44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 7, 2023 10:00AM
- Dec/7/23 2:29:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, seven million Canadians, including more and more workers, are using food banks because they cannot afford groceries. Today we learned that they will have to budget an extra $700 for groceries in 2024.
This morning, Galen Weston, who earns his employees' annual salary in the time it takes to make himself a coffee, told the committee that his $12-million bonus was reasonable.
What is the Prime Minister going to do to lower prices and put these CEOs in their place?
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- Dec/7/23 2:30:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are monitoring the measures the grocers are taking to provide relief, including commitments to harmonize prices, freeze them, and give discounts on basic necessities.
We are also working on long-term solutions to improve competition in the grocery sector. Bill C‑56 will allow the Competition Bureau to hold grocers responsible and give priority to consumers' interests.
We are closely monitoring what the CEOs are doing.
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- Dec/7/23 2:30:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years, Canadians are learning the hard way that the Prime Minister is simply not worth the cost. The latest food price report shows that Canadians are bracing for another devastating blow next year, with families being forced to pay over $700 more for groceries. That is on top of all the price increases the Prime Minister's carbon tax and inflationary deficits have already caused.
Instead of making food more expensive with planned tax hikes, why do the Liberals not support our common-sense plan to take the carbon tax off families, first nations and farmers?
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- Dec/7/23 2:31:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives continue to do all they can to paralyze government, we are here to work on behalf of Canadians and are happy to do so.
We will continue to make the necessary investments in our social programs, in the Canada child benefit and in our $10-a-day national early learning and child care program. These programs are transformational for Canadian families, saving them hundreds of dollars each and every month. We will continue to work hard on behalf of Canadian families.
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- Dec/7/23 2:32:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the transformation the government has caused to families is that working people now have to go to food banks after eight years of the Prime Minister.
Let me read a quote from the food price report: “Canadians are reducing their expenditures on groceries, either by reducing the quantity or quality of food they are buying”. This is unbelievable. This is in Canada. We used to have a high quality of life, especially for working people, and now people with jobs have to put water in their milk or literally go hungry.
Do the Liberals not realize what they have done to this country? When will they finally take the tax off so food prices can come down?
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- Dec/7/23 2:33:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons from the Conservatives when it comes to supporting the most vulnerable in Canada.
Let us review the facts. UNICEF came out with a report just this month that showed child poverty in Canada has decreased by 22% compared to where the Conservatives left Canadians. Under our government, 2.3 million more Canadians have been lifted out of poverty.
The Conservatives know how to cut. They do not know how to support Canadians.
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- Dec/7/23 2:33:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, farmers are protesting, first nations are taking the Liberal government to court and families literally have to choose: “Do we eat, or do we heat our homes?” This is Canada after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, and now Canadians get to pay $700 more for food. Merry Christmas, brought to them by the Liberal government. Canadians would have preferred a lump of coal.
Will the Prime Minister finally listen to Canadians and take the carbon tax off farmers, families and first nations?
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- Dec/7/23 2:34:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada today has 1.1 million more jobs than before COVID. The jobs recovery has been six months faster than it was after the 2008 recession, when the Conservatives were in office. Canada's GDP is more than 104% higher now than it was before COVID. The GDP recovery was four months faster than after the 2008 recession, which was much more mild.
The Conservatives do not know how to support the most vulnerable among us and they do not know how to have an economic plan for jobs either. We do.
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- Dec/7/23 2:35:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the finance minister wants to talk numbers; that is great. Let us talk about the two million Canadians who visited a food bank in a single month as a result of the NDP-Liberal government. About 800,000 Ontarians went to the food bank. It would be like the third-largest city in Ontario being dependent on a food bank for food.
The finance minister says she will not take lessons. Even a third grader could figure out the Liberals have destroyed Canadians and driven them to food banks. They could fix it if they cared. All they have to do is take the carbon tax off families, first nations and farmers. Will they do it?
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- Dec/7/23 2:35:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, for once, we heard something true from the Conservatives. Yes, the finance minister does believe in talking about numbers, so let us talk about some numbers. There are 1.1 million more jobs in Canada now than before COVID. Eight out of 10 Canadians have more money in their pockets thanks to carbon pricing.
Last week, I was in Edmonton. We have one of the largest investments in Canadian history, more than $11 billion from Dow. Do members know why? It is because of our price on pollution. That is what the Dow CEO told us was underpinning his investment—
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- Dec/7/23 2:36:27 p.m.
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The hon. member for Portneuf—Jacques Cartier.
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- Dec/7/23 2:36:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Christmas is fast approaching and to me it would make sense to give Canadian families a bit of help.
Our motion today calls on the government to leave more money in the pockets of Canadian workers. Aided and abetted by the Bloc Québécois, the Liberals want to radically tax—even more—with the carbon tax.
Will the Prime Minister repeal his carbon tax on farmers and Canadian families?
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- Dec/7/23 2:37:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I expected no better from the Conservatives, who, in 2023, have opposed workers' rights and spread disinformation about housing.
They deny climate change. They want to reopen the abortion debate with Bill C‑311. They are betraying Ukraine. The one idea they had this year would financially harm eight out of 10 families. They are turning their backs on future generations when it comes to climate change. It is shameful.
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- Dec/7/23 2:37:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I invite the minister to leave the Magdalen Islands and head to the streets of Montreal. The great media food drive is taking place today.
The people on street corners soliciting donations because food banks are overwhelmed, are they okay? Does this government realize how desperate—
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- Dec/7/23 2:38:03 p.m.
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Order.
The hon. member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier can start his question from the beginning.
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- Dec/7/23 2:38:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I suggested that the minister leave the Magdalen Islands and head to the streets of Montreal. The great media food drive is taking place today. People are on street corners soliciting donations because food banks are overwhelmed. Does this government realize how desperate people are, and will it listen to reason?
A family of four will pay $700 more for groceries next year. Instead of piling even more taxes on Canadians, with the help of the Bloc Québécois, can this government show some compassion and scrap the carbon tax in order to give Canadian farmers and families some breathing room?
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- Dec/7/23 2:38:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely disgraceful to speak that way about the people of the Magdalen Islands. They survived Dorian and they survived Fiona. He should be ashamed for badmouthing the people in the regions.
Shame on them—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Dec/7/23 2:39:27 p.m.
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Order.
The hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean.
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- Dec/7/23 2:39:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I hope that the member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier is not planning a vacation on the Islands next summer.
Despite the human trafficking rings that are active at the Canadian border, the criminal networks that are run by Mexican cartels and the thieves who exploit vulnerable people to smuggle them across Canada's porous borders, the RCMP plans to reduce its border staff, as reported by CBC/Radio-Canada.
While the Minister of Public Safety promises to increase the number of officers, the RCMP could possibly be reducing its personnel by up to 25%. It is difficult to imagine a more half-baked decision than that.
Will the minister—
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- Dec/7/23 2:40:29 p.m.
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The hon. Minister of Public Safety.
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