44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 22, 2022 10:00AM
- Sep/22/22 2:36:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government can misrepresent the facts on the carbon tax all it likes, but Canadians know it costs them more. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed that the carbon tax will cost families more than they get back, and when the Liberals triple the tax on gas, heat and groceries, it will cost an Ontario household $1,500 more. Given the PBO's credibility and independence, I believe Canadians and Canadians should believe him, rather than the spin from the other aside.
Again, for the sake of every family struggling, will the government cancel its planned tax increases?
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- Sep/22/22 2:36:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know there are affordability challenges for Canadian families and that is why our climate plan is designed so the majority of families receive more in climate action incentive payments than they pay at the pump. I beg to differ about the Parliamentary Budget Officer's findings. It still remains that eight out of 10 families will be better off. As the hon. member knows, as the carbon price increases, the climate action incentive payments will increase also.
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- Sep/22/22 2:37:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what a week this has been sitting here listening to the Liberals justify their inaction to solve the inflation and cost-of-living crisis, which they created, and things are simply getting worse. Canadian families are on bended knees under the weight of trying to afford the necessities of life. What is the Liberals' solution? It is to pile on the misery with planned tax increases to gas, groceries and home heating through increasing the carbon tax.
For the sake of every Canadian family that is struggling, will the government cancel its planned tax increases?
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- Sep/22/22 2:37:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, since we have come into government, we have done everything we can to support Canadian families, which is the exact opposite of what the Conservatives have done. In fact, they voted against the tax cut for middle-class families. They voted against the Canada child benefit, which sends thousands of dollars to Canadian families in need every single year and they are against the national child care initiative, which is reducing child care fees by 50% for families with children in child care. We know how difficult it is with the high cost of raising children. We are there for Canadian families, and we will continue to be there.
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- Sep/22/22 2:38:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, representatives of unemployed workers are in Ottawa today. A spokesperson for the Conseil national des chômeurs et chômeuses and an advisor to the Comité chômage de Montréal even marched here from Montreal.
They came to tell the Prime Minister that he needs to keep his promise to overhaul the EI system. They came to tell him that, in the meantime, ending the temporary measures this Sunday is completely unacceptable. They walked 200 kilometres to send this message.
Will the Prime Minister stand up and announce that he is extending the temporary measures?
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- Sep/22/22 2:39:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today I met with Pierre Céré from the Conseil national des chômeurs et chômeuses, as well as representatives from the Canadian Labour Congress, the Guilde des musiciens et musiciennes du Québec and the Syndicat québécois de la construction.
We talked about a fairer, more responsive EI system, better tailored to the needs of the workforce. I made a promise to extend EI sickness benefits from 15 to 26 weeks, and they were very happy to hear that.
We are working together to build and modernize the EI system.
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- Sep/22/22 2:40:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Labour Congress, the Syndicat québécois de la construction, the Guilde des musiciens et musiciennes du Québec and member groups of the CNC are all on Parliament Hill to say that they do not accept the fact that the Prime Minister is plunging workers into uncertainty, starting on Sunday.
Ending temporary EI measures without reform is a step backwards towards the same old program that leaves 60% of workers behind when they need it most.
Will the Prime Minister fix this situation by Sunday?
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- Sep/22/22 2:40:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this morning we spoke about how important the temporary measures were during the pandemic. We also talked about the fact that some temporary benefit programs are naturally coming to a close, but that workers will continue to have access to regular benefits.
We look forward to launching our long-term plan to improve the employment insurance system.
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- Sep/22/22 2:41:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, by ending the temporary EI benefits before there is any reform, the government is leaving workers with a 1970s-era program. It is a program that abandons mothers who lose their jobs during parental leave because it does not account for women being in the workplace; a program that abandons the sickest workers; a program that completely ignores self-employed workers; and a program that considers the workers to be seasonal, instead of the industries they work in.
Is that really the social safety net that the Prime Minister has to offer Quebeckers?
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- Sep/22/22 2:41:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our government understands that EI benefits need to be fairer, more responsive and better tailored to the needs of Canada's ever-evolving workforce.
That is why we have committed to fully modernizing the employment insurance system in partnership with stakeholders, such as the ones I met with this morning.
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- Sep/22/22 2:42:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, people in Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo are struggling to put food on their tables and fuel in their cars. We know the Prime Minister does not think about monetary policy, and the budget has not balanced itself. We also know that ordinary citizens are under extraordinary financial pressures.
Will the Prime Minister cancel planned tax hikes so we can give ordinary Canadians a break?
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- Sep/22/22 2:42:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, if the member opposite bothered to read the “Fiscal Monitor”, he would know that the budget was actually in surplus for five months this spring, but I have a question for him. I would like to know—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Sep/22/22 2:43:09 p.m.
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I just want to remind the hon. members that the hon. member for Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo asked a question, and he wants to be able to hear the answer.
The hon. Deputy Prime Minister, please begin from the top so the hon. member can hear the full answer.
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- Sep/22/22 2:43:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, since the member seems interested in the economy, I want to give him an opportunity to clarify a point of Conservative policy. I would like to ask him if he agrees with the Conservative leader that crypto is a good way to “opt out of inflation”. Does he agree with the Conservative leader's reckless advice to Canadians to invest in Bitcoin?
Since the leader gave that advice, Bitcoin has crashed by 56%. Canadians who invested according to his advice would have seen their life savings destroyed. Is that their economic policy?
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- Sep/22/22 2:44:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think the minister thinks she is in opposition, and she will be soon enough.
Canadians' paycheques are already not keeping up with the Liberal tax hikes and the Justinflation crisis. Canadians are falling further behind, becoming desperate and losing hope. The government and its ministers are failing Canadians, and their responses today are further proof of their inability to provide viable solutions and restore hope.
Will the government cancel the payroll taxes on Canadians' paycheques?
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- Sep/22/22 2:45:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our government's approach is both fiscally responsible and compassionate. The Conservatives' approach is neither. Do the Conservatives really think that a family of four earning just $35,000 a year could not use $500 this fall to buy groceries? Do they think a low-income essential worker who is struggling to pay her rent could not use an extra $500? We know Canadians need this support. We know it is part of a AAA-rated fiscally responsible approach.
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- Sep/22/22 2:45:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Frank, a father in my riding of Vaughan, is struggling to support his family of four. He currently works two jobs to put food on the table and gas in his car. These are not luxury items, and the struggle to afford the necessities is taking a serious toll on his mental health and well-being.
Will the government cancel its planned tax increase for Frank and all Canadian taxpayers?
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- Sep/22/22 2:46:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we understand that Canadians are going through a difficult time, and we understand they need support. We heard yesterday that there is at least one Conservative MP who understands that our doubling of the GST tax credit makes sense today.
I would like to ask all of the Conservatives that. I really would like to believe Conservatives share our sincere desire to help Canadians. They can join us with this measure. It would help all Canadians.
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- Sep/22/22 2:47:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the pandemic exposed the flaws in the employment insurance system. The Liberals responded to the emergency with temporary patch jobs while promising real reform someday. Those temporary measures run out on Saturday. On Sunday, thousands of people will be stuck with the old system that does not work. The unemployed deserve respect. Women, part-time seasonal workers and freelancers deserve respect.
Will the Liberals wake up, or will they condemn workers to getting screwed by the old system the Conservative Party leader is such a fan of?
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- Sep/22/22 2:47:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are committed to completely overhauling Canada's employment insurance system. Some temporary benefits programs implemented during the pandemic will indeed come to an end, but regular benefits will continue to be available to workers, as they were before the pandemic.
We are looking forward to announcing our long-term plan. We are looking forward to increasing EI sickness benefits to 26 weeks before the end of December.
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