Earlier today, Prime Minister Trudeau was asked by a reporter why he is sending money to people making $150,000 a year, because that’s a lot of money. Our leader — well, your leader, the great Canadian Prime Minister — said:

. . . costs have gone up for everyone. Even someone making $140,000 a year is cutting back on restaurants and is thinking twice about groceries they can buy.

Unbelievable.

Leader, if the Prime Minister thinks that people making $140,000 need help from his government just to afford daily life in Canada, how does he think low-income families — truly poor Canadians — and middle-class Canadians are doing?

Thank you for your question, Senator Housakos.

There are a number of programs that the government announced today to help all Canadians top up their resources during this upcoming holiday season so that their families can enjoy what every family has a right to enjoy, whether that’s a meal out in a restaurant, children’s clothing, footwear or car seats.

I’m sure you have not yet criticized — and I’m waiting to hear what else you will say about it — the GST/HST exemption across the country, which will help all Canadians get through this holiday season with a little bit extra in their pockets. In addition, the Working Canadians Rebate is designed to get additional cash into the hands of Canadians, many of whom have many children and need that help.

This is nine and a half years of the Trudeau government driving up this historic cost of living. Now, on the eve of an election, they are taking half measures.

Again, the Prime Minister said that costs have gone up for everyone. Doesn’t it follow that costs have gone up for everyone on everything? Shouldn’t he get rid of the actual root cause? Doesn’t that mean axing the carbon tax, which is the root cause that created this mess?

Don’t offer people lining up at food banks a two-month GST holiday right before hiking the carbon tax again, which you will do very soon.

Shouldn’t you be axing the tax that’s causing the problem?

For perhaps the hundredth time in this chamber, with all respect, Senator Housakos, your understanding of the economic impact of the tax on carbon and pollution is simply incorrect. Again, no matter how many times you beat the same drum, the fact remains that this government is committed to fighting climate change through a tax on pollution. It’s also committed to investing in Canadians, as it did with the announcements today to which you referred.