Richard Lehoux

[Finance, December 15th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, after eight years, the costly Bloc-Liberal coalition wants to radically increase the carbon tax, driving up the price of all food. They are so out of touch with reality. It is costly to vote for the Bloc Québécois.

The food bank in my region is receiving roughly 12,500 user requests a month. According to Marie Champagne of Moisson Beauce, that is an 82% increase compared to a few years ago. More than a third of these requests are for children.

Will the Prime Minister follow our common-sense plan and eliminate inflationary taxes and deficits so that Canadians can have enough to eat at Christmas?

[Carbon Pricing, December 13th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate what my colleague, the parliamentary secretary, said about the impacts of climate change. I completely agree with her on that. I was a farmer for more than 40 years.

However, I want people to understand the impacts of the tax on the cost of farm production. It is increasing the very high cost for chicken farmers, for example. We know that when baby chicks arrive at the chicken coop, the heating needs to be set quite high.

We are told that it is not true that the tax has an impact. Just this past Monday, we asked the president of Metro, Mr. La Flèche, whether the price of the carbon tax and propane, among others, had direct impacts—

[Carbon Pricing, December 13th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise this evening to take part in my first adjournment debate in the House.

I am speaking tonight to follow up on a question I asked the Prime Minister about Bill C-234 and, more importantly, the embarrassing way it was handled in the Senate. For some unknown reason, it was the Minister of Transport who rose to answer me and, frankly, I was not pleased with the response.

Bill C-234 is a common-sense Conservative bill that would remove the carbon tax on propane and natural gas used for drying grain and heating buildings, to give farmers a chance to survive this government's crippling carbon tax and take the first step toward reducing the cost of food in our country.

In his response, the Minister of Transport said that I was misleading Canadians. He used the same tired arguments he always does, such as the idea that the carbon tax does not apply in or affect Quebec.

In my opinion, and in the opinion of anyone with an iota of common sense, the carbon tax obviously affects Quebec, directly and indirectly. Quebeckers will certainly be affected at the pump when the second carbon tax adds 17¢ per litre to the cost of gasoline.

When Quebec farmers import their propane from Ontario or other parts of the country, the carbon tax applies to them. I have invoices from pork and chicken producers in my riding to prove it, but the government refuses to look at them.

In other cases, the carbon tax applies indirectly, for example, when Quebeckers import any other domestic goods shipped by truck across the country into our province. The higher prices are getting passed on to us because, contrary to what the Bloc-Liberal coalition believes, Quebec is not self-sufficient.

Bill C‑234 is extremely important. At the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, we have heard testimony from countless farmers from every part of the country. Every one of them agrees that this bill should be passed as soon as possible.

The Prime Minister decided to pressure the Liberal senators he himself appointed to gut Bill C‑234 at the Senate and then send it back to the House. They managed to remove the clause on barn heating and reduce the sunset clause from eight years to three years at the Senate. Bill C‑234 will be sent back to the House with these amendments. It will no longer have an impact on the price of food, which was the original purpose of the bill.

As we have heard many times, there is currently no other viable alternative for drying grain or heating buildings. That is why the Conservatives agreed to the eight-year sunset clause in the initial bill.

The questions I have for the government are the following. Does the government think that the carbon tax affects Quebec, either directly or indirectly? When the Senate's new amendments are debated here in the House, will the government do the right thing and delete these two amendments that have completely gutted Bill C‑234, so that it can be adopted as it was the last time, by the vast majority—

[Committees of the House, December 13th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech, which was passionate as usual. He is an excellent collaborator at the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Indeed, last spring, the five big players in the food sector appeared before the committee, which had produced a report. The Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry thought it was a good idea to invite them back. We got the same answers.

On Monday, when the CEO of Metro, Mr. La Flèche, was at the committee, something happened that I found interesting and I wonder if my colleague noticed it. My colleagues from Quebec say that the carbon tax does not apply in Quebec; we could debate that at length because it applies indirectly. I asked the CEO if the carbon tax had any repercussions across Canada and if it had any major repercussions on the food sector and he said yes.

I would like to know if my colleague took note of Mr. La Flèche's answer.

[Carbon Tax, December 12th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years under this government, food, housing and gas prices have never been higher, and with the governing Bloc-Liberal coalition intent on drastically increasing the carbon tax, prices are only going to go up.

I am so sick and tired of hearing these two parties say that the carbon tax does not impact Quebec. The second carbon tax will increase the price of gasoline by 17¢ per litre. Quebeckers also have to pay higher prices on products brought in from other provinces, because the price of the carbon tax is passed on indirectly.

The Conservatives want the carbon tax to be eliminated in all provinces and territories. We knew right from the start that this was not an environmental plan, but a tax plan. Our party put forward motion after motion, but the Bloc-Liberal coalition opposed every single one.

Conservatives will continue to fight to remove the carbon tax on farmers and Canadian families, restore common sense in the next election and show these two parties what Canadians really want: affordable housing and a well-stocked fridge.

[Business of Supply, December 7th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his speech.

He concluded by making some rather serious comments about Bill C-234. I would like to hear his thoughts on the following. First, he spoke about the fact that there was obstruction in the Senate.

Second, my colleague and I are both members of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. I would like to know what he thinks about the amendment that the Senate made to the bill, because that amendment completely thwarts the bill's purpose.

[Carbon Tax, December 7th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, the number of Canadians who use food banks has reached a record high, but the Bloc-Liberal coalition is doing nothing to lower the price of food. We introduced Bill C‑234, a common-sense bill to reduce production costs directly at the farm. The Prime Minister ordered his Liberal senators to vote against the bill in the Senate.

This morning, an annual report confirms that, in 2024, the average family will pay $700 more for groceries. Canadians are lowering their grocery bill and reducing the quantity and quality of the food they buy by replacing it with less nutritious alternatives. Children and seniors, who are the most vulnerable, deserve to eat healthy and nutritious food, but the government is keeping its carbon tax, which is making Canadians poorer.

After eight years, the price of food is not the only increase Canadians are dealing with. The cost of housing is skyrocketing. Conservatives will continue to fight against the Bloc-Liberal coalition to lower prices for all Canadians so that they can enjoy the holidays, unlike the coalition, that wants to ruin Christmas for everyone.

[Carbon Pricing, December 6th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I am on the ground, whereas my colleague might not be. There are direct repercussions for farmers, even back home in Quebec. For those who may not know it, all the propane consumed in Quebec comes from outside, so we do pay the tax.

We refuse to give a pass to the economic statement that was presented last week by the government and that has not even been called for debate yet. The word “agriculture” does not even appear in the bill, even though food bank use is at a record high.

Do the Liberals really want to lower the price of food? I will repeat my question and hope that my colleague across the way will take the time to answer. When will the Prime Minister give up his plan to radically increase the carbon tax?

[Carbon Pricing, December 6th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, this desperate, panicked Prime Minister spent all weekend calling senators, begging them to kill Bill C-234. Not surprisingly, last night, the Senate voted in favour of an amendment that will gut Bill C‑234. This will keep food prices high at a time when Canadians are struggling.

Will this Prime Minister scrap his plans to radically increase the carbon tax on farmers and families?

[Carbon Pricing, December 1st, 2023]

Madam Speaker, after eight years, the government still does not understand that it could quickly bring down food prices just by giving farmers a break. That is why passing Bill C-234 is so essential.

The costly Bloc-Liberal coalition is really out of touch and wants to radically increase the carbon tax. It is costly to vote for the Bloc Québécois. Farmers in my region are calling on me to get this bill passed quickly.

Will the Prime Minister tell the independent senators that he appointed to stop blocking Bill C-234 in order to bring down the cost of groceries for all Canadian families?