44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 21, 2024 10:00AM
- May/21/24 2:24:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, a fun fact is that the Liberal-NDP minority government is now the longest-serving minority government in this country's history. A not so fun fact is that Canadians have never been poorer. With the worst standard of living crisis in 40 years, and in the middle of this historic cost of living crisis, the government decided to hike the carbon tax by 23%, ruining Canadians' vacations.
The Conservatives just announced their common-sense plan to axe the carbon tax and all federal taxes on gas from Victoria Day to Labour Day weekend, which would save the average Canadian 35¢ or, for those in Ontario, $592. Common-sense Conservatives know that what Canadians really need a vacation from is the government and its tax hikes, which is why, when Canadians elect a Conservative government, we would axe the tax in the summer, fall, winter and forever for everyone.
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- May/21/24 2:25:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to recognize Nick Green, a constituent of Malpeque and an island beef producer who is in Ottawa today with maritime beef producers for their annual Hill day. Last year, Nick and his operation, Kingston View Farms, earned the Maritime Beef Council's The Environmental Stewardship Award for his commitment to sustainability in agriculture.
Nick is the third generation on the family farm, which was first established in the early 1900s. When he fully took over the operation in 2019, he set out to improve efficiency while benefiting the environment and reducing input costs. Through a series of operational changes that relied on conservation and regenerative farming practices, such as a closely managed rotational grazing system and late spring calving, Nick has managed to achieve his goals. He is now on track to achieve a 75% reduction in fertilizer and chemical costs and a 50% reduction in diesel fuel costs by 2025. I send my congratulations to Nick, and I thank him for being a leader in his industry.
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- May/21/24 2:26:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after nine years, this Prime Minister and the Bloc Québécois are not worth the cost of the inflationary taxes and deficits.
Worse still, the Bloc Québécois and the Liberal Party want to radically hike taxes on gas and diesel, even though 25 countries have cut their gas taxes. The western provinces have shown that by cutting taxes, they have been able to lower prices at the pump as well as inflation compared with the other provinces.
Why is the Prime Minister refusing to follow my common-sense plan to axe the tax until Labour Day?
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- May/21/24 2:27:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased that the Conservative leader brought up inflation, because it gives me the opportunity to give Canadians some great news. In April, the inflation rate went down to 2.7%. That is the lowest it has been in three years. It is all thanks to our fiscally responsible plan.
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- May/21/24 2:27:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today we learned the terrible news that inflation is 35% above target. Again, after eight years, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost of debt interest.
They cannot do basic math over there. That 0.7% is actually a third higher than the 2% target. They are patting themselves on the back when they realize that Canadians cannot afford to eat, heat and house themselves.
Why do they not, instead of quadrupling the carbon tax on the backs of Canadians, follow our common-sense plan to suspend all gas and diesel tax until Labour Day?
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- May/21/24 2:28:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservative leader has quite proudly and publicly called for the Governor of the Bank of Canada to be fired. Maybe it is the Conservative leader who should lose his job because he just revealed his astonishing ignorance of the Bank of Canada's inflation target.
The Bank of Canada has a target of between 1% and 3%. For four months in a row, inflation in Canada has been within that target. That is good news for Canadians.
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- May/21/24 2:29:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the minister does not even know that the target is 2%. Maybe that is one of the reasons she is missing the target; she does not know what it is.
The same goes for the interest rates we are paying on the national debt. The Prime Minister says that doubling the national debt is not a problem because the rates were very low. That is why I suggested locking in the rates with 10-year or 30-year bonds, when the rates were low, as it is done with mortgages.
That incompetent minister did not do that. Now we are going to pay more interest on the $400 billion that is going to be refinanced this year.
Why?
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- May/21/24 2:30:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the Conservative leader is the one who is totally incompetent.
The only thing he knows how to do is to criticize Canada, criticize Canadians and criticize our wonderful country.
The fact is that the inflation rate has come down to 2.7%. That is a huge success for our country. Every member should be pleased.
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- May/21/24 2:30:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, not only does the incompetent finance minister not know the inflation target, she does not know that one locks in low rates when one has the chance.
Do members remember when the Prime Minister was saying to not worry, that we can double the national debt because, as he said, “Interest rates are at historic lows, Glen”?
The problem is that I told him at the time that they should lock in those rates for 10 years, or 30 years, with long-term bonds. It turns out that they did not do that, and now $400 billion of that debt will roll over into these higher rates, forcing Canadians to spend more on interest than on health care.
Why did he hire the worst mortgage broker in the world to be our finance minister?
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- May/21/24 2:31:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Conservative leader is in a grouchy mood today. I think we all know why. The only thing he knows how to do is talk down Canada. What he just cannot bear is the reality that, thanks to our fiscally responsible economic plan, inflation is at a three-year low.
Inflation has been within the Bank of Canada's target rate for four months in a row. That is good news for Canada and Canadians.
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- May/21/24 2:32:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Liberals think that one pays down debt by borrowing more, that one stops inflation by printing money and that one fights the drug overdose crisis by legalizing hard drugs, so at least they are consistent in their irrationality. Now they have been forced to backtrack right before the election on their legalization of hard drugs because Canadians are revolting against the policy.
Today, we have a motion that will be voted on in the House to permanently ban hard drugs. Will the government vote for that motion, or will it admit that it plans to legalize drugs again after the next election?
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- May/21/24 2:32:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservative leader is wearing more makeup than I am today. Now, I think it is wonderful—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- May/21/24 2:33:07 p.m.
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Order, please.
I will ask the hon. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance to withdraw that comment. We do not comment on the appearance of members.
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- May/21/24 2:33:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am sorry. I withdraw that comment.
The fact is that the Conservative leader is phony all the way through. He is phony when it comes to his concern about the economy. All he can do is talk our country down. He is also phony when he talks about his concern about the opioid crisis. He tries to score cheap partisan points. It is just not right.
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- May/21/24 2:34:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals seem to have a newfound appreciation for the cause of the francophonie.
The Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, or APF, had 18 Liberals in 2021, 11 in 2022, and 22 in 2023. Since last week, there has been a sudden awakening: No less than 112 members of the Liberal caucus are now members of the APF. I say bravo. Francophiles thank them. It is an extraordinary commitment to the French language.
However, could someone tell us what is the Liberals' priority issue at the APF that explains such a sudden commitment on their part?
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- May/21/24 2:35:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I really want to thank the member for her question. Our government and I, personally, understand that French is in decline in Montreal, Quebec and across the country.
I must tell the member opposite, however, that I do not find this situation amusing. For me, this is no joke. The Quebec nation is so important to us. The French language is so important.
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- May/21/24 2:35:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, no one is pulling the wool over our eyes. They have not decided to overtake the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie because they had an epiphany about the fact that French is under threat in Quebec, Canada and around the world. No, they signed up because there is nothing more important to a Liberal than another Liberal. A friend is a friend. They signed up because they have to save their friend, the member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell. After that, we will never see them again.
It might be a good idea for this government to start working as hard in the interest of the French language as it does in the interest of the Liberals.
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- May/21/24 2:36:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the French language, whether in Montreal, Quebec or anywhere else in Canada, is very important to our government. We understand that the French language is in decline, and we will always support the French language, as well as the Quebec and French culture throughout Canada.
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- May/21/24 2:36:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is seeking arrest warrants against five senior Hamas and Israeli leaders. This is a step toward justice for Palestinians and Israeli victims of war crimes.
The Liberals promised to support the ICC when they voted for our motion in March, so will the Prime Minister and the Liberal government state clearly that Canada supports the ICC's work to hold all those responsible for crimes accountable?
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- May/21/24 2:37:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada respects the independence of the International Criminal Court. Canada condemns the terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7. Canada calls for an immediate ceasefire and deplores the humanitarian tragedy. Canada believes it is absolutely wrong to equate the terrorist leaders of Hamas with Israel.
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