Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, we are in a new House of Commons, but we are getting the same old answers. Why will the Prime Minister not just tell Canadians the truth?He has no plan, and sadly, it is Canadians who will have to pay for his inept and irresponsible fiscal management. The public should not be forced to pay for his failures, his mistakes and his irresponsible and out-of-control fiscal management.Will he at least have the guts to tell workers and Canadians who is going to pay for these deficits?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's foreign policy is a disaster, and Canadians are paying for his mistakes. A convicted terrorist was invited to India. U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum remain in place. The Prime Minister insulted our allies in Japan and Australia. Now we have the crisis with China.When will the Prime Minister stop making Canadians pay for his mistakes?
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Prime Minister's foreign policy is a disaster, and Canadians are paying for his mistakes. Our international partners have no respect for the Prime Minister, and why should they? After clowning around in India and inviting a convicted terrorist along with him, he then was forced to take concession after concession from Donald Trump. He even angered our partners in Japan and Australia, and now we have the debacle with China. Why did the Prime Minister show such weakness and wait so long to fire his ambassador?
Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising the Prime Minister does not worry about Canadians' money. He has never had to worry about money. He has never had to balance a household budget, so he thinks budgets balance themselves. He thinks he can borrow his way out of debt and that others should pay for his mistakes, so it is no wonder the debt has grown three times more than what he promised. Why will he not tell the truth before the next election, that his wasteful spending and runaway deficits will mean higher taxes for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the member to talk to his former colleagues in the NDP. Canadians need an apology from the member for ChurchillKeewatinook Aski and the NDP candidate in YorkSimcoe for their defence of a dictatorship that has killed hundreds and injured thousands of peaceful protesters. If the NDP members cannot take a firm and clear stance on the fight of the people of Venezuela for democracy, I do not know what they can take a clear position on.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have lost confidence in the Prime Minister's ability to stand up for our interests abroad.The number of diplomatic disasters continues to rise. His trip to India was a failure, he has angered our partners in the Asia-Pacific region, he failed with NAFTA, and now our relations with China are in trouble. He fired his ambassador, and his Minister of Foreign Affairs is nowhere to be found, even though there are lives at stake. Canadians are paying for the Prime Minister's failures.Does he even have a plan for China?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has spent over a billion dollars on 40,000 illegal border crossers, with more crossing every day. However, today, the forum that allows parents and grandparents of new Canadians who are trying to legally migrate to Canada for all of 2019 opened and closed in just 10 minutes. Therefore, under the Liberals, illegal border crossers get a red carpet welcome and legal immigrants get the door shut in their face. Will the Prime Minister admit that Canadians reject having to pay for his unfair immigration practices?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have lost confidence that the Prime Minister can lead our country on the world stage. His list of diplomatic disasters is rising. It includes his appalling India trip. He has infuriated our Asia-Pacific trade partners. He failed Canada on NAFTA. Now our relationship with China is in tatters. He fired his ambassador. His foreign affairs minister is missing in action.The consequences are dire. Lives are hanging in the balance. Canadians are paying for the failures of the Prime Minister. Does he even have a plan for China?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' plan is actually punishing Canadians for heating their homes, driving their kids to dance practice, hockey practice, wherever their daily routines are taking them, and the Prime Minister is failing to help Canadians get ahead. His carbon tax will cost them over $1,000 more on household essentials that they need and his government plans to make it six times more expensive than that. Canadians are already paying for his failures. When will the Prime Minister come clean and admit the real costs of the carbon tax?
Mr, Speaker, the Liberals targeted soccer moms with tax increases when they took away the children's fitness tax credit. They targeted students with tax increases when they cancelled the education and textbook tax credits. They targeted passengers with tax increases when they took away the transit tax credit. That does not even include the carbon tax on heat, groceries and gas, nor does it include higher payroll taxes. It will only get worse. This massive Liberal deficit will lead to higher taxes for Canadians. Why will they not tell people that before the election?
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled that Canada must eliminate all forms of discrimination that indigenous women face under the Indian Act. We had that debate two years ago and the government's term is coming to an end.Will the Prime Minister finally keep the promise he made four years ago and repeal all legislation unilaterally imposed on first nations?
Mr. Speaker, across Canada people are struggling with extreme cold temperatures. For the 30,000 Canadians who are homeless, finding warm shelter can be a matter of life or death. Shelters are near capacity and people seeking refuge in tent cities are being served with eviction notices. Where are people to go? They cannot wait 10 years for a national housing strategy to ramp up. Will the Liberal government step up and legislate, as promised, the right to housing for all Canadiansyes or no?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are already paying the price of climate change and it is going up every single year. It is a human cost. It is a cost to the economy. However, there is good news. We can actually tackle climate change in a way that works, that makes life affordable and that creates good jobs. Let me talk about the climate action incentive. We are putting a price on pollution. It will no longer be free to pollute in the country. A family of four in Ontario will get $307 back. A family of four in Manitoba will get $339 back. A family of four in Saskatchewan will get $609 back. We can tackle climate change
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec is calling for a single tax return. The Prime Minister replied, A unanimous motion from the National Assembly? Good Lord, that never happens!After ridiculing Quebec, now the entire machinery of government is engaged in a campaign of fear. To listen to the Liberals, we would think that the 10 plagues of Egypt were upon us. The worst part is that this strategy is working, because the NDP has already caved.Why is the government so bent on having two tax returns? What is it afraid of? Is it afraid that Quebec will perform better?
Mr. Speaker, his talking points are all an attempt to make sure that they do not panic the flock before the fleecing. That is what it is all about. How can the finance minister stand here and honestly say that Canadians are doing better when 46% of Canadians feel that they are $200 away from insolvency?I know the Prime Minister and the finance minister have not felt this, but I can tell them that people lose sleep and that the anxiety is crushing. Canadians know that they are not in good shape, and they are afraid of these new taxes.When will the Prime Minister level with them and just tell them that more taxes are coming?
Mr. Speaker, the only people playing political games when two Canadians are in a difficult situation are the members opposite, and that is truly reprehensible. When it comes to the case of Ms. Meng, Canada is a rule-of-law country. We are proud to be a rule-of-law country. We have honoured our extradition treaty commitments, as we honour all of our international treaty commitments, and Ms. Meng has access to our impartial and fair judicial system.
Mr. Speaker, everything the Prime Minister just said is false. With his changes, the richest Canadians are paying less in tax, and hard-working Canadian families are paying more, and they are going to continue to pay more, because government documents show that the carbon tax will rise six times higher than what the Prime Minister now admits, which means higher gasoline costs and higher home heating costs. Canadians are already paying for his mistakes, so why is he also covering up the real cost of his carbon tax from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, when we originally brought in the child benefit, three things happened: one, the budget was balanced; two, we lowered taxes rather than raising them, as the Liberal government is now doing; and three, Liberals claimed wrongly that parents would just blow it all on beer and popcorn. After all these years, they have finally come around to our point of view on that particular issue. Unfortunately, they have taxed away the benefit with higher taxes in other areas.Will they admit that it will only get worse when this present deficit turns into future tax increases?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to China, our top priority is the safety and well-being of the Canadians detained in China. This is a priority for the Prime Minister, for me and for the entire government. These arbitrary detentions are unacceptable to Canadians and to the international community.The Prime Minister and I have both spoken to a number of international partners. We will stand by the statements of support we have received from many countries.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister promised Canadians that they would get rid of the deficit by this year, and they have clearly failed. We find ourselves in a situation where the rich are actually paying less taxes, and in their spending review, the Liberals did not find any ways to save money but did find ways to spend more. Fail.Canadians will ultimately pay for these mistakes. Will the Prime Minister admit to Canadians that his higher deficits will lead to higher taxes for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, that answer shows how out of touch the Prime Minister is, and people know it. Sarah, for example, is a nurse with three children who is struggling to find affordable housing in Burnaby, B.C. The only places she can find will take her entire paycheque, leaving no money for food or anything else. That is the reality of the housing crisis. Mayors from across the country are raising housing with the Prime Minister today, saying that we need action now. Will the Liberals stop siding with corporations and side with people who need affordable housing now?
Actually, Mr. Speaker, he has raised taxes on the middle class by $800, taking away the child benefit, the tuition tax credit, the tax credit for kids' sports. He took away the tuition tax credit for textbooks. He took away the education tax credit. That does not even include the carbon tax. We ain't seen nothing yet. This massive Liberal deficit will lead to even more massive tax hikes after the election.Why will the Liberals not admit that Canadians will pay the price for their increased debt?
Mr. Speaker, an Angus Reid poll released last week clearly shows that meeting Quebec's demands, such as the single tax return, does not pay off in English Canada. In fact, we have every reason to believe that meeting any of Quebec's demands would cost points in the rest of Canada. This means that the Liberals are going to deny Quebeckers the opportunity of filing a single tax return just to win votes in English Canada.Are we to understand that the Liberals have picked a side and are obviously not siding with Quebeckers?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that the Liberals' plan on carbon taxes is going to hurt small businesses and it is going to hurt families. Farmers in my riding did not inherit a family fortune like the Prime Minister. They have to worry about making ends meet and cannot afford the Prime Minister's new carbon tax. Worse yet, government documents now admit that to make its plan work the carbon tax will have to be six times higher than the current rate. When will the Prime Minister come clean with farmers about his plan to significantly increase the cost of everything from fertilizer to shipping products to market?
Mr. Speaker, the good news is that Canadians are now better off thanks to our approach. Our investments have created more jobs across the country. It is true. What is more, middle class Canadians are paying fewer taxes. That is for sure.Our approach is much better for Canadians, and we have been able to do all this while maintaining a debt-to-GDP ratio that works for the future of our country.
Mr. Speaker, just last week, media reports said that 46% of all Canadians are now only $200 away from financial insolvency in a month, but instead of bringing in immediate relief for people facing a housing crisis and crushing personal debt, the Liberals' priority has been to give billions of dollars in corporate giveaways. The current Liberal government continues to tell Canadians to wait for real action on housing. Will the Prime Minister commit to making different choices this year? Will he make affordable housing a top priority in this year's budget?
Mr. Speaker, the carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family over $2,500 this year. That is 11¢ more for a litre of gas, $250 more for home heating, $100 a month more for groceries and that is just the beginning. Canadians know the Liberal carbon tax is not an environmental policy; it is a tax policy, punishing soccer moms, seniors on fixed incomes and small business owners.Why is the Prime Minister forcing Canadians to pay for his mistakes with punishing new taxes on everyone?
Mr. Speaker, first, our government is committed to making sure that the Canadian Armed Forces have all the tools necessary to do their job. That is what our defence policy is committed to.I want to thank the workers at Davie for the Asterix. They are playing a vital role. We have started steel cutting on the early blocks of the two permanent joint supply ships and look forward to having those in the water.
Mr. Speaker, after Ms. Meng was arrested, did the government immediately make representations to the Chinese authorities explaining its actions or did it just calmly wait for the situation to blow up?Mr. McCallum's departure is just the latest example of the government's lack of preparation. This chaos is unacceptable.How can Canadians have confidence in a government that is flying by the seat of its pants when dealing with a global superpower?
Mr. Speaker, combatting international tax evasion is a priority for our government, as it is for Quebeckers. Information exchange agreements with our international partners remain essential to tackling international tax evasion. A single revenue administration managed by Quebec would make it harder for Canada to respect its international legal obligations. It could also cause problems when it comes to ratifying international agreements. Quebec is simply not properly equipped to combat international tax evasion.
Mr. Speaker, we lowered taxes for the middle class. The only way the Conservatives can make those numbers work is if they completely ignore a policy they voted against, the Canada child benefit. The Canada child benefit has made more difference in the lives of hard-working Canadians than any other policy in recent history. They voted against it. Maybe they do not want to talk about it because they plan to take it away from Canadians. We are going to continue to invest in Canadians.When it comes to climate change, it has been 274 days since the member opposite promised a climate plan for Canadians. Where is that plan?
Mr. Speaker, it is no surprise that all we get from the Conservatives are warmed over Stephen Harper attacks and the economic plan that failed Canadians for 10 years. They continue to want to give tax breaks to the wealthiest, where we are focused on growing the middle class by investing in people and in their communities. We lowered taxes for the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest one per cent. That has led to not only stronger growth than Stephen Harper ever saw but has led to the creation of 800,000 jobs and the lowest unemployment rate in over 40 years. We are going to continue to invest in Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, in fact what Canadians chose in 2015 was a government that was going to make investments as opposed to an approach that was going to bring in austerity, to actually put us in a situation where we were trying to balance the budget on the backs of Canadians by either raising taxes or cutting benefits.We have a plan, investing in Canadians. The question is: What would be the Conservative plan? Would it be to cut the Canada child benefit, or would it be to raise taxes on middle-class Canadians? We have been clear. We are helping middle-class Canadians. We would like to hear what they would plan on doing.
Mr. Speaker, it is quite the contrary. We lowered taxes for the middle class. In Carleton, for example, 30,000 middle-class Canadians have seen their taxes cut. On top of that, 16,000 people in that riding are receiving the Canada child benefit. That is what is really going on with middle class Canadians. We have made life better for them and we will continue to invest in the middle class to improve our economy and make things better for these people.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to brag about his vast family fortune, but since he has never had to balance a family budget, he thinks budgets balance themselves. That is why he promised that the budget would be balanced by 2019. Now he is saying it is going to take another 20 years. It is obvious that taxes will increase as a result of this massive, out-of-control deficit.When will the Prime Minister admit that his deficits are costing Canadians a lot of money?
Mr. Speaker, we are now three weeks into the state of emergency, the deplorable humanitarian crisis in Cat Lake. Temperatures have plunged to -55°, we have hundreds of people huddled in squalid conditions, people are at risk, and yet the best the minister has been able to do after three weeks is to promise to send some bureaucrats to check on the situation. That is not going to cut it.What steps will the minister take to meet with the leadership, to put in place an emergency response team now and to visit Cat Lake so he can see the deplorable conditions that the people of Cat Lake are living in? What will he do?
Mr. Speaker, the CRA employs more than 5,500 people throughout Quebec and is a major economic driver in towns such as Shawinigan and Jonquière.Unlike the Bloc Québécois and the Conservatives, we are not jeopardizing those jobs. That said, we remain open to working with Revenu Québec to make it easier for Quebeckers to file their tax returns.
Mr. Speaker, there are so many false claims in that question that it is hard to even know where to start. However, let me try.When it comes to our partners in the Asia-Pacific, Canada is proud to have signed the CPTPP, which is entering into force. In fact, we are the only G7 country with trade agreements with every other G7 country. That is a diplomatic and trade triumph.
Mr. Speaker, on critical, failed records, under the Harper Conservatives, Canadians only had 5,000 spaces to sponsor parents or grandparents. We have increased that to 20,000. We have 20,000 spaces now that allows Canadians and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents. In addition to that, we have reduced the backlog that the Conservatives left us by 80%. We have simplified the process.We will continue to be ambitious in immigration. We will leave the fearmongering to the other side.
Mr. Speaker, we are acting with integrity and taking decisive action in two key ways. First of all, we want to keep Canadians safe, secure the release of the two Canadians arbitrarily detained in China and push for clemency for the third.At the same time, we want to ensure that we always stand up for the rule of law and the independence of our judicial system and that we continue engaging with our allies around the world, to send a clear message that Canada will always defend the rule of law.
Mr. Speaker, the approach we have chosen is good for Canada. Our approach has made things better for the middle class. We know there are inequalities within the middle class, and that is why we lowered their taxes. We have also made things better for Canadian families with the Canada child benefit. Thanks to our measures, our economy is growing. Our approach is working and I hope future governments will adopt a similar approach so that we can ensure a bright future for our country.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that my question was for the President of the Treasury Board. Are men answering the questions now that it is 2019? The issue here is that, in 2015, they promised to eliminate the deficit, but there is now a $30-billion deficit. That is a fact.I would like to give the President of the Treasury Board another chance. Will she tell Canadians that, unfortunately, Liberal deficits will lead directly to higher taxes for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, given that Netflix has rejected the request made by the Quebec government, on behalf of the people of Lac-Mégantic and all Quebeckers, that it stop using images of the Lac-Mégantic disaster, I wish to seek consent for the following motion: That the House of Commons call on Netflix Inc. to withdraw from its catalogue all images of the Lac-Mégantic disaster, which took the lives of 47 people, and that Netflix Inc. provide financial compensation to the Lac-Mégantic community for having used these images for entertainment purposes without regard for the trauma experienced by the residents, survivors and friends and families of the victims.
Mr. Speaker, I guess if I want straight answers on China, I should ask John McCallum.McCallum's comments show that the Liberal government has played politics with this serious diplomatic dispute with China from the start.Therefore, was the justice minister demoted for speaking truth to power to uphold the rule of law and stop the political games being played by the Prime Minister and his hand-picked ambassador?
Mr. Speaker, money is the least of the Prime Minister's concerns. He has never had to keep a personal budget, so it comes as no surprise that he thinks budgets balance themselves.He is rather good at racking up debt, especially when he is making Canadians pick up the tab.When will the Prime Minister finally tell the truth and admit that he plans to raise taxes to pay for his mistakes?
Mr. Speaker, that sure sounds great, but 90% of that money will not be allocated before the upcoming federal election, not before 2020, but housing is desperately needed right now. More than 1.5 million Canadian households are in urgent need today. New investments are needed right now, not in three or four years. There are solutions. For example, the government could spur investments by removing the federal portion of the GST/HST from the cost of building new affordable housing units. The Liberals should know how this works. That is what they promised in 2015, but they have since shelved the idea.I will repeat my question. They will have one last chance with the federal budget. Will they invest and act now?
Mr. Speaker, by the end of their term, the Liberals will have racked up a deficit of more than $80 billion. Back in 2015, however, the Prime Minister formally promised to balance the budget by the end of this year.The Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed that, due to the irresponsibility of the Prime Minister and his Minister of Finance, we will not see a balanced budget until 2040.The Prime Minister loves telling everyone that budgets balance themselves. Could he tell us right now who is going to pay for these deficits?
Mr. Speaker, it has been an interesting week for Canadian foreign policy. The government recognized an opposition MP declaring himself President of Venezuela. I wish I had thought of that. I am going to resist the temptation to declare myself Prime Minister of Canada. Unfortunately, there are many governments around the world whose democratic legitimacy is questionable. Is Canadian government policy now to endorse coups against all of them?
Mr. Speaker, gender equality is a fundamental human right. Bill S-3 eliminates gender discrimination arising from the Indian Act. We have appointed Ms. Dumont-Smith as the minister's special representative. She will work with our partners on a plan to remove the 1951 cut-off date and make more extensive changes to the registration, membership and citizenship of
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that climate change is having a huge cost in terms of our economy and on lives, but we have a plan that works, that makes life affordable and that makes sure we are creating jobs in the future. Let us talk about the plan. I want to reassure the member that we have a new climate action incentive. We are putting a price on pollution, and a family of four in Ontario will get $307 back. We are also investing in public transit across the country. We are supporting innovators and entrepreneurs who are created the solutions of tomorrow. Unfortunately, the Conservatives opposite are just harking back to the days of the Harper Conservatives. They have no
Mr. Speaker, 2019 will be a historic year. This year, we were scheduled to move into a new House of Commons, and we have done that. This year, the Liberals promised to balance the budget, but that is not going to happen. That is the Liberal reality.We were supposed to get back to zero deficit this year, but instead we have a $30-billion deficit.I congratulate the President of the Treasury Board on her appointment. Could she please assure Canadians that she does not believe that budgets balance themselves and tell them that, unfortunately, a Liberal deficit will lead to tax hikes for all Canadians? That is the reality.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to Meng Wanzhou, let me be very clear about the Government of Canada's position. First of all, Canada is a rule-of-law country and we are conducting a fair, unbiased and transparent legal proceeding. In fact, Madam Meng is currently on bail, as the court has ruled. There has been, as is correct, no political involvement in the process. Canada respects our international legal commitments, including our extradition treaty with the United States.
Mr. Speaker, obviously, we have a plan. It is clear that investing in the middle class is working. Now, our economy is working for the middle class. The alternative, an austerity approach, is not really a plan since it involves making cuts or increasing taxes. That is the Conservatives' plan.Our approach involves lowering taxes for the middle class, and Canada is better off because of it.
Mr. Speaker, the Big City Mayors Caucus met in Ottawa today with a very clear message for the Prime Minister and his ministers. The Liberals promised them an infrastructure bonanza, but they are still waiting. Canadians need investments in public transit, and so does the planet. I also want to mention the small municipalities across the country that are still waiting for the funding they were promised.When are the Liberals finally going to keep the promises they made to municipalities?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming increasingly difficult to access housing in Canada. It is a problem for buyers, who are shut out of many markets, and for low-income renters, who are affected by the shortage of affordable and social housing.In British Columbia, for example, tent cities are springing up in places such as Maple Ridge, Nanaimo and Victoria, right here in Canada in the 21st century.Will this urgent situation be taken into consideration in the next Liberal budget?Will immediate investments be made to address the current crisis?
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to answering the member's question shortly, but I think before we do, we need to take a moment to recognize and applaud the extraordinary women and men who worked so hard to build this beautiful chamber for us to serve in and to remember that if we who serve Canadians in this place work even half as hard as they worked to build this place for us, we will be very well served as a country indeed.
Mr. Speaker, our government has done a great deal of work on this file.Our top priority is the well-being and safety of the Canadians detained by China. We now have the support of many of our allies, such as Australia, the European Union, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Spain. All these countries have openly supported the Canadian position.
Mr. Speaker, the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou took place on December 1, but the Prime Minister received an unprecedented special briefing several days before this high-profile arrest.My questions are simple. On what date was the Prime Minister first briefed and by whom?
Mr. Speaker, in a document submitted to the National Energy Board, the Trans Mountain team admitted that pipeline-related marine shipping will have, and I quote, significant environmental effects. The population of southern resident killer whales is down to less than 75 and this project puts an endangered species at risk, but it's no big deal: it is only business, so that justifies it. It is all there in black and white.Will the Liberals stop saying that the economy and the environment go hand in hand? That is not true of the economy they are building.Will the Liberals finally admit that by buying the Trans Mountain pipeline they sided with big business and gave up on protecting the environment? That is the truth.
Mr. Speaker, you invited members to an official smudging ceremony in the House this morning. This was a wonderful idea, but I am disappointed that 99% of this ceremony was in English and that there was no interpretation.I have been a member in this House for 35 years, and interpretation has always been available for important events or official ceremonies, or else the ceremony has been conducted in both official languages. There are francophone indigenous communities, like the Abenaki community, that could have participated in this ceremony along with the Algonquin people. This smudging ceremony could have then been in both official languages.In the future, I hope everyone remembers that there are two official languages here. In this country's history, the indigenous peoples were here first, then francophones were here for 200 years, and after that the anglophones arrived. Clearly, there is every reason to include French in our official ceremonies.
Mr. Speaker, the National Assembly unanimously passed a motion calling for the immediate construction of the second supply ship, the Obelix, at the Davie shipyard. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister is showing little respect for Quebec and shipyard workers.Even the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence, which has a Liberal majority, pointed to the complete loss of an at-sea replenishment capability.Why does the Prime Minister have so little respect for the Royal Canadian Navy and Quebec shipyard workers, and why is he using statements previously made by CAF members when there are lengthy delays in the
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Winnipeg Centre for his question. He has always been a courageous and passionate defender of indigenous languages.Most of Canada's indigenous languages are in danger due to deliberate past actions, and Canada is proud to join the world in marking the International Year of Indigenous Languages. We thank the inspiring indigenous languages leaders for their tireless work.I look forward to soon tabling a bill that was drafted in co-operation with indigenous peoples. It will be a historic moment.Together, we can and we will change history.
Mr. Speaker, our government has lowered the small business tax to 9%, giving small business owners up to $7,500 in savings. We have also cut red tape by removing 450 administrative burdens, making it easier for businesses to do business. We are working hard for Canada's small businesses because they are the backbone of our Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our plan was to invest in people, the middle class, and our communities. That is why we lowered taxes for the middle class and asked the wealthy to pay more taxes. Canadians have created 800,000 jobs over the past three years. We are seeing strong economic growth and we have the lowest unemployment rate in 40 years.We want to keep investing in Canadians and the middle class, but the Conservatives want to give breaks to the wealthy because they think that is the way to create economic growth. They are wrong.
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to sit down with the big city mayors this morning, who thanked me and congratulated me for the work we have done on investing in housing right across the country. We are making a real impact in the lives of Canadians as we invest in housing that is making a significant difference in people's lives. We will continue to do just that while we focus on making a concrete and sure difference in the lives of Canadians right across the country.
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear. Actually, middle-class anxieties are something we have been very focused on from day one. That is why we reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians, a policy that the Conservatives voted against. That is why we put in place the Canada child benefit, helping nine out of 10 families with more money. On average, middle-class families with two kids, this year, will have $2,000 more than they had when the last Conservative government was here in 2015.We are helping with middle-class anxieties, while the opposition continues to vote against policies that help these people.
Mr. Speaker, the issues associated with the southern resident killer whale are very important. It is part of a broader conversation around biodiversity.There are three significant challenges for the killer whales: access to food, issues around marine shipping and contaminants in the water, all of which exist today, all of which are the product of industrialization over the past several decades.We are working very hard through the whales initiative to ensure we put the killer whales back on an appropriate path to success, and ensure that the environment and economy go forward hand in hand.
Mr. Speaker, we have been clear that we are making investments, which are critical to improving Canadians' lives. We have invested in the middle class and delivered significant results.Unemployment is now at its lowest in over 40 years, and growth is strong. We are going to continue making investments. It is important for the future, and we can do it in a fiscally responsible way.
Mr. Speaker, what we have done over the last more than three years is make a real, important difference for Canadians, with higher growth rates and lower unemployment. Clearly, the approach we have taken has worked.The options that we had in the last election were the approach of austerity and cuts, which was being proposed by the Conservative Party at that time, versus our approach of investing in Canadians. What we have been able to show is that our approach works. We can do it in a fiscally responsible way, and we will continue to have a plan that makes sense for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are getting the benefit from the choice they made. Let us be very specific. Canadians who live in the riding of Carleton, 30,000 of them, have had a reduction in their taxes. One cannot pick and choose benefits. The fact of the matter is that the introduction of the Canada child benefit together with the reduction in taxes means that people are better off. There are 16,000 children in the Carleton region who are getting about $4 million more than they were before this government came into power.We are going to continue to make investments. The good news is that our approach is working and our economy is doing well.
Mr. Speaker, in the fictional world inhabited by the member for Carleton, he pretends that things that are true are not true. We cannot say it any more clearly. For people who earn between $45,000 and $90,000, we reduced taxes in that category by 7%, which means that people earning up to $200,000 or so actually have reduced taxes; but for the one per cent, we did increase taxes. For people who are raising their children, we gave them the Canada child benefit, much improved. Nine out of 10 families are better off with $2,000 more this year than in 2015. The facts are clear.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to point out that the historic investments we have made in housing in recent years have helped more than one million Canadians find affordable housing.We know that more money and more solutions are needed. However, make no mistake, the investments we have already made and that we continue to make in the national housing strategy are making a real difference in people's lives.
Mr. Speaker, last year, when Greyhound announced it was ceasing operations, constituents in my riding were rightfully worried about how they would get from town to town. Without reliable transit, people cannot access crucial services like health care, shelters for women fleeing violence or urgently needed addiction treatment. In rural areas, people relied on Greyhound to travel to these services. The Liberal government said it would provide funding, though we have not seen it, and people are still unable to travel. When will the government provide safe, affordable and accessible transit for rural and remote communities?
Mr. Speaker, farmers are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. Business people are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. Soccer moms are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. That is why we have a plan that if works is going to make life more affordable, is going to put more money in the pockets of families and is going to create good jobs. We need to take action on climate change. To not have a plan is irresponsible. It has now been 274 days since the party opposite said that it would have a plan. Where is its climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, our government has proven that it is a strong advocate for small businesses and is committed to helping them start up, scale up and access new markets. As a small business owner myself in my riding of Kitchener Centre, I know that small businesses employ so many of my constituents and keep our economy strong.Could the Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion tell the House what our government has done to make it easier for our small businesses?
[Member spoke in Cree, interpreted as follows:] Mr. Speaker, could the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism please update the House on Canada's role in the initiative and work being done to protect and revitalize indigenous languages in Canada? I am proud to say that the United Nations has declared 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
Mr. Speaker, recently, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, along with the Premier of P.E.I., signed a framework agreement with Mi'kmaq people to address outstanding issues of Mi'kmaq rights and title.The Mi'kmaq leadership see this agreement as the beginning of a process to determine how all P.E.I. Mi'kmaq, both on and off reserve, will benefit from their rights, today and into the future.Beyond this one agreement, could the minister explain the government's progress on renewing relationships with the indigenous peoples of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, we certainly recognize that Canadians deserve safe, affordable and accessible housing. That is why we created the first national housing strategy, which is making unprecedented investments in housing. To date, it has already helped more than one million Canadians find housing.However, we know that there is more to be done. We will continue to invest in Canadians to ensure that everyone has safe and accessible housing.
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to say that our government believes very strongly in the right of every Canadian to have a safe, affordable and accessible home. That is why, since 2015, we have invested $5.7 billion in addition to the dollars already forecast to help a million families in Canada have access to a safe and affordable home, and that is why, in November 2017, we announced the first-ever national housing strategy, which is going to reduce chronic homelessness by at least 50% and renew federal leadership and partnership in housing.
Mr. Speaker, we fully recognize that, when Greyhound departed at the end of October last year, it would leave an absence of public transportation in the western provinces, and we immediately started working on a solution. We are working with the provinces, including British Columbia, my colleague's home province. We will be there if they request us to help them on a cost-sharing basis. We have given that undertaking.
Mr. Speaker, over the past three yearsindeed, over the past three budgetswe made housing a priority for Canadians. We know that it needs to be safe, affordable and accessible for all Canadians. That is why we moved forward with a historic national housing strategy that re-engages the federal government in housing right across the country. We have not waited to invest. On the contrary, the significant investments we have already made have helped close to a million Canadians access more affordable housing. That is making a real difference now and, yes, many years into the future.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House request that the results of the secret ballot on Bill C-421, an act to amend the Citizenship Act with respect to adequate knowledge of French in Quebec, to be held January 29 and 30, 2019, be disclosed at the same time as the voting results.
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That, given the enormous cultural significance of hockey in Canada, the House encourages the Hockey Hall of Fame to induct Paul Henderson in recognition of his incredible contribution to Canadian hockey and its history.
Mr. Speaker, first nations communities are of utmost importance. I have spoken with Chief Keewaykapow and I have affirmed our commitment to working with Cat Lake to address the community's housing needs. Officials will be meeting with the leadership there tomorrow to work on an action plan to help them work on the serious challenges that they confront. We will continue working in partnership with first nations communities to advance their priorities and to support community-led solutions.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her question. The Prime Minister and I both met with the big city mayors this morning, and I had a chance to talk to the mayors about our historic infrastructure investment plan, which will provide more than $180 billion for infrastructure. A lot of our investments are going towards public transit, green infrastructure and our regions. I also want to remind my colleague that more than 470,000 projects were approved between November 2015 and January 2019. Over 70% of those projects, representing more than $18 billion, are under construction. We will keep investing in Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Malpeque for his hard work.In P.E.I., we did sign a framework agreement with Lennox Island and Abegweit First Nations and the province to establish a path forward to the recognition and implementation of Mi'kmaq inherent and treaty rights.Chief Matilda Ramjattan said that this agreement was an important first step in rebuilding their nation and bringing socio-economic health to our people.In P.E.I. and coast to coast to coast, our government is advancing reconciliation by working with our partners to realize self-determination.
Mr. Speaker, we are in a new House of Commons, but we are getting the same old answers. Why will the Prime Minister not just tell Canadians the truth?He has no plan, and sadly, it is Canadians who will have to pay for his inept and irresponsible fiscal management. The public should not be forced to pay for his failures, his mistakes and his irresponsible and out-of-control fiscal management.Will he at least have the guts to tell workers and Canadians who is going to pay for these deficits?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's foreign policy is a disaster, and Canadians are paying for his mistakes. A convicted terrorist was invited to India. U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum remain in place. The Prime Minister insulted our allies in Japan and Australia. Now we have the crisis with China.When will the Prime Minister stop making Canadians pay for his mistakes?
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Prime Minister's foreign policy is a disaster, and Canadians are paying for his mistakes. Our international partners have no respect for the Prime Minister, and why should they? After clowning around in India and inviting a convicted terrorist along with him, he then was forced to take concession after concession from Donald Trump. He even angered our partners in Japan and Australia, and now we have the debacle with China. Why did the Prime Minister show such weakness and wait so long to fire his ambassador?
Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising the Prime Minister does not worry about Canadians' money. He has never had to worry about money. He has never had to balance a household budget, so he thinks budgets balance themselves. He thinks he can borrow his way out of debt and that others should pay for his mistakes, so it is no wonder the debt has grown three times more than what he promised. Why will he not tell the truth before the next election, that his wasteful spending and runaway deficits will mean higher taxes for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the member to talk to his former colleagues in the NDP. Canadians need an apology from the member for ChurchillKeewatinook Aski and the NDP candidate in YorkSimcoe for their defence of a dictatorship that has killed hundreds and injured thousands of peaceful protesters. If the NDP members cannot take a firm and clear stance on the fight of the people of Venezuela for democracy, I do not know what they can take a clear position on.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have lost confidence in the Prime Minister's ability to stand up for our interests abroad.The number of diplomatic disasters continues to rise. His trip to India was a failure, he has angered our partners in the Asia-Pacific region, he failed with NAFTA, and now our relations with China are in trouble. He fired his ambassador, and his Minister of Foreign Affairs is nowhere to be found, even though there are lives at stake. Canadians are paying for the Prime Minister's failures.Does he even have a plan for China?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has spent over a billion dollars on 40,000 illegal border crossers, with more crossing every day. However, today, the forum that allows parents and grandparents of new Canadians who are trying to legally migrate to Canada for all of 2019 opened and closed in just 10 minutes. Therefore, under the Liberals, illegal border crossers get a red carpet welcome and legal immigrants get the door shut in their face. Will the Prime Minister admit that Canadians reject having to pay for his unfair immigration practices?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have lost confidence that the Prime Minister can lead our country on the world stage. His list of diplomatic disasters is rising. It includes his appalling India trip. He has infuriated our Asia-Pacific trade partners. He failed Canada on NAFTA. Now our relationship with China is in tatters. He fired his ambassador. His foreign affairs minister is missing in action.The consequences are dire. Lives are hanging in the balance. Canadians are paying for the failures of the Prime Minister. Does he even have a plan for China?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' plan is actually punishing Canadians for heating their homes, driving their kids to dance practice, hockey practice, wherever their daily routines are taking them, and the Prime Minister is failing to help Canadians get ahead. His carbon tax will cost them over $1,000 more on household essentials that they need and his government plans to make it six times more expensive than that. Canadians are already paying for his failures. When will the Prime Minister come clean and admit the real costs of the carbon tax?
Mr, Speaker, the Liberals targeted soccer moms with tax increases when they took away the children's fitness tax credit. They targeted students with tax increases when they cancelled the education and textbook tax credits. They targeted passengers with tax increases when they took away the transit tax credit. That does not even include the carbon tax on heat, groceries and gas, nor does it include higher payroll taxes. It will only get worse. This massive Liberal deficit will lead to higher taxes for Canadians. Why will they not tell people that before the election?
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled that Canada must eliminate all forms of discrimination that indigenous women face under the Indian Act. We had that debate two years ago and the government's term is coming to an end.Will the Prime Minister finally keep the promise he made four years ago and repeal all legislation unilaterally imposed on first nations?
Mr. Speaker, across Canada people are struggling with extreme cold temperatures. For the 30,000 Canadians who are homeless, finding warm shelter can be a matter of life or death. Shelters are near capacity and people seeking refuge in tent cities are being served with eviction notices. Where are people to go? They cannot wait 10 years for a national housing strategy to ramp up. Will the Liberal government step up and legislate, as promised, the right to housing for all Canadiansyes or no?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are already paying the price of climate change and it is going up every single year. It is a human cost. It is a cost to the economy. However, there is good news. We can actually tackle climate change in a way that works, that makes life affordable and that creates good jobs. Let me talk about the climate action incentive. We are putting a price on pollution. It will no longer be free to pollute in the country. A family of four in Ontario will get $307 back. A family of four in Manitoba will get $339 back. A family of four in Saskatchewan will get $609 back. We can tackle climate change
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec is calling for a single tax return. The Prime Minister replied, A unanimous motion from the National Assembly? Good Lord, that never happens!After ridiculing Quebec, now the entire machinery of government is engaged in a campaign of fear. To listen to the Liberals, we would think that the 10 plagues of Egypt were upon us. The worst part is that this strategy is working, because the NDP has already caved.Why is the government so bent on having two tax returns? What is it afraid of? Is it afraid that Quebec will perform better?
Mr. Speaker, his talking points are all an attempt to make sure that they do not panic the flock before the fleecing. That is what it is all about. How can the finance minister stand here and honestly say that Canadians are doing better when 46% of Canadians feel that they are $200 away from insolvency?I know the Prime Minister and the finance minister have not felt this, but I can tell them that people lose sleep and that the anxiety is crushing. Canadians know that they are not in good shape, and they are afraid of these new taxes.When will the Prime Minister level with them and just tell them that more taxes are coming?
Mr. Speaker, the only people playing political games when two Canadians are in a difficult situation are the members opposite, and that is truly reprehensible. When it comes to the case of Ms. Meng, Canada is a rule-of-law country. We are proud to be a rule-of-law country. We have honoured our extradition treaty commitments, as we honour all of our international treaty commitments, and Ms. Meng has access to our impartial and fair judicial system.
Mr. Speaker, everything the Prime Minister just said is false. With his changes, the richest Canadians are paying less in tax, and hard-working Canadian families are paying more, and they are going to continue to pay more, because government documents show that the carbon tax will rise six times higher than what the Prime Minister now admits, which means higher gasoline costs and higher home heating costs. Canadians are already paying for his mistakes, so why is he also covering up the real cost of his carbon tax from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, when we originally brought in the child benefit, three things happened: one, the budget was balanced; two, we lowered taxes rather than raising them, as the Liberal government is now doing; and three, Liberals claimed wrongly that parents would just blow it all on beer and popcorn. After all these years, they have finally come around to our point of view on that particular issue. Unfortunately, they have taxed away the benefit with higher taxes in other areas.Will they admit that it will only get worse when this present deficit turns into future tax increases?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to China, our top priority is the safety and well-being of the Canadians detained in China. This is a priority for the Prime Minister, for me and for the entire government. These arbitrary detentions are unacceptable to Canadians and to the international community.The Prime Minister and I have both spoken to a number of international partners. We will stand by the statements of support we have received from many countries.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister promised Canadians that they would get rid of the deficit by this year, and they have clearly failed. We find ourselves in a situation where the rich are actually paying less taxes, and in their spending review, the Liberals did not find any ways to save money but did find ways to spend more. Fail.Canadians will ultimately pay for these mistakes. Will the Prime Minister admit to Canadians that his higher deficits will lead to higher taxes for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, that answer shows how out of touch the Prime Minister is, and people know it. Sarah, for example, is a nurse with three children who is struggling to find affordable housing in Burnaby, B.C. The only places she can find will take her entire paycheque, leaving no money for food or anything else. That is the reality of the housing crisis. Mayors from across the country are raising housing with the Prime Minister today, saying that we need action now. Will the Liberals stop siding with corporations and side with people who need affordable housing now?
Actually, Mr. Speaker, he has raised taxes on the middle class by $800, taking away the child benefit, the tuition tax credit, the tax credit for kids' sports. He took away the tuition tax credit for textbooks. He took away the education tax credit. That does not even include the carbon tax. We ain't seen nothing yet. This massive Liberal deficit will lead to even more massive tax hikes after the election.Why will the Liberals not admit that Canadians will pay the price for their increased debt?
Mr. Speaker, an Angus Reid poll released last week clearly shows that meeting Quebec's demands, such as the single tax return, does not pay off in English Canada. In fact, we have every reason to believe that meeting any of Quebec's demands would cost points in the rest of Canada. This means that the Liberals are going to deny Quebeckers the opportunity of filing a single tax return just to win votes in English Canada.Are we to understand that the Liberals have picked a side and are obviously not siding with Quebeckers?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that the Liberals' plan on carbon taxes is going to hurt small businesses and it is going to hurt families. Farmers in my riding did not inherit a family fortune like the Prime Minister. They have to worry about making ends meet and cannot afford the Prime Minister's new carbon tax. Worse yet, government documents now admit that to make its plan work the carbon tax will have to be six times higher than the current rate. When will the Prime Minister come clean with farmers about his plan to significantly increase the cost of everything from fertilizer to shipping products to market?
Mr. Speaker, the good news is that Canadians are now better off thanks to our approach. Our investments have created more jobs across the country. It is true. What is more, middle class Canadians are paying fewer taxes. That is for sure.Our approach is much better for Canadians, and we have been able to do all this while maintaining a debt-to-GDP ratio that works for the future of our country.
Mr. Speaker, just last week, media reports said that 46% of all Canadians are now only $200 away from financial insolvency in a month, but instead of bringing in immediate relief for people facing a housing crisis and crushing personal debt, the Liberals' priority has been to give billions of dollars in corporate giveaways. The current Liberal government continues to tell Canadians to wait for real action on housing. Will the Prime Minister commit to making different choices this year? Will he make affordable housing a top priority in this year's budget?
Mr. Speaker, the carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family over $2,500 this year. That is 11¢ more for a litre of gas, $250 more for home heating, $100 a month more for groceries and that is just the beginning. Canadians know the Liberal carbon tax is not an environmental policy; it is a tax policy, punishing soccer moms, seniors on fixed incomes and small business owners.Why is the Prime Minister forcing Canadians to pay for his mistakes with punishing new taxes on everyone?
Mr. Speaker, first, our government is committed to making sure that the Canadian Armed Forces have all the tools necessary to do their job. That is what our defence policy is committed to.I want to thank the workers at Davie for the Asterix. They are playing a vital role. We have started steel cutting on the early blocks of the two permanent joint supply ships and look forward to having those in the water.
Mr. Speaker, after Ms. Meng was arrested, did the government immediately make representations to the Chinese authorities explaining its actions or did it just calmly wait for the situation to blow up?Mr. McCallum's departure is just the latest example of the government's lack of preparation. This chaos is unacceptable.How can Canadians have confidence in a government that is flying by the seat of its pants when dealing with a global superpower?
Mr. Speaker, combatting international tax evasion is a priority for our government, as it is for Quebeckers. Information exchange agreements with our international partners remain essential to tackling international tax evasion. A single revenue administration managed by Quebec would make it harder for Canada to respect its international legal obligations. It could also cause problems when it comes to ratifying international agreements. Quebec is simply not properly equipped to combat international tax evasion.
Mr. Speaker, we lowered taxes for the middle class. The only way the Conservatives can make those numbers work is if they completely ignore a policy they voted against, the Canada child benefit. The Canada child benefit has made more difference in the lives of hard-working Canadians than any other policy in recent history. They voted against it. Maybe they do not want to talk about it because they plan to take it away from Canadians. We are going to continue to invest in Canadians.When it comes to climate change, it has been 274 days since the member opposite promised a climate plan for Canadians. Where is that plan?
Mr. Speaker, it is no surprise that all we get from the Conservatives are warmed over Stephen Harper attacks and the economic plan that failed Canadians for 10 years. They continue to want to give tax breaks to the wealthiest, where we are focused on growing the middle class by investing in people and in their communities. We lowered taxes for the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest one per cent. That has led to not only stronger growth than Stephen Harper ever saw but has led to the creation of 800,000 jobs and the lowest unemployment rate in over 40 years. We are going to continue to invest in Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, in fact what Canadians chose in 2015 was a government that was going to make investments as opposed to an approach that was going to bring in austerity, to actually put us in a situation where we were trying to balance the budget on the backs of Canadians by either raising taxes or cutting benefits.We have a plan, investing in Canadians. The question is: What would be the Conservative plan? Would it be to cut the Canada child benefit, or would it be to raise taxes on middle-class Canadians? We have been clear. We are helping middle-class Canadians. We would like to hear what they would plan on doing.
Mr. Speaker, it is quite the contrary. We lowered taxes for the middle class. In Carleton, for example, 30,000 middle-class Canadians have seen their taxes cut. On top of that, 16,000 people in that riding are receiving the Canada child benefit. That is what is really going on with middle class Canadians. We have made life better for them and we will continue to invest in the middle class to improve our economy and make things better for these people.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to brag about his vast family fortune, but since he has never had to balance a family budget, he thinks budgets balance themselves. That is why he promised that the budget would be balanced by 2019. Now he is saying it is going to take another 20 years. It is obvious that taxes will increase as a result of this massive, out-of-control deficit.When will the Prime Minister admit that his deficits are costing Canadians a lot of money?
Mr. Speaker, we are now three weeks into the state of emergency, the deplorable humanitarian crisis in Cat Lake. Temperatures have plunged to -55°, we have hundreds of people huddled in squalid conditions, people are at risk, and yet the best the minister has been able to do after three weeks is to promise to send some bureaucrats to check on the situation. That is not going to cut it.What steps will the minister take to meet with the leadership, to put in place an emergency response team now and to visit Cat Lake so he can see the deplorable conditions that the people of Cat Lake are living in? What will he do?
Mr. Speaker, the CRA employs more than 5,500 people throughout Quebec and is a major economic driver in towns such as Shawinigan and Jonquière.Unlike the Bloc Québécois and the Conservatives, we are not jeopardizing those jobs. That said, we remain open to working with Revenu Québec to make it easier for Quebeckers to file their tax returns.
Mr. Speaker, there are so many false claims in that question that it is hard to even know where to start. However, let me try.When it comes to our partners in the Asia-Pacific, Canada is proud to have signed the CPTPP, which is entering into force. In fact, we are the only G7 country with trade agreements with every other G7 country. That is a diplomatic and trade triumph.
Mr. Speaker, on critical, failed records, under the Harper Conservatives, Canadians only had 5,000 spaces to sponsor parents or grandparents. We have increased that to 20,000. We have 20,000 spaces now that allows Canadians and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents. In addition to that, we have reduced the backlog that the Conservatives left us by 80%. We have simplified the process.We will continue to be ambitious in immigration. We will leave the fearmongering to the other side.
Mr. Speaker, we are acting with integrity and taking decisive action in two key ways. First of all, we want to keep Canadians safe, secure the release of the two Canadians arbitrarily detained in China and push for clemency for the third.At the same time, we want to ensure that we always stand up for the rule of law and the independence of our judicial system and that we continue engaging with our allies around the world, to send a clear message that Canada will always defend the rule of law.
Mr. Speaker, the approach we have chosen is good for Canada. Our approach has made things better for the middle class. We know there are inequalities within the middle class, and that is why we lowered their taxes. We have also made things better for Canadian families with the Canada child benefit. Thanks to our measures, our economy is growing. Our approach is working and I hope future governments will adopt a similar approach so that we can ensure a bright future for our country.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that my question was for the President of the Treasury Board. Are men answering the questions now that it is 2019? The issue here is that, in 2015, they promised to eliminate the deficit, but there is now a $30-billion deficit. That is a fact.I would like to give the President of the Treasury Board another chance. Will she tell Canadians that, unfortunately, Liberal deficits will lead directly to higher taxes for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, given that Netflix has rejected the request made by the Quebec government, on behalf of the people of Lac-Mégantic and all Quebeckers, that it stop using images of the Lac-Mégantic disaster, I wish to seek consent for the following motion: That the House of Commons call on Netflix Inc. to withdraw from its catalogue all images of the Lac-Mégantic disaster, which took the lives of 47 people, and that Netflix Inc. provide financial compensation to the Lac-Mégantic community for having used these images for entertainment purposes without regard for the trauma experienced by the residents, survivors and friends and families of the victims.
Mr. Speaker, I guess if I want straight answers on China, I should ask John McCallum.McCallum's comments show that the Liberal government has played politics with this serious diplomatic dispute with China from the start.Therefore, was the justice minister demoted for speaking truth to power to uphold the rule of law and stop the political games being played by the Prime Minister and his hand-picked ambassador?
Mr. Speaker, money is the least of the Prime Minister's concerns. He has never had to keep a personal budget, so it comes as no surprise that he thinks budgets balance themselves.He is rather good at racking up debt, especially when he is making Canadians pick up the tab.When will the Prime Minister finally tell the truth and admit that he plans to raise taxes to pay for his mistakes?
Mr. Speaker, that sure sounds great, but 90% of that money will not be allocated before the upcoming federal election, not before 2020, but housing is desperately needed right now. More than 1.5 million Canadian households are in urgent need today. New investments are needed right now, not in three or four years. There are solutions. For example, the government could spur investments by removing the federal portion of the GST/HST from the cost of building new affordable housing units. The Liberals should know how this works. That is what they promised in 2015, but they have since shelved the idea.I will repeat my question. They will have one last chance with the federal budget. Will they invest and act now?
Mr. Speaker, by the end of their term, the Liberals will have racked up a deficit of more than $80 billion. Back in 2015, however, the Prime Minister formally promised to balance the budget by the end of this year.The Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed that, due to the irresponsibility of the Prime Minister and his Minister of Finance, we will not see a balanced budget until 2040.The Prime Minister loves telling everyone that budgets balance themselves. Could he tell us right now who is going to pay for these deficits?
Mr. Speaker, it has been an interesting week for Canadian foreign policy. The government recognized an opposition MP declaring himself President of Venezuela. I wish I had thought of that. I am going to resist the temptation to declare myself Prime Minister of Canada. Unfortunately, there are many governments around the world whose democratic legitimacy is questionable. Is Canadian government policy now to endorse coups against all of them?
Mr. Speaker, gender equality is a fundamental human right. Bill S-3 eliminates gender discrimination arising from the Indian Act. We have appointed Ms. Dumont-Smith as the minister's special representative. She will work with our partners on a plan to remove the 1951 cut-off date and make more extensive changes to the registration, membership and citizenship of
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that climate change is having a huge cost in terms of our economy and on lives, but we have a plan that works, that makes life affordable and that makes sure we are creating jobs in the future. Let us talk about the plan. I want to reassure the member that we have a new climate action incentive. We are putting a price on pollution, and a family of four in Ontario will get $307 back. We are also investing in public transit across the country. We are supporting innovators and entrepreneurs who are created the solutions of tomorrow. Unfortunately, the Conservatives opposite are just harking back to the days of the Harper Conservatives. They have no
Mr. Speaker, 2019 will be a historic year. This year, we were scheduled to move into a new House of Commons, and we have done that. This year, the Liberals promised to balance the budget, but that is not going to happen. That is the Liberal reality.We were supposed to get back to zero deficit this year, but instead we have a $30-billion deficit.I congratulate the President of the Treasury Board on her appointment. Could she please assure Canadians that she does not believe that budgets balance themselves and tell them that, unfortunately, a Liberal deficit will lead to tax hikes for all Canadians? That is the reality.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to Meng Wanzhou, let me be very clear about the Government of Canada's position. First of all, Canada is a rule-of-law country and we are conducting a fair, unbiased and transparent legal proceeding. In fact, Madam Meng is currently on bail, as the court has ruled. There has been, as is correct, no political involvement in the process. Canada respects our international legal commitments, including our extradition treaty with the United States.
Mr. Speaker, obviously, we have a plan. It is clear that investing in the middle class is working. Now, our economy is working for the middle class. The alternative, an austerity approach, is not really a plan since it involves making cuts or increasing taxes. That is the Conservatives' plan.Our approach involves lowering taxes for the middle class, and Canada is better off because of it.
Mr. Speaker, the Big City Mayors Caucus met in Ottawa today with a very clear message for the Prime Minister and his ministers. The Liberals promised them an infrastructure bonanza, but they are still waiting. Canadians need investments in public transit, and so does the planet. I also want to mention the small municipalities across the country that are still waiting for the funding they were promised.When are the Liberals finally going to keep the promises they made to municipalities?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming increasingly difficult to access housing in Canada. It is a problem for buyers, who are shut out of many markets, and for low-income renters, who are affected by the shortage of affordable and social housing.In British Columbia, for example, tent cities are springing up in places such as Maple Ridge, Nanaimo and Victoria, right here in Canada in the 21st century.Will this urgent situation be taken into consideration in the next Liberal budget?Will immediate investments be made to address the current crisis?
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to answering the member's question shortly, but I think before we do, we need to take a moment to recognize and applaud the extraordinary women and men who worked so hard to build this beautiful chamber for us to serve in and to remember that if we who serve Canadians in this place work even half as hard as they worked to build this place for us, we will be very well served as a country indeed.
Mr. Speaker, our government has done a great deal of work on this file.Our top priority is the well-being and safety of the Canadians detained by China. We now have the support of many of our allies, such as Australia, the European Union, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Spain. All these countries have openly supported the Canadian position.
Mr. Speaker, the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou took place on December 1, but the Prime Minister received an unprecedented special briefing several days before this high-profile arrest.My questions are simple. On what date was the Prime Minister first briefed and by whom?
Mr. Speaker, in a document submitted to the National Energy Board, the Trans Mountain team admitted that pipeline-related marine shipping will have, and I quote, significant environmental effects. The population of southern resident killer whales is down to less than 75 and this project puts an endangered species at risk, but it's no big deal: it is only business, so that justifies it. It is all there in black and white.Will the Liberals stop saying that the economy and the environment go hand in hand? That is not true of the economy they are building.Will the Liberals finally admit that by buying the Trans Mountain pipeline they sided with big business and gave up on protecting the environment? That is the truth.
Mr. Speaker, you invited members to an official smudging ceremony in the House this morning. This was a wonderful idea, but I am disappointed that 99% of this ceremony was in English and that there was no interpretation.I have been a member in this House for 35 years, and interpretation has always been available for important events or official ceremonies, or else the ceremony has been conducted in both official languages. There are francophone indigenous communities, like the Abenaki community, that could have participated in this ceremony along with the Algonquin people. This smudging ceremony could have then been in both official languages.In the future, I hope everyone remembers that there are two official languages here. In this country's history, the indigenous peoples were here first, then francophones were here for 200 years, and after that the anglophones arrived. Clearly, there is every reason to include French in our official ceremonies.
Mr. Speaker, the National Assembly unanimously passed a motion calling for the immediate construction of the second supply ship, the Obelix, at the Davie shipyard. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister is showing little respect for Quebec and shipyard workers.Even the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence, which has a Liberal majority, pointed to the complete loss of an at-sea replenishment capability.Why does the Prime Minister have so little respect for the Royal Canadian Navy and Quebec shipyard workers, and why is he using statements previously made by CAF members when there are lengthy delays in the
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Winnipeg Centre for his question. He has always been a courageous and passionate defender of indigenous languages.Most of Canada's indigenous languages are in danger due to deliberate past actions, and Canada is proud to join the world in marking the International Year of Indigenous Languages. We thank the inspiring indigenous languages leaders for their tireless work.I look forward to soon tabling a bill that was drafted in co-operation with indigenous peoples. It will be a historic moment.Together, we can and we will change history.
Mr. Speaker, our government has lowered the small business tax to 9%, giving small business owners up to $7,500 in savings. We have also cut red tape by removing 450 administrative burdens, making it easier for businesses to do business. We are working hard for Canada's small businesses because they are the backbone of our Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our plan was to invest in people, the middle class, and our communities. That is why we lowered taxes for the middle class and asked the wealthy to pay more taxes. Canadians have created 800,000 jobs over the past three years. We are seeing strong economic growth and we have the lowest unemployment rate in 40 years.We want to keep investing in Canadians and the middle class, but the Conservatives want to give breaks to the wealthy because they think that is the way to create economic growth. They are wrong.
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to sit down with the big city mayors this morning, who thanked me and congratulated me for the work we have done on investing in housing right across the country. We are making a real impact in the lives of Canadians as we invest in housing that is making a significant difference in people's lives. We will continue to do just that while we focus on making a concrete and sure difference in the lives of Canadians right across the country.
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear. Actually, middle-class anxieties are something we have been very focused on from day one. That is why we reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians, a policy that the Conservatives voted against. That is why we put in place the Canada child benefit, helping nine out of 10 families with more money. On average, middle-class families with two kids, this year, will have $2,000 more than they had when the last Conservative government was here in 2015.We are helping with middle-class anxieties, while the opposition continues to vote against policies that help these people.
Mr. Speaker, the issues associated with the southern resident killer whale are very important. It is part of a broader conversation around biodiversity.There are three significant challenges for the killer whales: access to food, issues around marine shipping and contaminants in the water, all of which exist today, all of which are the product of industrialization over the past several decades.We are working very hard through the whales initiative to ensure we put the killer whales back on an appropriate path to success, and ensure that the environment and economy go forward hand in hand.
Mr. Speaker, we have been clear that we are making investments, which are critical to improving Canadians' lives. We have invested in the middle class and delivered significant results.Unemployment is now at its lowest in over 40 years, and growth is strong. We are going to continue making investments. It is important for the future, and we can do it in a fiscally responsible way.
Mr. Speaker, what we have done over the last more than three years is make a real, important difference for Canadians, with higher growth rates and lower unemployment. Clearly, the approach we have taken has worked.The options that we had in the last election were the approach of austerity and cuts, which was being proposed by the Conservative Party at that time, versus our approach of investing in Canadians. What we have been able to show is that our approach works. We can do it in a fiscally responsible way, and we will continue to have a plan that makes sense for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are getting the benefit from the choice they made. Let us be very specific. Canadians who live in the riding of Carleton, 30,000 of them, have had a reduction in their taxes. One cannot pick and choose benefits. The fact of the matter is that the introduction of the Canada child benefit together with the reduction in taxes means that people are better off. There are 16,000 children in the Carleton region who are getting about $4 million more than they were before this government came into power.We are going to continue to make investments. The good news is that our approach is working and our economy is doing well.
Mr. Speaker, in the fictional world inhabited by the member for Carleton, he pretends that things that are true are not true. We cannot say it any more clearly. For people who earn between $45,000 and $90,000, we reduced taxes in that category by 7%, which means that people earning up to $200,000 or so actually have reduced taxes; but for the one per cent, we did increase taxes. For people who are raising their children, we gave them the Canada child benefit, much improved. Nine out of 10 families are better off with $2,000 more this year than in 2015. The facts are clear.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to point out that the historic investments we have made in housing in recent years have helped more than one million Canadians find affordable housing.We know that more money and more solutions are needed. However, make no mistake, the investments we have already made and that we continue to make in the national housing strategy are making a real difference in people's lives.
Mr. Speaker, last year, when Greyhound announced it was ceasing operations, constituents in my riding were rightfully worried about how they would get from town to town. Without reliable transit, people cannot access crucial services like health care, shelters for women fleeing violence or urgently needed addiction treatment. In rural areas, people relied on Greyhound to travel to these services. The Liberal government said it would provide funding, though we have not seen it, and people are still unable to travel. When will the government provide safe, affordable and accessible transit for rural and remote communities?
Mr. Speaker, farmers are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. Business people are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. Soccer moms are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. That is why we have a plan that if works is going to make life more affordable, is going to put more money in the pockets of families and is going to create good jobs. We need to take action on climate change. To not have a plan is irresponsible. It has now been 274 days since the party opposite said that it would have a plan. Where is its climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, our government has proven that it is a strong advocate for small businesses and is committed to helping them start up, scale up and access new markets. As a small business owner myself in my riding of Kitchener Centre, I know that small businesses employ so many of my constituents and keep our economy strong.Could the Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion tell the House what our government has done to make it easier for our small businesses?
[Member spoke in Cree, interpreted as follows:] Mr. Speaker, could the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism please update the House on Canada's role in the initiative and work being done to protect and revitalize indigenous languages in Canada? I am proud to say that the United Nations has declared 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
Mr. Speaker, recently, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, along with the Premier of P.E.I., signed a framework agreement with Mi'kmaq people to address outstanding issues of Mi'kmaq rights and title.The Mi'kmaq leadership see this agreement as the beginning of a process to determine how all P.E.I. Mi'kmaq, both on and off reserve, will benefit from their rights, today and into the future.Beyond this one agreement, could the minister explain the government's progress on renewing relationships with the indigenous peoples of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, we certainly recognize that Canadians deserve safe, affordable and accessible housing. That is why we created the first national housing strategy, which is making unprecedented investments in housing. To date, it has already helped more than one million Canadians find housing.However, we know that there is more to be done. We will continue to invest in Canadians to ensure that everyone has safe and accessible housing.
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to say that our government believes very strongly in the right of every Canadian to have a safe, affordable and accessible home. That is why, since 2015, we have invested $5.7 billion in addition to the dollars already forecast to help a million families in Canada have access to a safe and affordable home, and that is why, in November 2017, we announced the first-ever national housing strategy, which is going to reduce chronic homelessness by at least 50% and renew federal leadership and partnership in housing.
Mr. Speaker, we fully recognize that, when Greyhound departed at the end of October last year, it would leave an absence of public transportation in the western provinces, and we immediately started working on a solution. We are working with the provinces, including British Columbia, my colleague's home province. We will be there if they request us to help them on a cost-sharing basis. We have given that undertaking.
Mr. Speaker, over the past three yearsindeed, over the past three budgetswe made housing a priority for Canadians. We know that it needs to be safe, affordable and accessible for all Canadians. That is why we moved forward with a historic national housing strategy that re-engages the federal government in housing right across the country. We have not waited to invest. On the contrary, the significant investments we have already made have helped close to a million Canadians access more affordable housing. That is making a real difference now and, yes, many years into the future.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House request that the results of the secret ballot on Bill C-421, an act to amend the Citizenship Act with respect to adequate knowledge of French in Quebec, to be held January 29 and 30, 2019, be disclosed at the same time as the voting results.
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That, given the enormous cultural significance of hockey in Canada, the House encourages the Hockey Hall of Fame to induct Paul Henderson in recognition of his incredible contribution to Canadian hockey and its history.
Mr. Speaker, first nations communities are of utmost importance. I have spoken with Chief Keewaykapow and I have affirmed our commitment to working with Cat Lake to address the community's housing needs. Officials will be meeting with the leadership there tomorrow to work on an action plan to help them work on the serious challenges that they confront. We will continue working in partnership with first nations communities to advance their priorities and to support community-led solutions.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her question. The Prime Minister and I both met with the big city mayors this morning, and I had a chance to talk to the mayors about our historic infrastructure investment plan, which will provide more than $180 billion for infrastructure. A lot of our investments are going towards public transit, green infrastructure and our regions. I also want to remind my colleague that more than 470,000 projects were approved between November 2015 and January 2019. Over 70% of those projects, representing more than $18 billion, are under construction. We will keep investing in Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Malpeque for his hard work.In P.E.I., we did sign a framework agreement with Lennox Island and Abegweit First Nations and the province to establish a path forward to the recognition and implementation of Mi'kmaq inherent and treaty rights.Chief Matilda Ramjattan said that this agreement was an important first step in rebuilding their nation and bringing socio-economic health to our people.In P.E.I. and coast to coast to coast, our government is advancing reconciliation by working with our partners to realize self-determination.
Most negative speeches
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have lost confidence in the Prime Minister's ability to stand up for our interests abroad.The number of diplomatic disasters continues to rise. His trip to India was a failure, he has angered our partners in the Asia-Pacific region, he failed with NAFTA, and now our relations with China are in trouble. He fired his ambassador, and his Minister of Foreign Affairs is nowhere to be found, even though there are lives at stake. Canadians are paying for the Prime Minister's failures.Does he even have a plan for China?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have lost confidence that the Prime Minister can lead our country on the world stage. His list of diplomatic disasters is rising. It includes his appalling India trip. He has infuriated our Asia-Pacific trade partners. He failed Canada on NAFTA. Now our relationship with China is in tatters. He fired his ambassador. His foreign affairs minister is missing in action.The consequences are dire. Lives are hanging in the balance. Canadians are paying for the failures of the Prime Minister. Does he even have a plan for China?
Mr. Speaker, our government has lowered the small business tax to 9%, giving small business owners up to $7,500 in savings. We have also cut red tape by removing 450 administrative burdens, making it easier for businesses to do business. We are working hard for Canada's small businesses because they are the backbone of our Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, in fact what Canadians chose in 2015 was a government that was going to make investments as opposed to an approach that was going to bring in austerity, to actually put us in a situation where we were trying to balance the budget on the backs of Canadians by either raising taxes or cutting benefits.We have a plan, investing in Canadians. The question is: What would be the Conservative plan? Would it be to cut the Canada child benefit, or would it be to raise taxes on middle-class Canadians? We have been clear. We are helping middle-class Canadians. We would like to hear what they would plan on doing.
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Prime Minister's foreign policy is a disaster, and Canadians are paying for his mistakes. Our international partners have no respect for the Prime Minister, and why should they? After clowning around in India and inviting a convicted terrorist along with him, he then was forced to take concession after concession from Donald Trump. He even angered our partners in Japan and Australia, and now we have the debacle with China. Why did the Prime Minister show such weakness and wait so long to fire his ambassador?
Mr. Speaker, the National Assembly unanimously passed a motion calling for the immediate construction of the second supply ship, the Obelix, at the Davie shipyard. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister is showing little respect for Quebec and shipyard workers.Even the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence, which has a Liberal majority, pointed to the complete loss of an at-sea replenishment capability.Why does the Prime Minister have so little respect for the Royal Canadian Navy and Quebec shipyard workers, and why is he using statements previously made by CAF members when there are lengthy delays in the
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec is calling for a single tax return. The Prime Minister replied, A unanimous motion from the National Assembly? Good Lord, that never happens!After ridiculing Quebec, now the entire machinery of government is engaged in a campaign of fear. To listen to the Liberals, we would think that the 10 plagues of Egypt were upon us. The worst part is that this strategy is working, because the NDP has already caved.Why is the government so bent on having two tax returns? What is it afraid of? Is it afraid that Quebec will perform better?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's foreign policy is a disaster, and Canadians are paying for his mistakes. A convicted terrorist was invited to India. U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum remain in place. The Prime Minister insulted our allies in Japan and Australia. Now we have the crisis with China.When will the Prime Minister stop making Canadians pay for his mistakes?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that my question was for the President of the Treasury Board. Are men answering the questions now that it is 2019? The issue here is that, in 2015, they promised to eliminate the deficit, but there is now a $30-billion deficit. That is a fact.I would like to give the President of the Treasury Board another chance. Will she tell Canadians that, unfortunately, Liberal deficits will lead directly to higher taxes for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, we are in a new House of Commons, but we are getting the same old answers. Why will the Prime Minister not just tell Canadians the truth?He has no plan, and sadly, it is Canadians who will have to pay for his inept and irresponsible fiscal management. The public should not be forced to pay for his failures, his mistakes and his irresponsible and out-of-control fiscal management.Will he at least have the guts to tell workers and Canadians who is going to pay for these deficits?
Mr. Speaker, 2019 will be a historic year. This year, we were scheduled to move into a new House of Commons, and we have done that. This year, the Liberals promised to balance the budget, but that is not going to happen. That is the Liberal reality.We were supposed to get back to zero deficit this year, but instead we have a $30-billion deficit.I congratulate the President of the Treasury Board on her appointment. Could she please assure Canadians that she does not believe that budgets balance themselves and tell them that, unfortunately, a Liberal deficit will lead to tax hikes for all Canadians? That is the reality.
Mr. Speaker, when we originally brought in the child benefit, three things happened: one, the budget was balanced; two, we lowered taxes rather than raising them, as the Liberal government is now doing; and three, Liberals claimed wrongly that parents would just blow it all on beer and popcorn. After all these years, they have finally come around to our point of view on that particular issue. Unfortunately, they have taxed away the benefit with higher taxes in other areas.Will they admit that it will only get worse when this present deficit turns into future tax increases?
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled that Canada must eliminate all forms of discrimination that indigenous women face under the Indian Act. We had that debate two years ago and the government's term is coming to an end.Will the Prime Minister finally keep the promise he made four years ago and repeal all legislation unilaterally imposed on first nations?
Mr. Speaker, on critical, failed records, under the Harper Conservatives, Canadians only had 5,000 spaces to sponsor parents or grandparents. We have increased that to 20,000. We have 20,000 spaces now that allows Canadians and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents. In addition to that, we have reduced the backlog that the Conservatives left us by 80%. We have simplified the process.We will continue to be ambitious in immigration. We will leave the fearmongering to the other side.
Mr. Speaker, it is no surprise that all we get from the Conservatives are warmed over Stephen Harper attacks and the economic plan that failed Canadians for 10 years. They continue to want to give tax breaks to the wealthiest, where we are focused on growing the middle class by investing in people and in their communities. We lowered taxes for the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest one per cent. That has led to not only stronger growth than Stephen Harper ever saw but has led to the creation of 800,000 jobs and the lowest unemployment rate in over 40 years. We are going to continue to invest in Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I guess if I want straight answers on China, I should ask John McCallum.McCallum's comments show that the Liberal government has played politics with this serious diplomatic dispute with China from the start.Therefore, was the justice minister demoted for speaking truth to power to uphold the rule of law and stop the political games being played by the Prime Minister and his hand-picked ambassador?
Mr. Speaker, in a document submitted to the National Energy Board, the Trans Mountain team admitted that pipeline-related marine shipping will have, and I quote, significant environmental effects. The population of southern resident killer whales is down to less than 75 and this project puts an endangered species at risk, but it's no big deal: it is only business, so that justifies it. It is all there in black and white.Will the Liberals stop saying that the economy and the environment go hand in hand? That is not true of the economy they are building.Will the Liberals finally admit that by buying the Trans Mountain pipeline they sided with big business and gave up on protecting the environment? That is the truth.
Mr. Speaker, it has been an interesting week for Canadian foreign policy. The government recognized an opposition MP declaring himself President of Venezuela. I wish I had thought of that. I am going to resist the temptation to declare myself Prime Minister of Canada. Unfortunately, there are many governments around the world whose democratic legitimacy is questionable. Is Canadian government policy now to endorse coups against all of them?
Mr. Speaker, the Big City Mayors Caucus met in Ottawa today with a very clear message for the Prime Minister and his ministers. The Liberals promised them an infrastructure bonanza, but they are still waiting. Canadians need investments in public transit, and so does the planet. I also want to mention the small municipalities across the country that are still waiting for the funding they were promised.When are the Liberals finally going to keep the promises they made to municipalities?
Mr. Speaker, our government has proven that it is a strong advocate for small businesses and is committed to helping them start up, scale up and access new markets. As a small business owner myself in my riding of Kitchener Centre, I know that small businesses employ so many of my constituents and keep our economy strong.Could the Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion tell the House what our government has done to make it easier for our small businesses?
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House request that the results of the secret ballot on Bill C-421, an act to amend the Citizenship Act with respect to adequate knowledge of French in Quebec, to be held January 29 and 30, 2019, be disclosed at the same time as the voting results.
Mr. Speaker, we fully recognize that, when Greyhound departed at the end of October last year, it would leave an absence of public transportation in the western provinces, and we immediately started working on a solution. We are working with the provinces, including British Columbia, my colleague's home province. We will be there if they request us to help them on a cost-sharing basis. We have given that undertaking.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to brag about his vast family fortune, but since he has never had to balance a family budget, he thinks budgets balance themselves. That is why he promised that the budget would be balanced by 2019. Now he is saying it is going to take another 20 years. It is obvious that taxes will increase as a result of this massive, out-of-control deficit.When will the Prime Minister admit that his deficits are costing Canadians a lot of money?
Mr. Speaker, combatting international tax evasion is a priority for our government, as it is for Quebeckers. Information exchange agreements with our international partners remain essential to tackling international tax evasion. A single revenue administration managed by Quebec would make it harder for Canada to respect its international legal obligations. It could also cause problems when it comes to ratifying international agreements. Quebec is simply not properly equipped to combat international tax evasion.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the member to talk to his former colleagues in the NDP. Canadians need an apology from the member for ChurchillKeewatinook Aski and the NDP candidate in YorkSimcoe for their defence of a dictatorship that has killed hundreds and injured thousands of peaceful protesters. If the NDP members cannot take a firm and clear stance on the fight of the people of Venezuela for democracy, I do not know what they can take a clear position on.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has spent over a billion dollars on 40,000 illegal border crossers, with more crossing every day. However, today, the forum that allows parents and grandparents of new Canadians who are trying to legally migrate to Canada for all of 2019 opened and closed in just 10 minutes. Therefore, under the Liberals, illegal border crossers get a red carpet welcome and legal immigrants get the door shut in their face. Will the Prime Minister admit that Canadians reject having to pay for his unfair immigration practices?
Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising the Prime Minister does not worry about Canadians' money. He has never had to worry about money. He has never had to balance a household budget, so he thinks budgets balance themselves. He thinks he can borrow his way out of debt and that others should pay for his mistakes, so it is no wonder the debt has grown three times more than what he promised. Why will he not tell the truth before the next election, that his wasteful spending and runaway deficits will mean higher taxes for Canadians?
Mr, Speaker, the Liberals targeted soccer moms with tax increases when they took away the children's fitness tax credit. They targeted students with tax increases when they cancelled the education and textbook tax credits. They targeted passengers with tax increases when they took away the transit tax credit. That does not even include the carbon tax on heat, groceries and gas, nor does it include higher payroll taxes. It will only get worse. This massive Liberal deficit will lead to higher taxes for Canadians. Why will they not tell people that before the election?
Mr. Speaker, that answer shows how out of touch the Prime Minister is, and people know it. Sarah, for example, is a nurse with three children who is struggling to find affordable housing in Burnaby, B.C. The only places she can find will take her entire paycheque, leaving no money for food or anything else. That is the reality of the housing crisis. Mayors from across the country are raising housing with the Prime Minister today, saying that we need action now. Will the Liberals stop siding with corporations and side with people who need affordable housing now?
Mr. Speaker, last year, when Greyhound announced it was ceasing operations, constituents in my riding were rightfully worried about how they would get from town to town. Without reliable transit, people cannot access crucial services like health care, shelters for women fleeing violence or urgently needed addiction treatment. In rural areas, people relied on Greyhound to travel to these services. The Liberal government said it would provide funding, though we have not seen it, and people are still unable to travel. When will the government provide safe, affordable and accessible transit for rural and remote communities?
Mr. Speaker, across Canada people are struggling with extreme cold temperatures. For the 30,000 Canadians who are homeless, finding warm shelter can be a matter of life or death. Shelters are near capacity and people seeking refuge in tent cities are being served with eviction notices. Where are people to go? They cannot wait 10 years for a national housing strategy to ramp up. Will the Liberal government step up and legislate, as promised, the right to housing for all Canadiansyes or no?
Mr. Speaker, first, our government is committed to making sure that the Canadian Armed Forces have all the tools necessary to do their job. That is what our defence policy is committed to.I want to thank the workers at Davie for the Asterix. They are playing a vital role. We have started steel cutting on the early blocks of the two permanent joint supply ships and look forward to having those in the water.
Mr. Speaker, first nations communities are of utmost importance. I have spoken with Chief Keewaykapow and I have affirmed our commitment to working with Cat Lake to address the community's housing needs. Officials will be meeting with the leadership there tomorrow to work on an action plan to help them work on the serious challenges that they confront. We will continue working in partnership with first nations communities to advance their priorities and to support community-led solutions.
Mr. Speaker, we lowered taxes for the middle class. The only way the Conservatives can make those numbers work is if they completely ignore a policy they voted against, the Canada child benefit. The Canada child benefit has made more difference in the lives of hard-working Canadians than any other policy in recent history. They voted against it. Maybe they do not want to talk about it because they plan to take it away from Canadians. We are going to continue to invest in Canadians.When it comes to climate change, it has been 274 days since the member opposite promised a climate plan for Canadians. Where is that plan?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that the Liberals' plan on carbon taxes is going to hurt small businesses and it is going to hurt families. Farmers in my riding did not inherit a family fortune like the Prime Minister. They have to worry about making ends meet and cannot afford the Prime Minister's new carbon tax. Worse yet, government documents now admit that to make its plan work the carbon tax will have to be six times higher than the current rate. When will the Prime Minister come clean with farmers about his plan to significantly increase the cost of everything from fertilizer to shipping products to market?
Mr. Speaker, obviously, we have a plan. It is clear that investing in the middle class is working. Now, our economy is working for the middle class. The alternative, an austerity approach, is not really a plan since it involves making cuts or increasing taxes. That is the Conservatives' plan.Our approach involves lowering taxes for the middle class, and Canada is better off because of it.
Mr. Speaker, we are now three weeks into the state of emergency, the deplorable humanitarian crisis in Cat Lake. Temperatures have plunged to -55°, we have hundreds of people huddled in squalid conditions, people are at risk, and yet the best the minister has been able to do after three weeks is to promise to send some bureaucrats to check on the situation. That is not going to cut it.What steps will the minister take to meet with the leadership, to put in place an emergency response team now and to visit Cat Lake so he can see the deplorable conditions that the people of Cat Lake are living in? What will he do?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming increasingly difficult to access housing in Canada. It is a problem for buyers, who are shut out of many markets, and for low-income renters, who are affected by the shortage of affordable and social housing.In British Columbia, for example, tent cities are springing up in places such as Maple Ridge, Nanaimo and Victoria, right here in Canada in the 21st century.Will this urgent situation be taken into consideration in the next Liberal budget?Will immediate investments be made to address the current crisis?
Mr. Speaker, money is the least of the Prime Minister's concerns. He has never had to keep a personal budget, so it comes as no surprise that he thinks budgets balance themselves.He is rather good at racking up debt, especially when he is making Canadians pick up the tab.When will the Prime Minister finally tell the truth and admit that he plans to raise taxes to pay for his mistakes?
Mr. Speaker, there are so many false claims in that question that it is hard to even know where to start. However, let me try.When it comes to our partners in the Asia-Pacific, Canada is proud to have signed the CPTPP, which is entering into force. In fact, we are the only G7 country with trade agreements with every other G7 country. That is a diplomatic and trade triumph.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that climate change is having a huge cost in terms of our economy and on lives, but we have a plan that works, that makes life affordable and that makes sure we are creating jobs in the future. Let us talk about the plan. I want to reassure the member that we have a new climate action incentive. We are putting a price on pollution, and a family of four in Ontario will get $307 back. We are also investing in public transit across the country. We are supporting innovators and entrepreneurs who are created the solutions of tomorrow. Unfortunately, the Conservatives opposite are just harking back to the days of the Harper Conservatives. They have no
Mr. Speaker, an Angus Reid poll released last week clearly shows that meeting Quebec's demands, such as the single tax return, does not pay off in English Canada. In fact, we have every reason to believe that meeting any of Quebec's demands would cost points in the rest of Canada. This means that the Liberals are going to deny Quebeckers the opportunity of filing a single tax return just to win votes in English Canada.Are we to understand that the Liberals have picked a side and are obviously not siding with Quebeckers?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister promised Canadians that they would get rid of the deficit by this year, and they have clearly failed. We find ourselves in a situation where the rich are actually paying less taxes, and in their spending review, the Liberals did not find any ways to save money but did find ways to spend more. Fail.Canadians will ultimately pay for these mistakes. Will the Prime Minister admit to Canadians that his higher deficits will lead to higher taxes for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to answering the member's question shortly, but I think before we do, we need to take a moment to recognize and applaud the extraordinary women and men who worked so hard to build this beautiful chamber for us to serve in and to remember that if we who serve Canadians in this place work even half as hard as they worked to build this place for us, we will be very well served as a country indeed.
Actually, Mr. Speaker, he has raised taxes on the middle class by $800, taking away the child benefit, the tuition tax credit, the tax credit for kids' sports. He took away the tuition tax credit for textbooks. He took away the education tax credit. That does not even include the carbon tax. We ain't seen nothing yet. This massive Liberal deficit will lead to even more massive tax hikes after the election.Why will the Liberals not admit that Canadians will pay the price for their increased debt?
Mr. Speaker, just last week, media reports said that 46% of all Canadians are now only $200 away from financial insolvency in a month, but instead of bringing in immediate relief for people facing a housing crisis and crushing personal debt, the Liberals' priority has been to give billions of dollars in corporate giveaways. The current Liberal government continues to tell Canadians to wait for real action on housing. Will the Prime Minister commit to making different choices this year? Will he make affordable housing a top priority in this year's budget?
Mr. Speaker, the issues associated with the southern resident killer whale are very important. It is part of a broader conversation around biodiversity.There are three significant challenges for the killer whales: access to food, issues around marine shipping and contaminants in the water, all of which exist today, all of which are the product of industrialization over the past several decades.We are working very hard through the whales initiative to ensure we put the killer whales back on an appropriate path to success, and ensure that the environment and economy go forward hand in hand.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Winnipeg Centre for his question. He has always been a courageous and passionate defender of indigenous languages.Most of Canada's indigenous languages are in danger due to deliberate past actions, and Canada is proud to join the world in marking the International Year of Indigenous Languages. We thank the inspiring indigenous languages leaders for their tireless work.I look forward to soon tabling a bill that was drafted in co-operation with indigenous peoples. It will be a historic moment.Together, we can and we will change history.
Mr. Speaker, the only people playing political games when two Canadians are in a difficult situation are the members opposite, and that is truly reprehensible. When it comes to the case of Ms. Meng, Canada is a rule-of-law country. We are proud to be a rule-of-law country. We have honoured our extradition treaty commitments, as we honour all of our international treaty commitments, and Ms. Meng has access to our impartial and fair judicial system.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our plan was to invest in people, the middle class, and our communities. That is why we lowered taxes for the middle class and asked the wealthy to pay more taxes. Canadians have created 800,000 jobs over the past three years. We are seeing strong economic growth and we have the lowest unemployment rate in 40 years.We want to keep investing in Canadians and the middle class, but the Conservatives want to give breaks to the wealthy because they think that is the way to create economic growth. They are wrong.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to China, our top priority is the safety and well-being of the Canadians detained in China. This is a priority for the Prime Minister, for me and for the entire government. These arbitrary detentions are unacceptable to Canadians and to the international community.The Prime Minister and I have both spoken to a number of international partners. We will stand by the statements of support we have received from many countries.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Malpeque for his hard work.In P.E.I., we did sign a framework agreement with Lennox Island and Abegweit First Nations and the province to establish a path forward to the recognition and implementation of Mi'kmaq inherent and treaty rights.Chief Matilda Ramjattan said that this agreement was an important first step in rebuilding their nation and bringing socio-economic health to our people.In P.E.I. and coast to coast to coast, our government is advancing reconciliation by working with our partners to realize self-determination.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' plan is actually punishing Canadians for heating their homes, driving their kids to dance practice, hockey practice, wherever their daily routines are taking them, and the Prime Minister is failing to help Canadians get ahead. His carbon tax will cost them over $1,000 more on household essentials that they need and his government plans to make it six times more expensive than that. Canadians are already paying for his failures. When will the Prime Minister come clean and admit the real costs of the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, the CRA employs more than 5,500 people throughout Quebec and is a major economic driver in towns such as Shawinigan and Jonquière.Unlike the Bloc Québécois and the Conservatives, we are not jeopardizing those jobs. That said, we remain open to working with Revenu Québec to make it easier for Quebeckers to file their tax returns.
Mr. Speaker, you invited members to an official smudging ceremony in the House this morning. This was a wonderful idea, but I am disappointed that 99% of this ceremony was in English and that there was no interpretation.I have been a member in this House for 35 years, and interpretation has always been available for important events or official ceremonies, or else the ceremony has been conducted in both official languages. There are francophone indigenous communities, like the Abenaki community, that could have participated in this ceremony along with the Algonquin people. This smudging ceremony could have then been in both official languages.In the future, I hope everyone remembers that there are two official languages here. In this country's history, the indigenous peoples were here first, then francophones were here for 200 years, and after that the anglophones arrived. Clearly, there is every reason to include French in our official ceremonies.
Mr. Speaker, we are acting with integrity and taking decisive action in two key ways. First of all, we want to keep Canadians safe, secure the release of the two Canadians arbitrarily detained in China and push for clemency for the third.At the same time, we want to ensure that we always stand up for the rule of law and the independence of our judicial system and that we continue engaging with our allies around the world, to send a clear message that Canada will always defend the rule of law.
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear. Actually, middle-class anxieties are something we have been very focused on from day one. That is why we reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians, a policy that the Conservatives voted against. That is why we put in place the Canada child benefit, helping nine out of 10 families with more money. On average, middle-class families with two kids, this year, will have $2,000 more than they had when the last Conservative government was here in 2015.We are helping with middle-class anxieties, while the opposition continues to vote against policies that help these people.
Mr. Speaker, everything the Prime Minister just said is false. With his changes, the richest Canadians are paying less in tax, and hard-working Canadian families are paying more, and they are going to continue to pay more, because government documents show that the carbon tax will rise six times higher than what the Prime Minister now admits, which means higher gasoline costs and higher home heating costs. Canadians are already paying for his mistakes, so why is he also covering up the real cost of his carbon tax from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are already paying the price of climate change and it is going up every single year. It is a human cost. It is a cost to the economy. However, there is good news. We can actually tackle climate change in a way that works, that makes life affordable and that creates good jobs. Let me talk about the climate action incentive. We are putting a price on pollution. It will no longer be free to pollute in the country. A family of four in Ontario will get $307 back. A family of four in Manitoba will get $339 back. A family of four in Saskatchewan will get $609 back. We can tackle climate change
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to Meng Wanzhou, let me be very clear about the Government of Canada's position. First of all, Canada is a rule-of-law country and we are conducting a fair, unbiased and transparent legal proceeding. In fact, Madam Meng is currently on bail, as the court has ruled. There has been, as is correct, no political involvement in the process. Canada respects our international legal commitments, including our extradition treaty with the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her question. The Prime Minister and I both met with the big city mayors this morning, and I had a chance to talk to the mayors about our historic infrastructure investment plan, which will provide more than $180 billion for infrastructure. A lot of our investments are going towards public transit, green infrastructure and our regions. I also want to remind my colleague that more than 470,000 projects were approved between November 2015 and January 2019. Over 70% of those projects, representing more than $18 billion, are under construction. We will keep investing in Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we have been clear that we are making investments, which are critical to improving Canadians' lives. We have invested in the middle class and delivered significant results.Unemployment is now at its lowest in over 40 years, and growth is strong. We are going to continue making investments. It is important for the future, and we can do it in a fiscally responsible way.
Mr. Speaker, the carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family over $2,500 this year. That is 11¢ more for a litre of gas, $250 more for home heating, $100 a month more for groceries and that is just the beginning. Canadians know the Liberal carbon tax is not an environmental policy; it is a tax policy, punishing soccer moms, seniors on fixed incomes and small business owners.Why is the Prime Minister forcing Canadians to pay for his mistakes with punishing new taxes on everyone?
Mr. Speaker, the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou took place on December 1, but the Prime Minister received an unprecedented special briefing several days before this high-profile arrest.My questions are simple. On what date was the Prime Minister first briefed and by whom?
Mr. Speaker, after Ms. Meng was arrested, did the government immediately make representations to the Chinese authorities explaining its actions or did it just calmly wait for the situation to blow up?Mr. McCallum's departure is just the latest example of the government's lack of preparation. This chaos is unacceptable.How can Canadians have confidence in a government that is flying by the seat of its pants when dealing with a global superpower?
Mr. Speaker, over the past three yearsindeed, over the past three budgetswe made housing a priority for Canadians. We know that it needs to be safe, affordable and accessible for all Canadians. That is why we moved forward with a historic national housing strategy that re-engages the federal government in housing right across the country. We have not waited to invest. On the contrary, the significant investments we have already made have helped close to a million Canadians access more affordable housing. That is making a real difference now and, yes, many years into the future.
Mr. Speaker, in the fictional world inhabited by the member for Carleton, he pretends that things that are true are not true. We cannot say it any more clearly. For people who earn between $45,000 and $90,000, we reduced taxes in that category by 7%, which means that people earning up to $200,000 or so actually have reduced taxes; but for the one per cent, we did increase taxes. For people who are raising their children, we gave them the Canada child benefit, much improved. Nine out of 10 families are better off with $2,000 more this year than in 2015. The facts are clear.
Mr. Speaker, by the end of their term, the Liberals will have racked up a deficit of more than $80 billion. Back in 2015, however, the Prime Minister formally promised to balance the budget by the end of this year.The Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed that, due to the irresponsibility of the Prime Minister and his Minister of Finance, we will not see a balanced budget until 2040.The Prime Minister loves telling everyone that budgets balance themselves. Could he tell us right now who is going to pay for these deficits?
Mr. Speaker, that sure sounds great, but 90% of that money will not be allocated before the upcoming federal election, not before 2020, but housing is desperately needed right now. More than 1.5 million Canadian households are in urgent need today. New investments are needed right now, not in three or four years. There are solutions. For example, the government could spur investments by removing the federal portion of the GST/HST from the cost of building new affordable housing units. The Liberals should know how this works. That is what they promised in 2015, but they have since shelved the idea.I will repeat my question. They will have one last chance with the federal budget. Will they invest and act now?
Mr. Speaker, gender equality is a fundamental human right. Bill S-3 eliminates gender discrimination arising from the Indian Act. We have appointed Ms. Dumont-Smith as the minister's special representative. She will work with our partners on a plan to remove the 1951 cut-off date and make more extensive changes to the registration, membership and citizenship of
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to sit down with the big city mayors this morning, who thanked me and congratulated me for the work we have done on investing in housing right across the country. We are making a real impact in the lives of Canadians as we invest in housing that is making a significant difference in people's lives. We will continue to do just that while we focus on making a concrete and sure difference in the lives of Canadians right across the country.
Mr. Speaker, it is quite the contrary. We lowered taxes for the middle class. In Carleton, for example, 30,000 middle-class Canadians have seen their taxes cut. On top of that, 16,000 people in that riding are receiving the Canada child benefit. That is what is really going on with middle class Canadians. We have made life better for them and we will continue to invest in the middle class to improve our economy and make things better for these people.
Mr. Speaker, recently, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, along with the Premier of P.E.I., signed a framework agreement with Mi'kmaq people to address outstanding issues of Mi'kmaq rights and title.The Mi'kmaq leadership see this agreement as the beginning of a process to determine how all P.E.I. Mi'kmaq, both on and off reserve, will benefit from their rights, today and into the future.Beyond this one agreement, could the minister explain the government's progress on renewing relationships with the indigenous peoples of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That, given the enormous cultural significance of hockey in Canada, the House encourages the Hockey Hall of Fame to induct Paul Henderson in recognition of his incredible contribution to Canadian hockey and its history.
Mr. Speaker, the approach we have chosen is good for Canada. Our approach has made things better for the middle class. We know there are inequalities within the middle class, and that is why we lowered their taxes. We have also made things better for Canadian families with the Canada child benefit. Thanks to our measures, our economy is growing. Our approach is working and I hope future governments will adopt a similar approach so that we can ensure a bright future for our country.
Mr. Speaker, given that Netflix has rejected the request made by the Quebec government, on behalf of the people of Lac-Mégantic and all Quebeckers, that it stop using images of the Lac-Mégantic disaster, I wish to seek consent for the following motion: That the House of Commons call on Netflix Inc. to withdraw from its catalogue all images of the Lac-Mégantic disaster, which took the lives of 47 people, and that Netflix Inc. provide financial compensation to the Lac-Mégantic community for having used these images for entertainment purposes without regard for the trauma experienced by the residents, survivors and friends and families of the victims.
Mr. Speaker, what we have done over the last more than three years is make a real, important difference for Canadians, with higher growth rates and lower unemployment. Clearly, the approach we have taken has worked.The options that we had in the last election were the approach of austerity and cuts, which was being proposed by the Conservative Party at that time, versus our approach of investing in Canadians. What we have been able to show is that our approach works. We can do it in a fiscally responsible way, and we will continue to have a plan that makes sense for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to point out that the historic investments we have made in housing in recent years have helped more than one million Canadians find affordable housing.We know that more money and more solutions are needed. However, make no mistake, the investments we have already made and that we continue to make in the national housing strategy are making a real difference in people's lives.
Mr. Speaker, our government has done a great deal of work on this file.Our top priority is the well-being and safety of the Canadians detained by China. We now have the support of many of our allies, such as Australia, the European Union, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Spain. All these countries have openly supported the Canadian position.
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to say that our government believes very strongly in the right of every Canadian to have a safe, affordable and accessible home. That is why, since 2015, we have invested $5.7 billion in addition to the dollars already forecast to help a million families in Canada have access to a safe and affordable home, and that is why, in November 2017, we announced the first-ever national housing strategy, which is going to reduce chronic homelessness by at least 50% and renew federal leadership and partnership in housing.
Mr. Speaker, his talking points are all an attempt to make sure that they do not panic the flock before the fleecing. That is what it is all about. How can the finance minister stand here and honestly say that Canadians are doing better when 46% of Canadians feel that they are $200 away from insolvency?I know the Prime Minister and the finance minister have not felt this, but I can tell them that people lose sleep and that the anxiety is crushing. Canadians know that they are not in good shape, and they are afraid of these new taxes.When will the Prime Minister level with them and just tell them that more taxes are coming?
Mr. Speaker, farmers are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. Business people are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. Soccer moms are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. That is why we have a plan that if works is going to make life more affordable, is going to put more money in the pockets of families and is going to create good jobs. We need to take action on climate change. To not have a plan is irresponsible. It has now been 274 days since the party opposite said that it would have a plan. Where is its climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are getting the benefit from the choice they made. Let us be very specific. Canadians who live in the riding of Carleton, 30,000 of them, have had a reduction in their taxes. One cannot pick and choose benefits. The fact of the matter is that the introduction of the Canada child benefit together with the reduction in taxes means that people are better off. There are 16,000 children in the Carleton region who are getting about $4 million more than they were before this government came into power.We are going to continue to make investments. The good news is that our approach is working and our economy is doing well.
Mr. Speaker, the good news is that Canadians are now better off thanks to our approach. Our investments have created more jobs across the country. It is true. What is more, middle class Canadians are paying fewer taxes. That is for sure.Our approach is much better for Canadians, and we have been able to do all this while maintaining a debt-to-GDP ratio that works for the future of our country.
Mr. Speaker, we certainly recognize that Canadians deserve safe, affordable and accessible housing. That is why we created the first national housing strategy, which is making unprecedented investments in housing. To date, it has already helped more than one million Canadians find housing.However, we know that there is more to be done. We will continue to invest in Canadians to ensure that everyone has safe and accessible housing.
[Member spoke in Cree, interpreted as follows:] Mr. Speaker, could the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism please update the House on Canada's role in the initiative and work being done to protect and revitalize indigenous languages in Canada? I am proud to say that the United Nations has declared 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have lost confidence in the Prime Minister's ability to stand up for our interests abroad.The number of diplomatic disasters continues to rise. His trip to India was a failure, he has angered our partners in the Asia-Pacific region, he failed with NAFTA, and now our relations with China are in trouble. He fired his ambassador, and his Minister of Foreign Affairs is nowhere to be found, even though there are lives at stake. Canadians are paying for the Prime Minister's failures.Does he even have a plan for China?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have lost confidence that the Prime Minister can lead our country on the world stage. His list of diplomatic disasters is rising. It includes his appalling India trip. He has infuriated our Asia-Pacific trade partners. He failed Canada on NAFTA. Now our relationship with China is in tatters. He fired his ambassador. His foreign affairs minister is missing in action.The consequences are dire. Lives are hanging in the balance. Canadians are paying for the failures of the Prime Minister. Does he even have a plan for China?
Mr. Speaker, our government has lowered the small business tax to 9%, giving small business owners up to $7,500 in savings. We have also cut red tape by removing 450 administrative burdens, making it easier for businesses to do business. We are working hard for Canada's small businesses because they are the backbone of our Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, in fact what Canadians chose in 2015 was a government that was going to make investments as opposed to an approach that was going to bring in austerity, to actually put us in a situation where we were trying to balance the budget on the backs of Canadians by either raising taxes or cutting benefits.We have a plan, investing in Canadians. The question is: What would be the Conservative plan? Would it be to cut the Canada child benefit, or would it be to raise taxes on middle-class Canadians? We have been clear. We are helping middle-class Canadians. We would like to hear what they would plan on doing.
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Prime Minister's foreign policy is a disaster, and Canadians are paying for his mistakes. Our international partners have no respect for the Prime Minister, and why should they? After clowning around in India and inviting a convicted terrorist along with him, he then was forced to take concession after concession from Donald Trump. He even angered our partners in Japan and Australia, and now we have the debacle with China. Why did the Prime Minister show such weakness and wait so long to fire his ambassador?
Mr. Speaker, the National Assembly unanimously passed a motion calling for the immediate construction of the second supply ship, the Obelix, at the Davie shipyard. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister is showing little respect for Quebec and shipyard workers.Even the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence, which has a Liberal majority, pointed to the complete loss of an at-sea replenishment capability.Why does the Prime Minister have so little respect for the Royal Canadian Navy and Quebec shipyard workers, and why is he using statements previously made by CAF members when there are lengthy delays in the
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec is calling for a single tax return. The Prime Minister replied, A unanimous motion from the National Assembly? Good Lord, that never happens!After ridiculing Quebec, now the entire machinery of government is engaged in a campaign of fear. To listen to the Liberals, we would think that the 10 plagues of Egypt were upon us. The worst part is that this strategy is working, because the NDP has already caved.Why is the government so bent on having two tax returns? What is it afraid of? Is it afraid that Quebec will perform better?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's foreign policy is a disaster, and Canadians are paying for his mistakes. A convicted terrorist was invited to India. U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum remain in place. The Prime Minister insulted our allies in Japan and Australia. Now we have the crisis with China.When will the Prime Minister stop making Canadians pay for his mistakes?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that my question was for the President of the Treasury Board. Are men answering the questions now that it is 2019? The issue here is that, in 2015, they promised to eliminate the deficit, but there is now a $30-billion deficit. That is a fact.I would like to give the President of the Treasury Board another chance. Will she tell Canadians that, unfortunately, Liberal deficits will lead directly to higher taxes for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, we are in a new House of Commons, but we are getting the same old answers. Why will the Prime Minister not just tell Canadians the truth?He has no plan, and sadly, it is Canadians who will have to pay for his inept and irresponsible fiscal management. The public should not be forced to pay for his failures, his mistakes and his irresponsible and out-of-control fiscal management.Will he at least have the guts to tell workers and Canadians who is going to pay for these deficits?
Mr. Speaker, 2019 will be a historic year. This year, we were scheduled to move into a new House of Commons, and we have done that. This year, the Liberals promised to balance the budget, but that is not going to happen. That is the Liberal reality.We were supposed to get back to zero deficit this year, but instead we have a $30-billion deficit.I congratulate the President of the Treasury Board on her appointment. Could she please assure Canadians that she does not believe that budgets balance themselves and tell them that, unfortunately, a Liberal deficit will lead to tax hikes for all Canadians? That is the reality.
Mr. Speaker, when we originally brought in the child benefit, three things happened: one, the budget was balanced; two, we lowered taxes rather than raising them, as the Liberal government is now doing; and three, Liberals claimed wrongly that parents would just blow it all on beer and popcorn. After all these years, they have finally come around to our point of view on that particular issue. Unfortunately, they have taxed away the benefit with higher taxes in other areas.Will they admit that it will only get worse when this present deficit turns into future tax increases?
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled that Canada must eliminate all forms of discrimination that indigenous women face under the Indian Act. We had that debate two years ago and the government's term is coming to an end.Will the Prime Minister finally keep the promise he made four years ago and repeal all legislation unilaterally imposed on first nations?
Mr. Speaker, on critical, failed records, under the Harper Conservatives, Canadians only had 5,000 spaces to sponsor parents or grandparents. We have increased that to 20,000. We have 20,000 spaces now that allows Canadians and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents. In addition to that, we have reduced the backlog that the Conservatives left us by 80%. We have simplified the process.We will continue to be ambitious in immigration. We will leave the fearmongering to the other side.
Mr. Speaker, it is no surprise that all we get from the Conservatives are warmed over Stephen Harper attacks and the economic plan that failed Canadians for 10 years. They continue to want to give tax breaks to the wealthiest, where we are focused on growing the middle class by investing in people and in their communities. We lowered taxes for the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest one per cent. That has led to not only stronger growth than Stephen Harper ever saw but has led to the creation of 800,000 jobs and the lowest unemployment rate in over 40 years. We are going to continue to invest in Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I guess if I want straight answers on China, I should ask John McCallum.McCallum's comments show that the Liberal government has played politics with this serious diplomatic dispute with China from the start.Therefore, was the justice minister demoted for speaking truth to power to uphold the rule of law and stop the political games being played by the Prime Minister and his hand-picked ambassador?
Mr. Speaker, in a document submitted to the National Energy Board, the Trans Mountain team admitted that pipeline-related marine shipping will have, and I quote, significant environmental effects. The population of southern resident killer whales is down to less than 75 and this project puts an endangered species at risk, but it's no big deal: it is only business, so that justifies it. It is all there in black and white.Will the Liberals stop saying that the economy and the environment go hand in hand? That is not true of the economy they are building.Will the Liberals finally admit that by buying the Trans Mountain pipeline they sided with big business and gave up on protecting the environment? That is the truth.
Mr. Speaker, it has been an interesting week for Canadian foreign policy. The government recognized an opposition MP declaring himself President of Venezuela. I wish I had thought of that. I am going to resist the temptation to declare myself Prime Minister of Canada. Unfortunately, there are many governments around the world whose democratic legitimacy is questionable. Is Canadian government policy now to endorse coups against all of them?
Mr. Speaker, the Big City Mayors Caucus met in Ottawa today with a very clear message for the Prime Minister and his ministers. The Liberals promised them an infrastructure bonanza, but they are still waiting. Canadians need investments in public transit, and so does the planet. I also want to mention the small municipalities across the country that are still waiting for the funding they were promised.When are the Liberals finally going to keep the promises they made to municipalities?
Mr. Speaker, our government has proven that it is a strong advocate for small businesses and is committed to helping them start up, scale up and access new markets. As a small business owner myself in my riding of Kitchener Centre, I know that small businesses employ so many of my constituents and keep our economy strong.Could the Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion tell the House what our government has done to make it easier for our small businesses?
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House request that the results of the secret ballot on Bill C-421, an act to amend the Citizenship Act with respect to adequate knowledge of French in Quebec, to be held January 29 and 30, 2019, be disclosed at the same time as the voting results.
Mr. Speaker, we fully recognize that, when Greyhound departed at the end of October last year, it would leave an absence of public transportation in the western provinces, and we immediately started working on a solution. We are working with the provinces, including British Columbia, my colleague's home province. We will be there if they request us to help them on a cost-sharing basis. We have given that undertaking.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to brag about his vast family fortune, but since he has never had to balance a family budget, he thinks budgets balance themselves. That is why he promised that the budget would be balanced by 2019. Now he is saying it is going to take another 20 years. It is obvious that taxes will increase as a result of this massive, out-of-control deficit.When will the Prime Minister admit that his deficits are costing Canadians a lot of money?
Mr. Speaker, combatting international tax evasion is a priority for our government, as it is for Quebeckers. Information exchange agreements with our international partners remain essential to tackling international tax evasion. A single revenue administration managed by Quebec would make it harder for Canada to respect its international legal obligations. It could also cause problems when it comes to ratifying international agreements. Quebec is simply not properly equipped to combat international tax evasion.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the member to talk to his former colleagues in the NDP. Canadians need an apology from the member for ChurchillKeewatinook Aski and the NDP candidate in YorkSimcoe for their defence of a dictatorship that has killed hundreds and injured thousands of peaceful protesters. If the NDP members cannot take a firm and clear stance on the fight of the people of Venezuela for democracy, I do not know what they can take a clear position on.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has spent over a billion dollars on 40,000 illegal border crossers, with more crossing every day. However, today, the forum that allows parents and grandparents of new Canadians who are trying to legally migrate to Canada for all of 2019 opened and closed in just 10 minutes. Therefore, under the Liberals, illegal border crossers get a red carpet welcome and legal immigrants get the door shut in their face. Will the Prime Minister admit that Canadians reject having to pay for his unfair immigration practices?
Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising the Prime Minister does not worry about Canadians' money. He has never had to worry about money. He has never had to balance a household budget, so he thinks budgets balance themselves. He thinks he can borrow his way out of debt and that others should pay for his mistakes, so it is no wonder the debt has grown three times more than what he promised. Why will he not tell the truth before the next election, that his wasteful spending and runaway deficits will mean higher taxes for Canadians?
Mr, Speaker, the Liberals targeted soccer moms with tax increases when they took away the children's fitness tax credit. They targeted students with tax increases when they cancelled the education and textbook tax credits. They targeted passengers with tax increases when they took away the transit tax credit. That does not even include the carbon tax on heat, groceries and gas, nor does it include higher payroll taxes. It will only get worse. This massive Liberal deficit will lead to higher taxes for Canadians. Why will they not tell people that before the election?
Mr. Speaker, that answer shows how out of touch the Prime Minister is, and people know it. Sarah, for example, is a nurse with three children who is struggling to find affordable housing in Burnaby, B.C. The only places she can find will take her entire paycheque, leaving no money for food or anything else. That is the reality of the housing crisis. Mayors from across the country are raising housing with the Prime Minister today, saying that we need action now. Will the Liberals stop siding with corporations and side with people who need affordable housing now?
Mr. Speaker, last year, when Greyhound announced it was ceasing operations, constituents in my riding were rightfully worried about how they would get from town to town. Without reliable transit, people cannot access crucial services like health care, shelters for women fleeing violence or urgently needed addiction treatment. In rural areas, people relied on Greyhound to travel to these services. The Liberal government said it would provide funding, though we have not seen it, and people are still unable to travel. When will the government provide safe, affordable and accessible transit for rural and remote communities?
Mr. Speaker, across Canada people are struggling with extreme cold temperatures. For the 30,000 Canadians who are homeless, finding warm shelter can be a matter of life or death. Shelters are near capacity and people seeking refuge in tent cities are being served with eviction notices. Where are people to go? They cannot wait 10 years for a national housing strategy to ramp up. Will the Liberal government step up and legislate, as promised, the right to housing for all Canadiansyes or no?
Mr. Speaker, first, our government is committed to making sure that the Canadian Armed Forces have all the tools necessary to do their job. That is what our defence policy is committed to.I want to thank the workers at Davie for the Asterix. They are playing a vital role. We have started steel cutting on the early blocks of the two permanent joint supply ships and look forward to having those in the water.
Mr. Speaker, first nations communities are of utmost importance. I have spoken with Chief Keewaykapow and I have affirmed our commitment to working with Cat Lake to address the community's housing needs. Officials will be meeting with the leadership there tomorrow to work on an action plan to help them work on the serious challenges that they confront. We will continue working in partnership with first nations communities to advance their priorities and to support community-led solutions.
Mr. Speaker, we lowered taxes for the middle class. The only way the Conservatives can make those numbers work is if they completely ignore a policy they voted against, the Canada child benefit. The Canada child benefit has made more difference in the lives of hard-working Canadians than any other policy in recent history. They voted against it. Maybe they do not want to talk about it because they plan to take it away from Canadians. We are going to continue to invest in Canadians.When it comes to climate change, it has been 274 days since the member opposite promised a climate plan for Canadians. Where is that plan?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that the Liberals' plan on carbon taxes is going to hurt small businesses and it is going to hurt families. Farmers in my riding did not inherit a family fortune like the Prime Minister. They have to worry about making ends meet and cannot afford the Prime Minister's new carbon tax. Worse yet, government documents now admit that to make its plan work the carbon tax will have to be six times higher than the current rate. When will the Prime Minister come clean with farmers about his plan to significantly increase the cost of everything from fertilizer to shipping products to market?
Mr. Speaker, obviously, we have a plan. It is clear that investing in the middle class is working. Now, our economy is working for the middle class. The alternative, an austerity approach, is not really a plan since it involves making cuts or increasing taxes. That is the Conservatives' plan.Our approach involves lowering taxes for the middle class, and Canada is better off because of it.
Mr. Speaker, we are now three weeks into the state of emergency, the deplorable humanitarian crisis in Cat Lake. Temperatures have plunged to -55°, we have hundreds of people huddled in squalid conditions, people are at risk, and yet the best the minister has been able to do after three weeks is to promise to send some bureaucrats to check on the situation. That is not going to cut it.What steps will the minister take to meet with the leadership, to put in place an emergency response team now and to visit Cat Lake so he can see the deplorable conditions that the people of Cat Lake are living in? What will he do?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming increasingly difficult to access housing in Canada. It is a problem for buyers, who are shut out of many markets, and for low-income renters, who are affected by the shortage of affordable and social housing.In British Columbia, for example, tent cities are springing up in places such as Maple Ridge, Nanaimo and Victoria, right here in Canada in the 21st century.Will this urgent situation be taken into consideration in the next Liberal budget?Will immediate investments be made to address the current crisis?
Mr. Speaker, money is the least of the Prime Minister's concerns. He has never had to keep a personal budget, so it comes as no surprise that he thinks budgets balance themselves.He is rather good at racking up debt, especially when he is making Canadians pick up the tab.When will the Prime Minister finally tell the truth and admit that he plans to raise taxes to pay for his mistakes?
Mr. Speaker, there are so many false claims in that question that it is hard to even know where to start. However, let me try.When it comes to our partners in the Asia-Pacific, Canada is proud to have signed the CPTPP, which is entering into force. In fact, we are the only G7 country with trade agreements with every other G7 country. That is a diplomatic and trade triumph.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that climate change is having a huge cost in terms of our economy and on lives, but we have a plan that works, that makes life affordable and that makes sure we are creating jobs in the future. Let us talk about the plan. I want to reassure the member that we have a new climate action incentive. We are putting a price on pollution, and a family of four in Ontario will get $307 back. We are also investing in public transit across the country. We are supporting innovators and entrepreneurs who are created the solutions of tomorrow. Unfortunately, the Conservatives opposite are just harking back to the days of the Harper Conservatives. They have no
Mr. Speaker, an Angus Reid poll released last week clearly shows that meeting Quebec's demands, such as the single tax return, does not pay off in English Canada. In fact, we have every reason to believe that meeting any of Quebec's demands would cost points in the rest of Canada. This means that the Liberals are going to deny Quebeckers the opportunity of filing a single tax return just to win votes in English Canada.Are we to understand that the Liberals have picked a side and are obviously not siding with Quebeckers?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister promised Canadians that they would get rid of the deficit by this year, and they have clearly failed. We find ourselves in a situation where the rich are actually paying less taxes, and in their spending review, the Liberals did not find any ways to save money but did find ways to spend more. Fail.Canadians will ultimately pay for these mistakes. Will the Prime Minister admit to Canadians that his higher deficits will lead to higher taxes for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to answering the member's question shortly, but I think before we do, we need to take a moment to recognize and applaud the extraordinary women and men who worked so hard to build this beautiful chamber for us to serve in and to remember that if we who serve Canadians in this place work even half as hard as they worked to build this place for us, we will be very well served as a country indeed.
Actually, Mr. Speaker, he has raised taxes on the middle class by $800, taking away the child benefit, the tuition tax credit, the tax credit for kids' sports. He took away the tuition tax credit for textbooks. He took away the education tax credit. That does not even include the carbon tax. We ain't seen nothing yet. This massive Liberal deficit will lead to even more massive tax hikes after the election.Why will the Liberals not admit that Canadians will pay the price for their increased debt?
Mr. Speaker, just last week, media reports said that 46% of all Canadians are now only $200 away from financial insolvency in a month, but instead of bringing in immediate relief for people facing a housing crisis and crushing personal debt, the Liberals' priority has been to give billions of dollars in corporate giveaways. The current Liberal government continues to tell Canadians to wait for real action on housing. Will the Prime Minister commit to making different choices this year? Will he make affordable housing a top priority in this year's budget?
Mr. Speaker, the issues associated with the southern resident killer whale are very important. It is part of a broader conversation around biodiversity.There are three significant challenges for the killer whales: access to food, issues around marine shipping and contaminants in the water, all of which exist today, all of which are the product of industrialization over the past several decades.We are working very hard through the whales initiative to ensure we put the killer whales back on an appropriate path to success, and ensure that the environment and economy go forward hand in hand.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Winnipeg Centre for his question. He has always been a courageous and passionate defender of indigenous languages.Most of Canada's indigenous languages are in danger due to deliberate past actions, and Canada is proud to join the world in marking the International Year of Indigenous Languages. We thank the inspiring indigenous languages leaders for their tireless work.I look forward to soon tabling a bill that was drafted in co-operation with indigenous peoples. It will be a historic moment.Together, we can and we will change history.
Mr. Speaker, the only people playing political games when two Canadians are in a difficult situation are the members opposite, and that is truly reprehensible. When it comes to the case of Ms. Meng, Canada is a rule-of-law country. We are proud to be a rule-of-law country. We have honoured our extradition treaty commitments, as we honour all of our international treaty commitments, and Ms. Meng has access to our impartial and fair judicial system.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our plan was to invest in people, the middle class, and our communities. That is why we lowered taxes for the middle class and asked the wealthy to pay more taxes. Canadians have created 800,000 jobs over the past three years. We are seeing strong economic growth and we have the lowest unemployment rate in 40 years.We want to keep investing in Canadians and the middle class, but the Conservatives want to give breaks to the wealthy because they think that is the way to create economic growth. They are wrong.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to China, our top priority is the safety and well-being of the Canadians detained in China. This is a priority for the Prime Minister, for me and for the entire government. These arbitrary detentions are unacceptable to Canadians and to the international community.The Prime Minister and I have both spoken to a number of international partners. We will stand by the statements of support we have received from many countries.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Malpeque for his hard work.In P.E.I., we did sign a framework agreement with Lennox Island and Abegweit First Nations and the province to establish a path forward to the recognition and implementation of Mi'kmaq inherent and treaty rights.Chief Matilda Ramjattan said that this agreement was an important first step in rebuilding their nation and bringing socio-economic health to our people.In P.E.I. and coast to coast to coast, our government is advancing reconciliation by working with our partners to realize self-determination.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' plan is actually punishing Canadians for heating their homes, driving their kids to dance practice, hockey practice, wherever their daily routines are taking them, and the Prime Minister is failing to help Canadians get ahead. His carbon tax will cost them over $1,000 more on household essentials that they need and his government plans to make it six times more expensive than that. Canadians are already paying for his failures. When will the Prime Minister come clean and admit the real costs of the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, the CRA employs more than 5,500 people throughout Quebec and is a major economic driver in towns such as Shawinigan and Jonquière.Unlike the Bloc Québécois and the Conservatives, we are not jeopardizing those jobs. That said, we remain open to working with Revenu Québec to make it easier for Quebeckers to file their tax returns.
Mr. Speaker, you invited members to an official smudging ceremony in the House this morning. This was a wonderful idea, but I am disappointed that 99% of this ceremony was in English and that there was no interpretation.I have been a member in this House for 35 years, and interpretation has always been available for important events or official ceremonies, or else the ceremony has been conducted in both official languages. There are francophone indigenous communities, like the Abenaki community, that could have participated in this ceremony along with the Algonquin people. This smudging ceremony could have then been in both official languages.In the future, I hope everyone remembers that there are two official languages here. In this country's history, the indigenous peoples were here first, then francophones were here for 200 years, and after that the anglophones arrived. Clearly, there is every reason to include French in our official ceremonies.
Mr. Speaker, we are acting with integrity and taking decisive action in two key ways. First of all, we want to keep Canadians safe, secure the release of the two Canadians arbitrarily detained in China and push for clemency for the third.At the same time, we want to ensure that we always stand up for the rule of law and the independence of our judicial system and that we continue engaging with our allies around the world, to send a clear message that Canada will always defend the rule of law.
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear. Actually, middle-class anxieties are something we have been very focused on from day one. That is why we reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians, a policy that the Conservatives voted against. That is why we put in place the Canada child benefit, helping nine out of 10 families with more money. On average, middle-class families with two kids, this year, will have $2,000 more than they had when the last Conservative government was here in 2015.We are helping with middle-class anxieties, while the opposition continues to vote against policies that help these people.
Mr. Speaker, everything the Prime Minister just said is false. With his changes, the richest Canadians are paying less in tax, and hard-working Canadian families are paying more, and they are going to continue to pay more, because government documents show that the carbon tax will rise six times higher than what the Prime Minister now admits, which means higher gasoline costs and higher home heating costs. Canadians are already paying for his mistakes, so why is he also covering up the real cost of his carbon tax from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are already paying the price of climate change and it is going up every single year. It is a human cost. It is a cost to the economy. However, there is good news. We can actually tackle climate change in a way that works, that makes life affordable and that creates good jobs. Let me talk about the climate action incentive. We are putting a price on pollution. It will no longer be free to pollute in the country. A family of four in Ontario will get $307 back. A family of four in Manitoba will get $339 back. A family of four in Saskatchewan will get $609 back. We can tackle climate change
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to Meng Wanzhou, let me be very clear about the Government of Canada's position. First of all, Canada is a rule-of-law country and we are conducting a fair, unbiased and transparent legal proceeding. In fact, Madam Meng is currently on bail, as the court has ruled. There has been, as is correct, no political involvement in the process. Canada respects our international legal commitments, including our extradition treaty with the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her question. The Prime Minister and I both met with the big city mayors this morning, and I had a chance to talk to the mayors about our historic infrastructure investment plan, which will provide more than $180 billion for infrastructure. A lot of our investments are going towards public transit, green infrastructure and our regions. I also want to remind my colleague that more than 470,000 projects were approved between November 2015 and January 2019. Over 70% of those projects, representing more than $18 billion, are under construction. We will keep investing in Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we have been clear that we are making investments, which are critical to improving Canadians' lives. We have invested in the middle class and delivered significant results.Unemployment is now at its lowest in over 40 years, and growth is strong. We are going to continue making investments. It is important for the future, and we can do it in a fiscally responsible way.
Mr. Speaker, the carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family over $2,500 this year. That is 11¢ more for a litre of gas, $250 more for home heating, $100 a month more for groceries and that is just the beginning. Canadians know the Liberal carbon tax is not an environmental policy; it is a tax policy, punishing soccer moms, seniors on fixed incomes and small business owners.Why is the Prime Minister forcing Canadians to pay for his mistakes with punishing new taxes on everyone?
Mr. Speaker, the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou took place on December 1, but the Prime Minister received an unprecedented special briefing several days before this high-profile arrest.My questions are simple. On what date was the Prime Minister first briefed and by whom?
Mr. Speaker, after Ms. Meng was arrested, did the government immediately make representations to the Chinese authorities explaining its actions or did it just calmly wait for the situation to blow up?Mr. McCallum's departure is just the latest example of the government's lack of preparation. This chaos is unacceptable.How can Canadians have confidence in a government that is flying by the seat of its pants when dealing with a global superpower?
Mr. Speaker, over the past three yearsindeed, over the past three budgetswe made housing a priority for Canadians. We know that it needs to be safe, affordable and accessible for all Canadians. That is why we moved forward with a historic national housing strategy that re-engages the federal government in housing right across the country. We have not waited to invest. On the contrary, the significant investments we have already made have helped close to a million Canadians access more affordable housing. That is making a real difference now and, yes, many years into the future.
Mr. Speaker, in the fictional world inhabited by the member for Carleton, he pretends that things that are true are not true. We cannot say it any more clearly. For people who earn between $45,000 and $90,000, we reduced taxes in that category by 7%, which means that people earning up to $200,000 or so actually have reduced taxes; but for the one per cent, we did increase taxes. For people who are raising their children, we gave them the Canada child benefit, much improved. Nine out of 10 families are better off with $2,000 more this year than in 2015. The facts are clear.
Mr. Speaker, by the end of their term, the Liberals will have racked up a deficit of more than $80 billion. Back in 2015, however, the Prime Minister formally promised to balance the budget by the end of this year.The Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed that, due to the irresponsibility of the Prime Minister and his Minister of Finance, we will not see a balanced budget until 2040.The Prime Minister loves telling everyone that budgets balance themselves. Could he tell us right now who is going to pay for these deficits?
Mr. Speaker, that sure sounds great, but 90% of that money will not be allocated before the upcoming federal election, not before 2020, but housing is desperately needed right now. More than 1.5 million Canadian households are in urgent need today. New investments are needed right now, not in three or four years. There are solutions. For example, the government could spur investments by removing the federal portion of the GST/HST from the cost of building new affordable housing units. The Liberals should know how this works. That is what they promised in 2015, but they have since shelved the idea.I will repeat my question. They will have one last chance with the federal budget. Will they invest and act now?
Mr. Speaker, gender equality is a fundamental human right. Bill S-3 eliminates gender discrimination arising from the Indian Act. We have appointed Ms. Dumont-Smith as the minister's special representative. She will work with our partners on a plan to remove the 1951 cut-off date and make more extensive changes to the registration, membership and citizenship of
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to sit down with the big city mayors this morning, who thanked me and congratulated me for the work we have done on investing in housing right across the country. We are making a real impact in the lives of Canadians as we invest in housing that is making a significant difference in people's lives. We will continue to do just that while we focus on making a concrete and sure difference in the lives of Canadians right across the country.
Mr. Speaker, it is quite the contrary. We lowered taxes for the middle class. In Carleton, for example, 30,000 middle-class Canadians have seen their taxes cut. On top of that, 16,000 people in that riding are receiving the Canada child benefit. That is what is really going on with middle class Canadians. We have made life better for them and we will continue to invest in the middle class to improve our economy and make things better for these people.
Mr. Speaker, recently, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, along with the Premier of P.E.I., signed a framework agreement with Mi'kmaq people to address outstanding issues of Mi'kmaq rights and title.The Mi'kmaq leadership see this agreement as the beginning of a process to determine how all P.E.I. Mi'kmaq, both on and off reserve, will benefit from their rights, today and into the future.Beyond this one agreement, could the minister explain the government's progress on renewing relationships with the indigenous peoples of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That, given the enormous cultural significance of hockey in Canada, the House encourages the Hockey Hall of Fame to induct Paul Henderson in recognition of his incredible contribution to Canadian hockey and its history.
Mr. Speaker, the approach we have chosen is good for Canada. Our approach has made things better for the middle class. We know there are inequalities within the middle class, and that is why we lowered their taxes. We have also made things better for Canadian families with the Canada child benefit. Thanks to our measures, our economy is growing. Our approach is working and I hope future governments will adopt a similar approach so that we can ensure a bright future for our country.
Mr. Speaker, given that Netflix has rejected the request made by the Quebec government, on behalf of the people of Lac-Mégantic and all Quebeckers, that it stop using images of the Lac-Mégantic disaster, I wish to seek consent for the following motion: That the House of Commons call on Netflix Inc. to withdraw from its catalogue all images of the Lac-Mégantic disaster, which took the lives of 47 people, and that Netflix Inc. provide financial compensation to the Lac-Mégantic community for having used these images for entertainment purposes without regard for the trauma experienced by the residents, survivors and friends and families of the victims.
Mr. Speaker, what we have done over the last more than three years is make a real, important difference for Canadians, with higher growth rates and lower unemployment. Clearly, the approach we have taken has worked.The options that we had in the last election were the approach of austerity and cuts, which was being proposed by the Conservative Party at that time, versus our approach of investing in Canadians. What we have been able to show is that our approach works. We can do it in a fiscally responsible way, and we will continue to have a plan that makes sense for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to point out that the historic investments we have made in housing in recent years have helped more than one million Canadians find affordable housing.We know that more money and more solutions are needed. However, make no mistake, the investments we have already made and that we continue to make in the national housing strategy are making a real difference in people's lives.
Mr. Speaker, our government has done a great deal of work on this file.Our top priority is the well-being and safety of the Canadians detained by China. We now have the support of many of our allies, such as Australia, the European Union, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Spain. All these countries have openly supported the Canadian position.
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to say that our government believes very strongly in the right of every Canadian to have a safe, affordable and accessible home. That is why, since 2015, we have invested $5.7 billion in addition to the dollars already forecast to help a million families in Canada have access to a safe and affordable home, and that is why, in November 2017, we announced the first-ever national housing strategy, which is going to reduce chronic homelessness by at least 50% and renew federal leadership and partnership in housing.
Mr. Speaker, his talking points are all an attempt to make sure that they do not panic the flock before the fleecing. That is what it is all about. How can the finance minister stand here and honestly say that Canadians are doing better when 46% of Canadians feel that they are $200 away from insolvency?I know the Prime Minister and the finance minister have not felt this, but I can tell them that people lose sleep and that the anxiety is crushing. Canadians know that they are not in good shape, and they are afraid of these new taxes.When will the Prime Minister level with them and just tell them that more taxes are coming?
Mr. Speaker, farmers are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. Business people are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. Soccer moms are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. That is why we have a plan that if works is going to make life more affordable, is going to put more money in the pockets of families and is going to create good jobs. We need to take action on climate change. To not have a plan is irresponsible. It has now been 274 days since the party opposite said that it would have a plan. Where is its climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are getting the benefit from the choice they made. Let us be very specific. Canadians who live in the riding of Carleton, 30,000 of them, have had a reduction in their taxes. One cannot pick and choose benefits. The fact of the matter is that the introduction of the Canada child benefit together with the reduction in taxes means that people are better off. There are 16,000 children in the Carleton region who are getting about $4 million more than they were before this government came into power.We are going to continue to make investments. The good news is that our approach is working and our economy is doing well.
Mr. Speaker, the good news is that Canadians are now better off thanks to our approach. Our investments have created more jobs across the country. It is true. What is more, middle class Canadians are paying fewer taxes. That is for sure.Our approach is much better for Canadians, and we have been able to do all this while maintaining a debt-to-GDP ratio that works for the future of our country.
Mr. Speaker, we certainly recognize that Canadians deserve safe, affordable and accessible housing. That is why we created the first national housing strategy, which is making unprecedented investments in housing. To date, it has already helped more than one million Canadians find housing.However, we know that there is more to be done. We will continue to invest in Canadians to ensure that everyone has safe and accessible housing.
[Member spoke in Cree, interpreted as follows:] Mr. Speaker, could the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism please update the House on Canada's role in the initiative and work being done to protect and revitalize indigenous languages in Canada? I am proud to say that the United Nations has declared 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
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[Member spoke in Cree, interpreted as follows:] Mr. Speaker, could the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism please update the House on Canada's role in the initiative and work being done to protect and revitalize indigenous languages in Canada? I am proud to say that the United Nations has declared 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
Mr. Speaker, we certainly recognize that Canadians deserve safe, affordable and accessible housing. That is why we created the first national housing strategy, which is making unprecedented investments in housing. To date, it has already helped more than one million Canadians find housing.However, we know that there is more to be done. We will continue to invest in Canadians to ensure that everyone has safe and accessible housing.
Mr. Speaker, the good news is that Canadians are now better off thanks to our approach. Our investments have created more jobs across the country. It is true. What is more, middle class Canadians are paying fewer taxes. That is for sure.Our approach is much better for Canadians, and we have been able to do all this while maintaining a debt-to-GDP ratio that works for the future of our country.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are getting the benefit from the choice they made. Let us be very specific. Canadians who live in the riding of Carleton, 30,000 of them, have had a reduction in their taxes. One cannot pick and choose benefits. The fact of the matter is that the introduction of the Canada child benefit together with the reduction in taxes means that people are better off. There are 16,000 children in the Carleton region who are getting about $4 million more than they were before this government came into power.We are going to continue to make investments. The good news is that our approach is working and our economy is doing well.
Mr. Speaker, farmers are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. Business people are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. Soccer moms are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. That is why we have a plan that if works is going to make life more affordable, is going to put more money in the pockets of families and is going to create good jobs. We need to take action on climate change. To not have a plan is irresponsible. It has now been 274 days since the party opposite said that it would have a plan. Where is its climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, his talking points are all an attempt to make sure that they do not panic the flock before the fleecing. That is what it is all about. How can the finance minister stand here and honestly say that Canadians are doing better when 46% of Canadians feel that they are $200 away from insolvency?I know the Prime Minister and the finance minister have not felt this, but I can tell them that people lose sleep and that the anxiety is crushing. Canadians know that they are not in good shape, and they are afraid of these new taxes.When will the Prime Minister level with them and just tell them that more taxes are coming?
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to say that our government believes very strongly in the right of every Canadian to have a safe, affordable and accessible home. That is why, since 2015, we have invested $5.7 billion in addition to the dollars already forecast to help a million families in Canada have access to a safe and affordable home, and that is why, in November 2017, we announced the first-ever national housing strategy, which is going to reduce chronic homelessness by at least 50% and renew federal leadership and partnership in housing.
Mr. Speaker, our government has done a great deal of work on this file.Our top priority is the well-being and safety of the Canadians detained by China. We now have the support of many of our allies, such as Australia, the European Union, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Spain. All these countries have openly supported the Canadian position.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to point out that the historic investments we have made in housing in recent years have helped more than one million Canadians find affordable housing.We know that more money and more solutions are needed. However, make no mistake, the investments we have already made and that we continue to make in the national housing strategy are making a real difference in people's lives.
Mr. Speaker, what we have done over the last more than three years is make a real, important difference for Canadians, with higher growth rates and lower unemployment. Clearly, the approach we have taken has worked.The options that we had in the last election were the approach of austerity and cuts, which was being proposed by the Conservative Party at that time, versus our approach of investing in Canadians. What we have been able to show is that our approach works. We can do it in a fiscally responsible way, and we will continue to have a plan that makes sense for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, given that Netflix has rejected the request made by the Quebec government, on behalf of the people of Lac-Mégantic and all Quebeckers, that it stop using images of the Lac-Mégantic disaster, I wish to seek consent for the following motion: That the House of Commons call on Netflix Inc. to withdraw from its catalogue all images of the Lac-Mégantic disaster, which took the lives of 47 people, and that Netflix Inc. provide financial compensation to the Lac-Mégantic community for having used these images for entertainment purposes without regard for the trauma experienced by the residents, survivors and friends and families of the victims.
Mr. Speaker, the approach we have chosen is good for Canada. Our approach has made things better for the middle class. We know there are inequalities within the middle class, and that is why we lowered their taxes. We have also made things better for Canadian families with the Canada child benefit. Thanks to our measures, our economy is growing. Our approach is working and I hope future governments will adopt a similar approach so that we can ensure a bright future for our country.
Mr. Speaker, recently, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, along with the Premier of P.E.I., signed a framework agreement with Mi'kmaq people to address outstanding issues of Mi'kmaq rights and title.The Mi'kmaq leadership see this agreement as the beginning of a process to determine how all P.E.I. Mi'kmaq, both on and off reserve, will benefit from their rights, today and into the future.Beyond this one agreement, could the minister explain the government's progress on renewing relationships with the indigenous peoples of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That, given the enormous cultural significance of hockey in Canada, the House encourages the Hockey Hall of Fame to induct Paul Henderson in recognition of his incredible contribution to Canadian hockey and its history.
Mr. Speaker, it is quite the contrary. We lowered taxes for the middle class. In Carleton, for example, 30,000 middle-class Canadians have seen their taxes cut. On top of that, 16,000 people in that riding are receiving the Canada child benefit. That is what is really going on with middle class Canadians. We have made life better for them and we will continue to invest in the middle class to improve our economy and make things better for these people.
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to sit down with the big city mayors this morning, who thanked me and congratulated me for the work we have done on investing in housing right across the country. We are making a real impact in the lives of Canadians as we invest in housing that is making a significant difference in people's lives. We will continue to do just that while we focus on making a concrete and sure difference in the lives of Canadians right across the country.
Mr. Speaker, gender equality is a fundamental human right. Bill S-3 eliminates gender discrimination arising from the Indian Act. We have appointed Ms. Dumont-Smith as the minister's special representative. She will work with our partners on a plan to remove the 1951 cut-off date and make more extensive changes to the registration, membership and citizenship of
Mr. Speaker, that sure sounds great, but 90% of that money will not be allocated before the upcoming federal election, not before 2020, but housing is desperately needed right now. More than 1.5 million Canadian households are in urgent need today. New investments are needed right now, not in three or four years. There are solutions. For example, the government could spur investments by removing the federal portion of the GST/HST from the cost of building new affordable housing units. The Liberals should know how this works. That is what they promised in 2015, but they have since shelved the idea.I will repeat my question. They will have one last chance with the federal budget. Will they invest and act now?
Mr. Speaker, by the end of their term, the Liberals will have racked up a deficit of more than $80 billion. Back in 2015, however, the Prime Minister formally promised to balance the budget by the end of this year.The Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed that, due to the irresponsibility of the Prime Minister and his Minister of Finance, we will not see a balanced budget until 2040.The Prime Minister loves telling everyone that budgets balance themselves. Could he tell us right now who is going to pay for these deficits?
Mr. Speaker, in the fictional world inhabited by the member for Carleton, he pretends that things that are true are not true. We cannot say it any more clearly. For people who earn between $45,000 and $90,000, we reduced taxes in that category by 7%, which means that people earning up to $200,000 or so actually have reduced taxes; but for the one per cent, we did increase taxes. For people who are raising their children, we gave them the Canada child benefit, much improved. Nine out of 10 families are better off with $2,000 more this year than in 2015. The facts are clear.
Mr. Speaker, over the past three yearsindeed, over the past three budgetswe made housing a priority for Canadians. We know that it needs to be safe, affordable and accessible for all Canadians. That is why we moved forward with a historic national housing strategy that re-engages the federal government in housing right across the country. We have not waited to invest. On the contrary, the significant investments we have already made have helped close to a million Canadians access more affordable housing. That is making a real difference now and, yes, many years into the future.
Mr. Speaker, after Ms. Meng was arrested, did the government immediately make representations to the Chinese authorities explaining its actions or did it just calmly wait for the situation to blow up?Mr. McCallum's departure is just the latest example of the government's lack of preparation. This chaos is unacceptable.How can Canadians have confidence in a government that is flying by the seat of its pants when dealing with a global superpower?
Mr. Speaker, the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou took place on December 1, but the Prime Minister received an unprecedented special briefing several days before this high-profile arrest.My questions are simple. On what date was the Prime Minister first briefed and by whom?
Mr. Speaker, the carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family over $2,500 this year. That is 11¢ more for a litre of gas, $250 more for home heating, $100 a month more for groceries and that is just the beginning. Canadians know the Liberal carbon tax is not an environmental policy; it is a tax policy, punishing soccer moms, seniors on fixed incomes and small business owners.Why is the Prime Minister forcing Canadians to pay for his mistakes with punishing new taxes on everyone?
Mr. Speaker, we have been clear that we are making investments, which are critical to improving Canadians' lives. We have invested in the middle class and delivered significant results.Unemployment is now at its lowest in over 40 years, and growth is strong. We are going to continue making investments. It is important for the future, and we can do it in a fiscally responsible way.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her question. The Prime Minister and I both met with the big city mayors this morning, and I had a chance to talk to the mayors about our historic infrastructure investment plan, which will provide more than $180 billion for infrastructure. A lot of our investments are going towards public transit, green infrastructure and our regions. I also want to remind my colleague that more than 470,000 projects were approved between November 2015 and January 2019. Over 70% of those projects, representing more than $18 billion, are under construction. We will keep investing in Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to Meng Wanzhou, let me be very clear about the Government of Canada's position. First of all, Canada is a rule-of-law country and we are conducting a fair, unbiased and transparent legal proceeding. In fact, Madam Meng is currently on bail, as the court has ruled. There has been, as is correct, no political involvement in the process. Canada respects our international legal commitments, including our extradition treaty with the United States.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are already paying the price of climate change and it is going up every single year. It is a human cost. It is a cost to the economy. However, there is good news. We can actually tackle climate change in a way that works, that makes life affordable and that creates good jobs. Let me talk about the climate action incentive. We are putting a price on pollution. It will no longer be free to pollute in the country. A family of four in Ontario will get $307 back. A family of four in Manitoba will get $339 back. A family of four in Saskatchewan will get $609 back. We can tackle climate change
Mr. Speaker, everything the Prime Minister just said is false. With his changes, the richest Canadians are paying less in tax, and hard-working Canadian families are paying more, and they are going to continue to pay more, because government documents show that the carbon tax will rise six times higher than what the Prime Minister now admits, which means higher gasoline costs and higher home heating costs. Canadians are already paying for his mistakes, so why is he also covering up the real cost of his carbon tax from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear. Actually, middle-class anxieties are something we have been very focused on from day one. That is why we reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians, a policy that the Conservatives voted against. That is why we put in place the Canada child benefit, helping nine out of 10 families with more money. On average, middle-class families with two kids, this year, will have $2,000 more than they had when the last Conservative government was here in 2015.We are helping with middle-class anxieties, while the opposition continues to vote against policies that help these people.
Mr. Speaker, we are acting with integrity and taking decisive action in two key ways. First of all, we want to keep Canadians safe, secure the release of the two Canadians arbitrarily detained in China and push for clemency for the third.At the same time, we want to ensure that we always stand up for the rule of law and the independence of our judicial system and that we continue engaging with our allies around the world, to send a clear message that Canada will always defend the rule of law.
Mr. Speaker, you invited members to an official smudging ceremony in the House this morning. This was a wonderful idea, but I am disappointed that 99% of this ceremony was in English and that there was no interpretation.I have been a member in this House for 35 years, and interpretation has always been available for important events or official ceremonies, or else the ceremony has been conducted in both official languages. There are francophone indigenous communities, like the Abenaki community, that could have participated in this ceremony along with the Algonquin people. This smudging ceremony could have then been in both official languages.In the future, I hope everyone remembers that there are two official languages here. In this country's history, the indigenous peoples were here first, then francophones were here for 200 years, and after that the anglophones arrived. Clearly, there is every reason to include French in our official ceremonies.
Mr. Speaker, the CRA employs more than 5,500 people throughout Quebec and is a major economic driver in towns such as Shawinigan and Jonquière.Unlike the Bloc Québécois and the Conservatives, we are not jeopardizing those jobs. That said, we remain open to working with Revenu Québec to make it easier for Quebeckers to file their tax returns.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' plan is actually punishing Canadians for heating their homes, driving their kids to dance practice, hockey practice, wherever their daily routines are taking them, and the Prime Minister is failing to help Canadians get ahead. His carbon tax will cost them over $1,000 more on household essentials that they need and his government plans to make it six times more expensive than that. Canadians are already paying for his failures. When will the Prime Minister come clean and admit the real costs of the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Malpeque for his hard work.In P.E.I., we did sign a framework agreement with Lennox Island and Abegweit First Nations and the province to establish a path forward to the recognition and implementation of Mi'kmaq inherent and treaty rights.Chief Matilda Ramjattan said that this agreement was an important first step in rebuilding their nation and bringing socio-economic health to our people.In P.E.I. and coast to coast to coast, our government is advancing reconciliation by working with our partners to realize self-determination.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to China, our top priority is the safety and well-being of the Canadians detained in China. This is a priority for the Prime Minister, for me and for the entire government. These arbitrary detentions are unacceptable to Canadians and to the international community.The Prime Minister and I have both spoken to a number of international partners. We will stand by the statements of support we have received from many countries.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our plan was to invest in people, the middle class, and our communities. That is why we lowered taxes for the middle class and asked the wealthy to pay more taxes. Canadians have created 800,000 jobs over the past three years. We are seeing strong economic growth and we have the lowest unemployment rate in 40 years.We want to keep investing in Canadians and the middle class, but the Conservatives want to give breaks to the wealthy because they think that is the way to create economic growth. They are wrong.
Mr. Speaker, the only people playing political games when two Canadians are in a difficult situation are the members opposite, and that is truly reprehensible. When it comes to the case of Ms. Meng, Canada is a rule-of-law country. We are proud to be a rule-of-law country. We have honoured our extradition treaty commitments, as we honour all of our international treaty commitments, and Ms. Meng has access to our impartial and fair judicial system.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Winnipeg Centre for his question. He has always been a courageous and passionate defender of indigenous languages.Most of Canada's indigenous languages are in danger due to deliberate past actions, and Canada is proud to join the world in marking the International Year of Indigenous Languages. We thank the inspiring indigenous languages leaders for their tireless work.I look forward to soon tabling a bill that was drafted in co-operation with indigenous peoples. It will be a historic moment.Together, we can and we will change history.
Mr. Speaker, the issues associated with the southern resident killer whale are very important. It is part of a broader conversation around biodiversity.There are three significant challenges for the killer whales: access to food, issues around marine shipping and contaminants in the water, all of which exist today, all of which are the product of industrialization over the past several decades.We are working very hard through the whales initiative to ensure we put the killer whales back on an appropriate path to success, and ensure that the environment and economy go forward hand in hand.
Mr. Speaker, just last week, media reports said that 46% of all Canadians are now only $200 away from financial insolvency in a month, but instead of bringing in immediate relief for people facing a housing crisis and crushing personal debt, the Liberals' priority has been to give billions of dollars in corporate giveaways. The current Liberal government continues to tell Canadians to wait for real action on housing. Will the Prime Minister commit to making different choices this year? Will he make affordable housing a top priority in this year's budget?
Actually, Mr. Speaker, he has raised taxes on the middle class by $800, taking away the child benefit, the tuition tax credit, the tax credit for kids' sports. He took away the tuition tax credit for textbooks. He took away the education tax credit. That does not even include the carbon tax. We ain't seen nothing yet. This massive Liberal deficit will lead to even more massive tax hikes after the election.Why will the Liberals not admit that Canadians will pay the price for their increased debt?
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to answering the member's question shortly, but I think before we do, we need to take a moment to recognize and applaud the extraordinary women and men who worked so hard to build this beautiful chamber for us to serve in and to remember that if we who serve Canadians in this place work even half as hard as they worked to build this place for us, we will be very well served as a country indeed.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister promised Canadians that they would get rid of the deficit by this year, and they have clearly failed. We find ourselves in a situation where the rich are actually paying less taxes, and in their spending review, the Liberals did not find any ways to save money but did find ways to spend more. Fail.Canadians will ultimately pay for these mistakes. Will the Prime Minister admit to Canadians that his higher deficits will lead to higher taxes for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, an Angus Reid poll released last week clearly shows that meeting Quebec's demands, such as the single tax return, does not pay off in English Canada. In fact, we have every reason to believe that meeting any of Quebec's demands would cost points in the rest of Canada. This means that the Liberals are going to deny Quebeckers the opportunity of filing a single tax return just to win votes in English Canada.Are we to understand that the Liberals have picked a side and are obviously not siding with Quebeckers?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that climate change is having a huge cost in terms of our economy and on lives, but we have a plan that works, that makes life affordable and that makes sure we are creating jobs in the future. Let us talk about the plan. I want to reassure the member that we have a new climate action incentive. We are putting a price on pollution, and a family of four in Ontario will get $307 back. We are also investing in public transit across the country. We are supporting innovators and entrepreneurs who are created the solutions of tomorrow. Unfortunately, the Conservatives opposite are just harking back to the days of the Harper Conservatives. They have no
Mr. Speaker, there are so many false claims in that question that it is hard to even know where to start. However, let me try.When it comes to our partners in the Asia-Pacific, Canada is proud to have signed the CPTPP, which is entering into force. In fact, we are the only G7 country with trade agreements with every other G7 country. That is a diplomatic and trade triumph.
Mr. Speaker, money is the least of the Prime Minister's concerns. He has never had to keep a personal budget, so it comes as no surprise that he thinks budgets balance themselves.He is rather good at racking up debt, especially when he is making Canadians pick up the tab.When will the Prime Minister finally tell the truth and admit that he plans to raise taxes to pay for his mistakes?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming increasingly difficult to access housing in Canada. It is a problem for buyers, who are shut out of many markets, and for low-income renters, who are affected by the shortage of affordable and social housing.In British Columbia, for example, tent cities are springing up in places such as Maple Ridge, Nanaimo and Victoria, right here in Canada in the 21st century.Will this urgent situation be taken into consideration in the next Liberal budget?Will immediate investments be made to address the current crisis?
Mr. Speaker, we are now three weeks into the state of emergency, the deplorable humanitarian crisis in Cat Lake. Temperatures have plunged to -55°, we have hundreds of people huddled in squalid conditions, people are at risk, and yet the best the minister has been able to do after three weeks is to promise to send some bureaucrats to check on the situation. That is not going to cut it.What steps will the minister take to meet with the leadership, to put in place an emergency response team now and to visit Cat Lake so he can see the deplorable conditions that the people of Cat Lake are living in? What will he do?
Mr. Speaker, obviously, we have a plan. It is clear that investing in the middle class is working. Now, our economy is working for the middle class. The alternative, an austerity approach, is not really a plan since it involves making cuts or increasing taxes. That is the Conservatives' plan.Our approach involves lowering taxes for the middle class, and Canada is better off because of it.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that the Liberals' plan on carbon taxes is going to hurt small businesses and it is going to hurt families. Farmers in my riding did not inherit a family fortune like the Prime Minister. They have to worry about making ends meet and cannot afford the Prime Minister's new carbon tax. Worse yet, government documents now admit that to make its plan work the carbon tax will have to be six times higher than the current rate. When will the Prime Minister come clean with farmers about his plan to significantly increase the cost of everything from fertilizer to shipping products to market?
Mr. Speaker, we lowered taxes for the middle class. The only way the Conservatives can make those numbers work is if they completely ignore a policy they voted against, the Canada child benefit. The Canada child benefit has made more difference in the lives of hard-working Canadians than any other policy in recent history. They voted against it. Maybe they do not want to talk about it because they plan to take it away from Canadians. We are going to continue to invest in Canadians.When it comes to climate change, it has been 274 days since the member opposite promised a climate plan for Canadians. Where is that plan?
Mr. Speaker, first nations communities are of utmost importance. I have spoken with Chief Keewaykapow and I have affirmed our commitment to working with Cat Lake to address the community's housing needs. Officials will be meeting with the leadership there tomorrow to work on an action plan to help them work on the serious challenges that they confront. We will continue working in partnership with first nations communities to advance their priorities and to support community-led solutions.
Mr. Speaker, first, our government is committed to making sure that the Canadian Armed Forces have all the tools necessary to do their job. That is what our defence policy is committed to.I want to thank the workers at Davie for the Asterix. They are playing a vital role. We have started steel cutting on the early blocks of the two permanent joint supply ships and look forward to having those in the water.
Mr. Speaker, across Canada people are struggling with extreme cold temperatures. For the 30,000 Canadians who are homeless, finding warm shelter can be a matter of life or death. Shelters are near capacity and people seeking refuge in tent cities are being served with eviction notices. Where are people to go? They cannot wait 10 years for a national housing strategy to ramp up. Will the Liberal government step up and legislate, as promised, the right to housing for all Canadiansyes or no?
Mr. Speaker, last year, when Greyhound announced it was ceasing operations, constituents in my riding were rightfully worried about how they would get from town to town. Without reliable transit, people cannot access crucial services like health care, shelters for women fleeing violence or urgently needed addiction treatment. In rural areas, people relied on Greyhound to travel to these services. The Liberal government said it would provide funding, though we have not seen it, and people are still unable to travel. When will the government provide safe, affordable and accessible transit for rural and remote communities?
Mr. Speaker, that answer shows how out of touch the Prime Minister is, and people know it. Sarah, for example, is a nurse with three children who is struggling to find affordable housing in Burnaby, B.C. The only places she can find will take her entire paycheque, leaving no money for food or anything else. That is the reality of the housing crisis. Mayors from across the country are raising housing with the Prime Minister today, saying that we need action now. Will the Liberals stop siding with corporations and side with people who need affordable housing now?
Mr, Speaker, the Liberals targeted soccer moms with tax increases when they took away the children's fitness tax credit. They targeted students with tax increases when they cancelled the education and textbook tax credits. They targeted passengers with tax increases when they took away the transit tax credit. That does not even include the carbon tax on heat, groceries and gas, nor does it include higher payroll taxes. It will only get worse. This massive Liberal deficit will lead to higher taxes for Canadians. Why will they not tell people that before the election?
Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising the Prime Minister does not worry about Canadians' money. He has never had to worry about money. He has never had to balance a household budget, so he thinks budgets balance themselves. He thinks he can borrow his way out of debt and that others should pay for his mistakes, so it is no wonder the debt has grown three times more than what he promised. Why will he not tell the truth before the next election, that his wasteful spending and runaway deficits will mean higher taxes for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has spent over a billion dollars on 40,000 illegal border crossers, with more crossing every day. However, today, the forum that allows parents and grandparents of new Canadians who are trying to legally migrate to Canada for all of 2019 opened and closed in just 10 minutes. Therefore, under the Liberals, illegal border crossers get a red carpet welcome and legal immigrants get the door shut in their face. Will the Prime Minister admit that Canadians reject having to pay for his unfair immigration practices?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the member to talk to his former colleagues in the NDP. Canadians need an apology from the member for ChurchillKeewatinook Aski and the NDP candidate in YorkSimcoe for their defence of a dictatorship that has killed hundreds and injured thousands of peaceful protesters. If the NDP members cannot take a firm and clear stance on the fight of the people of Venezuela for democracy, I do not know what they can take a clear position on.
Mr. Speaker, combatting international tax evasion is a priority for our government, as it is for Quebeckers. Information exchange agreements with our international partners remain essential to tackling international tax evasion. A single revenue administration managed by Quebec would make it harder for Canada to respect its international legal obligations. It could also cause problems when it comes to ratifying international agreements. Quebec is simply not properly equipped to combat international tax evasion.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to brag about his vast family fortune, but since he has never had to balance a family budget, he thinks budgets balance themselves. That is why he promised that the budget would be balanced by 2019. Now he is saying it is going to take another 20 years. It is obvious that taxes will increase as a result of this massive, out-of-control deficit.When will the Prime Minister admit that his deficits are costing Canadians a lot of money?
Mr. Speaker, we fully recognize that, when Greyhound departed at the end of October last year, it would leave an absence of public transportation in the western provinces, and we immediately started working on a solution. We are working with the provinces, including British Columbia, my colleague's home province. We will be there if they request us to help them on a cost-sharing basis. We have given that undertaking.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House request that the results of the secret ballot on Bill C-421, an act to amend the Citizenship Act with respect to adequate knowledge of French in Quebec, to be held January 29 and 30, 2019, be disclosed at the same time as the voting results.
Mr. Speaker, our government has proven that it is a strong advocate for small businesses and is committed to helping them start up, scale up and access new markets. As a small business owner myself in my riding of Kitchener Centre, I know that small businesses employ so many of my constituents and keep our economy strong.Could the Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion tell the House what our government has done to make it easier for our small businesses?
Mr. Speaker, the Big City Mayors Caucus met in Ottawa today with a very clear message for the Prime Minister and his ministers. The Liberals promised them an infrastructure bonanza, but they are still waiting. Canadians need investments in public transit, and so does the planet. I also want to mention the small municipalities across the country that are still waiting for the funding they were promised.When are the Liberals finally going to keep the promises they made to municipalities?
Mr. Speaker, it has been an interesting week for Canadian foreign policy. The government recognized an opposition MP declaring himself President of Venezuela. I wish I had thought of that. I am going to resist the temptation to declare myself Prime Minister of Canada. Unfortunately, there are many governments around the world whose democratic legitimacy is questionable. Is Canadian government policy now to endorse coups against all of them?
Mr. Speaker, in a document submitted to the National Energy Board, the Trans Mountain team admitted that pipeline-related marine shipping will have, and I quote, significant environmental effects. The population of southern resident killer whales is down to less than 75 and this project puts an endangered species at risk, but it's no big deal: it is only business, so that justifies it. It is all there in black and white.Will the Liberals stop saying that the economy and the environment go hand in hand? That is not true of the economy they are building.Will the Liberals finally admit that by buying the Trans Mountain pipeline they sided with big business and gave up on protecting the environment? That is the truth.
Mr. Speaker, I guess if I want straight answers on China, I should ask John McCallum.McCallum's comments show that the Liberal government has played politics with this serious diplomatic dispute with China from the start.Therefore, was the justice minister demoted for speaking truth to power to uphold the rule of law and stop the political games being played by the Prime Minister and his hand-picked ambassador?
Mr. Speaker, it is no surprise that all we get from the Conservatives are warmed over Stephen Harper attacks and the economic plan that failed Canadians for 10 years. They continue to want to give tax breaks to the wealthiest, where we are focused on growing the middle class by investing in people and in their communities. We lowered taxes for the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest one per cent. That has led to not only stronger growth than Stephen Harper ever saw but has led to the creation of 800,000 jobs and the lowest unemployment rate in over 40 years. We are going to continue to invest in Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled that Canada must eliminate all forms of discrimination that indigenous women face under the Indian Act. We had that debate two years ago and the government's term is coming to an end.Will the Prime Minister finally keep the promise he made four years ago and repeal all legislation unilaterally imposed on first nations?
Mr. Speaker, on critical, failed records, under the Harper Conservatives, Canadians only had 5,000 spaces to sponsor parents or grandparents. We have increased that to 20,000. We have 20,000 spaces now that allows Canadians and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents. In addition to that, we have reduced the backlog that the Conservatives left us by 80%. We have simplified the process.We will continue to be ambitious in immigration. We will leave the fearmongering to the other side.
Mr. Speaker, when we originally brought in the child benefit, three things happened: one, the budget was balanced; two, we lowered taxes rather than raising them, as the Liberal government is now doing; and three, Liberals claimed wrongly that parents would just blow it all on beer and popcorn. After all these years, they have finally come around to our point of view on that particular issue. Unfortunately, they have taxed away the benefit with higher taxes in other areas.Will they admit that it will only get worse when this present deficit turns into future tax increases?
Mr. Speaker, 2019 will be a historic year. This year, we were scheduled to move into a new House of Commons, and we have done that. This year, the Liberals promised to balance the budget, but that is not going to happen. That is the Liberal reality.We were supposed to get back to zero deficit this year, but instead we have a $30-billion deficit.I congratulate the President of the Treasury Board on her appointment. Could she please assure Canadians that she does not believe that budgets balance themselves and tell them that, unfortunately, a Liberal deficit will lead to tax hikes for all Canadians? That is the reality.
Mr. Speaker, we are in a new House of Commons, but we are getting the same old answers. Why will the Prime Minister not just tell Canadians the truth?He has no plan, and sadly, it is Canadians who will have to pay for his inept and irresponsible fiscal management. The public should not be forced to pay for his failures, his mistakes and his irresponsible and out-of-control fiscal management.Will he at least have the guts to tell workers and Canadians who is going to pay for these deficits?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's foreign policy is a disaster, and Canadians are paying for his mistakes. A convicted terrorist was invited to India. U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum remain in place. The Prime Minister insulted our allies in Japan and Australia. Now we have the crisis with China.When will the Prime Minister stop making Canadians pay for his mistakes?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that my question was for the President of the Treasury Board. Are men answering the questions now that it is 2019? The issue here is that, in 2015, they promised to eliminate the deficit, but there is now a $30-billion deficit. That is a fact.I would like to give the President of the Treasury Board another chance. Will she tell Canadians that, unfortunately, Liberal deficits will lead directly to higher taxes for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec is calling for a single tax return. The Prime Minister replied, A unanimous motion from the National Assembly? Good Lord, that never happens!After ridiculing Quebec, now the entire machinery of government is engaged in a campaign of fear. To listen to the Liberals, we would think that the 10 plagues of Egypt were upon us. The worst part is that this strategy is working, because the NDP has already caved.Why is the government so bent on having two tax returns? What is it afraid of? Is it afraid that Quebec will perform better?
Mr. Speaker, the National Assembly unanimously passed a motion calling for the immediate construction of the second supply ship, the Obelix, at the Davie shipyard. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister is showing little respect for Quebec and shipyard workers.Even the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence, which has a Liberal majority, pointed to the complete loss of an at-sea replenishment capability.Why does the Prime Minister have so little respect for the Royal Canadian Navy and Quebec shipyard workers, and why is he using statements previously made by CAF members when there are lengthy delays in the
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Prime Minister's foreign policy is a disaster, and Canadians are paying for his mistakes. Our international partners have no respect for the Prime Minister, and why should they? After clowning around in India and inviting a convicted terrorist along with him, he then was forced to take concession after concession from Donald Trump. He even angered our partners in Japan and Australia, and now we have the debacle with China. Why did the Prime Minister show such weakness and wait so long to fire his ambassador?
Mr. Speaker, in fact what Canadians chose in 2015 was a government that was going to make investments as opposed to an approach that was going to bring in austerity, to actually put us in a situation where we were trying to balance the budget on the backs of Canadians by either raising taxes or cutting benefits.We have a plan, investing in Canadians. The question is: What would be the Conservative plan? Would it be to cut the Canada child benefit, or would it be to raise taxes on middle-class Canadians? We have been clear. We are helping middle-class Canadians. We would like to hear what they would plan on doing.
Mr. Speaker, our government has lowered the small business tax to 9%, giving small business owners up to $7,500 in savings. We have also cut red tape by removing 450 administrative burdens, making it easier for businesses to do business. We are working hard for Canada's small businesses because they are the backbone of our Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have lost confidence that the Prime Minister can lead our country on the world stage. His list of diplomatic disasters is rising. It includes his appalling India trip. He has infuriated our Asia-Pacific trade partners. He failed Canada on NAFTA. Now our relationship with China is in tatters. He fired his ambassador. His foreign affairs minister is missing in action.The consequences are dire. Lives are hanging in the balance. Canadians are paying for the failures of the Prime Minister. Does he even have a plan for China?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have lost confidence in the Prime Minister's ability to stand up for our interests abroad.The number of diplomatic disasters continues to rise. His trip to India was a failure, he has angered our partners in the Asia-Pacific region, he failed with NAFTA, and now our relations with China are in trouble. He fired his ambassador, and his Minister of Foreign Affairs is nowhere to be found, even though there are lives at stake. Canadians are paying for the Prime Minister's failures.Does he even have a plan for China?
[Member spoke in Cree, interpreted as follows:] Mr. Speaker, could the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism please update the House on Canada's role in the initiative and work being done to protect and revitalize indigenous languages in Canada? I am proud to say that the United Nations has declared 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
Mr. Speaker, we certainly recognize that Canadians deserve safe, affordable and accessible housing. That is why we created the first national housing strategy, which is making unprecedented investments in housing. To date, it has already helped more than one million Canadians find housing.However, we know that there is more to be done. We will continue to invest in Canadians to ensure that everyone has safe and accessible housing.
Mr. Speaker, the good news is that Canadians are now better off thanks to our approach. Our investments have created more jobs across the country. It is true. What is more, middle class Canadians are paying fewer taxes. That is for sure.Our approach is much better for Canadians, and we have been able to do all this while maintaining a debt-to-GDP ratio that works for the future of our country.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are getting the benefit from the choice they made. Let us be very specific. Canadians who live in the riding of Carleton, 30,000 of them, have had a reduction in their taxes. One cannot pick and choose benefits. The fact of the matter is that the introduction of the Canada child benefit together with the reduction in taxes means that people are better off. There are 16,000 children in the Carleton region who are getting about $4 million more than they were before this government came into power.We are going to continue to make investments. The good news is that our approach is working and our economy is doing well.
Mr. Speaker, farmers are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. Business people are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. Soccer moms are feeling the impacts of climate change and they are paying the price. That is why we have a plan that if works is going to make life more affordable, is going to put more money in the pockets of families and is going to create good jobs. We need to take action on climate change. To not have a plan is irresponsible. It has now been 274 days since the party opposite said that it would have a plan. Where is its climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, his talking points are all an attempt to make sure that they do not panic the flock before the fleecing. That is what it is all about. How can the finance minister stand here and honestly say that Canadians are doing better when 46% of Canadians feel that they are $200 away from insolvency?I know the Prime Minister and the finance minister have not felt this, but I can tell them that people lose sleep and that the anxiety is crushing. Canadians know that they are not in good shape, and they are afraid of these new taxes.When will the Prime Minister level with them and just tell them that more taxes are coming?
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to say that our government believes very strongly in the right of every Canadian to have a safe, affordable and accessible home. That is why, since 2015, we have invested $5.7 billion in addition to the dollars already forecast to help a million families in Canada have access to a safe and affordable home, and that is why, in November 2017, we announced the first-ever national housing strategy, which is going to reduce chronic homelessness by at least 50% and renew federal leadership and partnership in housing.
Mr. Speaker, our government has done a great deal of work on this file.Our top priority is the well-being and safety of the Canadians detained by China. We now have the support of many of our allies, such as Australia, the European Union, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Spain. All these countries have openly supported the Canadian position.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to point out that the historic investments we have made in housing in recent years have helped more than one million Canadians find affordable housing.We know that more money and more solutions are needed. However, make no mistake, the investments we have already made and that we continue to make in the national housing strategy are making a real difference in people's lives.
Mr. Speaker, what we have done over the last more than three years is make a real, important difference for Canadians, with higher growth rates and lower unemployment. Clearly, the approach we have taken has worked.The options that we had in the last election were the approach of austerity and cuts, which was being proposed by the Conservative Party at that time, versus our approach of investing in Canadians. What we have been able to show is that our approach works. We can do it in a fiscally responsible way, and we will continue to have a plan that makes sense for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, given that Netflix has rejected the request made by the Quebec government, on behalf of the people of Lac-Mégantic and all Quebeckers, that it stop using images of the Lac-Mégantic disaster, I wish to seek consent for the following motion: That the House of Commons call on Netflix Inc. to withdraw from its catalogue all images of the Lac-Mégantic disaster, which took the lives of 47 people, and that Netflix Inc. provide financial compensation to the Lac-Mégantic community for having used these images for entertainment purposes without regard for the trauma experienced by the residents, survivors and friends and families of the victims.
Mr. Speaker, the approach we have chosen is good for Canada. Our approach has made things better for the middle class. We know there are inequalities within the middle class, and that is why we lowered their taxes. We have also made things better for Canadian families with the Canada child benefit. Thanks to our measures, our economy is growing. Our approach is working and I hope future governments will adopt a similar approach so that we can ensure a bright future for our country.
Mr. Speaker, recently, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, along with the Premier of P.E.I., signed a framework agreement with Mi'kmaq people to address outstanding issues of Mi'kmaq rights and title.The Mi'kmaq leadership see this agreement as the beginning of a process to determine how all P.E.I. Mi'kmaq, both on and off reserve, will benefit from their rights, today and into the future.Beyond this one agreement, could the minister explain the government's progress on renewing relationships with the indigenous peoples of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That, given the enormous cultural significance of hockey in Canada, the House encourages the Hockey Hall of Fame to induct Paul Henderson in recognition of his incredible contribution to Canadian hockey and its history.
Mr. Speaker, it is quite the contrary. We lowered taxes for the middle class. In Carleton, for example, 30,000 middle-class Canadians have seen their taxes cut. On top of that, 16,000 people in that riding are receiving the Canada child benefit. That is what is really going on with middle class Canadians. We have made life better for them and we will continue to invest in the middle class to improve our economy and make things better for these people.
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to sit down with the big city mayors this morning, who thanked me and congratulated me for the work we have done on investing in housing right across the country. We are making a real impact in the lives of Canadians as we invest in housing that is making a significant difference in people's lives. We will continue to do just that while we focus on making a concrete and sure difference in the lives of Canadians right across the country.
Mr. Speaker, gender equality is a fundamental human right. Bill S-3 eliminates gender discrimination arising from the Indian Act. We have appointed Ms. Dumont-Smith as the minister's special representative. She will work with our partners on a plan to remove the 1951 cut-off date and make more extensive changes to the registration, membership and citizenship of
Mr. Speaker, that sure sounds great, but 90% of that money will not be allocated before the upcoming federal election, not before 2020, but housing is desperately needed right now. More than 1.5 million Canadian households are in urgent need today. New investments are needed right now, not in three or four years. There are solutions. For example, the government could spur investments by removing the federal portion of the GST/HST from the cost of building new affordable housing units. The Liberals should know how this works. That is what they promised in 2015, but they have since shelved the idea.I will repeat my question. They will have one last chance with the federal budget. Will they invest and act now?
Mr. Speaker, by the end of their term, the Liberals will have racked up a deficit of more than $80 billion. Back in 2015, however, the Prime Minister formally promised to balance the budget by the end of this year.The Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed that, due to the irresponsibility of the Prime Minister and his Minister of Finance, we will not see a balanced budget until 2040.The Prime Minister loves telling everyone that budgets balance themselves. Could he tell us right now who is going to pay for these deficits?
Mr. Speaker, in the fictional world inhabited by the member for Carleton, he pretends that things that are true are not true. We cannot say it any more clearly. For people who earn between $45,000 and $90,000, we reduced taxes in that category by 7%, which means that people earning up to $200,000 or so actually have reduced taxes; but for the one per cent, we did increase taxes. For people who are raising their children, we gave them the Canada child benefit, much improved. Nine out of 10 families are better off with $2,000 more this year than in 2015. The facts are clear.
Mr. Speaker, over the past three yearsindeed, over the past three budgetswe made housing a priority for Canadians. We know that it needs to be safe, affordable and accessible for all Canadians. That is why we moved forward with a historic national housing strategy that re-engages the federal government in housing right across the country. We have not waited to invest. On the contrary, the significant investments we have already made have helped close to a million Canadians access more affordable housing. That is making a real difference now and, yes, many years into the future.
Mr. Speaker, after Ms. Meng was arrested, did the government immediately make representations to the Chinese authorities explaining its actions or did it just calmly wait for the situation to blow up?Mr. McCallum's departure is just the latest example of the government's lack of preparation. This chaos is unacceptable.How can Canadians have confidence in a government that is flying by the seat of its pants when dealing with a global superpower?
Mr. Speaker, the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou took place on December 1, but the Prime Minister received an unprecedented special briefing several days before this high-profile arrest.My questions are simple. On what date was the Prime Minister first briefed and by whom?
Mr. Speaker, the carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family over $2,500 this year. That is 11¢ more for a litre of gas, $250 more for home heating, $100 a month more for groceries and that is just the beginning. Canadians know the Liberal carbon tax is not an environmental policy; it is a tax policy, punishing soccer moms, seniors on fixed incomes and small business owners.Why is the Prime Minister forcing Canadians to pay for his mistakes with punishing new taxes on everyone?
Mr. Speaker, we have been clear that we are making investments, which are critical to improving Canadians' lives. We have invested in the middle class and delivered significant results.Unemployment is now at its lowest in over 40 years, and growth is strong. We are going to continue making investments. It is important for the future, and we can do it in a fiscally responsible way.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her question. The Prime Minister and I both met with the big city mayors this morning, and I had a chance to talk to the mayors about our historic infrastructure investment plan, which will provide more than $180 billion for infrastructure. A lot of our investments are going towards public transit, green infrastructure and our regions. I also want to remind my colleague that more than 470,000 projects were approved between November 2015 and January 2019. Over 70% of those projects, representing more than $18 billion, are under construction. We will keep investing in Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to Meng Wanzhou, let me be very clear about the Government of Canada's position. First of all, Canada is a rule-of-law country and we are conducting a fair, unbiased and transparent legal proceeding. In fact, Madam Meng is currently on bail, as the court has ruled. There has been, as is correct, no political involvement in the process. Canada respects our international legal commitments, including our extradition treaty with the United States.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are already paying the price of climate change and it is going up every single year. It is a human cost. It is a cost to the economy. However, there is good news. We can actually tackle climate change in a way that works, that makes life affordable and that creates good jobs. Let me talk about the climate action incentive. We are putting a price on pollution. It will no longer be free to pollute in the country. A family of four in Ontario will get $307 back. A family of four in Manitoba will get $339 back. A family of four in Saskatchewan will get $609 back. We can tackle climate change
Mr. Speaker, everything the Prime Minister just said is false. With his changes, the richest Canadians are paying less in tax, and hard-working Canadian families are paying more, and they are going to continue to pay more, because government documents show that the carbon tax will rise six times higher than what the Prime Minister now admits, which means higher gasoline costs and higher home heating costs. Canadians are already paying for his mistakes, so why is he also covering up the real cost of his carbon tax from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear. Actually, middle-class anxieties are something we have been very focused on from day one. That is why we reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians, a policy that the Conservatives voted against. That is why we put in place the Canada child benefit, helping nine out of 10 families with more money. On average, middle-class families with two kids, this year, will have $2,000 more than they had when the last Conservative government was here in 2015.We are helping with middle-class anxieties, while the opposition continues to vote against policies that help these people.
Mr. Speaker, we are acting with integrity and taking decisive action in two key ways. First of all, we want to keep Canadians safe, secure the release of the two Canadians arbitrarily detained in China and push for clemency for the third.At the same time, we want to ensure that we always stand up for the rule of law and the independence of our judicial system and that we continue engaging with our allies around the world, to send a clear message that Canada will always defend the rule of law.
Mr. Speaker, you invited members to an official smudging ceremony in the House this morning. This was a wonderful idea, but I am disappointed that 99% of this ceremony was in English and that there was no interpretation.I have been a member in this House for 35 years, and interpretation has always been available for important events or official ceremonies, or else the ceremony has been conducted in both official languages. There are francophone indigenous communities, like the Abenaki community, that could have participated in this ceremony along with the Algonquin people. This smudging ceremony could have then been in both official languages.In the future, I hope everyone remembers that there are two official languages here. In this country's history, the indigenous peoples were here first, then francophones were here for 200 years, and after that the anglophones arrived. Clearly, there is every reason to include French in our official ceremonies.
Mr. Speaker, the CRA employs more than 5,500 people throughout Quebec and is a major economic driver in towns such as Shawinigan and Jonquière.Unlike the Bloc Québécois and the Conservatives, we are not jeopardizing those jobs. That said, we remain open to working with Revenu Québec to make it easier for Quebeckers to file their tax returns.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' plan is actually punishing Canadians for heating their homes, driving their kids to dance practice, hockey practice, wherever their daily routines are taking them, and the Prime Minister is failing to help Canadians get ahead. His carbon tax will cost them over $1,000 more on household essentials that they need and his government plans to make it six times more expensive than that. Canadians are already paying for his failures. When will the Prime Minister come clean and admit the real costs of the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Malpeque for his hard work.In P.E.I., we did sign a framework agreement with Lennox Island and Abegweit First Nations and the province to establish a path forward to the recognition and implementation of Mi'kmaq inherent and treaty rights.Chief Matilda Ramjattan said that this agreement was an important first step in rebuilding their nation and bringing socio-economic health to our people.In P.E.I. and coast to coast to coast, our government is advancing reconciliation by working with our partners to realize self-determination.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to China, our top priority is the safety and well-being of the Canadians detained in China. This is a priority for the Prime Minister, for me and for the entire government. These arbitrary detentions are unacceptable to Canadians and to the international community.The Prime Minister and I have both spoken to a number of international partners. We will stand by the statements of support we have received from many countries.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our plan was to invest in people, the middle class, and our communities. That is why we lowered taxes for the middle class and asked the wealthy to pay more taxes. Canadians have created 800,000 jobs over the past three years. We are seeing strong economic growth and we have the lowest unemployment rate in 40 years.We want to keep investing in Canadians and the middle class, but the Conservatives want to give breaks to the wealthy because they think that is the way to create economic growth. They are wrong.
Mr. Speaker, the only people playing political games when two Canadians are in a difficult situation are the members opposite, and that is truly reprehensible. When it comes to the case of Ms. Meng, Canada is a rule-of-law country. We are proud to be a rule-of-law country. We have honoured our extradition treaty commitments, as we honour all of our international treaty commitments, and Ms. Meng has access to our impartial and fair judicial system.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Winnipeg Centre for his question. He has always been a courageous and passionate defender of indigenous languages.Most of Canada's indigenous languages are in danger due to deliberate past actions, and Canada is proud to join the world in marking the International Year of Indigenous Languages. We thank the inspiring indigenous languages leaders for their tireless work.I look forward to soon tabling a bill that was drafted in co-operation with indigenous peoples. It will be a historic moment.Together, we can and we will change history.
Mr. Speaker, the issues associated with the southern resident killer whale are very important. It is part of a broader conversation around biodiversity.There are three significant challenges for the killer whales: access to food, issues around marine shipping and contaminants in the water, all of which exist today, all of which are the product of industrialization over the past several decades.We are working very hard through the whales initiative to ensure we put the killer whales back on an appropriate path to success, and ensure that the environment and economy go forward hand in hand.
Mr. Speaker, just last week, media reports said that 46% of all Canadians are now only $200 away from financial insolvency in a month, but instead of bringing in immediate relief for people facing a housing crisis and crushing personal debt, the Liberals' priority has been to give billions of dollars in corporate giveaways. The current Liberal government continues to tell Canadians to wait for real action on housing. Will the Prime Minister commit to making different choices this year? Will he make affordable housing a top priority in this year's budget?
Actually, Mr. Speaker, he has raised taxes on the middle class by $800, taking away the child benefit, the tuition tax credit, the tax credit for kids' sports. He took away the tuition tax credit for textbooks. He took away the education tax credit. That does not even include the carbon tax. We ain't seen nothing yet. This massive Liberal deficit will lead to even more massive tax hikes after the election.Why will the Liberals not admit that Canadians will pay the price for their increased debt?
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to answering the member's question shortly, but I think before we do, we need to take a moment to recognize and applaud the extraordinary women and men who worked so hard to build this beautiful chamber for us to serve in and to remember that if we who serve Canadians in this place work even half as hard as they worked to build this place for us, we will be very well served as a country indeed.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister promised Canadians that they would get rid of the deficit by this year, and they have clearly failed. We find ourselves in a situation where the rich are actually paying less taxes, and in their spending review, the Liberals did not find any ways to save money but did find ways to spend more. Fail.Canadians will ultimately pay for these mistakes. Will the Prime Minister admit to Canadians that his higher deficits will lead to higher taxes for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, an Angus Reid poll released last week clearly shows that meeting Quebec's demands, such as the single tax return, does not pay off in English Canada. In fact, we have every reason to believe that meeting any of Quebec's demands would cost points in the rest of Canada. This means that the Liberals are going to deny Quebeckers the opportunity of filing a single tax return just to win votes in English Canada.Are we to understand that the Liberals have picked a side and are obviously not siding with Quebeckers?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that climate change is having a huge cost in terms of our economy and on lives, but we have a plan that works, that makes life affordable and that makes sure we are creating jobs in the future. Let us talk about the plan. I want to reassure the member that we have a new climate action incentive. We are putting a price on pollution, and a family of four in Ontario will get $307 back. We are also investing in public transit across the country. We are supporting innovators and entrepreneurs who are created the solutions of tomorrow. Unfortunately, the Conservatives opposite are just harking back to the days of the Harper Conservatives. They have no
Mr. Speaker, there are so many false claims in that question that it is hard to even know where to start. However, let me try.When it comes to our partners in the Asia-Pacific, Canada is proud to have signed the CPTPP, which is entering into force. In fact, we are the only G7 country with trade agreements with every other G7 country. That is a diplomatic and trade triumph.
Mr. Speaker, money is the least of the Prime Minister's concerns. He has never had to keep a personal budget, so it comes as no surprise that he thinks budgets balance themselves.He is rather good at racking up debt, especially when he is making Canadians pick up the tab.When will the Prime Minister finally tell the truth and admit that he plans to raise taxes to pay for his mistakes?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming increasingly difficult to access housing in Canada. It is a problem for buyers, who are shut out of many markets, and for low-income renters, who are affected by the shortage of affordable and social housing.In British Columbia, for example, tent cities are springing up in places such as Maple Ridge, Nanaimo and Victoria, right here in Canada in the 21st century.Will this urgent situation be taken into consideration in the next Liberal budget?Will immediate investments be made to address the current crisis?
Mr. Speaker, we are now three weeks into the state of emergency, the deplorable humanitarian crisis in Cat Lake. Temperatures have plunged to -55°, we have hundreds of people huddled in squalid conditions, people are at risk, and yet the best the minister has been able to do after three weeks is to promise to send some bureaucrats to check on the situation. That is not going to cut it.What steps will the minister take to meet with the leadership, to put in place an emergency response team now and to visit Cat Lake so he can see the deplorable conditions that the people of Cat Lake are living in? What will he do?
Mr. Speaker, obviously, we have a plan. It is clear that investing in the middle class is working. Now, our economy is working for the middle class. The alternative, an austerity approach, is not really a plan since it involves making cuts or increasing taxes. That is the Conservatives' plan.Our approach involves lowering taxes for the middle class, and Canada is better off because of it.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that the Liberals' plan on carbon taxes is going to hurt small businesses and it is going to hurt families. Farmers in my riding did not inherit a family fortune like the Prime Minister. They have to worry about making ends meet and cannot afford the Prime Minister's new carbon tax. Worse yet, government documents now admit that to make its plan work the carbon tax will have to be six times higher than the current rate. When will the Prime Minister come clean with farmers about his plan to significantly increase the cost of everything from fertilizer to shipping products to market?
Mr. Speaker, we lowered taxes for the middle class. The only way the Conservatives can make those numbers work is if they completely ignore a policy they voted against, the Canada child benefit. The Canada child benefit has made more difference in the lives of hard-working Canadians than any other policy in recent history. They voted against it. Maybe they do not want to talk about it because they plan to take it away from Canadians. We are going to continue to invest in Canadians.When it comes to climate change, it has been 274 days since the member opposite promised a climate plan for Canadians. Where is that plan?
Mr. Speaker, first nations communities are of utmost importance. I have spoken with Chief Keewaykapow and I have affirmed our commitment to working with Cat Lake to address the community's housing needs. Officials will be meeting with the leadership there tomorrow to work on an action plan to help them work on the serious challenges that they confront. We will continue working in partnership with first nations communities to advance their priorities and to support community-led solutions.
Mr. Speaker, first, our government is committed to making sure that the Canadian Armed Forces have all the tools necessary to do their job. That is what our defence policy is committed to.I want to thank the workers at Davie for the Asterix. They are playing a vital role. We have started steel cutting on the early blocks of the two permanent joint supply ships and look forward to having those in the water.
Mr. Speaker, across Canada people are struggling with extreme cold temperatures. For the 30,000 Canadians who are homeless, finding warm shelter can be a matter of life or death. Shelters are near capacity and people seeking refuge in tent cities are being served with eviction notices. Where are people to go? They cannot wait 10 years for a national housing strategy to ramp up. Will the Liberal government step up and legislate, as promised, the right to housing for all Canadiansyes or no?
Mr. Speaker, last year, when Greyhound announced it was ceasing operations, constituents in my riding were rightfully worried about how they would get from town to town. Without reliable transit, people cannot access crucial services like health care, shelters for women fleeing violence or urgently needed addiction treatment. In rural areas, people relied on Greyhound to travel to these services. The Liberal government said it would provide funding, though we have not seen it, and people are still unable to travel. When will the government provide safe, affordable and accessible transit for rural and remote communities?
Mr. Speaker, that answer shows how out of touch the Prime Minister is, and people know it. Sarah, for example, is a nurse with three children who is struggling to find affordable housing in Burnaby, B.C. The only places she can find will take her entire paycheque, leaving no money for food or anything else. That is the reality of the housing crisis. Mayors from across the country are raising housing with the Prime Minister today, saying that we need action now. Will the Liberals stop siding with corporations and side with people who need affordable housing now?
Mr, Speaker, the Liberals targeted soccer moms with tax increases when they took away the children's fitness tax credit. They targeted students with tax increases when they cancelled the education and textbook tax credits. They targeted passengers with tax increases when they took away the transit tax credit. That does not even include the carbon tax on heat, groceries and gas, nor does it include higher payroll taxes. It will only get worse. This massive Liberal deficit will lead to higher taxes for Canadians. Why will they not tell people that before the election?
Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising the Prime Minister does not worry about Canadians' money. He has never had to worry about money. He has never had to balance a household budget, so he thinks budgets balance themselves. He thinks he can borrow his way out of debt and that others should pay for his mistakes, so it is no wonder the debt has grown three times more than what he promised. Why will he not tell the truth before the next election, that his wasteful spending and runaway deficits will mean higher taxes for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has spent over a billion dollars on 40,000 illegal border crossers, with more crossing every day. However, today, the forum that allows parents and grandparents of new Canadians who are trying to legally migrate to Canada for all of 2019 opened and closed in just 10 minutes. Therefore, under the Liberals, illegal border crossers get a red carpet welcome and legal immigrants get the door shut in their face. Will the Prime Minister admit that Canadians reject having to pay for his unfair immigration practices?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the member to talk to his former colleagues in the NDP. Canadians need an apology from the member for ChurchillKeewatinook Aski and the NDP candidate in YorkSimcoe for their defence of a dictatorship that has killed hundreds and injured thousands of peaceful protesters. If the NDP members cannot take a firm and clear stance on the fight of the people of Venezuela for democracy, I do not know what they can take a clear position on.
Mr. Speaker, combatting international tax evasion is a priority for our government, as it is for Quebeckers. Information exchange agreements with our international partners remain essential to tackling international tax evasion. A single revenue administration managed by Quebec would make it harder for Canada to respect its international legal obligations. It could also cause problems when it comes to ratifying international agreements. Quebec is simply not properly equipped to combat international tax evasion.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to brag about his vast family fortune, but since he has never had to balance a family budget, he thinks budgets balance themselves. That is why he promised that the budget would be balanced by 2019. Now he is saying it is going to take another 20 years. It is obvious that taxes will increase as a result of this massive, out-of-control deficit.When will the Prime Minister admit that his deficits are costing Canadians a lot of money?
Mr. Speaker, we fully recognize that, when Greyhound departed at the end of October last year, it would leave an absence of public transportation in the western provinces, and we immediately started working on a solution. We are working with the provinces, including British Columbia, my colleague's home province. We will be there if they request us to help them on a cost-sharing basis. We have given that undertaking.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House request that the results of the secret ballot on Bill C-421, an act to amend the Citizenship Act with respect to adequate knowledge of French in Quebec, to be held January 29 and 30, 2019, be disclosed at the same time as the voting results.
Mr. Speaker, our government has proven that it is a strong advocate for small businesses and is committed to helping them start up, scale up and access new markets. As a small business owner myself in my riding of Kitchener Centre, I know that small businesses employ so many of my constituents and keep our economy strong.Could the Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion tell the House what our government has done to make it easier for our small businesses?
Mr. Speaker, the Big City Mayors Caucus met in Ottawa today with a very clear message for the Prime Minister and his ministers. The Liberals promised them an infrastructure bonanza, but they are still waiting. Canadians need investments in public transit, and so does the planet. I also want to mention the small municipalities across the country that are still waiting for the funding they were promised.When are the Liberals finally going to keep the promises they made to municipalities?
Mr. Speaker, it has been an interesting week for Canadian foreign policy. The government recognized an opposition MP declaring himself President of Venezuela. I wish I had thought of that. I am going to resist the temptation to declare myself Prime Minister of Canada. Unfortunately, there are many governments around the world whose democratic legitimacy is questionable. Is Canadian government policy now to endorse coups against all of them?
Mr. Speaker, in a document submitted to the National Energy Board, the Trans Mountain team admitted that pipeline-related marine shipping will have, and I quote, significant environmental effects. The population of southern resident killer whales is down to less than 75 and this project puts an endangered species at risk, but it's no big deal: it is only business, so that justifies it. It is all there in black and white.Will the Liberals stop saying that the economy and the environment go hand in hand? That is not true of the economy they are building.Will the Liberals finally admit that by buying the Trans Mountain pipeline they sided with big business and gave up on protecting the environment? That is the truth.
Mr. Speaker, I guess if I want straight answers on China, I should ask John McCallum.McCallum's comments show that the Liberal government has played politics with this serious diplomatic dispute with China from the start.Therefore, was the justice minister demoted for speaking truth to power to uphold the rule of law and stop the political games being played by the Prime Minister and his hand-picked ambassador?
Mr. Speaker, it is no surprise that all we get from the Conservatives are warmed over Stephen Harper attacks and the economic plan that failed Canadians for 10 years. They continue to want to give tax breaks to the wealthiest, where we are focused on growing the middle class by investing in people and in their communities. We lowered taxes for the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest one per cent. That has led to not only stronger growth than Stephen Harper ever saw but has led to the creation of 800,000 jobs and the lowest unemployment rate in over 40 years. We are going to continue to invest in Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled that Canada must eliminate all forms of discrimination that indigenous women face under the Indian Act. We had that debate two years ago and the government's term is coming to an end.Will the Prime Minister finally keep the promise he made four years ago and repeal all legislation unilaterally imposed on first nations?
Mr. Speaker, on critical, failed records, under the Harper Conservatives, Canadians only had 5,000 spaces to sponsor parents or grandparents. We have increased that to 20,000. We have 20,000 spaces now that allows Canadians and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents. In addition to that, we have reduced the backlog that the Conservatives left us by 80%. We have simplified the process.We will continue to be ambitious in immigration. We will leave the fearmongering to the other side.
Mr. Speaker, when we originally brought in the child benefit, three things happened: one, the budget was balanced; two, we lowered taxes rather than raising them, as the Liberal government is now doing; and three, Liberals claimed wrongly that parents would just blow it all on beer and popcorn. After all these years, they have finally come around to our point of view on that particular issue. Unfortunately, they have taxed away the benefit with higher taxes in other areas.Will they admit that it will only get worse when this present deficit turns into future tax increases?
Mr. Speaker, 2019 will be a historic year. This year, we were scheduled to move into a new House of Commons, and we have done that. This year, the Liberals promised to balance the budget, but that is not going to happen. That is the Liberal reality.We were supposed to get back to zero deficit this year, but instead we have a $30-billion deficit.I congratulate the President of the Treasury Board on her appointment. Could she please assure Canadians that she does not believe that budgets balance themselves and tell them that, unfortunately, a Liberal deficit will lead to tax hikes for all Canadians? That is the reality.
Mr. Speaker, we are in a new House of Commons, but we are getting the same old answers. Why will the Prime Minister not just tell Canadians the truth?He has no plan, and sadly, it is Canadians who will have to pay for his inept and irresponsible fiscal management. The public should not be forced to pay for his failures, his mistakes and his irresponsible and out-of-control fiscal management.Will he at least have the guts to tell workers and Canadians who is going to pay for these deficits?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's foreign policy is a disaster, and Canadians are paying for his mistakes. A convicted terrorist was invited to India. U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum remain in place. The Prime Minister insulted our allies in Japan and Australia. Now we have the crisis with China.When will the Prime Minister stop making Canadians pay for his mistakes?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that my question was for the President of the Treasury Board. Are men answering the questions now that it is 2019? The issue here is that, in 2015, they promised to eliminate the deficit, but there is now a $30-billion deficit. That is a fact.I would like to give the President of the Treasury Board another chance. Will she tell Canadians that, unfortunately, Liberal deficits will lead directly to higher taxes for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec is calling for a single tax return. The Prime Minister replied, A unanimous motion from the National Assembly? Good Lord, that never happens!After ridiculing Quebec, now the entire machinery of government is engaged in a campaign of fear. To listen to the Liberals, we would think that the 10 plagues of Egypt were upon us. The worst part is that this strategy is working, because the NDP has already caved.Why is the government so bent on having two tax returns? What is it afraid of? Is it afraid that Quebec will perform better?
Mr. Speaker, the National Assembly unanimously passed a motion calling for the immediate construction of the second supply ship, the Obelix, at the Davie shipyard. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister is showing little respect for Quebec and shipyard workers.Even the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence, which has a Liberal majority, pointed to the complete loss of an at-sea replenishment capability.Why does the Prime Minister have so little respect for the Royal Canadian Navy and Quebec shipyard workers, and why is he using statements previously made by CAF members when there are lengthy delays in the
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Prime Minister's foreign policy is a disaster, and Canadians are paying for his mistakes. Our international partners have no respect for the Prime Minister, and why should they? After clowning around in India and inviting a convicted terrorist along with him, he then was forced to take concession after concession from Donald Trump. He even angered our partners in Japan and Australia, and now we have the debacle with China. Why did the Prime Minister show such weakness and wait so long to fire his ambassador?
Mr. Speaker, in fact what Canadians chose in 2015 was a government that was going to make investments as opposed to an approach that was going to bring in austerity, to actually put us in a situation where we were trying to balance the budget on the backs of Canadians by either raising taxes or cutting benefits.We have a plan, investing in Canadians. The question is: What would be the Conservative plan? Would it be to cut the Canada child benefit, or would it be to raise taxes on middle-class Canadians? We have been clear. We are helping middle-class Canadians. We would like to hear what they would plan on doing.
Mr. Speaker, our government has lowered the small business tax to 9%, giving small business owners up to $7,500 in savings. We have also cut red tape by removing 450 administrative burdens, making it easier for businesses to do business. We are working hard for Canada's small businesses because they are the backbone of our Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have lost confidence that the Prime Minister can lead our country on the world stage. His list of diplomatic disasters is rising. It includes his appalling India trip. He has infuriated our Asia-Pacific trade partners. He failed Canada on NAFTA. Now our relationship with China is in tatters. He fired his ambassador. His foreign affairs minister is missing in action.The consequences are dire. Lives are hanging in the balance. Canadians are paying for the failures of the Prime Minister. Does he even have a plan for China?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have lost confidence in the Prime Minister's ability to stand up for our interests abroad.The number of diplomatic disasters continues to rise. His trip to India was a failure, he has angered our partners in the Asia-Pacific region, he failed with NAFTA, and now our relations with China are in trouble. He fired his ambassador, and his Minister of Foreign Affairs is nowhere to be found, even though there are lives at stake. Canadians are paying for the Prime Minister's failures.Does he even have a plan for China?