Hon. Ralph Goodale (Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, thanks to our unprecedented investments in housing since taking office in 2015, we have helped more than a million Canadians find a place to call home. The national housing strategy ensures that we will continue to be a full and active partner in Canada's housing sector for the decade to come.

I have had the honour in my constituency to help dig the foundations and open the new buildings that new citizens in my riding are able to enjoy.

Mr. Alain Rayes (Richmond—Arthabaska, CPC)

Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Budget Officer sent a clear message last week.

The Liberal government's carbon tax will cost Canadians even more. The Prime Minister does not want to tell us that, in addition to being twice as high as was originally announced, the carbon tax will go up. The Prime Minister will raise the price of gas by 23¢ per litre.

I have a simple question for the Prime Minister. Why does he want to raise the price of gas by another 23¢? That will have an impact on people's grocery bills, heating costs and everything they consume.

The Speaker

If the hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby and the hon. member for Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Social Development wish to have a conversation, they might want to do that outside.

The hon. Minister of Environment.

Hon. Catherine McKenna (Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, as the opposition party knows, we put a price on pollution because pollution can no longer be free. We are giving that money back to families. Eighty per cent of families, low-income and middle-class families, will have more money in their pockets.

Maybe the member noticed that the pope met with oil companies last week. They agreed that we need to put a price on pollution.

Whey do we need to put a price on pollution? Because it works.

Mr. Alain Rayes (Richmond—Arthabaska, CPC)

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have an abysmal record when it comes to the environment and their past four budgets. They have managed Canadians' finances irresponsibly and ineffectively, which led to four years of deficits.

Who will pay for that? Our children, our grandchildren and Canadians who work hard for their money, that's who.

What is this government trying to do? Clearly, to make life even more expensive for Canadians.

Why do this government and this Prime Minister want to increase the price of gas yet again—

The Speaker

The hon. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Hon. Catherine McKenna (Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy with what we are doing as a government. We have created one million jobs for Canadians. We have lifted 875,000 people out of poverty. We lowered taxes on small businesses.

What are we doing, on top of all that? We are taking climate action.

I was embarrassed yesterday to hear the Conservative Party say that there was no climate emergency and that we did not need to meet our targets and work with others.

What are we leaving our children and grandchildren? A climate emergency—

Oh, oh!

The Speaker

The hon. member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier will come to order.

The hon. member for Carleton.

Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Carleton, CPC)

Mr. Speaker, two years ago, almost to the day, the finance minister unleashed an attack on small businesses. He tried to raise taxes on their investment up to 73% and double the tax on parents selling their businesses to their children. He backed down, partially and temporarily, after a massive uprising.

I have two questions. First, will he admit that this attack on small businesses was wrong? Second, will he promise never to try it again?

Hon. Bill Morneau (Minister of Finance, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, we know that results count. We are in a position where our economy is doing better than anyone expected at this stage. We have the lowest rate of unemployment we have seen in 40 years. We have the highest rate of working-age population at work than we have ever seen in history in the country.

One of the big reasons for that is because small and medium-sized businesses are doing well. We lowered their tax rates. They are now experiencing the lowest tax rates among G7 countries.

We have continued to support businesses in the country and what they have done. They have created jobs so Canadians are working. It is good news all around.

Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Carleton, CPC)

Mr. Speaker, we just heard it right there. Small businesses across the land will notice that the minister had an opportunity to rule out bringing back his original tax increases that he proposed in the summer of 2017 and he refused to rule it out.

We know what is coming after the election, just like the carbon tax. We have found out from the Parliamentary Budget Officer that the government will raise gas prices 23¢ a litre.

Why does the government not honestly admit that now, before the election?

Hon. Bill Morneau (Minister of Finance, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, we did take on the additional $150 billion of debt left us by the previous Harper government. What we did was decided that with that we would actually focus on the middle class. We knew it would be the engine of growth for our country. We focused on it and we increased the amount of money going to people who were struggling to get by. Lo and behold, our economy rebounded and lo and behold, the lowest unemployment rate in four years.

That was good news, but we will keep on working for the middle class. We are going to keep making sure that businesses are successful. Our approach is working.

Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Carleton, CPC)

Mr. Speaker, I have just given two opportunities for the minister to admit that his original attack on small business people in the summer of 2017 was wrong and that he would never try it again. We know he is running out of other people's money and he will be looking for more of it if he is re-elected.

Now we find out that he is open to reintroducing his 73% tax on small business investment and he is open to doubling the tax on families selling from parent to child.

Why does he not just admit that is exactly what he will do if re-elected?

Hon. Bill Morneau (Minister of Finance, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, we know that confidence among small and medium-sized businesses and confidence among large businesses is critically important. That is why we never resort to scare tactics like this.

We focus on how we can actually make a difference. The good news is that the things we have done have actually made a difference. The fact that Canadians have more money in their pockets means they are putting it back into the economy, means they are actually buying goods from small and medium-sized businesses. The good news is it is working. Canadians are doing well and we are going to keep on it.

Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Carleton, CPC)

Mr. Speaker, scare tactics? The Prime Minister said that our small businesses were nothing more than tax cheats. The finance minister tried to impose a 73% tax on small business investment. This is a government that attempted to double the tax on parents selling their businesses to children, so it would have a tax advantage in selling it to foreign multinationals. Scare tactics? The government scared the hell out of small business right across the country.

The Liberals could put some of those fears to rest if they would promise now that they will never do it again.

Hon. Bill Morneau (Minister of Finance, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, it is very important that we listen to people in the business community to figure out what we should do to make sure our economy keeps doing well.

They have told us, first and foremost, that skills matter. What did we do? We ensured that people could have access to university by lowering the cost of university for low and middle-income Canadians. We put in place an approach to ensure that people could get the training they needed over the long term. They also told us that taxes mattered, so we lowered the taxes on small and medium-sized businesses.

We know our approach is working. We will continue to focus on what really matters to business to keep our economy—

The Speaker

The hon. member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie.

Mr. Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, NDP)

Mr. Speaker, we already know that saying one thing and doing the opposite is the hallmark of the Liberal Party. However, declaring a climate emergency one day and approving the expansion of a pipeline that will emit as much pollution as three million cars the next day goes beyond mere hypocrisy. They just do not give a damn what Canadians want.

How can this government claim to be for the environment while betraying future generations with its fake green policies?

Hon. Catherine McKenna (Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, we are working very hard to fight climate change. We put a price on pollution across the country, we are phasing out coal, and we are investing in a just transition. We are investing in clean technology to create jobs across Canada. We are investing in public transit and green infrastructure. We are fighting plastic pollution.

I could say more, but what Canadians and I find really disappointing is the Conservative Party. The Conservatives refuse to join all members of the House in declaring a climate emergency and saying that we must take action.