Debates of Oct. 9th, 2025

Automotive Industry

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON]

Mr. Speaker, General Motors has had a presence in St. Catharines since 1929, nearly 100 years. If the Liberal government does not act, it might not reach the century mark. As billions of dollars flee Canada for the U.S., Canadian auto workers are watching in dismay as their Prime Minister offers up their jobs to the Trump administration, and for what, a free lunch?

When will the Liberal Prime Minister stop selling out our Canadian auto workers, or has he already concluded that their jobs are motoring to the United States?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, while we are on the topic of Canadian workers, first of all, let me thank Canadian workers, in particular unionized workers, for contributing to the growth of our economy every single day.

Our government has ensured that workers who are unionized will have 20 extra weeks of EI, which is expected to help thousands of workers. On top of that, we put in $450 million for retraining and upskilling to help more than 50,000 workers.

The opposition does not like it, but it is true.

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has the fastest-shrinking economy in the G7 and the highest unemployment rate.

There are 150 workers at the Stellantis plant in Essex-Windsor who have lost paycheques, and now we learn that investments of $10 billion are going to a U.S. battery plant. One day after the Prime Minister's trip to Washington, the Trump administration said that no auto deal is coming.

Why is the Prime Minister selling out Canadian auto workers in Essex, all the while fuelling the tank of the U.S. economy?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, do members know why Canadians do not trust Conservatives? It is because they lie to them over and over again. They can themselves look up Canada's economy and see that it is actually—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Would the hon. member like to rewind a bit before that problematic word?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

There is a reason, Mr. Speaker, that Canadians do not trust the Conservatives. It is because they do not trust the words coming out of their mouths. Over and over, they hear misinformation.

In fact, Stats Canada shows that our economy grew in Q1 of 2025. Of course there are changes to our economy and of course we have sectors that are struggling, but do members know what Canadians know? They know we have their backs. While the Conservatives laugh at supports for workers who have lost their job, like the extra 20 weeks, my son and other people who are at—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. member for Windsor West.

[Harb Gill, Conservative, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has the fastest-shrinking economy in the G7 and the second-highest unemployment rate. Contrary to what these guys believe, it is only getting worse for people in Windsor.

The Prime Minister is breaking his promise that he would protect Canadian jobs. A day after his trip to the U.S., we were told there is no deal coming.

Jobs in Canada are at risk, and the Prime Minister is pledging $1 trillion to grow the U.S. economy, which is a slap in the face to our workers. He moved his own company, Brookfield, to the U.S., and now he is doing the same for Canadian jobs.

Why is the Canadian Prime Minister helping the U.S. grow its economy—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. government House leader.

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

Mr. Speaker, Canada's economy is, in fact, growing.

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, auto workers at Honda Canada in Alliston are outraged. The Prime Minister sold them out again. He folded like a cheap suit in front of Donald Trump.

Canada already has the fastest-shrinking economy in the G7 and the second-highest unemployment rate. Now the Liberals have failed to secure a deal with the Americans. They are stripping the auto industry for parts and shipping those jobs straight to the U.S.

It is enough broken promises. Why are Canadian auto workers paying the price for the Prime Minister's failures?

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

Mr. Speaker, Canada has produced automobiles as part of an integrated North American industry for well over a century, and it will continue to produce automobiles for a century and more into the future.

The member knows well that we are standing up every day for union jobs in automaker plants right across this country and in southern Ontario. We are standing up for the auto-parts manufactures. We are standing up for the entire supply chain. We have the support of the automakers on that position, and we will always stand with the auto industry in this country.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after a decade of Liberal immigration failure, we need to restore order and fairness to the system. Today there are over three million temporary residents in Canada, an unprecedented 7.2% of Canada's population. There is no plan to get them to leave, and this is straining housing, health care and jobs. Now some temporary residents are exploiting Canada's outdated automatic citizenship rules to try to overstay their visas.

Will the minister align with most other countries in the world and require at least one parent to be a citizen or permanent resident to qualify for automatic citizenship?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian law is clear: Since the end of the Second World War, anyone born in Canada is a Canadian citizen. Our government will continue to support a fair, constitutional and robust citizenship framework.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that for the first time in Canadian history, we have over three million temporary residents in the country, and the Liberals are still issuing record levels of temporary resident permits. If we combine that with the Liberals' broken humanitarian claim system, a protracted appeal system and their reluctance to deport, what is happening is that most temporary residents effectively stay here indefinitely.

Fairness must be restored. Will the minister update our outdated laws and require at least one parent to be a citizen or permanent resident to qualify for automatic citizenship?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has her facts wrong. This country and this government will not create a two-tier system, and we will never penalize the children in this country who were born here.

[Natilien Joseph, Liberal, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the courts have clearly stated that the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent is unconstitutional. It is our duty to respond to that finding and propose a framework for the citizenship system that is fair and consistent with the Constitution.

Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship tell us how Bill C‑3 provides recourse to those who have been denied citizenship and how it ensures fair access to citizenship for future generations?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. Bill C‑3 is our solution for lost Canadians. At the same time, we will ensure that children born or adopted abroad will be able to access citizenship if their Canadian parents, themselves born or adopted abroad, have a substantial connection to Canada.

That is how we strike a balance between fairness and protecting the tremendous value of Canadian citizenship.

Forestry Industry

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's economy is weakening at the fastest rate among G7 nations. The Prime Minister promised to negotiate a win with President Trump. Ultimately, after all the compromises that were made, workers in the softwood lumber industry are the biggest losers. The Prime Minister returned empty-handed from Washington. Even worse, softwood lumber was not even on his list of priorities.

The Prime Minister promised we would get an agreement that would remove all tariffs. Why has he not kept his promises once elected?

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

Mr. Speaker, indeed, softwood lumber is an industry that is going through a challenging period, and not for the first time. This industry has regularly been under attack from our southern neighbour. That is why we must negotiate a comprehensive agreement that is in the interests of all Canadians.

The Prime Minister rightly pointed out that we would not be signing just any agreement. We will sign an agreement that will benefit Canada and all Canadian industries, including softwood lumber.

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber have doubled since this Prime Minister took office. The Forest Products Association of Canada has sounded the alarm. It said, “With over 200,000 direct jobs at stake, sector calls on the Government of Canada to bring the same urgency to lumber as it has to steel, aluminum...”.

Why is the Prime Minister abandoning the 200,000 forestry sector workers and the families that rely on those jobs?

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

Mr. Speaker, we know the lumber industry very well. I know the lumber industry in Quebec very well. This is not our first go at this with our American neighbours. We will be able to negotiate an agreement with them.

That is why we are not going to sign just anything. We will make sure that the agreement we sign will benefit all Canadians and every sector.

Automotive Industry

[Connie Cody, Conservative, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canada already has the fastest-shrinking economy in the G7 and the second-highest unemployment. It is only going to get worse for Cambridge auto workers who work at Toyota, with jobs and investments fleeing south. Just after the Prime Minister's trip to Washington, the Trump administration said there will be no deal on autos, putting thousands of workers and their families at risk. To add insult to injury, the Prime Minister promised to send $1 trillion to the U.S., spending money on American jobs while Canadians get pink slips.

Why is the Prime Minister so quick to invest in America's future while selling out the livelihood of Canadian auto workers?

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

Mr. Speaker, of course Canada's economy is in fact growing. That is a statistical and objective fact.

I do not empathize particularly with the hon. member, who is reading the points that were sent in from a backroom, but I do very much empathize with the people of Cambridge and the anxiety that is felt throughout the auto sector. It is obvious that the President of the United States has put on the table tariffs that completely alter that sector and does not necessarily always respect the very good and very hard work that the sector does. We will defend those people.