44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 5, 2024 11:00AM
- Feb/5/24 2:17:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last week, we learned that the Conservatives' top adviser, Jenni Byrne, is also a lobbyist for Loblaws. Maybe this explains why Conservative MPs have been blocking legislation to deal with predatory pricing. Six leaders and counting, but it is the same old Conservative Party that promised to stand up for Canadians. In reality, they are making deals behind closed doors to help their wealthy connected friends.
We know those Conservatives love a slogan, so here is one for Canadians to remember. The Leader of the Opposition will raise grocery prices in their homes, my home. They are going to bring higher prices home.
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- Feb/5/24 2:18:26 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-5
Mr. Speaker, it is costly to vote for the Bloc Québécois.
The Bloc Québécois voted for the Liberal legislation that came out of Bill C‑75, which allows car thieves to be released on bail the same day they are arrested. The Bloc Québécois voted for the legislation that came out of Bill C‑5, which allows car thieves to serve their sentence at home. These laws have resulted in a 100% increase in car theft in Montreal and a 300% increase in Toronto.
Will the government reverse its policies and replace them with a common-sense policy to put an end to this problem?
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- Feb/5/24 2:19:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this week, the Leader of the Opposition is pretending to care about auto theft. Last week, he was pretending to care about the price of groceries.
Now we find out that his campaign director is a in charge of lobbying for Loblaw behind the scenes, in the back rooms of the Conservative Party.
My question for the opposition leader is this: What did he promise his campaign director?
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- Feb/5/24 2:19:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what I promised to do was axe the tax and lower income taxes.
We are also going to reduce the cost of auto theft. Today I announced a common-sense plan to end house arrest, to end automatic parole for auto thieves and to make three-year prison sentences mandatory after three auto thefts.
Will the government stop the crime it has caused with this common-sense plan?
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- Feb/5/24 2:20:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the leader of the opposition loves to talk about clarity in the House. Well, I have some questions for him.
What did his campaign manager tell him about the cost of living and grocery prices in Canada? What kind of feedback did he promise to give his campaign manager? After all, without her he would have no career in politics. He would not be in politics, were it not for her. What did he promise her? She speaks to his caucus behind the scenes. What is she saying to Conservatives about the cost of living and grocery prices in Canada? Talk about hypocrisy.
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- Feb/5/24 2:21:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what I promised was to axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime.
The Prime Minister, with the support of the NDP, passed catch and release that allows career car thieves to be released the same day they are caught stealing cars, to have house arrest and to have shorter sentences, many of which they serve in their living rooms watching Netflix. That has led to a 100% increase in car theft in Montreal and Ottawa, and a 300% increase in Toronto.
Will the Liberals reverse these disastrous and reckless policies so we can stop the crime?
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- Feb/5/24 2:21:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, of course, this government has a comprehensive plan on auto theft. It is interesting, though, that the leader, last week, was pretending to care about food prices and about competition in the grocery sector. This week, he is pretending to care about auto theft.
We have found out that his campaign manager, the woman to whom he owes the leadership of his party, is addressing him and his caucus and advising them on food prices. What is her advice and what does he owe his campaign manager?
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- Feb/5/24 2:22:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the advice is to axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime.
The Prime Minister is not worth the cost and not worth the crime. We now are paying a billion dollars more in insurance premiums because he has led to a quadrupling of car thefts in Toronto.
I have a common-sense plan, which I rolled out today, to end house arrest and catch and release for career criminals, and bring in three years of jail for three stolen cars.
Will the government accept the common-sense plan?
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- Feb/5/24 2:22:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am very happy that the Leader of the Opposition, after reading a government press release, has finally tuned into this issue, but I have a couple of clarifications.
First, mandatory minimums for auto theft for repeat offences already exist in the Criminal Code, so he is not changing something that already exists. Second, an aggravating factor for an auto theft that occurs with organized crime is already on the books too, section 718.2 of the Criminal Code, Mr. Leader of the Opposition.
Why do we not focus on things we can actually do, like getting tough with organized crime and anti-money laundering?
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- Feb/5/24 2:23:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, they were opposed to mandatory minimums for auto theft. Furthermore, the minister claimed that he brought in bail reform that would stop auto theft, but the Liberals' bail reform does not apply to auto theft. Therefore, he has to read his own law before trumpeting it in Parliament.
The Liberals have given us a 300% increase in auto theft in Toronto, a 300% increase in auto claims this year alone. That is their record. We have a common-sense plan to stop the crime. Why will they not implement it today?
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Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition purports to be tough on crime. Who do I listen to about crime measures? Police officers. What do they tell me? They tell me that this is not an individual crime; this is backed by people who are organized criminals. How do we deal with that? We get tough on money laundering.
When he is asking me to read the law, I would ask him to read Bill C-59, which has measures that deal with money laundering, which you are voting against.
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- Feb/5/24 2:24:40 p.m.
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Before we continue with question period, I would like to remind members that all comments go through the Chair. I would remind the hon. minister that all comments come through the Chair as opposed to directly to another member of Parliament.
The hon. member for La Prairie.
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- Feb/5/24 2:25:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when it comes to asylum seekers, the Liberals are laughing at Quebeckers.
Not only has the Liberal government yet to reimburse the $470 million it has owed Quebeckers since 2021, but to top it off, it plans to give Toronto $143 million to house future asylum seekers while allocating only $100 million for the whole of Quebec.
This file has been nothing but one injustice after another. Ottawa is not reimbursing what it already owes Quebec, and now Quebec will not even get its fair share for the future.
Enough is enough. The Liberals have made fools of Quebeckers long enough.
Where is our $470 million?
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- Feb/5/24 2:25:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois is the only one who thinks that $70 million, $50 million and $100 million is just small change. That money is very important to the asylum seekers who will end up in Quebec.
As the member knows full well, we have a good relationship with the Government of Quebec. We are going to act the way a responsible government should and work with them. Quebec's finance minister will speak with Canada's Minister of Finance today. Our great relationship will carry on.
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- Feb/5/24 2:26:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, that great relationship exists only in his imagination.
Toronto got $143 million to house future asylum seekers, but all of Quebec got only $100 million.
On top of that, none of Quebec's demands have been met: The $470 million debt has not been repaid, there is no plan to distribute newcomers across the provinces, and there is no visa requirement for Mexicans, no promise to process claimants' files more quickly, no commitment to approving work permits within reasonable timeframes, no one answering the call when the Liberals are asked to do their job. They are always there to lecture, but never there to work.
When are they going to wake up?
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- Feb/5/24 2:26:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois members are acting like back-seat drivers, as they often do.
Quebec received $50 million, along with another $100 million to house asylum seekers, and that is this year alone.
The Bloc Québécois picks any old statistic it likes and draws whatever conclusion it chooses. The Bloc Québécois is just a bunch of back-seat drivers.
In the meantime, we will work with the Quebec government to do our job, and we will do that job of meeting the needs of asylum seekers properly and responsibly.
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- Feb/5/24 2:27:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Loblaw and Manulife insurance teamed up to limit the coverage of 260 medications for Canadians, more profits for them and less coverage for Canadians. When they tried to do it, we fought back and they walked back the decision. However, the Prime Minister has an opportunity now to end this once and for all by bringing in pharmacare. This is something the Prime Minister has promised and he has broken that promise. The Liberals had promised this and failed for 30 years.
Therefore, the Prime Minister has a choice. Will he choose to stop working for big pharma, yes or no?
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- Feb/5/24 2:27:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, of course, we share the member's objective to reduce drug prices for Canadians and to make sure that we have a competitive and fair environment in Canada. We are working together on pharmacare legislation. I look forward to continuing those conversations.
Of course, Canada, by engaging in bulk purchasing, has seen a reduction of about $300 million in the cost of drugs for Canadians across the country. With many countries looking at how they can emulate that kind of practice to reduce drug prices in their countries, we are going to continue to do everything we can.
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- Feb/5/24 2:28:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals keep on choosing big pharma and Canadians keep paying the price.
The Liberals are slinging mud about Loblaws, but they are very well connected too. They have met with Loblaws 60 times in the past two years, and they have received thousands of dollars from the Sobey family. They have the power to lower prices but they are not doing it.
When will the Liberals stop governing for the Sobeys and the Westons?
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- Feb/5/24 2:29:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is crucial that we reduce the cost of living in general and ensure affordability. That is why we worked with all provinces and territories to co-purchase medications so we could reduce costs. With respect to the question about lobbying, I think that is a great question for Jenni Byrne.
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