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Context: House Hansard - 236 - Oct/20/23

Oct/20/23 11:39:07 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, speaking about misinformation, that response has nothing to do with what is actually happening in people's lives. The latest MNP consumer debt index shows that 51% of Canadians are $200 or less away from not being able to complete their financial obligations. “Facing a combination of rising debt carrying costs, living expenses and concern over the potential for continued interest rate and price hikes, many [Canadians] are stretched uncomfortably close to broke.” This is Canada after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government. When will the Prime Minister stop his inflationary spending so Canadians can afford to live again?

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Context: House Hansard - 235 - Oct/19/23

Oct/20/23 11:37:54 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Bloomberg just reported on a recent survey that shows how much Canadians are struggling after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government's inflationary spending. Sixty-five per cent of Canadians now say they are concerned about saving for retirement, and 63% are concerned about how to prepare for an unexpected financial event. It means less savings, more concern, more risk. The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. When will the Prime Minister end his inflationary spending so Canadians can plan for their future again?

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Context: House Hansard - 235 - Oct/19/23

Oct/19/23 2:35:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it has been eight years. What the Liberal member opposite is saying does not match the facts. The Liberal deficit spending has increased inflation, which has increased interest rates. A resident from my community said that food prices had risen so quickly that she had been left to pray that her garden would be enough to supplement her household of four teenagers. I used to hear from residents saying that they were hoping they could save for a home one day. Now I am hearing from residents saying that they are praying for a bountiful harvest to feed their family. The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. When will the NDP-Liberal government end its inflationary spending so people can feed their families?

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Oct/19/23 2:34:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, a survey released this morning by the financial firm Edward Jones Canada states that Canadians are stuck in a “chaotic whirlwind of personal finance stress”. It also states, “The poll clearly shows that Canadians are so preoccupied with just getting through the day, that the idea of paying debt feels like a distant dream.” It found that 88% of Canadians are saying that their personal financial situation is affecting their well-being. The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. When will he stop his inflationary spending so people can take back control of their lives?

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Oct/16/23 7:20:28 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-49

Madam Speaker, I do not know what other jurisdictions are doing in other parts of the country. We are talking about legislation that is here in the House of Commons, and this is what we are debating today. That question does not even make any sense.

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Oct/16/23 7:19:12 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-49

Madam Speaker, it makes absolutely no sense. There was a Supreme Court of Canada ruling just a few days ago, making part of this legislation unconstitutional. Here they are reaffirming the exact parts that were called unconstitutional on Friday. The government should be pulling this legislation. It should be going back to the drawing board, pulling out the parts that have been deemed unconstitutional and coming forth with something else. This whole process really does not make any sense. As the government tries to quickly push this legislation through by shutting down debate, it is wanting to move this legislation through even faster. It makes no sense.

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Oct/16/23 7:17:08 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-49

Madam Speaker, the member has been speaking for a long time in here, and just recently, before I spoke, he spoke about the official opposition filibustering indefinitely and delaying this legislation. That is pretty rich, because this member wastes more time than anyone in this House and maybe in parliamentary history. I am not sure. He spoke twice on this legislation, which moved everything ahead tonight. I had to cancel a phone call with a constituent, since everything was moved ahead because this member had to speak again and bumped everyone else. He is actually the one who is delaying his own legislation. As we move forward, we are going to speak to this legislation. We are going to bring comments forth from our ridings and our constituents, which I have done.

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Oct/16/23 7:06:30 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-55 Bill C-49

Madam Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise on behalf of the constituents of Kelowna—Lake Country. I rise today to speak on the government's latest attempt at over-regulating, bureaucracy-building legislation, Bill C-49. I have noted in this debate that several speakers on the government side have scarcely spoken about the details in their own legislation. They have spoken solely on the offshore renewable revenue they believe this bill would potentially offer to applicable provinces. I say “potentially” because if the government members had taken more time to study their own bill in greater detail, they would have found that Bill C-49 features such a mess of new red tape, it would be surprising if anyone could complete an offshore project of any kind, let alone have it generate revenue. This is symptomatic of the government's approach to Canada's resource sector. For every talking point, there are miles of new regulations, new levers for federal bureaucracies to kill jobs and projects, and endless delays. Shovel-ready projects that start with Liberal photo ops are left to be strangled by bureaucratic Liberal laws and regulations. After eight years, the Liberal government has continued to drop the ball on project after project. We would think the government might act with some humility after last Friday when the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the government's previous pipeline-killing legislation, Bill C-69, was unconstitutional. Conservatives warned the Liberals repeatedly that their no-more-pipelines act, Bill C-69, did not respect provincial jurisdiction, and was a power grab by the Prime Minister and his career activist environment minister to phase out these key sectors. Liberals were called out by energy workers who wanted to keep their livelihoods; by indigenous communities wanting to sustainably develop their lands; by stakeholders in multiple sectors, including wind, hydro and critical minerals; by nine out of 10 provincial governments and every territorial government; and now by the Supreme Court of Canada. I could speak for hours on the comments made by provincial and business leaders on the Supreme Court of Canada ruling against the unconstitutionality of the Liberal bill, Bill C-69, but I will mention just a few. The Premier of Alberta said, “The ruling today represents an opportunity for all provinces to stop that bleeding and begin the process of re-attracting those investments and jobs into our economies.” The premier also said, “And we will continue to fight against Ottawa’s unfair overreach”. The economies of British Columbia and Alberta have been closely intertwined, especially with the resource sector. Many residents in my community of Kelowna—Lake Country have worked in the resource sector in Alberta in the past. The president of the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association of B.C. said in an interview on Bill C-69 that there is complexity, confusion and cost, and as a result, investors did not know if they were going to be investing in Canada, and whether or not they could get projects to “yes”. That was causing investors to pause and look at other countries rather than Canada. The World Bank came out a few years ago and ranked Canada number 64 in the world in the length of time it takes to approve a project. That is a very embarrassing statistic for the country. A 2019 C.D. Howe Institute report titled “A Crisis of Our Own Making: Prospects for Major Natural Resource Projects in Canada”, stated: With investment in Canada’s resources sector already depressed, the federal government’s proposed Bill C-69 would further discourage investment in the sector by congesting the assessment process with wider public policy concerns and exacerbating the political uncertainty facing proponents with a highly subjective standard for approval. That is exactly what happened. The cost of the Liberals' refusal to reverse course was billions of dollars in potential investment that was taken out of Canada. Energy projects that would have been built in Canada were instead built in countries with lower environmental standards and fewer labour protections. This new bill, Bill C-49, should be removed by the government and completely revised because it applies provisions from that now unconstitutional bill, Bill C-69, to Canada's Atlantic offshore sector. Looking at the core details of Bill C-49, it is very clear in the needless political roadblocks it seeks to create that it would stall projects in our offshore industries. It triples the approvals timeline from the current framework and takes the final authority in the decision-making away from on-the-ground regulators to ministers in Ottawa. This is once again the Liberal philosophy of “Ottawa knows best”. What would be the result of handing the final approval of offshore energy projects to our Greenpeace activist environment minister? The answer is obvious: no good-paying jobs for hard-working Canadians and instead, political decision-making. We know this from other legislation, like the government's just transition bill, which is seeking to take away jobs from energy workers in exchange for employment that cannot guarantee the same levels of benefits or pay. Why is the government seeking to hand operational control of the Atlantic offshore industry to a Liberal environment minister who the Newfoundland Liberal member for Avalon said did not understand the “issues of the region”? It is a question only the Liberals can answer. Regulators who have worked in this sector and this region for years are better placed to make these decisions on a timeline that already works for both regulators and industry. Adding more red tape, which often does nothing more than repeat pre-existing environmental reviews, will do nothing to create good-paying jobs, particularly in renewables. We know this because of the unmitigated disaster the government made of a viable tidal energy power project in Nova Scotia. Sustainable Marine Energy's Bay of Fundy tidal energy project had enormous potential to deliver clean energy for Canadians. Had it been built, it could have generated up to 2,500 megawatts, while bringing in $100 million in inward investment and eliminating 17,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, the equivalent of taking nearly 3,700 cars off the road. The project was proceeding at pace under the Harper government, but after the Liberal government's election, Sustainable Marine Energy was snagged in a forest of red tape from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. After eight years, that company withdrew the project completely last spring. Despite $28.5 million of taxpayer money having been invested into the project, the government refused to release this clean green project from a regulatory trap of its design. The result: taxpayers are out $28 million, Canada loses out on a powerful source of green energy, and the people of Nova Scotia, who had this environmentally friendly project killed in front of them in Ottawa by bureaucrats, are forced to pay Ottawa's carbon tax now. Bill C-49 will never deliver a dime of renewable revenue to provinces so long as the Liberal government regulates renewable projects like tidal energy out of existence. It will also not deliver revenue from vital offshore drilling projects when the now unconstitutional Bill C-69 enforces impact assessment reviews that last for more than 1,600 days, or when Bill C-55 allows the fisheries minister to select prohibited development areas solely on her call, the power which the legislation today also reaffirms. The Prime Minister, in the aftermath of Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, said there was no business case for LNG exports to be shipped out through Atlantic Canadian ports to our European allies. The United States became the largest exporter of liquefied natural gas in 2021, as projects ramped up production and deliveries surged to Europe to alleviate the energy crisis there. Just last week, one of Canada's closest and historic allies, France, signed a 27-year deal with Qatar for its LNG production. A 27-year deal would have been a fantastic way to generate revenue for Newfoundlanders, Nova Scotians, Albertans, British Columbians and Canadians. Instead, the Liberal government has no clue about the value of Canada's resources. Instead, it is focused on gaining more political control and its ideological job-killing agenda. It is not even a green agenda because, as I mentioned earlier, the government is happy to kill green projects just as slowly. A Conservative government will support Canadians in every region by responsibly building energy projects of every variety that bring home jobs for Canadians. We will build green projects to sustain our environment, not just regulate them out of existence. We will champion Canada's world-class resources to our allies and we will deliver results. The Liberal government only creates more red tape, regulates projects out of existence, drives away investment and brings more control to Ottawa. The Liberal government is just not worth the cost.

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Oct/16/23 2:49:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this is from the same government that declared victory on inflation only to see it skyrocket. James from Langley, B.C. told Global News that he and his husband were selling his home as a result of their mortgage payments and were returning to the rental market. Mortgage defaults are climbing, with forced sales events up 10%, as just reported by the Toronto real estate board. After eight years with this NDP-Liberal government, people are being forced to sell their homes. The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. Will the Prime Minister finally stop his inflationary spending so Canadians can keep a roof over their head?

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Context: House Hansard - 230 - Oct/5/23

Oct/16/23 2:48:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years, the NDP-Liberal government's wasteful inflationary spending is keeping inflation high and causing interest rates to be the highest in a generation. Canadians are facing tough choices, including whether they have no option other than to sell the family home. A Credit Canada representative told Bloomberg, “selling the house might end up being the only option for some homeowners.” Last week, I heard of a nurse living in her car in the Okanagan. The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. When will the Prime Minister finally stop his inflationary spending so Canadians can keep a roof over their head?

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Oct/5/23 2:13:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years, Canadians continue to feel the impact of the NDP-Liberal government's inflationary taxes on heat, gas and groceries. A resident from my community recently shared his home gas bill. The carbon tax was higher than the cost of gas. Minimum carbon tax amounts are set by the federal government and it has now imposed two carbon taxes. The Liberals have not hit one single climate target with their tax plan. The Parliamentary Budget Officer says that this tax will shrink the economy and that carbon tax 2 will cost the average household an extra $573 per year without any rebates, with families in some provinces having to pay at least $1,100. Combined, carbon taxes 1 and 2 will cost families up to $4,000 each year. Most seniors, young adults and families simply cannot afford this. This is on top of inflationary food costs and mortgage interest costs. The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost.

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Sep/29/23 12:25:33 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I have a petition from residents in Kelowna—Lake Country and surrounding area that refers to Health Canada proposing to significantly change natural health product regulations. Natural health products include basic everyday products used by Canadians as part of their proactive health care. According to petitioners, these regulations will cause consumer prices to rise significantly and consumer choices to decline drastically, and that is a major concern. The petition calls on the Minister of Health to work with the industry to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry. The petitioners ask that the new regulatory changes only be considered once the self-care framework is adjusted, backlogs are cleared, operations are running efficiently and policies and procedures are in place to ensure that stable operations and selection of natural health product choices continues for all Canadians.

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Sep/29/23 12:23:37 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I have two petitions to table today. I am tabling a petition from constituents in Kelowna—Lake Country and surrounding area. This petition talks about the combination of carbon tax 1 and carbon tax 2, which will mean Canadians will pay an extra 61¢ for each litre of gas. The petition refers to making life more expensive for Canadians, and a cost of living crisis, by implementing a second carbon tax, demonstrating how out of touch the Liberal Prime Minister is, and how the Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that both carbon taxes will have a net cost of up to $4,000 per family, depending on the province in which they live. Therefore, the petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to recognize this failure and to immediately cancel the clean fuel regulations.

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Sep/29/23 11:39:53 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, the OECD says that, in the G7, Canada has the biggest gap between housing prices and wages. The finance minister said that her plan to bring down inflation is working, yet it has soared to 4%. Mortgage interest costs have also soared now to 31%. It is no wonder Mortgage Professionals Canada's recent survey showed that 48% of young people say they have given up on ever owning a home. The NDP-Liberal government's spending is driving up inflation, which is driving up interest rates, which is driving up mortgage interest costs. Will the Prime Minister finally stop his inflationary spending so Canadians can keep a roof over their head?

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Context: House Hansard - 222 - Sep/21/23

Sep/29/23 11:38:32 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, 97% is the percentage of shared income a household would need in order to cover home ownership costs now in Vancouver. This is from a new RBC report, which says that housing affordability in most major Canadian cities is near all-time worst levels. The Prime Minister also holds the all-time record for incurring more debt during his eight years than all other prime ministers combined. Housing is less affordable than ever. The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. Will the Prime Minister finally stop his inflationary spending so Canadians can keep a roof over their head?

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Context: House Hansard - 222 - Sep/21/23

Sep/21/23 2:45:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what is serious is that Canadians are seriously worried about losing their homes, and the government continues to take zero accountability. It is also former Liberal finance minister John Manley who said that the NDP-Liberal government's deficits pressed on the inflationary gas pedal which forced the Bank of Canada to press harder on the brakes with higher interest rates. He says that like driving a car, this is “not a good plan for controlling the direction of the economy.” After eight years, Canadians are losing hope and they are hurting. When will the Liberal-NDP government stop the inflationary spending so people will not lose their homes?

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Context: House Hansard - 220 - Sep/19/23

Sep/21/23 2:43:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, a couple from Langley, British Columbia, who were interviewed said their mortgage payments went up $2,700 a month to $6,300 a month. Now the Liberal finance minister is trying to convince Canadians that her plan to bring down inflation is working. It is not. It just went up again. After eight years, the NDP-Liberal government's spending has driven up inflation, which has driven up mortgage interest costs by 31%. The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. When will the Prime Minister stop his inflationary deficit spending so Canadians can keep a roof over their heads?

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Context: House Hansard - 218 - Jun/21/23

Sep/19/23 2:16:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, “just inflation” cost everyone. Most young people feel they will never own a home. Rent has doubled, the Liberal-NDP inflationary deficits are driving up interest rates and families cannot afford their mortgages. Mortgage payments on a typical home are up 151% since the Prime Minister took office. The Prime Minister just said this about young people affording a home, “that loss of of of hope and optimism is devastating for people's morale. Of course, they're going to they're going to grumble at government.” Grumble? No wonder young people's morale is down when a national Bank of Canada's report says that it now takes 37 years to save for a house in Vancouver. Former Liberal finance minister John Manley said that the Liberals' deficits pressed on the inflationary gas pedal, which forced the Bank of Canada to press harder on the brakes with higher interest rates. Who will pay the cost of the Liberal-NDP runaway inflation which spiked at 4% today? We all will. The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost.

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Context: House Hansard - 218 - Jun/21/23

Jun/21/23 5:06:42 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am presenting a petition today on behalf of residents of Kelowna—Lake Country and surrounding area. To be brief, I will mention a couple of points in here. It refers to the fact that the first carbon tax, including sales tax, will add 41¢ to a litre of gas. The second carbon tax, including sales tax, will add 20¢ to a litre of gas. It refers to making life more expensive for Canadians and a cost of living crisis. Implementing a second carbon tax demonstrates how out of touch the Liberal Prime Minister is. Petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to have the House recognize the failure of carbon tax 1 and call on the government to immediately cancel carbon tax 2, the clean fuel regulation.

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