Debates of Oct. 31st, 2025

The Economy

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, do members know what my hon. friend has done? Time after time, on the measures that would help Canadian youth, they are against them. Whether it be student loan relief, the savings program for first-time homebuyers or creating and building national projects that are going to give opportunities to young people from coast to coast to coast, this member stands in this place and votes against it every single time.

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

Madam Speaker, if any of those programs actually worked, 700,000 kids would not be lined up at food banks every single month.

Incompetence pays in the current government. We can look at the justice minister. There are Liberal-made housing, cost of living and food bank crises. Liberal insiders and elitists get paid to enable Liberal failures.

When will the Prime Minister stop rewarding Liberal incompetence and actually give Canadians an affordable budget for an affordable life?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, it is Halloween, and we certainly want to wish a happy Halloween to all Canadians.

There is another big holiday coming up. Canadians would like to have a Christmas, a holiday season, in peace; no ads with the Leader of the Opposition, that grinchy guy, screaming at them through their television screens or their telephone screens.

The finance critic on the other side should stand in this place right now and tell Canadians that they can be off the hook; we are not going to have an election. We are going to vote for that great Liberal budget.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Madam Speaker, sacrifice more: that is the message the Liberal Prime Minister just gave to young Canadians. These are the young Canadians living through generationally high youth unemployment, the young Canadians who have mostly given up hope of ever owning a home.

Meanwhile, Liberal insiders get rich. Liberal-appointed executives at BDC are getting, on average, a bonus of $216,000. A young Canadian would be desperate to have that as a salary.

As the budget approaches, what sacrifices are these young people being asked to make while they get Liberal insiders rich bonuses?

[Anna Gainey, Liberal, Secretary of State (Children and Youth)]

Madam Speaker, the members opposite claim to be there for youth, or to be concerned about youth, and yet at every opportunity, when there is a chance to vote for investments and supports for our young people and families, they vote against them. They will have another opportunity, in this budget, to support the tax cut for first-time homebuyers, to support the permanence of the national school food program and to support continued investments in early learning and child care. I hope they will join us in avoiding a Christmas election by supporting the budget.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Madam Speaker, the question was actually about young Canadians and what they are going to be asked to sacrifice, which of course the government did not answer. Young Canadians are going to have to figure that out in the budget.

Sacrifice they have. They have sacrificed by not being able to own a home. They have sacrificed by having generationally high youth unemployment. The Liberals' message is that they passed all these things and things should be better, except they are not. There are 700,000 children now going to food banks despite their programs. Youth unemployment is the highest it has been in a generation despite their programs. Their programs are not working, and their economics is driving young people into unemployment.

[Caroline Desrochers, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure]

Madam Speaker, Conservatives claim to care about young people, yet every time a measure comes to support them, they vote against it. They voted against the national housing strategy, the first home savings account and expanding mortgage criteria, and now they will not commit to voting for cutting the GST, which would save first-time homebuyers $50,000.

Do not worry, Madam Speaker. Canadians know the Liberals are here to support them. We hope members on the other side can show they are really serious and care about young people by supporting our budget on November 4 and avoiding a Christmas election.

Finance

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Madam Speaker, Halloween is here, as we have just heard, and the Liberals are trying to give people a fright.

They are threatening to call an election if their budget is not passed, yet they are a minority. All they have to do to get their budget passed is come to an agreement with the Bloc Québécois, the Conservatives, the NDP or any of the parties.

The Bloc Québécois's demands concern Quebeckers. The Liberals can meet these demands or pick others to support their bill, yet they refuse to negotiate with anyone. Are they truly acting in good faith?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, let me point out to my colleague that the Bloc Québécois, representing 22 ridings, has made 36 billion dollars' worth of demands, along with additional expenses payable by Canadian taxpayers.

Yes, we are listening. Yes, we are working with all the opposition parties. Yes, we obviously want this budget to pass and avoid a Christmas election.

I have a question for my colleague. Will he support the budget or will he vote against it in favour of a Christmas election in Quebec?

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Madam Speaker, the Liberals have the choice of three parties to support their budget. Of course we would prefer that they work with us because our demands meet the needs of Quebeckers on health and seniors' purchasing power. We would like them to invest more in Quebec than in the oil companies or in tax breaks for big tech. It is up the Liberals.

What is the choice of the Liberals right now? They have decided not to work with anyone.

Why are they holding Quebeckers hostage with threats of a Christmas election instead of negotiating?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, my leader and my colleague, the Minister of Finance, have shown great openness. It is the Bloc Québécois leader who said, without reading a single word of the budget, that he will be voting against.

Who is the one not being constructive here? Is it the person who says he is voting against the budget no matter what we say or is it the people who are listening, working with the opposition and wanting to pass the budget to avoid a Christmas election?

Forestry Industry

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan, QC]

Madam Speaker, the forestry industry is on the brink of collapse. It can no longer bear the costs of the softwood lumber dispute on top of Donald Trump's tariffs.

Representatives from businesses, workers' groups and municipalities were in Ottawa this week. They are calling on the federal government to cover 50% of future countervailing duties to be paid until the end of the dispute, when our businesses will be reimbursed.

Ultimately, this will cost the federal government nothing, but in the short term, it would save businesses and jobs.

Will Ottawa do the right thing?

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Madam Speaker, yes, the Canadian federal government is here and will always be here to support the softwood lumber industry and the forestry industry. We are acutely aware that this is a crucial industry in many regions of Quebec and Canada. We will continue to work collaboratively with the provincial governments, including the Quebec government. We are here, and we will continue to be here.

The Economy

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent—Akiawenhrahk, QC]

Madam Speaker, after 10 years of Liberal government, 10 years of chronic deficits, Canada's debt has doubled. Running a deficit is like adding fuel to the fire of inflation. Unfortunately, that is why prices are skyrocketing in Canada.

We have a government that says one thing and does another. It is telling young people that they need to make sacrifices while it is spending $20 billion on consultants, on government cronies.

Will the Prime Minister stop asking Canadians to make sacrifices and instead table an affordable budget for an affordable life?

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Madam Speaker, we will all see this government's budget on November 4. It is a 21st-century budget that will address the very serious problems we are facing right now because of what is happening in the United States. I would like the Conservatives and the Bloc members to vote in favour of the budget so that we do not have to have an economically harmful election at Christmas.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent—Akiawenhrahk, QC]

Madam Speaker, what would Quebeckers and Canadians like? They would like the parliamentary secretary to do exactly what he did when he was in the provincial government, which is to balance the budget. That is exactly the opposite of what he is doing now. Is he aware that he is part of a government that, over the past 10 years, has caused 2,250,000 people to turn to food banks? He is part of a government that has caused 700,000 children to turn to food banks for food.

Will the parliamentary secretary act responsibly and present an affordable budget for an affordable life?

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Madam Speaker, the budget we will be tabling on November 4 is a responsible and ambitious one. The time is now. Now is the time to act to support Canada's economy so that our children's future is well protected. Now is the time to take action. We will take action, and we will take strong action.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Madam Speaker, after 10 years of the government, Liberal elites and insiders have never had it so good, but the Prime Minister told young Canadians they need to sacrifice.

While Canadians are lined up at food banks, the Liberal government hired the Prime Minister's buddies to staff his new defence procurement office and Major Projects Office. He is paying them $679,000 and $577,000 in salary. Of course, he is paying the woman less; that is his track record. This is at a time when Canadians are struggling to afford to live.

Will the Prime Minister stop making young people sacrifice so he can line the pockets of—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. secretary of state.

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Madam Speaker, I know the party opposite has had a bad week and its members are focused on their leader, but we are focused on affordability. We are focused on building Canada.

On November 4, we are going to come forth with a generational budget that will invest in Canada. We will—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

Can we have order?

The hon. secretary of state.

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Saint John—Kennebecasis, NB]

Madam Speaker, I know that party has had a difficult week with its leader and its members are focused on anything but. We are focused on affordability and building Canada.

On November 4, we will come forth with a generational budget that will invest in Canada. We will invest in Canadians. We will build this country because we believe in Canada.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Madam Speaker, so far the Liberals have built up a record-smashing 2.2 million food bank visits, and over 700,000 of those are from children. Rent has doubled. According to the Canadian income survey, 380,000 seniors are living in poverty. They cannot afford homes and they cannot even afford food. Some of them are living in their cars.

When will the Prime Minister stop using taxpayer dollars to make his rich friends richer and finally give Canadians an affordable budget for an affordable life?

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Madam Speaker, we will take no lessons from the Conservatives.

We are laser-focused on delivering a generational budget on November 4. We will invest in Canada. We will invest in Canadians. We will invest in infrastructure, defence projects and housing.

We believe in Canada. We will build Canada into the strongest economy in the G7. I hope the members opposite will join us and pass our budget, and not cause a Christmas election.