Bill C-234

An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act

This enactment amends the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act to expand the definition of eligible farming machinery and extend the exemption for qualifying farming fuel to marketable natural gas and propane.

Carbon Pricing

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-234 was here, then it went to the Senate. Conservative senators threatened a bunch of other senators who wanted to debate the bill. The bill is now back in this House, and it is completely up to the leader—

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, Canadians are struggling to make ends meet due to the Liberal-NDP's crippling carbon taxes. They are all economic pain and no environmental gain. Just last week, the Prime Minister increased the carbon tax by 23%, further driving up the cost of gas, groceries and home heating.

The least the Liberals could do is take the carbon tax off the farmers who feed us, which would in turn lower the cost of food.

Will the Prime Minister axe the tax on farmers and make food cheaper for Canadians by passing Bill C-234 in its original form?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, instead of opposing battery plants, instead of standing up against sustainable jobs, that member and her caucus should remember that the vast majority of the fuels farmers use are tax exempt under the pollution pricing strategy. Farmers in the country are supported big time by adjustment policies, because they know, more than anyone, that climate change is a reality.

With respect to Bill C-234, that member should walk down to the front bench and tell her opposition House leader that he should call Bill C-234 and we will resolve it.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Mr. Speaker, even the NDP-Liberal environment chair admitted that the carbon tax has no impact on climate change, yet just last week, the Prime Minister increased the carbon tax by 23%, driving up the cost of gas, groceries and home heating. If farmers cannot afford to grow food, the government has failed. Let me remind everyone that if there are no farms, there is no food.

Will the Prime Minister help bring the cost of food down for Canadians, axe the tax on farmers and pass Bill C-234 in its original form?

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost, but do not take my word for it.

Heather from Newbury writes, “People need the cost of living brought under control now.” Carol from Strathroy says, “One more tax will take us down. We're already struggling.” To the average Canadian, the cost of the carbon tax on gas, groceries, home heating, farmers and families is punishing, not progress.

Will the Prime Minister axe the tax on farmers and help make food cheaper by passing Bill C-234 in its original form?

Carbon Tax

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the government just slapped Canadians with a 23% carbon tax increase on April 1. It did this while food banks are servicing a record number of hungry Canadians and farmers are struggling to keep up with crippling taxes. The government needs to pass Bill C-234 in its original form to remove the carbon tax on farmers and help bring down the cost of food for all Canadians.

Conservatives have sent a letter to the Prime Minister with three demands to fix the budget. Common-sense Conservatives will not agree to support the budget unless Liberals axe the tax, build homes and cap spending with a dollar-for-dollar rule to bring down interest rates and inflation. The government must find a dollar of savings for every dollar of spending.

The Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, the costly Bloc-Liberal coalition is not worth the cost. This coalition continues to display contempt for farmers by radically increasing the carbon tax and voting to amend our common-sense Bill C-234.

From the outset, this government has shown Canadians that it simply does not see farming as a priority. In my opinion, it is simple: no farmers, no food.

Farmers are being ignored in favour of a higher and higher carbon tax on heating their buildings, drying their grain and feeding our cities. I am talking about government regulations and taxes. As the Journal de Montréal reported this morning, carbon pricing in Quebec is adding to the cost burden faced by farmers. Unfortunately, the carbon tax is not the only thing that is crushing our farmers. The government's failure to enhance support programs for farmers is also taking a toll.

The Conservatives will continue to fight and support farmers, starting with passing Bill C‑234 in its original form in order to lower the cost of food and help our farmers stay afloat.

[Todd Lewis]

Of course, as farmers, we think Bill C-234 should go through unamended, with what was originally put forward by the House of Commons. I think we'll just leave it at that.

Carbon Pricing

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, just this morning, my office was in communication with a local food bank, which confirmed that food bank use continues to go up.

Barrhead and District Family and Community Support Services, in a town of fewer than 5,000 people, saw 184 new families using the food bank in 2023. This was a dramatic increase from 2022. It has seen seniors who are embarrassed to come and use a food bank for the first time. The Westlock & District Food Bank has already added 140 families just this year, for an increase of 30%. The Salvation Army food bank in Peace River has seen a 30% increase since 2021 and is adding an average of two families per week.

Most people who are starting to come to these food banks are young families. After paying for their utilities, gas and rent, they cannot afford to put food on the table. This is because, when we tax the farmer who grows the food, tax the trucker who delivers the food and tax the person who sells the food, Canadians cannot afford to buy food. Very soon, a farmer with a 5,000-acre farm in Canada will be paying $150,000 a year in carbon tax. The carbon tax is stopping Canadians from being able to afford to live.

Back in December, I asked the government House leader whether the Prime Minister would put aside his ideological position on the carbon tax and remove it for all family farms across the nation. Here we are, four months later, and the government continues to be relentless in its pursuit of making life more unaffordable for Canadians.

Instead of putting a spike in the hike on April 1, the Prime Minister has chosen to increase the carbon tax yet again by 23%. It is no surprise when we see large numbers of people protesting. Farmers and families are angry and frustrated with the government, and 70% of Canadians and 70% of premiers have called on the Prime Minister, but he has refused to listen. When asked why he will not meet with the premiers, he said that he had already met with them back in 2016, eight years ago. In very few of those provinces, if any, is the same person still premier.

Whether it is the trucker who opposes the Prime Minister's radical mandates or the farmer who opposes his radical carbon tax, the Prime Minister has shown Canadians his true colours. He cares more about advancing his radical ideology than he does for the Canadians he is supposed to represent. Common-sense Conservatives understand how hard it is for Canadians to survive in Canada, whether they are hard-working farmers, young families or seniors.

We have stood with the farmers by putting forward Bill C-234 to give farmers relief from the carbon tax, so they can help put affordable food on Canadian tables. We stand for the families who are trying to feed their children, fill their car with gas and pay their rent. We have taken every opportunity to get the government to axe the tax, voting non-confidence in it 135 times and voting against the Liberal budget. Provided that it continues to support a carbon tax, we will continue to vote non-confidence in the government. Conservatives will not stop fighting for Canadians.

Again, I want a clear answer for all Canadians: When will the government stand up, remove the carbon tax from farmers and rural families, and axe the tax for all Canadians so life can be affordable in Canada once again?

[Corinne Pohlmann]

Sure.

Bill C-234 is the bill that will reduce carbon pricing for certain types of farm activities. There is already a reduction in carbon pricing for farms in certain capacities, but this is to touch on some of the other elements that the farm uses energy for that weren't part of the exemption on the carbon pricing in the first place, such as heating barns and other such types of activities.

We have had anecdotal information from some of our ag members that they've seen their carbon pricing go up quite dramatically, which is having a huge impact on things like how they operate their business and how they sell their goods. We are hoping that Bill C-234, in its original form, will be able to go through. We know there are amendments already being placed on it that are dampening down the original piece. We would love to see the original version pass through the House.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Thank you.

Ms. Pohlmann, I see on your website that you are encouraging the government to pass a private member's bill, Bill C-234, in an effort to provide further carbon tax relief for Canadians.

Could you speak a little bit, please, about your organization's encouragement of the passing of Bill C-234?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-234 is a Conservative private member's bill that the party can elect to bring to the House for a vote at any time. I would invite the hon. member to talk to his House leadership, and we will get on with the vote for Bill C-234.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, while the Liberals deflect, deny and gaslight, common-sense Conservatives will remain laser-focused on the affordability crisis. Bill C-234 is back before the House and the Liberals have a chance to help Canadians by reducing food costs by reducing the burden on farmers, which would ultimately make everything more affordable. Will the Liberals finally give farmers and Canadians a break by reducing and eliminating the carbon tax on farmers?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, it is important that we talk in the House about all the supports we are providing to farmers and the agricultural community in the context of our fight against climate change. However, I would also point out that Conservative senators threatened female senators on amendments on this bill. This is a Conservative private member's bill that they can prioritize at any moment and that they can bring to a vote in the House. It is up to them. Bill C-234's fate is decided on the Conservative side of the House.

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, many Canadians can no longer afford to feed their families. Last year, two million Canadians visited food banks in a single month alone, but instead of bringing down the cost of food, the Prime Minister increased the carbon tax on groceries by 23% on April 1. Clearly, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

Instead of making things worse, will the Prime Minister finally cut the cost of food by adopting Conservative Bill C-234 to take all carbon taxes off farmers in next week's budget?