Debates of Oct. 7th, 2025

Infrastructure

[Sima Acan, Liberal, Oakville West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, residents in my riding of Oakville West want to see projects in this country built faster. The Prime Minister has made it clear that we have to build homes, build energy infrastructure, build up defence capacity and build Canada's economy so that it is the strongest in the G7, and we are doing it fast. Starting on November 4, the Government of Canada will present its budget in the fall, instead of in the spring.

Can the Secretary of State for the CRA and Financial Institutions please inform the House about what that means for construction season and building things in Canada?

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

Mr. Speaker, the party opposite and its leader might have missed it because they were busy trying to get him re-elected, but our global economy has fundamentally changed. Canada needs to respond. That is why we are moving with a disciplined budget this fall to give provinces, municipalities, cities and businesses time for nation-building projects. It is so they can get ready for construction in the spring. Even the Parliamentary Budget Officer agrees with this move.

It is time for the Conservative leader to get on board, stop the rhetoric and help build Canada.

Forestry Industry

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister bragged that he could handle President Trump. He promised to negotiate a win. He said he would have a deal done by July 21. Well, it is October, and not only is there no win, but the Prime Minister keeps losing.

Despite giving concession after concession to the Americans, softwood lumber tariffs have doubled since he took office. His failure to do what he said he would has already cost hundreds of forestry jobs and put thousands more at risk in B.C. alone.

Why has the Prime Minister abandoned our softwood lumber workers and broken his promise to get a deal done?

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

Mr. Speaker, we will always stand with communities and workers in the softwood lumber industry and across the forestry sector more broadly. We have made significant investments, including $700 million in loan supports and $500 million to diversify the sector to ensure that there are jobs not just today, but in the future, and we are entirely seized with this issue.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised a deal with the Americans by July 21. There is still no deal. In fact, softwood tariffs have doubled. A decade of Liberal failure has lost thousands of lumber jobs. Yesterday, the mayor of Grand Forks announced the indefinite closure of the Interfor mill because of these tariffs. That is 150 jobs lost in a small town.

On behalf of these workers, why have these jobs been denied by the Prime Minister? Why has he failed to get a deal?

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

Mr. Speaker, we stand with the workers in rural communities. Forestry is the heartbeat of Canadian rural life. It provides the roads, jobs and community spirit, and we are there with investments to protect workers who have lost their jobs, as well as with investments going forward.

The government is also looking to use more Canadian lumber in more Canadian products, which is part of our build Canada strategy. Members can expect to hear more about that in the coming weeks, months and years.

[Jeff Kibble, Conservative, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to negotiate a win for Canadians with President Trump. He promised a deal by July 21, but there is still no deal. Now tariffs on lumber are set to increase from 35% to a whopping 45%.

On Vancouver Island, we have several mills that have curtailed operations until year-end. They face closing entirely if we do not seek change. That is thousands of lost forestry sector jobs.

When will the Prime Minister finally realize that mills will close and thousands of jobs on Vancouver Island will be lost without an end to U.S. tariffs on lumber?

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

Mr. Speaker, we stand with the workers who are affected by these tariffs, which is why we are providing the supports we are providing. We are working at every level to resolve this dispute with our American friends, and we are making investments to support those communities and diversify markets going forward.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised a deal with President Trump by July 21, and he still has no deal. There have been lots of concessions on Canada's part, but there is still no deal.

What about lumber? Mills back home in places like Florenceville and Plaster Rock are contending with the challenges these tariffs bring. When Prime Minister Harper faced this issue, he got it resolved in 80 days.

After 10 years without a deal, does the Prime Minister realize that the longer he fails to get a deal on lumber, the more that thousands of jobs back home in New Brunswick are at risk?

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

Mr. Speaker, it does not feel very resolved. This is a long-standing challenge, but it is one that this government is going to be working to resolve by making significant investments in the future in the forestry sector, as well as by supporting the workers right now while we work toward a deal.

Buy Canadian and Canadian procurement are significant parts of this component, which is why it is so important that we support projects like Build Canada Homes. I hope the members opposite will do just that and get on board.

Oil and Gas Industry

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals continue to break their promises. The Prime Minister claimed that he would make Canada an energy superpower, but refuses to put even one pipeline on his project list. He also told us he would create jobs, but Canada has lost 86,000 jobs since he took over. That includes 1,000 people let go in the oil sector in Calgary this last week.

Does the Prime Minister realize that his broken promises have real consequences for Canadian workers?

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

Mr. Speaker, we should look at the comments from the Premier of Alberta. We should look at the comments from the Premier of Ontario. What we are seeing is a number of Conservative premiers who are very excited about our goals to make Canada an energy superpower, in both conventional and renewable energy.

Regarding the workers at Imperial, my heart goes out to them. The reality of the situation is that it is always a bad idea to bet against Canadian workers and the Canadian workforce. We are going to be there for them and to help them.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the member should be ashamed on behalf of all the constituents who have lost jobs in his riding. The Liberals are building bureaucracies, not pipelines. TC Energy has invested $8 billion in the United States. Enbridge is building two pipelines there. Its CEO blames Canada's “keep it in the ground” policies. He is right.

Our deficit has doubled, we have the fastest-shrinking G7 economy, $52 billion of investment has fled Canada and 86,000 people have lost their jobs. Does the Prime Minister realize that his “keep it in the ground” policies are keeping Canadians out of work?

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

Mr. Speaker, globally, in the last 10 years, oil and gas production has increased by 6%. In Canada, it has increased by 34%. At the same time, we have reduced our emissions by 15%.

The policies that the member opposite references have allowed our product to be competitive on the global market and open up new markets. This is how we make ourselves an energy superpower in both the conventional and renewable sense.

Government Priorities

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Ponoka—Didsbury, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Prime Minister is breaking his promises to Canadians.

He claimed that Canada would become an energy superpower, but refuses to put a pipeline on his list of nation-building projects. He promised the fastest-growing economy in the G7, yet he has delivered the fastest-shrinking. He promised to create jobs, yet he has lost 86,000 jobs since becoming Prime Minister. To make matters worse, TC Energy is investing over $8 billion in an energy infrastructure project, not in Canada, but in the United States.

President Trump has made it clear that he wants to take jobs and investment away from Canada. Why is the Prime Minister so hell-bent on helping him?

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

Mr. Speaker, one would think this parade of members of Parliament from Alberta would know the basic facts. We have increased petroleum production over 30%, while getting our emissions down. We built a pipeline to the west coast, increasing our oil exports, which is something the member and Stephen Harper could never do. We are getting Canada's GDP up. We are creating opportunities in Canada's resource sector. MPs from Alberta should know the difference.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Ponoka—Didsbury, AB]

Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. The Liberals cannot get their story straight on the economy. On one hand, they say that tariffs are hurting us. On the other hand, they claim we have the best possible tariffs of anyone in the world. Both of these statements cannot be true, but that never stops a Liberal from saying them.

Here are the facts 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 fled the country, and 86,000 people have lost their jobs. Energy workers cannot afford to wait for empty promises to materialize.

If the Prime Minister cannot get the job done, why will he not get out of the way so Conservatives can get back to work and build this country to what it should be?

[Karim Bardeesy, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, in this crisis we are in, it is so important to work hard to protect jobs, to create jobs and to bring the talent we need to this country.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. parliamentary secretary can take it from the top.

[Karim Bardeesy, Liberal, Taiaiako'n—Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we were elected to protect jobs, to create jobs and to foster the best job-creating situation in the G7, and that is exactly what we are doing. We have to defend ourselves in the United States, but meanwhile, we are working hard with Build Canada Homes, using Canadian steel and Canadian lumber, with the most aggressive buy-Canadian procurement policy this country has ever seen. There are new protections for workers with the strategic response fund. We will always be there for workers and businesses.

Oil and Gas Industry

[David Bexte, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am another Alberta MP here, watching $1 trillion going out of the country. The Prime Minister keeps breaking his promises. He said Canada would be an energy superpower, yet he will not green-light a single pipeline. He promised the fastest-growing economy in the G7, but now we have the fastest-shrinking one. He said he would create jobs, but 86,000 are gone. Enbridge is calling out the Liberal anti-energy policy and is building two new pipelines in the United States.

Does the Prime Minister understand that his war on Canadian energy is sending good-paying jobs to the U.S.?

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

Mr. Speaker, once again, it falls on the lowly old MP for Gatineau, Quebec, to point out some Alberta truths to the Alberta members over there.

We built a pipeline to tidewater. We are increasing Canada's GDP. We are getting the world price to benefit workers in the resource industry in Alberta. If the member does not believe it, I will get him Danielle Smith's phone number, and he can ask her.

Official Languages

[Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Speaker, our two official languages are a fundamental pillar of our Canadian identity. I am pleased to be surrounded by colleagues who care about the vitality of our francophone communities across the country.

Preserving our language and culture starts at a very young age and requires quality French-language education. That is why I would like to ask the minister what measures our government is putting in place to support and strengthen minority French-language education in Canada.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his commitment to our official languages.

Our government has already announced over $732 million to support French-language education across the country, from preschool to post-secondary education: over $13 million in Yukon, $15 million in the Northwest Territories, $43 million in Saskatchewan, $523 million in Ontario and $133 million in New Brunswick.

More announcements are coming. Bilingualism is central to our Canadian identity. It is a great source of pride for all of us.