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Finance

Question period exchanges on the cost of living and support for seniors, under the Finance heading. Conservative members said government spending, deficits and taxes were driving up prices for groceries, gas and housing, leaving families and seniors going into debt, and asked the government to stop adding to the national debt. Liberal members pointed to measures they said help seniors, including a groceries benefit, dental care, and a higher benefit for seniors over 75, and one minister noted the Conservatives had proposed raising the retirement age to 67 and had voted against dental care.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

6 statements

Gabriel Hardy

Conservative
“Government spending and taxes are making life too expensive for families and seniors. People are going into debt just to buy food. The Prime Minister is wasting money on travel while Canadians struggle. When will the government stop this?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister continues to use Canadians’ credit cards by creating more debt and more government spending and taxing more to spend more, families and seniors are paying the price. They are paying more for groceries, gas and housing, to the point where one in three households has to go into debt or dip into their savings to put food on the table. We know that the Prime Minister spent over half a million dollars on in-flight catering on his travels. Does he realize that Quebeckers and Canadians can no longer make ends meet? When will the Liberals stop squeezing Canadians?

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Nathalie Provost

Liberal
“We are helping Canadians and growing the economy. We are giving seniors money to help pay for groceries. We are also helping them pay for dental care.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 100 of 100

    Of this answer, 100% addressed the question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, what we are doing right now is taking care of Canadians while growing our economy. Taking care of Canadians means that seniors are getting a groceries benefit. That means seniors will get money directly in their pockets to help them with the rising cost of groceries. Good oral health is important for overall health, and we are helping seniors with the Canadian dental care plan. We have implemented a number of measures and we are directly supporting seniors. None of these measures would have been possible otherwise. We are there for seniors.

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Joël Godin

Conservative
“Canadians are struggling with the cost of living, and seniors cannot afford retirement. I want the Prime Minister to stop running up the deficit and help seniors.”

  • Opposition question in Question Period

    Respect 86 of 100

    This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “my colleague is living in a world of make-believe”.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, my colleague is living in a world of make-believe. One day, the Liberal government will have to wake up and realize that ordinary Canadians are getting crushed by the cost of living. What is more, the seniors who built this country are struggling in their retirement. Our seniors aged 65 and over deserve the utmost respect. Will the Prime Minister stop strutting about on the international stage and running up the deficit and finally show seniors some respect by giving them hope?

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Marie-Gabrielle Ménard

Liberal
“My committee is studying the needs of older women. We have helped seniors with programs like dental care, and we will keep working to support them.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I have the great privilege of serving with some very dedicated colleagues on the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. We are currently studying the vulnerability of senior women. What we are being told is that we need to continue to focus on the living conditions of seniors. We have put various measures in place. My colleague mentioned the Canadian dental care plan. Senior women can receive direct support through this plan. There are other measures, but what we are saying right now is that we remain committed to providing the best possible support to Canadian seniors.

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Jason Groleau

Conservative
“Many older Quebeckers worry they cannot afford retirement or their bills. I blame Liberal government spending for this. I want the Prime Minister to stop adding to the national debt.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, more than half of Quebeckers aged 50 and older are worried about not having enough money for their retirement. One in two Quebeckers is worried about not being able to pay their bills. This is the direct result of a decade of Liberal mismanagement and Liberal deficits. The economic update is coming later today, and unfortunately, our seniors will once again pay the price. Will the Prime Minister stop racking up debt on the national credit card, yes or no?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“The Conservatives made bad choices for seniors. They tried to raise the retirement age to 67. They voted against dental care that helps nearly 29,000 people in the member's riding. They also refused to give more money to poor seniors over 75. They should rethink these choices.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 43 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the member for Beauce wants to talk about a decade of decisions that were bad for seniors, so let us talk about that. A decade of bad decisions included raising the retirement age to 67, as the Conservatives had proposed, which would have left tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of seniors in financial hardship. A decade of bad decisions by the Conservatives included voting against the Canadian dental care plan, which is helping 28,837 people, including many seniors in my colleague’s riding. A decade of bad decisions by the Conservatives included refusing to increase the GIS by 10% for the most vulnerable seniors aged 75 and older. If I were them, I would take note of these votes and actions and reconsider them.

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