44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 28, 2022 02:00PM
- Sep/28/22 2:52:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that speculative investments in the real estate sector are contributing to pushing home prices higher. That is why we have legislated an annual 1% tax on vacant, non-residential, non-Canadian owned properties, as well as a two-year ban on foreign ownership of Canadian residential real estate.
We have also committed to reviewing the tax treatment of real estate investment trusts and are launching a federal review of housing as an asset class. This is what federal leadership on the financialization of housing looks like.
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- Sep/28/22 2:53:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the minister did not answer the question. We are saying to stop financialization and to start putting people before corporate greed.
As the devastation unfolded from hurricane Fiona and people tried desperately to call 911 or contact loved ones, big telecom companies abandoned, leaving them without cellphone service, and the Liberals are letting those irresponsible companies off the hook. Nova Scotia is demanding that the government ensure telecom companies never abandon people in emergencies. Will the Liberals enforce these regulations on telecom companies now?
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- Sep/28/22 2:53:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as we have heard from the Deputy Prime Minister, telecom providers must ensure their services are working to the greatest extent possible after hurricane Fiona.
This evening I will be joining the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry and the Deputy Prime Minister to discuss with the telco providers the experience of Atlantic Canadians losing connectivity, to review the fragilities of this vital infrastructure, and to determine how the expectations of Canadians on reliability and transparency going forward can be met.
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- Sep/28/22 2:54:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the COVID‑19 pandemic has taken a toll on the mental and physical health of public servants and many Canadians. Public servants have nevertheless faithfully served Canadians throughout the pandemic and continue to do so.
How is the government working with the unions to strengthen health care supports for public servants?
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- Sep/28/22 2:54:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague from Vaughan—Woodbridge for his hard work and for his excellent French.
I have good news: We have approved a new public service health care plan that will improve support for members without any additional cost to taxpayers.
Some significant changes will help improve support to the 2SLGBTQI+ community. In addition, mental health care support will double to $5,000 a year.
We know that we can achieve great things together and we worked with the unions and pensioners to come to this agreement.
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- Sep/28/22 2:55:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the average Canadian now spends more on taxes than on food, clothing and shelter combined. An individual recently came into my office in the riding and said that she had moved into her car because she could not make rent. Another couple told me that they live out of their RV because they could not make their mortgage payment due to just inflation.
These stories are far too common from coast to coast in this country, so I am asking the government if it will finally demonstrate some compassion and stop its increases in taxes with respect to gas, groceries and home heating today.
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- Sep/28/22 2:56:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, here is what the Conservatives want to do: slash pensions, slash EI and ignore climate change.
We have a better plan. I think in their heart of hearts the Conservatives recognize that, which is why they have done a flip-flop on the GST tax credit, so let me invite them today to concede defeat and support the rest of our plan to help Canadians.
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- Sep/28/22 2:56:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, no, what we want to do is stop the government's tax increases.
The cost of living is at an all-time high, and interest rates are skyrocketing because of Liberal money-printing inflation. Before this Liberal disaster, a third of Canadians were within $200 of not making ends meet. What was the Liberal response? To raise taxes, both payroll taxes and the carbon tax, because taking more money from Canadians is really going to solve the affordability crisis.
Will the government start helping, stop hurting Canadians and stop these tax increases?
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- Sep/28/22 2:57:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is time for these Conservatives to come clean with Canadians. Their CPP proposal is an irresponsible scheme to eviscerate the pensions that all Canadians rely on.
As personal finance writer Rob Carrick wrote this week, “Canada Pension Plan premiums are not a tax.” The CPP is the bedrock of the Canadian retirement plan. The Conservatives want to recklessly undermine the pensions all Canadians depend on, but we will not let them.
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- Sep/28/22 2:58:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, if EI is not in fact a tax, maybe the minister wants to update the government website.
More taxes mean Canadians have less money to pay their bills. The carbon tax has already increased the price of gas and groceries, which have just driven up inflation. Soon people will have to take home less pay while trying to cover these higher costs.
The Liberals try to sell that as taking care of people, yet the finance minister had to admit that higher payroll tax gives the government another $2.5 billion from workers' paycheques. It is time to quit the excuses.
Will the government end its planned tax hikes on Canadian paycheques?
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- Sep/28/22 2:58:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, let us be clear on the record. When we brought forward the Canada child benefit, who voted against it? The Conservatives did.
When we brought in the tax decrease on middle-income Canadians, who voted against it? The Conservatives did.
When we are bringing forward dental benefits, the GST rebate and housing benefits, who is planning on voting against them? The Conservatives are.
Let us be clear on who is supporting Canadians and who is voting against them.
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- Sep/28/22 2:59:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, “Justinflation” is really hurting the residents of Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte—
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- Sep/28/22 2:59:46 p.m.
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I am going to interrupt that one, and maybe ask the member to start over. We are having a little discrepancy on what can be used. If I could have everyone calm down.
There is some play on words here that is really doing indirectly what cannot be done directly. I am going to ask the hon. member to start over and correct his error.
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- Sep/28/22 3:00:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is just inflation.
Just this week, the executive director of Barrie Food Bank stated, “Everything we...buy is more expensive” She also noted that people who have historically donated to the Barrie Food Bank are now using it to feed their families. The number of households who have accessed the food bank in August was up 60% compared to last year.
Would the Prime Minister please acknowledge that we have a serious affordability crisis and commit to cancelling the proposed EI and carbon tax increases, which would only cause more pain for hard-working Canadians?
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- Sep/28/22 3:01:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, let us put some numbers on the table, such as the 450,000 children who have been lifted out of poverty since we brought forward the Canada child benefit.
Instead of sending cheques to millionaires, we are sending benefits to hard-working Canadian families who need that help. We understand the high cost of living. We understand the high cost of raising a family. That is why we have put more money in the pockets of Canadians than Conservatives have.
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- Sep/28/22 3:01:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the federal government has turned Roxham Road into a permanent border crossing. That is according to the RCMP, not us.
In 2020, the RCMP reached an agreement for “nursing services at the Roxham border crossing”. That is how the RCMP put it.
Even the RCMP is treating Roxham Road like a legitimate border crossing. It is not a border crossing though; it is a way to avoid going through customs. Instead of creating a pseudo-border crossing run by the police, why not just suspend the safe third country agreement so that families have to go through the real border crossings?
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- Sep/28/22 3:02:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the agreement with the United States is to protect asylum seekers' rights with a process that is transparent and fair and sets out legal consequences should the system be abused.
We are updating our agreement with the United States to strengthen our asylum system. That is the best way to proceed.
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- Sep/28/22 3:03:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what the government is calling irregular entries are supposed to be irregular.
In Quebec, 98% of the asylum seekers who crossed a land border went through Roxham Road. There is nothing confusing about it. No one is coming through regular border crossings anymore. Looking at all the provinces and all the entires via land, sea and air, Roxham Road is the route used by 64% of asylum seekers in Canada.
Does the minister find it normal that, under his watch, irregular entry at Roxham Road has become the official and internationally recognized way to claim asylum in Canada?
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- Sep/28/22 3:03:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our system for asylum seekers must be robust and humane. There really is no magic solution. Calling for the closure of Roxham Road or the suspension of the agreement would likely have the opposite effect.
As we have repeatedly stated, this agreement needs to be modernized. That is what we are doing by working with the United States on a lasting solution.
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- Sep/28/22 3:04:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this government may dismiss it as just inflation, but these are very difficult times for Canadians, which the Liberals keep dismissing. People in B.C. are struggling to feed their families and have to make tough choices between paying for food, gas, Telus, Hydro and Fortis. Countless people can barely pay their rent, never mind thinking of saving for a down payment for a home. Now this government is looking to make those hard-earned dollars stretch even less, especially for low-income workers.
My question today is very simple for this government: Will it stop its planned tax hike on Canadian paycheques?
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