The Bloc Québécois's willingness to make Quebeckers poorer is astounding, but that is precisely what is going on. The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated about 17¢, but after the GST and QST are added, the total adds up to about 20¢. The Bloc has been the government's ally on this issue from the start. Worse yet, I repeat, they want to drastically hike the carbon tax. That will inevitably impact Quebec and the entire country, against their wishes.
A few weeks ago, we moved a motion to abolish both carbon taxes, and the Bloc Québécois voted against it.
Bloc Québécois MPs say that they represent Quebeckers. Unfortunately, I do not think that Quebeckers want more taxes. People who live in ridings represented by Bloc MPs who are in the House or at their offices in Ottawa are all affected by these things. They are all having a hard time making ends meet. Currently, nine out of 10 Canadians, including Quebeckers, are using food banks. It is no longer just people on social assistance or people in a temporary bind, but workers and entire families who are forced to go to food banks.
A Canadian family will pay $1,000 more for groceries over the next year. The Bloc Québécois is okay with that. A report on food prices predicts that prices will go up by 34% over the next two years. Here are a few of the general numbers on increases in food prices since 2015, when the Liberals came to power: lettuce has gone up 94%; onions, 70%; cabbage, 70%; carrots, 74%; potatoes, 77%. Oranges have also gone up in price. Everything has gone up. When we go to the grocery store, we leave with one bag of groceries that cost $250. That is crazy. Things absolutely need to change.
A common-sense Conservative government will work to reduce the debt, pay it down. The Bloc Québécois could not care less. The Conservatives want to return to a balanced budget to bring down inflation and interest costs, which have caused mortgages to double. The amount required for a down payment has doubled, rent has doubled, everything has doubled. It is appalling. People are living paycheque to paycheque, month to month. It is hard for them to get by. The Bloc Québécois does not give a damn.
Worse yet, two of our Bloc Québécois colleagues told the House this morning that the Conservatives should be ashamed of getting their paycheques in Ottawa and that they should represent Quebeckers. It takes a lot of gall to say such things knowing that they want to divide or, indeed, outright undo the country we live in. Besides, where do they get their pay and pensions from? It is appalling to hear them say such things.
Monthly mortgage payments for an average house have now reached $3,560. That is a 150% increase since this Prime Minister took office. The average price of a one-bedroom apartment climbed from $973 in 2015 to $1,175 in 2023. The increase on a two-bedroom apartment is even worse, from $1,100 to $2,300. It used to take 25 years to pay off a mortgage. Now, it takes 25 years just to save up the down payment.
The situation has worsened to the point that some families are being forced to take out mortgages that will take them 50, 60, 70 or 80 years to pay off. That makes no sense. Most young people have actually given up on the dream of owning their own home. What we are currently experiencing across Canada is no picnic, and all because of this government's inflationary policies.
The government is making things worse with the carbon tax, and the Bloc Québécois wants to increase it drastically. I cannot say this often enough. Bloc members said it before in the House, more than once. They could not care less that the people of Quebec are struggling to make ends meet. They have no problem adding to that burden. Voting for the Bloc Québécois will be costly.
Bloc members are denying the obvious. The carbon tax increases the price of everything. I have no choice but to repeat that they refuse to believe it. It is incredible. We live in a country with 10 provinces and three territories, including Quebec, but these people seem to live on a different planet. They do not, and Quebec does not either. They live in Canada. Goods are bought and sold within Canada, and Quebec inevitably pays tax on them. I do not know why they insist on saying that this does not apply to Quebec. Yes, Quebec has a carbon exchange with California, which, by the way, has doubled. Where is that money going? I think that Quebeckers should check or at least seek more information on their current situation. It really is no picnic.
After eight years of this government, the time has come for a common-sense government. I therefore ask my parliamentary colleagues to support our motion and expand the pause announced by the Prime Minister to include all forms of home heating.
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- Nov/2/23 4:51:01 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, when we think of oil heating and compare that to the impact on the environment of natural gas, or home heat pumps, I think we would probably agree that the oil heating system does hurt the environment a whole lot more, and it is a lot more costly.
Does the Conservative Party have any policy, direction or thoughts regarding that, or do they feel they should leave it out there and let it evolve in society in a way Conservatives would be happy to see with regards to climate change in general.
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- Nov/2/23 4:52:00 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the answer is quite simple: reduce taxes on heating. It is not hard.
By the way, he says that heat pumps are better for the environment. I agree with him. The Liberals have been in power for eight years. Instead of collecting a tax on carbon and giving part of it back to people, why did they not decide eight years ago to provide all Canadians who are less fortunate with heat pumps or to help them acquire them?
I do not know why they did not do that eight years ago if it is such a good solution for the environment. They collect taxes and give some of it back. They tell people to go buy a heat pump that will cost them anywhere from $5,000 to $12,000 and that it will all be paid off in a few years. Nothing is free in Canada.
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- Nov/2/23 4:52:51 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, thanks to the Quebec Conservatives, we are still talking about the carbon tax that does not apply in Quebec.
If the people of Saskatchewan are fed up with a carbon tax, all they have to do is tell the Premier of Saskatchewan to come up with a plan and they will no longer have a carbon tax.
I have a question for my colleague who represents Quebec Conservatives. He and all his colleagues spend 100% of their time in Ottawa talking about issues that do not affect Quebeckers, like the carbon tax. Again today, they have decided to waste their entire opposition day on a subject that does not concern Quebec. Meanwhile, we are not hearing them criticize the new immigration thresholds, which do not respect Quebec's capacity to integrate newcomers. We are not hearing them stand up for SMEs in their own ridings that are facing bankruptcy because of the emergency account. They prefer to stand up for wealthy western oil companies. They talk about the cost of living, but the cost of living for the people of Calgary and Moose Jaw.
Do they not want to work on behalf of Quebec from time to time?
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- Nov/2/23 4:53:54 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I feel I must compliment my colleague. She is probably the least condescending of all the Bloc Québécois members here in Ottawa. She is careful about what she says. She is very nice.
I think she is once again making the mistake of saying that this is of no concern to Quebeckers. Clearly we see things differently. We also have a very different vision of government. The Liberals, with the help of the Bloc Québécois, want to keep increasing the carbon tax. They actually want to increase it radically, but we want to eliminate it entirely. She is also mistaken when she says the Canadian carbon tax does not apply to Quebec. Of course it applies to Quebec, both directly and indirectly.
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- Nov/2/23 4:54:47 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I do want to follow up on the question that was just asked by the Bloc.
As the member is a member of the Conservative Party representing Quebec, I am curious how he feels about the fact that his party continues to support big oil and gas companies. We know that five of the biggest oil and gas companies made $38 billion in combined profits last year, but when we asked whether they should be asked to pay simply what they owe, the Conservatives voted against that.
I agree with my colleague from the Bloc that it feels to me like this is a Quebec member of Parliament who is standing up and touting the party line from the Conservatives that big oil can do whatever it wants as long as Albertans keep voting for Conservatives.
How is that vote helping his constituents in Quebec?
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- Nov/2/23 4:55:56 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I was under the impression the NDP would be supporting our motion. I thank my colleague.
I cannot believe what she keeps saying about the western Canadian oil and gas sector. She is from Edmonton, Alberta, which sends $13 billion to the province of Quebec. Basically, what she is telling me is that they are all rotten.
I cannot understand why she is not prouder of her own province's industry.
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- Nov/2/23 4:56:40 p.m.
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Order. It is my duty pursuant to Standing Order 38 to inform the House that the questions to be raised tonight at the time of adjournment are as follows: the hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands, Climate Change; the hon. member for Brantford—Brant, Public Services and Procurement; the hon. member for Calgary Centre, Oil and Gas Industry.
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