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Taxation

During question period on taxation, Conservatives asked the government to remove all taxes on diesel until at least next Canada Day, arguing that high diesel prices are hurting farmers, truckers, and food costs, with members citing an Alberta farmer whose fuel bill rose from $50,000 to $130,000 and seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador struggling to afford driving and heating. Liberals replied that world events are driving fuel prices up, pointed to support for canola farmers including a renewable diesel facility in Alberta, and cited measures such as new trade markets, the Churchill Falls investment benefiting Newfoundland and Labrador, and affordable housing funding.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

6 statements

Shuvaloy Majumdar

Conservative

Linked statement

“High diesel prices are hurting farmers, truckers, and food prices. I want the government to accept our plan today. They must remove all taxes on diesel until next Canada Day and cut taxes and permits for fuel refineries and shipping.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, harvest is here, and the cost of diesel is crushing farmers, truckers and groceries. A U.S. restriction on diesel would hammer Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. Will Liberals eliminate all taxes on diesel until at least next Canada Day and, second, approve emergency pre-permitting and tax relief for fuel refining and transportation infrastructure? Will they accept the Conservative diesel price relief action plan today?

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Julie Dabrusin

Liberal
“The Conservatives are working against canola farmers. The Conservative leader's own riding has Canada's largest renewable diesel plant, which buys up to half of Alberta's canola. That plant helps Alberta farmers, and the Conservatives should support them.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 21 of 100

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

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Signal 36 of 100

    Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure why the Conservatives are so stuck on the idea of working against canola farmers, including in the riding of the Leader of the Opposition. First of all, he has the second-largest canola-producing riding, but it also has Canada’s largest renewable diesel facility, the Imperial Strathcona facility. It actually purchases up to 50% of the canola produced in Alberta. That is good for Alberta farmers. I would hope that the Conservatives would be standing with those farmers as we provide those important opportunities.

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John Barlow

Conservative
“Farmers are struggling to pay for fuel because diesel prices have doubled. The government has made this worse by blocking pipelines. I want the government to adopt our plan to lower diesel prices today.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I will tell the minister about real life for an Alberta farmer. Roy is having a tough day today. He is having a family meeting trying to figure out how they are going to pay this year’s fuel bill. They usually budget about $50,000 for harvest. Last year, it skyrocketed to $130,000. This year, he is telling me it is going to be devastating, as diesel prices have doubled yet again to more than two dollars a litre. The out-of-touch Liberals have blocked east-west pipelines, leaving our food production exposed to a U.S. diesel export ban. Will the Liberals accept the Conservative diesel price relief action plan today so farmers have access to the fuel they need to keep affordable food on the table?

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Heath MacDonald

Liberal
“World events are causing high diesel prices, not our policies. Our government is supporting farmers by opening new trade markets, helping them hire young workers, and offering tax breaks.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it has been talked about in the House what is causing diesel prices to rise: the geopolitical situations we find ourselves in. It is hard, but farmers are resilient. We are starting to see some real progress in farming across this country and growth. Growing market access to Indonesia, Mexico and China is really important. We are investing $75 million in AgriMarketing and $27 million in the youth employment and skills program to help farmers hire young people. We have created the productivity superdeduction, which is extremely important to farmers in this country. We are standing alongside farmers and—

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Carol Anstey

Conservative
“Winter is coming, and seniors in my province cannot afford to drive or heat their homes. The government's laws have made energy too expensive. I want the Prime Minister to remove all taxes on diesel until at least Canada Day.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, winter is coming, and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador have to heat their homes. Tom from St. John’s reached out to me because he cannot afford to drive, and seniors like Tom are already making impossible decisions between heating and eating. After 11 years of Liberal antidevelopment laws, Canada does not have access to affordable, reliable Canadian energy, and now the U.S. is considering restrictions on diesel exports. What is the Prime Minister’s plan? Will he adopt our diesel price relief action plan and eliminate all taxes on diesel until at least Canada Day so my neighbours can afford to heat their homes?

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Joanne Thompson

Liberal
“Our government is helping Newfoundland and Labrador. We put $10 billion toward the Churchill Falls project, and I just helped fund 114 affordable homes in my riding. The member can get things done for her riding too if she does the work.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 27 of 100

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

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, there is a series of things we are currently doing to improve the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and Canadians. Recently, we had the investment in Churchill Falls, a $70-billion investment, and $10 billion of that money is federal funds. This is transformative for our province. I want to remind the member of projects we can do locally. In my riding, in the last two weeks, I announced 114 deeply affordable housing units. The member is able to do this as well, but she has to put the work in.

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