Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question and for raising and underlining the importance of this issue. I don’t have the information as to why the spending to date has been as you have described it, and I won’t make assumptions as to the reasons. I will make inquiries so that I can give a proper response when I get an answer.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate) moved third reading of Bill C-46, An Act to amend the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act and the Income Tax Act.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I rise today to speak as the critic of Bill C-46.

In my second reading speech, I noted the following about this bill:

One: This is the government’s third attempt to provide Canadians with some relief from the cost of living.

Two: On their third try, the best they could do was a cookie-cutter approach with this bill, using a simple cut-and-paste from Bill C-30 and Bill C-19.

Three: The two previous attempts failed to reduce Canadians’ cost of living, and this one will fail as well.

Four: This government repeatedly slaps legislation together with no clearly articulated plan and no discernable strategy.

Five: This government demonstrates no understanding of how they have contributed to the cost-of-living crisis Canadians find themselves in today.

Six: This government repeatedly exhibits incompetence on a level which should alarm us all.

Colleagues, I would note that Finance Committee made no amendments to this bill and therefore all of my concerns stand. Despite the government’s enthusiastic announcements and self-congratulatory messaging, the measures taken in this bill continue to be far less effective than what the government portrays them to be.

I am not going to revisit in detail all of the points I have previously made. However, I would like to drill down further on at least one of them, and that is the absurdity of using the GST rebate system to provide a cost-of-living relief payment.

In my second reading speech, I noted that while this payment makes sense as a GST rebate, it is the wrong tool for getting money into the hands of those who need it most. The government loves to brag that they can get money out the door quickly by using this method, but what they do not bother to explain is who the money is actually going to.

This is where the problems begin: We don’t have a detailed breakdown of where this money is going. That’s why the government always says that the cheques are going to benefit “. . . approximately 11 million low- and modest-income Canadians and families across the country.” Even they don’t have an actual number.

The latest source of detailed information we have available is found in the 2020-21 Canada Revenue Agency statistics on the GST/HST credit benefit. These tables are available online and break down the benefit for that year by gender, by family income, by marital status, by the number of dependent children and by province. Based on this information, we can see roughly where the money for the so-called grocery rebate is going to go.

Colleagues, you would think that if the government is going to push $2.5 billion out the door to provide cost-of-living relief it would be directed to end up with those who need it most. It is not. Let me give you a few examples.

As has been mentioned a number of times both in this chamber and in the National Finance Committee, this money will only be disbursed to Canadians who file an income tax return. If you do not file a tax return, you are not eligible to be considered for the benefit at all.

Hon. Pierre J. Dalphond: Honourable senators, this bill is at day 15. Therefore, with leave of the Senate, I ask that consideration of this item be postponed until the next sitting of the Senate.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Is leave granted, honourable senators?

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: So ordered.

(Debate adjourned.)

[English]

On Other Business, Senate Public Bills, Second Reading, Order No. 26:

Second reading of Bill S-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief).

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, with leave, I would like to reset the clock.

Hon Senators: Agreed.

(Debate postponed until the next sitting of the Senate.)

(At 4 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on September 21, 2022, the Senate adjourned until 2 p.m., tomorrow.)

Hon. Raymonde Gagné (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, pursuant to rule 5-10(2), I ask that Government Notice of Motion No. 100 be withdrawn.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Is leave granted, honourable senators?

Hon. Raymonde Saint-Germain: Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate, I ask that this motion remain on the scroll.