All sittings← 2023-11-062023-11-08 →
Tuesday, November 7, 2023 · sitting No. 248
NDP motion to remove GST from home heating dominates supply day
The House spent nearly half the day on government orders considering an NDP supply motion that would remove the GST from all forms of home heating, expand access to heat pumps and require oil and gas companies to pay a share of the costs. New Democrat MP Taylor Bachrach moved the motion, which also calls for measures to address the record wildfire season. Debate featured exchanges on the scope of the proposed tax relief and on whether the motion would apply equally across provinces.
Question period centred on carbon pricing, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accusing the government of dividing Canadians by limiting relief to Atlantic provinces and relying on Bloc Québécois support to stay in power. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended the national approach, including expanded rural rebates and heat-pump programs available across the country. New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh pressed the Prime Minister to extend GST relief nationwide rather than pit regions against one another.
Decided that day
- Bill C-34 report stage concurrence passed
- Bill C-34 report stage amendment Motion 3 failed
- Bill C-34 report stage amendment Motion 1 passed
- Bill S-281 introduced
From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard
Question Period – November 7, 2023. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube
Who held the floor · 2023-11-07
AI-rated The sitting score and the rating of each answer come from a language model reading Hansard. How the AI rates this
Other moments
Committees of the House
Conservative MP John Williamson presented two public accounts committee reports on correctional service barriers and chronic homelessness, while Liberal MP Lloyd Longfield tabled a science committee report on citizen scientists.
Read the exchangePetitions
Conservative MP Mel Arnold presented petitions urging the health minister to adjust cost-recovery fees for natural health products and to clear backlogs before new rules take effect.
Read the exchangeCanadian Heritage
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet questioned government advertising spending on Facebook while TVA laid off 547 workers, and Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge said Conservatives had delayed modernization bills.
Read the exchangePoints of Order
Conservative MP John Nater raised a point of order after a Liberal member was recognized while not in her seat, citing Standing Order 17(a).
Read the exchangeCarbon Pricing
Conservative MP Dan Mazier asked how many emissions the carbon tax has directly reduced, and Liberal MP Adam van Koeverden replied that climate change is real and 2023 was the hottest year on record.
Read the exchangeQuestion Period, exchange by exchange
AI-rated Each answer’s rating (answered, partly answered, deflected, answered something else) is a model’s reading of the exchange. How the AI rates this
- deflectedCarbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer sidesteps the coalition terms query by restating climate policy support.
I have regular conversations with the Bloc Québécois leader , but we have not discussed this subject recently.
- deflectedCarbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer ignores the promise-to-separatists question and pivots to national heat-pump measures.
the measures we announced on transitioning people on oil to heat pumps apply right across the country.
- deflectedCarbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer evades the transparency demand by criticizing rhetoric and restating climate goals.
the level of divisiveness in the rhetoric of the Leader of the Opposition is truly unfortunate.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer attacks Conservative climate views instead of addressing the premiers' conference request.
Only the Conservatives would think that taking serious action on climate change and supporting Canadians right across the country with affordability measures would be divisive.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer shifts to accusing Conservatives of division rather than clarifying NDP position timing.
what is clear is that the Conservatives are all ready to try to divide Canadians, one against the other, in any possible way they can
- partly answeredCanadian HeritageMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer addresses media funding concerns but omits the specific ad-spend question.
we continue to stand very strong against Facebook and Google, which are reluctant to pay journalists for their work.
- answeredCanadian HeritageMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly condemns Meta's refusal to support journalism as requested.
we have been extremely clear about our concern over the behaviour of Meta in particular, which indeed refuses to support democracy and allow journalists to do their rigorous work
- deflectedTaxationMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer criticizes NDP inconsistency on coal instead of responding to the GST-off-heating proposal.
It is surprising to me that they are not supportive of phasing out heating oil, because that is exactly what we are doing.
- partly answeredTaxationMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer promotes heat pumps as policy without acknowledging any mistake or offering a universal rebate.
Helping them get heat pumps is a good policy for Canadians and a good policy for fighting climate change.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.The answer discusses the policy's benefits and attacks Conservatives instead of addressing the York Region pause question.
The shame in this chamber is that the Conservative Party has no plan to address the climate crisis.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to climate targets and attacks the opposition rather than explaining the MPs' votes.
Yesterday, the Leader of the Opposition essentially said that he will walk away from Canada's climate targets, eroding Canada's credibility in the international community
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Scott Aitchison (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the opposition leader's background and record instead of addressing the Sudbury MP's vote.
This is coming from a guy who has zero background in technology and zero background in business.
- partly answeredCarbon PricingMr. Scott Aitchison (Conservative) asked Seamus O'Regan (Liberal). loaded question.The answer explains the equity rationale for heating oil relief but does not address the Sault Ste. Marie MP's vote.
Treating all folks equally when they start out unequal just perpetuates an inequality.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Eric Melillo (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.The answer defends the policy and accuses hypocrisy rather than addressing the Thunder Bay—Rainy River MP's vote.
it is the height of hypocrisy for the member opposite to be talking about this, a price on pollution that they endorsed in their campaign platform.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Eric Melillo (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the opposition's entire record instead of addressing the Thunder Bay—Superior North minister's vote.
What we hear is that the Leader of the Opposition will cancel the Volkswagen battery manufacturing plant, that he opposes offshore wind and hydrogen development in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia
- deflectedCanadian HeritageMr. Martin Champoux (Bloc) asked Pascale St-Onge (Liberal). substantive question.The answer blames Conservatives for filibustering instead of committing to an emergency fund or summit.
Had we been able to do it in 2020, when we first introduced the bill, those jobs might not have been lost.
- partly answeredImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). substantive question.The answer addresses housing but ignores immigration targets and broader integration issues like doctors, schools and French learning.
This morning, we announced that Canada Lands Company will build 28,000 new homes over the next five years, including 5,000 new affordable housing units, which is twice the amount that has been built in the past 30 years.
- misdirectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the member as out of touch and pivots to labor shortages instead of addressing consultation or integration capacity.
not only is the member out of touch with Quebeckers, but he is out of touch with the news.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids the question about Bloc concessions by citing Infoman segments on Conservative falsehoods.
Last week's program featured a segment on half-truths told by the Conservative Party of Canada.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.The answer sidesteps concessions by reframing around a coalition supporting climate action versus Conservatives.
it is true that there is a coalition in the House: There is the Liberal Party of Canada, the Bloc Québécois, the Green Party and the New Democratic Party, who all believe that climate change is an existential challenge.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks Conservatives on climate denial and summer events rather than addressing Bloc concessions or the carbon tax vote.
Where was our colleague this summer when the rivers were overflowing?
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). loaded question.The answer insults Conservatives on climate views and diverts from the question on Bloc concessions for keeping the Prime Minister in power.
we will take no lessons from people who think that human beings and dinosaurs coexisted or that The Flintstones TV show is a documentary.
- answeredClimate ChangeMr. Alexandre Boulerice (NDP) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly addresses the commissioner's report and defends the Liberal climate plan while acknowledging room for improvement.
the plan we presented last year is the best plan to fight climate change in the history of this country.
- partly answeredHousingMs. Jenny Kwan (NDP) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). substantive question.The answer addresses federal land and affordable housing targets but does not engage with the critique of prioritizing profits or the need for two million non-profit homes.
This morning, with Canada Lands Company, we announced the construction of 28,000 additional new homes in the next five years, 20% of which, at least, will be affordable homes.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Joël Godin (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts to praising the climate plan with quotes instead of addressing any alleged deal with the Bloc.
The government's new plan marks the first time that the oil and gas sector is being asked to significantly reduce emissions
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. John Barlow (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.The answer accuses the asker of hypocrisy rather than responding to the question about a gift or deal with the Bloc.
the height of hypocrisy that my hon. colleague across the way, who ran on a platform that included putting a price on pollution, gets up in the House today and actually says what he is saying.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. John Barlow (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Conservative Party and its leader on climate issues instead of addressing the question about a deal with the Bloc.
Yesterday, the Leader of the Opposition essentially said he would walk away from Canada's climate targets.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Rick Perkins (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.The answer criticizes committee tactics and Bill C-49 instead of addressing the request to release any carbon tax agreement with the Bloc.
What is revolting are the tactics and the circus act that are going on in the natural resources committee, blocking the passage of Bill C-49
- answeredSmall BusinessMrs. Caroline Desbiens (Bloc) asked Rechie Valdez (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly states that a one-year extension on CEBA repayment was announced along with added flexibility.
That is why we recently announced a one-year extension on the term loan repayment deadline, more flexibility on refinancing and more time to access loan forgiveness.
- answeredSmall BusinessMrs. Julie Vignola (Bloc) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer confirms the extension of the repayment deadline to December 31, 2026.
What matters today is to point out that SMEs now have until December 31, 2026, to pay.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMrs. Tracy Gray (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.The answer discusses a long-term affordability plan for heating oil but avoids the question about quadrupling the carbon tax in British Columbia.
It is a plan that actually addresses that in a way that will give savings to people over the long term.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMrs. Rachael Thomas (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.The answer focuses on a program for heating oil affordability and climate goals instead of explaining the vote or carbon tax policy for Calgary Skyview.
I have reached out to my counterpart in the Government of Alberta, and we will be having conversations about how Alberta can participate in this project moving forward.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMrs. Rachael Thomas (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores the specific question on Edmonton Centre and instead attacks the opposition's climate record.
we also have an obligation to ensure the party opposite does not return to attacking climate policies across the world
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. James Bezan (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.The answer restates the policy rationale and notes discussions with Manitoba but avoids addressing the vote or constituent impact.
I look forward to being able to move forward on a joint basis with the Government of Manitoba.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Ted Falk (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to attacking Conservatives on climate policy rather than explaining the vote or rural affairs minister's comment.
Conservatives do not believe that climate change is an issue.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Dan Muys (Conservative) asked Karina Gould (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts focus to Ontario's premier and heat pumps instead of addressing the carbon tax on home heating or the NDP member's vote.
if the member opposite is so concerned about helping Ontarians, then he should be asking the Premier of Ontario to join the program
- partly answeredFamilies, Children and Social DevelopmentMs. Leah Gazan (NDP) asked Jenna Sudds (Liberal). substantive question.The answer acknowledges the cost-of-living issue and lists existing programs but does not address the specific NDP bill or Christmas Cheer Board demand.
we continue to do the hard work on this side of the House to support Canadian families and organizations doing that work.
- answeredIndigenous AffairsMs. Lori Idlout (NDP) asked Patty Hajdu (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly addresses the infrastructure gap by contrasting past inaction with current progress alongside Indigenous partners.
our government got to work with first nations partners to start to close that infrastructure gap on things such as clean water