44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 2, 2024 10:00AM
- Feb/2/24 11:25:26 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, what we have just heard is appalling. Once again, this Parliament is devaluing francophones on the pretext of promoting diversity.
Let me repeat: French is not an obstacle to diversity. In this country, French is a facet of diversity and the francophonie is diverse. The reasoning used is even more flawed in connection with justice, because both official languages have the force of law. Anyone unable to understand French is just plain unqualified to interpret the law in Canada.
Who among these parties will finally explain to their colleagues that this makes no sense?
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- Feb/2/24 11:26:09 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I can assure the member and all parliamentarians in the House that this government is dedicated and solemnly committed to ensuring full compliance with the Official Languages Act in all areas under the Government of Canada's purview, including the administration of justice. The member can rest assured that French will remain alive and well as long as this government is in power.
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- Feb/2/24 11:26:38 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, toxic drug overdoses have devastated countless communities, like in my riding. Campbell River just witnessed the worst year on record for toxic drug-related deaths, having the fifth-highest rate of deaths in British Columbia.
People need a plan and a federal government willing to act. Liberals drag their feet and offer up patchwork plans while Conservatives try to criminalize our loved ones who are struggling.
Canada needs a health-based plan for harm reduction and treatment with a timeline. What is the holdup?
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- Feb/2/24 11:27:15 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I agree with the member that, when it comes to issues around substance abuse and addiction, we need to bring a thoughtful health care approach to that. That is why we continue to work with the provinces in making sure we are bringing a health care approach to people who are facing mental health and addiction challenges so we can look after them, unlike what Conservatives want to do, which is to throw these people into jails and treat them not like humans but as criminals, which is absolutely wrong.
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- Feb/2/24 11:27:54 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, people who took CERB in good faith are now being punished by the government. While everyday Canadians are struggling to pay for food or rent, the Liberals have decided to punish them by clawing back low-income benefits in an effort to recoup CERB money that Canadians desperately needed to survive.
Clawing back benefits from people who already cannot make ends meet is cruel. Why are the Liberals going after families struggling to put food on the table while giving wealthy CEOs a free ride?
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- Feb/2/24 11:28:33 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, we have been clear from the outset that if the situation of repayment arose, we would treat all cases individually and fairly.
We were also clear that we would show flexibility and recover overpayments without any interest or any penalties. To prevent undue hardship, flexible repayment options are available. Individuals can establish a repayment schedule based on their financial situation and their ability to pay.
We will continue to take a responsible approach to ensure a fair process.
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Madam Speaker, after eight years of the Liberal-NDP government, farmers and consumers know that the Prime Minister is not worth the cost.
Increasing the carbon tax only increases the cost of goods in stores. For those farmers who cannot pass on the exorbitant carbon tax, it destroys their bottom line.
Will the Liberals reject the Senate's amendments and restore Bill C-234 to its original state, removing the carbon tax on farmers and lowering the price of food for Canadians?
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- Feb/2/24 11:29:38 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, the Conservatives love to talk the talk with farmers, but when it comes time for action, they are always missing in action.
Every time they were in power, the Conservatives slashed funding for farmers, something they do not like to talk about. They slashed $200 million that was directed to farmers.
On this side of the House, we added 25% more dollars in our agreement with the provinces, money that is going directly to farmers. As the hon. member knows, there is a partial rebate available for the issue that he has raised.
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- Feb/2/24 11:30:10 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, these ministers must do a lot more than just mouth Greta's catchphrases.
Grain commodity prices have dropped 20% to 40% in the last few months. Localized drought and flooding always takes its toll. The price drop is because prairie farmers have had one of the best yielding crops ever, but there is no more profit. Suppliers, banks and governments are the only winners. Quadrupling the carbon tax on farmers' inputs will be devastating.
Will the Liberals stop playing games and give farmers the break they need?
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- Feb/2/24 11:30:44 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, we are not playing games, and I wish the member would stop misinforming this House.
Obviously, farmers have faced droughts. We get that. We understand. Why? It is because of climate change. Twenty-one percent of grains in 2021 did not make it to the market. There are programs in place, like AgriStability.
I hope the member is lobbying extremely hard to the member of the official opposition to make him understand that slashing AgriStability while he was at the cabinet table was not a good policy for farmers. On this side of the House, we are supporting farmers. We are putting more money in their pockets. We are making sure that, when they face droughts, programs are available for them.
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- Feb/2/24 11:31:27 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is common sense. When farmers are taxed for having to dry their grain or heat their barn, the government is making it much more expensive to produce the food we all eat.
Jim, a poultry farmer from my riding, is paying $5,000 a month in carbon taxes to heat his barn. The Prime Minister always thinks that he knows best. He thinks that food just teleports to grocery stores, that it magically appears on plates, and he even thinks he can run Jim's farm better than he can.
How much more does he suggest Jim should be paying to heat his barn when it is -40°?
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- Feb/2/24 11:31:59 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am always happy to rise to answer a question on farming. I am glad the member raises supply management. Our government has supported supply management throughout its mandate. For eight years, we have supported supply management, and $4.5 billion is available for supply managed farmers.
Obviously the member raises an important question. We understand that climate change has a huge impact on the availability of land and the crops. It has a huge impact on the profitability of farmers. We just hope that the member can lobby his Leader of the Opposition to make sure that he does not slash budgets that are available for farmers.
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Madam Speaker, I wish we could spread answers like that on farmers' fields so that at least they could benefit from some of that fertilizer.
This NDP-Liberal government is costing Canadians through high food prices, once again showing how out of touch it is. Not only did the radical environment minister admit to pressuring senators to gut Bill C-234, but farmers are getting another carbon tax on April 1. After eight years, the Prime Minister has proven that he is most certainly not worth the cost.
Will the Liberals reject the Senate's amendments and completely remove the carbon tax from farmers to lower food prices for Canadians?
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- Feb/2/24 11:33:17 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, the member is an associate member of the finance committee. Yesterday, the Governor of the Bank of Canada appeared there and made it clear that carbon pricing is not a fundamental factor in inflation.
What is important is the fact that we have to get behind the idea of competition. The Liberal government has put forward a measure that would advance competition in the grocery sector. We know why Conservatives do not support it. Their chief adviser is on the side of Loblaws, that party is in the pocket of Loblaws and they are in the pocket of Walmart, it seems. Their deputy leader has been a lobbyist for them. They do not believe in competition in the grocery sector. They do not believe in Canadians.
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Madam Speaker, Bill C-234 is back in the House after Liberal-appointed senators stalled and gutted this crucial legislation. This bill is vital for exempting farmers from the carbon tax and would ease the high cost of Canadian food. However, as the carbon tax is set to quadruple, farmers will pay $1 billion by 2030 and will push food prices even higher.
Will the Liberals scrap the Senate amendments, remove the carbon tax from agriculture and make food more affordable for everyone?
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- Feb/2/24 11:34:31 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, we know that farmers feel the brunt of climate change and natural disasters day to day, and that is what is increasing food prices when we see how they are being impacted by natural disasters.
We are taking action to fight climate change and at the same time support farmers. In each instance where we were supporting farmers in the last votes, the Conservatives voted against. They voted against $25 million going to Fort McMurray—Cold Lake to support agricultural workers in that field. Why are they standing against supporting farmers to fight climate change?
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Madam Speaker, with an answer like that, I am not surprised Canadians cannot afford food, in a country where two million citizens are relying on food banks monthly. It is baffling to see the NDP-Liberal coalition push to quadruple the carbon tax. When we tax the farmer who grows the food and the trucker who delivers the food, Canadians are stuck with higher food prices.
Bill C-234 in its original form promises immediate relief. Will the Liberals discard the Senate's alterations, lift this tax burden and help Canadians afford their groceries?
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- Feb/2/24 11:35:45 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, the first thing the Conservatives did the last time they formed government was to get rid of child care right across our country. That impacted affordability.
We have a national child care program that is reducing the cost of child care to $10 a day. The Conservatives were sending hundred-dollar cheques to millionaires. We brought in the Canada child benefit that gives up to $619 a month to the people who need it the most. In each instance, we are there to support families to put food on the table; they are not.
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- Feb/2/24 11:36:19 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, the January 18 loan forgiveness repayment deadline for the Canada emergency business account proved how little the federal government cares about our entrepreneurs.
Unfathomably, this week the Liberals were celebrating the fact that 80% of businesses have repaid the loan. This means that 20% of SMEs cannot pay it back. One in five SMEs that took out the emergency loan is now facing bankruptcy, and the government thinks that is good news.
Do the Liberals really think that 180,000 potential bankruptcies is good news?
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- Feb/2/24 11:36:54 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, once again, we are there to support SMEs in a number of ways.
Yes, the emergency business account was very important during COVID-19. We extended the $60,000 loan with a forgivable portion. Up to 80% of people have already paid it back. There are still measures in place for repayment over three years. The minimum payable amount is the 5% interest, which translates into $250 a month. There is a whole range of measures.
I would remind members that if we had not offered the wage subsidy, many businesses would not be here today, but thanks to us, they survived.
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