Bill C-69 (Historical)

An Act to enact the Impact Assessment Act and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, to amend the Navigation Protection Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

Part 1 enacts the Impact Assessment Act and repeals the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012. Among other things, the Impact Assessment Act
(a) names the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada as the authority responsible for impact assessments;
(b) provides for a process for assessing the environmental, health, social and economic effects of designated projects with a view to preventing certain adverse effects and fostering sustainability;
(c) prohibits proponents, subject to certain conditions, from carrying out a designated project if the designated project is likely to cause certain environmental, health, social or economic effects, unless the Minister of the Environment or Governor in Council determines that those effects are in the public interest, taking into account the impacts on the rights of the Indigenous peoples of Canada, all effects that may be caused by the carrying out of the project, the extent to which the project contributes to sustainability and other factors;
(d) establishes a planning phase for a possible impact assessment of a designated project, which includes requirements to cooperate with and consult certain persons and entities and requirements with respect to public participation;
(e) authorizes the Minister to refer an impact assessment of a designated project to a review panel if he or she considers it in the public interest to do so, and requires that an impact assessment be referred to a review panel if the designated project includes physical activities that are regulated under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act and the Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord Implementation Act;
(f) establishes time limits with respect to the planning phase, to impact assessments and to certain decisions, in order to ensure that impact assessments are conducted in a timely manner;
(g) provides for public participation and for funding to allow the public to participate in a meaningful manner;
(h) sets out the factors to be taken into account in conducting an impact assessment, including the impacts on the rights of the Indigenous peoples of Canada;
(i) provides for cooperation with certain jurisdictions, including Indigenous governing bodies, through the delegation of any part of an impact assessment, the joint establishment of a review panel or the substitution of another process for the impact assessment;
(j) provides for transparency in decision-making by requiring that the scientific and other information taken into account in an impact assessment, as well as the reasons for decisions, be made available to the public through a registry that is accessible via the Internet;
(k) provides that the Minister may set conditions, including with respect to mitigation measures, that must be implemented by the proponent of a designated project;
(l) provides for the assessment of cumulative effects of existing or future activities in a specific region through regional assessments and of federal policies, plans and programs, and of issues, that are relevant to the impact assessment of designated projects through strategic assessments; and
(m) sets out requirements for an assessment of environmental effects of non-designated projects that are on federal lands or that are to be carried out outside Canada.
Part 2 enacts the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, which establishes the Canadian Energy Regulator and sets out its composition, mandate and powers. The role of the Regulator is to regulate the exploitation, development and transportation of energy within Parliament’s jurisdiction.
The Canadian Energy Regulator Act, among other things,
(a) provides for the establishment of a Commission that is responsible for the adjudicative functions of the Regulator;
(b) ensures the safety and security of persons, energy facilities and abandoned facilities and the protection of property and the environment;
(c) provides for the regulation of pipelines, abandoned pipelines, and traffic, tolls and tariffs relating to the transmission of oil or gas through pipelines;
(d) provides for the regulation of international power lines and certain interprovincial power lines;
(e) provides for the regulation of renewable energy projects and power lines in Canada’s offshore;
(f) provides for the regulation of access to lands;
(g) provides for the regulation of the exportation of oil, gas and electricity and the interprovincial oil and gas trade; and
(h) sets out the process the Commission must follow before making, amending or revoking a declaration of a significant discovery or a commercial discovery under the Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act and the process for appealing a decision made by the Chief Conservation Officer or the Chief Safety Officer under that Act.
Part 2 also repeals the National Energy Board Act.
Part 3 amends the Navigation Protection Act to, among other things,
(a) rename it the Canadian Navigable Waters Act;
(b) provide a comprehensive definition of navigable water;
(c) require that, when making a decision under that Act, the Minister must consider any adverse effects that the decision may have on the rights of the Indigenous peoples of Canada;
(d) require that an owner apply for an approval for a major work in any navigable water if the work may interfere with navigation;
(e)  set out the factors that the Minister must consider when deciding whether to issue an approval;
(f) provide a process for addressing navigation-related concerns when an owner proposes to carry out a work in navigable waters that are not listed in the schedule;
(g) provide the Minister with powers to address obstructions in any navigable water;
(h) amend the criteria and process for adding a reference to a navigable water to the schedule;
(i) require that the Minister establish a registry; and
(j) provide for new measures for the administration and enforcement of the Act.
Part 4 makes consequential amendments to Acts of Parliament and regulations.

Making Life More Affordable for Canadians Act

[Amanpreet S. Gill, Conservative, Calgary Skyview, AB]

Madam Speaker, it is with deep humility and great honour that I rise in the chamber today to deliver my first speech as the member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview.

First and foremost, I would like to thank my wonderful wife Jaspreet Kaur Gill, my son Daya Singh Gill, and lovely daughter Ekam Kaur Gill for their unwavering love and support. It is their strength that carries me through every challenge.

I also want to express my deepest gratitude to the voters and supporters who placed their trust in me. I promise I will not let them down.

I would especially like to remember my late father Sadar Amritpal Singh Gill, whose memories continue to inspire me each and every day. I also thank my mother Gurcharan Kaur Gill for her endless love and encouragement.

I thank the tireless volunteers who knocked on doors in rain and shine, the dedicated sign team who made sure our message was seen across the riding, and the community leaders who guided and inspired us every step of the way. Their hard work, passion and belief in our vision made this victory possible. Together, we will work to build a strong and fair community where everyone has a chance to succeed.

I came to Canada as a teenager, with my family, carrying a dream, like many newcomers who still arrive in this country today. I worked nights, went to school during the day, and through hard work and sacrifice, I achieved my goals. I punched above my weight class every step of the way, becoming a small business owner, raising my children on safe streets and teaching them the values of discipline, responsibility and respect. However, today, I stand here deeply concerned that the Canada that once gave immigrants like me a fair shot at success now feels out of reach, even for those born and raised here. Young Canadians cannot afford to buy homes. Wages are not keeping up with inflation, and good-paying jobs are harder to come by.

The Liberal government increased the immigration level with no plan on housing or infrastructure, and no job strategy. This is not just an immigration issue. It is a national failure of leadership. It is unfair to Canadians who are watching their dreams pushed further out of reach in their own country. It is unfair to newcomers who arrived with hope, but find only struggles. We need a responsible, balanced approach to immigration, one that puts jobs, housing and economic security first.

There were 1.6 million unemployed Canadians in May, which is an increase of 13.8% from this time last year. Things are projected to get even worse. TD forecasts that there will be 100,000 job losses by the third quarter of this year. It is clear that the same Liberal ministers, with the same Liberal policies, are delivering even worse results. Canadians need a real plan to unleash Canada's economic potential and deliver powerful paycheques for our people.

I come from Alberta, a province built on grit, resilience and determination. For over a decade, Albertans have been overlooked by Liberal governments that have failed to understand who we are, what we contribute and what we stand for. They attacked our energy sector with Bill C-48, blocked our pipelines with Bill C-69 and cost our working families their livelihood.

Let me be clear, we do not back down. We roll up our sleeves, and we get the job done no matter the odds. In Calgary Skyview, we may have dirty hands, but our money is clean. It is earned through early mornings, long days and honest sweat. We believe in hard work, not handouts. We believe that the people who built, drive and power this country deserve respect, not red tape.

I also stand here with deep pride in my Punjabi Sikh heritage and in the sacrifices of those who came before me. My grandfather and my wife's great-grandfather both fought bravely alongside the allied forces in World War I and World War II, wearing their dastar with honour and serving with courage, loyalty and unwavering commitment. They stood for freedom, justice and the values we hold dear as Canadians.

Their legacy lives on in me. Just as they wore their dastars with pride and fought with honour on the battlefield, I will wear mine in the House of Commons and fight with the same spirit for Canadians and for the principles of my Sikh faith: equality, courage, justice and service. I carry their strength with me every day as I rise to represent Calgary Skyview. I will never forget who I am or where I come from.

I would also like to take a moment to remember the horrific first week of June 1984, when the Indian army attacked Darbar Sahib, the Golden Temple complex, which is the holiest shrine of the Sikh faith. Thousands of innocent Sikhs were murdered in those days. I was seven years old at the time, and it affected me deeply. Even today, the scars of that assault remain deeply engraved in the hearts of Sikhs around the world, reminding us of the importance of religious freedom and protecting human rights.

Albertans and all Canadians deserve better. They deserve a government that emphasizes their hard-earned dollars, the dignity of hard work and the importance of safe streets, a government that supports energy workers, builds pipelines and strengthens our economy, instead of tearing it down.

That is why I stand here today as a proud member of the Conservative Party, committed to jail, not bail, for repeat offenders. This means holding criminals accountable and ensuring that justice is served swiftly and fairly. It means investing in communities, supporting law enforcement and making our streets safer for all Canadians.

It is clear that the Liberals are out of touch with the needs of Canadians. We need a government that focuses on job creation, economic growth and fiscal responsibility. It is time for a government that puts our economy back on track and secures a brighter future for all Canadians. It is time for action. It is time for the Liberals to put Canada first and introduce a budget that supports Canadians now.

Our vision is clear: a Canada where the economy is strong, families are supported and communities thrive, a Canada where government spending is accountable, taxes are fair and opportunities are abundant for all.

I came to this House to work. I came with a clear mandate backed by my commitment to serve, to lead and to deliver real results. I came here to stand up for the hard-working people of Calgary Skyview and for every Canadian who feels left behind by Liberals who have failed to deliver on their promises. I will fight every day to ensure that others get a chance to live in safe communities, to build better lives and to raise families with dignity and pride.

I will bring the voices of my riding into every debate and every decision, grounded in values of service, fairness and accountability. I am here because I believe in a Canada that is full of potential and opportunities, not one held back by broken promises and a lack of actions.

Let us rise to the moment, work together and build the strong, united and free Canada that we all deserve.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Madam Speaker, I would add that I think the biggest threat to the Canadian economy is the Liberal government, because it put in place bills that are continuing to kill our energy industry, such as Bill C-69, the “no new pipelines“ bill; Bill C-48, the tanker ban; the oil and gas cap, which, according to Deloitte, will kill around 110,000 jobs here in Canada; and this industrial carbon tax. We need to get rid of that, too.

I fully agree with the member. If the Liberals wanted to steal some of our ideas, why not just take all of them and let us get this country back on track to make it an energy superpower, like it once was?

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with my very good friend, someone who is a very hard worker and a very patriotic Canadian, the hon. member for Calgary Skyview.

As the The Who says in its song Won't Get Fooled Again:

Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss.

If the bill is any indication of how the government intends to make its legislation, we are going to see a repeat of all its old boss's habits of governing by platitudes and poorly thought-out legislation.

Do not get me wrong. Conservatives always support tax cuts; we are the party of tax cuts. In typical Liberal fashion, the Liberals' new boss tried to plagiarize Conservative policies, but just like the old guy, failed to do it right.

We all know that imitation is the best form of flattery. The fact that the Liberals are copying Conservative policies is a compliment to the hard work our members on this side of the House have been doing over the last few years. I cannot think of a better team than the Conservative MPs, staff and stakeholders who have put together world-class policies for the Liberals to steal.

I want to take this time to give a special thanks to Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre for finally getting the consumer carbon tax repealed once and for all, for all Canadians. After an eight-year fight, Conservatives axed the carbon tax scam for all Canadians, leaving more of Canadians' hard-earned money in their pockets, where it should have been in the first place.

In October 2024, we announced our GST rebate on new homes to save all homebuyers the cost of the GST on newly built homes. After the Liberals' disastrous job-killing capital gains tax hike announcement, Conservatives promised a “bring it home” tax cut for all Canadian workers, including an income tax cut. These were all things we included in our Conservative platform in the last election. Now we see in the bill we are debating today that the Liberals have taken a lot of our ideas but once again have not implemented them properly.

Let us go through the parts of the bill that we are concerned about. Part 1 of the bill would save Canadian workers only 1% on the lowest tax bracket, which for the average worker amounts to about $420 a year. In contrast, Conservatives proposed cutting income tax by 15%, which would lower the first tax bracket to 12.75%. That would save the average worker $900 a year. That is more than double what the Liberals have.

Thanks to Liberal inflation, interest rate hikes, other taxes and the skyrocketing cost of living, wages have not kept up with the rising cost of food, shelter or clothing. Canadians are spending more on taxes than on food, shelter and clothing combined. Families are paying $10,000 more in taxes than they did in 2015. The average family will pay an extra $800 on food just this year, making the annual bill for groceries this year for an average family about $17,000.

Young Canadians are giving up on the dream of home ownership. Young Canadians are paying for basic necessities by borrowing more and more on their credit card. Now, more than ever, there are more missed credit card payments and mortgage delinquencies, and business insolvencies are on the rise. Household debt in Canada has reached $2.5 trillion, up from $1.9 trillion in 2015. Unemployment is on the rise; it is currently at 7% and could go higher, according to TD Bank, but of course the Liberals think a 1% tax cut will make all of that go away.

The Conservative plan to restore affordability more than doubled the income tax cut, and it also included lowering the cost of government, unleashing the economy and energy sectors, and axing the industrial carbon tax. Part 3 of the bill would eliminate only the consumer carbon tax. That would still leave the tax on the producers of oil and gas that powers everything from our trucks to our tractors. An industrial carbon tax means steel and aluminum manufacturers, loggers, natural gas producers and the agricultural sector will all continue to be burdened by this tax, and that tax will be passed down to the end user.

It makes these industries less competitive and less attractive for investment, and it affects their bottom line. That cost is again passed on to the economy through weaker production, less job creation, higher prices and lower productivity.

If Liberals truly wanted to make life more affordable for Canadians, they would have adopted the full Conservative plan, which is to lower the first income tax bracket to 12.75% and finally get rid of the industrial carbon tax for good. This is the same carbon tax, the industrial carbon tax, that has made sure investment has left the country.

It is the energy industry killing policies like the ones in Bill C-69, the no new pipelines bill, that have made Canada weaker and more dependent on others. It is policies like the ones in Bill C-48, the tanker ban, where we can get our product to the west coast, but it cannot go anywhere because of a tanker ban. As well, there is of course the job-killing oil and gas cap, which, according to Deloitte, will kill around 110,000 good-paying energy sector jobs.

Only Conservatives will continue to stand up for our world-class energy sector, which will not only make Canada an energy superpower but also allow it to become independent so we can sell our product. What we have under our feet in Canada is what the world needs. It is good for the environment, and it is great to give Canadians good powerful paycheques.

The last part of the bill that I want to go over is the GST rebate for first-time homebuyers purchasing a new home. The Building Industry and Land Development Association in the GTA said:

Unfortunately, this limitation to first-time buyers only will have a very small impact, as very few new home buyers are first time buyers. It will not substantially help address affordability, nor will it help significantly stimulate sales and construction.

That too is what the Parliamentary Budget Officer said this morning in his report. Only 140,000 new homes a year will be up for sale, and in the housing market, only 20% of homebuyers are first-time buyers. This means few homes will be eligible for this GST rebate.

There is also a time limit on the Liberal plan, as it is for homes purchased before 2031, construction started before 2031 and construction substantially completed by 2036. Conservatives proposed a much broader plan to include more Canadians buying new homes, for all homebuyers, which proposed that homes could be up to $1.3 million and would save homebuyers around $65,000 on the purchase of a new home. The plan would also boost the number of new homes built each year by 36,000 new homes annually.

House prices under the Liberals have skyrocketed, but housing starts cannot keep up with the out-of-control immigration system their new boss and Justin Trudeau supported. Even finance officials admitted the Liberal GST rebate could be inflationary as demand for homes continues to climb but not enough new homes are being built in this country. Meanwhile, the Conservatives' plan would lower home prices for all buyers and spur the construction of new homes.

The new boss is just like the old boss, and this bill makes this very clear.

Conservatives will support the tax relief Canadians need, but we want it to go even further. We need to get this country back on track. After 10 years of these Liberals, whether it was the old guy or this new guy, the policies are all the same and the ministers who sat around the old cabinet table and now sit around the new one are all the same, and this does not change anything.

The cost of living is higher than it has ever been before. Housing prices are higher than they have ever been before. Under the Liberals, housing prices have doubled, whether someone rents or has a mortgage. The cost of groceries is higher than it has ever been before. It is the highest cost in the entire G7.

We can then talk about other things, such as the crime that is out of control. These failed Liberal policies have caused all this devastation on Canadians and changed the look of what Canada has become.

When it comes to Bill C-4, we will propose common-sense amendments to make sure this bill actually provides Canadians with the relief they desperately need.

Oil and Gas Industry

[Carol Anstey, Conservative, Long Range Mountains, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the oil and gas industry is critical to Newfoundland and Labrador, making up 25% of our GDP and 41% of our exports. The province has targets to double oil and gas production and create thousands of good-paying jobs, but energy companies have made it clear that they will not invest while the Liberals' no new pipelines law, Bill C-69, as well as the oil and gas production cap, and the punishing industrial carbon tax, remain on the books.

Does the Prime Minister not realize that no one will build a pipeline under his anti-energy laws, or is it the plan to keep Canadian oil and gas in the ground?

Natural Resources

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the German ambassador said again yesterday that he still wants to import our natural gas. With Bill C‑69 and Bill C‑48, the production cap and the industrial carbon tax, this Liberal government is stifling our economic growth with its anti-energy measures.

When will the Liberal Prime Minister finally allow Canadians to build pipelines, help our allies and benefit from Canada's resources by scrapping his anti-development agenda once and for all?

Opposition Motion—Food Inflation and Budgetary Policy

[Richard Bragdon, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to once again rise in the people's House. I always count it a privilege, and it is the first time I am addressing the House with a speech since being re-elected by the great people of Tobique—Mactaquac. I want to express my appreciation and heartfelt thanks to them and to my family for all their love, support and care. It is truly the honour of my life to serve here in the people's House, so I want to thank them.

It is a privilege to rise on this opposition motion. Our motion is to hold the government to account and put forward alternatives that would serve the people of Canada. It is only responsible for any government, and let alone government, but any family or business, to bring forth a budget and to plan, to make sure to, at the end of the day, when at all possible, balance the budget and make sure there is enough there to pay the bills, meet the obligations and hopefully, if they are fortunate enough, have a little bit to set aside for the future.

What is true for a household and a business should also be true for any government, especially the Government of Canada, but right now, we are going into one of the longest periods in our history without having a budget tabled. I think Canadians from coast to coast are wondering when that budget will get tabled. It is wonderful to have great ideas, have wonderful plans and talk a great game, but can it back it up with the dollars and cents, the budgetary means, to both make it happen and be responsible? I think Canadians are looking to us to provide reasonable alternatives and to make sure we hold the government to account in regard to this.

I have a few remarks today. I guess, the way to sum it up is from my background. I like the use of alliteration, so I have four Cs, and I am going to try to cover them quickly in the short time that we have. There are four Cs to seeing our way clear.

The first C we need to address here today is the challenges we face. When we start thinking about the challenges we face as a nation, none of us should be ignorant of these, as we have several. One of the first and foremost challenges is the rising cost of living. We have heard a lot about how our food inflation is the highest in the G7, but I do not have to look at an economics report to realize that. I just have to visit a local grocery store and talk to the seniors who are on fixed incomes trying to make ends meet or talk to the young families who are trying to make their mortgage payments and their vehicle payments, keep their kids in sports and maybe plan for a bit of a trip, if they could at the end of the day, while putting food on the table. When I talk to them, I soon realize the challenges we are facing as they relate to food inflation and the soaring cost of groceries.

The challenges we face are not just what is happening at home, here in our country. We are also obviously feeling the effects of the global uncertainty happening right now: wars, rumours of wars, conflicts and riots. We are seeing instability. We are seeing things that once seemed so certain that no longer seem certain. With that, there is rising anxiety, fear and despair. We, as elected representatives, pick that up in our daily conversations and interactions with people. We hear it, and we cannot help but be affected by it. We are surrounded by those challenges, and yes, Canada's not immune to the external threats, but there are a lot of those that we do not have direct control over. We cannot affect what is happening overseas on a grand scale. We have a limited amount that we can say and do in regard to the vast geopolitical challenges facing our world.

The greatest threat to us, far more than anything that may be happening externally or some strong southern wind that may blow in from time to time, is the threats that are within. We have gone through an era of Canadian self-sabotage. That is the biggest threat that the House has the responsibility to address.

It was no external force that brought a carbon tax on our people. It was no external government that shut down pipeline construction and passed Bill C-69 and Bill C-48. It was no external government that brought the highest levels of taxation in comparison to other advanced economies. It was our own government in our own country. That is the biggest challenge we have to face, which is to get our own house in order and have a massive course correction so that we can change the way we are going. If we deal with our problems within, we can face the challenges without with confidence.

Though our challenges are many and that is the first C, I have to deal with the second C, which refers to contradictions. We are filled with contradictions when I consider the record of our dear friends on the other side. These were the ones who said that, if we do not put in a carbon tax, we will burn our planet. These are the ones who said that, if we do not put the cost on carbon, we are going to absolutely destroy our environment in this country. I am glad they contradicted themselves most recently and adopted our policy of eliminating, or reducing, as I think that, for now, it has been eliminated for the consumer, the carbon tax.

They realized that it is a punitive tax that accomplished nothing as it relates to the environment and only had a diminishing impact on the pocketbooks of Canadians. I thank them for recognizing that the carbon tax served no purpose but to punish our own citizens.

The contradictions continue. While they reduced the rate of the carbon tax to zero, as a result of the election, they kept the carbon tax on, and are going to put it on, industry, thinking, somehow, that the industries are not going to transmit those costs back to the consumers, who are ultimately Canadians. Talk about contradictions. It is really quite something. These are the same ones who were against pipeline construction, who talked down our oil and gas sector for 10 years and who said that it was dirty oil and dirty gas. All of a sudden, they are becoming champions for it. I am thankful for the road-to-Damascus experience my friends on the other side have had, and I hope it continues, but I cannot help but be struck by the contradiction. Canadians must be scratching their heads and asking if this is the same crew. They look the same. They sound somewhat the same but they are talking a new talk. I think that, if we are going to overcome and see our way clear, we have to overcome the contradictions between what they have done in policy and what they are saying in rhetoric.

Let us get the policy fixed so that we can get the country on the right course. That is the third C. I have to get to my third and fourth Cs. The second was the contradictions we have to overcome. Do members know what that means, if we overcome the contradictions? We have to have a course correction. It is time to change course.

It is time to stop pitting one region against another region. It is time to stop pitting rural Canadians against urban Canadians. It is time to stop pitting family against family and start bringing Canadians together to do something big for the country, which is, yes, to build the infrastructure necessary to get our energy and our resources to world markets so that we can lift our standard of living and tackle the food inflation crisis face on.

It is time to get off the backs of our farmers, producers and workers and leave more of the money in their pockets, the money that they have worked hard to earn. It is time that we change course as a country and get on the right way. By doing that, we will start seeing our way clear. I challenge the House to consider a severe course correction from the error and the era of Canadian self-sabotage to the time and the season of great change that will bring prosperity, not just to a certain element of our society, the elite and the sophisticated, but to all Canadians, especially the working class, those who put boots on every day, carry their buckets to work and wait on our tables. They are those who have often been overlooked and forgotten. Let us change course and make sure that their needs are addressed in the House.

The last C I am going to end on is this: There is a question that comes in the midst of a crisis. Oftentimes, we look at who can save us, what can save us, what can change it and what can help us. I think we have to ask ourselves what it is in our own house that needs to be addressed. If we look at what is in our own house, we can find the answers to our problem. Stop blaming that which is without. Stop looking everywhere else to escape our own responsibility. Let us change course within and unleash the potential of Canada's resource, energy and farming sectors, and watch us overcome any challenge we could ever face. It is time to get our own house in order.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague and congratulate him on coming back to the House.

There are a number of things that can be done. We can get rid of the industrial carbon tax. The Liberal government can stop attacking our farmers, so that we can bring down the cost of what it costs to farm in this country. We need to increase competition, and we are only going to do that if we get rid of the red tape and all the barriers that the government created. Getting rid of bills like Bill C-69 and Bill C-48, the oil and gas cap, would be a signal to the world that we are serious. We can lower taxes on businesses and corporations and lower personal taxes so that we can bring more competition into this country, which the Liberals have driven away. Those are some of the concrete steps we can take to lower the grocery bills.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

moved:

That, given that,

(i) the Prime Minister said he will be held to account by prices Canadians pay at the grocery store,

(ii) under the Liberal government, food inflation continues to rise, forcing families to eat less nutritious foods,

(iii) Canadian families will pay $16,834 for food this year, an $800 increase from last year,

the House call on the government to present a fiscally responsible budget before the House adjourns for the summer, that reverses Liberal inflationary policies so Canadians can afford to put food on the table.

Mr. Speaker, since this is my first time rising to my feet in this 45th Parliament, I want to take the time to thank some important people. First and foremost, I want to thank the great people of Calgary East for giving me, for the third time, the opportunity and great honour to represent them in the House of Commons and to represent all Canadians and, most importantly, Albertans, who are screaming out loud that once again the government is attacking not only Alberta but our energy sector. I also want to thank my entire campaign team, all the volunteers and everyone who put in all the hours to help me get re-elected.

I want to congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, on your new role as Speaker.

I heard, door by door, in my constituency and in many others that the cost of groceries today is not only alarming but devastating for most families, which are just barely getting by. It did not take very long for the Liberals to expose that this guy is much worse than the old guy, Justin Trudeau. It is because he is already spending more than Justin Trudeau did, and things are only going to get worse.

We have to remember the Prime Minister said that he is a man with a plan, so let us look at his track record. He might say he is new, but had been advising the old guy for the last five years. What happened in the last five years? Canadians were hit after the Liberal government doubled the national debt and caused the worst inflationary crisis in Canadian history. Along with that, Canadians were hit with the most rapid interest rate hikes in Canadian history. Food bank usage doubled under this guy in his advisory role to Justin Trudeau. There is no way he can get away with saying that he is new here; he is the one who helped cause all the pain and suffering among Canadians over the last five years, the worst in Canadian history, in fact.

Let us take a look at what happened with all the spending of Canadian taxpayer money the government did.

After doubling the national debt and printing massive amounts of money, inflation soared. With inflation, came food inflation. If we look at the government's record since the Liberals took office in 2015, we see that food inflation has grown 38%.

Here are some new, alarming statistics about household groceries: Vegetable oil is up 50%, butter is up 45%, chicken breast is up 41%, ground beef is up 40%, milk is up 33%, bread is up 30% and eggs are up 28%. The average family this year will spend about $17,000 at the grocery store on average. That is $800 more this year that they will have to spend.

We hear all across the board that families are already suffering because the Liberal government, under the current Prime Minister's advice, doubled housing costs, which made more of a Canadian's paycheque go toward housing.

Before I continue, I want say that I am splitting my time with my new, great colleague from Richmond—Arthabaska.

After the Liberal government, under the current Prime Minister's advice, doubled housing costs, whether for mortgages or rents, more and more of each Canadian's paycheque is going toward housing. What does that do? It puts a strain on Canadians' paycheques, because wages have not gone up; they have not kept up with inflation. The government did a great job of driving Canadian investment out of Canada, which has meant paycheques are not as powerful as they used to be.

With all the money-printing and borrowing, the Liberals also had to raise taxes to collect from Canadians. Therefore, not only did they double housing costs, which has meant that for some families, up to 80% of their paycheque goes toward housing, but they have left less and less for other essentials and goods.

What are Canadian families doing now to compensate? Well, they are taking on more debt. Credit card debt is up. More and more families are now borrowing money from loved ones and friends, and they are not able to pay those debts back.

It does not take much to realize how much more expensive things are at the grocery store. We all remember how far $200 used to go at the grocery store. We could easily get a week or maybe two weeks of groceries before this government took over. Now $200 does not get us very far or many bags of groceries. In fact, $200 might even be two bags of groceries that last two to three days. Families and single moms are making some very tough decisions. They are having to buy less nutritious food for their kids, and for the first time in Canadian history, one in four Canadians is skipping meals because they cannot afford groceries. A third of those people are children.

On top of all that, we are seeing more and more food bank usage. In fact, it is the most in Canadian history. More than two million Canadians are going to a food bank in a single month. These stats do not sound like a first-world country. It is not the kind of country that my family or other people moved to or grew up in. Canada used to be one of those countries where people could put in hard work and get by. They could, on one income, afford their housing costs and groceries and put their kids in tutoring or sports, but after 10 years of the incompetent Liberal government, Canadians cannot do the same anymore.

There are double-income earners going to food banks, with stats we have never heard before. People who used to volunteer at food banks are standing in line at food banks for food. That is the record of the Prime Minister's advice over the last five years and what the Liberal government has done to Canadians and the reputation of Canada. It has diminished under the government over the last 10 years.

When we talk about grocery prices overall, we have to acknowledge the productivity crisis and the competition crisis the government created. As I said before, it drove away half a trillion dollars of good Canadian investment. That meant jobs, people and equipment. Good Canadian money ran away from Canada because the government made it impossible for anyone to want to invest here. In fact, Canada looks closed for business.

Trying to kill one of our most important industries, the energy sector, signalled this to the world: If the Liberal government cannot even support our most important industry and puts barriers up and tries to choke it, what hope does any other industry have? What is the effect of that? It affects our farmers. The industrial carbon tax and the carbon tax the government had before made it more and more expensive for our farmers to farm. The fertilizer tax the government put in and the cap are the types of bad policies that drove investment away and made things more expensive here, because if it is more expensive to produce or farm, then obviously it is going to be more expensive at the end of the day.

We need to get rid of the bad bills and make Canada open for business again. We need to get rid of Bill C-69, Bill C-48 and the oil and gas cap to show the world that we are serious and are open for business and so that one of our most important industries can help contribute to making Canada the great country it once was before the Liberals. It will give Canadians the most powerful paycheques, which will have an effect on other industries, like housing, and on competition overall, as with groceries.

We know Canadians are paying some of the highest grocery bills in the world. Canadians are paying the highest cellphone bills in the world and the highest banking fees in the world because investment keeps fleeing because of the incompetent policies from the Liberal government. That is not to mention that, overall, after the government doubled the national debt, it put strain on Canadians. In fact, as I said, now Canadians are borrowing more and more. They have more credit card debt and debt overall.

That is why Canadians needed a plan. The Prime Minister promised one but did not deliver. He is just like the old guy. They could have delivered a plan through a budget this spring, because Canadians need to know how much worse things are going to get. If we already know the Prime Minister is spending more than Justin Trudeau, how much higher are taxes going to go? What is the government's plan to get the economy going, if it is not going to get rid of Bill C-69, Bill C-48 or the oil and gas cap? Canadians need to know. They deserve to know.

We are once again calling on the government to release a spring budget and be clear and transparent with Canadians on what kind of plan it has. We have already said before that the Liberals have already started to steal some of the Conservatives' ideas. Why not steal all of them so that Canadians can actually get back the country we used to have?

Once again, it is time for the government to be transparent and deliver a budget this spring. If it really wants to lower the cost of groceries, it needs to bring more competition into this country.

Oil and Gas Industry

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Madam Speaker, that rhetoric and the Liberals' photo ops do not matter; actions do, and the truth is that no private sector pipelines will be built to coasts with shipping and drilling bans. Companies will not build pipelines while the government is the only one in the world to cap Canadian oil and gas and to carbon-tax Canadian industries; the U.S. and others do not.

The Liberals will not kill the anti-development bill, Bill C-69, which premiers, indigenous leaders, the private sector and the Supreme Court oppose. The Liberals also say that there has to be consensus but that they alone will define what is in the national interest.

Why will the Liberals not just repeal all their anti-energy laws so Canadian workers can at least—

[Jason Groleau, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the consensus is clear. Calls to build pipelines and energy infrastructure are growing. The people of Quebec and Beauce want pipelines. The only obstacle is the Liberal government. Building energy projects reduces our dependence on the United States, strengthens the Canadian economy and creates wealth for Canadians. Anti-energy Bill C‑69 must be repealed.

Why does the Liberal government want to continue impoverishing Canadians?

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

Mr. Speaker, well, the minister can use all the nice words he wants, but they mean nothing without action, and nothing gets built without removing the barriers: Trudeau's Bill C-69, his west coast shipping ban, his oil and gas cap and the industrial carbon tax. The Prime Minister claimed that he is the man with the plan, but his plan for the oil and gas sector seems to be the same anti-energy approach as Justin Trudeau's.

It is time for the Prime Minister to be honest with Canadians. If he cannot even find consensus among his own cabinet, how is he going to approve a pipeline?

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

Mr. Speaker, words do not build pipelines; actions do, actions like scrapping Trudeau's Bill C-69, his west coast shipping ban, the industrial carbon tax and the Liberal energy cap. However, the radical NDP premier and the radicals in the federal Liberal cabinet are doing all that they can to keep these policies in place and to block pipelines from getting built.

Will the Prime Minister reverse all these Trudeau-era policies and make sure he shows that he is not just another wolf in sheep's clothing looking to kill our oil and gas industry?

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply

[Jagsharan Singh Mahal, Conservative, Edmonton Southeast, AB]

Madam Speaker, I am thankful for this opportunity. First and foremost, I congratulate you on your role as Assistant Deputy Speaker, as well as all the members who were elected in this 45th Parliament. I trust in your capabilities to diligently live up to your role as a non-partisan and be fair to members of all parties during the term of this Parliament. I can tell that so far you are doing great.

It is an honour and a privilege to become a member of Parliament, and I am humbled to be the first member of Parliament for the new riding of Edmonton Southeast. I want to thank all the residents of Edmonton Southeast who put their trust in the Conservative Party and in me. It was because of their trust and efforts that I won the seat for the Conservative Party, with one of the biggest mandates in the country. This is despite the fact that the Prime Minister himself spent half a day in my riding just before the election date. It shows that my riding was ready for a change and was ready to get the answers that the Liberals have failed to give in the last 10 years.

How can I thank the people of Edmonton for the support I got? Honestly, I cannot thank them enough in words, but I can definitely thank them by representing them in Parliament as their rigorous voice whenever and however it is needed and by making sure I hold the Liberal government accountable for its actions.

Edmonton Southeast is a diverse and ethnically rich riding, and I want to thank all the churches, synagogues, gurdwaras, temples, mosques and other religious congregations for extending their unwavering support to me. I also want to thank all my volunteers, the group captains, my nieces, my nephews, my three naughty yet wonderful kids and my lovely wife Mandeep for their tireless work and effort to make this dream come true. The work they did, day and night, was commendable.

I also want to extend a special thanks to my younger brother Chand, who I am lucky to have as my brother. I could not have done this without his organizational skills and foresightedness.

Moving forward, I want to talk seriously and bring to the floor some of the issues I heard about while door knocking, such as crime. I want to tell members about a young, hard-working Canadian in my riding named Harshandeep Singh. She was gunned down by a repeat offender on bail in the city of Edmonton. Another young Canadian was killed while at work by another person who was there.

Even earning money and running successful businesses in Edmonton and the rest of the country have become a curse and a nightmare. I personally know business owners who have received threats of extortion and ransom calls, and they are forced to live in hiding. From door manufacturing companies to realtors to restaurant owners, no one is safe.

I personally know families who were escorted by police out of Edmonton to live in a different place. If people do not pay money, bullets are fired at their houses and death threats are delivered to them and their family members and to their businesses. Newly built homes are set on fire if homeowners do not meet the demands of the criminals and pay them money. Cars are stolen in the GTA and Montreal and are found in Nigeria and South Africa, and the Canadian police and CBSA do not have any clue.

I urge the Liberal government to correct its mistakes by immediately repealing Bill C-5, which removed mandatory minimum penalties, and Bill C-75, which made bail easier, and bringing in stricter laws for repeat offenders and for violent crimes, such as human trafficking, hard drug trafficking, arson and extortion, so that successful Canadians can feel safe and enjoy the fruit of their hard-earned money.

I also want to talk about immigration. The immigration system has been broken in this country. This has had a direct impact on the health care system, housing and policing. Immigration needs to be based on quality and not quantity, yet at the same time, the government must stand in solidarity with international students and try to extend their visas as much as possible before providing visas to new immigrants.

Our first and foremost duty is to accommodate international students and people who are already in Canada, but that does not mean we should promote the bogus claims that refugees make after being in Canada and not being successful in getting permanent residency in this country. Refugee claims and pre-removal risk assessments have literally the same requirements to be successful, so why burden Canadians with added bureaucracy?

I have seen CBSA officers in my practice as a lawyer who have turned down LMIAs for not being genuine. If a CBSA officer is the ultimate decision-maker, why burden Canadians with Service Canada bureaucracy and why not give all the work permit powers to CBSA officers?

The next point I want to touch on is unleashing oil and gas. I have never seen such bigotry and hypocrisy at the hands of government. Alberta holds one of the largest oil and natural gas reserves, but the Liberals have failed to pass laws and legislation to build pipelines and to secure deals with global partners to unleash the energy sector of Alberta. Rather, the Liberals have passed legislation like Bill C-69, making sure that our oil and gas stay under the ground. What is even worse is that the Liberals have turned down building needed infrastructure and killed the LNG deal with Germany, a deal worth billions of dollars that could have generated hundreds and thousands of jobs.

The continuous denial and ignorance of Alberta's genuine demands have led to a strong feeling of separation. Believe me, it is not trivial; it is real this time. I am a strong believer in Canada and its unity, but the onus is now on the Liberal government if it wants Canada to stay together. If the Liberals want Canada to be together, then this is the prime time to unleash Alberta's oil and gas and make sure Alberta feels listened to and honoured. That is what unity and Confederation are anyway, is it not?

As for soaring house prices and affordability, the rising cost of houses for new Canadians in Edmonton has been inexplicable. I hear Liberals talk about aggressively building houses, but they are not saying whether Canadians get to own those houses or whether they are just playing into some sort of scheme.

I see the Speaker signalling that my time is up, but there are so many issues that I want to touch upon, like jobs. We need jobs in Edmonton. We need infrastructure in Edmonton. We need to make sure that oil and gas get out to market.

I want to thank all my constituents, my riding and my family. I will stand strong in Ottawa, and I will make sure that the Liberals are held accountable on jobs, the fight against crime, building pipelines and building more infrastructure.

[David McKenzie, Conservative, Calgary Signal Hill, AB]

Madam Speaker, what is most important right now is what the government plans to do with respect to the energy industry, which, as I have stated in this House, is the lifeblood of my community in Calgary Signal Hill. We do not need more empty promises. We need results. We need a commitment to repeal Bill C-69. We need a commitment to repeal Bill C-48. We need a scrapping of the production cap on oil and gas. Those are the issues that are of greatest importance in my riding. I would invite the member opposite to make that commitment today on behalf of his party.

[David McKenzie, Conservative, Calgary Signal Hill, AB]

Madam Speaker, it is my honour to rise today in this chamber to speak on behalf of my neighbours and fellow residents of Calgary Signal Hill. Others in this House have commented since the beginning of this 45th Parliament that politics is a team sport, and I for one would not have it any other way. The Conservative team in Calgary Signal Hill is one of the best in our country, and I am proud to be part of that team.

I am also grateful to all the individuals who volunteered their time and energy in the general election campaign, and I thank them today. I am thinking about Joanne Birce, an amazing volunteer in our community, who, together with Cynthia Williams, ran our campaign office; Adrian Smith, Stuart McConkey and Tim Wall, our sign crew; Steve McLeod, one of the sharpest minds in politics; Barb Shaw, Changping Shao, Bob MacDonald, Mark Moennich, Bonnie McGinnis, Carrie Wall, Rick Harland and others who gave hour after hour to knock on doors and do whatever needed to be done; and of course, Michael Smith, who kept it all on track and running smoothly. Jeff Sterzuk and Myron Tetreault were tremendously supportive as well, as were friends old and new who gave support in so many ways.

These volunteers gave of themselves with no reward other than the betterment of our country and perhaps an occasional cup of coffee or a Timbit. I am mindful today of their commitment and contributions, and I will remain mindful of these things as I strive to represent them and all residents of Calgary Signal Hill in this House to the very best of my abilities.

One does not venture into the challenging waters of politics without the solid support of family. I want to thank my partner in life, Michele, for her rock-solid support of my long-held desire to enter federal politics. Taking on this important role means many days and nights of being apart, but she has never wavered in her support. My two children, Kristen and Alex, have likewise encouraged me to start a new career when others much smarter than me are retiring from theirs. They have believed in me as I have believed in them, and I love them for it. My daughter, Kristen, is a young scientist presently completing her master's in biology, and Alex has recently started his career in finance. They are hard-working and passionate people, and I am so very proud of them. I also extend my thanks to Lianne for cheering me on and being a wonderful mother to our children.

During the election campaign that concluded a short five weeks ago, I heard from many people at their doorsteps of the expectation that I will be part of making our country better by working with all members of the House to obtain the best outcome for Canadians. A good idea is a good idea, regardless of which side of the House it arrives in, and members of this House need to focus on ensuring that the best ideas win the day. It is working: The best ideas the Liberals have right now all came from the Conservatives. I agree with my neighbours on the need to work together, and I pledge to keep my focus on what is best for them and what is best for Canadians.

Signal Hill is a shining example of the promise of Canada. In the election campaign, I met many proud Canadians who, because of their work in the energy industry, are living the Canadian dream. The energy industry is not just an employer; it is a means of advancement for families. While the Canadian energy sector is the lifeblood of my community, many are worried about their future under a Liberal government that told us one day not that long ago that it was done with building pipelines but then said the next day that it wants us to be an energy superpower.

For the last 10 years, Canada's energy sector has endured what my colleague from Calgary Heritage referred to a few years ago as a “systemic attack by a government indifferent to the consequences of its decisions.” When we consider that almost 90% of Canada's oil production comes from Alberta and Saskatchewan, it should surprise no one that these attacks have been taken as partisan bullying aimed at our western provinces. As a proud Canadian who loves this country from coast to coast to coast, that saddens me.

I have been in this House over the last number of days as assurances have been given that it is different now, but I am sure that one can forgive the people of Calgary Signal Hill for being skeptical of this sudden about-face from a Liberal government that killed energy east and northern gateway, that banned west coast oil shipments by tanker and that has put in place a regulatory framework for a new project review that our energy industry tells us is utterly unworkable.

Before members opposite rise to tell us that promises have been made and all will be well, perhaps they need to be reminded of some of the promises the Liberal government has made that simply were not kept.

In 2015, Justin Trudeau promised electoral reform; that did not happen.

In 2019, the Liberals promised they would criminalize elder abuse; that did not happen.

In 2019, the Liberals promised to establish a dedicated agency for defence procurement; that did not happen, and our forces continue to suffer today.

In 2021, the Liberals said that they would create a new federal hub to help Canadian businesses and entrepreneurs take advantage of trade agreements that Canada is party to; that did not happen.

In 2021, the Liberals promised a $4.5-billion Canadian mental health transfer to the provinces; it did not happen.

In 2022, the Liberals promised they would establish a permanent council of economic advisers to provide independent advice to government on long-term growth. Guess what. It did not happen.

When the Liberal government says today, “Don't worry, we promise to fix it”, residents of Calgary Signal Hill do worry. They do not understand why the Liberal government refuses to repeal Bill C-69, refuses to repeal Bill C-48 and refuses to scrap the production cap on oil and gas.

The Minister of Natural Resources recently spoke in Calgary, a prime opportunity to walk away from these three suffocating policies, but there was not a word. In fact, there seems to be an aversion to saying the word “pipeline” out loud in the Liberal government, even with thousands of kilometres of pipelines operating in Canada at this very minute, safely and responsibly, taking petroleum products from production to end users.

If a person knows somebody with a habit of over-promising and consistently under-delivering, that person eventually loses faith that they will say what they mean and mean what they say. Today, the answer is no; it is not enough to make more promises. It is not enough to say, “Don't worry, we will do this or we will do that”. My neighbours in Signal Hill require action and results, not empty promises.

As I conclude, I wish to take a moment to acknowledge the exemplary service of Ron Liepert, the prior MP for Calgary Signal Hill. After serving as press secretary to the late and great Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed, Ron was elected to the Alberta legislature in 2004. Ron served three premiers over seven-plus years in that institution, acting successively as minister of education, minister of health and wellness, minister of energy and minister of finance. After time in the private sector, Ron was elected to the House with the class of 2015 and served the people of Calgary Signal Hill for just under 10 years. The former member is now focusing on his golf game full time, and he does so with the thanks and appreciation of his friends and neighbours in the riding that we share. He has been an outstanding example of public service at its best. The residents of Calgary Signal Hill join me in thanking Ron Liepert.

Finally, I want to share the contents of a letter I just received from a resident of Calgary Signal Hill. Lily writes:

My name is Lily. I am nine years old. I noticed that you won the election in my riding. Congratulations. I wanted to ask you to make good, kind and fair decisions for us. Thank you.

These words perfectly lay out the work ahead for the House and the expectation that all Canadians hold for us as parliamentarians.