Liberals kick off fall sitting with focus on affordability measures, disability benefit

OTTAWA -

The fall House of Commons sitting began in Ottawa Tuesday morning, seeing the Liberals put a clear focus on affordability after a summer of Canadians' elevating concerns over the cost of living.

At the opening of the day's events, the federal government tabled a pair of bills to implement a trio of measures it says will help low-to-modest income families make ends meet. The Liberals are labelling them as 'the cost of living relief' acts one and two.

Promised by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier this month—in collaboration with the NDP as part of their confidence-and-supply agreement—one bill would allow for a temporary doubling of the federal GST rebate, while the other would enact a dental care benefit as well as a benefit top-up for renters. 

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While the government has already outlined the key features of these commitments, government officials briefed reporters on the specifics ahead of a press conference from the ministers responsible for the files.

The first bill, C-30, focuses on implementing the doubling of the GST credit for six months and the Liberals are calling it "targeted tax relief."

The government says that approximately 11 million individuals and families would receive a boost through the GST rebate hike, which is set to administer $2.5 billion in additional funding to current recipients as a one-time, lump-sum payment before the year’s end.

According to officials speaking on a not-for-attribution basis, should this amendment to the Income Tax Act pass, single Canadians without children would receive up to an extra $234; a couple with two kids would receive up to an extra $467; and seniors on average would receive an extra $225.

The second bill, C-31, lumps together the housing and dental benefits, and is being billed as "targeted support for households." Both benefits are set to be attestation-based and facilitated through the Canada Revenue Agency, once the legislation passes through Parliament.

The dental benefit would see a stop-gap measure in place to offer parents or guardians who do not have access to dental insurance up to $650 per child under the age of 12, if their net family income is less than $90,000 through direct payments, while the government continues to vow to flesh out a full national dental program.

The amount being offered is the government's "best calibration" of how much funding is needed to cover basic dental care—exams, cleanings, X-rays, and fillings— without much left over, officials said. Should parents have excess funds, the hope is they would be put towards other dental care needs but there will not be a requirement to return any outstanding funding.

Applicants can submit to receive this financial support ahead of appointments, but will have to provide proof of eligibility such as contact information for the dental service provider, date of the appointment, and information related to their employer and spouse or partner related to their benefit coverage.

Officials said the bill sets up a process for bureaucrats to check this information, and there could be penalties for those who submit fraudulent claims.

And, through the housing benefit approximately 1.8 million low-income renters would receive a top-up to the $500 one-time Canada Housing Benefit.

This benefit will be available to applicants with adjusted net incomes below $35,000 for families, or $20,000 for individuals who pay at least 30 per cent of their adjusted net income on rent and are paying rent for their own primary residence in Canada.

During the press conference touting the bills, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said that the government hopes the proposed legislation will "pass quickly through the House, and that all parties will support it so that eligible families and children can start receiving their benefits in 2022."

Facing questions about the benefits' potential inflationary impacts, Associate Minister of Finance and Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault said the government is being careful, comparing the measures to "throwing a stone in the lake." 

AFFORDABILITY KEY POLITICAL ISSUE

Setting up what the government's legislative priorities will be for the fall sitting, Government House Leader Mark Holland told reporters Tuesday morning that the Liberals heard clearly from Canadians this summer about the inflation pressures they are facing, and that will be a focus in the House.

He also framed the new bills as plans that are "rooted in reality"—meant to help those most vulnerable without further exacerbating inflation—while seemingly taking a shot at the new Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who will also be focusing on the economy this fall.

"These are a truly historic and challenging times globally, so we have to be responsible in what we're putting in the window to Canadians, and honest with them about both the challenges we face, and the solutions," Holland said. "This is not a time for parlour tricks. This is not a time for shell games. This is a time for real solutions."

Responding to the to new Consumer Price Index figures released Tuesday that showed that while Canada's annual inflation rate is slowing, the cost of groceries keeps increasing, Poilievre said the government "still doesn’t have a plan to fix inflation." 

"They’ve proposed legislation that prints more cash, borrows more money, and throws gasoline on the inflationary fire," he said in a statement. It remains to be seen whether the minority Liberals will be able to move these bills through in time to keep their timing commitments, should the Conservatives push back procedurally.

In his own parliamentary-kick-off press conference, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh sought to downplay the politicking that's playing out around affordability issues, saying his party will remain focused on people, while also taking political credit for the legislation tabled Tuesday.

"What we've seen often from Liberals and Conservatives is they're more interested in fighting each other, rather than focusing on what people need," Singh said. 

FIRST BILL DEBATED: DISABILITY BENEFIT

Meanwhile, the first bill up for debate in the House of Commons on Tuesday was Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act. This legislation was tabled in June and has been awaiting the return of members of Parliament to Ottawa to be able to advance. 

It's the second time this benefit has been caught up in the legislative cycle, after a first iteration died in the House when the 2021 election was called. The NDP have been pushing the Liberals to follow through on this promise. 

The bill, if passed as drafted, would establish a new benefit that the government is billing as "an important part of Canada’s social safety net" that would benefit hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities, however it does not specify how much money would be offered.

Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough was set to take reporters' questions about the bill on Tuesday afternoon, but that media availability was cancelled. Speaking in the House about Bill C-22, Qualtrough said the bill could be a “game changer,” and implored her colleagues to see it move swiftly through the House.

“In 1967 during the 27th Parliament, the Right Honourable Lester B. Pearson rose in the House of Commons and stated that no senior should live in poverty, and the guaranteed income supplement was born. In 2016, our government stated that no child in this country should live in poverty and the Canada Child Benefit was born. Today I begin with the following declaration: In Canada, no person with a disability should live in poverty,” the minister said.

During debate, MPs raised their concerns about the legislation, including Conservative MP and disability inclusion critic Stephanie Kusie, who questioned what the government’s intention is with the bill, citing its past legislative history.

“It would be easy to assume that this is once again just ‘thoughts and prayers’” Kusie said.