Discussion · Government Orders
Ryan Turnbull Liberal
“I want the House to pass this bill. It keeps the federal tax off fuel until January 2027 and then cuts it in half until March. Pausing this tax lowers gas prices by about 10 cents a litre and saves people about $5 every time they fill up their car. High prices are caused by global problems, not Canada, and our economy is strong enough to afford this relief.”
“Madam Speaker, it is great to be here to participate in the debate this afternoon. I will be sharing my time with the member for Pickering—Brooklin, my wonderful colleague. I am honoured to participate in today’s debate. The world is changing rapidly. The United States is imposing new tariffs on Canada. At the same time, conflicts in Europe and the Middle East are driving up prices around the world. Conservatives may want to blame Canada and Canadians for these global trends, as they tend to do in this House regularly, every single day. They seem to blame the government for factors out of our control or blame Canadians and try to use their hardships for political gain. However, the fact is that these higher costs are felt right here at home and all around the world, from Canadians driving to work and running errands to businesses transporting food, building materials and other essential goods across the country. In response, our government is focused on what we can control: strengthening our economic resilience, building a stronger and more independent country and making life more affordable for Canadians. Economic uncertainty and rising costs have made affordability a top concern for families and businesses across our country. That is why one of our government’s priorities is to help Canadians keep more of their hard-earned money. As we strengthen Canada for the long term, we are also providing immediate support to help Canadians bridge the gap to a brighter future. Our government is taking action by diversifying Canada’s trade relationships. We have signed over 20 new trade and security agreements in under a year. We are maintaining responsible fiscal management. We have found $60 billion in savings from government operational improvements, and we are supporting Canadians facing pressure from everyday expenses. I want to begin by highlighting how Bill C-38, the Canadian fuel affordability act, is a key part of that effort. First, allow me to recall the support our government delivered last spring to help Canadians cope with elevated fuel costs. In the spring of this year, we introduced a temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax on gasoline, aviation gasoline, both leaded and unleaded, diesel fuel and aviation fuel in general. This pause reduced federal fuel excise tax rates to zero cents per litre. The measure quickly translated into lower fuel prices for Canadians, with tax savings of 10¢ per litre on gasoline and four cents per litre on diesel. The positive effects of that measure were felt immediately. The morning after the suspension took effect, gasoline prices fell by 11¢ per litre on the very first day, demonstrating that the savings were quickly passed on to consumers. The suspension had been set to end after September 7 on Labour Day; however, this program was kept flexible by design. Like many of my colleagues, I spent the summer hearing from families and businesses in my riding of Whitby that were thankful for the relief that the spring announcement provided, but curious if it would remain in place amid stubbornly high prices. That is why, before the September 7 deadline, our government chose to announce its intention to extend the suspension of the federal fuel excise tax until January 31, 2027. That was for an additional five months, and then it would be stepped back by 50% through the next two months, to March 31, when it would go back to the full rate. This measure has already brought down everyday costs for Canadians, including those in the trucking, food, agriculture, housing, construction and delivery sectors. The support provided to Canadians is substantial. The estimated additional fiscal impact of extending the suspension of the federal fuel excise tax is approximately $2.9 billion. As a result, Canadians are expected to receive an estimated $5.3 billion in total tax relief in 2026-27. By extending the federal fuel excise tax suspension, Canadians will save approximately five dollars on a typical 50-litre tank fill-up at the gas pump. As members can see, this measure would make a noticeable difference for Canadians and has done so. We are grateful that we have the fiscal capacity to extend it further. By lowering costs at the pump and across Canadian supply chains, the government is actually helping Canadians keep more of their hard-earned money while protecting the economy from the pressures that mount beyond our borders. We must not listen to those who tell us that Canada is broken. The fact is that Canada’s economy has remained incredibly resilient in the face of global challenges. In fact, the International Monetary Fund projects that Canada will have the second-fastest economic growth in the G7 this year and next. This strong fiscal performance has reinforced our position. As noted earlier this year in the spring economic update, Canada’s projected deficit is now more than $11 billion lower than forecasted in budget 2025, giving us greater capacity to build a stronger and fairer country for all. Over the past year, we have used part of the increase in revenues to fund measures that make life more affordable and support Canadians. These investments are delivering meaningful results for Canadians in a time of need. At the same time, we are lowering costs today, while investing in a stronger, more resilient and more independent economy for the future. For example, we will work with provinces and territories to double Canada’s electricity supply by 2050 to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy produced at home. Over the last year, we have also signed more than 20 new trade and security deals across five continents. Our government has already taken significant action to lower costs for Canadians. As of July 1, 2025, we cut income tax for 22 million Canadians by lowering their first personal income tax rate from 15% to 14%. This measure provides up to $420 in annual tax relief per person, or up to $840 for a dual-income family. We also eliminated the goods and services tax on new homes priced up to $1 million for first-time homebuyers, and reduced it on new homes priced between $1 million and $1.5 million. In Ontario, our government signed an agreement to waive the full 13% GST on new home purchases under $1 million, which will save the average family $130,000 on a $1-million home in Ontario. This is really good news for Canadians who want to enter the housing market. This relief has brought home ownership within reach for more Canadians, especially young families who have struggled or been locked out of the housing market. Effective April 1, 2025, we eliminated the federal consumer carbon price, delivering direct savings at the pump. That same day, we removed the requirement for provinces and territories to impose the consumer carbon price and delivered additional support for more than 12 million Canadians. We also launched the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit. It provides a family of four up to $1,890 this year and about $1,400 a year for the next four years, and provides a single person up to $950 this year and about $700 each year for the following four years. Let us just remember that cheques for the third instalment of that groceries and essentials benefit went out yesterday to approximately 12 million Canadians who benefit from this measure, this enhancement to the GST rebate, which is now called the groceries and essentials benefit, with an average of $340 for a family of four. This is significant support right before Thanksgiving to make life just a little easier for families who are struggling with the elevated costs of many goods and essentials. We also introduced automated federal benefits starting in the 2026 tax year to ensure up to 5.5 million low-income Canadians automatically receive the benefits they qualify for by the 2028 tax year. We also made the national school food program permanent. While Conservative MPs might like to call that program garbage or make absurd claims in the House regularly that there is no food in a food program, on this side of the House, we believe that 400,000 more kids getting fed at school is a good thing, and we would not deprive them and their families of the approximate $800 of savings on groceries. We feel like that is worth fighting for. In conclusion, I could go on and on, but the fact is that Canada is well positioned to withstand the external pressures arising from an increasingly fragmented and uncertain world. We certainly cannot control global forces. The Strait of Hormuz is not within our control to reopen, but we can control how we respond here at home. This is why we are lowering costs for Canadians. We are supporting families and workers. We are strengthening Canada’s economic resilience and independence. We will continue to build the strongest economy in the G7, one that creates prosperity and opportunities for future generations. I look forward to the questions that I know are coming from the opposition members.”
-
A repeated line
“We introduced the Canada groceries and essentials benefit.”
Said 29 times by 19 members since April 23.
Every time it was said
Madam Speaker, it is great to be here to participate in the debate this afternoon. I will be sharing my time with the member for Pickering—Brooklin, my wonderful colleague. I am honoured to participate in today’s debate. The world is changing rapidly. The United States is imposing new tariffs on Canada. At the same time, conflicts in Europe and the Middle East are driving up prices around the world. Conservatives may want to blame Canada and Canadians for these global trends, as they tend to do in this House regularly, every single day. They seem to blame the government for factors out of our control or blame Canadians and try to use their hardships for political gain. However, the fact is that these higher costs are felt right here at home and all around the world, from Canadians driving to work and running errands to businesses transporting food, building materials and other essential goods across the country. In response, our government is focused on what we can control: strengthening our economic resilience, building a stronger and more independent country and making life more affordable for Canadians. Economic uncertainty and rising costs have made affordability a top concern for families and businesses across our country. That is why one of our government’s priorities is to help Canadians keep more of their hard-earned money. As we strengthen Canada for the long term, we are also providing immediate support to help Canadians bridge the gap to a brighter future. Our government is taking action by diversifying Canada’s trade relationships. We have signed over 20 new trade and security agreements in under a year. We are maintaining responsible fiscal management. We have found $60 billion in savings from government operational improvements, and we are supporting Canadians facing pressure from everyday expenses. I want to begin by highlighting how Bill C-38, the Canadian fuel affordability act, is a key part of that effort. First, allow me to recall the support our government delivered last spring to help Canadians cope with elevated fuel costs. In the spring of this year, we introduced a temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax on gasoline, aviation gasoline, both leaded and unleaded, diesel fuel and aviation fuel in general. This pause reduced federal fuel excise tax rates to zero cents per litre. The measure quickly translated into lower fuel prices for Canadians, with tax savings of 10¢ per litre on gasoline and four cents per litre on diesel. The positive effects of that measure were felt immediately. The morning after the suspension took effect, gasoline prices fell by 11¢ per litre on the very first day, demonstrating that the savings were quickly passed on to consumers. The suspension had been set to end after September 7 on Labour Day; however, this program was kept flexible by design. Like many of my colleagues, I spent the summer hearing from families and businesses in my riding of Whitby that were thankful for the relief that the spring announcement provided, but curious if it would remain in place amid stubbornly high prices. That is why, before the September 7 deadline, our government chose to announce its intention to extend the suspension of the federal fuel excise tax until January 31, 2027. That was for an additional five months, and then it would be stepped back by 50% through the next two months, to March 31, when it would go back to the full rate. This measure has already brought down everyday costs for Canadians, including those in the trucking, food, agriculture, housing, construction and delivery sectors. The support provided to Canadians is substantial. The estimated additional fiscal impact of extending the suspension of the federal fuel excise tax is approximately $2.9 billion. As a result, Canadians are expected to receive an estimated $5.3 billion in total tax relief in 2026-27. By extending the federal fuel excise tax suspension, Canadians will save approximately five dollars on a typical 50-litre tank fill-up at the gas pump. As members can see, this measure would make a noticeable difference for Canadians and has done so. We are grateful that we have the fiscal capacity to extend it further. By lowering costs at the pump and across Canadian supply chains, the government is actually helping Canadians keep more of their hard-earned money while protecting the economy from the pressures that mount beyond our borders. We must not listen to those who tell us that Canada is broken. The fact is that Canada’s economy has remained incredibly resilient in the face of global challenges. In fact, the International Monetary Fund projects that Canada will have the second-fastest economic growth in the G7 this year and next. This strong fiscal performance has reinforced our position. As noted earlier this year in the spring economic update, Canada’s projected deficit is now more than $11 billion lower than forecasted in budget 2025, giving us greater capacity to build a stronger and fairer country for all. Over the past year, we have used part of the increase in revenues to fund measures that make life more affordable and support Canadians. These investments are delivering meaningful results for Canadians in a time of need. At the same time, we are lowering costs today, while investing in a stronger, more resilient and more independent economy for the future. For example, we will work with provinces and territories to double Canada’s electricity supply by 2050 to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy produced at home. Over the last year, we have also signed more than 20 new trade and security deals across five continents. Our government has already taken significant action to lower costs for Canadians. As of July 1, 2025, we cut income tax for 22 million Canadians by lowering their first personal income tax rate from 15% to 14%. This measure provides up to $420 in annual tax relief per person, or up to $840 for a dual-income family. We also eliminated the goods and services tax on new homes priced up to $1 million for first-time homebuyers, and reduced it on new homes priced between $1 million and $1.5 million. In Ontario, our government signed an agreement to waive the full 13% GST on new home purchases under $1 million, which will save the average family $130,000 on a $1-million home in Ontario. This is really good news for Canadians who want to enter the housing market. This relief has brought home ownership within reach for more Canadians, especially young families who have struggled or been locked out of the housing market. Effective April 1, 2025, we eliminated the federal consumer carbon price, delivering direct savings at the pump. That same day, we removed the requirement for provinces and territories to impose the consumer carbon price and delivered additional support for more than 12 million Canadians. We also launched the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit. It provides a family of four up to $1,890 this year and about $1,400 a year for the next four years, and provides a single person up to $950 this year and about $700 each year for the following four years. Let us just remember that cheques for the third instalment of that groceries and essentials benefit went out yesterday to approximately 12 million Canadians who benefit from this measure, this enhancement to the GST rebate, which is now called the groceries and essentials benefit, with an average of $340 for a family of four. This is significant support right before Thanksgiving to make life just a little easier for families who are struggling with the elevated costs of many goods and essentials. We also introduced automated federal benefits starting in the 2026 tax year to ensure up to 5.5 million low-income Canadians automatically receive the benefits they qualify for by the 2028 tax year. We also made the national school food program permanent. While Conservative MPs might like to call that program garbage or make absurd claims in the House regularly that there is no food in a food program, on this side of the House, we believe that 400,000 more kids getting fed at school is a good thing, and we would not deprive them and their families of the approximate $800 of savings on groceries. We feel like that is worth fighting for. In conclusion, I could go on and on, but the fact is that Canada is well positioned to withstand the external pressures arising from an increasingly fragmented and uncertain world. We certainly cannot control global forces. The Strait of Hormuz is not within our control to reopen, but we can control how we respond here at home. This is why we are lowering costs for Canadians. We are supporting families and workers. We are strengthening Canada’s economic resilience and independence. We will continue to build the strongest economy in the G7, one that creates prosperity and opportunities for future generations. I look forward to the questions that I know are coming from the opposition members.