CPAC - Thursday, May 23, 2024 - 02:00 p.m. (ET) - Segment #3

honourable member. >> (Voice of Interpreter): Mr. Speaker, its waters are warming too fast, becoming increasingly as I had I can and containing less and less oxygen. Worrisome state of the St. Lawrence River. Scientists are sounding the alarm. Reached fatal oxygen level for several aquatic species. The time has come. But ignoring the serious problem. What will it take for this Minister of Environment to give the St. Lawrence River rights to protect Quebec's biodiversity. >> Honourable minister of environment and climate change. >> >> (Voice of Interpreter): I would like to remind him when we came to it power in 2015 Canada wasn't protecting 1% of our territory waters and now up to 15%. And 20% next year, at least 30% by 2030. So this is our objective that all countries agreed cop 15 in Montreal and we established record amounts with partnerships across the country to protect our territory. Thank you. [End of Interpretation] >> The honourable member from Victoria. >> Families saw their families burned to the ground in northern British Columbia this week. And summer hasn't even started. Yet the Conservatives don't seem to think that climate change is real. And this environment minister offers up nothing but empty words and delays. The Liberals refuse to invest the billion dollars needed for a B.C. watershed security fund that would prevent wildfires and save lives. They knew this wildfire season was going to be devastating for communities but yet leaving British Columbians to fend for themselves. Will the government fix their mistake and immediately establish a B.C. watershed security fund? >> The Speaker: The honourable minister for natural resources and energy. >> Mr. Speaker, certainly the issues that we have seen around forest fires last year and unfortunately this year, particularly in British Columbia and in the fort Nelson area have been devastating and hearts go out to those folks affected. The reason why we set aside 350 million to help provinces procure equipment, the reason why we are actually training forest fires, and fundamentally the reason why we have a comprehensive climate plan to ensure that we are addressing the threat of climate change. Mr. Speaker, the Conservative party of Canada has a climate plan. It is to let the planet burn. It is irresponsible, it is shame shameful. >> The honourable member from Thornhill. >> A hat trick for the Prime Minister but not the good type. Three reports released in just one day paint a devastating picture of life in Canada after nine years of this NDP/Liberal government. Food banks Canada, Salvation Army and parliamentary budget officer say there is more homelessness and hunger. Kept telling us that they are spending our money for their -- for our own good and everything is fine and it's not their fault. Mr. Speaker, it has been nine years. Whose fault is it? >> The Speaker: The honourable Parliamentary Secretary. >> Mr. Speaker, grocery price inflation is coming down. 1.4% in April. Down from 1.9% a month before. This is encouraging news certainly for Canadians but it's important to know that our government put forward the most comprehensive package of competition reforms in Canadian history. Why? Because more competition equals better prices. But it's a bit rich for the Conservatives to point to food bank line-ups when they opposed a national school food program that's going to feed over 400,000 kids across Canada. >> The Speaker: The honourable member from Thornhill. >> And nine years later, it hasn't fed a single child. They just don't get it. The very policies that they have delivered has given us the worst quality of life in half a century. The worst since the last Trudeau ran this place. In the past three months 25% of young adults have had to go to a food bank in this country, 38% more homelessness after they promised to end it. And about 50% of Canadians are worse off this year than they were last year. How does this government have so much money to spare while ordinary Canadians are literally going hungry and homeless? >> The Speaker: The honourable Parliamentary Secretary. >> Quite the statement from the deputy leader of the Conservative party. My advice to her to actually read the report from the parliamentary budget officer. In that report will see no less than 50,000 Canadians are supported by the national housing strategy, specifically reaching home program that they would cut. We know they champion austerity agenda. This also from the deputy leader

who made clear on a yacht less homes have to be built in Canada. We want to build more homes. >> The honourable member. >> After nine years of this NDP/Liberal government Canadians are hungry and homeless. It's becoming more clearer. The more inflationary spending they do the worse it gets for Canadians. And look no further than the Ottawa food bank report that came out this week that said half a million visits were made to the food bank in our nation's capital last year. That's a 95% increase in the last five years. 22% increase in the last year alone, 36% of them were children. How many more times are they going to hike the carbon tax before they realize it's driving millions of more people to food banks? >> The Speaker: The honourable Parliamentary Secretary. >> I find it more than ironic that Conservative member across the way mentions children when he is going to stand up in short order and oppose a national school food program, a national school food program that food banks of Canada and food secure Canada advocated for for over ten years because they know that it will impact food insecurity in this country in a dramatic way. A billion dollars in the Ferrell budget 2024 to feed 400,000 more kids, and the Conservatives say no we won't support that. >> The honourable member. >> After nine years, Mr. Speaker, that program has done exactly zero -- fed exactly 0 children in this country. Only thing doing feeding the bower accuracy here in Ottawa. Look and see what Food Banks Canada had to say about poverty measures. Report card came out this week and this government got an F. Failing grade for what they are doing as they are driving millions more people to food banks each and every year, the report says only going to get worse the more they hike the carbon tax and make life more expensive. How many more damning reports need to come out before they axe the carbon tax to help with the price of food. >> Honourable minister for families and children. >> Mr. Speaker. I would like to share today some of the response from budget 2024 and the announcement of the funding of the national school food program. Breakfast clubs of Canada, Mr. Speaker, released a statement saying that this program marks a turning point in the country's commitment to the well-being of children. Children learn best on a full stomach, Mr. Speaker. And investments today in children are investments for tomorrow. On this side of the house, we'll continue to invest in the well-being of children, and I think the Conservatives owe Canadians an explanation why they won't make these investment investments. >> (Voice of Interpreter): The honourable member. >> (Voice of Interpreter): After nine years of this Liberal Prime Minister Quebecers are hungry and increasingly taking to the streets. This week there were three devastating reports confirming that inflationary spending of the Liberals supported by the bloc is hurting families and workers, and according to the Salvation Army, 25% of parents skip meals to be able to feed their children. How come the bloc and this Prime Minister aren't worth their salt, prefer to feed this fat federal government rather than Quebecers? >> (Voice of Interpreter): The honourable minister. >> (Voice of Interpreter): Mr. Speaker, once again I would ask my colleague to tell his colleagues from the Conservative party to include in their plans if they are serious about supporting Canadians, the word homelessness, fight against poverty, investing in Canadians, I could give them some ideas, starting by voting in favour of programs that we're establishing to tackle poverty, rent, housing and feeding children. I think that would be be the very base. >> (Voice of Interpreter): The honourable member. >> (Voice of Interpreter): Mr. Speaker, after nine years of this Prime Minister, this Liberal government supported by the bloc has caused this crisis and now they want to be applauded. Mr. Speaker, it's not only responsible, because of the spending which the bloc supported, affecting gas, housing, everything costs more. Many more Canadians are lining up at food banks. They are the one that created this crisis. Will the Prime Minister admit it's time to curb the centralizing government's appetite so that all Quebecers can finally eat well. >> (Voice of Interpreter): The honourable minister. >> Mr. Speaker, I would like to

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