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Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Dec/5/22 6:28:34 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-32

Madam Speaker, it is absolute propaganda and misleading when the Conservatives rise in the House and start saying the federal government can remove the carbon tax in jurisdictions like mine in British Columbia. I have even seen Conservative MPs from B.C. suggest the same thing. We have had carbon pricing in British Columbia since 2009. It was brought in by the B.C. Liberals and supported by all parties in B.C. Just as I said earlier, even the Conservatives supported a price on carbon in the last election, but it is not convenient for them right now. We have been asking repeatedly whether the Conservatives will support removing the GST on home heating. It would also apply to electric heat, which millions of Canadians use. Will the Conservatives finally support the NDP's call to remove the GST on home heating?

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Mr. Michael Barrett

Dec/5/22 6:29:25 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-32

Madam Speaker, there is an NDP promise from B.C. that I agree with: “B.C. NDP promises to kill carbon tax”. That is from 2009, when it was introduced in that province. Maybe we will come full circle with my hon. colleague's party. I think the NDP of 2009 were bang on and now is the time to axe the carbon tax.

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Mr. Michael Barrett (Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, CPC)

Dec/5/22 6:30:29 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to have the opportunity to talk about some of the policies the government has put forward and, frankly, its lack of action with respect to the finances and the financial troubles Canadians are facing. We are facing 40-year-high inflation. Canadians are making tough choices between heating their homes and feeding their families. It is unconscionable that with these record-high prices that Canadians are facing at this time, the government is planning to triple its tax on everything: gas, groceries and home heating. Why will the government not relent? Why will the Liberals not put aside their pride and do what is right for Canadians? The prices Canadians are facing at the grocery store are unbelievable. The government has an opportunity to give them some relief by cancelling the carbon tax. Staples like soup are up near 20%, and potatoes are up nearly 11%. Dry or fresh pasta, which people used to stock their cupboards with for tough times, is up 32.5%. The government needs to take a look in the mirror and make some hard decisions. It needs to cancel its carbon tax. It needs to commit to not undertaking any new spending for which it has not found savings elsewhere, and it needs to commit to not introducing or increasing taxes. However, the Liberals seem determined to do the opposite of those things. It is incredibly frustrating for Canadians to hear that driving to work and driving themselves or a family member to a medical appointment are behaviours that need to be corrected. That is what the Liberals have said. There is no subway that runs in Victoria-by-the-Sea, Prince Edward Island, and there is no LRT in Vancouver Island or in the north. In Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, there is certainly no mass transit for folks to be able to correct that bad behaviour that the Liberals say they are undertaking by just supporting themselves, putting gas in the truck so they can get to the job site or putting gas in the car so they can take their children to an extracurricular activity. It is very simple: The government needs to axe its carbon tax and allow Canadians to have some breathing room, to not have to make those dire choices about skipping meals. Nearly one and a half million Canadians went to the food bank in a single month, with 500,000 of those food bank users being children. These are the stark choices Canadians are having to make in this economic climate. The government has all the cards, and there is a quick one that it can play. It is the wild card. The government can axe its carbon tax and make life more affordable for Canadians.

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Mr. Terry Beech (Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Lib.)

Dec/5/22 6:34:25 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to start by addressing the question of putting a price on pollution. This is something that the member opposite will certainly be familiar with, because he vigorously campaigned for it in the last election. This is also something that we are familiar with in British Columbia, where we have had a price on pollution since 2008. In the time since it has been implemented, not only have emissions per capita gone down, but we have actually led the country in economic growth. The clean-tech sector in British Columbia, for example, produces billions of dollars in revenue each and every single year and provides tens of thousands of good-paying, sustainable jobs. In the last three years, the price on pollution in British Columbia has gone up by about two cents per litre despite gas prices going up by more than a dollar at times. This is a reflection of disruptions in the supply chain due to the pandemic and more recently due to the illegal war in Ukraine. While the Conservatives have tried to argue that the federal carbon price is driving inflation, they know that they are ignoring 98% of the real problem. Further, taking aggressive action on climate change has become an economic necessity in itself. We have to act now to prevent further damages. Canada is confronted with more and more extreme climate events, such as floods, hurricanes and wildfires. The reality is that we can lead the fight against climate change, and we can do it in a way that creates good-paying jobs and new businesses for Canadians. Our government also understands and appreciates the fact that a national price on pollution is the most effective and least costly way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It is important to note that our plan is revenue-neutral and that, through the climate action incentive, life is actually made more affordable because of the carbon price for eight out of 10 Canadian families. We do understand that Canadians are having issues making ends meet. We are worried as our country's economy faces a period of slower economic growth due to the global challenges of high inflation and higher interest rates. We understand these concerns and we are all experiencing these challenges alongside our constituents. We feel the pain of inflation when we go to the grocery store, fill up our tanks and, of course, when we pay our rent. With regard to grocery store prices in particular, we have specific concerns, which is why earlier this year the Minister of Innovation wrote to the Competition Bureau to make sure it was using all of its tools to detect and deter any unlawful behaviours that might be leading to higher prices or profiteering in the food sector. In addition, we have provided targeted supports to Canadians through the fall economic statement and the budget to ensure that we give the help that Canadians need, in particular, to those Canadians who need it the most. A good example of this is the doubling of the GST credit. This is a significant investment of $2.5 billion in support that will help 11 million households and more than 50% of our seniors. I actually want to thank the member opposite for supporting this important measure. We know that there is no country better placed than Canada to weather the coming global economic slowdown and then thrive in the years ahead. This is because our unemployment rate continues to be near its record low, and our country has an AAA credit rating. We also have the strongest economic growth in the G7 so far this year, and the lowest deficit and net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. In fact, those advantages increased over the course of the pandemic, thanks to our strong fiscal leadership. As well, our health outcomes and job recovery rates are significantly better than those in the United States, and that is going to put us in an even better position going forward.

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Mr. Michael Barrett

Dec/5/22 6:38:15 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the Parliamentary Budget Officer said that households in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario will see a net loss with the federal carbon tax, including with any cheques that the government sends back to Canadians trying to fool them by taking money with the left hand and giving a little bit back with the right hand. This scheme is not going to do what this government claims it is going to do. It is not going to provide the environmental stewardship that it claims, nor is this government a model of that, as we have seen with the dumping of sewage in the St. Lawrence River, which runs through my community. What we are looking for is a plan from this government that makes life more affordable for Canadians. That means it is not going to introduce new spending unless it finds savings, and it means that it is going to need to axe its carbon tax.

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Mr. Terry Beech

Dec/5/22 6:39:16 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, we understand that many Canadians are feeling the pain of high inflation, but I would like to take this opportunity to reassure them. They can continue to count on our government to support them through targeted and fiscally responsible measures. As the Deputy Prime Minister explained in the fall economic statement, we will continue in the months ahead to work hard to build an economy that works for everyone to create good jobs and to make life affordable for all Canadians.

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Ms. Andréanne Larouche (Shefford, BQ)

Dec/5/22 6:39:53 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am grateful for the time that the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Sport and I have been given to discuss and revisit the need to launch a public judicial inquiry into the toxic culture in sport. My colleague might not be indifferent to this idea of bringing together athletes and experts in the culture of sport around an issue that seems to me more topical than ever. I would ask him to share the testimony heard by the Standing Committee on the Status of Women with the minister. I hope she will pay particular attention to the evidence given by the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada, or SDRCC, which admitted that it lacks the powers needed to respond adequately to athletes' complaints. As it stands, what the work of parliamentarians has highlighted is that there is no place where athletes can feel confident in reporting their abuser. An SDRCC representative appeared before the committee today and talked about the lack of investigative mandate and her inability to intervene effectively. The SDRCC does not have the authority to enforce penalties and compel testimony or the production of documents in athletes' complaint cases. I would like to think that the message will be heard, and that athletes will not have come all this way in vain. Is he at ease with the knowledge that there are predators acting with impunity who are not held responsible for their disgraceful behaviour towards athletes? It makes no sense that the government is stubbornly refusing to open a public judicial inquiry. Athletes need to have faith in an organization that is dedicated to defending their rights, which is not the case at this time. With all due respect for the work of the House, I would be remiss if I did not bring forward the requests of the athletes who proudly represented us on the international stage. We even welcomed them in this place with joy and pride. We remember the medals around their necks. Everyone was eager to welcome and congratulate them. We could show them the respect that they fully deserve. Athletes need a recognized body that is able to receive their complaint. They need to have access to a resource person independent from the sports organization that they have a dispute with. They need a point of contact that will guide them through the process and help them get through the obstacles one by one and the fear of reprisals by organizations or people who abused them. This assistance plan needs to include legal services, psychological help, skilled people who are capable of helping people who experienced trauma. It is hard enough to experience abuse and mistreatment; imagine the courage and nerve it takes to face one's abuser. As long as the power imbalance established by national sports organizations and the inaction over the years by Sport Canada is seen or perceived by athletes, reconciliation will not be possible, the athletes will not file complaints and they will not break free from this culture of silence. Would my colleague convey that message to the minister and make sure she is apprised of the situation immediately? If the government really wants to make things better, it will have to come up with a mechanism by and for athletes and stop thinking in terms of sport and structure. That is the real problem. We need an independent public inquiry to do this work and bring the two sides together. We need transparency in order for people to learn about problematic situations and consider them with more empathy and understanding. We have to be able to identify what works well and what needs to be reconsidered in whole or in part. The independent public inquiry we need is an opportunity for enrichment, a pivotal moment that will make a public statement to the effect that this is not acceptable and we will not let it happen again. Yes, sports organizations and federations will be put on the spot. Yes, we will have to name things, and that might make some people uncomfortable. However, there are things and stories that everyone must take the time to absorb, and this transition will not happen behind closed doors in government officials' offices.

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Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport, Lib.)

Dec/5/22 6:44:00 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I first want to thank my hon. colleague for her question, her leadership and her attention to this very important issue. I would also like to thank the other members of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women for the important work they are doing in studying the issue of safe sport for women and girls in Canada. I had the privilege of joining one of the meetings. I paid attention today to those meetings. The testimony was both extremely moving and terribly important for us all to listen to. I want to commend the courageous athletes who continue to tell their stories about the abuse they have suffered. I want them to know that we hear them; we see them and we absolutely believe them. I want to be clear that anyone who is a victim or witness to a criminal act should report that incident to the police immediately. In reality, this is a deeply personal issue for me. The objective of creating a safer sport free from abuse was my main motivation for entering the world of politics. As a society, we in Canada have a shared responsibility to promote a safe sporting environment for everyone. Our government responded to calls from Canadian athletes for an independent, centralized mechanism for violations of any provisions of the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport. The Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner, or OSIC, was created in June under the leadership of Sarah-Ève Pelletier, who is a former member of the national artistic swimming team, a member of the Quebec bar and an accredited civil mediator. This office was created to end the culture of silence, to help provide a reliable mechanism for reporting abuse and mistreatment, and to ensure that victims are heard and supported. By April 1, 2023, all national sport organizations must sign on to the abuse-free sport program, which includes OSIC services. This is a condition of receiving funding from the Government of Canada. As of December 1, 2022, some 23 organizations have signed on, including Hockey Canada and Gymnastics Canada. Some have questioned OSIC's independence. Just like any administrative tribunal or court of justice supported financially by the federal government, from the Supreme Court of Canada to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, OSIC is an independent entity. Earlier I spoke to the personal nature of this concern. It was about seven years ago that I retired from sport. I had a long career in sport. I went to four Olympics for Canada, and indeed witnessed many things that I wish never happened. In 2016, the then minister of sport asked me to be part of a working group to develop a system to address the maltreatment in sport that was occurring. There first needed to be a universal code of conduct. We made recommendations to the federal government at that time. Those recommendations included having a universal code of conduct that was mandatory for all national sport organizations, ensuring that the system was fully funded by the federal government, as the Supreme Court is, and ensuring that it was independent of the government entirely. It is true that those things are the case today. Given that sport is a shared jurisdiction in Canada, we, along with provincial and territorial colleagues, should all be working together on this. In August 2022, building on the Red Deer declaration signed in February 2019, ministers agreed to work toward establishing an independent third party mechanisms in their jurisdictions for allegations of maltreatment in sport—

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Dec/5/22 6:48:04 p.m.
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The parliamentary secretary's time is up. The hon. member for Shefford.

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Ms. Andréanne Larouche

Dec/5/22 6:48:09 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would have liked to hear the parliamentary secretary admit in the answer he gave me this evening that the government will think about the request of parliamentarians, who are unanimous about the fact that these athletes must be given a voice. It is the Minister of Sport's responsibility to look into the management of sexual assault and sexual misconduct in sports for the good of the public. It is high time to act as a watchdog and recognize the distress and frustration felt by these athletes in the amateur circuit and by those who are overseen by programs subsidized by the federal government. The government must absolutely shed light on the management problems in sports organizations because this problem has been going on for far too long. We are talking about a right, and athletes are well within their rights to require such action from their government. In closing, I would like to say that I am sincere in offering the Minister of Sport our full co-operation in this necessary modernization of the sport policy. I also want to remind her that she would benefit from the recommendations of such a commission because it could enable the OSIC to really protect athletes. A real culture change—

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Dec/5/22 6:49:15 p.m.
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Order. I am sorry to interrupt the hon. member, but her time is up. The hon. parliamentary secretary.

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Secretary

Mr. Adam van Koeverden

Dec/5/22 6:49:21 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I once again want to commend the member from the Bloc Québécois for her attention to this important issue and concern. I also want to commend the other members of the status of women committee for their hard work on this issue. Absolutely no solution is off the table for me, the Minister of Sport, the government and all members of the House. We absolutely condemn violence, maltreatment and abuse in sport. We absolutely condemn what we heard in the testimony that was so troubling and moving. There is a solution for this. It lies within our power and obligation to step forward and make sure these stories continue to be told. We look forward to the recommendations from the committee following this important study. We thank its members again for this important work. I want to say it again. Absolutely no solution is off the table for the Minister of Sport, me and the government to ensure that sport continues and is safer in the future.

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Ms. Lisa Marie Barron (Nanaimo—Ladysmith, NDP)

Dec/5/22 6:50:25 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I recently asked the Prime Minister during question period why he is handing out billions of dollars of public money to big oil and gas, billions of dollars that could instead be used to invest in sustainable and clean energy options; could ensure solutions for the future that protect our planet; and could be used to provide workers, families and communities a transition to clean energy jobs. These necessary funds could be used toward building a stronger, more sustainable future for all. The government no longer has a choice but to make decisions that benefit our planet and people, not the ultrarich CEOs who are getting rich off the backs of Canadians. We are in a climate emergency, and we are seeing the impacts first-hand with warming oceans, forest fires, floods, droughts and heat domes, just to name a few. It is clear we no longer have time for delay. The response received from the Prime Minister provided little optimism that the government is treating this climate crisis with the seriousness and level of emergency required to ensure we have a planet to call home for the future. The damages done and the resulting impacts as a result of consecutive Liberal and Conservative inaction are unmistakable. In his response, the Prime Minister talked about prioritizing the decarbonization of big oil and gas. This is problematic, to say the least, with clear science showing that carbon capture will be inadequate in lowering greenhouse gas emissions to limit the earth’s warming to 1.5°C, which is needed to ensure our planet’s survival. Additionally, why are public tax dollars being used to subsidize the already excess profits being acquired by those who need it the least? Rich oil and gas CEOs do not need public tax dollars in addition to their excess profits. As I mentioned in my original question, a recent report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development confirms that paying big oil to reduce their emissions is a bad investment. Again, these funds could be used in endless ways to protect our planet and our futures. It is not just the NDP pointing out that big oil and gas are making unfairly taxed profits like never seen before. The chief executive of Shell recently said governments should tax energy companies, arguing that, if taxed appropriately, these funds could be used to support those most vulnerable. At a time when more and more are struggling with the increasing cost of living and the real impacts of the climate crisis, these funds could be used where they belong in helping people. Go figure that, even upon request from big oil and gas to be taxed appropriately, the government has not delivered. Others are calling on the federal government to tax the windfall profits of the oil and gas industry as well, including 350 Canada, Leadnow, Greenpeace Canada and so many Canadians. In fact, they have a petition coming forward, and it is signed by 35,000 Canadians who are asking the government to finally fairly tax the enormous profits of big oil and gas and to use these vital and necessary funds toward the ever-increasing costs of environmental disasters, such as that we most recently saw with hurricane Fiona, as well as a transition to a 100% clean energy future that does not leave anyone behind. In my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith, the city of Nanaimo mayor, council and staff were recently recognized for their strong climate action by the climate disclosure project, receiving an A for its work. It has done work around waste reduction, active transportation and building energy efficiency. Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools have also done incredible work around environmental stewardship. I am wondering if the member can clarify when we will see the federal leadership we require to finally begin protecting our planet.

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Mr. Terry Beech (Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Lib.)

Dec/5/22 6:54:33 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to start by thanking my friend opposite for raising these questions. I used to represent the people of her riding as a municipal city councillor some 23 years ago in Nanaimo. In fact, I sat on the advisory committee to the environment there. The member and I have had some good discussions around various environmental issues, including climate change. I am glad we have a further opportunity to share some time in the chamber today. The federal government has committed to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies. At the same time, we are increasing investments in clean technology and clean energy production. I cannot cover the entirety of our plan to fight climate change and grow the economy in four minutes, but I would encourage anyone who is interested to read my reports on climate change and the environment and growing the economy, both of which are available at terrybeechmp.ca. It is also important to note that we are not just committed to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, but we have actually accelerated our previous timeline for doing so from 2025 to 2023, which is a matter of weeks away. In fact, we have already taken action to phase out nine tax measures supporting the fossil fuel sector to date. In budget 2022, as another example, the government committed to eliminating the flow-through share regime for fossil fuel activities. This means tax benefits available to companies and their investors will no longer be available after March 31, 2023, which is less than four months from now. At COP27 last month in Egypt, Canadian representatives also fought to prevent other countries from backing down on phasing out subsidies for fossil fuels and coal, which are still the single largest contributor to CO2 emissions globally. We are also on track to eliminate coal-fired energy in Canada within the next seven years. The reality is that our government has taken concrete action to fight pollution and to produce cleaner air for everyone. This is also why we introduced a price on carbon pollution across Canada in 2019. My friend opposite would be familiar with this approach, as B.C. has had a price on pollution since 2008. In fact, the carbon price has not only helped lower emissions per capita, but B.C. has enjoyed one of the fastest-growing economies in the country since it was implemented. An important part of this economic growth story is that a majority of Canada's clean-tech sector is actually located in British Columbia and accounts for billions of dollars in revenue each and every single year and tens of thousands of good, sustainable, high-paying jobs. It is a good analogy for how successful Canada can be as more of the world demands clean and sustainable sources of energy and solutions for fighting climate change. There really is no doubt that our approach is working. Industries are already being encouraged to become more emissions-efficient and to use cleaner technologies. This in turn encourages the development of new and innovative approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and using energy more efficiently. This in turn creates new business development opportunities. The fact is that we cannot have a credible plan to grow our economy without also having a credible plan to protect the environment and to fight climate change. That said, we also know that we need to work with industry to find economically viable solutions and technologies. Carbon capture, utilization and storage, CCUS for short, is an important tool for reducing emissions in high-emitting sectors, especially if other pathways to reducing emissions are limited or unavailable. I would note that many respected global organizations support CCUS development, including the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Paris-based International Energy Agency. It will help not just the oil and gas sector to reduce emissions, but emission-intensive sectors like steel production, cement and other emission-intensive industries as well.

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Ms. Lisa Marie Barron

Dec/5/22 6:58:28 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I thank the member whom I have a deep respect for. Unfortunately, I do not think an example of concrete action is the Liberal government handing rich CEOs, the very ones who are profiting from globally destructive business practices, a subsidy of $2.6 billion to ineffectively clean up the mess they are making. That money is coming out of the pockets of Canadians who are struggling to make ends meet, and who, in many cases, are suffering the devastating effects of climate degradation. The B.C. Centre for Disease Control, for example, is creating a fact sheet to educate people about the health hazards of wildfire smoke and how to prepare themselves to cope with it every year. This is tragic. Meanwhile, the current government is handing oil and gas companies billions in subsidies and tax incentives. I will ask again: When will the government stop subsidizing big oil companies and start making them pay what they owe?

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Mr. Terry Beech

Dec/5/22 6:59:29 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, to directly answer the question, 2023 is when we are committed to removing all inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. I would also encourage anyone listening to this to look at our entire emissions reduction plan. There has been over 100 billion dollars' worth of investments into initiatives leading to a cleaner future, including in budget 2022, which took a number of important steps to mobilize private investments, including launching the Canada growth fund. The Canada growth fund is going to attract substantial private sector investment in Canadian businesses and projects to help seize the opportunities that are provided by building a net-zero economy, which is exactly what we are doing. I invite all members to read Bill C-32 if they have not already done so. The legislation would provide up to $2 billion in initial capitalization for the Canada growth fund. Not only will this help Canada fight against climate change, but it will also grow our economy and create jobs for Canadians, which is what we are trying to do in everything that we do.

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Dec/5/22 7:00:26 p.m.
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The motion to adjourn the House is now deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1). (The House adjourned at 7 p.m.)

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