Debates of Dec. 4th, 2025

Justice

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we knew that the Conservatives would side with extremist preachers, since they are the official party of the religious right, but it is appalling to see the Liberals abandon Quebeckers, Canadians, and their fundamental principles. I am talking about principles such as equality before the law when it comes to crime, equality between men and women, the rights of sexual minorities, upholding social peace, and so on. On all of these issues, they are bowing down to the various religious right-wing groups.

Will they stand up, come to their senses and immediately convene the Standing Committee on Justice so that we can finally abolish the religious exemption defence?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Bloc Québécois members want to create a diversion. I would nevertheless like to remind them that we have invested historic sums in culture, not for the sake of artists' loyalty, but rather so that artists can be loyal to themselves and their artistic expression. For the leader of the Bloc Québécois to claim that Canada's investments in culture could neutralize our artists shows what little regard, even contempt, he has for our artists in Quebec.

My message to them is that neither the leader of the Bloc Québécois nor the leader at their headquarters in Quebec City has the right to judge other Quebeckers on their loyalty to Quebec.

Taxation

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians that he should be judged by the price of food at the grocery store. Well, the verdict is in and the Liberals have failed. Canada's food price guide said Canadians will spend $1,000 more on groceries next year, the highest increase in years. When the Liberals took office, the average weekly food bill was about $160. In a decade, it has more than doubled to $340 a week.

Why is the Prime Minister breaking his promises to Canadians and increasing taxes on farmers, on food and on fuel?

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, we have done more for affordability in six months than that leader and that party have done in 20 years. We have cut taxes for 22 million Canadians. We have cut the tax for first-time homebuyers. We have cut the consumer carbon tax. We have automatic federal benefits and the school food program. The list goes on and on, and the Conservatives opposed it all.

With that leader, it is the same old tired rhetoric again and again. On this side, we are getting things done for Canadians.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians will have a very different point of view. They know that these food price increases, as is in this report, are a direct result of the Liberals' industrial carbon tax, fuel tax and inflationary spending. The Prime Minister himself said that he should be judged by the price of food. By his own metrics, he has failed. When the Liberals came to office, the annual food budget was about $8,300 a year. In a decade, it has doubled to $17,500 a year.

Will the Prime Minister get rid of his taxes on food, so Canadians can afford a Christmas dinner?

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, that member, that leader and his party need to look in the mirror. The Conservatives have voted against every affordability measure we have brought forth. Let us talk about automatic federal benefits for 5.5 million Canadians, getting benefits to those who need it the most. Did they support it? No, of course they did not support it. They have not supported one affordability measure we have put forth since we have come into government. It is time for them to look in the mirror, get real and support our programs.

The Economy

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, where is the beef? That is what Canadians are asking as food prices keep rising. The Prime Minister told Canadians that he would be judged by the prices at the grocery store, yet 86% of Canadians say they are cutting back on meat because they simply cannot afford it. The Liberals' industrial carbon tax and inflationary deficits are driving up the prices Canadians pay at the checkout line.

Why is the Liberal government making it even harder for people to afford food?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Secretary of State (Sport)]

Mr. Speaker, there are no taxes on food.

Look, food is too expensive. That is a fact, but I have some other facts for the member. One, the number one driver of food cost inflation is climate change, something those Conservatives will never say. Two, industrial carbon pricing applies to goods sold on international markets, and it is not passed on to consumers. Three, industrial carbon systems impact household expenses by 0%.

Here are some ideas for ways that Conservatives can actually help Canadians: Vote in favour of dental care, vote in favour of national school food programs, vote in favour of affordable housing or vote in favour of $10-a-day child care that we just signed with Ontario. Try to help a Canadian for once.

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that answer was all bun, no patty. The member said nothing of substance to Canadians who cannot afford groceries. Because of Liberal policies, next year a family of four can expect to pay nearly $1,000 more for food. Food prices could rise 6% next year, with meat expected to see the biggest price hike.

The Liberals are refusing to act to lower food costs. The beef is already gone, so what does that minister think Canadians should cut back on next?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Secretary of State (Sport)]

Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect for that member. I have been to his riding and I know the farmers in his riding very well. They know that industrial carbon pricing does not affect the cost of food in Canada. He should spend more time talking to those farmers.

However, if he wants something to put on his hot dog, here are four things: dental care for Canadians, $10-a-day child care for young kids or a national school food program to feed the kids in his riding. Affordable housing goes great on a hot dog. Put that on your hamburger.

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Again, comments should go through the Chair.

The hon. member for Long Range Mountains.

[Carol Anstey, Conservative, Long Range Mountains, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians that he should be judged by the prices at the grocery store. Canadians are now paying 112% more for food than when the Liberals took office and groceries are consuming a bigger share of every family's budget. Even basic centre-aisle staples, such as coffee and baby formula, are skyrocketing. Canada's food price report confirms that next year, Canadians will pay an extra $1,000 on groceries.

When will these Liberals finally stop their inflationary spending, scrap the industrial carbon tax and let Canadians afford groceries again?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, instead of repeating the same canned lines, I would ask the member from Newfoundland and Labrador, a Conservative member, to think about what she voted against: $10-a-day child care; food for kids in schools, something that her colleague called garbage; dental care; and the family benefit, which 46,000 families in my riding take advantage of.

I ask her to start to work for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

[Carol Anstey, Conservative, Long Range Mountains, NL]

Mr. Speaker, a local single mom of three reached out to me today in complete desperation. She is working hard, doing everything right, yet a series of setbacks has pushed her to the brink. She is falling behind on the basics. Now she is trying to figure out how to give her kids Christmas, while food inflation makes the essentials feel out of reach. Families should not have to choose between groceries and giving their children a holiday.

When will the Prime Minister finally take this seriously and make life affordable for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, I would say to the mom in the member's riding to please ask her member to vote for child care, dental care and the school nutrition program, where a family of two can save $800 a year, and to support the inflation-indexed Canada child benefit, as 46,000 families need that support, along with housing supports. I could go on and on. These are tangible affordability measures. I will never politicize the struggles of moms in my province.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians he should be judged by the prices at the grocery store. Under his watch, the weekly grocery bill has doubled and the food price report of 2026 says it will get even worse. Families in my community cannot even afford a healthy meal, not even a modest Italian dish like pasta e fagioli, yet the government keeps stirring the pot with higher spending, the industrial carbon tax and the new fuel tax.

What is the matter for you?

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Everything is quite all right.

Questions and comments should go through the Chair. I know it does not pack the same punch, but members should speak through the Chair.

The hon. Secretary of State for Seniors.

[Stephanie McLean, Liberal, Secretary of State (Seniors)]

Mr. Speaker, those Conservatives clearly can talk until the cows come home, but they are all hat and no cattle. When their own platform had nothing in it for food affordability, did they vote to put money in the jeans of Canadians? No. Did they vote for the national school food program? No. Did they vote for old age security? No. Did they vote for the Canada child care benefit? No. Did they vote for the disability benefit? No.

There we have it.

Intergovernmental Affairs

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Radio-Canada is reporting that the “no” side is getting organized. Indeed, the Liberals are wondering how to handle a potential third referendum.

I have some ideas for them. They can start by not doing the following: betraying Quebeckers by abandoning climate action, threatening a province with pipelines, dismissing all of Quebec's demands in the budget and turning the Quebec Liberal Party into a federal farm team.

Before they even start coming up with arguments for the “no” side, did the Liberals, these world champions, think that maybe they should stop giving us reasons to vote “yes”?

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

Mr. Speaker, do you know what people are not talking about in Saguenay—Lac‑Saint‑Jean this morning? They are not talking about this obsession with referendums. They are not talking about breaking up, separation, division or bickering in society. What do they care about? They care about their jobs, they care about building a country, they care about taking care of their kids, they care about putting food on the table and they care about paying the mortgage. That is what we are working on.

On that side, they are all about breaking up, division and separation. On this side, we are all about jobs and the economy.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons should visit Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean. He would find out that people certainly are talking about building a country, the country of Quebec.

I have even more suggestions for the “no” side. The federal government could respect Quebec laws, such as state secularism and the Charter of the French Language. It could fight the decline of French in Quebec instead of funding anglicization. It could transfer immigration powers to Quebec. It could stop meddling in areas under Quebec's jurisdiction. The list goes on and on. We have been having the same problem since the 1980s. Nothing has changed.

Does anyone really think that any of this is going to change today?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, throughout the last election campaign, Bloc Québécois members proposed nothing. All they ever said was, if it is good for Quebec, we vote for it, and if it is not good for Quebec, we vote against it.

When they had the opportunity to vote for a budget that is good for Quebec, a budget that includes $4 billion for Hydro-Québec, a project in Contrecœur, a project with Nouveau Monde Graphite, investments in infrastructure and historic investments in culture, they voted against it. They did not show up.

Worse still, when Bloc Québécois members had the opportunity to say what they wanted, they said absolutely nothing about culture. That is shameful.

The Economy

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this Prime Minister, who has accomplished nothing since he took office, said something very important to Canadians when his cabinet was being sworn in. He said that Canadians could judge him by the price of groceries.

Well, judgment day is here. Next year's food costs are going to rise to unprecedented levels, to use his own words. Families were spending an average of $159 a week when the Liberals took office in 2015. Ten years later, that cost has more than doubled to $340 a week.

When will the Prime Minister end his inflationary spending so that Canadians can put food on the table?

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

Mr. Speaker, once again, I challenge my colleague, or any group among his colleagues that he cares to bring, to define what he means by inflationary spending. Does he mean school nutrition? Does he mean dental care? Does he mean investments in jobs or in renewable energy?

What exactly does he mean by inflationary spending? We have been asking him that forever. My colleague seems not to know, but I invite him to explain it to the House and to all of Canada.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it seems to touch a nerve when we quote the words of their own Prime Minister. Those are not my words. It was the Prime Minister who told Canadians to judge him on the cost of groceries.

The verdict is in: Groceries will cost an additional $1,000 per family next year. They will cost $17,600 a year, or $338 a week. That is double what it was 10 years ago. The Prime Minister has been judged and found lacking.

Will he accept the verdict and finally put an end to his inflationary spending so that Canadians finally have enough to eat?