CBCN - Wednesday, May 22, 2024 - 12:00 a.m. (ET) - Segment #31

>> Yeah. So first of all, we need stronger laws to protect consumers. When these anticompetition acts happen, we need laws to stop them in their tracks. Justin trudeau acts like he doesn't have the power. He absolutely has the power for government to stop companies from ripping off canadians. Justin trudeau acts like he doesn't know what to do. You've got the full power of the government to protect people. Use laws to strengthen and protect people and consumers. Use laws that protect from anticompetition. We've seen big corporate bread producers and grocery stores fix the price of bread. They've done that in the past. We're worried that they are colluding to fix the price of groceries. Merci. Thank you. >> Andrew: that is N.D.P. leader jagmeet singh speaking before question period. I'll sum up what he says. The P.M. has the powero stop corporate greed and that he has written a letter to the competition bureau to investigate this because he says this looks like another example of anticompetitive behaviour. He also schedule when asked by the recognition of norway and spain of the recognition of a palestinian state, he said we need to recognise palestine as a state and a move towards a two-state solution, and canada should also take this position because it's a fundamental step towards peace. The CBCs olivia stefanovich has been following along with me on this story. >> Reporter: N.D.P. leader jagmeet singh taking another run at loblaw, this time drawing attention to a story that our colleague, the CBCs kate McKENNA broke about a quebecer raising concerns about what he calls an anticompetitive move by loblaw. He says that the grocer is prematurely ending a contract that it has with quebecor for mobile kiosks in favour of another company, glentel. Singh has written to the competition bureau about this, to take action, and when the industry minister, francois-phillipe champagne, was asked about this, he did say that this does lie with the competition bureau. Singh said if this agreement is not opposed by the competition bureau it will lead to reduced choice for consumers, and he's asking for an investigation. >> Andrew: olivia, thank you. We're going to speak on the other side of question period, but we'll take you there now. [Speaking French]. >> [Voice of Interpreter]: -- to our food school programme that will help 400,000 children across the country that will eat better. We are here to invest in families while the conservatives are only offering austerity and cuts, mr. Speaker. It's the same thing in dental care that have allowed almost 100,000 seniors to have access to dental carefree of charge, and the conservatives are opposed to this. We are leading with authority. >> [Voice of Interpreter]: the leader of the opposition? >> [Voice of Interpreter]: mr. Speaker, his programme has not provided any meals, just red

tape. And in terms of austerity, austerity is what 25% of young canadians who have to use food banks are experiencing. The 25% that are in food insecurity know what austerity is. It's austerity for canadians. >> [Voice of Interpreter]: the right honorable prime minister? >> [Voice of Interpreter]: mr. Speaker, once again, we see that the conservatives are just trying to benefit from challenges that canadians are facing, but when it's time to vote on investments that will help families, like our school food programme or more daycare spots or $10 a day daycare across the programme or dental care for seniors, they vote against these programmes. They are proposing government austerity and not for the help that canadians need. We believe in family growth and investments in families in need. [end of translation]. >> Speaker: the honorable leader of the opposition. >> After nine years of this prime minister's taxes, debt, inflation, and promises, canadians are hungry. Literally, to the bank of canada -- food banks canada report, 50% of canadians say they're worse off than a year ago. 25% are in food insecurity, and a quarter of young canadians went to food banks this year. Why do canadians who can't afford to feed themselves have to continue to feed the prime minister's morbidly obese government? >> Speaker: the right honorable prime minister? >> Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: speaker, it would be better to herear the conservatives stand and speak if they hadn't voted against $10 a day child care, free dental care for seniors. They've also stood against our school food programme that's going to help 400,000 more kids across the country have full bellies as they start their school day. These are investments that they are opposed to that we are invested in. >> Speaker: the honorable leader of the opposition. >> Mr. Speaker, it's a school food programme that's not served a single solitary meal even though it's promised three years ago. What he's feeding is bureaucracy, not children. And if all this spending were working, then why is it that food banks canada reports today that 25% of young adults had to go to a food bank in three months alone and 2 million canadians are lined up every month? Mr. Speaker, with so many empty stomachs, isn't it just a little bit wacko to be raising taxes on farmers and fruit? [interjections]. >> Speaker: the right honorable prime minister? >> Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: mr. Speaker, we announced the national school food programme in the budget, and just after question period, the conservatives have an opportunity to vote for that pragmatic that's programme that is going to help hundreds of thousands of kids across the country, but he's going to vote against it because he stands against the help that canadians need. But we will keep going, putting money in pockets of eight out of ten canadian families that supports them and fights climate change. >> Speaker: the honorable leader of the opposition. >> He's been making these same promises for nine long years, yet his n.d.p.-liberal government has doubled the cost of housing, double the cost of rent, and now he wants to allow 2 million people to a food bank every single month. Mr. Speaker, if government programmes were going to solve the problem, then why are canadians so hungry? >> Speaker: the right honorable prime minister? >> Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: mr. Speaker, here is a perfect example of where the conservatives stand. They stood and voted against our dental care for seniors programme. As of today, 2 million seniors

have signed up, and since may 1, close to 100,000 seniors have gotten dental care. That's just in 22 days in a programme that he voted against and campaigned end. We will be there supporting canadians with a national school food programme, with dental care despite him voting against. [Speaking French]. >> [Voice of Interpreter]: the honorable member. >> [Voice of Interpreter]: mr. Speaker, the government says they're interested in preserving french, but french is disappearing in western canada. Moreover, they're mobilizing hundreds of unilingual anglos to protect their liberal colleague. Does the prime minister really want francophones to believe that it's out of love for the french language that they are flooding the association of francophone parliamentarians? >> [Voice of Interpreter]: mr. Speaker, canadians know that the bloc is not interested in french outside of the province of quebec. We know that the best way to protect french across the country is to invest in all communities across the country. To protect french in quebec, yes, we're here to do that, but to standup to protect francophone communities across this country, and we're going to continue to do so. >> [Voice of Interpreter]: the honorable member? >> [Voice of Interpreter]: that's not true, mr. Speaker. The best thing that can happen to french in canada and across the world would be an independent quebec. However, mr. Speaker, what did the prime minister say in the english debate in 2021 when I was the only one who wanted to talk about french in english and I was the only one who was not allowed to talk about french in his country? >> [Voice of Interpreter]: the right honorable prime minister? >> [Voice of Interpreter]: mr. Speaker, in that debate and in all instances, I always standup to protection the french in this country, defend linguistic duality both in quebec and in this country, and as a government we're going to continue to do so as we already have. [end of translation]. >> Speaker: the honorable member from burnaby south? >> Mr. Speaker, the government has teamed up with other companies. Now they're teaming up with rogers and bell -- >> Speaker: members, it's important that we hear the question. The honorable member from burnaby south? >> Thank you. I understand, mr. Speaker, that conservatives don't like me attacking large corporations. The prime minister promised to lower cell phone fees, they're sky high. He promised to lower grocery fees. They're sky high. When will the prime minister finally stop greedy C.E.O.s from ripping off canadians? >> Speaker: the right honorable prime minister? >> Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: mr. Speaker, we've actually seen cell phone bills decrease by 20% across the country over the last number of years, and we're going to continue to standup for canadians and consumers, and I know the minister is looking into the grocery act to see if there's a number of things coming forward. We're going to continue to stand for canadians, which is why we raised corporate taxes and asked the wealthiest canadians to pay a little bit more, why we're committed to stepping up for future generations that with investments we're taking, we're

making. >> Speaker: the honorable member for burnaby south. [Speaking French]. >> [Voice of Interpreter]: it's not enough to be ripping up canadians at grocery stores. Today, we've leashed that loblaws have teamed up -- [end of translation] >> Speaker: order, order. Colleagues, I know it's wednesday and we're a little more primed up, but it's important that we hear the question. >> Conservatives are upset that we're taking on corporate greed. [Speaking French]. >> [Voice of Interpreter]: -- this means less choice and higher cell phone bills. The liberals are sitting on their hands. Will the prime minister finally standup to the C.E.O.s and support a full investigation into these allegations? >> [Voice of Interpreter]: I'd like to remind all members that when there's questions and answers, that they go through the chair, please. The right honorable prime minister? >> [Voice of Interpreter]: thank you very much, mr. Speaker. We did move to give more power to the competition bureau because it's by ensuring competition among the various companies that canadians will have better results in prices, and we also know that it's important to continue to do follow-ups on these issues, and that's why the minister is asking the competition bureau to look at what's happening in terms of cell phone packages and loblaws. It's a challenge that we're always going to take seriously. [end of translation]. >> Speaker: the honorable leader of the opposition? >> Mr. Speaker, the leader of the N.D.P. is normally worth ignoring, but I just can't help myself. Mr. Speaker, the leader regularly says that the government has the power. Well, who else has the power? The leader who joined government government. Will the prime minister admit that his pricing scheme is just another way to attack canadians at the grocery store? >> Speaker: the right honorable prime minister? >> Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: mr. Speaker, their opposition to the price on pollution means they don't care about climate change even as wildfires are raging in different parts of the country. They have no plan to fight against climate change, and they do it in the name of affordability while ignoring that the parliamentary budget officer actually showed that eight out of ten canadian families do better with the money put in their tax put into the canada carbon rebate than the cost of pollution. >> Speaker: the honorable leader of the opposition? >> Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer has found that 60% of canadians pay more than what they get back in the carbon tax rebates. 100% of middle class families pay more than what they get back in the carbon tax rebates, and now, he wants them to pay more at a time when he's planning to hand overpower to carbon tax carney. Will the prime minister tell us if carbon tax carney is planning to follow-through to hike the carbon tax to 60 cents a litre? >> Speaker: the right honorable prime minister? >> Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer has concluded that more families do better with the carbon tax rebate. That is money in their pockets that the leader of the opposition would takeaway because of his idealogical climate crusade against climate action. >> Andrew: you have been listening to question period. We heard the conservatives

attacking the liberal government on the national school food programme, saying that it is a school food programme that hasn't served a single meal, even though it was promised three years ago. We heard the prime minister defending the school food programme as well as dental care, on dental care specifically, saying that 100,000 seniors have received free dental care in just 22 days -- within just 22 days of its rollout. We heard the leader of the bloc and the prime minister sparring over the french language, with the bloc saying that the best thing for the french language in the world and in quebec would be an independent quebec. Then we heard the N.D.P. leader saying it wasn't enough for loblaw to be ripping canadians off at the grocery store. We've heard that they're teaming up with rogers and bell to rip off canadians on their cell phone bill. Olivia stefanovich has been following along, and let's hear her highlights. >> Reporter: the prime minister forced to be on the defensive about that. Conservative leader pierre poilievre drawing attention to a report downgrading its grade it received in 2014. In 2014, canada received a d on food report, and this year, it received a d -. Nearly half of canadians feel worse about food than they did last year, and about 20% of canadians are facing food insecurity. We heard the prime minister hit back, raising concerns about the fact that justin trudeau says that the conservatives are against the free dental care programme that the government has introduced, and even this national school food programme that it wants to introduce as part of the school food implementation bill. We also heard from the n.d.p., leader jagmeet singh saying that the government is endingallowing a contract between glentel. These kiosks with loblaw, under these new deals with rogers and bell would only offer phones with this company between them of glentel. He said the government had the power to stop this, but that caused a lot of raucous. We heard the conservative leader rise up and say well even though singh says it's on ottawa, the federal government to do something, it's also within the N.D.P.s power because it's the N.D.P. holding up this government through the Salonpas, makers of effective pain relief patches for 89 years believes in continuous improvement, like rounded corners that resist peeling, with an array of active ingredients and sizes to relieve your pain. Salonpas. It's Good Medicine. Hisamitsu [buzzing] ( ) Get that ojo Feeling with all the latest slot and live casino games plus exclusive games you won't find anywhere else. ( ) feel the fun play ojo We know you care. But if this is all too real for you and your loved ones. Make the call. Because we care too. Home Instead. To us, it's personal. It's like a shower for yournose. This thing is amazing!Navage flushes salin to help clear congestionby quickly sucking out mucus, allergens, and germs. There's no other productout there like it! Navage. Clean nose,healthy life. >> Announcer:Transforming the country into one massive obstacle course. >> Here we go. >> Announcer: Gruelling competitions. >> This is a steep peak. It's no joke. >> This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. >> Announcer: Game changing twists. >> Brace yourselves. >> This is my worst nightmare. >> Fierce rivalries. >> If we could

just get in there. >> Break his little heart. >> I'm about to lose it. >> Maybe don't eavesdrop. >> I can't shut my ears off. >> Well then shut your mouth off. >> I love it. >> Announcer:Canada's Ultimate Challenge, watch free onCBC Gem. [ ] >> Andrew: in london this afternoon, the door at 10 downing street swung open and the british prime minister strode out into heavy rain to announce the country is going to the polls this summer. >> Earlier today, I spoke with his majesty the king to dissolve parliament. The king has approved this request and we will hold a general election 4 july. This at a time when the world is more dangerous than it has been at the end of the cold war. Putin continues his brutal invasion of ukraine, and he will not stop there. In the middle east, the forces of islamist extremism threaten global instability. China is looking to dominate global technology. >> Andrew: it's expected to be an intense campaign with many voters eager for a change. >> Reporter: the conservatives are trailing the opposition party by at least 20 points in most polls, but rishi sunak has nevertheless decided that this is the moment to declare an election in six weeks' time. He is pointing on economic data on the up, he is reporting success on a programme to deport migrants to this country, and he's hoping that that will be enough to convince the british public to give the conservatives another chance. The conservatives have been in power for 14 years, but the polls are suggesting that labour will win unless there's a major political earthquake and in his speech acknowledging the starting of this campaign. The labour party leader spoke about the time for change. He said this was a moment that the public had been waiting for. The labour party has certainly been pushing for it to happen as early as possible, and he put himself forward as a candidate to put britain on a different path. >> We have a long-term plan to rebuild britain, a plan that is ready to go, fully costed and fully funded, but most importantly of all, we do all this with a new spirit of service. Country first, party second. A rejection of the gesture politics you will see in this campaign, I have no doubt, from the tories and the S.M.P. >> Andrew: and so, julia, what does it mean for voters? >> Reporter: well, no doubt that's going to be on the top of voters' minds, but sunak is hoping that the economy and immigration will be on the minds of many voters. It may not be enough to swing voters to their sides. But health care is another concern. Waiting times have increased, another matter that people will be voting on. When it comes to the labour party's policies, the party has put forth a manifesto of sorts, but the party has been criticized of being light on details, so it's got six weeks to make its case to the public that change is needed and they should not be voting for the conservative party once again and put their trust in labour. >> Jacqueline: ireland, spain, and norway say they plan to officially recognise a palestinian state as soon as monday. Ireland's prime minister said they expect other countries to

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