44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 30, 2022 02:00PM
- Mar/30/22 3:05:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, inflation is roaring out of control. Families do not know how they are going to pay for groceries or tank up their cars to get their kids to school. The dream of home ownership is now over for millions of Canadians. Ever since the finance minister took charge, the cost of living in Canada has skyrocketed. Things are not getting better. They are actually getting worse.
When will the minister tell Canadians how she plans to fight inflation? Will her next NDP-Liberal budget include such a plan?
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- Mar/30/22 3:06:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives continue to talk down the Canadian economy and spin economic fiction. Let us deal in facts. StatsCan showed that our GDP grew by 6.7% in Q4. Our economy is the second fastest growing in the G7 this year. We are poised to be the fastest growing economy in the G7 next year, and despite the challenges of omicron, our economy's GDP is back to prepandemic levels.
The other side can spin economic fiction. Those are the facts.
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- Mar/30/22 3:07:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, inflation is raging across our country. That is a fact, and Canadians are being left behind. They cannot get groceries. They cannot afford gas to take their kids to hockey or music lessons. The cost of everything is through the roof. We know paycheques do not go as far as they used to. We know Canadians are struggling to make ends meet, yet the minister refuses to act.
This is her mess. She is Canada's finance minister. Will her budget include a plan to fight Canada's affordability crisis?
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- Mar/30/22 3:08:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we will find out in due course what is in the budget. This last weekend, I was at the doors in my riding of Edmonton Centre. Moms and dads were thanking me and the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development for passing the child care agreement with Alberta, and just this week we have a deal in Ontario.
Every province and every territory is now covered, with thousands of dollars back in the pockets of everyday Canadians. That is leadership. That is affordability.
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- Mar/30/22 3:08:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, do members know who benefits from inflation? It is the government. Next week the federal government is going to announce record revenues from higher taxes, higher oil prices and inflation.
Canadians want to know how the Liberal-NDP government is going to use this windfall. Will it provide relief to Canadians through tax holidays? Will it reduce the size of the deficit, or will it just spend more money, which everyone agrees is going to create more inflation?
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- Mar/30/22 3:09:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our record is clear when it comes to supporting the most vulnerable Canadians with the cost of living. We introduced the Canada child benefit, which is indexed to inflation, and lifted 300,000 children out of poverty. Our government increased the guaranteed income supplement, which is also indexed to inflation and has helped over 900,000 seniors. From 2015, when we formed government, to 2019, we raised 1.38 million Canadians out of poverty. That is leadership. That is focus on affordability.
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- Mar/30/22 3:09:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Richmond Hill we have numerous organizations that work tirelessly to provide housing for vulnerable populations. The staff at Blue Door, an emergency housing provider in York Region, have played an instrumental role in supporting individuals experiencing homelessness in our community.
Can the minister provide an update to the House on how our government is supporting organizations such as Blue Door in their work to end pandemic homelessness?
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- Mar/30/22 3:10:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Richmond Hill for his important question and his advocacy with respect to chronic homelessness.
We understand as a government that the pandemic has made worse existing housing challenges for Canada's most vulnerable people. That is why we introduced an investment of $2.5 billion through the rapid housing initiative to create over 10,000 new permanent affordable homes and provided $567 million to Reaching Home, so that frontline organization like the the member mentioned can fight homelessness and end chronic homelessness on the ground. On this side of the House, we are committed to ending chronic homelessness once and for all.
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- Mar/30/22 3:11:10 p.m.
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Qujannamiik, Uqaqtittiji.
The extent of indigenous language loss is evidence of the deep impacts of colonialism. It is an essential and basic part of reconciliation to preserve first nations, Inuit and Métis languages. The Indigenous Languages Act was passed three years ago by the Liberal government, yet little to no action has been taken.
Words mean nothing without action. What will the minister do to ensure that indigenous languages are supported and protected for now and for future generations?
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- Mar/30/22 3:11:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to advancing reconciliation for the protection and promotion of indigenous languages. I personally really appreciated the member opposite's testimony and involvement at committee this past week.
We are currently studying with Elections Canada how to move forward on ensuring that indigenous languages are available, and that people who speak indigenous languages have access to that, when they go to vote at election time. I look forward to the conclusion of this study and its recommendations, and I very much appreciate the work that the member is doing in this regard.
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- Mar/30/22 3:12:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday's so-called emissions reduction plan sold Canadians a fairy tale. If only we give the oil and gas industry tens of billions more in subsidies for an unproven technology, the carbon intensity of their oil will magically disappear.
We need a climate plan that lines up with what climate scientists tell us is required to hold onto the possibility of a maximum 1.5°C rise in global temperatures. Why is the Prime Minister gambling with big oil on a safe climate future for our kids, instead of making transformational investments in proven solutions?
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- Mar/30/22 3:13:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the emissions reduction plan announced yesterday is an achievable road map for Canada to reach our ambitious climate targets. That is 40% to 45% below 2015 levels. It is getting great reviews from environmental groups to banks, to those in the resource sector.
Let me read a couple for the hon. member. The Pembina Institute says, “The Government of Canada's 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan...is a significant step forward in meeting the climate moment that Canada and the world face today.” Environmental Defence says that “the Government of Canada's emissions reduction plan provides the most comprehensive national climate action—
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- Mar/30/22 3:13:58 p.m.
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That is all the time we have for question period today. Thank you so much for your interest.
We have a point of order from the hon. Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion.
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- Mar/30/22 3:14:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to correct the record on an answer I gave earlier when I said we would eliminate student debt. I would like to correct the record to say that we will eliminate interest on student debt.
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- Mar/30/22 3:14:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. We had many discussions in QP today, particularly around the Bank of Canada confirming that the carbon tax is inflationary. I have the letter from the Governor of the Bank of Canada, Tiff Macklem, and would like to table it with unanimous consent. I have it in both official languages, so I think if you seek it, you shall find unanimous consent to hear about the inflationary nature of the tax. I thank the member of Parliament for Northumberland—Peterborough South for asking the question and getting the response.
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- Mar/30/22 3:14:58 p.m.
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All those opposed to the hon. member's moving the motion to table the document will please say nay.
Some hon. members: Nay.
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- Mar/30/22 3:15:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's responses to eight petitions. These returns will be tabled in an electronic format.
While I am on my feet, I move:
That the House do now proceed to the orders of the day.
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- Mar/30/22 3:15:56 p.m.
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If a member of a recognized party present in the House wishes to request a recorded division or that the motion be adopted on division, I would invite them to please rise and indicate it to the Chair.
The hon. House Leader of the Official Opposition.
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- Mar/30/22 3:16:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded division.
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- Mar/30/22 3:16:32 p.m.
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