Juanita Nathan, Pickering—Brooklin
“High prices and gas costs are coming from foreign conflicts and American tariffs. Our government is helping families by lowering income taxes, paying for school lunches, and giving people grocery benefits. We also want to pass this bill to keep the federal tax on fuel paused until early 2027, and then cut it in half for two months.”
“Madam Speaker, it is an honour to rise and speak about this subject today, which is of crucial importance to all Canadians. We are all aware that recent changes on the global stage have made life more unpredictable, more complex and, for too many people, more costly. Our largest trading partner has imposed tariffs on our imports, significantly impacting Canadian workers and businesses from coast to coast to coast. Conservatives may not want to call these tariffs what they are, but on this side of the House, we understand the impacts they are having on Canadian families, businesses, exports and workers. Conflict and instability in the Middle East have led to an increase in fuel prices around the globe. Conservatives may want to blame Canada and Canadians for the challenges we face, but on this side of the House, we are positioning Canada to thrive within a rapidly changing world. Facing these circumstances, Canadians do not need slogans, and they do not need social media influences. They need relief, and relief is what our government has delivered. Through carefully considered measures, we are strengthening our country’s sovereignty and economic resilience while supporting Canadians through these challenges. Since day one in March 2025, we have worked to save Canadians hard-earned money. On July 1 of last year, 22 million Canadians, more than half the country, had their income taxes lowered when we cut the first income tax bracket from 15% to 14%. This represents an annual tax savings of $420 for individuals or up to $840 for two-income families. To help support Canada’s most vulnerable people, we introduced automatic federal benefits filings, starting with the 2026 tax year. This change will automatically give up to 5.5 million low-income Canadians the benefits they qualify for by the 2028 tax year. We also removed the goods and services tax on new homes costing up to $1 million for first-time homebuyers, and we lowered it on new homes priced between $1 million and $1.5 million. This move gives more Canadians, especially young families, the chance to live the Canadian dream of owning a home. Speaking of young families, they know the importance of good food during school days. We made permanent the national school food program, a program derided by Conservatives as “garbage”, to provide meals for up to 400,000 children across Canada. This program saves participating families with two school-age children approximately $800 annually on groceries. Food is essential, but it has grown more costly. To help more than 12 million Canadians manage their grocery budget, we introduced the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit, which provides a family of four with up to $1,890 this year and about $1,400 annually for the next four years. Single Canadians will have a benefit of up to $950 this year and about $700 for the next four years. Food is fuel for learning minds and working bodies, but groceries do not make their way into stores on their own. Canada is a vast nation, and moving people and products is a necessity that requires fuel of a different kind. We know that consumers are facing higher gas and diesel prices at the pump, and businesses have their profitability impacted by the increased cost of getting goods to market. I know that in my riding of Pickering—Brooklin, this is true. Although the factors that led to these high fuel prices are not within Canada’s control, Canadians expect a strong response. We are focused on what we can control. That is why we introduced Bill C-38, the Canadian fuel affordability act, which is currently being studied. Bill C-39 is being debated in the House and will be debated later on today as well. Bill C-38 would build on the temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax that we introduced earlier this year, bringing the tax on gasoline, aviation gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel to zero cents per litre. For Canadians filling up their cars, it means a tax cut of 10¢ per litre on gasoline, a savings of about five dollars on a typical 50-litre fill-up, and four cents per litre on diesel fuel. While this cut was originally set to expire last month, Bill C-38, if passed, would extend that suspension of the federal fuel excise tax until January 31, 2027, after the holiday season. Regular rates would then be reduced by 50% through March 31, 2027, inclusive. Higher energy prices are a concern not just here at home but in every part of the planet. We are fortunate to be rich in many natural resources and to be the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil in the world. This is why the Prime Minister has said, “Canada has what the world wants.” This summer, the executive director of the International Energy Agency said that Canada has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a global energy exporting superpower. The leaders of our G7 peer nations are asking us to step up and supply the world with the sustainable, reliable energy they need to power their economies. This is an opportunity we are leaning into and seizing with intention. That is why we recently announced that Pacific link, an oil pipeline that will bring Albertan oil to ports in British Columbia, will be listed as a project of national interest under the Building Canada Act. Designating the Pacific link pipeline as a project of national interest means it will get built faster, reducing Canada’s dependency on U.S. markets as buyers for our oil by giving us a new ability to export to Asian customers. Once completed, the Pacific link will allow us to ship an additional one million barrels of oil each day across the Pacific. While we are prioritizing measures to help Canadians during this difficult time and working to create the right climate to grow the economy and foster investment, we have never wavered in our focus on fiscal responsibility. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that our country will be the second-fastest growing economy in the G7 groups of nations this year and in 2027. Canada’s sovereign debt continues to command the highest rating, a AAA credit rating, from Fitch, from Standard & Poor’s and from Moody’s, the three main debt rating agencies. As we know, this exemplary credit rating allows Canada to issue debt to investors on the best possible terms. As well, as noted in April’s spring economic update, Canada is on track to reduce its deficit in 2025-26 by $11 billion more than originally forecasted in the last federal budget. This gives us an advantage when it comes to investing in the supports and services that matter to Canadians. Canadians are strong and resourceful, and in times of adversity, they expect a strong, resourceful response from their government. The measures I have mentioned are just some of the actions we have taken to protect and promote Canadian interests while positioning the country for future growth and prosperity.”
-
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 an honour to rise and speak about this subject today, which is of crucial importance to all Canadians. We are all aware that recent changes on the global stage have made life more unpredictable, more complex and, for too many people, more costly. Our largest trading partner has imposed tariffs on our imports, significantly impacting Canadian workers and businesses from coast to coast to coast. Conservatives may not want to call these tariffs what they are, but on this side of the House, we understand the impacts they are having on Canadian families, businesses, exports and workers. Conflict and instability in the Middle East have led to an increase in fuel prices around the globe. Conservatives may want to blame Canada and Canadians for the challenges we face, but on this side of the House, we are positioning Canada to thrive within a rapidly changing world. Facing these circumstances, Canadians do not need slogans, and they do not need social media influences. They need relief, and relief is what our government has delivered. Through carefully considered measures, we are strengthening our country’s sovereignty and economic resilience while supporting Canadians through these challenges. Since day one in March 2025, we have worked to save Canadians hard-earned money. On July 1 of last year, 22 million Canadians, more than half the country, had their income taxes lowered when we cut the first income tax bracket from 15% to 14%. This represents an annual tax savings of $420 for individuals or up to $840 for two-income families. To help support Canada’s most vulnerable people, we introduced automatic federal benefits filings, starting with the 2026 tax year. This change will automatically give up to 5.5 million low-income Canadians the benefits they qualify for by the 2028 tax year. We also removed the goods and services tax on new homes costing up to $1 million for first-time homebuyers, and we lowered it on new homes priced between $1 million and $1.5 million. This move gives more Canadians, especially young families, the chance to live the Canadian dream of owning a home. Speaking of young families, they know the importance of good food during school days. We made permanent the national school food program, a program derided by Conservatives as “garbage”, to provide meals for up to 400,000 children across Canada. This program saves participating families with two school-age children approximately $800 annually on groceries. Food is essential, but it has grown more costly. To help more than 12 million Canadians manage their grocery budget, we introduced the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit, which provides a family of four with up to $1,890 this year and about $1,400 annually for the next four years. Single Canadians will have a benefit of up to $950 this year and about $700 for the next four years. Food is fuel for learning minds and working bodies, but groceries do not make their way into stores on their own. Canada is a vast nation, and moving people and products is a necessity that requires fuel of a different kind. We know that consumers are facing higher gas and diesel prices at the pump, and businesses have their profitability impacted by the increased cost of getting goods to market. I know that in my riding of Pickering—Brooklin, this is true. Although the factors that led to these high fuel prices are not within Canada’s control, Canadians expect a strong response. We are focused on what we can control. That is why we introduced Bill C-38, the Canadian fuel affordability act, which is currently being studied. Bill C-39 is being debated in the House and will be debated later on today as well. Bill C-38 would build on the temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax that we introduced earlier this year, bringing the tax on gasoline, aviation gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel to zero cents per litre. For Canadians filling up their cars, it means a tax cut of 10¢ per litre on gasoline, a savings of about five dollars on a typical 50-litre fill-up, and four cents per litre on diesel fuel. While this cut was originally set to expire last month, Bill C-38, if passed, would extend that suspension of the federal fuel excise tax until January 31, 2027, after the holiday season. Regular rates would then be reduced by 50% through March 31, 2027, inclusive. Higher energy prices are a concern not just here at home but in every part of the planet. We are fortunate to be rich in many natural resources and to be the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil in the world. This is why the Prime Minister has said, “Canada has what the world wants.” This summer, the executive director of the International Energy Agency said that Canada has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a global energy exporting superpower. The leaders of our G7 peer nations are asking us to step up and supply the world with the sustainable, reliable energy they need to power their economies. This is an opportunity we are leaning into and seizing with intention. That is why we recently announced that Pacific link, an oil pipeline that will bring Albertan oil to ports in British Columbia, will be listed as a project of national interest under the Building Canada Act. Designating the Pacific link pipeline as a project of national interest means it will get built faster, reducing Canada’s dependency on U.S. markets as buyers for our oil by giving us a new ability to export to Asian customers. Once completed, the Pacific link will allow us to ship an additional one million barrels of oil each day across the Pacific. While we are prioritizing measures to help Canadians during this difficult time and working to create the right climate to grow the economy and foster investment, we have never wavered in our focus on fiscal responsibility. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that our country will be the second-fastest growing economy in the G7 groups of nations this year and in 2027. Canada’s sovereign debt continues to command the highest rating, a AAA credit rating, from Fitch, from Standard & Poor’s and from Moody’s, the three main debt rating agencies. As we know, this exemplary credit rating allows Canada to issue debt to investors on the best possible terms. As well, as noted in April’s spring economic update, Canada is on track to reduce its deficit in 2025-26 by $11 billion more than originally forecasted in the last federal budget. This gives us an advantage when it comes to investing in the supports and services that matter to Canadians. Canadians are strong and resourceful, and in times of adversity, they expect a strong, resourceful response from their government. The measures I have mentioned are just some of the actions we have taken to protect and promote Canadian interests while positioning the country for future growth and prosperity.
