“I want the member to explain why he voted against so many other plans to help with the cost of living.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am glad to hear the hon. member recognize the importance of affordability at this particular time with regard to this particular measure, but I would like to know more. How come the member has refused to support so many other affordability measures that have come before Parliament, where he had an opportunity to support them but he chose each time not to?”

“I support this bill to cut the fuel tax. Our government has also cut taxes for the middle class, funded school meals, and helped seniors pay for dental care. Why do the Conservatives support this bill, but oppose those other programs that help people afford life?”

“Mr. Speaker, the last question was a bit surprising. The government has dealt with and continues to deal with the issue of affordability. We understand it, and we continue to look at ways we can improve upon it. Today it is Bill C-38, dealing with the excise tax on gasoline. I am glad the Conservatives are supporting it, but we have also brought in a number of different measures, such as a tax break for the middle class, by which 20-plus million Canadians benefited, and a series of programs to address the issue of affordability for seniors who need dental work and for children in schools who need meals. However, the Conservative Party opposes those. Can the member explain to the House, and through the House to his constituents, why the Conservatives do not support those aspects of affordability, feeding children in schools and providing dental services for low-income seniors?”

“I want the House to pass this bill. Wars around the world are driving up the cost of fuel and other goods. We cannot stop those wars, but we can lower costs for Canadians. This bill pauses the fuel tax through January 2027 and cuts it in half for two months after that to save people money at the pump.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am very grateful to have the opportunity to speak this evening to highlight the Government of Canada’s efforts to make life more affordable. This very important piece of legislation, Bill C-38, is part of those efforts. As we know, Canadians are having to cope with an increasingly complex and unpredictable world and, unfortunately, this world is also, in many respects, more dangerous and more expensive. In view of this, the Canadian government continues to focus on what it can control: building a stronger Canadian economy, diversifying our foreign trade, forging more alliances with countries that share our values, ensuring responsible fiscal management and supporting Canadians in managing the cost of living. Allow me to give a very concrete example. For several months now, shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted. This has led to soaring oil prices, a sharp rise in gas prices and increased costs for other essential goods. Did the Canadian government, or Canada, start this war in Iran? Of course not. Has the Canadian government taken action, and should it take action, to reduce costs for Canadians? Of course it has, and it should. Global conflicts and the persistent, significant disruptions to these supply chains stemming from the Middle East or elsewhere, including the conflict in Ukraine, are not things the Government of Canada can stop or even control. However, what we can do here in Canada and in the House of Commons, and what we are already doing, is help Canadians who are bearing the brunt of these conflicts through no fault of their own. The federal fuel excise tax has been suspended since April 20. Earlier in September, the Minister of Finance and National Revenue announced that the Canadian government had decided to extend the temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax until January 31, 2027, and then to apply a rate equal to 50% of the regular excise tax rate from February 1 to March 31, 2027. This will help reduce daily expenses for Canadians, particularly those related to road transportation and the food, agriculture, housing, construction, and delivery sectors. The suspension of this tax is expected to save Canadians up to about $5.75 on a 50-litre tank of gas. These are real savings for families. It also means lower costs for truckers and businesses. This measure is expected to provide more than $2.4 billion in relief to Canadians in 2026–27. By lowering the price of gas and diesel at the pump, the Government of Canada is taking real action to support all those who are currently facing very real challenges. I want to point out that this temporary suspension of the federal excise tax builds on other measures that have already been announced and put in place. I will give an example. Even before the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz began, economies, businesses and workers in many countries, including Canada, were thrown into uncertainty by a historic increase in tariffs. Is Canada responsible for the upheaval in global trade and the resulting rise in the cost of essential goods? Of course not. Should the Government of Canada take action and has it done so? Of course it should, and it has. To help Canadian families make ends meet, earlier this year, for example, we launched the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit. This new benefit is based on the GST tax credit and provides increased support to two million low- and modest-income Canadians. That is just the beginning. Starting in July of this year, middle- and lower-income Canadians received higher quarterly payments. The benefit will be increased by 25% for another five years and will add approximately $8.6 billion in additional support to families that are struggling to make ends meet, including middle-income and modest-income families. In total, a family of four could receive up to $1,890 this year and then about $1,400 a year for the next four years. A single person could receive up to $950 this year and then about $700 a year for the next four years. This is real support. It is concrete and tangible. It is helping people buy groceries, pay bills and cover essentials. That is not all. We also cut taxes for 22 million Canadians by lowering the tax rate for the first personal income tax bracket from 15% to 14%. In 2026, that reflects savings of $420 per person and $840 for a two-income family. We also eliminated the goods and services tax, or GST, for first-time homebuyers of new homes valued up to $1 million and reduced it for homes valued between $1 million and $1.5 million. In addition, we made permanent Canada’s national school food program, which is helping 400,000 children and their families access high-quality meals at home and at school, saving the parents of two children an average of $800 a year on groceries. We have also taken very real action to improve the banking system’s fairness and affordability for Canadians, especially those struggling to make ends meet. Since March, for example, consumers can no longer be charged more than $10 if their personal bank account balance is too low to cover a payment. In addition, non-sufficient fund fees cannot be applied if the account overdraft is less than $10. This year, we are also going to begin automating the payment of federal benefits. This will help up to 5.5 million low-income Canadians get the benefits they need and are entitled to receive. In conclusion, the Government of Canada is focusing on the things it can control, like building a stronger, more resilient Canadian economy, while at the same time helping Canadians who struggle in their daily lives under cost-of-living pressures caused by the many severe global disruptions that we are familiar with. For all of these reasons, I sincerely ask all members of the House to vote in favour of the bill.”

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“We cut income taxes for 22 million Canadians, but the Conservatives opposed it. We are also helping people who struggle the most, like feeding more than 10,000 students in my area so they can learn.”

“Mr. Speaker, in fact, we are doing two things. First, we reduced income tax for 22 million Canadians, which is quite a large number. It has been, unfortunately, opposed by the Conservatives. The second thing we are doing is helping those who struggle more than richer Canadians. The member has heard my list of measures. For example, the national school food program is helping thousands, in fact more than 10,000 children in my region, who otherwise would struggle to go to school with a full belly and therefore would also struggle to learn what they need to learn to become good citizens.”

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“Our government is already helping seniors. We raised pension payments for people over 75 because they have lower incomes and higher costs. We created a dental plan that saves seniors hundreds of dollars a year, and the member should tell his voters to use it. We are also filing taxes automatically for millions of people so seniors get the benefits owed to them.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am very grateful for such an excellent question. I want to briefly mention three points. First, as my colleague is aware, OAS has been increased for people over the age of 75 in light of the very clear evidence that seniors over the age of 75 not only have greater needs, but also lower incomes, and that older women, among others, live in more precarious circumstances for a variety of reasons that are well understood. Second, I want to mention the Canadian dental care plan, which helps approximately 25,000 people in his riding, including several thousand seniors. This represents savings of about $800 a year. I encourage my colleague—whose leader, unfortunately, opposes the Canadian dental care plan—to talk about it at length with the seniors in his riding when he sees them. I am sure he meets with them regularly. The third point is automatic benefits. As I was saying, there are nearly 5.5 million Canadians whose tax returns will be processed automatically, which will maximize the chances for these seniors, for the most part, to receive the benefits they need.”

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“This bill lowers gas prices by 10 cents a litre and diesel by four cents, and it removes the carbon tax. Which of our government programs does the member think helps families in his area the most?”

“Mr. Speaker, I remember very well that my colleague has visited me several times in my riding in the past. We are talking about lowering gasoline prices by 10¢ per litre and diesel prices by four cents per litre, not to mention getting rid of the carbon tax. My colleague has also talked about the many programs that our government has put in place since the beginning. Which program does he think is helping his constituents the most? Which one has the biggest impact on families and people in his region?”

“The member for Acadie—Bathurst works hard for his community. Our child benefit helps about 20,000 families in his riding, and it has cut child poverty there by half.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am always very pleased to hear and even see my colleague from Acadie—Bathurst. As my colleague knows, and as I have seen myself, his constituents really like him. They see him as an excellent MP who is on the ground and always there to advocate for his riding. It is a particularly important riding in northern New Brunswick. The Acadian community needs him, and he is always there to support it, despite all the challenges of serving a region that is a little farther from the major centres. Speaking of the most important programs, I know that roughly 20,000 families in his riding receive the Canada child benefit. It reduces child poverty in his riding by 50%. He has been there to support that measure from the start.”

“The Conservatives say they want to make life more affordable. I want them to explain why they voted against dental care, medicine coverage, free school food, and middle-class tax cuts.”

“Mr. Speaker, I was very curious to hear my colleague talk about how the Conservatives have been keeping up the fight to maintain affordability for Canadians. I find that a bit ironic. If that is the case, I am wondering if my colleague could explain why they voted time and time again against all measures of affordability for Canadians, including the dental care plan, the tax break for 22 million Canadians, pharmacare and the national school food program. I could continue, but the House is only sitting until midnight.”

“I am glad the member supports sending this fuel tax bill to committee. But she voted against other help for Canadians, like tax cuts, dental care for seniors, and food programs for school kids. I want her to explain why she is finally supporting help for people now.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am perplexed by the answer that my hon. colleague gave, two questions ago, to my colleague from Quebec, when she had said that she would always support affordability measures but not all of them. She is happy to support this one. I would like to congratulate her for supporting this piece of legislation going to committee. When else has she supported affordability measures? I am thinking of the tax cuts for 22 million Canadians. She did not support that then. When it came to providing seniors with a dental care program, she did not support that. When it came to helping our young kids to be able to have access to good food so that they could learn in school, she did not support that either. I think that this is the first time that she is supporting an affordability measure. I wonder if the hon. member would like to comment on why is it that this is now the first time that she is doing it, although I should not look a gift horse in the mouth. I am quite happy that she is supporting this going to second reading.”

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“I want the House to pass this bill. It pauses the gas tax until early 2027 and cuts it in half for two months after that. This saves people around $5.75 every time they fill up their tank. Our government is taking real steps to help families with the high cost of living.”

“Mr. Speaker, we are here today to talk about Bill C-38. Everyone knows that we have been experiencing tumultuous times for over a year now. During the 2025 election, we made a firm commitment to be there to help Canadians, and that is what we have been doing since our new government took office. We have introduced measures to improve affordability for Canadians. We are also laying the foundation for a more long-term economic vision to build a stronger and more resilient economy, while addressing all of the challenges posed by the unfair trade war. We have introduced programs to help workers and businesses weather the storm. Obviously, what we are focused on this evening, particularly in our debates, is how to support families and make life more affordable. Since we very first took office, we have truly stayed the course. We are doing what we said we would do and we are laying the foundation for a stronger, more solid economy in the future. We have already implemented many affordability measures. Earlier, it was interesting to hear my colleague opposite talk about the current military conflict and the impact that it is having on gas prices. If I recall correctly, last spring, when we began talking about the potential effects of this military conflict, many of the members opposite were laughing and saying that we were making something out of nothing. Today, it is very clear. Every time Canadians go to the pumps, they see just how much of an impact conflicts and the geopolitical situation around the world can have on us. What we are proposing today are in fact measures to extend the suspension of the excise tax that we announced in the spring. We announced earlier this month that we would extend the temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax until January 31, 2027. We will then gradually reduce it by 50% until the end of March 2027. Like all the measures we have taken since the beginning of our new government’s mandate, these measures are well thought out, gradual and rooted in reality. We live in the real world, in the real world that Canadians live in. We want to take time to review the situation and see if it will change. That is why we are taking this gradual approach. That will really help reduce the daily expenses of families and Canadians, and it will help businesses in the food, agriculture, housing, construction and delivery sectors. With the suspension we announced in the spring, which has been extended, the federal excise tax of 10¢ a litre on gasoline and four cents a litre on diesel has been suspended. It is estimated that this will save about $5.75 per tank of gas. Assuming that many families fill up about once a week, that adds up to fairly significant savings at the end of the year. This is just one of many examples of everything we are doing to continue to help Canadians deal with the challenges of our times, including the cost of living. We are doing all this while also laying a solid foundation for the economy, as I said earlier. We currently have the strongest growth in the G7. We just returned from an exceptional week during which people from around the world converged in Toronto because everyone is interested in what is happening in Canada, and in the message our government is sending to businesses and investors, both foreign as well as major Canadian pension funds. That is why, last week, we saw record commitments to invest $500 billion here in Canada. Suspending the excise tax is one measure among many aimed at making life more affordable for Canadians. We have announced, implemented and extended several such measures since the beginning of our mandate. What is clear from our actions is that our government will continue to be there for Canadians. The social programs we have put in place continue to play a central role and are truly the key to everything we do. We will not leave any Canadian behind. We know that many families are struggling to make ends meet. People do not need abstract promises. They need tangible, immediate and lasting support. That is what we have been doing since we took office, since our new government’s mandate began last year in April 2025. I will mention a few measures that we have put in place. There is the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, which helps 12 million Canadians. As we speak, those 12 million Canadians are already benefiting from a GST credit supplement that will truly provide them with additional support. This assistance will provide a family of four with up to $1,890 in the first year and then $1,400 a year in subsequent years. That is real support for groceries, bills and everyday expenses. However, that is not all that we have done. We have also eliminated the federal consumer fuel charge. That measure was made official a year ago when Bill C-4 was passed. We have also reduced income tax for nearly 22 million Canadians. We lowered the tax rate for the first income bracket from 15% to 14%. These are tangible savings that add up. Earlier, my colleague mentioned the launch of the Canadian dental plan. When I talk to people in my riding, Trois-Rivières, I see that the cost of living is a key concern for them. It is a top priority, just like the tariff war and the economic situation. These are the issues that matter most to them. People are always talking to me about the dental plan. When I visit seniors’ residences, people are always talking to me about the dental plan. It changes people’s lives. It provides real support to families who are not fortunate enough to have very generous insurance plans. Being able to count on the dental plan makes a real difference. We have also eliminated the GST for first-time buyers of homes costing less than $1 million. Of course, this is in addition to all the work we are doing to make housing more affordable, particularly through Build Canada Homes. Naturally, we are building affordable housing and social housing across the country, but it is also important to support Canadians, particularly young families, so that one day they can plan on getting on the property ladder. These are concrete measures. We have also introduced measures to reduce the costs associated with the banking system. We know that, sometimes, when families are struggling, cheques can bounce. One thing leads to another and then another, increasing stress for people and families who are struggling to make ends meet. That is why we have set a $10 cap on the fees banks can charge customers when their accounts are overdrawn. In closing, I will say that we are here for Canadians. We have proven it through concrete measures. Extending the fuel excise tax holiday is one of the other measures we have already taken. It is true that we are living in difficult times. It is true that Canadians everywhere are going through tough times, but on this side of the House, we will always be there to help Canadians by making life more affordable.”

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“We listen to Canadians in our ridings. They elected us based on our plan, and we are keeping our promises. This bill to lower fuel taxes shows we are still supporting them.”

“Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we listen to Canadians. We held pre-budget consultations. We travel around our ridings and listen to what people have to say. Canadians elected us in 2025 based on the plan, the real plan that we submitted to them, with figures no less. They elected us on that basis. We made a commitment to Canadians that we would keep moving these measures forward, and that is what we are doing. We are living up to our commitment. We continue to be there for Canadians with measures like the one under discussion this evening.”

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“My riding is building a lot of new homes, beating its targets by more than 300%. Affordable living means lower housing costs. I want the parliamentary secretary to explain our government's housing and infrastructure programs.”

“Mr. Speaker, since my colleague is the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, I am sure she will be able to tell us about a few housing-related programs. In my riding, houses are springing up like mushrooms, so to speak. Municipalities across my riding are exceeding their construction targets by more than 300%. When we talk about affordability, we mean ensuring that people can find housing at a lower cost. I wonder if my colleague can talk about the various infrastructure and housing programs in the minister’s portfolio.”

“We announced $1.5 billion today to buy and protect affordable rental homes so rents do not go up after renovations. We have also signed deals with 19 provinces and groups to build more affordable homes. We changed the definition of affordable housing so costs do not take more than 30 percent of a family's income.”

“Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent question. We actually just made an announcement today regarding the Canada rental protection fund. We have now opened applications for the Canadian housing acquisition fund, which will preserve existing affordable housing to ensure that it is not put back on the market at a higher rent after being renovated. We are investing $1.5 billion in the Canadian housing acquisition fund. This is, of course, in addition to everything else we are doing through Build Canada Homes. We have already signed agreements with 19 provinces, agencies and organizations to build affordable housing across Canada. We are talking about social housing and affordable housing. We also changed the definition of affordable housing to lower the threshold to 30% of a family’s income, to ensure that Canadian families can afford housing that meets their needs and fits their budget.”

“Our government is already helping families with high grocery costs. We gave people money for food and created a plan to support food companies and lower prices.”

“Mr. Speaker, I talked about the Canada groceries and essentials benefit in my speech, as did some of my colleagues. These are all measures that are helping Canadian families cope with higher grocery costs. On top of that, we also created a national food security strategy, which will really help the food processing sector and help lower grocery costs.”

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“Our government has helped Canadians with costs by cutting taxes, helping with groceries, funding dental care, and supporting children. The Conservatives claim to care about costs, but they oppose these programs. I want to know why they do not support our help for Canadians.”

“Mr. Speaker, one would ultimately argue, as this is coming from the far right, that there are a number of things the government has done. Bill C-38 is just one example of us giving a very important tax break to deal with affordability. Since the Prime Minister and 70-plus Liberal MPs were elected, there have been a number of policy initiatives, some of which we are waiting for the Conservatives to say they support too, such as the grocery program that puts money into the pockets of Canadians and the national dental care program, not to mention the program to support hundreds of thousands of children in Canada. All of that the Conservative Party is opposed to, yet they say they support affordability measures. Why do they not support all the measures that this government and the Prime Minister have put in place to support Canadians on affordability?”

“I want the House to pass this bill. It pauses the federal fuel tax to lower the price of gas and diesel. People in rural and northern communities have to drive long distances, and this will help them and their local businesses save money.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Bill C-38, the Canadian fuel affordability act. This legislation is a focused and practical response to very a real pressure facing Canadian families and businesses: the sharp increase in fuel costs caused by global conflict and disruptions in international energy markets. Canadians did not create these circumstances, but they are paying the price. Bill C-38 would extend the full suspension of the federal fuel excise tax introduced earlier this year until January 31, 2027. It would then restore the tax at half its regular rate for February and March, before returning to the regular rate on April 1. In the case of gasoline, the full suspension represents a savings of 10¢ per litre, compared to four cents per litre for diesel and aviation fuel and 10¢ per litre for unleaded aviation gasoline. These savings are significant across Canada, but they are particularly significant in rural and northern communities, including the one I represent, the riding of Nipissing—Timiskaming. In my riding, driving is not a choice. It is often the only realistic way to get to work, attend a medical appointment or bring a child to a hockey practice. Residents from Mattawa to Englehart and throughout our many rural communities regularly travel significant distances to obtain services that residents in large urban centres may find only a few blocks away. For many of our residents, there is no subway, commuter train or bus waiting around the corner. Distances do not become shorter when fuel prices rise, and medical appointments cannot be postponed until prices fall. That is why any national affordability policy must understand the realities of rural and northern Canada, and Bill C-38 does exactly that. Fuel costs also affect the businesses and workers sustaining our regional economy. In the little clay belt, one of northern Ontario’s most productive agricultural regions, our farmers use diesel to operate tractors and other machinery to transport livestock and deliver food to market. In a region with a shorter growing season, that work must often be completed within a very narrow window. A farmer cannot simply park the tractor because diesel has become more expensive. Fuel is not a discretionary expense in agriculture. It is part of the cost of producing the food Canadians depend on. The same is true in forestry. Harvesting equipment requires fuel. Trucks travel into the forest, carry logs to mills and move finished products to customers. At a time when northern Ontario’s forestry sector is already facing tariffs, market uncertainty and difficult operating conditions, reducing diesel costs provides meaningful relief to workers and businesses. The benefit extends well beyond into manufacturing as well. Gincor Werx is a company in Mattawa that manufactures specialty trucks. Throughout the riding of Nipissing—Timiskaming, there are manufacturing companies and mining industry suppliers shipping equipment and parts to northern Ontario, Quebec, and other parts of Canada. These products do not transport themselves. A drop in diesel prices has ripple effects well beyond gas stations. It helps the truck driver transporting food products north, the construction company hauling aggregate and building materials, the logging contractor transporting equipment, and the courier service delivering supplies to a small business. Ultimately, a drop in diesel prices helps reduce costs throughout the entire supply chain. Bill C-38 would also extend relief for aviation fuel, and that is especially important in northern Ontario, where aviation is not simply about holidays and business travel. It connects rural and remote communities and supports medical transportation, emergency response, firefighting, search and rescue, workforce movement and the delivery of essential services. No single measure will solve every affordability challenge. Bill C-38 is not presented as a permanent answer to global energy volatility. It provides immediate, time-limited relief in response to an extraordinary external pressure, full stop. Some will argue that this bill does not go far enough and that the excise tax should be abolished permanently. I would respond that being a responsible government means addressing the immediate pressure while preserving the fiscal capacity required to fund health care, infrastructure, national defence and other essential services that are important to all of us in this chamber. Bill C-38 takes a measured approach, with full relief through January, followed by a two-month transition at half the regular rate. We can provide immediate affordability relief without abandoning the longer-term work of making our economy more competitive. Long-term ambition and immediate affordability are not competing objectives. A responsible government must be able to advance both at the same time, and that broader approach is reflected in our government’s current legislative agenda. Alongside Bill C-38, the government has introduced Bill C-39, the building Canada strong act. That legislation is intended to bring greater speed, certainty and predictability to federal project reviews, to strengthen trade corridors and supply chains, and to support the workers who are building our next generation of Canadian infrastructure. We saw the evidence of Canada’s economic potential at last week’s Canada investment summit in Toronto, which resulted in nearly $500 billion in investment commitments and financing for Canadian infrastructure, businesses and our strategic industries. We are also seeing progress in Canada’s economic performance. Today, our Minister of Finance spoke to us about results. According to the OECD, Canada’s real GDP grew by 0.8% in the second quarter, and that is the strongest quarterly growth among G7 countries. That is important. By comparison, the economies of the United States and the United Kingdom grew by 0.4%, Japan’s by 0.3%, and those of France, Germany and Italy by 0.2%. I recognize, however, that these figures do not mean that every household feels economically secure. Economic growth does not erase the pressure on Canadians, including the residents in my riding of Nipissing—Timiskaming. It does not erase the pressure that they face when buying groceries, homes or fuel, but these figures demonstrate that Canada has important strengths on which to build. Across the G7 and G20, countries are confronting higher costs arising from war, tariffs, trade disruptions and volatility in global energy markets. It is happening in other countries. What distinguishes governments is how they respond. Our response is to provide immediate relief. That is what we are doing in Canada: protecting workers and businesses, attracting investment, diversifying our trade and accelerating the projects that will make Canada more productive and resilient while creating good-paying jobs. This is something we all want in this chamber. Bill C-38 would put money back into the pockets of Canadians. It would support the businesses that move our economy and recognizes that the transportation realities of rural and northern communities are important. For those reasons, I want to tell the citizens of Nipissing—Timiskaming watching this presentation that I will be supporting Bill C-38, as it is so important to our riding.”

“Saving five dollars on a tank of gas may seem small, but it adds up quickly for truckers and the whole economy. Cutting this fuel tax costs the government 5.3 billion dollars, so we must balance our spending carefully. We are doing this again because the war in the Middle East is still driving up prices, and we will keep watching the situation.”

“Mr. Speaker, certainly, the savings is about five dollars on a typical 50-litre fill-up. However, savings add up quickly when we recognize that this impacts truckers and so many different types of vehicles that travel on the road. It helps to support our economy. In other words, the impact extends beyond the pump. It is broader. For our government, and for all of us in the House of Commons, it is important. This particular relief is costing our government $5.3 billion if we take what was originally provided earlier in the year with this additional relief. It is a considerable amount. As I pointed out, as we look at balancing so many elements in our economy, in our society and in our country, it is important that we ensure we have the fiscal capacity to balance all of these different measures. A final point is that this is the second time our country is acting, because we recognize that the conflict in the Middle East is continuing. We will all work together and continue to have an eye on this particular situation.”

“People in my rural area are worried about gas prices and the cost of living. This bill pauses the tax on fuel to help them. I want my colleague to share her thoughts on why it is important to listen to people and take action to help.”

“Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my esteemed colleague for her wonderful speech. Like her, I represent a large rural riding. When I was talking to my constituents over the summer, the cost of living came up a lot, as did the cost of gas. The people in my riding understood that the recent spike in gas prices was due to various international factors and global instability. As a federal government, we need to focus on what we can control. We also need to listen to people. This bill extends the suspension of the excise tax. I see it as a measure that meets the needs expressed by the people in my riding. I would like to ask my colleague why it is important to listen to people and take action. We heard about certain issues during the summer, we returned to Parliament, and now, in the first week, we are taking concrete steps to help with the cost of living. I would like to ask my colleague what she thinks of the situation.”

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“We must listen to the people we represent. Our government is meeting their needs with many programs to help with the cost of living.”

“Mr. Speaker, I really appreciate my colleague’s question. I know how hard he works in his riding. It is indeed very important to listen to our constituents. That is why I am very pleased to see that our government is meeting his constituents’ needs. This evening, several of my colleagues have talked about our measures. A suite of measures has been implemented to help address the cost-of-living issue for Canadians.”

“This tax cut cannot last forever because it has already cost the government 5.3 billion dollars.”

“Mr. Speaker, that is a fair question. Certainly, I can appreciate that some would say it is not enough and some would say it is too much. Basically, as I have pointed out, it cost our government $5.3 billion. I think there may be an answer in that as well.”

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