44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 4, 2022 11:00AM
- Apr/4/22 2:40:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, once again, I thank my colleagues for giving me a chance to talk about the $3-billion investment in mental health that is already allocated in our budgets. We look forward to being able to transfer that investment to the provinces and territories to help look after Canadians' mental health.
We know how much people's mental health has suffered, including that of health care workers who, over the past few months, have had a hard time doing their jobs because of challenges related to physical and mental health. We know how difficult it has been for them.
It is very good news that we are investing another $3 billion to help the provinces and territories.
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- Apr/4/22 2:41:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, promises of housing affordability are a complete joke under this government. For example, housing prices in Toronto are up over 36%. In Montreal and Vancouver, they are up over 20%, and in Calgary and Ottawa, they are up 16%. All of these urban centres are full of hard-working young people who just want to get out of their parents' basements.
When will the spend-DP-Liberal MPs join Conservatives and demand a real housing affordability plan that will actually help these young people and these first-time homebuyers?
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- Apr/4/22 2:42:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I wish the hon. member had had a conversation with the hon. member for Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, who said that we should end the first-time homebuyer incentive, precisely the program that is meant to help Canadians access the dream of home ownership. He should have another conversation with the member of Parliament for—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Apr/4/22 2:42:27 p.m.
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Order. I am having trouble hearing the minister. I will ask him to start again with his answer.
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- Apr/4/22 2:42:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the problem is that they talk about home ownership, but, every single program we have in place to help first-time homebuyers, they oppose it. They have actually said this publicly.
The hon. member for Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry wants to end the first-time homebuyer incentive. The hon. member for Calgary Centre spoke about his opposition to the measure to put a tax on foreign and non-resident homebuyers, and just recently the hon. member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon tried to table the Conservative platform in the House, which did not contain the words “affordable housing”.
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- Apr/4/22 2:43:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this minister continues to be obsessed by speeches given by my colleagues on this side of the House, so let me offer him another quote. Last week, Mortgage Professionals Canada said, “The government's well-intended...First-Time Home Buyers...program...is simply failing”.
It does not get clearer than that. Canadians do not want to co-own their home with the government, so when will the minister scrap this failed program?
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- Apr/4/22 2:44:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we intend to move forward in increasing housing supply. We intend to move forward with enhancing the first-time homebuyers incentive. We intend to move forward to set up a first-time homebuyer tax-free savings account to the tune of up to $40,000, and we intend to turn more Canadian renters into homeowners through an innovative and groundbreaking rent-to-own program.
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- Apr/4/22 2:44:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, a billboard in Toronto reads, “Can't afford a home? Have you tried finding richer parents?” As sarcastic as it is, it gets our attention on the out-of-control state of our housing market. The cost of housing under the government has doubled since 2015, and Canadians who are lucky enough to own a home pay almost 50% of their income to service their mortgage.
Does this minister have a plan for anyone without a trust fund trying to buy a house in the country, or is it just the CMHC bonuses that get his attention?
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- Apr/4/22 2:45:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, maybe the hon. member should speak to another colleague, the member for Simcoe North, who said that the government should not be in the business of helping Canadians access their dream of home ownership.
What kind of party is this that it cannot get its story straight? One day they talk about affordable housing, but it is not in their opposition motion or their Conservative party platform. They talk about first-time homebuyers, but they voted against that. They talk about the first-time homebuyer incentive program, but they speak down about it all the time. They have no credibility on this issue. We will do everything possible to make sure that every Canadian can have access to a safe and affordable place to call home.
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- Apr/4/22 2:45:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, women and children are being brutally murdered in Ukraine. Three hundred bodies have been discovered in a mass grave in Bucha, and more civilian bodies have been found in the street. Women, children and seniors have been senselessly murdered. There have been reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Russian invaders against women and children as young as 10. There is evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity everywhere.
We need to do everything we can to stand up for human rights in Ukraine and around the world. Will the government call for Russia to be removed from the United Nations Human Rights Council?
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- Apr/4/22 2:46:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think I speak with all members of the House to express the outrage, sadness and horror we feel as we watch scenes of civilians who have been killed in Ukraine. Let me be very clear. We believe these amount to war crimes. We believe these amount to crimes against humanity, and we will continue to take every step possible to hold Russia accountable for these crimes. We will go to the International Criminal Court. We will go with Ukraine to the International Court of Justice. We will stand with the people of Ukraine.
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- Apr/4/22 2:47:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, while Canadians are struggling to keep up with the rising costs of groceries and housing, the six largest Canadian banks recorded a profit of over $5 billion in the last quarter. The Liberals are doing nothing to force these corporations to pay their fair share. CEOs are lining their pockets while people are struggling to pay rent.
The Liberals must make a choice to stand with the majority of Canadians or with their billionaire pals. When will the Liberals make billionaires pay by implementing a 3% surtax on their excess profits?
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- Apr/4/22 2:47:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to asking those who prospered during the pandemic to help a little more for those who did not. Our platform committed to raise corporate income taxes on the largest, most profitable banks and insurance companies and to introduce a temporary Canada recovery dividend because these companies have recovered faster. We are also working to implement a global minimum tax, and 136 OECD G20 framework members have already signed up.
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- Apr/4/22 2:48:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, regulations act as the rule book for how businesses operate, and protect consumers, the environment and our health and safety. Over time, regulations can accumulate, become outdated and result in barriers to innovation and growth.
Could the President of the Treasury Board update the House on how the government is modernizing our regulatory system to improve Canada's ability to attract investment and growth-oriented businesses?
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- Apr/4/22 2:48:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hard-working colleague for Fleetwood—Port Kells for the question. Our regulatory system needs to be more efficient and less burdensome while maintaining protection for consumers, health and safety, and the environment. The government tabled the second annual regulatory modernization bill. It would reduce the administrative burden for businesses, simplify overly complex rules and let us do more online. It would support our economic recovery by helping businesses do what they do best and would make it easier for Canadians to get things done.
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- Apr/4/22 2:49:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the NDP-Liberal minister can try to sidestep the economic woes the government's high-tax, high-inflation policies are placing on new Canadians, but they know the truth. It is why, when asked why they would not recommend Canada to future immigrants, the top two reasons were current government leadership and cost of living.
We are in a labour crisis, and the government's fiscal policies are not helping. Will the NDP-Liberal minister fix the fiscal policy mess so that Canadians and new Canadians are not driven out?
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- Apr/4/22 2:50:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would caution the hon. member as she seems not to be aware of the fact that Canada has one of the best fiscal positions of any developed economy in the world. We entered this pandemic with the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio of any G7 country, and our AAA credit rating has been reaffirmed by major credit rating agencies.
I would point out as well that Canada, this year for the first time, has actually ranked first globally as the world's top destination of choice for newcomers who are thinking about leaving their country of origin. The measures that we have been putting in place are making a positive difference to our economy, and we are going to continue to make Canada the most welcoming place on earth for those who wish to seek new employment opportunities.
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- Apr/4/22 2:50:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am going to repeat the question.
When newcomers are asked why they would not recommend Canada as a destination to other potential immigrants, 43% blame current government leadership and 35% blame the cost of living.
Will the NDP-Liberal Minister of Finance commit to cleaning up her suffocating and inflationary tax policy, which is such a mess that many Canadians, even newcomers, are considering looking elsewhere?
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- Apr/4/22 2:51:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is an interesting frame that the member uses when she puts it on the floor of the House of Commons.
If we asked the group of workers around the world any country they would like to come to, to explore new economic opportunities, the number one choice they would make is Canada. This is something we should be extremely proud of. Canada is winning the global race for talent. The only question I constantly ask myself is how we can increase the margin by which we are winning.
We know we have created economic conditions that are not only seeing our economy rebound, with more than 112% of the jobs lost during the pandemic coming back, but we have many job vacancies for newcomers to fill, which sustain work for them and—
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- Apr/4/22 2:52:14 p.m.
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The hon. member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon.
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