Debates of Nov. 20th, 2025

Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 1

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and a privilege to rise today, but before I get too far into the details of the budget implementation act, I would be remiss if I did not provide the House with at least a bit of an update on the Saskatchewan Roughriders Grey Cup celebrations, which have been going on all week in Regina and right across Saskatchewan.

Fans of the green and white poured into the streets on Sunday evening to celebrate the 25-17 Grey Cup victory over the Montreal Alouettes. I am sure that, from now until Christmas, Grey Cup champion merchandise will be flying off the shelves at the Rider team store.

As exciting as Grey Cup Sunday is, it is important to remember that a Grey Cup championship does not just happen by luck on one day of the year. It is the result of hard work and tough decisions that began weeks or months, and sometimes years, in advance. Every time a football team starts with a good field position, makes a consistent drive down the field and then finishes the drive with a touchdown, that success was the result of strong leadership, which includes recruiting the right players and coaches and coming up with the right playbook.

On the other hand, when a team has poor leadership for many years, eventually that poor leadership manifests itself on the field in the form of costly penalties and giving up quarterback sacks. That is exactly what the budget feels like to me. There are too many penalties, a bad field position and a lot of talk about future touchdowns that never seem to happen on the field.

Let us take a closer look at what is in the budget. It shows a deficit of $78 billion this year, a record outside the pandemic. The total accumulated debt is $1.3 trillion, which is also a record, and interest payments on the debt have skyrocketed to $56 billion a year. That is also a record, and $56 billion per year in interest payments is such a huge number that it is difficult for people to visualize just how much money that is.

Let us take a look at how much money that is on a per household basis. When we divide $56 billion by the number of households in Canada, we get about $3,400 per household per year. That is the amount of money that leaves Canadian households, not because of anything they did wrong and not because of anything they purchased but because the federal government spends more money than it has.

What could a Canadian family do with that $3,400 per year? That is where the reality of this burden becomes clear. For some families, $3,400 is a month's mortgage payment. For others, it is groceries for two months. For others, it is a used vehicle for their teenage son or daughter who needs to get to work. For a family with kids, it could be an entire year of RESP contributions.

In football terms, this is like starting every offensive drive with a quarterback sack. Before the quarterback even has a chance to call a play, and before a Canadian family can plan their household budget, they are getting team tackled by the record-high cost of the government's debt servicing.

As football fans in the rest of Canada watched the Roughriders win the Grey Cup last Sunday, many of them probably said to themselves that there is always next year, that maybe their team will have better luck next season. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for interest payments on the federal debt. That is because, according to the government's own numbers, interest payments next year are expected to be higher than they were this year. Interest payments the following year are expected to be higher still. In fact, interest payments on the debt are projected to break a new record every year for the rest of the decade, according to the budget.

In football terms, if a quarterback was tackled by a 300-pound defensive lineman this season, they can expect to be tackled by a 400-pound defensive lineman next season. The following season, they will have a 500-pound defensive lineman tackling them. That is what these interest payments on the debt are doing to Canadians.

Canadian families are doing their part. They are budgeting, they are cutting back and they are sacrificing. Many of them are turning to food banks. However, the Liberal government, with the team's coaching staff and general manager, keeps calling plays that make life harder. For 10 years now, under two Liberal prime ministers and four Liberal finance ministers, we have seen the same pattern: more spending, more borrowing, more debt and more interest payments.

While the Prime Minister likes to say that the Liberals are “spending less to invest more”, the reality is they are spending more, lots more. According to the budget's own numbers, the government is projected to spend more money every year for the rest of the decade. Sadly, in many cases, when the Liberal government chooses to spend, it is often not for valid fiscal reasons, but for ideological ones.

For example, the budget highlights the importance of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council because of its “important role in advancing the government's growth agenda by advancing research and attracting top international research talent”, but the budget document provides very little detail about what types of projects the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is going to fund. Let us take a look at some of the projects it has funded recently.

It spent $20,000 to study the gender politics of Peruvian rock music. I do not know why we needed to spend $20,000 on that, but the Liberals seemed to think we did. The Liberals funded another study about online selfies, including fat fashion photography on Instagram, social justice selfies and selfies that violate social norms. That one cost us $94,000. They also felt the need to come up with a gender-inclusive and intersectional piano curriculum. That was to the tune of $17,000. Pardon the pun. There was one study that focused on grocery carts, but sadly, it did not have anything to do with the rising cost of groceries that people put into carts, only people's feelings about the grocery carts themselves. In any case, that study has cost Canadian taxpayers over $100,000 to date.

Canadians deserve better from their government. There were some very practical solutions to the rising cost of living that Conservatives suggested be put into the budget, such as cancelling the industrial carbon tax, the federal fuel standard and regulations on plastic food packaging, all of which drive up the cost of groceries and the cost of living. Unfortunately, the Liberals refused.

I have no doubt that the Liberals will say that I am being negative, but I am not. I am just being honest. There is no message more positive and hopeful than this: Canada can do better than what we have seen from the Liberals over the last 10 years. Canadians should be able to move out of their parents' basements and put roofs over their heads. They should be able to feed their families without resorting to food banks, and they should be able to have a comfortable future without drowning in more and more debt every year.

If the government wants to learn from the Grey Cup champions, here is a quick film review: end inflationary deficits, restore fiscal discipline and deliver immediate relief on the things Canadians buy every week. That is the way to turn a cellar-dweller into a champion.

[Claude Guay, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for expressing himself on the budget, but I suggest he may want to stick to football as opposed to the economy as a topic.

As it relates to the economy, let us talk a little about the future. I have been wrestling with all these Conservative comments. A portion of the budget is expenses and a portion is investment, and the biggest portion of the budget is investment. How does investment tie into inflation? That is what I would like the member to explain to me.

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, what I have found so troubling about the Liberals over the years is they constantly want to play a shell game when it comes to the budget. It used to be that they were going to balance the budget come hell or high water, when Paul Martin was prime minister, and then they changed their tune to say that it was not going to be balanced but was going to be a portion of the debt-to-GDP ratio. Now they are saying they are going to balance the operating budget but will keep spending and spending on interest payments on the debt and on infrastructure investments. It is important to understand that money is money and spending is spending, and Canadians will have to pay it back with interest, which is something the Liberals either do not understand or do not seem to care about.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my colleague's speech.

The Bloc Québécois shares some of his views, including on the fact that the deficit is very high and that public funds must be used wisely.

One of the expenditures in this budget is subsidies for the oil industry. Roughly $9 billion a year is given to the oil industry. It seems to me that if there is one sector of the economy that should be able to function without subsidies, it is the oil industry.

How can my colleague reconcile his desire for a well-managed budget with subsidies for the oil industry?

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the benefits to society from our natural resource sector far outweigh the costs. I would like to point out that the Government of Saskatchewan's annual budget gets 10% to 15% of its revenues every year from natural resource royalties. If my hon. colleague is suggesting the federal Liberal government should have less to do with oil and gas companies and should get out of the way, I would be 100% in agreement with that.

I would love to see the Liberals repeal Bill C-69, the “no more pipelines” bill. I would love to see them repeal Bill C-48, the west coast tanker ban. That way we could extract all of the resources that are literally underneath our feet and export them around the world. It is unfortunate that the Liberals always seem to get in the way.

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

Mr. Speaker, the member clearly threw a touchdown with his excellent speech, and I thank him for his honesty and positive suggestions.

People in my riding on Vancouver Island tell me every day that they are struggling to afford groceries, gas and rent. They are going hungry and are losing their homes. These are all signs of a failing economy, among so many others.

Perhaps my colleague could speak to how this budget will deal with the continued failing of our economy. Does he see it as a budget that is going to make it better or continue to make it worse?

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, we are seeing more of the same from the Liberals on this budget, which is the continuation of 10 years of poor leadership. This is, of course, going to lead to higher costs at the grocery store and higher costs for Canadians who are struggling to make ends meet.

I would like to quote our former prime minister, Justin Trudeau, if I may, from just five years ago. He said, “Interest rates are at historic lows, Glen.... And as we move forward, because of historically low interest rates, the debt servicing costs will be low.” We can see now that leadership from the Liberals was totally misguided. Canadians are paying more and more on debt servicing charges from the deficit.

[Vince Gasparro, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretary of State (Combatting Crime)]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Bay of Quinte.

We are facing the greatest threat to our sovereignty in generations. Unjustified tariffs are hurting Canadian businesses, workers and families, while global instability is disrupting our supply chains and driving uncertainty to levels we have not seen in decades. We are being confronted with a new and evolving set of challenges. The fact is, the world has changed and Canada must change with it. Budget 2025 is a call to action to protect what we have, build the Canada of the future and empower Canadians to drive this change.

History shows us the way. In a time of global crisis, C.D. Howe transformed Canada from an agricultural economy into a modern industrial powerhouse. Under Howe's tenure, Canada quadrupled our national industrial production, built the St. Lawrence Seaway and modernized Canada's largest cities. At the time, we created the department of defence production to streamline procurement, turning Canada into the fourth-largest producer of war materials in the allied forces even though we had one of the smallest populations. Howe understood that transforming Canada's economy required significant investment to jump-start factories and to modernize Canada's infrastructure.

We do not have to look abroad when our own history offers a clear blueprint to build Canada strong. Just as Howe responded to the existential threat of global war with industrial might, we must respond to today's economic threats with the same ingenuity, resolve and conviction. He knew then, as we know now, that we cannot cut our way to growth; we must invest.

The era of relying solely on deeply integrated trade with the United States is over. Our country cannot be subject to the whims of any foreign leader, and we must build infrastructure, industry and sustainable development projects at speeds that we have not seen in generations.

We are investing over $60 billion in capital investment for the infrastructure of the future, including nuclear power, carbon capture, critical minerals, offshore wind and high-speed rail. The new Major Projects Office will fast-track these nation-building projects and coordinate financing to help build projects faster. These projects will connect our country, attract needed capital and create high-paying jobs.

Beyond the Major Projects Office, we are making investments in research and development to foster innovation and increase productivity. We are cutting red tape that slows private investment, and our government has already passed the One Canadian Economy Act, which removes federal trade barriers.

Our buy Canadian policy will catalyze our vast natural resources so that we can be our own best customer. When we build, we will do so first with Canadian goods and suppliers. We will build our country with Canadian steel, Canadian aluminum, Canadian lumber and Canadian workers.

I have a background in climate finance, and the importance of building a low-carbon economy in the face of mounting climate risks cannot be overstated. By leveraging strategic tax credits to spur private investment in clean technology and carbon capture, we will position Canada at the forefront of clean energy and advanced manufacturing, turning innovation into sustainable growth.

Budget 2025 also invests in the technology of the future, with dedicated funding for advanced robotics, quantum computing and AI infrastructure that will firmly establish Canada's place as a global leader. These technologies will power the next generation of Canadian industry, from clean energy to precision agriculture, and will turn growth into jobs for Canadians.

However, to build prosperity, we must protect what we have. As foreign conflicts and economic instability increase the risks we face, we must enhance our existing strengths and build new ones.

Our new government is investing $81.1 billion in national defence, which represents the largest increase in defence spending in generations. Our defence industrial strategy will strengthen our industrial capabilities, will give us the tools we need to meet our defence requirements and will confront the crises of the 21st century.

To this end, our new government has created the Defence Investment Agency, which will overhaul and streamline Canada's defence procurement. This new agency will build domestic manufacturing and supply chains so the Canadian Armed Forces have the world-class equipment they need and deserve. These investments will help Canada realize its NATO commitments and enhance our collective security.

Our new government is also taking measures to protect Canadians here at home through the toughest anti-trafficking and border protection laws in Canadian history, protecting our communities from gun trafficking and illegal drugs like fentanyl. To support this initiative we are hiring 1,000 new RCMP personnel and 1,000 new CBSA officers to enforce these laws and keep our country safe, while stricter bail and sentencing laws will ensure that repeat violent offenders are behind bars.

Finally, budget 2025 will make life more affordable by spending less on government operations so we can refocus investment to grow our economy and protect the programs that make life more affordable for Canadians. We have already cut income taxes for 22 million Canadians and launched automatic federal benefits for the 2026 tax year, which will reach up to 5.5 million low-income Canadians to ensure they receive the critical government benefits they qualify for.

We have removed the HST for first-time homebuyers, helping more young Canadians achieve the dream of home ownership. Build Canada Homes will catalyze the creation of an entirely new Canadian housing industry that uses modern methods of construction to boost productivity and at scale, which will help add more housing and a diversity of housing for more Canadians.

Our government is also protecting the programs that matter most to Canadians, programs such as pharmacare, dental care and child care. Canada's social safety net is the envy of the world and we will protect the programs Canadians rely on. This is a nation-building moment. Just as in C.D. Howe's time we built the railways, the seaway and the transcontinental highway, our new government is building the digital, energy and transportation networks that will power Canada into the 21st century. These investments will connect Canadians, strengthen our economy and protect our sovereignty. Budget 2025 is a blueprint for a stronger, more resilient Canada, a Canada better positioned to manage the challenges of this new age of instability.

We do not choose the times we live in, but we do choose how we respond. Budget 2025 is a part of our answer. We will build big. We will act fast, and we will build a Canada that stands strong, sovereign and united because we believe in Canada.

[Tako Van Popta, Conservative, Langley Township—Fraser Heights, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have sat through five or six of these Liberal budget speeches over the years and every one of them promises that finally we are going to tackle Canada's productivity challenges. We are doing it again. Here is a headline in today's The Globe and Mail, “Canada is stuck in a 'vicious circle' of low productivity, Bank of Canada says”.

Why should Canadians be at all confident that the Liberal government is finally going to tackle this productivity problem when it has been promising it for years and it is still lagging? What is different today?

[Vince Gasparro, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the biggest change is that we have a new Prime Minister and new members of Parliament who come from the private sector. Our new government has laid out a plan that is focused on rebuilding our economy to deal with the challenges of the 21st century.

I listed in my speech a series of investments our new government is making. A lot of it is built around improving and increasing the productivity of our country. Investing in productive assets that generate revenue and that improve the productivity of the nation is very different from spending money on operating expenses.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today we are talking about the budget implementation bill, which has been voted on. The Bloc Québécois had very specific, reasonable and well-thought-out demands for this budget to address the needs of Quebec. I think we have to strike a balance between the need to control public finances and the need to help people who need help.

I will come back to the request we made to ensure fairness for all seniors aged 65 and over in terms of the pension benefits they receive. We want to end the two-tiered system where people aged 65 to 74 receive a different amount than people aged 75 and over.

Last week, during the break week, I got a call from Mr. Poulin of the AQDR, the Association québécoise de défense des droits des personnes retraitées et préretraitées, a Quebec association promoting the rights of people who are retired or nearing retirement. We had a long talk. His members want fair treatment. At the start of the week, while I was on the road, someone from FADOQ called me to ask how we planned to revive this file. The Liberals downright forgot about seniors in the last budget, and people are counting on the Bloc Québécois.

What does my colleague have to say about that?

[Vince Gasparro, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I only heard part of the question, but I will try to answer it as best I can.

What I can say to the hon. member is that this budget takes, first of all, a pan-Canadian approach. Secondly, it tries to address the challenges that Canadians are facing as a whole. The seniors who helped build this country deserve the utmost respect and care for their hard work and the sacrifices they have made over decades in this country.

I respect the hon. member's question in regard to what this budget does, but when we are creating jobs and we are investing in assets—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

Questions and comments, the member for Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas.

[John-Paul Danko, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his support of the budget here in the House. The member spoke about his private sector experience and I think we see in this budget, repeatedly, the influence that extensive private sector experience brings to the government.

Would the member like to expand on the difference in perspectives between the private sector and the government?

[Vince Gasparro, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Speaker, having private sector influence and experience, and bringing it to government, adds a great perspective in terms of what we are seeing in this budget: the investments that are being made, the reduction in operating expenses and the fact that we are focusing on dealing with the challenges of the 21st century.

If the only thing I had done in my life was get elected, I would have been doing the residents and citizens in my riding of Eglinton—Lawrence a huge disservice. To meet the challenges of the 21st century, we need that private sector experience.

[Chris Malette, Liberal, Bay of Quinte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to participate in today's debate in support of Bill C-15, the budget implementation act.

Budget 2025 arrives at a time when the rules-based international order and trading system that powered Canada's prosperity for decades are being reshaped, threatening our sovereignty, our prosperity and our values. This is not a time for passive stewardship. Canada must pursue active, ambitious nation building.

Budget 2025 is the government's plan to meet the moment by harnessing Canada's strengths, including its wealth of natural resources, a skilled and diverse workforce, and well-established stability and democratic values. In order to do that, we understand that we need to spend less so Canada can invest more. Leadership means making smart strategic investments while preserving the strength that comes from having the lowest net-to-GDP ratio of the G7, a strong fiscal position and a clear path to long-term sustainability. We have the resources and the people we need to thrive and compete in today's global economy.

Bill C-15 is essential to building a Canada that is confident, secure and resilient for today and for generations to come. That is why I am urging all hon. members to support the speedy passage of Bill C-15, so Canada can advance toward these goals. With my time today, I would like to outline some of the reasons why.

We will spend less to invest more. Budget 2025 introduces a new approach to fiscal discipline and strategic investment. The government will spend less on government operations so it can invest more in workers, businesses and nation-building infrastructure. To achieve this goal, government itself must become much more productive by rightsizing, cutting red tape and wasteful spending, and adopting new and innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence at scale. The government would balance Canada's operating budget within three years by making responsible, pragmatic choices, shifting the composition of spending toward capital investments that would grow the economy and prosperity for Canadians.

The government would slow growth in direct program spending from 8% to under 1%. The savings plan means Canadians can count on their government to be more efficient in delivering services that matter, while reducing operational costs. This is where Bill C-15 comes in. Bill C-15 is key to budget 2025's objective to deliver on the comprehensive expenditure review, which will focus on core priorities and ensure less is spent on the day-to-day running of government. Savings would be achieved by restructuring operations, consolidating internal services and rightsizing programs. The approach would also return the size of the public service to a more sustainable level.

The federal government played an instrumental role in ensuring that Canada weathered the COVID-19 pandemic far better than most of our G7 and OECD peers. However, a new set of challenges is now upon us, and returning the public service to sustainable pre-COVID levels would help us meet those challenges. The comprehensive expenditure review would achieve savings of $9 billion in 2026-27, $10 billion in 2027-28 and $13 billion in 2028-29. Combined with other savings and revenues in budget 2025, this would total $60 billion over five years, starting this year, 2025-26.

Making government more efficient is not just about rightsizing the public service, but also about making sure government can help drive productivity growth that can support higher wages, strengthen Canada's private sector investment and improve Canada's resilience to future shocks. Bill C-15 would amend the Red Tape Reduction Act to empower all ministers with authority to enable regulatory sandboxes. It would give a responsible minister the authority to grant temporary exemptions from legislation or regulations to allow for testing of products, services, processes or new regulatory approaches. The proposed amendments would cut red tape that slows private investment, limits trade and labour mobility, and restricts competition.

In a similar way, the government is also committed to making the public sector more efficient. Legislative requirements, such as duplicative reporting or cumbersome approvals processes, consume a significant amount of public servants' time, diverting them from tasks that provide greater value to Canadians.

The government will conduct a review to identify additional legislative amendments to, for example, streamline low-risk internal processes, modernize outdated requirements, and eliminate unnecessary and burdensome reporting requirements.

In conclusion, Bill C-15 and budget 2025 are critical steps toward securing a stronger, more prosperous Canada in an increasingly uncertain world. I implore the hon. members here today to support the speedy passage of the bill so that we can get it working for Canada as soon as possible.

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

Mr. Speaker, we keep hearing the terms “buy Canadian” and “buy Canadian steel.” It sounds good. It appeals to patriotic Canadians, but, tragically, it is say one thing and do the other.

I wonder if the member opposite could please explain to Canadians how buying ferries from China, with Chinese steel, buying LNG terminals, facilities from Korea, with Korean and Chinese steel, from an American company, is buying Canadian? Perhaps the member could explain that for us.

[Chris Malette, Liberal, Bay of Quinte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as I recall, at the time of those announcements, and the member would well know, representing that part of Canada, there were in fact no Canadian bidders on any of those projects. His own British Columbia provincial government has now implored any future investments in that regard to in fact buy Canadian, as this government is promoting.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleague a question about something that is of great concern to us in the Bloc Québécois.

At the end of Bill C-15, which is quite lengthy, there is a part that gives a minister the power to decide that a law will not apply to certain companies. This greatly expands the minister's discretionary power. It may even be a step toward arbitrary use of power. It also follows up on Bill C-5, which was passed here under closure, unfortunately.

I would like my colleague to explain why we should continue this trend of giving so much discretionary power that, should a minister agree, some companies will be able to sidestep the application of the law.

[Chris Malette, Liberal, Bay of Quinte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I refer back to the portion of my speech in which I said we will empower ministers at their discretion to, in fact, streamline and remove redundant and cumbersome regulations that have been determined, after careful consideration, to be an impediment to progress.

It is not a step taken lightly, to empower these ministers to do this, but in fact, it is all part of budget 2025's plan to empower these ministers to expedite progress in a meaningful but carefully considered fashion.

[John-Paul Danko, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member formerly served at a municipal level, and I am wondering what he sees in the budget, specifically, that benefits municipalities in Ontario and across Canada.

[Chris Malette, Liberal, Bay of Quinte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the hon. member, who is a fellow former municipal councillor.

As we have seen across Canada, municipalities have been facing challenges for infrastructure investments for their own infrastructure and facilities. The budget itself includes $5.1 billion for infrastructure funding that we will be implementing across the board to help municipalities upgrade and increase the energy efficiency and modernization of these facilities.

As my colleague knows, a frequent challenge of our municipalities is maintaining the billions in infrastructure that we already have.

Living Donor Recognition Medal Act

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

moved that Bill C-234, An Act respecting the establishment and award of a Living Donor Recognition Medal, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

Mr. Speaker, a living donor is someone who donates all or part of an organ to save the life of a fellow Canadian. I am a living donor. On December 8, 2003, I donated part of my liver to save the life of my son Tyler, but I am not alone. Across Canada, there are hundreds of people alive today because someone bravely, generously and selflessly gave a part of their body to another person to save their life. Living donors exemplify the highest ideals of selflessness, yet Canada lacks a formal system to celebrate their contributions. My bill, Bill C-234, will recognize these remarkable individuals through the creation of the living donor recognition medal.

I am immensely proud of the fact that the House has united behind this non-partisan effort. Today, I will be speaking to the bill, but I will also give a voice to my fellow colleagues from all parties who are not able to get a speaking opportunity today. This will demonstrate how broad and non-partisan this initiative truly is. The joint seconders of the bill come from all provinces in a strong voice of support. I have received support from members of all political parties, and I am extremely thankful for their support. It shows Canadians that we can unite to do the right thing when we set politics aside. We are all motivated by the selfless gifts these donors have given.

As the Liberal member for Ottawa West—Nepean has stated, “This bill will give much-needed recognition to people who are the most deserving. Their heartwarming stories of selflessness are an inspiration.”

My colleague from Long Range Mountains said, “I know a living donor, and I have seen first-hand the tremendous sacrifice it takes to give someone another lease on life. These heroes do not do it for recognition. They do it out of love and selflessness, but they deserve to be recognized for giving the ultimate gift: the gift of life.”

She went on to say, “Someone we love actually received two kidneys, one from his brother and one from his sister. Life before the transplant was filled with exhaustion and limitations, but receiving a new kidney brought hope and energy back. It transformed misery into freedom and restored a sense of normal life.”

These donors stepped forward, took on risk and gave the gift of life. To me and those they saved, they are true heroes.

The Liberal member for Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam stated, “Creating a living donor recognition medal is an important step to recognize those special Canadians who gave a piece of themselves so that others can live. Those who step forward, out of kindness and compassion, [to] show selflessness to help friends, family members and sometimes strangers, are Canada's unsung heroes. This medal recognizes their contribution to humanity.”

Living donors are not paid and not allowed to be compensated for their donations, and this is a good thing. They have freely given what they can to save the life of another. It is a priceless gift.

The member for Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay knows this. As she stated, “The choice to be an organ donor is done without reward, but the everyday Canadians who make this choice are choosing to save a life. Their courage deserves recognition, which is why I was proud to cosponsor my colleague's bill to establish a living donor recognition medal.”

The leader of the Green Party spoke to their true motivation when she stated, “Every year, hundreds of Canadians respond with extraordinary compassion and courage to donate their organs to the thousands of Canadians awaiting life-saving organ transplants. I fully support Bill C-234, which would rightly honour living donors, recognizing the selfless gift of life they provide and the profound impact they have on our health care system and communities.”

As I have mentioned in the House before, a transplant recipient once said to me, “I just don't feel that a thank you card is enough. I wish we could do a proper job of recognizing them.”

My colleague for Calgary Centre knows that we need to do more. He stated, “These individuals give the gift of life, often quietly and without fanfare. A national medal is a meaningful way to honour their extraordinary generosity and to remind us all of the power of selflessness in building a stronger, more compassionate country.”

Living donors volunteer to give a part of their body to another person to save their life, and this selfless and altruistic gesture is worthy of significant recognition. We regularly recognize citizens for bravery, selfless acts and compassion toward their fellow citizens. It should be no different for living donors.

The member for Don Valley West agrees. He stated, “Every day, Canadians waiting for organ transplants depend on the generosity and courage of donors. By establishing the living donor recognition medal, Parliament is honouring these extraordinary individuals whose selflessness saves lives, strengthens families and reflects the very best of who we are as a country.”

The leader of the NDP said, “Living organ donors embody the highest ideal of generosity, compassion and humanity. Establishing a national medal is a fitting tribute to their extraordinary contributions to the life of others and to our society as a whole.”

The most important part of the bill is that this medal would raise awareness and discussion around living donations. It would encourage others to explore living donation and the power it holds. It will save more lives.

My Liberal friend, the member for Humber River—Black Creek, understands this. She said, “I'm proud to support Bill C-234, which recognizes the truly stunning generosity of living organ donors in Canada. Their sacrifice saves lives and shows us all what it means to be a champion of our better nature. Let us celebrate their selfless courage and compassion as they inspire us all.”

I could not agree more.

My colleague, the member for Riding Mountain, also recognized the power that such a medal could have when he stated, “We need more organ donors in Canada. That's why I fully support Bill C-234 to create a living donor recognition medal. This award will increase awareness, recognize donors and help save lives.”

If we do this, Canada will be only the second country in the world to add living donors to their national honour system. By taking a lead in this, we further demonstrate our belief that this is the right thing to do.

My Liberal friend, the member for Laval—Les Îles, also sees the opportunity for Canada to lead. He said, “It would be a source of pride to see Canada become only the second country to formally honour living donors. They are unsung heroes who fully deserve this recognition. Although Canada is a prosperous country with well-established health care infrastructure, this law reminds us that we are nothing without the generosity and dedication of others. Putting ourselves in someone else's shoes is a fundamental democratic act that must be emphasized and revalued.”

My Liberal colleague, the member for South Shore—St. Margarets, said it best when she said, “This legislation recognizes a simple truth: that the gift of life is among the greatest acts of service one human being can offer another. In honouring living organ donors, we'll celebrate a quiet heroism that saves lives and strengthens the fabric of our nation. ”

We do not just have to take it from hon. members. There are also those on the front lines of our health care system.

Our Liberal colleague the member for Winnipeg West is an emergency room doctor and knows about these issues first-hand. He stated, “By seconding Bill C-234, I want to highlight the profound impact living organ donors have on our communities. Each act of donation ripples beyond the recipient, bringing families, friends, and neighbours together in gratitude and hope. This medal will honor those extraordinary Canadians whose generosity strengthens the bonds that make our communities resilient and compassionate.”

The medal would provide the only official recognition and acknowledgement of critical and life-saving donations. It would be a legitimate, tangible and significant way a donor could be thanked in a non-monetary way. My colleague the member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan understands this and the importance such an honour would have. He stated, “I am proud to support Bill C-234, which recognizes the incredible generosity of Canadians who become living organ donors. These men and women represent the best of who we are—people willing to make profound sacrifices to give others the gift of life. Honouring their compassion and courage is the right thing to do.”

In Canada, 4,700 individuals await life-saving organ transplants, with most relying on living donors, selfless individuals who donate all or part of an organ to save another's life. Three-quarters of people awaiting a transplant are in need of a kidney, and living donors are an option.

The recognition would not only validate the donor's sacrifices but also spark vital conversation about organ donation, reducing the transplant waiting list and saving more lives. The proposal has garnered support in all parties for its simplicity and impact. A living donor recognition medal would serve as a powerful symbol of gratitude, ensuring that donors are thanked appropriately for saving the life of another. It aligns with Canada's tradition of honour, bravery and compassion, placing living donors alongside other honoured citizens.

The medal has the potential to inspire and educate. By recognizing living donors, Canada could lead by example, reinforcing the importance of living donor donation and celebrating those who give the gift of life. The medal would be a tangible, non-monetary way to acknowledge their altruism, raising awareness about living donation and encouraging more Canadians to consider this life-saving act.

I am confident all members will want to support the proposal, and I hope I can count on their strong support. Canadians will view this as a worthwhile and deserving recognition, and now it is up to us to make it happen. As my colleague the member for Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake stated simply, “Honouring living donors with a Living Donor Recognition Medal recognizes their courage and generosity, while helping to raise awareness and encourage more life-saving acts.”

I will give my final words to my colleague the member for Charlottetown. He summed it up when he said, “Living organ donors are our unsung heroes. Their gift of life is the ultimate altruistic act and selfless gesture. The bravery and courage it takes to give a part of yourself to save another is worthy of the highest of recognitions and appreciation. Canada is truly fortunate to have individuals willing to make such contributions and the least we can do is appropriately thank them.”

I agree wholeheartedly. Let us get it done and save more lives.

[Eric St-Pierre, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Edmonton Manning for introducing Bill C-234, as well as to commend him for his passion for this topic and also for his work for his son.

My question to you is, are you aware of any living donor holidays? Are there any national days that would be in addition to the potential medal?

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, John Nater]

The member should address questions through the Chair.

The hon. member for Edmonton Manning.