Debates of Dec. 10th, 2025

The Economy

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, I notice that the Conservatives make up imaginary taxes faster than they come up with questions for question period, because they always ask the same questions.

However, if the member wants to talk about the reality on the ground, there is nothing imaginary about it. The Canada child benefit has reduced child poverty by 40% in our country. The Canadian dental care plan provides access to dental care for 1.5 million Quebeckers. The national school food program provides 100,000 of Quebec's most vulnerable young people with access to meals. Allow me to share one more statistic: 180,000 jobs have been created in the last three months. These are opportunities for Quebeckers and Canadians across the country.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said that we should judge him by the prices at the grocery store. Well, Canadians have judged him. Groceries now cost twice as much as they did 10 years ago, and the latest food price report says that the cost will go up another $1,000 next year for a family of four.

Today, families are telling us that they have to choose between milk and fruit or even skip the occasional meal to make it to the next paycheque. It is appalling that such a thing is happening in a country like Canada.

Will the Liberals finally stop the inflationary spending, which is driving up prices, and axe the hidden taxes on food so that Canadians can get enough to eat?

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. The Conservatives are crying crocodile tears. They complain that Canadians are struggling to make ends meet. However, they vote against Canadians' interests.

We have the Canada child benefit, which is indexed to inflation, but the Conservatives do not like this program. They voted against it. We have the dental care program for children and for seniors who are struggling, but the Conservatives voted against that too. They want nothing to do with that program because it helps Canadians. Let us be frank. The Conservatives do not have Canadians' best interests at heart.

Health

[Shannon Miedema, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, I knocked on thousands of doors throughout Halifax. I kept hearing the same concerns about access to health care. My voters know that the federal government can and must be at the table with solutions to improve our health care system.

Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship tell the House how our government will contribute to this essential work?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question. On Monday, as part of our international talent attraction strategy, I announced new express entry measures to attract doctors, specialists and surgeons who are ready to practice in Canada and to retain foreign doctors who are already here caring for patients in our communities. Thanks to our plan, our government is going to build a more stable health care system for all Canadians.

Automotive Industry

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for months, Conservatives fought to get the Stellantis contracts released despite the gag order from the Liberals, and now we know why they wanted to hide it. The so-called jobs guarantee that the minister was bragging about in question period only a few weeks ago was for 4,400 full-time employees at Stellantis. That sounds okay, except Stellantis had 8,000 employees at the time the contract was signed. That allowed the company to lay off 3,500 workers and still get the money.

Is that why it fired 3,000 auto workers in Brampton, took the cash and sent the jobs to Donald Trump?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, we stand with our workers in the auto sector who are victims of the unjustified and unjustifiable American tariffs, and we will continue to fight for their jobs. When it comes to Stellantis, we had a deal, and Stellantis broke it. We will go after the money.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, do members want to know what is unjustifiable? What is unjustifiable is giving a multinational company $15 billion and having a jobs guarantee in the contract that allows the company to fire almost 50% of its workers. Let that sink in. The Liberals gave Stellantis $15 billion. It was allowed to fire 3,500 workers in Canada and still be in compliance with the contract. That is gross negligence. It is incompetence beyond incompetence.

How the hell has someone not been fired?

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

We have pretty much unlimited freedom of expression in the House, but there are some words that provoke a reaction, even if they are not technically unparliamentary.

The hon. Minister of Industry.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, do members know what gross negligence is? It is when the Conservatives, under Harper, decided to do a deal to bail out GM and Chrysler, and shook hands with these two giants. Two Ford plants closed, a GM plant closed, and Orion Bus closed.

We have no lessons to take from the Conservatives. We were the first government to bring jobs back to the auto sector, and there are 3,000 right now in Windsor at the NextStar facility. We will make sure that we get our money back from Stellantis.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberal government was asked about its billion-dollar subsidy deal with Stellantis, the minister said to read the contracts and we would see job guarantees. After her officials lied and were forced to release the documents, we see exactly what the Liberals got in return for Canadians' money. The contract stated that there would be no penalties against the recipient should their aspirational target not be met.

Why did the minister hand out hundreds of millions of dollars without any guarantee from Stellantis that jobs would be created?

[Buckley Belanger, Liberal, Secretary of State (Rural Development)]

Mr. Speaker, the minister answered that question twice already. I am not a mathematician, nor am I an economist, but when we talk about investments, I calculate that the 14 Saskatchewan Conservative MPs who have been sent to Ottawa over the last 10 years cost us $30,800,000. There is no return on investment. The people of Saskatchewan deserve better.

Merry Christmas and happy new year.

Foreign Affairs

[Marianne Dandurand, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister announced earlier this week that Canada is going to present a bid to host the Sommet de la Francophonie in 2028. That is great news. This major event, which brings together the world's francophone countries, will have significant cultural and economic benefits.

I wonder if the Minister of Foreign Affairs could tell us what this bid might mean for Canada if we are selected, and how hosting this summit could strengthen our ties with other francophone countries while also strengthening the Canadian francophonie.

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the French language and French culture are very important. They are at the heart of our Canadian identity.

That is why, this week, we announced Canada's bid to host the 2028 Sommet de la Francophonie right here in the national capital region.

Hosting this summit will launch new economic partnerships for Canadians. This is good news for the economy and for francophones.

Firearms

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

Mr. Speaker, I have just returned from Prince Edward Island, where all 10 Charlottetown city councillors were present and voted unanimously to reject the Liberal government's gun grab. The 10 city councillors in Charlottetown clearly know better than the four Liberal MPs from that island. They know that lawful gun owners are not the problem. They know that their police resources are already stretched thin. They know that the real problem is with violent crime and with illegal guns from the United States.

Charlottetown does not want anything to do with the Liberal government's policy. Even the minister himself has admitted it is a failure.

When will the Liberals abandon this ineffective, useless $750-million boondoggle?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear: We will be moving forward with the national program to ensure that the gun owners who are lawful gun owners are able to get compensation for prohibited weapons, the 2,500 types of weapons we prohibited under the Firearms Act. We will be compensating them.

My question to the opposition members is this: Why do they continuously go against law enforcement? For example, on lawful access, why do they continuously vote against and stall legislation that would help the people of Canada?

Climate Change

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, many families will soon be gathering together for Christmas dinner. What kind of conversations will there be around the dinner table? People will be talking about how they are disappointed in this Liberal government. Not only have the Liberals done nothing to bring down the cost of groceries or housing, but it is plain to see that they have given up the fight against climate change. Even the former environment minister is now saying that Canada's climate goals are unachievable.

This government is headed straight for disaster and it is abandoning future generations. It is going to leave them a broken climate and a planet on fire.

I have one simple question: Will the Liberals apologize to our children?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I have said it before and I will say it again: Our government is committed to continuing the fight against climate change. From what we are hearing from the other side of the House, the Conservative Party does not have the required expertise and does not believe in the fight against climate change.

We are getting the job done and we will continue to do so. I hope that my colleague will support us as we take on this work.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. There have been discussions among the parties, and I believe that if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent—

[Some hon. members]

No.

[Andrew Lawton, Conservative, Elgin—St. Thomas—London South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. As members of the House are aware, we open with prayer each day, and I am hoping you can rule on whether members will be protected from prosecution by parliamentary privilege should Bill C-9 pass.

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I did not hear what the member said. I would ask the member to repeat it. To avoid having the member repeat it a third time, maybe we could have a little more silence in the room.

The hon. member for Elgin—St. Thomas—London South.

[Andrew Lawton, Conservative, Elgin—St. Thomas—London South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as members are aware, we open our days in prayer each day, which is a testament to the spiritual roots of this country. I am wondering if you can rule on whether our parliamentary privilege will protect us from prosecution if Bill C-9 becomes law.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on the same point of order. It is absolutely absurd and outrageous to suggest that Parliament would act to constrain the rights and privileges of Canadians to prayer, to choose their faith and to practise their religion in any way possible.

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I do not see it being a problem.

The hon. government House leader is rising on another point of order.