44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 28, 2023 10:00AM
- Mar/28/23 2:30:54 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, with the cost of food and housing soaring, Canadian seniors are being left behind. In my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith, seniors tell me they cannot make ends meet. To make matters worse, for seniors who are disproportionately women, widowed or single, costs are even harder to keep up with, yet they pay more in taxes than their coupled counterparts.
Will the Prime Minister end these discriminatory tax rules, implement equitable tax benefits and finally start supporting seniors?
80 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:31:27 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, one of the very first things we did was significantly increase the GIS for the most vulnerable single seniors because we knew that was something we needed. Unfortunately, the NDP actually voted against that measure.
We continued over the past years by doubling the GST tax credit and putting more money back in the pockets of seniors, and by providing nearly two million low-income renters with financial relief, including seniors. We permanently increased the OAS for seniors age 75 and up, and we restored the age of eligibility for OAS back to 65 from the 67 that Conservatives raised it to.
On this side of the House, we will continue to be there for seniors. Whether it is through COVID or through housing affordability, we will be there.
131 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:32:12 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, a moment ago, I listed four stabbing deaths that have happened in the last three days, including that of a police officer, and the Prime Minister glibly got up and said he was going to ban hunting rifles. Stabbings happen with knives, not hunting rifles. Perhaps that is why we see a 32% increase in violent crime since the Prime Minister took office. He is not looking at logic or facts. It is the criminals wielding the knives who are doing the killing.
Does he really believe that banning the rifles of rural hunters will stop knife crime in big cities?
103 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:32:54 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, Canadians deserve to feel safe and Canadians must be able to feel safe in their communities. That is why, on March 10, I met with my provincial and territorial counterparts to work on bail reform to include repeat, violent offenders and to include crimes with knives. We have a plan. I invite the hon. member to read the joint communiqué that came out of that federal, provincial and territorial meeting of justice and public safety ministers. We are moving ahead with that plan.
86 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:33:30 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the question was for the Prime Minister, who did not have the guts to get up and answer.
A moment ago, I listed four murders and near murders that happened with knives in the last three days. This is part of a massive crime wave that the Prime Minister's catch-and-release bail system has unleashed right across the country. We did not have crime like this before he took office. His solution is to ban hunting rifles in rural communities.
I ask him again, does he really believe that banning hunting rifles in rural communities will stop knife crime in downtown cities?
106 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:34:12 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we have been working with the provinces and territories with respect to bail reform since last October. We appreciate that there is a concern out there among Canadians. There is a desire to be safe, and there is a desire to feel safe. That is why—
49 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:34:31 p.m.
- Watch
Order. I am going to interrupt the hon. minister.
The hon. minister can start from the top. I missed the beginning.
21 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:34:52 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we have been working with justice ministers and public safety ministers from the provinces and territories since last October. We appreciate that Canadians need to feel safe and Canadians have a right to be safe, which is why we have been working together on bail reform to address repeat offenders, violent crime, crime with knives and crime with guns. We are moving ahead with that plan, as we have stated in the joint communiqué. This is a problem that will be solved by working together.
88 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:35:31 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, taxes have never been higher and the Liberals are awash with higher revenues from their inflationary deficits. After eight years of the Prime Minister, the price of a home has doubled. The price of rent has doubled. The price of an average mortgage payment has doubled. Credit card debt has never been higher. Food bank use is at a record high. By all accounts, this is not a record that anyone should aspire to.
The government's solution seems to be more deficits, more debt and more inflation. The Prime Minister has an opportunity at 4 p.m. today. Will he commit to no deficits and no new taxes?
111 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:36:10 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is great to see our colleagues so excited about the budget today. In a short two hours, they will learn everything that is in the budget to support Canadians.
However, I am going to make a prediction. No matter what measures are there to support Canadians through affordability challenges, no matter what is in there to grow an economy that helps everyone, no matter what is in there to position Canada for greatness in the future, the Conservatives, the opposition in this House, will vote against it. It is what they have always done, and it is what they will do again. They will vote against, and we will keep delivering for Canadians.
116 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:36:46 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, never has a government spent so much to achieve so little. He is right; we will vote against it. The member opposite should go to a food bank and tell someone—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
39 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:36:56 p.m.
- Watch
Order.
From the top, please.
5 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:36:59 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should go to a food bank and tell somebody that they have never had it so good. Perhaps he can tell a family struggling to pay their mortgage that they have never had it better, or he can tell a small business owner that the struggle is a product of their own imagination.
At a time when the government is awash with cash, Canadians are working harder and they are getting less. The Liberals believe they can spend Canadians' money better than they can.
Will the Prime Minister admit that his approach has failed and commit today to no deficits and no new taxes?
109 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:37:34 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, there are 2.7 million fewer Canadians in poverty today than when the Conservatives were in government. That includes 450,000 children, thanks to the Canada child benefit, in which a child under six could receive up to $7,000 a year.
Let us talk about our child care agreements that have cut fees by 50% for families across this country, which could be up to an additional $6,000 for families with children in registered care.
We are delivering for Canadians in hard times, and we are going to continue to be there for them.
98 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:38:14 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, today, the Minister of Finance will announce a $1.4-billion cut in spending on outside consultants. However, given that the government has increased the size of the public service by 28% since 2017, even more of the work that is currently being contracted out to private companies could be done in-house.
The government is spending over $21 billion a year on outside contracts, and the proposed cut clearly shows that its real intention is to continue giving money to its cronies.
Will the Prime Minister commit today to cut spending on outside contracts in order to reduce the burden on Canadians?
106 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:38:46 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is wonderful to see how excited our colleagues are for today's budget. In two hours, they will know everything that is in our budget.
I will make a prediction. I predict that regardless of what measures are set out in the budget to support Canadians, build the economy or green the economy, the Conservatives, the opposition party, will vote against them.
We are here for Canadians. They are against them. It is our duty to meet our commitments.
82 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:39:20 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, what does the Associate Minister of Finance think of the fact that in 2019, the Prime Minister billed Canadian taxpayers more than $200,000 for his personal vacation to Costa Rica? He billed a further $160,000 for another personal vacation to Jamaica in December. When he is not billing Canadians for his vacations, he has a solution: He violates Canada's Conflict of Interest Act by accepting vacations, gifts and flights to his friends' private island.
Today his Minister of Finance will be announcing budget cuts for government trips. Does that mean that Canadians will no longer have to pay for the Prime Minister's trips south?
110 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:39:52 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, in just two hours, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance will announce all the measures in budget 2023.
Afterward, we will hear from the members across the way. I think it will be a canned speech with their usual slogans.
Today, in this chamber, what we will not hear is the Conservatives talking about plans to grow our economy, to fight climate change and to improve infrastructure.
We have a plan. We are going to deliver for Canadians. The Conservatives will vote against.
87 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:40:29 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the cost of the Trans Mountain pipeline now exceeds $30 billion.
Yesterday, I asked the Minister of Environment and Climate Change if he was going to officially recommend that his government get out of this sinkhole. He responded that he was not the finance minister.
Indeed, I was addressing the Minister of the Environment, the one who read the IPCC report, the minister responsible for Canada's role in the fight against climate change.
Today, is he officially recommending that his government put an end to the Trans Mountain fiasco?
94 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:41:07 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.
We have put in place the necessary measures to stabilize the TMX project, ensure that Canada gets fair market value for these resources that we included in the budget, and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The fact is that 12,700 jobs were created in Alberta and British Columbia. BMO Capital Markets and TD Securities have confirmed that the TMX project would be commercially viable. We will ensure that we get a fair share for Canadians by completing this project.
91 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
