hazylavender/hi huggingface dataset:
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Pierre Poilievre: we already knew that, according to intelligence services, Beijing's Communist government contributed $140,000 to the Trudeau Foundation specifically to influence the Liberal leader who is now the Prime Minister of Canada. Now we have learned that it was his brother who signed the agreement to obtain this money. Would the Prime Minister agree to invite his brother to appear before a parliamentary committee to answer questions?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Pierre Poilievre: it was definitely a family business for the Prime Minister , whether it was the WE Charity paying his brother and mother and the Prime Minister claiming to know nothing about it as he handed a half-billion dollars over to that organization or the Trudeau Foundation, which got $140,000 from the dictatorship in Beijing for the specific purpose of influencing his decisions in politics. Now we know that his own brother was the one who negotiated and signed the deal to receive the money. Will the Prime Minister accept to call his brother to a parliamentary committee to answer questions about this?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Pierre Poilievre: if the Prime Minister had nothing to hide and no relationship whatsoever with the foundation, he would have no problem inviting his brother to testify before a parliamentary committee under oath about the money the foundation received for the specific purpose of influencing the Prime Minister. I will move on to another Liberal falsehood. They told us the carbon tax would make emissions go down. A new report shows that for the most recent years emissions went up. The tax goes up, the emissions go up and now Canadians are expected to pay a net $1,500. Given that everything the Liberals have said about the tax is false, will they axe the tax?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Terry Duguid: the Conservatives just do not seem to get it. The climate rebate puts more money in people's pockets. Eight out of 10 families will be better off. The member can look at page 5 of the original PBO report. What will not leave families better off is investing in cryptocurrency. That was reckless advice by the Leader of the Opposition. I have invited him to stand in this House and apologize. Now, for the fourth time, will he stand up now and apologize to Canadians?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Pierre Poilievre: that is another falsehood. I will read directly from the report written by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, who was appointed by the Prime Minister . On page 3, he says that, for example, an Ontario family will pay on average $1,820 more in carbon tax costs than they get back in these phony rebate cheques. In Prince Edward Island it will be $1,500. In Newfoundland and Labrador it will be $1,300. I could go on. In every single province, the majority of people pay far more in taxes than they get back in benefits from this scam. Given that it has been false, will they not axe the tax?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Terry Duguid: I have good news. On April 14, climate rebate cheques started to arrive in people's mailboxes. A family of four in my home province of Manitoba will receive $1,000. That is $250 quarterly. That is going to help with cash flow. That is going to help with affordability. The Conservatives do not seem to be interested in either.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Pierre Poilievre: according to a poll, 74% of Quebeckers say they are struggling to pay everyday expenses such as groceries, gas and basic necessities. This is because of inflationary taxes and deficits, which are increasing the cost of living for all Quebeckers. Furthermore, the government threw another $60 billion of fuel on the fire of inflation in its budget. Will the government cancel its inflationary taxes and deficits, which are creating a burden for Quebeckers?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Francois-Philippe Champagne: I think that the Leader of the Opposition should listen more closely to Canadians. He may have missed it, but in the latest budget, we introduced three key measures to address three things affecting Quebeckers and Canadians across the country. The first was the cost of groceries. That is why this government proposed a grocery rebate. It will help families in need. The second thing that Canadians told us to take action on was health care. Having a family doctor is a priority. The third thing that Canadians asked us to do was to build the economy of tomorrow with the jobs of tomorrow. That is exactly what we are doing to help Canadians, and I think that he should listen to Canadians a bit more often.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Alain Therrien: the House voted for an independent commission of public inquiry on Chinese interference, and that is what Canadians want too. Rather than heeding the consensus, the Prime Minister is hiding behind his special rapporteur and good friend, David Johnston. However, Mr. Johnston is a former member of the Trudeau Foundation, which is itself in the midst of a Chinese interference scandal. That means that a former member of the Trudeau Foundation, which allegedly received money from China, is going to tell the government how to avoid Chinese influence. We cannot make this stuff up. Does the Prime Minister realize that this undertaking has absolutely zero credibility?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Dominic LeBlanc: our colleague opposite certainly has a way with words. However, we do not like when he claims that our government has not taken any action from the get-go to counter potential foreign interference. As we have often said, we put in place a series of measures that we have adapted based on evolving threats. The work of the Right Hon. David Johnston is part of that exercise, and we look forward to implementing his recommendations.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Alain Therrien: the Prime Minister 's chief of staff, Katie Telford, did not tell us much during her testimony on Friday. It took two hours for the committee to hear that she would not say anything. She did tell us that whatever she knows, the Prime Minister knows as well, and she said that the Prime Minister pays very close attention to CSIS reports. Therefore, the Prime Minister has known about the allegations of Chinese election interference all along. If he refuses to launch an inquiry, does he realize that he is sending a very clear message that he has something to hide?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Dominic LeBlanc: the chief of staff said exactly what the Prime Minister and other ministers have been saying all along. Security agencies repeatedly informed the government of the threat of foreign interference. That is precisely why we took action, unlike the previous government. We have also said that the Right Hon. David Johnston is in a better position to look at the big picture and advise the government on any additional steps to be taken, and we look forward to following his advice.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Jagmeet Singh: in the pandemic, public sector workers stepped up and provided the much needed help to give Canadians a lending hand in a difficult time. Now these workers are being impacted by inflation. They do not want to go to strike, they want to work, so the government has a responsibility to negotiate fairly. Will the government get serious and negotiate a fair contract that respects the public service workers?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Mona Fortier: public servants from the PSAC provide important services to Canadians, and the government values their work. The government is committed to reaching agreements at the bargaining table that are fair for the employees and reasonable for taxpayers. We have a good offer on the table and there is enough ground to reach a deal. Canadians expect both parties to bargain in good faith and find compromise, and that is what we are doing today.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Mona Fortier: public servants from the PSAC provide important services to Canadians, and the government values their work. The government is committed to reaching agreements at the bargaining table that are fair for the employees and reasonable for taxpayers. We have a good offer on the table. There is enough ground to reach a deal. Canadians expect us to work together, which is what we are doing today.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan: Liberals misled Canadians for eight years about their carbon tax scam. They claimed that it would put more into the pockets of Canadians than what they paid into it, but the Liberal environment minister admitted that they misled Canadians and the PBO backed that up in its current report on the carbon tax scam. Our hard-working truck drivers are going to get slammed with an extra $150 in costs every single time they fuel up because of this scam. This carbon tax scam is going to cost Canadians more so Liberals can continue to virtue-signal and fill up their own coffers. Why does the Prime Minister not stop virtue-signalling, stop punishing Canadians for eating, heating and living, and scrap the scam?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Terry Duguid: good news is coming to Atlantic Canadians. On July 1, the climate action rebate will be coming to all of the Atlantic provinces. That will mean $1,000 or more to a family of four. Even the premier of New Brunswick likes it. At least one Conservative likes it. He said, "We need to make a choice that is in the best interest of New Brunswickers, and what this does now is provide relief from inflation." We agree with the premier of New Brunswick. I wish the Conservatives did too.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan: the Liberals should slap a "not as advertised" label on it every single time the Liberals and the NDP talk about their carbon tax scam. They know for a fact, and it is backed up by the PBO, that, on average, Canadians will pay an extra $1,500. The PBO also proved them wrong and emissions have gone up. The Liberals claimed they would fix the environment; that was false. They said that Canadians would be better off; that was false. The Liberal minister admitted that they misled Canadians for eight years. One in five Canadians are skipping meals and 1.5 million Canadians are using a food bank in a single month. Let us get real; this is a tax plan. Let us scrap the scam and give Canadians a break.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Sean Fraser: the Conservatives' argument rests upon the premise that the alternative to putting a price on pollution is to do nothing to fight climate change. Every measure that they have put forward would have a greater cost than putting a price on pollution. Look to the court decisions, including those from western Canada, that said putting a price on pollution is the most effective way to combat climate change. We found a way to make it more affordable for families at the same time.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Ms. Melissa Lantsman: the Liberals still claim that families would get more back than they paid in the carbon tax. We know that is not true. The Minister of Environment finally admitted the truth. It turns out that they do not get more. They also claimed that the carbon tax works, but we know otherwise. New data says that emissions have increased 12 million times in the last reporting year, and they still plan to triple the tax. How many more increases will it take before they realize the carbon tax does not work, it does not reduce emissions, it lowers our economic output and it hurts hard-working Canadians who cannot pay their bills?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Karina Gould: it is hard to hear the Conservatives talk about families because at every opportunity they have voted against hard-working Canadian families in this House, like regarding the Canada child benefit, the Canada workers benefit, the Canada housing benefit or dental that has helped over 250,000 children go to the dentist already. We also have the Canada child care agreements that have lowered fees by 50% right across the country. If Conservatives cared about Canadian families, they would do more to support them.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Ms. Melissa Lantsman: I understand why the member opposite does not want to talk about the carbon tax. The proof is in the numbers; the carbon tax does not work. It does not leave Canadian families better off. The average family will pay $710 this year thanks to their new increases. Emissions went up and economic output is down because of it. At a time where every Canadian could use a break, the only ones better off are the Liberals who get more Canadian tax dollars with no actual results. This is not an environmental plan. When will the minister admit to this House what he already told Canadians on TV?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Randy Boissonnault: the Conservatives are so focused on a price on pollution, despite the fact that it's the best market mechanism we have to get to a net-zero economy. Every time we have come to this House to reduce taxes on Canadians, how have the Conservatives voted? They voted against it. When it came to lowering taxes on the middle class three times, how did they vote? Against it. When it came to lowering taxes on working Canadians, how did they vote? Against it. When it came to lowering taxes on seniors and dental benefits, how are they going to vote? We know the answer: against it.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Pierre Paul-Hus: this morning, we learned that, according to a survey, 74% of Quebeckers are struggling to pay for basic necessities. What is more, 45% of Quebeckers reported that they are $200 or less away from being unable to meet their financial obligations. What is the Prime Minister's solution? Here is what he said recently at a public meeting: "If you're using your credit card to go back to school, or if you go into debt to build an expansion on your house, then you're going to be able to sell your house for more". My question for the members of the Liberal caucus is this: Are they beginning to feel embarrassed by their leader?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Francois-Philippe Champagne: it seems as though my colleagues opposite have not looked at the budget we presented. What we did is listen to Canadians, and I would advise them to do the same if they want to be on this side of the House one day. Canadians asked us to help them with groceries and the cost of living. The first measure set out in the budget is the grocery rebate. The second measure has to do with health care. Canadians want a family doctor. The third measure involves investing in the economy. This morning, Ericsson announced an investment of $470 million--
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Pierre Paul-Hus: I do not know whether the minister really understood my question. This morning, we learned that 74% of Quebeckers say that they are having trouble making ends meet and that nearly half of them do not even have $200 left over at the end of the month to pay their bills. On that note, at that same townhall, the Prime Minister added, "If you're making investments that are going to return, that is how you grow a strong economy because quite frankly, confident economies invest in themselves". I do not really understand what he means, but he is basically telling people to use their credit cards. Does the Prime Minister understand that what he has done with the government, which is to keep us in debt for decades to come, is the same thing he is telling Canadians to do, which is to use very high-interest credit cards? Does the Prime Minister agree with that?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Pascale St-Onge: I will repeat a little bit of what my excellent colleague said earlier, because he answered the question from my colleague on the opposite side of the House. We are listening to Canadians. We know that they are struggling to make ends meet right now. That is why our budget takes those challenges into consideration and provides assistance to Canadians across the country to help pay for groceries, make health care accessible and make dental care accessible for families. All the Conservatives have to do is vote for our budget, and everything will get better for Canadians.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Yves Perron: the Union des producteurs agricoles, or UPA, is sounding the alarm. Rising costs are jeopardizing the next generation of farmers. If the government does not do anything about this, one in 10 businesses is set to close within the year. That is one in 10 farms gone within 12 months. The federal government could create an emergency agriculture account, similar to the one put in place during COVID. It could also extend the deadline for paying back money received under the existing program and postpone the 2023 repayment deadline by two years. What is the federal government doing today to prevent one in 10 farms from dying within the year--
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau: like my colleague, I saw the results of the poll and the various studies. It is very concerning to see that we might lose so many of our agricultural producers. That is why we are working in collaboration with the Government of Quebec on various options. We have just signed the $3.5-billion sustainable Canadian agricultural partnership. That is an increase of $500 million. We are also looking at emergency programs. In fact, when the Prime Minister met with the UPA, he said that we would work together on bringing in a targeted measure to help those who may be having a tough time getting through the year.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Yves Perron: we must act quickly. What good is it to give speeches about the importance of local food resiliency if we let our local farms disappear? We talk about inflation and interest rates every day, but we never talk about the farmers who are affected by this issue. According to UPA data, 50% of agricultural businesses expect their financial situation to further deteriorate this year. Does the federal government think it is okay for our farmers to go into debt to feed us? Is that going to convince young people to take over our farms?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau: we must recognize all the work that our farmers do. They work extremely hard and know that they bear the pressure for feeding us in these challenging times. We want to help them in different ways. In the recent budget, we increased the interest-free portion of the advance payments program. They can receive up to $350,000 interest-free. We also clarified the intergenerational business transfer framework.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mrs. Claude DeBellefeuille: I appeal to the government members' humanity and compassion. I am asking them to set aside all partisanship and to give royal recommendation to Bill C-215 on EI sickness benefits. As we speak, there are men and women who are sick and who need these extended benefits. The House voted unanimously to extend the benefits. The majority of MPs voted in favour of the bill. All we are waiting for now is royal recommendation. Will the government members give royal recommendation to the bill?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Karina Gould: we understand that EI benefits need to be fairer, more responsive and more adaptable to the needs of Canada's evolving workforce. That is why we continue to be committed to comprehensively modernizing the system. We have already extended EI sickness benefits from 15 to 26 weeks. With budget 2023, we propose extending support for seasonal workers until October 2024. We have always said we need to get EI reform right. It is a priority, and we are on it.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Ms. Raquel Dancho: last week a 17-year-old boy was stabbed to death on a bus in Surrey, British Columbia. This was the third stabbing on public transit in B.C. over the last month, happening only two weeks after a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death at a Toronto subway station. Edmonton is reporting a 53% spike in attacks happening on public transit. The violent crime surge in this country has reached into every corner. When will the Liberal-NDP coalition finally wake up and end the dangerous catch-and-release policies that are making our streets so unsafe?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Marco Mendicino: first, I want to remind my colleague that the Minister of Justice and I met with our provincial and territorial counterparts, and we will be moving expeditiously to revisit our bail system. More than that, our government has invested close to $1 billion to support law enforcement. What did the Conservatives do on each of those occasions? They voted against it. We put $450 million in to stop the illegal flow of guns into this country by reinforcing the CBSA. What did the Conservatives do? They voted against it. If they want to take crime seriously, they should support the policies and the investments of the Liberal government.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mr. Frank Caputo: I highlight two recent times that catch-and-release has failed victims of intimate partner violence. In one instance, an alleged abuser allegedly beat and repeatedly breached restraining orders against a partner. The result: multiple bail hearings, and likely, a terrified partner. In another case, a woman was threatened; firearms were involved. The result: a bail hearing and a terrified partner. When will the Liberal government end catch-and-release so that vulnerable women will no longer become terrified partners?
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. David Lametti: Canadians deserve to feel safe, and as a government, we are taking action so that they will. Bill C-75 already reduced the burden of proof in intimate partner violence cases when it came to bail. We are going beyond that. We have met with our provincial and territorial counterparts to bring reform to the bail system. We recognize that this is something we have to work on with the provinces. Obviously we will take action in areas of our jurisdiction. We will move, and we will find a solution together.
Democratic Institutions
Date: 2023_04_17
Chamber: HOUSE OF COMMONS
Mrs. Dominique Vien: since this Prime Minister took office eight years ago, our streets have become more and more unsafe. Under the Liberals, violent crime has increased by 32%. In contrast, when the Conservatives were in office, violent crime dropped by 23%. Criminals are out on the streets instead of in prison because of this Prime Minister's soft-on-crime policies. Is it too much to ask that this Prime Minister take care of victims rather than criminals?