Debates of Dec. 11th, 2025

Car Accident in Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to pay tribute to the victims of a tragic vehicle accident.

On November 11, three high school students, Tyson Varley, Damon Davis and Haley Keffer, from John Diefenbaker Senior School in Hanover, aged 16 to 17, lost their lives in a devastating crash on the rural road between Hanover and Durham. A fourth student, Landon Preiss-Hillier, was critically injured and airlifted to the hospital.

Damon loved to be loud and do things his way, but under that tough exterior was a little boy with a huge heart. Haley loved her dog Bella and her mismatched socks. Tyson was well known for his love of cars and tinkering with them. He knew well how to make and fix things. This unimaginable loss has shaken the entire community of Hanover and surrounding areas.

On behalf of all the constituents of Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, I send my deepest condolences to the family, friends and communities grieving this heartbreaking loss. May Damon, Haley and Tyson rest in peace, and may their loved ones find strength and comfort in the days ahead.

International Human Rights Day

[Ernie Klassen, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, December 10 is International Human Rights Day.

Human rights are the backbone of freedom and democracy. It serves as a reminder that rights are not privileges. They are the foundation of dignity, equality and inclusion. This year's theme, “Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials”, speaks to the truth that these principles are not just ideas on paper; they shape how we live, work and treat one another.

Canada is seen as a global leader in advancing human rights. For me, human rights are deeply personal. Strong communities are built on fairness, respect and the courage to stand up when something is not right. These values guide me every day as a member of Parliament and as a Canadian. They mean ensuring every person can live without fear or discrimination, speak freely and be treated with dignity.

Today and every day, let us lead by protecting these essentials in our homes, our communities, our country and around the world.

André Voyer

[Gabriel Hardy, Conservative, Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to pay tribute to André “Pépé” Voyer and thank him for the exceptional legacy he is leaving our family and the history of Quebec.

From his early years in Abitibi to the present day, he has always been driven by a contagious energy for politics, notably by getting involved and supporting people like Guy Dallaire, Réal Caouette and even René Lévesque. He has remained a proud member of the Parti Québécois, attending party meetings until the remarkable age of 97. His commitment has never wavered, and he always defends our defining points: our French language, our unique culture and Quebec's essential place as the cornerstone of Canada. At 101, his passion and memory continue to inspire me.

I am immensely proud to be saying his name here in Ottawa's Parliament, where I now sit, to highlight his contribution to the political life of our Quebec nation.

I thank André “Pépé” Voyer for his example, his influence and his love of Quebec. The Parliament in Ottawa wishes him a wonderful 101st birthday.

Holiday Season in LaSalle—Émard—Verdun

[Claude Guay, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as my first year in the House draws to a close, I am proud of what we have accomplished together, including presenting our first budget and supporting major projects like the Nouveau Monde Graphite mine.

Now comes my first holiday as a member of Parliament. Let us just say, it is not quite what I am used to. Most years I would be home, trying and failing to get my Christmas lights to work. Instead, I will be at Maison d'Entraide St-Paul et Émard sharing a warm meal with the community.

Normally, I would be rushing around doing my last-minute shopping, but this year, I will be handing out holiday hampers with the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. Instead of spending an evening wrapping presents, I will be proudly attending the 55th anniversary of the 796 LaSalle Air Cadet Squadron at the LaSalle Legion.

If this is what a holiday looks like as an MP, I am grateful for every moment.

I wish every member of the House and the people of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun a very happy holiday season.

Flood Protection

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, communities across the Fraser Valley and the interior are under evacuation orders as rising waters threaten homes, farms and critical infrastructure. The border is shut, highways are closed and supply chains are disrupted.

The 2021 floods taught us hard lessons, yet today we find ourselves confronting the same vulnerabilities. Our roads, dikes and drainage systems remain inadequate to withstand the realities of changing weather patterns. These failures put lives and our economy at risk. I call upon the government to take immediate and decisive action. We must invest in modern, resilient infrastructure, strengthen emergency preparedness and ensure that rural and agricultural communities are not left behind. The cost of inaction will far exceed the cost of prevention.

British Columbians deserve a plan that protects them, not just for today but for the future. I implore the Minister of Infrastructure to act on the requests from Abbotsford and other vulnerable communities. We must prioritize investment in flood protection to safeguard our food supply and national supply chains.

British Columbians matter. We need action.

Holidays in South Shore—St. Margarets

[Jessica Fancy-Landry, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker,

As the season slowly gentles on South Shore—St. Margarets land,
there is a warmth across our villages that only we understand.
From Lunenburg's bright storefronts to Cape Sable Island's cold sprays,
our communities shine brighter than the shortest of winter days.
The lobster boats are twinkling as they head out on the dawn,
and the families gently gather as the holiday lights come on.
In Liverpool, Tantallon and Bridgewater, and the coves that line our shores,
kindness moves from door to door and lifts our spirits evermore.
This time of year reminds us of the ties that truly bind,
the neighbours who step up for us, the generous hearts we find.
From volunteers to small businesses, from first responders to friends,
the magic of our riding is the way that never ends.
So as we look to the new year, with hope in every heart,
may peace and joy find you all wherever you may start.
South Shore—St. Margarets, my gratitude rings clear.
Happy holidays to everyone. A bright, resilient year.

The Economy

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Prime Minister promised Canadians a win with the President by July 21. Five months later, there is no win, no elbows and no deal.

From factories to steel mills, Conservatives will always stand with the workers who feed, power and protect this country, and today, those Canadians are paying the price. Back in May, the Prime Minister said Canadians would judge him by the prices at the grocery store. Well, food bank usage doubled, grocery bills doubled and 86% of families are cutting back on meat just to get by. Food should not be a luxury in Canada. Conservatives propose to scrap the four Liberal hidden taxes on food, because no family should have to choose between paying the power bill and a nutritious meal.

What is worse is that the Liberal Prime Minister promised 500,000 homes per year, and he is delivering just 5,000. Housing starts have collapsed, and now Canadians are being told to lower their expectations and give up on the dream of home ownership altogether. Conservatives propose to scrap the GST on all new homes under $1.3 million and get shovels in the ground now.

Conservatives will bring home hope, stronger take-home pay, safer streets, secure borders and a self-reliant Canada where, once again, our Christmas cards can say, “Merry Christmas and happy new year”, and actually mean it.

From my family to everyone, merry Christmas and happy new year.

Holiday Helpers

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after an eventful year, the holiday season is already upon us. Quebeckers are doing their Christmas shopping. Christmas tree sellers are offering us the forest's finest specimens, which we will drape with garlands. Families are planning where they will spend Christmas Eve, and children are counting down the sleeps.

This season is not easy for everyone. That is why volunteers are conducting door-to-door food drives and why the food donation boxes in supermarkets are filling up. Let us spare a thought for our neighbours and share what we can, so that this season can truly be a time of joy.

The air is crisp, and Quebec is covered with a thick white blanket of snow. It is cold outside, but our hearts are warm. On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I wish everyone a very merry Christmas, a wonderful holiday season and a 2026 that lives up to our expectations.

The Economy

[Ali Ehsassi, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as we bring this year to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of my constituents in Willowdale the most joyful of holidays and a wonderful and exceptional year ahead.

The residents of Willowdale appreciate full well that Canada stands at the cusp of a defining moment. Allow me to reassure them that our new government has been moving at an unprecedented scale. We are undertaking some of the most ambitious nation-building efforts in generations, renewing essential infrastructure, driving clean energy and critical mineral projects forward at an unprecedented pace and accelerating homebuilding throughout our beautiful country. These initiatives demonstrate the urgency with which we are acting to meet the needs of Canadians today and stand as a testament to our commitment to strengthen the foundations of our economy for tomorrow.

Allow me to conclude by wishing all of the wonderful individuals working in Parliament and, indeed, all the members of the House the happiest of holidays.

Public Safety

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, BC]

Mr. Speaker, for a decade, the Liberals have dismantled criminal laws, gutted jail sentences and allowed gangs and extortionists to rule our streets.

Since 2015, violent crime is up nearly 55%. Sexual assaults have surged over 75%. Gun crime has skyrocketed 130%, and extortions have exploded 330%. Conservatives have put forward many solutions, among them reversing Liberal bail and bringing in jail, not bail; listing the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity; taking urgent action on extortion from Surrey to Brampton; firing the embattled public safety minister, whose gun buyback scheme will only punish law-abiding hunters and farmers; using all legislative tools to ensure that child sex predators are receiving the worst punishments possible; and properly punishing intimate partner violence once and for all.

Together, Conservatives will repeal reckless Liberal policies, put victims first and restore safety to our streets.

Former Member of Parliament for St. Boniface—St. Vital

[Ginette Lavack, Liberal, St. Boniface—St. Vital, MB]

Mr. Speaker, my predecessor as MP for St. Boniface—St. Vital, the first minister of northern affairs and the first indigenous cabinet member from Manitoba, the hon. Dan Vandal, is in the gallery today with his wife, Brigitte.

One of eight children, Dan left high school to become one of Canada's top professional boxers. He then earned a bachelor's degree in social work. When he realized that the young people he worked with needed more resources, he became a city councillor in order to get them funding.

Dan's impact, nationally, regionally and locally, has been definitive. It includes the Nunavut devolution, the port of Churchill and the Musée de Saint-Boniface. He is deservedly proud of the work that the Government of Canada did to make real progress and investments in reconciliation when he was an MP and minister. To many of his former staffers, he is still the boss. To his family, he is the devoted pepère.

To me, he is a friend.

Thank you, Dan.

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I also know the individual in question very well, but I would remind all members that they are not to acknowledge someone's presence in the gallery.

The hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill.

Immigration

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

Mr. Speaker, Canada's immigration system used to be the envy of the world, but like so much else the Liberals broke it.

Public support for immigration has collapsed, as too many newcomers, too fast, made housing unaffordable, health care unavailable and youth jobs impossible to find. As a government-in-waiting, this fall, Conservatives not only opposed failed mass migration policies but also proposed concrete solutions to fix them, like ending the wage-depressing, opportunity-stealing temporary foreign worker program; ensuring that non-citizens convicted of serious crimes like sexual assault are deported; strengthening the value of Canadian citizenship by ending one-click virtual citizenship ceremonies; placing limitations on automatic citizenship for descendants of temporary residents; and preventing illegal migrants with bogus asylum claims from accessing benefits that most Canadians cannot get.

Let us be clear. While the Liberals support mass migration policies, Conservatives will always fight for Canadians.

Democratic Republic of Congo

[Bienvenu-Olivier Ntumba, Liberal, Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today, I am very honoured to announce the creation of the Canada-DR Congo Interparliamentary Friendship Group. This group will provide a dynamic platform to promote dialogue, encourage meetings and deepen our collaboration in key areas such as education, the Francophonie, the energy transition and student mobility.

With a population of nearly 100 million people, the Democratic Republic of Congo is now the largest francophone nation in the world and a key partner in the Francophonie.

I would like to thank my fellow parliamentarians who have already expressed an interest in this initiative, and I invite all those who wish to join us to do so. Together, we can build strong bridges between our nations for a stable future for the Francophonie.

Cost of Living

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Thanks to these Liberals, this Christmas is looking bleak,
Because so many Canadian families' paycheques are too weak.
With Grinchy Liberal ways, Canadians face a bleary plight,
High taxes and spending stealing Christmas magic and light.
And just like the Grinch swiped every morsel, decoration and treat,
Liberal inflation robs their joys, leaving families in defeat.
While 2.2 million visit food banks, month on month they plead,
Hoping for a food hamper, a simple happy deed.
These Grinchy Liberals' hearts are oh so small.
Disconnected from realities, Liberals let these families fall.
But like little Cindy Lou, who made the Grinch's mind see,
Christmas doesn't come from a store; it's so much more, you see.
So our ask is simple, a change we hope they make:
Listen to Conservatives for Canadian families' sakes.
Bring back affordability, let their hearts grow in size,
And bring back Christmas joy right before our very eyes.

Holiday Greetings

[Kent MacDonald, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge my family joining me in Ottawa today. I thank them for their love and support, and as a special shout-out to my sister, I say, happy birthday.

I want to extend my warmest holiday wishes to everyone across the Cardigan riding, Prince Edward Island and indeed Canada, especially those volunteers and those working in essential services throughout the holidays, who are keeping our communities safe, healthy and supported, and our farmers, who work every day of the year to provide homegrown, nutritious food for Canadians and the entire world. I give a very special “thank you” to our dairy farmers, who ensure Santa has fresh milk to go with the cookies.

This season reminds us of the strength we find in family, the support in community and the progress we make when we come together for Canadians. When members of the House work with that same spirit, we can build Canada strong. To all members of the House, I wish happy holidays and joyeux Noël.

The Economy

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I wish everyone a merry Christmas. It is the holiday season; it is a time of hope. Of course, the Conservative Party is the party of hope. We share that hope with everyone today.

However, for too many people, life has become too expensive. Single mothers and seniors cannot afford food, and the Prime Minister is threatening Canadians with another gas tax hike that will increase the cost of food.

Will the Prime Minister make an announcement before Christmas about cancelling his hidden taxes on groceries to give Canadians some hope of eating well?

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

Mr. Speaker, no one calls the Conservative Party the “party of hope”.

This holiday season, I want to wish even the grinch across the way, the Leader of the Opposition, a very merry Christmas. My wish for the entire Conservative caucus is that they will stop imagining taxes, taxes that do not exist, taxes that Canadians do not have to pay and will never have to pay. What we are actually going to do is provide supports for all Canadians.

I wish everyone a merry Christmas.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I was hoping the Prime Minister would be here, for once, to defend—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Even though it is Christmas, we still cannot break the rules. I will have to take one question away from the leader of the official opposition. It pains me to have to do so, especially at this time of year.

Justice

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I just wanted him to defend, for once, the rising cost of living caused by the taxes the Liberals are imposing on grocery prices.

However, that is not all. There is also crime. The Liberals are blocking their own bail legislation. Conservatives have moved 17 motions in the last two days to push the bail legislation ahead. The Liberals are the ones who caused this problem by releasing criminals under the provisions of Bill C-75.

Will they allow us move their bill forward, before Christmas, in order to repair the damage they have done?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is important to not twist the facts just because it is the holiday season and everyone is feeling generous. The Conservatives spent September, October, November and December filibustering the most ambitious crime-fighting agenda in Canadian history.

Now, at the eleventh hour, on the very last day, they show up and want to rearrange everything. We have bills on bail, on combatting hate and on combatting violence and extortion. The Conservatives need to get out of the way.

Taxation

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, let me wish everyone a merry Christmas, the time of hope. Of course, Conservatives are the party of hope, and we share that hope right across the House of Commons, as I do with the Prime Minister, inviting him to stand up.

Unfortunately for many Canadians, it is the time of Liberal inflation. As they go down the grocery aisles, they see the costs of food rising before their eyes as the Prime Minister increases hidden taxes on the costs of making and selling food, with a 7¢-a-litre gas tax he plans for the new year.

Will he rise today and give Canadians some hope by announcing he is reversing that latest Liberal tax hike?

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

Mr. Speaker, rather than focusing on imaginary taxes like the opposition does, we stay focused on helping Canadian families. It is why Canada child benefit cheques will be delivered early this month, so families can have the money when they need it most, as they get ready for a happy holiday and merry Christmas. We are focused on supporting Canadians and Canadian families, something that I would hope members of a party that talks about hope would want to do.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the member might be suggesting that her own government department is imagining things again. I am reading right here from the environment department's impacts of the CFR on gasoline and diesel prices. For 2026, that is 7¢ a litre, another tax increase on fuel.

While the Prime Minister promised to flip-flop on carbon taxes and copy Conservative ideas, once again it is the costly counterfeit version on his side. That tax will increase the cost of producing and delivering food to grocery stores.

Just in time for Christmas, will he get rid of this latest Liberal tax on energy and food?