House of Commons Hansard #67 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was hate.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
École Polytechnique de Montréal Members mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, commemorating the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre. They highlight the ongoing crisis of gender-based violence, noting a woman or girl is killed every 48 hours. Speakers discuss its disproportionate impact on Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, which the NDP calls an ongoing genocide, urging collective action to end violence and ensure safety for all. 4700 words, 45 minutes.
Instruction to Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights Members debate a Conservative motion for the Justice Committee to travel across Canada to hear testimony on Bill C-9. Conservatives argue the bill and a proposed amendment to remove the Criminal Code's religious exemption threaten religious freedom and accuse Liberals of obstructing committee work. The Bloc supports removing the exemption, citing public consensus against incitement to hatred. Liberals accuse Conservatives of filibustering to delay hate crime and bail reform legislation, and spreading misinformation. 26200 words, 3 hours.
Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 1 Second reading of Bill C-15. The bill implements budget provisions, drawing criticism from opposition parties. The Bloc Québécois rejects it due to insufficient support for Quebec’s demands, increased fossil fuel subsidies, and environmental backsliding. Conservatives denounce the bill for failing to address the affordability crisis, soaring food prices, and record national debt. They also criticize government spending and the impact of taxes on families, seniors, and key economic sectors. Liberals defend the budget's investments in social programs and the economy. 22800 words, 3 hours.
Criminal Code Second reading of Bill C-246. The bill would mandate consecutive sentencing for those convicted of sexual offences. The sponsor argues it would strengthen the justice system and ensure each crime and victim receives full recognition, as current practices allow multiple sentences to be served concurrently. While the Bloc Québécois supports sending the bill to committee, the Liberals argue it is unconstitutional and overly rigid, preferring their own legislative reforms that aim to address similar issues. 7500 words, 1 hour.
Instruction to Standing Committee on Justice and Human RightsRoutine Proceedings
The Assistant Deputy Speaker John Nater
A point of order has to be related to the Standing Orders or the usual practices of the House. We are into a matter—
Instruction to Standing Committee on Justice and Human RightsRoutine Proceedings
Some hon. members
Oh, oh!
Instruction to Standing Committee on Justice and Human RightsRoutine Proceedings
The Assistant Deputy Speaker John Nater
Order. We are into a matter of debate here.
The chief government whip has about 10 seconds if he wishes to finish his answer. He is finished.
Questions and comments, the hon. parliamentary secretary.
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, members of the Liberal caucus came here today in anticipation of debating the budget implementation bill. We are concerned about the issues that Canadians are concerned about. It deals with issues like, for example, the tax break for 22 million Canadians and the many ways in which the government is supporting Canadians and building a stronger Canada.
I am wondering if the member can provide his thoughts as to why it is that we are not debating the budget today, but rather the Conservative agenda.
Instruction to Standing Committee on Justice and Human RightsRoutine Proceedings
Some hon. members
Oh, oh!
Instruction to Standing Committee on Justice and Human RightsRoutine Proceedings
The Assistant Deputy Speaker John Nater
Order. I invite members who do not have the floor to please not talk.
The hon. chief government whip.
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
I wish I had an answer to the question, Mr. Speaker, but, unfortunately I have spent 10 years here listening to Conservatives, day after day, just going on and on, trying to obstruct, and moving concurrence motions. We have not even gotten to the point in Routine Proceedings where a concurrence motion can be put forward. I am sure they will do that, too.
I will go back to the question from the member for Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford. I had only 10 seconds left. The reality is—
Instruction to Standing Committee on Justice and Human RightsRoutine Proceedings
Some hon. members
Oh, oh!
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Mr. Speaker, do they want to hear my answer or not? Of course they do not. They are yelling “time”. Which is it?
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, it would be hard to overstate how disappointed people would feel if they heard what is being said here.
Quebec has already had this debate. The National Assembly unanimously adopted a motion to remove the religious exemption from the Criminal Code. Seventy-five per cent of Quebeckers support the Bloc Québécois's proposal to remove the religious exemption from the Criminal Code. People would be disheartened to see what is going on.
Does my colleague agree that it is outrageous for the committee not to be sitting today, or for us not to be able to work on this issue to get this bill passed?
Once and for all, we have to realize the importance and reasonableness of removing this exemption.
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Mr. Speaker, I certainly agree about the obstruction that is going on. I have seen it from Conservatives for 10 years.
The reality is that the member for Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford asked why the issue cannot just come back and why we cannot travel on it. The reality is that it should have been brought up when they started discussing the bill, not when they were in the clause-by-clause phase. It leaves people to wonder why the Conservatives are doing this, and I will leave it to the Canadian public to figure that out.
Instruction to Standing Committee on Justice and Human RightsRoutine Proceedings
Conservative
Amarjeet Gill Conservative Brampton West, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise in the chamber today to address Bill C-9, an act to amend the Criminal Code with respect to hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religious or cultural places.
The bill matters; it is an important bill. Canadians deserve clarity, fairness and honesty from their government. Conservatives believe deeply in protecting every Canadian from hate, intimidation and violence. We stand against hate crimes in every form. We stand with the communities that feel threatened. We also stand for the fundamental freedoms that define this country.
Canada is a plural society. People of every faith, every culture and every tradition live side by side. Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and indigenous spiritual communities all contribute. Everyone belongs, and everyone deserves safety. We believe that every Canadian should feel safe walking into a temple, a gurdwara, a church, a mosque or any other cultural or religious centre. Canadians deserve the freedom to pray, celebrate and gather without fear.
Religious freedom is essential; it is not secondary. It is a core Canadian value. It is protected by the charter, and it must never be undermined by vague or politically motivated legislation.
However, protecting freedom requires responsible drafting, and responsible drafting requires clarity. Bill C-9 unfortunately does not provide that clarity. The bill would expand definitions of hate propaganda, without precise thresholds or constitutional safeguards. Experts raised concerns. Legal scholars raised concerns. Law enforcement raised concerns. The National Post reported extensively on these flaws, highlighting how language risks selective enforcement, how investigators lack operational guidance and how Canadians risk being silenced rather than protected.
When the country's major newspapers and legal experts sound alarms, any responsible government would pause and fix the issues, but the government did not. Instead it pushed ahead, prioritizing political messaging over legislative quality. It rejected Conservative amendments. It ignored community advice. It disregarded charter warnings.
When the government proposes amendments to the Criminal Code on something as sensitive as hate propaganda and hate crimes, the language must be exact. The law must be carefully crafted to target the people who promote violence and genuine hatred, while shielding Canadians from the risk of being criminalized for expressing opinions, beliefs, criticism, satire or religious teachings that are part of legitimate democratic discourse.
Then the Liberals tried to block scrutiny where Canadians expect accountability most: at the justice committee. Liberals filibustered. They obstructed meaningful debate. They prevented witnesses from fully presenting concerns. They treated legitimate questions as inconveniences. Incredibly, they disrupted the committee process to such an extent that the committee clerk informed members that today's meeting has been cancelled because the government simply refused to let the work continue.
Canadians deserve better than a government that filibusters its own bill and grinds committee work to a halt. What kind of confidence can Canadians have in the law when the government is afraid of its own committee hearings?
Canada's strength is its pluralism, not in slogans but in real, lived experience in neighbours of different faiths supporting each other, in families practising different traditions under the same roof, and in communities celebrating their culture without fear. Pluralism requires trust, and trust requires laws that are fair, clear and constitutional. Bill C-9 would threaten that trust, because vague laws do not protect our society; they weaken it.
When religious groups, cultural organizations or ordinary Canadians wonder if their speech or practices could be misinterpreted, fear begins to replace confidence, and when confidence erodes, the foundation of a pluralistic society cracks.
Conservatives support protecting places of worship: temples, gurdwaras, churches, mosques, synagogues, and cultural centres, every sacred space. We support the right to worship freely and without intimidation. We support strong penalties for hate-motivated attacks, but we also support laws that work. Communities want real protection. They want scrutiny and resources, not flowery commitments. They want policing tools, not political theatre. They want faster responses, not confusing legislation.
Instead of developing a precise, enforceable, community-informed framework that strengthens prevention, enhances police capabilities and sharply targets people who spread real hatred and violence, the government drafted a bill so broad, so unclear and so poorly defended that experts, communities and law enforcement alike cannot confidently explain how it would be applied. This is not good governance. This is not how we protect religious freedom. This is not how we protect or support a pluralistic society.
Conservatives will always stand against hate, but we will also always stand up for the charter. We will defend due process, we will defend clear constitutional law and we will defend the right of every Canadian to worship freely, speak freely and live without fear.
Bill C-9 would not meet these standards. It would fail to give police clear tools. It would fail to deliver confidence to religious communities. It would fail to reflect the society we are proud to be. It fails the test of transparency, especially when the government cancels committee meetings rather than face scrutiny. Canada deserves laws that work. Our society deserves what is real. Every Canadian who values both safety and freedom deserves better. Parliament deserves legislation that respects rights, freedom and common sense.
Instruction to Standing Committee on Justice and Human RightsRoutine Proceedings
Conservative
Kelly DeRidder Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his passion about Bill C-9.
When we serve on committee, we are doing really important work for Canadians. That is currently where the legislation is: in committee, where we work on and review legislation. Conservatives are working in committee right now to protect the religious freedoms of Canadians. On this side of the House, that is what we are trying to do.
Can my colleague please explain how the Liberals are blocking the work we are trying to complete in committee?
Instruction to Standing Committee on Justice and Human RightsRoutine Proceedings
Conservative
Amarjeet Gill Conservative Brampton West, ON
Mr. Speaker, I too am a member of the justice committee, and I can tell the House that for days and weeks the Liberals have filibustered the committee. They are not letting us conclude what Canadian expects us to. Even in the last 24 hours, one of the Liberal members of Parliament stood in the House and claimed we are not moving justice forward but are blocking it, but today we received a message that the justice committee meeting had been cancelled.
The Liberals are not working effectively. They are not working in collaboration. We have to put forward the policies that will help Canadians in the coming future.
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, thank you for recognizing me. We are always forgotten, but we are part of the House, unfortunately for the other two recognized parties.
I just want to understand. I have been here since this morning, and there is something I really do not understand. Quebeckers are watching everything that is going on right now and finding it completely surreal. The Bloc Québécois's proposal is not complicated: take the Criminal Code and remove the exemption that allows hate to be promoted under the guise of religion, even if it is done in good faith.
Since the beginning of the day, there have been big speeches about religious freedom. That is not what the Bloc Québécois is attacking. I would just like to understand. Is my colleague fighting to allow people to promote hatred under the guise of religion? Is that what the Conservatives have been fighting for in the House all day?
Instruction to Standing Committee on Justice and Human RightsRoutine Proceedings
Conservative
Amarjeet Gill Conservative Brampton West, ON
Mr. Speaker, the fundamental, basic difference among the Conservatives, the Liberals and the Bloc is that we want to work together but the Liberals are not willing to collaborate with us in making things happen in the country. They always politicize things when there are commitments on security, crime or any other issues that are important for Canadians.
I would say that we have to enforce the law as it exists.
Giovanna Mingarelli Liberal Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON
Mr. Speaker, as we move into the holiday season, I rise today to honour one of the greatest women I know: my mother, Leslie Jean Anderson.
Jean gave birth to and raised seven children. She made every meal from scratch and built our home on a foundation of devotion and generosity.
Like so many women across the country, she is one of our country's unsung heroes. Women take care of their families without pay, often without rest. They invest almost everything—their time, their energy and their hearts—in their families and their communities.
This holiday season, let us recognize these extraordinary women, our mothers, for what they truly are: nation builders.
I wish everyone, especially mothers, in Prescott—Russell—Cumberland and across Canada a very happy holiday season.
Happy holidays, everyone.
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker,
Hark, the Brookfield PM's sleigh is near,
Bringing gifts for all his friends this year!
Consultants cheer, lobbyists sing,
Corporate stockings overflow with bling.
Now the PM poses by a door,
A photo op that is only decor.
Fake homes for the camera's flash,
But taxpayers send real cash.
Brookfield's modular dreams take flight,
On subsidies through Christmas night.
Insiders feast, while young workers fall,
This is not charity; it is a corporate haul.
While steelworkers lose their pay,
Brookfield cashes in today.
Tax credits wrapped with care and with bows,
Handouts for customers, everyone he knows.
Arc furnaces hum, the contracts flow,
Electric riches make profits grow.
But for families left in the cold,
This tale of cronyism must be told.
Canadians deserve a fair refrain,
Not the PM's plan for insider gain.
Let us put the workers first, not billionaires,
And bring real hope to he who really cares!
Philip Earle Liberal Labrador, NL
Mr. Speaker, I count it as a great honour to speak today.
On December 1, we marked the 20th anniversary of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement. This historic treaty among the Nunatsiavut Government, the Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador stands as a powerful example of reconciliation. It formally recognizes that the Inuit have lived on and stewarded the lands of northern Labrador since time immemorial.
This agreement did not come easily. I reflect today on the many Labrador Inuit who, over decades, fought tirelessly to have their rights recognized by the federal and provincial governments. I wish to acknowledge the trail-blazing leaders whose vision, resilience and determination made this treaty possible.
We honour the enduring relationship between Canada and the Inuit of Labrador. Today and every day, we recognize our shared history and reaffirm our commitment to building a future together, one that respects Inuit rights.
Constituency Team in Côte‑du‑Sud—Rivière‑du‑Loup—Kataskomiq—TémiscouataStatements by Members
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank some people who mean a great deal to me. We know that our role as members of Parliament would not be the same without our teams, and mine is no exception. Annie Francoeur, who has worked with me for more than 12 years, is not just my right hand; she is both my hands. She is continuing to rest after our accident in October. We miss her very much and we wish her a speedy recovery.
There is also Denise, who gives a warm welcome to residents in my riding when they visit my constituency office in Rivière-du-Loup. Annie Boutin in Montmagny is equally appreciated for the outstanding job she does. An skilfully manages our communications. We are also lucky to have Shane, our amazing intern, who always gives 110%, and last but not least, Lauriane, whose cheerfulness and efficiency help me to do an even more professional job here in Ottawa.
I am spoiled to have such wonderful support. I wish to thank the members of my team for their passion and their dedication to the people of Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish my whole team and everyone across my riding a very happy holiday season.
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am very fortunate to live in a community that comes together to support those most in need. For the 17th year in a row, I am proud to partner with 'Twas the Bite Before Christmas and my annual holiday turkey drive. Over these years, working together, we have raised more than $1.2 million to support food banks in Mississauga.
We are once again raising money to provide turkey dinners for families throughout this holiday season. I am grateful for the generous support of my neighbours and volunteers, and I appreciate the continued spirit of giving. The 'Twas the Bite Before Christmas campaign and the holiday turkey drive go a long way toward fighting despair and feeding hope.
I wish everyone peace, joy and good health.
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, the civil war in Sudan has been devastating, and Canadians have been shocked to learn that weapons made in this country have been used in the conflict by the RSF, the same organization responsible for genocide. This is not the first time a diversion has put weapons in the hands of genocidal actors. Canadian-made weapons have also been used by Russia against Ukraine.
At a time when our allies are rearming, there is no excuse for allowing Canadian weapons to go to hostile regimes and militias responsible for genocide. The world must work to end the devastating war in Sudan, in particular by stopping the flow of arms to the combatants. The Prime Minister's trip to the U.A.E. could have focused more on that and less on advancing Brookfield's corporate interests.
The Liberals are doubling down on a foreign policy of personal selfishness, autocrat idealization and administrative incompetence, instead of on one that upholds our values and our security interests. The people of Sudan deserve freedom, democracy and civilian administration. They have shown a will to fight for these things themselves. It should not be much to ask for Canada to stop arming their oppressors.
Ellis Ross Conservative Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, over the past 20 years, I have helped develop processes to deal with aboriginal rights and title honourably on the part of the Crown and first nations, respectively. It took years of trial and error, but it is what enabled projects like LNG Canada to be approved and bring peace to the forests in B.C.
Today, the Liberal government is disregarding and frustrating what was already a good process that met the needs of first nations and non-first nations alike. Offering to do consultations by Zoom is demeaning to first nations. The idea that the Liberal government will start consultations once an application is made is an insult. It ignores all the best practices already laid out in other projects. Consultations should have started eight months ago.
The flip-flopping of statements to first nations is not honourable. The messaging to first nations from the Liberal government changes every day and is confusing to Canadians, who deserve leadership in the face of U.S. tariffs.
Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC
Mr. Speaker, I want to flag some disconcerting data regarding HIV/AIDS with my colleagues. The goal of ending AIDS as an epidemic globally by 2030 has gone off track. In poor nations, it is now increasing, partly due to U.S. funding cuts.
What is alarming is the 35% rise in new cases in Canada this year, especially in Saskatchewan, in Manitoba and among first nations. This is the result of poor tracking, cuts in funding for prevention and treatment, and the myth that HIV is no longer a problem.
Antiretroviral therapy combined with pre-exposure prophylaxis is a successful, made-in-Canada solution, but we need to move it forward. It was tried in B.C. with no new cases for decades. We need to introduce it now in provincial formularies and in the national pharmacare program. We will see an end to the AIDS epidemic by 2030 if we do that.
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, the cold weather is returning, and lights are starting to sprout again in the trees. It can mean only one thing: The holiday season is back. Also back for its 25th year is the media food drive's traditional street corner collection day. This marks 25 years of generous support for families who need a little help to have a merry Christmas.
On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I encourage everyone who is able to help to give generously, by donating either food items or some money. Media personalities are out accepting donations all across Quebec today, but for anyone who is not able to go and meet them in person, donations can be made online until December 31.
Thank you to the media for a quarter century of support. Thank you to all Quebeckers who participate. Thank you to our Bloc Québécois riding teams who have taken part in this initiative in many regions of the province.
I closing, I would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.