Listen, Mr. Speaker, for over a decade, Canadians—
House of Commons Hansard #36 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was victims.
House of Commons Hansard #36 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was victims.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Ukrainian Heritage Month Act First reading of Bill S-210. The bill declares September as Ukrainian Heritage Month across Canada annually, recognizing the contributions of Ukrainian Canadians and the importance of preserving their heritage, especially given Russia's actions in Ukraine. 200 words.
Military Justice Modernization Act Second reading of Bill C-11. The bill C-11] modernizes the military justice system by [transferring jurisdiction for sexual offences committed in Canada from military to civilian courts. Members support the principle but debate its effectiveness. Concerns include 10 years of government inaction, potential political interference, civilian court capacity, and different treatment for overseas cases. Parties seek further study on cultural change, victim support, and implementation details. 22300 words, 3 hours.
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Listen, Mr. Speaker, for over a decade, Canadians—
EmploymentOral Questions
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
Mr. Speaker, for decades, Canadians have watched as Conservatives fought against their interests. They have not just voted against Canadians' interests, but actively worked to fight against their families' prosperity. Whether it is beating back unionization, whether it is voting against school nutrition programs or whether it is fighting against the Canada child benefit, Canadians know who has their back, and it sure is not the Conservative Party.
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals do not want to talk about the $1 trillion. That is how much money the Prime Minister promised President Trump that Canada would invest in the United States over the next five years.
What did the Prime Minister get in return for that promise? He got a free meal at the White House. That is the result. Our workers are going to lose their jobs because their companies are going to move to the United States. Mines and mills are going to close their doors in Canada and reopen in the United States.
Lunch at the White House—is that honestly the victory the Prime Minister promised Canadians?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, here is another lesson for the Conservatives across the way.
In Canada, we have pension funds. For example, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec invests globally, makes profits and brings them back to Canada. Our firefighters, our nurses and our tradespeople benefit from this money.
Canadian investment abroad is a good thing for Canada. It is key to building Canada strong. That is what we are doing with the workers, with our steel and with—
EmploymentOral Questions
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, we want a country where pension funds are looking to invest their money here in Canada to create jobs here in Canada, rather than doing what the Liberals are doing and sending $1 trillion to the United States over the next five years, which will cost us jobs.
The Prime Minister came back empty-handed. I am not the one saying that; it is coming from The Globe and Mail, Le Devoir, Le Soleil and Radio-Canada. In fact, let me quote Radio-Canada's delicious description of the meeting between the Prime Minister and Trump: “so many flowers, so little fruit”. Apparently flowers are expensive in the United States.
Why is the Prime Minister sending our companies and jobs to the United States, rather than keeping his promise to end the tariffs?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, it is quite unusual for a Conservative MP to quote Radio-Canada. The day before yesterday, he wanted to defund Radio-Canada, but I digress.
Pension funds are investing in Canada, and the world is investing in Canada. We are among the best in the G7 for foreign direct investment. I have more good news. We will have projects to invest in, projects across the country. There will be ports and railways built with Canadian steel and Canadian aluminum, made by Canadian tradespeople.
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, five premiers, including the Premier of Quebec, have written to the Prime Minister of Canada asking in clear terms that he withdraw the federal government's legal submission to the Supreme Court in the case against Bill 21.
The five premiers refuse to allow Ottawa to weaponize the courts for its political fight against the notwithstanding clause. To quote the five premiers, “the federal government's arguments represent a complete disavowal of the constitutional bargain that brought the Charter into being”.
Will the Liberals finally stop their constitutional power grab and withdraw this court submission?
Sean Fraser LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Mr. Speaker, the federal government did not initiate these proceedings, but we are going to participate in the case before the Supreme Court of Canada. It is very important that the federal government defend the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and defend human rights.
After several years, the case has made its way to the Supreme Court of Canada. It is unimaginable to think that the federal government would not weigh in on the issue. We will be participating in the court proceedings. We will defend the charter now and into the future.
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, when the Minister of Justice was asked this morning about the federal government's attack on Bill 21 and the notwithstanding clause, he once again got off track. He defended his crusade by saying that democracy is under strain around the world, and he used the war in Ukraine as an example.
In his view, Quebec's use of the notwithstanding clause to protect state secularism is as dangerous for democracy as Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Come on. Will he immediately withdraw this flawed and offensive analogy?
Sean Fraser LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Mr. Speaker, when a member chooses to misinterpret a quote for his political position, it is clear he believes his own argument is very weak.
The positions that we have advanced in the Supreme Court of Canada are that the notwithstanding clause does not allow governments, federal or provincial, to permanently damage the rights of Canadians, and that it does not permit governments to silence the courts when governments violate the rights of Canadians.
The provinces may have a different point of view. I invite them to participate in the court proceedings; that is a healthy way in a democracy to challenge ideas one may not like.
Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's broken promises are hurting Canadians. He promised he was going to spend less. In fact he is going to spend more, a lot more. Trudeau left a deficit of $42 billion; the current Prime Minister is going to supersize it well past $60 billion. Deficits cause inflation, but it is Canadians who end up paying the price. In fact, 86,000 Canadians have paid that price by losing their jobs.
When will the Prime Minister stop his reckless spending?
Wayne Long LiberalSecretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, one cannot make this up. This is coming from a leader who has never had a job outside the House and who could not even negotiate with the member for Carleton to keep his seat.
The world has changed, and we are going to change how we budget. On November 4, we are going to come forward with a discipline budget that is going to build. We are going to build and to invest in Canada.
I ask the leader opposite to negotiate his way to finding a way to support us.
Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Mr. Speaker, that is just an incredible example of 35 seconds of saying absolutely nothing.
What is actually going on here is that we have got fancy banker-speak to try to say that debt is investment. Debt is debt; it does not matter how much lipstick we put on the pig, and it is Canadians who pay the price of this reckless debt spending.
Canada has the second-highest unemployment in the G7, and 86,000 Canadians just lost their jobs. All the member can do is think it is time to sell jokes at Yuk Yuk's.
When will the Prime Minister realize his reckless spending is actually hurting Canadians?
Wayne Long LiberalSecretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, I do not know where the member opposite has been, but for the last four months, we have been crossing the country listening to Canadians and getting feedback from Canadians.
On November 4, we will table a discipline budget that will spend less and invest more in Canada. We will build Canada's economy. We will become the strongest, most resilient economy in the G7.
I ask the Conservative Party to cut the rhetoric and get on board.
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has broken his promise to Canadians. He promised the strongest economy in the G7 but instead delivered the fastest-shrinking economy and the second-highest unemployment rate. Eighty-six thousand more Canadians have lost their jobs, and a staggering $52 billion of net investment has fled the country. What is the Prime Minister's solution? It is to send a further trillion dollars of investment to the U.S.
Why is the Prime Minister acting like an investment agent for Trump instead of keeping his promises to Canadians to deliver jobs?
Wayne Long LiberalSecretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative leader has been busy writing letters. We are busy cutting taxes; we have cut taxes for 22 million Canadians. We have cut the GST for first-time homebuyers. Interest rates have dropped. We are going to build homes at a pace not seen since the Second World War.
I ask the party opposite to get on board, stop fighting our initiatives and support us.
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Mr. Speaker, they have had 10 years to deliver all that, and the Liberals have delivered nothing.
The Prime Minister has promised fiscal discipline but instead is playing fiscal shell games to hide his failures. He has broken his promise to deliver a declining debt-to-GDP ratio and has abandoned fiscal guardrails. The accounting sleight of hand the Liberals are offering cannot hide the truth: a deficit of well over $60 billion. Canadians know that debt is debt and that deficits drive inflation.
How much higher is inflation going to go because of the Liberals' broken promises to rein in their out-of-control spending and deficits?
Wayne Long LiberalSecretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, we consider elections job interviews. Canadians looked at the resumé of our leader and that of the Leader of the Opposition; it was not even close. Our leader has world-class business and economic experience, versus the Leader of the Opposition, who has none.
On November 4, we will table a discipline budget. We will spend less; invest more in nation-building projects, in defence and infrastructure; and build houses on a scale not seen since the Second World War.
We are tired of the rhetoric. The opposition should join us. Let us build Canada.
Bernard Généreux Conservative Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, QC
Mr. Speaker, since this Liberal Prime Minister took office, federal spending has skyrocketed. Spending on consultant contracts went from $19 billion to $26 billion.
Since Mr. Trudeau left, and despite this Liberal government's promises, the deficit has increased from $42 billion to $62 billion. The result is more inflation, fewer jobs and a downturn in the economy. It is not surprising that the people in my riding are struggling and are $200 or less away from not being able to make ends meet every month.
Does the Prime Minister realize that his broken promises are costing Canadians dearly?
Joël Lightbound LiberalMinister of Government Transformation
Mr. Speaker, do members know what we have done since we took office? We lowered taxes for 22 million Canadians to increase the middle class's purchasing power. We passed legislation to unify the Canadian economy and unleash its potential. The Montreal Economic Institute says that will boost the GDP by $215 billion.
It is not surprising that Quebeckers and Canadians chose a serious leader and a serious team with a serious and ambitious plan.
Abdelhaq Sari Liberal Bourassa, QC
Mr. Speaker, this week, the Minister of Finance presented a budgeting framework that differentiates and distinguishes between recurring operating spending and capital investment. This budgeting framework also revises the budgetary calendar, so the budget will now be tabled in the fall, followed by an economic review in the spring.
People in the riding of Bourassa are eagerly awaiting the budget. However, we want to know specifically what this new framework will bring, both in terms of planning and in terms of implementing government policies.
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Finance and National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, indeed, the world is changing and we must adapt. That is exactly what the Prime Minister said: We must “spend less so we can invest more”. That is why, earlier this week, I presented a new approach, a new framework that will focus on capital formation and, at the same time, change the budget cycle.
This will give parliamentarians, including the opposition, greater clarity when reviewing public accounts. It will give businesses and various organizations that receive federal funding greater predictability for planning. It will provide more opportunities to align with the construction season. Everyone wins with this new formula.
