44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 28, 2022 02:00PM
- Sep/28/22 2:37:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the facts are very clear. EI premiums are lower today than when the opposition leader oversaw them. In fact, EI premiums are actually the lowest they have been in decades. Come next January, even though the premium will be increased, it will still be 25¢ lower than in 2015 under the opposition leader. EI benefits are also way more generous than they were under the Conservatives 10 years ago.
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- Sep/28/22 2:38:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the minister knows she is collecting more in EI premiums than she will pay to workers, and the finance minister ought to know that the EI surplus goes to their coffers to feed their out-of-control inflationary spending. The government cannot simultaneously say it understands the pain of Canadians and raise taxes on them.
I will ask this again. Will the government cancel the January 1 tax hikes?
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- Sep/28/22 2:38:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, let me repeat that EI premiums are the lowest they have been in decades, and that is a direct result of our government's investment in programs for workers. Special benefits are more generous. The maximum for insurable earnings is more generous. Workers get more now and pay less.
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- Sep/28/22 2:39:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the employment insurance tax hike means Canadians will have to give up another $2.5 billion from their paycheques. That will not help the unemployed; it will only pad government coffers.
That money should stay in Canadians' pockets to help pay for gas, groceries, heating, and everything else that costs more because of this government's unjust inflationary policies. We can no longer afford this unjust inflation.
Canadians have done their part since 2015. Will the government cancel its plan to raise taxes?
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- Sep/28/22 2:39:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians certainly understand that CPP and EI contributions are how we save for retirement and create a safety net for all Canadians.
In this time of global economic uncertainty, it is completely irresponsible of the Conservatives to suggest that our country should stop setting money aside for Canadians' retirement and a rainy day.
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- Sep/28/22 2:40:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this is coming from the finance minister who has run up the biggest deficit in Canadian history, more than all previous prime ministers combined. She wants to lecture us on that. She has no credibility with Canadians.
The cost of groceries is at its highest level in 40 years. It has risen more than 10%. What is even worse is that now, the Liberals want to take even more from workers' paycheques as of January 1, 2023.
Rather than hurting everyone, will the Liberals end “Justinflation”, yes or no?
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- Sep/28/22 2:41:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, if the Conservatives had bothered to read the latest financial monitor, they would know that so far this fiscal year, the federal government is running a $6.3‑billion surplus. We have the lowest deficit in the G7. We have a AAA credit rating.
What Canadians should be worried about is the fact that the Conservatives want to slash pensions.
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- Sep/28/22 2:41:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, $2.29 is the price of gas in Surrey. Families and workers in B.C. are struggling to make ends meet because of the “just inflation” cost-of-living crisis, but the Prime Minister and the NDP say they are not paying enough. They are forcing the people of my province to pay triple in carbon taxes and take gas close to three dollars a litre.
Will the Prime Minister allow British Columbians to fill their tanks and put food on the table, and cancel his unaffordable carbon tax hike?
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- Sep/28/22 2:42:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government is certainly taking action to address affordability by, for example, doubling the GST tax credit.
With regard to the price on pollution, the hon. member knows where the federal system is in place, and I would tell her that it is not in place in British Columbia. Rebates are issued quarterly, and most Canadian families get a direct rebate and will continue to get a direct rebate that is more than what they pay.
Let us be very clear. If we want to ensure affordability on an ongoing basis with respect to climate change, we need to ensure that we have a robust climate plan to ensure that we are dealing with the cost of the future. That is something that, for over six months, the Leader of the Opposition has refused to talk about. Where is his climate plan?
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- Sep/28/22 2:43:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are not talking about today. We are talking about April 1, when triple the carbon tax will be imposed on British Columbians.
The Liberals believe that made-in-B.C. solutions do not work, so they are forcing families, workers and businesses to pay three times more in carbon taxes. The Conservatives will give control back to British Columbians over their paycheques, their savings and their lives.
Tomorrow, gas goes to $2.50 a litre in Vancouver. It is shattering all North American records, but that is not enough for the Prime Minister and the NDP. Cancel the tax.
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- Sep/28/22 2:43:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as a bit of history, British Columbia was the proud implementer of the first carbon price in Canada. It was implemented by a Conservative premier in British Columbia. British Columbia continues to have its own approach to carbon pricing because it knows it is the most efficient way to address pricing going forward.
I would note it is pretty perplexing that every member of the opposition—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Sep/28/22 2:44:17 p.m.
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Order. I am going to ask the minister to start over so the hon. member for South Surrey—White Rock can hear the answer she asked for.
The hon. minister.
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- Sep/28/22 2:44:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I note that this is a bit perplexing given that every member of the opposition sitting in the House campaigned on a platform in their last campaign, less than a year ago, on the basis of implementing a price on pollution. Were they telling the truth to citizens then or are they telling the truth now?
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- Sep/28/22 2:44:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday it was clear that the Minister of Public Safety did not know the difference between an asylum seeker and a human smuggler. Let me explain it to him.
Asylum seekers are families who migrate to Canada to claim refugee status. Human smugglers are people who exploit these families and take all their money in exchange for getting them across Roxham Road. Human smugglers are criminals. Making the crossing at Roxham Road permanent makes their crime profitable.
Now that the minister understands who is who in this story, will he stand up for asylum seekers instead of human smugglers?
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- Sep/28/22 2:45:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the work our government has done to protect the rights of refugees who contribute so much, in such a positive way, to our economies in Quebec and across Canada. That is why we must continue to make investments at the border and give more resources to the Canada Border Services Agency. That is why we must work in close collaboration with the Government of Quebec to protect the rights of refugees and the integrity of our system.
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- Sep/28/22 2:46:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we do not understand. We do not understand how the minister thinks that the situation at Roxham Road is normal. His government is letting thugs fleece disadvantaged families out of all the money they have managed to take out of their country. Thanks to his government's actions, human trafficking has become the primary way of claiming asylum in Canada in 2022. Refugees are being brought to Canada by thugs. They are welcomed into Canada by police.
What is normal about that?
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- Sep/28/22 2:46:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we recognize that the situation at Roxham Road poses challenges. That is why we are investing more than $40 million in a strategy to address the problems associated with human trafficking. That is why we continue to add resources at our borders to protect the rights of refugees and to bring to justice those who abuse the system. We will continue that work.
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- Sep/28/22 2:47:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, charitable organizations are playing a key role in delivering the disaster relief needed as a result of hurricane Fiona. The Prime Minister has committed to matching dollar for dollar any donations made to the Red Cross that go to the relief effort in western Newfoundland and the Maritimes. The Salvation Army is equally as important in providing relief.
Will the Prime Minister commit to also matching monetary donations to the Salvation Army and ending this double standard?
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- Sep/28/22 2:47:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to convey my sympathies with the member in what his constituents are facing in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Everyone is playing a very important role in providing care and services to members of communities who are affected by the storm. We have a long-standing relationship with Red Cross. It has a demonstrated ability to provide services at a large scale, as we are seeing right now, to help people as quickly as possible. We will continue to work with local organizations to provide those essential services.
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- Sep/28/22 2:48:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are well aware of the understanding the government has with the Red Cross, and that is great, but sources have confirmed that, due to storm surges from Fiona, fish harvesters on the southwest coast of Newfoundland have lost over $2.5 million worth of fishing gear and property. Their insurance policies do not have storm surge riders. Next year's fishing season is not far away.
Will the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard show she cares as much about fishermen as she does about dead lobsters, and compensate them in a timely manner so they can prepare for the coming season?
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