Western Standard - November 07, 2023


POILIEVRE： The Bloc and Trudeau have formed a carbon tax coalition


Episode Stats

Length

6 minutes

Words per Minute

155.33777

Word Count

988

Sentence Count

52


Summary

Learn English with Justin Trudeau. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to the House of Commons on his plan to take the tax on heating oil off the table and replace it with a dedicated heat pump. Speaker: "I want to recognize that we are willing to work with anyone in this House who will step up in the fight against climate change."


Transcript

00:00:00.000 The Honourable Leader of the Opposition.
00:00:01.280 The Prime Minister is desperate to save his carbon tax, especially on heat.
00:00:06.960 And he started by giving a temporary pause to some people in a region where he was plummeting in the polls and his caucus was revolting.
00:00:16.540 But then he found that the entire country was in revolt and he needed a new coalition partner to save him from my common sense confidence vote to take the tax off the heat.
00:00:28.400 He got that support from the Bloc Québécois.
00:00:31.300 We now learn that he has been in discussions with the Bloc to help him stay in power for two years.
00:00:37.600 What did he promise the separatists for them to enter into this costly carbon tax coalition?
00:00:47.400 The Right Honourable Prime Minister.
00:00:49.420 Mr. Speaker, contrary to the divisive rhetoric that the Leader of the Opposition is putting forward,
00:00:54.820 the measures we announced on transitioning people on oil to heat pumps apply right across the country.
00:01:01.380 The doubling of the rural top-up right across the country.
00:01:04.320 We're going to continue to work with Canadians to phase out home heating oil, which is dirtier and more expensive.
00:01:10.380 And I want to recognize that we are willing to work with anyone in this House who will step up in the fight against climate change.
00:01:16.220 And I thank the Leader of the Bloc Québécois for continuing to be firm on building a better future for all our kids
00:01:22.220 on fighting for climate change, against climate change on this and on other occasions.
00:01:27.680 I welcome all Parliamentarians to stand up in the fight against climate change.
00:01:42.260 The Honourable Leader of the Opposition.
00:01:44.100 Now he's thanking the separatists for helping him save his carbon tax and support his plan to quadruple the tax on heat, gas and groceries.
00:01:54.160 This Prime Minister is playing a very dangerous game.
00:01:58.160 First, he divided Canadians by giving a temporary pause to some people in a region where he was plummeting in the polls
00:02:03.860 and his caucus was revolting.
00:02:05.980 When all Canadians then revolted against this divisive plan,
00:02:09.680 he's turned to the separatists who say that they are going to keep him in power for two years
00:02:14.140 and that the Leader of the Bloc has had a call with the Prime Minister to do it.
00:02:17.640 In the interest of transparency,
00:02:19.560 will the Prime Minister reveal what he promised the separatists for them to join in this costly carbon tax coalition?
00:02:25.780 The Right Honourable Prime Minister.
00:02:32.580 Mr. Speaker, the level of divisiveness and the rhetoric of the Leader of the Opposition is truly unfortunate.
00:02:39.680 Mr. Speaker, the vast majority of Canadians, like the vast majority of members in this House of Commons,
00:02:46.640 recognize that climate change is real,
00:02:48.620 recognize we need to continue to step up in the fight against climate change,
00:02:53.060 not just for the well-being of the planet and future generations,
00:02:56.180 but for families' bottom lines, for families' jobs and careers as well,
00:02:59.800 and we will continue to do that.
00:03:01.600 As members of the House of Commons know,
00:03:05.760 I exchange regularly with leaders of different political parties.
00:03:08.620 I haven't spoken recently with the Leader of the Bloc, except on the issue of the Middle East,
00:03:13.060 but I'm always open to talking to any party leader that wants to talk about fighting climate change.
00:03:18.620 The Honourable Leader of the Opposition.
00:03:24.640 Divide and distract from the fact that Canadians, after eight years of his government,
00:03:29.160 cannot eat, heat or house themselves.
00:03:31.220 But in a strange way, he united all Canadians at the Premier's conference,
00:03:35.720 who all agree, all ten of them unanimously disagree,
00:03:40.140 that the Prime Minister's approach to take the tax off temporarily for only some.
00:03:44.920 They said that this federal carbon tax policy treats Canadians differently,
00:03:49.260 and they expect a change.
00:03:50.980 Will the Prime Minister pull together all the Premiers in an emergency carbon tax conference
00:03:58.200 so that we can take the tax off and keep the heat on?
00:04:01.640 The Right Honourable Prime Minister.
00:04:08.720 Mr. Speaker, the measures we announced a couple of weeks ago
00:04:12.540 help any Canadian everywhere across the country
00:04:17.180 to get off home heating oil towards using a heat pump,
00:04:22.240 which is cleaner, less expensive, and better for our future.
00:04:26.940 These are things that we've done right across the country.
00:04:29.140 Only the Conservatives would think that taking serious action on climate change
00:04:33.360 and supporting Canadians right across the country with affordability measures
00:04:37.240 would be divisive.
00:04:38.840 Well, it is divisive if you think that climate change is fake.
00:04:42.100 But for everybody else other than the Conservative Party,
00:04:45.200 we know that we can come together to fight climate change.
00:04:49.640 The Honourable Leader of the Opposition.
00:04:57.460 Canadians know that the only thing fake is this Prime Minister.
00:05:03.100 Today, the NDP flip-flopped on its flip-flop.
00:05:09.480 First, they voted 16 times in favour of the carbon tax on home heat.
00:05:13.900 Then they voted to quadruple the tax.
00:05:16.120 Then, yesterday, they panicked and flip-flopped and voted for my plan
00:05:20.440 to take the tax off home heating, admitting that they were wrong all along.
00:05:25.300 And now, today, they said they're in favour of the tax on home heat by refusing my amendment.
00:05:30.880 So, will the Prime Minister tell us at 2.26pm what is the NDP position on the carbon tax right now?
00:05:37.020 Mr. Speaker, what is clear is that the Conservatives are all ready to try and divide Canadians one against the other
00:05:48.220 in any possible way they can, when the reality is the only division around climate change
00:05:54.060 is that Conservative politicians still doubt whether it's real or not
00:05:59.440 and certainly don't think we should be doing anything to fight climate change.
00:06:03.700 However, everybody else across the country, in all different parties,
00:06:08.520 knows that it's a real issue that we're going to continue to step up and fight,
00:06:13.860 unlike the Conservatives that continue to look to divide and hide from the reality of climate change.
00:06:20.320 Hear, hear.
00:06:20.820 Hear, hear.
00:06:20.860 Hear, hear.
00:06:21.120 Hear, hear.