44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 23, 2022 02:00PM
- Nov/23/22 2:21:43 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to recognize that the Quebec Student Union is on the Hill today. These students have come here to share their ideas on how we can help them deal with inflation and the challenges of the post-pandemic world. On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I would like to welcome them.
We hear a lot about how inflation is affecting people on fixed incomes, but graduate students, whose livelihoods depend on scholarships, are often overlooked. In 2023 it will be 20 years since graduate research fellowships were last indexed. As a result, Canada is the only G7 country that is losing researchers because of the financial insecurity they face. Boosting research fellowships is a worthwhile investment, since it supports these researchers in inflationary times, encourages innovation and curbs the brain drain.
Ottawa has not been there to support students, and it is turning its back on the next generation of Quebec scientists. Let us work together to change that.
167 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/23/22 2:33:40 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government and the Bank of Canada continue to attack high wages as a cause of inflation, when in reality real wages have actually fallen. In fact, workers' share of GDP has also fallen. Do members know what has not fallen? The profits of large corporations. In fact, big grocery stores have seen profits increase by 118.3% since 2019.
When will the Prime Minister tackle corporate greed and protect families?
74 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/23/22 2:34:55 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister cannot even say the word “profit”, let alone take on the corporate greed of rich corporations.
The response of the Bank of Canada so far has been to increase interest rates. That is having a real impact on families, like Lauren Gilbert's family from B.C.. She shares that her mortgage has gone up by $1,000 a month. Many families like hers are hurting. We know the Bank of Canada sets the monetary policy, but the Government of Canada sets the fiscal policy.
When will the government tackle inflation so it does not hurt people?
104 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/23/22 2:42:19 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, Canadian families are all facing the worst inflationary crisis in 40 years. It is directly impacting a basic necessity: food.
Butter is 20% more expensive, pasta is 27% more expensive, and lettuce is 30% more expensive. What is the Liberal government proposing? Believe it or not, it wants to increase, triple the Liberal carbon tax.
Seriously, could the Prime Minister stand up and admit that increasing taxes in a period of inflation is really bad for Canadians?
79 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/23/22 2:42:51 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, our price on pollution is putting more money back into the pockets of families who need it across the country. That is the reality the Conservatives are trying to avoid.
Yes, there are many families who are struggling to make ends meet because of inflation. That is why we are giving a GST/HST credit that has been doubled for six months and gives hundreds of dollars a month to 11 million households. That is also why we are giving families more money for rent and dental care, yet the Conservatives voted against both of those measures.
100 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/23/22 2:43:31 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, what the Prime Minister said is not quite right. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.
Since his return from COP27, the minister in 58th place keeps saying that the carbon tax helps Canadians, but that is not true. The minister in 58th place is forgetting that, under his administration, Canada ranked 58 out of 63 countries on climate change performance. That is the Liberal government's track record over the past seven years. That is how the Liberal carbon tax performed.
Seriously, can the Prime Minister stand up and admit that increasing taxes in a period of inflation is really bad for Canadians?
111 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
Mr. Speaker, the official opposition leader's solution of investing in volatile cryptocurrency as a means to opt out of inflation is reckless. If Canadians had followed his advice, their life savings would now be decimated. The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan just said it will have to write off its $95-million investment in FTX, the crypto exchange that collapsed last week.
Is the Prime Minister aware of any alternative, responsible policies to make life more affordable for Canadians?
79 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
Mr. Speaker, I would like to raise a viable alternative to fighting inflation. Two specific responsible measures will be implemented, thanks to the recent passage of Bill C-31: help for Canadians to pay their rents and support for their children to be able to receive proper dental care.
While the Conservatives think Bitcoin and buzzwords will solve inflation, we on this side will always stand on the side of supporting the middle class.
74 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/23/22 3:12:48 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister has no problem spending $6,000 of taxpayer money on a single hotel night, Canadians are struggling just to feed their families. Thanks to the Liberals, everything in this country is broken. There are 1.5 million Canadians who accessed a food bank in a single month; inflation is at a 40-year high, and over half of all Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque, finding it difficult to make ends meet.
The question is simple. When will the Liberals stop making life difficult for Canadians and actually give them control of their lives?
100 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
