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Taxation

During question period on taxation, Conservatives said Canadians and farmers are struggling with the cost of living, citing paycheque-to-paycheque households and high diesel prices during harvest, and called on the government to adopt their plan to cut taxes on food, fuel, and work. Liberals said their plan is helping families and farmers, pointing to the groceries and essentials benefit, affordable child care, school food programs, a fuel tax cut for farmers, and work reducing red tape and opening new export markets. The two sides exchanged claims about whose measures are working and urged the other to support their plan.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

8 statements

Eric Melillo

Conservative
“Canadians are struggling to afford their homes because of Liberal policies. I want the government to adopt the Conservative plan to cut taxes on food, fuel, and work.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Daniel from Dryden shared with me the financial strain he and his family are facing. They are living paycheque to paycheque, and despite working hard and following the rules, it is nearly impossible for them to maintain their home. After 11 years of inflationary Liberal policies, this is the stark reality facing many Canadians, and it is why Conservatives are calling on the Liberals to adopt our economic action plan, which would cut taxes on food, fuel and work, so families can have hope that tomorrow will be better. Will the Liberals adopt our plan so that hard-working Canadians like Daniel can afford to live again?

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Leslie Church

Liberal
“Our government is already helping families with the high cost of living. Over 17,000 families in the member's riding will get money from us this week, worth up to $1,800 this year. The Conservatives should support our plan.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 100 of 100

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

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  • 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
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, while I sympathize with families like Daniel’s, I want the member opposite to realize that the government is focused specifically on families like Daniel’s. We have introduced the groceries and essentials benefit, for example, and over 17,000 families in that member’s riding are going to be receiving their next cheque on October 5. That is meaningful support, up to approximately $1,800 for a family in his riding this year. If the Conservatives want to talk about affordability, they should come on board to our plan, which is focused on making sure that Canadians have money in their pockets to pay the cost of living.

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Eric Melillo

Conservative
“The cost of living is rising, and half of workers spend their whole paycheque just to get by. I want the government to lower taxes so people can afford to live.”

  • A repeated line

    “The Liberals are all talk and no results.”

    Said 13 times by 12 members since September 21.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are all talk, no results. If their plan were working, we would not be facing an affordability crisis. Now, 63% of Canadian workers say that their biggest financial stress is the cost of living. According to the National Payroll Institute, half of employed Canadians spend all of their net pay or more just to be able to keep up with rising costs. I will ask again, why will the Liberals not adopt our plan to cut taxes so that hard-working Canadians can afford to live?

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Leslie Church

Liberal

Linked statement

“Our plan is working for families. It gives parents money, lowers child care costs by over $10,000 a year in Ontario, and feeds kids at school. If the Conservatives really want to help families, they should support our plan.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, there is a plan on the table that is working for Canadians, and it is the Liberal plan. It includes doing things like making sure that families such as Daniel’s have affordable child care, which is saving families in Ontario over $10,000 per year right now. It is ensuring that families in the member’s riding have access to the Canada child benefit or to a national school food program so that Daniel’s kids can go to school and actually have food in their stomachs. It is a program that the Conservative leader called bureaucracy yesterday. If the Conservatives want to stand here and fight for families, then they should come on board and stand— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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David Bexte

Conservative
“It is harvest time, but high fuel prices are hurting farmers. A single combine can cost more than $1,100 a day for diesel, which is almost double last year's price. Why is the government making farmers pay so much to harvest their crops?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, harvest is here, right now, this very moment. Combines, tractors and grain trucks are starting up and pulling into the field. It is go time. Hopes and plans come to the test. Will the weather hold? Will there be a breakdown? What will the prices be? Everything is on the line. It is supposed to be a payday, not a pay more day. Diesel prices are at near record levels in Canada. Farmers are facing nearly double what they paid last year. One combine can now cost more than $1,100 a day to fuel. Why is the Liberal government making Canadian farmers pay so much for diesel just to bring in their harvest?

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Kody Blois

Liberal
“Our government supports farmers. We cut fuel taxes, expanded business support, and created a three-billion-dollar food security plan. The Conservatives had a chance to present their own plan for Canadians a year ago and offered nothing.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, let me start by saying that, and this is certainly true on this side of the House, all members of Parliament know the important work that Canadian farmers do across the country. That is exactly why we have eliminated the excise tax on gasoline and diesel. It is why we have increased business risk management programs. It is why we have introduced the national food security strategy, which is over three billion dollars’ worth of targeted support to the agriculture sector and the agri-food sector across the country. We have a plan to help support farmers in the country. That member is from farm country. What should be a little embarrassing to the Conservative Party is that, a year ago, when they had the opportunity to present their plan, there was nothing for Canadians.

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David Bexte

Conservative
“Canadian farmers pay 32 cents more per litre for diesel than American farmers, and costs could go higher. Farmers need relief right now. I want the government to use the Conservative plan to cut taxes and lower fuel costs for farmers this harvest.”

  • A repeated line

    “The Liberal government is all talk, no results.”

    Said 3 times by 3 members since September 23.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are out of touch. They are all talk and no results. Canadian farmers are already paying 32¢ a litre more for diesel than Americans are. Now potential restrictions to U.S. exports threaten to drive costs even higher. Conservatives are calling for an immediate action plan for relief on diesel prices; a cut to all federal taxes; a secure, reliable Canadian supply; and the use of every available legal power to get Canadian energy to Canadian consumers. The Liberal government is all talk, no results. Farmers need lower costs. Will the Liberals adopt the Conservative plan to lower fuel costs and save Canadian farmers some money this harvest?

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Kody Blois

Liberal
“We are cutting red tape to lower costs for farmers. We also opened seven billion dollars in trade for farm goods in China, and we are opening more markets around the world. The Conservatives ignore the work we are doing to support farmers.”

  • 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, we have been focused on lowering costs for farmers. That is exactly why we have an action plan for reducing regulatory tape with the CFIA and the pesticides regulatory directorate. I do not know if the member shared that with the farmers in his constituency. I certainly have in my neck of the woods in Canada. The member talks about the importance of market access. I do not ever hear the Conservatives talking about the seven billion dollars’ worth of agriculture and agri-food market access that the government established in China or the work we are doing to establish market access around the world, whether that is in Europe or the Asia Pacific. The Conservative Party does not even talk about the work that the government is doing to support farmers across the country.

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