SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 118 - Oct/26/22

Mrs. Tracy Gray (Kelowna—Lake Country, CPC)

Oct/26/22 2:40:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, once again Canadians have been slammed by another punishing interest rate hike of 0.5%, bringing interest rates to 3.75%, all brought in to combat the inflation caused by this Prime Minister. Residents know it has never been more expensive to buy a home in Canada than it has just become under the Liberal government. Housing prices have doubled during the Liberals' seven years in power, with a typical single-family home in my region hovering around a million dollars. Nationwide, the average Canadian now spends 60% of their income on home ownership costs alone. Under the Prime Minister, Toronto has become the number one housing bubble in the world, where it is more expensive to buy a home than in New York, Hong Kong or San Francisco. Vancouver is not far behind, as the sixth highest. It is not just homeowners who are struggling to make ends meet due to the Liberal inflation. The average rent in Canada is now over $2,000 a month, a yearly increase of over 15%. This is not sustainable. We have a plan, as a Conservative government, to take action to address this housing crisis.

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Mr. Peter Schiefke (Vaudreuil—Soulanges, Lib.)

Oct/26/22 2:41:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the incredible work of Bev Woods and her team at Gift from the Heart. Bev Woods opened her first dental hygiene office in Trenton, Ontario, as a location for her community to receive free care. Dismayed by the fact that many could not access the free services she offered, she founded Gift from the Heart and the flagship outreach mobile community cruiser, a refurbished and repurposed ambulance, to ensure that there were no barriers to accessing oral health care. Last September, Bev and her team set up a mobile clinic in the town of Pincourt to provide free dental care to seniors, seasonal workers and Ukrainians who have recently arrived in Canada. They were welcomed and served by dental hygienists Joy Maderazo, Roshni Desai, Martine Daigneault, Sonia Caceres, Sophia Baltzis, Tayyaba Fiaz, Vanessa Bravo and Laura Iorio and also by a team of dedicated volunteers. Together, they gave their time and their expertise to brighten the smiles of so many in my community. On behalf of everyone who calls Vaudreuil—Soulanges home, I say, “Thank you.”

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Ms. Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre, NDP)

Oct/26/22 2:42:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my solidarity with the movement led by young women for human rights in Iran. At great risk to their own safety, people are taking to the streets demanding justice and freedom following the horrific murder of Mahsa Amini. Their courage in the face of horrid state repression is inspiring. Protesters are being tear-gassed, beaten and shot for asserting their rights. This is appalling. The Iranian regime must stop the killing and respect its citizens' right to demonstrate. Canada has an important role to play in upholding human rights and international law. We must be vocal in supporting an independent investigation into the death of Mahsa Amini, and the federal government must ensure that those fleeing violence in Iran can obtain asylum here. Women's rights are human rights. I stand with the women in Iran whose rights are under attack, and I will speak out whenever the rights of women and gender-diverse people are threatened. We can never be silent in the face of injustice.

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Mrs. Claude DeBellefeuille (Salaberry—Suroît, BQ)

Oct/26/22 2:43:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the 100th anniversary of Montcalm Farm. For the Montcalms, agriculture is a family affair and above all a passion. In 1922, Joseph Montcalm bought a farm in Saint‑Louis‑de‑Gonzague. His son and daughter-in-law, Roch and Corona, then went to live on the dairy farm. Then brothers Maurice, François and Marc joined the business to expand the farm. Now, the cousins are pursuing the tradition of excellence. A fifth generation is being raised and showing interest in agriculture. Their secret ingredient is this: By always being ahead of their time, they have prepared for the future. I am proud to talk about the Quebec agricultural model and, above all, I am proud of the Montcalm family. Human-scale family farms with farmers involved in their communities would not exist without supply management. The Montcalms of 1922 would be proud to see the evolution of the family business and the impressive contribution of their large family both on the farm and throughout our region. Therefore, it is with great joy, but above all with great affection, that I congratulate the Montcalm family.

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Mr. Stephen Ellis (Cumberland—Colchester, CPC)

Oct/26/22 2:45:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the great people of Portapique, and indeed all of Nova Scotia, want and deserve answers. The sad and diabolical tragedy that visited our normally idyllic part of the world continues to haunt our thoughts. All Nova Scotians have been failed by the flawed proceedings of the Mass Casualty Commission, from which we all held much hope for answers. The sick and twisted story is further marred by the political interference of the former minister for public safety and the inappropriate dance performed with Commissioner Lucki. Nova Scotians deserve respect, not political cover-ups. Phone records were withheld for two and a half years for politically motivated reasons by a former Liberal staffer. Nova Scotians deserve answers, not fiction, not foolishness, not falsified reality and certainly not fabrication. The former minister for public safety should resign.

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Mr. Andy Fillmore (Halifax, Lib.)

Oct/26/22 2:46:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last week I attended the 40th annual Fallen Peace Officers' Memorial Service in Halifax, honouring Nova Scotian peace officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. This year, the name of RCMP Constable Heidi Stevenson has been added to the fallen officers monument. Constable Stevenson was a 23-year veteran of the force who tragically lost her life during the Nova Scotia mass shooting in 2020. Watching her husband and children lay a wreath in her name was a sombre reminder of the risk these brave officers take to keep us safe. Tragically, in recent months, four more officers across Canada have died in the line of duty, so I invite all members in this House to join me in expressing our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of Constable Andrew Hong of the Toronto Police Service, Constables Morgan Russell and Devon Northrup of the South Simcoe Police Service, and RCMP Constable Shaelyn Yang in Burnaby. These officers put themselves in harm's way to serve and protect others, and we will remember their sacrifices forever.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

Oct/26/22 2:47:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians are now getting the bill for the Prime Minister's $500-billion inflationary deficit. Today, interest rates are being raised again. A family that bought a typical home five years ago with a typical mortgage that is now up for renewal will pay $7,000 more a year. The Prime Minister said that the government was taking on debt so that Canadians would not have to. Who is going to make the extra mortgage payments?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

Oct/26/22 2:48:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I will answer my colleague's question shortly. I would like to begin by noting that today marks 40 days since the death of Mahsa Amini. In the wake of this senseless murder, we have seen the incredible courage of Iranian women who are still protesting for change and braving the violence and cruelty of the regime every day. As the people of Iran and others around the world gather today and tonight, we hear them and stand with them, and will continue to hold the Iranian regime to account for its abhorrent, heinous behaviour.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

Oct/26/22 2:49:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians are now getting the bill for the Prime Minister's half trillion dollars of inflationary deficits that first drove up inflation and now drive up interest rates. A typical family who bought a typical home with a typical mortgage five years ago but are now up for renewal are paying $7,000 more per year. The Prime Minister said the government was going to take on all this debt so that Canadians would not have to, as if they do not have to pay back government debt. If that were the case though, who is going to pay the extra mortgage payments for these families?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

Oct/26/22 2:49:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, through the pandemic we made the decision to support Canadian families, to support workers, to support small businesses, to make sure Canadians could hold on and to make sure our economy could hold on through an unprecedented, historic pandemic. At the same time, we were there to support Canadians as the economy got going again, and we are there to support them now with the GST rebate that is going to arrive in the coming weeks and with direct support for dental care and for low-income renters. The question is this: Why are Conservative politicians not choosing to support Canadians on dental and rental?

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

Oct/26/22 2:50:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister caused this inflation crisis. Even Mark Carney, who will be the successor to the current Liberal leader, is saying that inflation is a homegrown problem. He is right. It is caused by the half trillion dollars of inflationary deficits that have bid up the cost of the goods we buy and the interest we pay. Today, rates went up another half point, meaning many families will be handing in their keys to the banks, because they will not be able to afford those bills. Has the Prime Minister been briefed by his officials on how many Canadians will lose their homes because of the higher interest rates that his inflationary policies have caused?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

Oct/26/22 2:51:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, inflation is a worldwide problem right now, but it is a challenge faced by Canadian families, and we will continue to support them through it. That is why we are delivering supports for families right now in a targeted way, doubling the GST credit, which will arrive in the coming weeks in their banks accounts; moving forward on support for dental care and moving forward on support for low-income renters, things that the Conservative Party is continuing not just to vote against but to block; and we will continue to do more. We will continue to be there for Canadians during the challenging times ahead, because that is what Canadians expect of their government.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

Oct/26/22 2:52:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what they have come to expect of this government is that it raises the cost of living. The cost of government is driving up the cost of goods and now the cost of interest. Two hundred billion dollars of the half trillion in deficits had nothing to do with COVID, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, and even that so-called COVID spending included the ArriveCAN app, an app that could have been designed in a weekend for a quarter of a million dollars but cost $54 million. The government claims that $1.2 million of that went to a company called ThinkOn. That company says it did not get that money. Who did?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

Oct/26/22 2:52:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the appropriate ministers are looking into this and making sure that the mistake that was made by public servants in sharing information is followed up on. At the same time, it is important to remember that we did a lot of things in an unprecedented way during an unprecedented pandemic, including delivering CERB cheques within weeks of people having to stay home from jobs in ways that were unthinkable only a few months before. We were there to support small businesses with record supports, so that we could come roaring back as an economy immediately after. Yes, we stepped up in a very rapid way to support Canadians, and Canadians know that is what got us through this pandemic.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

Oct/26/22 2:53:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister cannot tell us who got the $1.2 million. He blames public servants for the mistake. Surely in the week since he learned of this misappropriation he could have found out where the money went, but he has not. That is not the only example. There was also the $400,000 trip to London, for which there was a $6,000 suite for one night. It is just another example of the massive Liberal waste that has contributed to the inflationary deficits we now face. If he cannot tell us which company got the money, can he at least tell us who got the $6,000 a night room?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

Oct/26/22 2:54:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as Canadians know we had a large delegation, including a number of previous prime ministers and former governors general in London for— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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The Speaker

Oct/26/22 2:54:17 p.m.
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I have to interrupt the right hon. Prime Minister. The hon. Leader of the Opposition asked a question. I am sure he wants to hear the answer. I am going to ask everyone to calm down so we can hear the answer. The right hon. Prime Minister, from the top, please.

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau

Oct/26/22 2:54:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, to mark the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Canada had a large delegation that went to London to the funeral, including a number of former prime ministers and former governors general. We stayed in the same hotel. Having a strong Canadian presence there as one of the top realm countries was expected of us, and it was important to see all Canadians so well represented together at the funeral.

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Mr. Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly, BQ)

Oct/26/22 2:55:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, some laws and initiatives with budget implications require a royal recommendation before they can be adopted in the House. It is a symbolic gesture, but it is in the rules. My question relates to the budget. Inflation makes seniors very vulnerable, especially those the government discriminates against, the ones aged 65 to 75, particularly if they depend on government assistance. As such, and as the need for an economic update becomes increasingly urgent, will the government reconsider its position and increase old age security to a level that will enable seniors to cope?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

Oct/26/22 2:55:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the good news is that seniors are now living much longer and healthier lives than they did decades or generations ago. That is a good thing, but it means that too many seniors run out of pension and savings before they die. We recognize that, starting at the age of 75, seniors have greater needs, and that costs more. That is why we have chosen to increase old age security for all seniors 75 and up. Our goal is to provide an appropriate level of support to those in greater need.

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