Debates of Oct. 6th, 2025

Canada Post

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the postal crisis is getting worse, and it is entirely the federal government's fault. Canada Post presented its workers with a new collective agreement offer on Friday. That offer was worse than the previous one, which had been rejected.

Canada Post is taking advantage of the balance of power it has thanks to the federal government to intimidate its employees and try to force them to back down. The minister keeps saying that both sides need to negotiate, but by meddling in the conflict, he has poisoned the discussions.

Does he realize that it is his fault that no one is getting their mail today?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, we see Canada Post as an essential and vital institution. It is part of the very fabric of our country. We must save it. It needs to be saved. Canada Post is losing $10 million a day. Canadians have to pay $10 million every day just to keep Canada Post in operation. Perhaps this is acceptable for the Bloc Québécois, but we do not think this is acceptable.

We want the institution to modernize and transform itself. I am confident that the union and Canada Post management will be able to come to an agreement to save this institution, which needs help.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, before the Liberals got involved, mail was being delivered. Since they got involved, the postal service has ground to a halt. The regions, small businesses and the most vulnerable are paying the price. Before the Liberals got involved, Canada Post was presenting serious offers. Now, we have never been further from an agreement and we wonder how the parties are ever going to agree. We have the Liberal Party of Canada to thank for this fiasco.

Will the government acknowledge its full responsibility in the Canada Post crisis?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, I find that question to be absolutely staggering. For years in committee, members of the Bloc Québécois have been calling for Canada Post to modernize. The labour dispute she is referring to has been going on for 20 months. Employees at Canada Post went on a general strike before Christmas, 2024. To claim that the government's action to transform Canada Post caused the labour dispute is to live in an alternate universe.

That said, we are used to the Bloc Québécois living in an alternate universe where it is okay for Canada Post to lose $10 million a day. We are not okay with that. It is important that we modernize this institution. I trust the union and management to come to an agreement.

Automotive Industry

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised he would negotiate a win with President Trump and have a deal by July 21, but there has been no win and there is no deal. Major U.S. tariffs on Canada have doubled, and the Prime Minister has repeatedly conceded to Americans' demands. Now his office is telling media that all steel and aluminum tariffs may be lifted tomorrow, finally, but what about the auto sector? Thousands of jobs are at risk. GM is cutting. Stellantis has idled its Windsor plant and has made a $10-billion investment in the U.S.

Will the Prime Minister's long-promised, long-overdue deal include an end to U.S. tariffs on Canadian autos, yes or no?

[Maninder Sidhu, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians elected this government to protect, build and transform our economy. We are protecting and supporting our industries with a new $5-billion strategic response fund and the $1-billion tariff relief initiative, which will give thousands of Canadian businesses financial support to access new global markets. We are building Canada with new nation-building projects, which will lead to thousands of new careers in the skilled trades across Canada, and we are transforming our economy by unlocking new market opportunities so that Canadian businesses have preferential access to fast-growing regions around the world.

We are laser-focused on building Canada strong.

The Economy

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been full of contradictions over this whole tariff ordeal. He blames U.S. tariffs for shrinking the economy and job losses, but he also says Canada is getting a great deal with the U.S. on tariffs.

Since the Prime Minister took office, the deficit has doubled, Canada has the fastest-shrinking G7 economy with the second-highest unemployment rate, $54 billion of net investment has left Canada and 86,000 Canadians have lost their jobs. When is the Prime Minister going to start delivering on his rhetoric? When are we going to get results?

[Evan Solomon, Liberal, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister gave 22 million Canadians a tax cut so families could put more money in their pockets. The Prime Minister, right now, has a team negotiating with the United States to make sure we protect Canada's position as the best country in the world with the lowest tariff rates.

We are building the economy of the future together. I know the hon. member will support that.

Forestry Industry

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to negotiate a win with President Trump by July 21. There is still no win and still no deal. Because the Prime Minister failed to negotiate a deal, U.S. tariffs on Canadian softwood jumped to 35% this summer, and next week, they will jump to 45%.

Since 2015, in B.C., 29 mills have closed and we have lost over 68,000 jobs. For the sake of all British Columbians, will the Prime Minister finally get a deal done and end U.S. tariffs on softwood lumber?

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, we are working extremely hard to open new markets across the country and around the world. Ninety-six per cent of agriculture products are moving tariff-free across the border into the U.S. We are proud of that. We are going to stand alongside our farmers. We signed a new bilateral agreement with Indonesia and we are continuing to work hard.

Next week, when a lot of people in this House will be putting their feet up, we will be in Mexico working on more deals.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to negotiate a win with President Trump. He promised a deal by July 21. Well, it is October, and still no deal and still no win. Instead, tariffs on Canada have doubled. Now we hear the PMO is reportedly telling media that tomorrow, all steel and aluminum tariffs will be lifted, but what about lumber? U.S. lumber tariffs on Canada have increased by more than 100%. Jobs have been lost and mills have been closed.

Will the Prime Minister's long-overdue deal tomorrow include an end to tariffs on Canada's incredible forest industry, yes or no?

[Corey Hogan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, we have been clear that U.S. tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber are absolutely unjustified, and we are working at every level to resolve the softwood lumber dispute.

To date, we have announced more than $50 million in income supports for more workers, $700 million in loan guarantees and $500 million in capital investments to make the industry more competitive and to retool it for the future, including by building more Canadian homes.

We will buy Canadian, we are ready to build and we are changing federal procurement processes to require companies contracting with the federal government to procure Canadian lumber. This is how we build the strongest economy in the G7. That is how we win a trade war. It is one we did not ask for but one we will not back down from.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I guess that is a no.

The Prime Minister promised elbows up during the last election. So far, on Vancouver Island, all we have are job losses, mill closures and higher prices for virtually every good in our society. Around $54 billion has fled the country, 86,000 people have lost their jobs and right now, the entire coastal forest industry is on the brink of total collapse.

Will the Prime Minister demand the lifting of tariffs on Canadian lumber in any trade deal with the United States, or is he preparing to throw our forestry workers and incredible forestry communities under the bus?

[Corey Hogan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, we will always be there for forest workers. That is why we have invested so heavily in them and will continue to do so.

This trade war came to our shores, but we are going to finish it by being strong supporters of industry, being strong supporters of Canadian workers and making sure we get the job done.

National Defence

[Bruce Fanjoy, Liberal, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians in my riding of Carleton and across the country can see the generational investment that our government is making in the Canadian Armed Forces. As Canada diversifies its trade relations and expands its military presence around the world, we know that the impact on industries here, at home, is a positive one.

Can the minister update the House on recent investments in our national defence?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my colleague and thank him for his question. In fact, we are moving fast to meet the needs of our armed forces. We just announced the creation of the new defence investment agency to speed up the procurement, and today we are debating Bill C‑11, which seeks to modernize the military justice system to better support our forces.

On this side of the House, when the issue is as serious as national defence, we act quickly.

Justice

[Arpan Khanna, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Liberal bail has allowed repeat violent offenders to terrorize our communities. Despite promising decisive action, the Prime Minister continues to keep his Liberal bail in place, causing more chaos on our streets.

Our jail not bail act has the support of police chiefs, unions, victim advocacy groups, survivors and their loved ones. MPs will vote today to fast-track that bill in the chamber. Canadians are watching.

What will it take? How many lives have to be lost before the Prime Minister puts aside his partisanship and scraps Liberal bail?

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Secretary of State (Combatting Crime)]

Mr. Speaker, we completely agree that violent and repeat offenders should not be released back into our communities on bail.

While we appreciate the opposition's attempt with its motion, it is a bit weak. It misses the mark on key changes that need to be implemented in order to keep a wide array of criminals behind bars.

We will be introducing comprehensive bail and sentencing reforms that have been created in consultation with law enforcement, Crown lawyers and provincial and territorial governments. Our bill that is coming up is a tough-on-crime bill.

[Arpan Khanna, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals keep telling Canadians to be patient. Say that to the families of the loved ones who have lost their children and their grandchildren on the streets of Canada.

Every day the Liberals delay, 1,600 more violent crimes happen in our country. The Woodstock TD robbery suspect was out on bail. In the murder of Constable Pierzchala, the suspect was out on bail. In the murder of Tori Dunn, the offender was out on bail.

Enough is enough. It is time to scrap Liberal bail. If the Prime Minister will not scrap Liberal bail, will he at least do the decent thing, show some compassion and get out of the way?

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Secretary of State (Combatting Crime)]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, violent and repeat offenders should not be released on bail. We agree with this. That is why we are bringing forward comprehensive bail reform. We want to get it right. We do not want to pass something that is weak and that lets violent offenders back onto our streets.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Liberal bail laws have unleashed a bloodbath of violent crime across the country. Bill C-75, the catch-and-release Liberal bail law, is the problem. The Prime Minister has kept Liberal bail in place, causing more bloodshed over his last six months.

Conservatives listened to police and victims and drafted a bill to end Liberal bail and restore city streets. The vote is today. Victims and frontline officers are watching the government.

Will the Prime Minister stop protecting criminals, put politics aside and vote to scrap Liberal bail?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, listening to the member's question, it is clear that there are several deficiencies with the approach that he has put forward.

First, Bill C-75 actually made it harder for offenders who have been charged with intimate partner violence to be released on bail. He would make it easier for them to get out into our communities.

Second, he claims to have engaged with law enforcement in the formation of the bill. When we look at the measures they are proposing to put forward, they barely scratch the surface of what law enforcement has told us in the first few minutes of conversations.

We have a comprehensive set of reforms coming to the bail system that will be designed to make communities safer. I hope that in the next number of weeks, when the bill comes forward, Conservatives will finally do something—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. member for Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

Mr. Speaker, let us look at some examples of government inaction.

In Vancouver, police had to arrest the same 40 offenders 6,000 times in one year. In Peel, police arrested 18 suspects for home invasions and carjackings, and half are already released on bail. In Saskatchewan, Myles Sanderson was out on release after 59 convictions when he murdered 11 people.

Premiers, police chiefs, mayors and victim groups are all begging the government for action. If the Prime Minister refuses to vote to scrap Liberal bail, will he get out of the way so that Conservatives can do it themselves?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, with great respect to my hon. colleague, we have one point of agreement, which is that we need to take action and change Canada's laws to make it harder for violent offenders to be released into our communities.

The good news is that the legislation we are putting forward will do exactly that. What I cannot accept is a half-baked idea from the Conservative Party, which seems to have taken something it copied and pasted off an American bumper sticker to adopt laws in this country.

In the last federal election, sovereignty was at the core of the electoral choice that Canadians made. I can tell members that constituents in my riding, as I expect in those of the members opposite, want Canadian laws to be made in Canada.