SoVote

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

Ms. Christine Normandin (Saint-Jean, BQ)

Mar/21/24 12:00:56 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, all day, and indeed every day for months now, the Conservatives have been blaming the carbon tax for everything. If the culture sector is in trouble, it is because of the carbon tax. If people ask for MAID, it is because of the carbon tax. If people are lining up at food banks, it is because of the carbon tax. It reminds me of Plume Latraverse, who sang “it's El Niño's fault again”. Simply replace the words “El Niño” with “the carbon tax” and, voila, it is the Conservative platform. I would like to hear my colleague's comments on the food bank issue. What we are hearing in Quebec is that the cost of food is higher primarily because of climate change. That is what people are telling us. Farmers are struggling because of drought or excessive rainfall. I would like to hear my colleague's comments about the cost of food going up because of climate change and the fact that the Conservatives are still denying the existence of climate change.

187 words

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

Ms. Laurel Collins (Victoria, NDP)

Mar/21/24 12:01:58 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, the hon. member has it exactly right. The climate crisis is impacting food costs. We know that there are multi-year droughts in British Columbia and in Alberta and that crops are being impacted. Just this week, the Province of British Columbia created a water infrastructure fund with $80 million to support farmers because they know what is coming. We have seen the impacts of this multi-year drought on farmers and on our crops. It is felt by consumers at the grocery store, and costs are rising. The experts have communicated this very well. It is not the carbon tax that is making groceries so expensive; it is the climate crisis, and it is also corporate greed. Rich CEOs, the Galen Westons of the world, are making record profits, and they are gouging Canadians. We need a government that will take this on.

146 words

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

Mr. Yves Perron (Berthier—Maskinongé, BQ)

Mar/21/24 2:42:10 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, farming in Quebec has reached the breaking point. We have been saying so for months. Environmental disasters, inflation and high interest rates are driving our farmers out of business. Their debt load has more than doubled since 2015. Last November, the Government of Quebec asked the federal government to activate the AgriRecovery program. There has been no response in the five months since, and there is still no federal support for struggling farmers. Will the minister finally listen to farmers' concerns, listen to Quebec and activate AgriRecovery?

89 words

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

Hon. Lawrence MacAulay (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.)

Mar/21/24 2:42:48 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, being a farmer, I fully understand the devastation farmers go through with the environment. My hon. colleague is well aware that it is under a BRM program, and it is AgriRecovery; the application has been received, and it is being assessed. We are continuing to work with the Province of Quebec to make sure that the farmers in Quebec receive every remuneration possible.

65 words

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

Mr. John Barlow (Foothills, CPC)

Mar/21/24 2:43:21 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, Canadian farmers are at their wits' end, and the Prime Minister and his Liberal-NDP carbon tax coalition are not worth the cost. Instead of preparing for a new growing season, farmers are bracing themselves for another carbon tax increase on April 1. The Agriculture Carbon Alliance surveyed 50 farms and found out they were paying more than $320,000 a month in carbon taxes. That is just 50 farms. There are almost 200,000 farms in Canada, and the punishment is going to get that much worse when the Prime Minister increases his carbon tax by 23% on April 1. Will the Prime Minister give farmers a voice and allow a carbon tax election?

120 words

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

Hon. Lawrence MacAulay (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.)

Mar/21/24 2:45:23 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, my constituents in Prince Edward Island are fully aware that I told them we would put a price on pollution. We also indicated we would put the Canada carbon rebate in place. In fact, my constituents receive $220 quarterly, and that is money in their pockets. What I cannot understand is why my hon. colleague wants to take that money out of their pockets. Farmers understand there is a problem with the environment. They also understand we have a program in place to address the environment. We will continue to do that.

94 words