- Member of Parliament
- Minister of Health
- Liberal
- Ajax
- Ontario
- Voting Attendance: 64%
- Expenses Last Quarter: $134,982.00
- Government Page
- Nov/7/23 3:10:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the members opposite know that more than eight out of 10 Canadians get more back than they pay. Why we are hell-bent on this is that our planet demands it.
Fifteen thousand is the number of Canadians who died prematurely as a result of air pollution in the country. That cost is $114 billion, and it will escalate if we refuse to take action on this. Not only do we have a moral and fiscal imperative, but we also have an obligation to ensure the party opposite does not return to attacking climate policies across the world and move back to an aggressive state where we cease making progress on climate action.
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- Sep/19/23 3:06:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, of course, what is not honest about that statement is that it is not acknowledging the money that is coming back to eight out of 10 Canadians.
I would also say we are not talking about the costs of a climate that will not bear crops. Just take respiratory illnesses. Does everyone know that 15,000 people die a year prematurely as a result of respiratory illnesses related to air pollution? Do we know that in the heat dome that occurred in B.C., we lost 619 lives? Do we know the costs on our health system and productivity are a loss of over $100 billion a year as a result of climate change?
We need to act.
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- Nov/17/22 3:16:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member opposite that we will absolutely not cease in taking action on climate change. It is an existential crisis. The reality is that it will not be in the billions of dollars, but in the trillions of dollars. I see the number 58. Add about seven zeroes after that. That is how much it is going to cost this planet. The fact that the Conservatives ran on a price on pollution and now want to make it free is something they have to explain to their constituents.
With respect to the question on inflation, notwithstanding the fact that we have a lower inflation rate than the EU, than the combination of the G7 countries, notwithstanding the fact that it is less than Germany, the U.S. and the U.K., and that we have one of the lowest inflation rates in the world, it is cold comfort to Canadians who are trying to get through these globally difficult times. Inflation, which is a challenge that is affecting the cost of living and people being able to afford basic necessities in every corner of the planet, is existential. However, there is something the opposition House leader can do, and it is good news. We have a series of measures that we have introduced to help Canadians with affordability. I am confused as to why the Conservatives have voted against dental for families, against supports for low-income housing and many other measures that we have put forward to try to make life more affordable for Canadians. If they are interested—
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- Nov/17/22 3:15:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is good to see a vigorous Thursday question, one that contains many different questions. I will be happy to answer some that are outside the usual order for the Thursday question.
Let me start with the good news. The member opposite actually ran on a price on pollution. He believed and campaigned on this, that it was a good idea that could help reduce emissions and make our planet cleaner. I am a little confused because he ran on that and now he says that he does not like the idea. That is something he may want to take up with his constituents. However, we will not cease in our actions to reduce—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Nov/16/22 3:11:18 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have no doubt that the member's constituents, the people he was referring to, are facing a great deal of anxiety. They would want to know, as an example, that the money they are paying for the price on pollution they will actually get back. The member opposite knows that. They would also want to hear that they have a government that cares, if they have grandchildren, about the type of world they will be inheriting.
The costs that are involved with climate change are in the trillions upon trillions of dollars. Let us talk about the legacy the Conservatives are giving to their grandchildren by ignoring the climate crisis, pretending it is not real, pretending the facts are not facts, lying to them, frankly, about the reality of that circumstance—
Mr. Brad Vis: It's unparliamentary.
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Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to stand on a Thursday and answer the Thursday question.
To my hon. colleague across, perhaps he is not aware or perhaps he has not had the opportunity to peruse headlines from around the world, but inflation is in fact a global phenomenon. I might also note that inflation is actually much higher in the U.S., the U.K. and the eurozone. What we need to do is vote for measures. I was disappointed that the Conservatives did not support the legislation we had today, Bill C-31. They had an opportunity to support families with dental care and to support housing.
I do not think it will come as a surprise to the member opposite that we will under no circumstances abandon the cause of climate change. We will under no circumstances stop the work we are doing to put a price on pollution and give eight out of 10 families more money back than they pay for that price on pollution.
In terms of the matters that are immediately before the House, although I do encourage the member opposite to continue forwarding his ideas and look forward to those conversations, this afternoon we will complete third reading debate of Bill C-31 with respect to dental care—
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