SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 293 - Mar/21/24

Mrs. Caroline Desbiens (Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans—Charlevoix, BQ)

Mar/21/24 10:32:41 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I would like to know how the Leader of the Opposition plans to appeal to Quebeckers. We have heard him say outrageously incorrect things about mayors of our cities. Twelve mayors from my riding came to Parliament Hill yesterday. At some point, will the Leader of the Opposition come up with something different to say about Quebec mayors if he wants to appeal to people in Bloc Québécois ridings?

75 words

Hon. Pierre Poilievre

Mar/21/24 10:33:17 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I work for the people, not for politicians. When mayors are incompetent, whether they are from Toronto, Vancouver, Quebec City, Montreal or any other city in the country, I will say they are incompetent. Incompetent Bloc Québécois and Liberal politicians have doubled the cost of housing. That is not good for people. I work for those who can no longer pay their bills. If that hurts politicians, too bad. They are not my priority. Common-sense people are my priority.

86 words

Ms. Melissa Lantsman (Thornhill, CPC)

Mar/21/24 10:34:07 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, after eight long years, the Liberal government's war on the Canadian middle class is finally being realized. Inflation is up and house prices are up. Debt is up and bankruptcies are up. Canadians are visiting food banks in record numbers; 300,000 of them went in a single month in Toronto. One million more Canadians will visit a food bank next year than this year. People are joining Facebook groups to learn how to dumpster dive so they can feed their family. What is happening today is a far cry from the Canada we used to know and from the Canada many of us were promised. Canadians are asking why. Why does food cost more and more every single time they visit the grocery store? Why does gas cost $2 a litre? Why is it harder and harder to pay the bills at the end of every month? At the root of this complex problem is a simple explanation, just two words in fact: “carbon tax”. The Prime Minister’s carbon tax is adding more to the cost of nearly every basic necessity that anyone in this country buys anywhere. It is not complicated for Canadians. When the farmer who grows the food is taxed, and the trucker who brings the food is taxed, the family that eats the food ends up being taxed, every single family everywhere in the country. It is, however, a difficult concept for Liberals and their NDP masters to comprehend, because they do not talk to people anymore. The MPs who are being forced to defend the indefensible over there are just about pulling their hair out right now. They jump down our throats, huffing and puffing and spouting misinformation about rebates and money that people are getting back. However, they are using Liberal math. It is Liberal math that says that in Ontario, a family that pays $1,674 gets back $1,047, and then says that the family is better off. It is Liberal math that says that the Albertan who pays $2,943 and gets $2,032 is better off. It is Liberal math, like some bizarre fantasy, telling Canadians that less is more and that somehow they are better off. It is the same Liberal math that tells Canadians that budgets will balance themselves, that monetary policy is not important and that $60 million for arrive scam is some kind of accounting error. Canadians do not live in “Liberal Land”; they live in the real world. They look at their empty fridges at home. They look at the price of gas at the pumps. They do not do Liberal math; they do real math. The real math is getting harder every day as budgets, bank accounts and borrowing are stretched to the limit for everyone everywhere. The Liberals used to talk about the environment, until the caucus revolt from the Prime Minister's east coast MPs that forced him to admit that his tax was a tax, and that it was too much. Then he backed down from his signature fake environmental policy and gave them what they wanted, until, of course, the next election. The radical Minister of Environment had a different takeaway yesterday. He told Canadians that we cannot put climate change on hold, and I agree with him. That is why it is so infuriating to see the carbon tax used under the guise of somehow improving Canada's environmental performance. After eight years of the Prime Minister, we rank 62nd out of 67 countries when it comes to climate performance. The environment minister could have scaled more floors on the side of a tower than 62 by now. The only emissions target we ever met was during COVID, when the government shut everything down in this country. Our taxes are up. Our costs are up. Our emissions are going up. If the carbon tax does not give Canadians more money and it does not help the environment, then what are the Liberals doing? We know, and Canadians are finding out too: It makes the Prime Minister richer. There is more money flowing into the pockets of his Liberal coffers, where it can be funnelled to insiders and his well-connected friends. Those are the only people in this country who are better off after eight years. It means more money to spend on high-priced consultants, more money to spend on trips around the world and, yes, more money to somehow make an $80,000 app cost $60 million. We all know this, the true cost, the true impact and, yes, the true intention of the carbon tax. It really seems like a sick joke that the Prime Minister would choose to raise it once again. It is not by just a little; it is by a whopping 23% for all Canadian families, for farmers and for first nations, in less than two weeks. It is not just because the tax is being raised; it is also because it costs so much to achieve so little. That is the story of the current government. It is also because it comes at probably the worst time for Canadians in a long time, probably since we last had a prime minister with the same last name as the current one. There are 51% of Canadians who are less than $200 away from bankruptcy, and a 23% increase will mean they are even closer, probably $200 more every year for the average family. There is more money flowing out of the wallet and not back into it. There is even more money to pay at the pump, at the grocery store and on the bills at the end of every month. It is a kick to Canadians who are already down, and it is no surprise that 70% of Canadians and 70% of premiers, including Liberal premiers, and even more opposition parties across the country oppose the increase. It is because they all know what we know: The tax is not worth the cost, and neither is the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister says that these Canadians and these premiers just do not have principles, but he has it all wrong. They have something that he has never understood; they have bills to pay, they have mouths to feed and they have to get to work every day. I have some advice for the Prime Minister and everyone else saying that things are wrong: Maybe it is time to finally look in the mirror instead of blaming everyone and everything else. For nearly two years, Conservatives have tried everything to force the government to listen to Canadians, but it just does not care. The Canadian people are tired of being taxed to death. They are tired of runaway inflation and runaway spending, and they are tired of being told it is all their fault. They deserve a say in this 23% tax increase, so today the motion of non-confidence in the Prime Minister will allow every Canadian to go to the polls in a carbon tax election and have their say. It is the only right thing to do when Canadians have been pushed so far to the limit after eight years of the Prime Minister. It is the only right thing to do when the increase literally means the difference between solvency and bankruptcy for so many. If the Liberal government is so confident in its carbon tax and so confident that everybody else is wrong, then it should not be afraid to let Canadians have their say and to weigh in. If the Liberal-NDP members from Atlantic Canada, rural Canada and, frankly, any part of Canada truly represent their constituents, then they would have the guts to stand up and vote against their boss today. It is long past time to axe the tax, and time is absolutely running out for Canadians right across the country, no matter where they live. However, there is hope on the horizon with a government led by the Leader of the Opposition, and Canadians will finally get their say in a carbon tax election. If they choose to vote with the Prime Minister today, we will eventually have a carbon tax election in this country, and Canadians will have a choice between a Liberal government that divides to conquer and taxes to spend, bolstered by an even more reckless NDP that exists only to say yes to everything the Prime Minister demands, and a party that will finally axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime. I will support the motion because we should let Canadians decide.

1450 words

Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)

Mar/21/24 10:43:04 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, there are fundamental flaws in what people have just heard from the deputy leader of the Conservative Party, and that is that it spreads a lot of myths that are out there. For example, the member is trying to give a false impression. The reality is that over 80% of Canadians will receive more back in the form of a rebate than they pay for the carbon tax. She knows that. Those are real dollar figures. Their disposable income is going up. Why do the Conservatives continue to intentionally mislead Canadians? Do they really think Canadians are that stupid?

101 words

Ms. Melissa Lantsman

Mar/21/24 10:43:57 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, we know that when someone is yelling at the top of their lungs about mistruths, they are not winning the argument. As the Prime Minister said yesterday, if someone is explaining, they are losing. Here are the facts from the Parliamentary Budget Officer. For a Nova Scotia family, the gross fiscal and economic cost is $1,500. The rebate the family will get is $963. That is a difference of $573. We know that the Liberals do not understand that $1,500 is bigger than $963, but do they understand that when a family gets $573 less, it is worse off?

103 words

Ms. Sylvie Bérubé (Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, BQ)

Mar/21/24 10:44:40 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech. However, I would like to clarify a few things. The Conservatives believe that the carbon tax, which does not apply in Quebec, is the reason why people are lining up at food banks and riots are breaking out as food is being distributed. Perhaps they should tell the oil and gas companies to commit to a green transition and give back the money to food banks and people who need it.

80 words

Ms. Melissa Lantsman

Mar/21/24 10:45:11 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, the member suggests that the carbon tax does not apply in Quebec. There is a second carbon tax in Quebec that raises the price of gas by 17¢ a litre. That is going to raise the cost of everything that uses that gas to transport, from the farm to the grocery store to the table. The member suggests that does not have an effect. If the member believes people eating at food banks has nothing to do with the carbon tax, I do not think I can help her.

92 words

Mr. Charlie Angus (Timmins—James Bay, NDP)

Mar/21/24 10:45:47 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, it is an extraordinary thing to say we are going to force an election that will cost $630 million. I agree with my hon. colleague that a leader needs the guts to stand up. On Monday night, the leader of the Conservative Party voted nine times in a confidence motion to support the government, but he did it hiding behind the curtain. This was on the night when we had the historic vote on peace in the Middle East and Gaza. He has a tendency to be missing in action when it is time to stand up. I could not get an answer from the member for Dairy Queen. However, tonight, if he is willing to take the government down, will he actually stand up and be in the House, or will he be off with his lobbyist chief of staff and her lobbyist friends eating canapés and getting backhanders?

154 words

Mrs. Shannon Stubbs

Mar/21/24 10:46:46 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The member has not been here long and I guess I have not been here long, but I do not think one can keep repeatedly referring to the presence or lack of presence of a member in the House. Twice he referred to the presence or lack of presence of the member in the House, and we are not allowed to do that. Is that not right?

76 words

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Mar/21/24 10:47:02 a.m.
Watch

I want to remind members to please be respectful in the House when referring to members of Parliament. Every member of Parliament is an honourable member of Parliament. On that point of order, I see the hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

43 words

Respectful

Mr. Charlie Angus

Mar/21/24 10:47:14 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I was not saying he was not in the House. I was asking if he is going to show up. There is a substantive difference. Since it is about an election, he better—

36 words

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Mar/21/24 10:47:26 a.m.
Watch

Again, I want to remind members they are not to say who is or who is not in the House. The hon. member for Thornhill has the floor.

28 words

Ms. Melissa Lantsman

Mar/21/24 10:47:32 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, the member is actually incapable of being respectful to this institution, and soon, if he ever shows up in his riding, like the Leader of the Opposition pointed out earlier, if he ever takes a step into—

40 words

Respectful

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Mar/21/24 10:47:47 a.m.
Watch

There is a point of order from the hon. government deputy House leader.

13 words

Deputy

Mr. Mark Gerretsen

Mar/21/24 10:47:52 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, a fundamental principle of this chamber is that every member is treated with honour and is considered to be honourable. To say that the member is not even capable of having any respect completely goes against that tradition and that rule we have. I would ask, through the Speaker, for the deputy leader of the opposition to apologize and retract that comment. Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

69 words

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Mar/21/24 10:48:13 a.m.
Watch

I want to remind the hon. member that she had an opportunity to raise her point of order without being interrupted. I ask her and others to afford the same to other members. Also, I want to remind members to please be respectful toward each other here in the House. We are all honourable members. When that is not done in the proper fashion, we then have issues where the House is seeing some disorder, which is something we are having to rule on, unfortunately. We should not have to do that. The hon. member for Thornhill.

97 words

Ms. Melissa Lantsman

Mar/21/24 10:48:52 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, it is always in order to talk about the competency or the incompetency of members of the House, particularly that member for Timmins—James Bay. If he bothered to go up in his riding, he would know what the people in his riding are saying, but he does not do that. He does not go there. He does not listen to anyone. The only person he listens to is his boss, the Prime Minister.

77 words

Mr. Irek Kusmierczyk (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Lib.)

Mar/21/24 10:49:25 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, when the Conservatives were in power, my community in Windsor had an unemployment rate of 11.2%. Under the Conservatives, Canada lost 300,000 manufacturing jobs. Can the hon. colleague speak to the incompetence of the Conservatives in terms of job creation?

44 words

Ms. Melissa Lantsman

Mar/21/24 10:49:47 a.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, if the member had the courage to vote with his constituency, then he would hear them talk loud and clear about the incompetency of his own Prime Minister. Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

35 words

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Mar/21/24 10:49:59 a.m.
Watch

Order. There were still some interruptions being made when the hon. member was answering the question. Again, whether someone is answering or asking a question, I urge both sides to be respectful and allow those questions to be heard so that everyone, even those at home, can hear the questions and the answers. Resuming debate, the hon. parliamentary secretary to the leader of the government.

65 words