Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows, I have been to his riding, and I am originally from Vancouver Island. When I was elected to city council, it was on Vancouver Island. I have had a couple of opportunities to interact with the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. I was recently at a housing summit, just a number of weeks ago. In fact, this week, on Monday, I was at an announcement wit…
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Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to talk about the budget implementation act. Last month, our government released budget 2023, our made-in-Canada plan for a strong middle class, an affordable economy and a healthy future. It comes at an important moment for our country. Canada's economy has made a remarkable recovery from the COVID recession. Last year, Canada delivered the strongest e…
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Mr. Speaker, when it comes to affordability, no Canadian should be forced to make the decision between buying groceries and going to the dentist, but budget 2023 actually takes care of both. We are delivering a grocery benefit, which the member supported, and I thank him for it. It is going to help 11 million Canadians, and over 50% of our seniors are going to benefit. There is also a dental benef…
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Mr. Speaker, I am happy to say that just this week, not only our government but also every member of this House stood up and did something for Kim and people in that situation by delivering the grocery benefit to the more than 11 million Canadians who need it the most. Every day, I stand up in this place waiting for the Conservatives to come up with a plan to fight climate change. I wish that woul…
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Mr. Speaker, only the Conservatives would consider facts to be gaslighting. The facts are that youth unemployment is down 22%, that 2.7 million Canadians have been lifted out of poverty under this government and that we have the lowest deficit and the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. That strong balance sheet allows us to invest in making life more affordable and creating clean jobs that cr…
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Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that the first thing we did when we came into government was lower taxes for the middle class, but our government has also increased the amount that every Canadian can earn before paying even a penny of federal income taxes. We have increased that to $15,000. That is $3,673 more that one can earn tax-free. It is just another way that we are making life affordable for al…
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Mr. Speaker, we are closing tax loopholes on the wealthiest Canadians to make life more affordable for the middle class. Ninety-nine per cent of these measures will be affecting people who make over $300,000. Eighty per cent of these measures will be affecting Canadians who make over $1,000,000 a year. Let us be clear that when the Conservatives talk about lowering taxes to protect powerful payche…
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Mr. Speaker, our plan is not just making life more affordable for Canadians, it is also to be fiscally responsible. Canada has reconfirmed our AAA credit rating. We have recovered 126% of jobs lost during the pandemic, while the United States has only recovered 114%. We have the lowest deficit and the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. This positions us very well going into the next budget to…
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Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to remind the member opposite that it was our government that reduced taxes for the middle class not once but twice, and reduced taxes for small businesses not once but twice. While inflation is a global phenomenon, we in Canada are very well positioned to take care of it. We have the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. We have the lowest deficit in the G7. That i…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that inflation has been challenging for Canadians. That is why we are focused on a legislative agenda that makes life more affordable for Canadians. However, it is important for members opposite, everybody in the House and Canadians across the country to understand that this is a global phenomenon. Fortunately, inflation has been coming down. It is down to 5.2%. It is much low…
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Mr. Speaker, since forming government, our government has reduced poverty in this country by 56%. That is 2.7 million Canadians, mostly seniors and children, who are better off because of our government. We have done that by increasing investments in affordability. These are investments in things like child care, dental care and health care. We are well positioned for the future, with our debt-to-…
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Mr. Speaker, I am very excited, as is the member opposite, for the release of the budget tomorrow. It is going to be an opportunity for us to continue doing what we have been doing, which is making life more affordable for Canadians by lowering taxes for middle-class Canadians and lowering taxes for small businesses, which has allowed us to grow. Despite the fact that we have the lowest net debt-t…
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Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to participate in tonight's debate about affordability as well as fiscal responsibility in Canada. I share the concern that many Canadians are struggling to make ends meet in this period of elevated global inflation and the fact that the high cost of food and housing, in particular, is having significant economic repercussions. We have disagreed significantly on the c…
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Mr. Speaker, our government understands that inflation and affordability are important issues for many Canadians, and that is why we are working hard to help Canadian families who need it the most. Our plan is simple. We are making life more affordable for Canadians while continuing to build an economy that works for everyone, and that includes the carbon price. As the member knows, the climate in…
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Madam Speaker, we know that global inflation is stretching the budgets of Canadians, but that is why we have put together a $12.1-billion affordability plan. That includes doubling the GST benefit that went out to over 11 million Canadians, including more than 50% of our seniors. That includes strengthening the Canada workers benefit that helped 4.1 million workers get the help they need to put fo…
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Madam Speaker, our government supports small craft brewers from right across the country. Most of us probably have small craft brewers that are in our ridings. That is why we have decreased taxes on small businesses, not once but twice, including reducing the rate of taxes for small businesses from 11% to 9%. Last year's escalator equated to about one penny for every five cans of beer sold. We wil…
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Madam Speaker, I am happy to take this opportunity to talk about the strength of the Canadian economy in a time of global inflation. While it is true that we still have the lowest deficit in the G7 and that we still have the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7, we are still focusing on making life more affordable for Canadians. I would like to take this opportunity to correct the record from a …
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to take part in this debate this evening. I want to thank my colleague from Victoria, a place where I grew up as well, for asking these questions. I have prepared a response that actually takes on all the questions that were raised in her original question, which include inflation, affordability, tax fairness, climate change and fossil fuel subsidies. We understand, as a …
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Mr. Speaker, our government has taken meaningful actions to make life more affordable and build a sustainable economy that works for everyone. We are doing this by fighting climate change; making sure everyone pays their fair share of tax; making our economy more competitive; and supporting Canadian workers, creating more than 809,000 new jobs since the start of the pandemic. Canada is working, Ca…
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Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to be here tonight to address some of the concerns raised by my friend opposite. This is probably a point of order for later, but there was nothing about leafcutter bees in the member's question. If there happened to be something about leafcutter bees in April when he originally asked the question, I am sure the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food would have loved t…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for that clarification. Supply chain shocks felt after the global pandemic and after Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine have only underlined how important it is to protect Canadian farmers' competitiveness, whether that is in irrigation or otherwise. We have a responsible fiscal plan, as well as the lowest net debt and deficit in the G7 with a AAA credit rati…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to take a brief moment to wish my wife Ravi and my two daughters Nova and Solar a very happy Valentine's Day. As a Valentine's Day gift to my friend from Calgary Centre, I have prepared a record of speeches I have given on the subject of global inflation and carbon pricing in the last five months. Starting in 2022, we have September 20, September 27, October 25 and 26, …
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Madam Speaker, Canadians can count on our government to continue supporting those who need it the most while carefully managing our finances and protecting our environment. We have a responsible fiscal plan, the lowest net debt and deficit in the G7, and an AAA credit rating. We have created more than 800,000 jobs since the pandemic. As we prepare for the federal budget, Canadians can rest assured…
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Madam Speaker, Canada is working and Canadians are working. In fact, they are working in record numbers. Over 659,000 jobs have been created since the pandemic. That is what allows us to invest in making life more affordable by protecting and increasing retirement security for seniors, and by investing in dental care for children. I have good news on that front. I am happy to report today that ove…
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Madam Speaker, first of all, we have lowered taxes for middle-class Canadians twice. We have lowered taxes for small businesses twice, and it is important that the opposition understands that inflation is—
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Madam Speaker, I would love to restart my answer because it gives me a second opportunity to talk about how we have lowered taxes for middle-class Canadians twice. We have lowered taxes for small businesses twice. When it comes to global inflation, it is, in fact, global. It is too high in Canada, at 6.3%, but it is higher for our economic peers. It is 6.5% in the United States. It is over 9% in E…
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Madam Speaker, our plan not only makes life more affordable for Canadians but is also fiscally responsible. We have confirmed our AAA credit rating. We have recovered 121% of jobs lost during the pandemic, while the United States has only recovered 106%. We have maintained the lowest deficit and the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. That positions us very well to get inflation under control,…
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Mr. Speaker, it is important to everyone in this chamber that everyone pays their fair share of taxes. That is why we decreased taxes for the middle class by increasing them for the top 1%. We actually introduced a 15% recovery dividend to banks and insurance companies, which is going to bring in about 4 billion dollars' worth of income. We have put in place a permanent 1.5% tax on profits over $1…
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Madam Speaker, I think we have to say that we all know global inflation is stretching the budgets of many Canadians. This is why we have put together a comprehensive affordability plan. Whether someone is a student, in a young family, a working professional or a senior, our government has worked hard to make life more affordable and to build an economy that works for everyone. While Canada's infla…
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Madam Speaker, I think if individuals were to objectively go through the speech I presented with the solutions that are being proposed by the government, in fact some of those solutions are already implemented, and the non-solutions I also presented on behalf of some of the things the Conservatives have brought forward over the last six months, I think that they would see objectively that we are a…
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Mr. Speaker, happy new year to you and to my friend from Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan. As was stated by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, our government makes every effort to ensure that spending on official trips is both responsible and transparent. The official Canadian delegation included former prime ministers and the Governor General. All members of this deleg…
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians can count on us to continue supporting them while proceeding in a way that is fiscally responsible. In the months ahead as we prepare for the 2023 budget, Canadians can count on this government to continue to work hard to build an economy that works for everyone, to create good jobs and to make life more affordable both for Canadian workers but also for Canadian families.
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Madam Speaker, we understand that many Canadians are feeling the pain of high inflation, but I would like to take this opportunity to reassure them. They can continue to count on our government to support them through targeted and fiscally responsible measures. As the Deputy Prime Minister explained in the fall economic statement, we will continue in the months ahead to work hard to build an econo…
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Madam Speaker, to directly answer the question, 2023 is when we are committed to removing all inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. I would also encourage anyone listening to this to look at our entire emissions reduction plan. There has been over 100 billion dollars' worth of investments into initiatives leading to a cleaner future, including in budget 2022, which took a number of important steps to…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to start by addressing the question of putting a price on pollution. This is something that the member opposite will certainly be familiar with, because he vigorously campaigned for it in the last election. This is also something that we are familiar with in British Columbia, where we have had a price on pollution since 2008. In the time since it has been implemented, n…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to start by thanking my friend opposite for raising these questions. I used to represent the people of her riding as a municipal city councillor some 23 years ago in Nanaimo. In fact, I sat on the advisory committee to the environment there. The member and I have had some good discussions around various environmental issues, including climate change. I am glad we have a…
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Madam Speaker, I think Canadians can count on this government to continue supporting those who need it the most through targeted and fiscally responsible measures while running a tight fiscal ship. In the months ahead, we will continue to work hard to build an economy that works for everyone, to create good jobs, to make life more affordable for Canadians. Our government believes that our country …
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Madam Speaker, first, I would like to address the question of pollution pricing. Our government knows that putting a price on pollution remains the most effective way to fight climate change while making life more affordable for Canadians. Not only does pollution pricing ensure it is no longer free to pollute anywhere in Canada, but for eight out of 10 Canadians who receive the climate action ince…
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Madam Speaker, I am happy to be here talking about this issue today. It follows up dozens of meetings I have had with Iranian Canadians in my own community and I have been following this particular issue especially closely. Listings under the Criminal Code provide the legal and institutional framework to implement measures to freeze and forfeit terrorists' property and help investigate and potenti…
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Madam Speaker, I speak today in this House in solidarity with and offering my full support to the brave men and women of Iran who are rising up against this brutal regime. For too long the Ayatollah, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and the so-called morality police have repressed the Iranian people for their own gain. The brutal killing of Mahsa Amini was a spark in a long history of repres…
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Madam Speaker, to be clear, it is set every year on a seven-year average, not set every seven years. In addition, it is important to reiterate our government is committed to continuing to support small businesses and help Canadians cope with the rising cost of living. I spoke earlier about what we do for small businesses. Let me remind my colleague about our affordability plan for Canadians, a sui…
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Madam Speaker, Canada's small and medium-sized businesses are the heart of our economy. They define our communities, our main streets and our neighbourhoods across the country, in big cities and small villages. Helping them innovate is good for Canada, and that is why our government has addressed and continues to address barriers that are preventing them from growing. With Bill C-32, we are propos…
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Madam Speaker, he did not hear this, because I said it while he was speaking, but I take a lot of time writing these speeches. I hope he likes all the effort that goes into them. Our government has continued to reduce our debt-to-GDP ratio and has created over 500,000 new jobs since the pandemic began. Our fiscally responsible plan has maintained our AAA credit rating and allows us to invest in Ca…
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Madam Speaker, I take a lot of time writing my notes, but to get off that for a second, at the request of my colleague, there was in fact a carbon price seven years ago, just not in his home province of Alberta. In my home province of B.C., there absolutely was a price on carbon, and guess what. During that period, British Columbia had the fastest-growing economy in the country at the same time as…
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Madam Speaker, the Canada Infrastructure Bank is making significant progress in advancing its goals of attracting private and institutional investments to projects, while using innovative financing tools to get more infrastructure built for Canadians. To date, the bank has advanced over 40 signature projects, committing $8.3 billion in capital, while attracting $7.8 billion in private and institut…
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Madam Speaker, the Canada Infrastructure Bank was established to ensure Canadians benefit from modern and sustainable infrastructure through partnerships with governments and the private sector. The bank helps public dollars go further by investing in revenue-generating infrastructure projects in the public interest and by developing innovative financial tools. With regard to the Lake Erie connect…
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Madam Speaker, I am happy to address those particular questions. We are focused on making life more affordable, especially for our seniors. The point of talking about the GST benefit was pointing out the specific point that, while it is going to 11 million households, disproportionately, the seniors who need that benefit are getting it. In fact, over 50% of seniors in Canada are getting it. I also…
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Madam Speaker, I am glad to be addressing a large variety of topics this evening. Our government understands that the elevated global inflation we are experiencing is a major issue for all Canadians, including seniors, and that many are struggling to make ends meet. There are higher food and energy costs due to the Russian invasion in Ukraine, as well as longer lasting impacts from supply chain di…
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Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. While my colleague may not like the definition around that particular word “inefficient”, that is a longer debate that I cannot explain in one minute. However, we are committed to undergoing a peer review of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies under the G20 process and we will build on the actions we have alre…
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Mr. Speaker, I will start by sharing the sentiment of my friend from Kitchener Centre with regard to the urgency of this issue and with regard to making sure that we get this right, for the sake of our children and all children across Canada and around the world. Canada remains committed to phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. We have already taken action to phase out nine tax measures s…
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