SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 278

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 8, 2024 10:00AM
  • Feb/8/24 2:44:58 p.m.
  • Watch
Try talking to a farmer.
5 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:44:58 p.m.
  • Watch
I would like to remind the member for Battle River—Crowfoot that he had the opportunity to ask a question. I would encourage him and all other members to listen carefully to the questions and answers. The hon. member for Chatham-Kent—Leamington.
45 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:45:15 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the carbon tax on food is working against Canadians by decreasing both the amount and the type of food they buy. Visits to food banks are at record highs, with over two million visits, and just think of the new records we are going to set once the carbon tax is quadrupled. Highline Mushrooms is in Leamington. It supplies American and Canadian retailers with mushrooms. Its American competitors do not have to pay the carbon tax, so it is forced to pass along the carbon tax cost to the Canadian consumer. The Prime Minister is not worth the cost. When will he axe the tax?
107 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:45:56 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I would agree with the Conservative member for Regina—Lewvan, who recognized that there is absolutely no data to support any link between the price on pollution and higher grocery pricing. In fact, there is no pricing on pollution in the United States of America, and its grocery prices are the same as we have here in Canada.
61 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:46:26 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, Beverly Greenhouses is an award-winning greenhouse operation in Flamborough that produces healthy, fresh cucumbers for Canadians. Almost $4,000 of its $13,000 natural gas bill in October was carbon tax, and it has only increased since then. When the NDP-Liberal government quadruples the carbon tax, the operator of Beverly Greenhouses is going to struggle to compete with the price on cucumbers imported from Mexico. After eight years, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost. When will the government finally axe the tax so this family farm can continue to feed Canadians?
97 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:47:07 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, being a farmer, I am well aware of how important it is to take care of the environment. That is why it is so important to have a tax on pollution. In fact, last Tuesday in committee, Tyler McCann of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute indicated to the committee members that there is no data to support that carbon pricing is resulting in any increase in the price of groceries.
73 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:47:43 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the CBC reported that the Liberals made the decision to suspend life-saving funding to UNRWA without having seen any evidence of allegations or having waited for the results of the independent investigation. UNRWA is the only organization that can reach Palestinians in Gaza who are starving and who are being killed in the tens of thousands, and the government cut life-saving support. The decision needs to be reversed, and somebody needs to be held accountable. Was it the minister or was it the PMO that decided Canada should turn its back on starving Palestinians?
98 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:48:23 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. The funding that Canada is giving to civilians in Gaza has increased: just last week, $40 million more on top of the $60 million that was already there. This makes Canada a top donor for aid, helping with the crisis in Gaza. We are proud, and Canadians want us to help. Every time there is a time of emergency, we stand up and we are clear. We will always be there.
78 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:48:56 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, every day, the Liberals show how out of touch they are. This week alone, they voted against an NDP bill that would lower food costs for Canadians. Then, with only two weeks' notice, they scrapped the greener homes program that helps Canadians lower their heating bills, while they still give out billions of dollars to big oil and gas CEOs. Canadians want to do their part to fight the climate crisis. Heat pumps lower costs and save lives. We need a program to make sure that every Canadian who wants one can get a heat pump. Will the Liberals do it?
103 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:49:37 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, one of the most amazing things we have seen is how popular the greener homes grant and the greener homes loan have been among Canadians, who are taking steps to switch the way they heat their homes and to reduce their bills at the same time. We are working on the next steps for the greener homes program, which is actually going to make sure that the people who most need the help have access to the program. We would ask members to keep watching for the progress of this new program.
94 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:50:10 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 2015 to 2024 the International Decade for People of African Descent. This proclamation recognized the over 220 million people of African descent in the Americas and in Canada. The government has fully embraced the UN's proclamation by investing in and developing new programs to help support Black communities in Canada. Can the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion please update the House on the decade as it moves closer to an end?
79 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:50:45 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, last night we gathered with thousands of Black trailblazers from across the country to celebrate Black History Month. It was a perfect opportunity for the Prime Minister to announce that Canada will be extending the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent until 2028. The extension builds on the $860 million the government has committed to deliver Black-made, Black-led solutions. On this side of the House, we have always been deliberate about choices: choice to invest in Black communities, choice to call out and combat systemic racism, and a choice to celebrate Black History Month. We are going to continue to make sure we support our communities all across Canada.
116 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:51:34 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, Canadians are literally living in housing hell. Rent has doubled. Mortgage payments have doubled. The cost to buy a house has almost doubled. It takes 25 years now to save for a down payment. It is no wonder there are tent cities all across this country. When will the Liberals realize people cannot live in an announcement, a photo op or a press release, and support our common-sense Conservative plan to get houses built?
85 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:52:11 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that the member contradicts himself every time he speaks. Just a few days ago, he was praising the federal government's record on housing. Today, he critiques it. Let me offer something else regarding contradiction. He talks about the challenges of homelessness, which admittedly are unacceptable in this country, and unaffordability in housing, which is unacceptable in this country, yet he voted against every measure the government has put forward to address them. The national housing strategy is there. It is yielding results, and it will do more. We are working with municipalities to incent changes at the local level with respect to zoning. He has voted against it and so have they.
118 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:52:51 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, one knows the Liberals' housing plan is an utter disaster when the only support they can find for it is to misquote a member of the opposition. That is how bad it actually is. Here are the facts: Housing investments in December were down another 18%. There are all these fake Liberal announcements and photo ops, and guess what? Fewer houses are getting built. The Liberal Prime Minister is not worth the cost, because his announcements mean nothing. Will the Liberals finally realize they have caused housing hell in this country, and support our common-sense Conservative plan to get houses built?
104 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:53:33 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, those are more slogans from the member and the party opposite. What do we see on our side? We are putting serious measures forward to work with municipalities. Across the country, over 500 municipalities have applied for the housing accelerator fund. We have completed deals with 30 municipalities, working with mayors, not denigrating them. What do we hear on the other side? We hear no plan at all. Conservatives want to tax homebuilding, for example. That will not lead to more homes built. What is another big idea? They want a snitch line for residents to rat on their neighbours if there are concerns around NIMBY. That is not at all how one gets change.
117 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:54:14 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, the costs of rent and mortgage payments have doubled. This was at a time when housing starts were down in 2023. Even if the Liberals' plan were to come to fruition, CIBC has reported that the plan falls 1.5 million homes short of restoring affordability. People are in a cost of living crisis, yet the Liberal housing minister jumps from one photo op to another. No government has ever spent so much to achieve so little. When will the government build homes, not bureaucracy?
95 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:54:54 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House we are taking a comprehensive approach to building more housing. That means increasing supply. We are eliminating the GST on purpose-built rentals. We have struck deals with over 30 municipalities from coast to coast in order to ensure that we are getting more supply in the system. We will make sure we are there for vulnerable Canadians and the middle class. All the while, the Conservatives on the other side of the House vote against measures to support Canadians. That is not our approach. We will always be there for Canada.
100 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:55:30 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, after eight years under this government, the price of homes has doubled, rent has doubled and this government is not worth the cost. A homeless shelter, the Bercail, in Saint‑George in Beauce, says that it is overwhelmed by requests for rooms in 2024. The government keeps abandoning Canadians when it comes to housing. It needs to get out of the way and allow the municipalities to prosper like they are in Victoriaville, Saguenay and Trois‑Rivières. Why does the Prime Minister not build more housing instead of building more bureaucracy?
97 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/8/24 2:56:06 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to hear a question from a colleague from the greater Quebec City area. During its 10 years in power, the Conservative government built 24,000 housing units. Over the past five years, we have built nearly 10 times as many. Over the past few months, 500,000 more have been announced. Now, would my Conservative colleagues from the Quebec City area agree to come with me to meet the Quebec City administration, namely the mayor and the municipal councillors, and explain to them why their Conservative leader is referring to every single one of them, everyone from Quebec City, as being incompetent?
108 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border