House of Commons Hansard #103 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was enforcement.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Lawful Access Act, 2026 Second reading of Bill C-22. The bill seeks to modernize law enforcement investigative capabilities for digital crimes. Liberal MPs argue these authorities are vital to combat rising digital threats. Conservative members fear potential ministerial overreach and privacy infringements. While highlighting the need to tackle child exploitation, opposition MPs emphasize the necessity of rigorous committee review to balance public safety with civil liberties. 15400 words, 2 hours.
National Framework on Sports Betting Advertising Act Second reading of Bill S-211. The bill S-211 proposes a national framework to regulate sports betting advertisements. Supporters express concern that ubiquitous advertising harms youth and vulnerable populations. Conversely, the Bloc Québécois argues this area falls under provincial jurisdiction, contending that federal intervention constitutes an unnecessary, clumsy intrusion into established provincial gaming management responsibilities. 7300 words, 1 hour.
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
It being Wednesday, we will now have the singing of the national anthem, led by the hon. member for Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation.
[Members sang the national anthem]
Doug Eyolfson Liberal Winnipeg West, MB
Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago, a cancer diagnosis shook a school community in Winnipeg West. It also sparked something extraordinary. At École Charleswood School, students and staff rallied around their teacher-librarian Erin Daniels. What began as a simple act of support has grown into a decade-long tradition of generosity that has raised more than $31,000 for CancerCare Manitoba, including over $7,200 this year alone.
Erin Daniels was the kind of educator who shapes an entire community. Even after her diagnosis, she returned to the school she loved, continuing to inspire students and colleagues alike. Though she is no longer with us, her presence is still felt in the halls she once walked and in the lives she touched. Each year, this campaign reflects her spirit by bringing people together through creativity, compassion and shared purpose.
This year, as the campaign marked its 10th anniversary, the school also dedicated its library in her name. It is a lasting tribute to her kindness, courage and unwavering commitment to others. Her legacy lives on, not only in the funds she raised, but also in the compassion she inspired and the community she helped build.
Burton Bailey Conservative Red Deer, AB
Mr. Speaker, a landmark scientific study was released detailing the failures of the Liberals' so-called safe supply of hard drugs. It confirms what Conservatives already knew: Drug consumption sites are not the answer to Canada's addiction crisis.
Since the closure of the consumption site in Red Deer, new data confirms that there has been a significant increase in opioid treatment, with no increase in emergency room visits or mortality. The findings are clear. Enabling those suffering from addiction to continue to be poisoned is not the answer. Instead, we must support these individuals with real treatment.
The Liberal government is responsible for approving these sites by granting exemptions under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. If it really wants to help those suffering from addictions, it must repeal the failed policies that have killed more Canadians than World War II. Only then can we bring our loved ones home drug-free.
Brendan Hanley Liberal Yukon, YT
Mr. Speaker, I send my congratulations to Yukoners Dr. Alex Poole and Ms. Josianne Gauthier, who recently received the Governor General's Meritorious Service Medal in recognition of their groundbreaking work on the treatment of severe frostbite.
It comes as no surprise that frostbite is one of the risks of living in the north. As a doctor, I have seen many cases of it.
I remember my colleagues' frequent updates on how they were researching and piloting a drug called Iloprost, and they ultimately developed a protocol that can dramatically reduce tissue injuries and amputations from frostbite.
This prestigious award for meritorious service recognizes their outstanding professionalism and innovative spirit.
As Dr. Poole said, people in a small northern place figured out a problem after scouring the planet for solutions. A local change in practice has now been adopted around the world. I send my congratulations to these two remarkable Yukon practitioners for showing the spirit of northern innovation, research and medical care.
I ask members to remember that time is tissue. They can visit frostbitecare.ca to learn what we can do to recognize and treat frostbite.
Tony Baldinelli Conservative Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
Mr Speaker, seven years ago, the Hon. Rob Nicholson announced his retirement after a distinguished 24 years in public service representing the communities of Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Fort Erie.
Having worked for Rob, I considered him my political mentor and viewed his dedication, integrity and character in public office as the embodiment of what is good in politics.
This past fall, the City of Niagara Falls renamed a community trail after him. During his remarks, he said, “Public service has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. Every step of the journey was meaningful because of the people I had the chance to represent”. These incredible words demonstrate Rob's commitment to service above self, an attribute all members in this place should carry and exercise when representing and serving their constituents.
At the end of the month, Rob will celebrate his 74th birthday. I wish Rob a happy birthday. He is a great friend. Our community was lucky to have him serve as its federal representative.
Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Mr. Speaker, three years ago today, a wave of extreme violence broke out across Sudan. What began as a power struggle has become the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with 13 million being forced from their homes, half the population facing food insecurity, and women and girls being deliberately targeted with sexual violence.
Today our government announced new funding for life-saving aid in response to this crisis, more than $120 million to support the most vulnerable.
At the Subcommittee on International Human Rights, we heard from members of the Sudanese community. Their message was clear: The violence has to stop.
The Sudanese community is working with the government to save lives by providing refuge in Canada. This immigration program is critical and must continue.
This devastating war must come to an end.
John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB
Mr. Speaker, finally the Liberals have acknowledged that they are indeed the reason for and the cause of the affordability crisis Canadians are enduring. For years, the Liberals have tried to blame everyone else for the cost of living crisis that lays at their feet, and they know it.
Donald Trump is not the one who asked them to increase the industrial carbon tax by 16% on April 1, driving up the cost of food and fuel. COVID did not ask them to put an escalator tax on beer, wine and spirits, which is devastating our wine growers, brewers and distillers and taking $1.2 billion out of the pockets of Canadians. The Middle East conflict did not ask them to put a 35% tariff on imports of fertilizer, causing a cost-of-input crisis for Canadian farmers.
No, these are Liberal policies that they themselves put on Canadians, and now they have finally admitted that Conservatives have been right all along, but the contrition is not complete. The industrial carbon tax is still here and the GST on fuel is still here. Will the Liberals cleanse their conscience, go the entire way, ask Canadians for forgiveness and remove all the taxes on all the fuel?
Abdelhaq Sari Liberal Bourassa, QC
Mr. Speaker, seniors are the living memory of our communities, our families and our society. They are an invaluable asset and a source of wisdom, and we can never thank them enough. However, far too often, isolation and loneliness cast a shadow over seniors' daily lives. That is why, today, I want to commend La Voix des Aînés for the extraordinary work that it does in giving seniors back the place they deserve with kindness, compassion and generosity.
Through its presence, its willingness to listen and its initiatives, this organization combats isolation, forges ties and reminds our seniors that they matter, that they have a place and that they help to enrich our society. I also want to mention the recognition and engagement brunch that was held on April 12 in Montreal, an important event designed to promote this wonderful mission.
I want to thank everyone involved in the organization for their caring and hard work, as well as for coming here to Ottawa.
Congratulations and continued success to La Voix des Aînés.
Mike Lake Conservative Leduc—Wetaskiwin, AB
Mr. Speaker, April is World Autism Month, and it has now been 28 years since my son Jaden was diagnosed. Today Jaden is 30 and an enthusiastic extrovert, but back then he seemed almost completely stuck in his own world.
Our instinct at the time was to try to help him by pulling him into our world, and it did help. I have since gravitated to a slightly different approach. These days I spend more time in Jaden's world, getting down close to him, looking at what he is looking at and tuning in to what holds his attention in the moment. When I intentionally pause, put the phone away and just sit still with Jaden, I experience things I normally miss, like the sense of wonder gazing out a train window, the value of non-verbal communication or the strength of connection through physical contact: a hug, a tussle, a tickle or Jaden's famous high-five.
We too often default to defining people like Jaden by the help they need, but in my experience, I have learned many of the most important things in my life from him. Jaden has helped me, I hope, to be a better person than I would have been without him, and for that, I am truly thankful.
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, a Quebecker is once again proving that Quebec produces the best basketball talent.
Cassandre Prosper is the first player from Quebec to be drafted to the WNBA in nearly two decades. The Washington Mystics selected the young 20-year-old guard 19th overall last night at the annual draft in New York. The Rosemère-born athlete will be able to help her new team make the playoffs. I certainly would not bet against the captain who led the University of Notre Dame's team to the quarter-finals of the U.S. college tournament known as March Madness.
Quebec is becoming a global basketball powerhouse, and Cassandre Prosper is our new icon.
On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I want to congratulate Ms. Prosper and wish her a long and successful career. May she win many WNBA championships.
Jean Yip Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Speaker, today is National Canadian Film Day. This year, there are more than 2,000 free screenings taking place across Canada and in 50 countries around the world.
Canada is home to exceptional screen talent, including award-winning actors Shamier Anderson and Stephan James, brothers who grew up in my riding of Scarborough—Agincourt. People may recognize them from films like John Wick or Selma and from series like the new Canadian comedy Hate the Player: The Ben Johnson Story. When the brothers co-founded their production company, they named it Bay Mills Studios after their Scarborough neighbourhood. When others called Bay Mills “at risk”, their mother said it was only at risk of being excellent, a sentiment her sons clearly took to heart.
Their story captures what Canadian film does best: reflecting who we are, where we come from and the excellence we produce when talent is given the chance to shine.
Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK
Mr. Speaker, forestry directly and indirectly supports workers and families in rural communities all across Canada. It is a proud part of our heritage, and in my riding, it is a major economic driver that sustains local jobs, businesses and communities.
With mill closures and ongoing challenges facing the sector, communities where forestry is the heart of the local economy are facing growing uncertainty. Each closure hits close to home, and a year into the Prime Minister's leadership, that uncertainty has only grown. Despite the Prime Minister's rhetoric, tariffs remain. There is still no softwood lumber deal, costs are rising and investment is flowing elsewhere instead of supporting growth right here at home.
Forestry workers need more than speeches and empty promises. They need expanded market access and a deal that provides the stability to grow, attract investment, and protect their livelihoods and communities.
Leslie Church Liberal Toronto—St. Paul's, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to recognize the leadership of the Carpenters' Regional Council, Tom Cardinal and the entire leadership team here in Ottawa today, who proudly represent more than 60,000 members across the country.
Canada is a nation of builders, and carpenters are at the heart of that story. My own grandfather Malcolm MacLeod was a proud member of Carpenters' Regional Council Local 1325 in Edmonton. I remember growing up with the smell of fresh sawdust and running along the 2 x 4s as a project came together.
Our government is building Canada strong, from community projects and new homes to the defining nation-building projects of our time. None of this happens without the men and women who show up every day, tools in hand, with their expertise. These are the folks who build careers, train apprentices, strengthen communities and support families across the country.
Working together and standing on the shoulders of generations of carpenters before them, we will ensure that Canada is strong, united and ready to build.
Eric Melillo Conservative Kenora—Kiiwetinoong, ON
Mr. Speaker, fuel costs are soaring, and people in Northern Ontario who must travel great distances for essential trips are paying the price. To make matters worse, Canadians are paying 20% more for fuel than our American counterparts. That is why Conservatives have a plan to remove the GST on fuel, the fuel excise tax, the industrial carbon tax and the clean fuel standard for the rest of the year. Our plan would cut costs at the pump by 25¢ per litre and save a family of four over $1,200 this year.
The Liberal Prime Minister has already admitted that Conservatives have the right solutions for Canada, but what he is offering will not be nearly enough for people who are struggling. He is going to remove only the excise tax, and only until Labour Day. This half-baked measure will not provide the real relief that Canadians are looking for. It is just another one of the Prime Minister's illusions.
Conservatives are calling on the Liberals to vote for our motion to remove all federal taxes on fuel for the rest of the year so Canadians can afford to keep their tanks filled and can have more money in their pockets.
Pauline Rochefort Liberal Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
Mr. Speaker, today we are joined in Ottawa by veterans; representatives from Valour in the Presence of the Enemy, True Patriot Love, the Royal Canadian Legion; retired general Rick Hillier; and the family of Private Larochelle. They are calling for an independent review of Afghanistan-era acts of valour, where new evidence suggests that the criteria for the Victoria Cross may have been met. The issue matters to over 20 million Canadians, as is reflected in motions of unanimous support from the Senate and three provincial legislatures, with two more on their way.
Canada created its own Victoria Cross in 1993, yet it has never been awarded, despite more than 40,000 Canadians having served in Afghanistan. Our closest allies recognize such acts. Canada has not. That absence continues to weigh on veterans and many other Canadians. The case of Jess Larochelle has come to symbolize this concern.
I am honoured to be presenting a petition on this matter later today, and I urge all members of the House to support this important request.
Branden Leslie Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals want applause for knocking a few cents off at the pump for the next few summer months, yet they keep the rest of their fuel taxes in place. That is not relief. That is a coupon.
Canadians have already been getting squeezed by higher oil prices, and then the Liberals pile on with yet more taxes. That is why people in this country are paying far more at the pump than our neighbours to the south are. Families do not fill up their tank with talking points. They fill it up with money, and right now they simply do not have enough of it. However, Conservatives have a real plan. We will axe the fuel excise tax and the GST on gasoline and diesel for the rest of the year. We will also axe the industrial carbon tax and the clean fuel standard permanently. That means 25¢ less per litre and over $1,200 back for a family of four.
Now the Liberals are celebrating as if they had scored the golden goal at the Olympics, even though they are still down by five. They call it relief. Canadians call it too little, too late.
Karim Bardeesy Liberal Taiaiako'n—Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Speaker, last week, humanity reached the far side of the moon for the first time. It was an awe-inspiring and incredibly proud moment for Canada.
Humanity has gone to the far side of the moon. It is a moment of awe and a moment of pride. Artemis II did not just happen. No one just gifts Canada a seat. We are there because of decades of commitment to our space program. At home, millions of people watched the lift-off and landing in gatherings across Canada, breaking through the doomscrolling to celebrate together as we watched Canadian Space Agency astronauts Colonel Jeremy Hansen and Dr. Jenni Gibbons carry out their mission. What we say about Artemis is one thing, but what it says about us and what it says about Canada and Canadians is multitudes.
How big we are, and how small. In the images the astronauts sent back to Earth, some people were reminded of their love and care for the planet, our own fragile home. Others saw their faith in God or in the great cosmos affirmed. We all saw new beauty to behold and new mysteries to explore.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, there are three federal and Liberal taxes on gasoline: the excise tax, the Liberal Prime Minister's new carbon tax that they call the clean fuel standard and the GST, which is charged on both of those.
Despite skyrocketing prices and the rising cost of living, the Prime Minister only wants to suspend one of these taxes, and that is the result of pressure from the Conservatives.
Why not follow the Conservative plan to save consumers 25¢ a litre by getting rid of all the Liberal taxes for the whole year?
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the government has a comprehensive plan to make life more affordable for Canadians, and that includes suspending the excise tax on gasoline, lowering taxes for the middle class and providing the Canada groceries and essentials benefit and other programs. All of that amounts to $20,000 per family per year.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, a year into this Liberal Prime Minister's mandate, the poor and the middle class are suffering. That is according to Statistics Canada, which published a report indicating that the gap between the rich and everyone else is greater than ever.
This Prime Minister prints money, which causes inflation, and inflation makes billionaires richer and drives up the cost of living for everyone else. The gas tax is a tax on the poor. It is a tax on groceries, a tax on people in need.
Why does the Prime Minister not want to get rid of all Liberal gas taxes so as to help the poorest people in Canada?
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I am the Prime Minister of Canada, not the Premier of Ontario, the Premier of Quebec or the Premier of British Columbia. The biggest gas taxes are provincial taxes.
Second, Canada's inflation rate is lower than the Bank of Canada's target. Moreover, Canadians' wages have gone up by 4.7% per year, which is about double the inflation rate.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, there are three Liberal taxes on gasoline. There is the excise tax and the new Liberal carbon tax that they call the fuel standard, and then they charge the GST on those other taxes. Because of Conservative pressure, the Prime Minister—
TaxationOral Questions
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
The hon. member for Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas is far too loud during question period.
The hon. Leader of the Opposition may start from the top.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Battle River—Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, there are three Liberal taxes on gasoline. There is the excise tax and there is the new Liberal carbon tax they call the fuel standard, and then they charge the GST on those other two taxes. With Canada having the highest grocery price inflation in the G7 and paying 20% more at the pumps, we put pressure on the Prime Minister, and he has partially backed down, removing only one of those taxes and only for a third of the year.
Why does the Prime Minister not follow our full plan to reduce gas prices by 25¢ a litre by getting rid of all the taxes for all the year?