House of Commons Hansard #65 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was debt.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Closure of Algoma Steel Plant Pierre Poilievre requests an emergency debate on steelworker job losses at Algoma Steel, blaming American tariffs and the Liberal government's carbon tax. He criticizes a $400 million investment without job guarantees. 500 words.
Admissibility of Committee Amendments to Bill C-12—Speaker's Ruling The Speaker rules on a point of order concerning nine amendments adopted by committee to Bill C-12, an act relating to border security and immigration. The deputy government leader argued the amendments violated the "parent act rule." The Speaker declares eight amendments, primarily concerning the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, inadmissible, finding them outside the bill's scope, but upholds one amendment to the Oceans Act as consequential. 1600 words.
Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 1 Second reading of Bill C-15. The bill implements the 2025 budget, which opposition members criticize as leading to generational debt and a rising cost of living. They allege it contains "corruption" and "favouritism" benefiting Liberal insiders and the Prime Minister's corporate buddies, hindering job creation. Government members defend it as a "generational investment" to build a strong economy, citing increased defence spending, infrastructure, and social programs, while accusing the opposition of "character assassination" and "filibustering." 51200 words, 6 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
National Strategy on Flood and Drought Forecasting Act Second reading of Bill C-241. The bill proposes a national strategy respecting flood and drought forecasting to enhance coordination and data sharing across Canada, addressing the increasing impacts of climate change. While supporters emphasize the need for cooperation among different levels of government and improved water management, critics argue it risks becoming another Ottawa-driven exercise in paperwork without providing real solutions or timely funding for disaster mitigation. Concerns are raised about duplication with existing services, respecting provincial jurisdiction, and the lack of concrete action or funding mechanisms to support communities. 7400 words, 1 hour.
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I support my new minister and I do not agree with the Leader of the Opposition, who is against the $4-billion action plan for the French language. He is against investments in Quebec's cultural sector. He is against increasing francophone immigration to Canada.
We are standing up for the French language. We are standing up for a great Canada.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, we learned today that eight months after the Prime Minister was elected, promising to build nation-building projects at speeds not seen in generations, he has not even begun consulting with first nations people about his promised pipeline to the Pacific.
Now the Assembly of First Nations has condemned his plan because he has not done any consulting with them. Today, he will address the assembly.
Will he for once say one thing, no matter the group he is speaking to, and be clear that he wants the pipeline to get built and that he will get the consultations done to make it happen?
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the great thing about Hansard is that it can be consulted to find out what the member opposite said last week. In effect, would we ram through a pipeline? No, never.
We will consult, for free, prior and informed consent, with first nations. We will work with the Province of British Columbia. We have conditions in the MOU with Alberta. We know how to work with the provinces. We know how to consult. We know how to respect. Does the member opposite?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, transcripts are great things.
The Prime Minister just renamed Justin Trudeau's immigration minister to cabinet: the guy who destroyed our immigration system and helped double the housing costs in this country. The minister has now had something to say about the Prime Minister's failure to consult on pipelines. He said that the consultation should have started yesterday, and it cannot be done on a desktop, making reference to his fellow minister's promise that they would do consultations by Zoom.
Why is it that the Prime Minister did not start consulting first nations eight months ago? Is it because he does not care what they have to say, or is it because he just does not want the pipeline to get built?
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I recognize that this situation is very complicated for the member opposite.
First off, we have to have a pipeline project. We have to have a private proponent. In order for that to happen, we had to create the conditions precedent. We have now done that, because we talked to the provinces and we worked with the provinces.
In the Building Canada Act, which was passed before the member opposite returned to this House, we set out the consultation process for nation-building projects.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, he has broken his promise to get big projects built, and now we learn that he has broken his promise to get houses built. He promised, during the election, that he would double home building to 500,000 units per year. Today, the Parliamentary Budget Officer revealed that his brand new bureaucracy will build only 5,000 homes per year, 99% fewer than he promised.
After Conservatives built well over 200,000 homes at half the cost of today, why will the Prime Minister not listen to us and stop building bureaucracy so that we can start building homes?
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the great thing about someone being a lifelong member of Parliament is that they have never built anything and they do not know numbers. They do not even read the PBO report where it says we will contribute to projects containing 86,868 units, at $130,000 a unit. That is what we are doing.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, the only thing that member built when he was the governor of the Bank of England was the housing crisis in that country. Then he built a tax haven in the Caribbean so he would not have to pay the same taxes he imposes on the Canadian people.
Our youth need homes, jobs and hope. The Prime Minister offers them only broken promises and more sacrifices. He even held a photo op in front of a house that was dismantled after he left it. Here we have a Prime Minister whose houses disappear after he announces them and whose promises disappear after he makes them.
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the house in that announcement was sent to Nunavut. Nunavut is one of the territories of this great country. Nunavut is more than just a place to fly in, make a photo op and not speak to the Premier of Nunavut. Nunavut is where we are building 700 houses under Build Canada Homes, houses that are cheaper, houses that are more efficient, houses that will work for the economy.
Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, the Prime Minister announced an agreement with Alberta that is surprising in many respects. I am thinking in particular of the fact that, the day before, I had asked the government whether it would make a solemn commitment not to allow any pipeline to pass through British Columbia without the free consent of the British Columbia government and first nations. The House leader stood up and told me that nothing would be done without their consent. The next day, the announcement was made.
Am I right in thinking that this matter had already been settled and that we were lied to?
Intergovernmental RelationsOral Questions
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
Members must be careful about the language they use. The language used does not break any rules, but it may provoke a certain reaction, and one reaction can lead to another. Together, these two reactions may cause disorder.
The right hon. Prime Minister.
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, yes, we respect the provinces's rights. We respect the rights of British Columbia. The memorandum of understanding clearly states that the Government of Canada and the Province of Alberta will work together with British Columbia. An agreement is required for there to be a pipeline.
Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Mr. Speaker, when one wants to get a party's agreement, then that party should be invited to participate in the agreement from the get-go. The contract the Prime Minister signed applies regardless, even without British Columbia.
Will the Prime Minister acknowledge that he did not respect what was said in the House and that there was not much respect for the truth when this agreement was signed? The agreement was being finalized at the very moment we were receiving a response here.
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, first of all, this is not a contract. It is a memorandum of understanding. Second, these are not sufficient conditions, but necessary conditions. This is not the end of a process. It is the beginning of a process: a process with Alberta, British Columbia, and, most importantly, indigenous peoples.
Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is a document that he signed and that creates obligations. It is a contract. He can call it whatever he likes in the language of his choice.
Given the issues surrounding the oil tanker moratorium, the issues surrounding the cap on greenhouse gas emissions, British Columbia's lack of agreement and the opposition of the first nations that voted against the agreement this morning, does the Prime Minister not think that he should reopen the agreement and ensure that the parties are signatories by free and informed consent?
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, first, it is a memorandum of understanding that includes commitments and significant investments by the Province of Alberta in greenhouse gas storage.
Second, it increases the industrial carbon price to six times what it is now, in an effective way. It also introduces stricter methane regulations.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, they cannot build homes if they run out of the House. This what the Prime Minister is doing right now.
HousingOral Questions
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
The hon. Leader of the Opposition knows that is very close to the line, and his colleagues know there is no singing in the House.
The hon. leader has the floor.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Battle River—Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, it is very sad the Prime Minister does not want to debate how we get homes for our youth. Our young people deserve homes, jobs and hope. He was feeling very cocky a few minutes ago until he worried I might present him with the facts. The Parliamentary Budget Officer revealed today that his new housing bureaucracy will build only 5,000 homes per year, which is barely 1% of the 500,000 homes he promised during the election. Construction is falling off the cliff.
Why will the Prime Minister not stand in the House and debate it?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, for the record, the Prime Minister is doing his job, and now he is off to speak with the Assembly of First Nations. He is doing the job of the Prime Minister of Canada, not standing in the House doing quippy quips for Twitter—
HousingOral Questions
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
We do not know when that now is because it is not necessarily talking about the present, but at some point. “Now” is a large concept.
The hon. Leader of the Opposition.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Battle River—Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister could be debating. He has plenty of time—