No.
House of Commons Hansard #69 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was meeting.
House of Commons Hansard #69 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was meeting.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Youth Criminal Justice Act Second reading of Bill C-231. The bill amends the Youth Criminal Justice Act to allow courts to refer young people struggling with addiction to treatment programs. It aims to prioritize rehabilitation over punishment for youth facing drug-related charges, enabling judges to delay sentencing pending treatment completion. Luc Berthold advocates this approach, seeing addiction as a mental health issue to be treated early. 8000 words, 1 hour.
Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 1 Second reading of Bill C-15. The bill implements budget provisions, drawing Conservative criticism as a "credit card budget" that increases debt and the cost of living. Conservatives also raise concerns about a provision allowing ministers to grant "regulatory exemptions" and the lack of support for small businesses. Liberals argue the budget "strikes a balance" by investing in social programs and "creating jobs", while accusing the opposition of "filibustering legislation". Bloc members question the lack of "cell coverage" investment and the absence of a "digital services tax". 15600 words, 2 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Liaison Members debate the systematic obstruction of parliamentary committees by the Liberal government, citing examples of cancelled meetings, ministerial absences, filibustering of government bills, and the failure to advance key legislation like bail reform. Liberals counter that Conservatives are also obstructing the budget implementation bill and other legislation, accusing them of political theatre and a lack of co-operation. 20300 words, 2 hours.
Liaison Members debate the Liberal government's alleged obstruction of parliamentary committees, with Conservatives citing frequent cancellation of meetings and ministers refusing to appear or provide information. Conservatives accuse the government of lacking accountability and transparency, while Liberals argue the opposition is filibustering important budget legislation. The role of committee chairs and ministerial responsibility are key points of contention. 6100 words, 45 minutes.
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
[Chair read text of amendment to House]
If a member participating in person wishes that the amendment be carried or carried on division, or if a member of a recognized party participating in person wishes to request a recorded division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
Pursuant to Standing Order 45, the recorded division stands deferred until later this day at the expiry of the time provided for Oral Questions.
Jake Sawatzky Liberal New Westminster—Burnaby—Maillardville, BC
Mr. Speaker, budget 2025 proposes a measure that businesses across the country have been asking for: the productivity superdeduction. It gives companies the ability to grow, drive investment and stay competitive in a rapidly changing global market. Manufacturers want it. Clean-tech firms want it. Small and medium-sized businesses want it. They are ready to invest, but they need Conservatives to get to work instead of blocking these investments from flowing to Canadian businesses.
Conservatives have been refusing to study Bill C-15 in committee for weeks, delaying the very tools that businesses need and the economic growth that communities across Canada are counting on. If the opposition were half as serious as its question period theatrics, it would send Bill C-15 to committee.
Are the Conservatives prepared to do the job their constituents sent them here to do, or is their annual holiday party more important than standing up for Canadian businesses?
Dave Epp Conservative Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON
Mr. Speaker, as the MP for Chatham-Kent—Leamington, a riding on the shores of Lake Erie, I know how vital the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence waterways are to the economy, culture and identity of Canada and North America. My communities see every day how these waters sustain jobs, transportation, fisheries and recreation. The stewardship of this shared ecosystem is also a remarkable example of the quiet, effective co-operation between Canada and the United States that has strengthened both countries for decades. We are all better off when we work together.
Later today, a delegation of organizations dedicated to protecting and sustaining these waterways will host a special event for members of Parliament, senators, officials and staff. These conservation, research and governance representatives will be available to discuss their work to keep these waters healthy, resilient and economically strong.
Great Lakes hospitality based along Canada's fourth coast is second to none, and I encourage all members and staff to attend to see for themselves and to learn more about this amazing natural resource.
Sima Acan Liberal Oakville West, ON
Mr. Speaker, Conservatives in the House have long claimed that any sort of climate action is unnecessary and that clean technology alone will help lower emissions. What do they do when we introduce investment tax credits to help bolster Canada’s world-class clean-tech sector and the growing clean energy companies creating good, middle-class jobs in communities like my riding of Oakville West? They vote against them. They put petty partisan politics ahead of Canadian industries and Canadian workers. They obstruct and they delay.
The BIA will strengthen and grow the Canadian economy while driving our historic transformation toward a lower-carbon future, work that companies in my riding of Oakville West and across Canada are already leading with innovation, manufacturing and clean energy supply-chain jobs that Conservatives refuse to support. If Conservatives cannot get on board, can they at least get out of the way and stop blocking this legislation?
Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West, ON
Mr. Speaker, as we approach the joyous Christmas season and the promise of a new year, I rise to extend warm holiday greetings to all Canadians. This is a time of celebration, reflection and gratitude, a time to cherish family, friends and the many blessings we share in this great country.
First, I thank my wonderful wife and children for their unwavering love, patience and support throughout another busy year. They are my greatest joy and inspiration. The hard work and commitment of my dedicated staff in Ottawa and back home in Niagara West make everything possible, and I am truly grateful for each of them. I also thank the incredible constituents of Niagara West, which includes Grimsby, Lincoln, West Lincoln, Pelham, Wainfleet and St. Catharines, for their trust, their kindness and the privilege of serving them. It is an honour to call this beautiful part of Canada home.
From my family to everyone, merry Christmas and may we never forget the real reason for the season: the birth of Christ. Merry Christmas and a happy new year.
Carlos Leitão Liberal Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is clear from what is happening at the Standing Committee on Finance that the opposition parties do not want to study the budget or the budget implementation bill. That is unfortunate, because Canadians are counting on us here in the House to get things right.
This budget contains major measures that will shape our economic future, such as the clean electricity investment tax credit. It also advances Canada's consumer-driven banking framework and promotes real competition in our financial sector.
Even if the opposition parties prefer to avoid committing to the budget, we will continue to fulfill our responsibilities and deliver the results that Canadians expect and deserve.
Melissa Lantsman Conservative Thornhill, ON
Mr. Speaker, today young people realize they cannot afford rent, let alone a home of their own. This is not normal. Across our cities and towns, tent encampments replace parks, as needles and crack pipes fill our streets and streetcars. Canadians are told to accept chaos as compassion. Small businesses board up. Even full-time workers are using food banks. This is not normal. Violent crime climbs, repeat offenders walk the streets and communities live in fear. Churches are burned, synagogues are vandalized and people of faith wonder when it became too dangerous to open their doors or speak their minds.
None of this is normal. Canadians are being told to lower their expectations and accept this decay as the new normal. A country this rich and this capable should not feel this hopeless. We can restore safety, make homes attainable, reward work and fix what families depend on, instead of creating dependence on Ottawa. What Canadians are living through should not be and is not normal.
Kent MacDonald Liberal Cardigan, PE
Mr. Speaker, the national school food program is helping out over 400,000 children by providing them with healthy meals and snacks, yet Conservatives called this program “garbage” and voted against it.
Let us talk about what some of the largest advocates for children in Canada have to say. The Breakfast Club of Canada said that “children's well-being must remain a national priority”. Pediatric health experts across the country state that research shows children learn better and have better health outcomes when they have access to nutritious meals. UNICEF said to enshrine it in law. The Canadian Teachers' Federation said to make it permanent. That is exactly what budget 2025 would do.
On Prince Edward Island, meals are made by local restaurants and program hubs using locally sourced food from our producers and processors. Our national school food program is a collaborative approach that supports our children, our food producers and our small businesses, and it strengthens our communities, our provinces and our territories, and—
National School Food ProgramStatements By Members
Colin Reynolds Conservative Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are hungry. According to a Harvest Manitoba report, over 60,000 Manitobans are turning to food banks just to make ends meet. For many Canadians, there is just not enough paycheque at the end of each month to cover the basics.
This is heartbreaking, and Parliament can do something about it. In the last election, the Prime Minister told Canadians to judge him based on “their experience at the grocery store”. When I speak to folks in my community about the cost of living crisis, what I hear are horror stories. Grocery prices have doubled over the last decade, and the reality is that “Canada's Food Price Report” for 2026 warns that things are only expected to get worse.
This news should be a wake-up call for each and every member in the House. I call on the government to remove hidden taxes on food so Canadians can finally afford to bring home nutritious and affordable meals for their families.
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today to acknowledge the induction of Jennifer Abel, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Diane Roy, Henri Sassine and the legendary Paul Houde and Michel Bergeron into the Quebec sports hall of fame. I am especially delighted to note the induction of two people from Abitibi—Témiscamingue, weightlifter Christine Girard and cyclist Marc Lemay.
Christine Girard, a gold medallist from Rouyn-Noranda, is a powerful symbol of clean sport thanks to her determination in London. She first won a bronze medal, already an incredible feat, and then won gold a few years later.
There is also the former Bloc Québécois member for Abitibi—Témiscamingue, my mentor and friend Marc Lemay. This cyclist from Amos and recognized community builder is known for his past commitments to the Tour de l'Abitibi and to Cycling Canada. He remains active as president of the arbitral board of the Union Cycliste Internationale. We also have him to thank for making mountain biking an Olympic sport.
I offer my congratulations to both athletes, with a special shout out to Marc Lemay on this major milestone. Abitibi—Témiscamingue will forever be very proud of them.
Karim Bardeesy Liberal Taiaiako'n—Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Speaker, our history is filled with examples of projects that connect our two largest provinces. Today, we have another opportunity to continue this proud tradition. One of our major national projects is the Toronto-Quebec City high-speed rail project.
The next step to get there is to pass Bill C‑15, which enacts the high-speed rail network act. What is the holdup? It is the opposition, which is playing games to delay the passage of this bill.
This is why we cannot have nice things.
Quebeckers and Ontarians have waited long enough. Every major country in the world except Canada has high-speed rail connecting their two biggest cities. It is time to stop playing games. It is time to move Canada forward.
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon South, SK
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister recently told young Canadians that they would need to make more sacrifices while he and his associates at Brookfield shield themselves from paying Canadian taxes. We all know Brookfield is Canada's number one tax-dodger. As chair of Brookfield, the Prime Minister helped the company avoid $6.5 billion in taxes through offshore tax havens.
The Prime Minister, we all know, tabled the most expensive budget in Canadian history outside of COVID, ballooning the budget to unprecedented highs. We are left with higher taxes, slower growth and generational debt. Canadians are lining up at the food banks in record numbers, including 23,000 in my city.
The Prime Minister needs to come clean. Is he here to serve Canadians, or Brookfield and his friends?
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
Mr. Speaker, residents in Whitby, like communities across Canada, expect Parliament to pass the budget implementation act. Why? It will deliver the generational investments they have been asking for. That means parties opposite need to stop the procedural delays and stop blocking the affordable housing, health care and housing infrastructure Canadians rely on.
This budget bill would advance the top priorities in my riding: affordable housing, waterfront redevelopment and long-overdue improvements to health care. It would help build the health care infrastructure families need so they can get care closer to home and shorter wait times. In Durham, that would mean real progress on the Whitby Hospital and our hospice in Whitby. Members opposite have already voted against $5 billion in health care infrastructure funding.
The build communities strong fund and Build Canada Homes would help municipalities rapidly increase housing supply. For Whitby, that would unlock over 11,000 new units at our waterfront. I will keep—
The BudgetStatements By Members
Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton Gateway, AB
Mr. Speaker, a pipeline to the Pacific is absolutely necessary to unlock Canada's energy potential, moving a million barrels a day to Asia at world prices, creating good-paying Canadian jobs, boosting take-home pay and strengthening a truly self-reliant economy. That is why Conservatives introduced a motion that uses the same language as the Liberals' own MOU with Alberta. However, the Liberal caucus is divided, with the Prime Minister himself claiming the pipeline must have B.C.'s consent. The Prime Minister is saying one thing to Alberta and another thing to British Columbia.
Let us be clear: Under the Constitution, only the federal government has authority over interprovincial pipelines. The only thing standing in the way is Liberal delay.
Will the government vote for our motion to approve a pipeline to the Pacific, just like the Prime Minister promised in that MOU?
Arielle Kayabaga Liberal London West, ON
Mr. Speaker, Conservatives love to ask the same questions over and over again about supporting Canadians with disabilities. They hold press conferences, repeat the same slogans and pretend to care, but when it is time to actually remove barriers and deliver the supports Canadians need, what do they do? They delay.
Budget 2025 delivers actions. We are breaking down the red tape that blocks access to the Canada disability benefit. We are investing $115 million to lower barriers and provide a one-time supplemental payment for every disability tax credit certification or recertification that opens the door to the benefit. That is for the more than six million Canadians with disabilities who should not need a lawyer to access support. That is why we are simplifying the disability tax credit process. As promised in the fall economic statement, the benefit will be exempt from taxable income, because support should actually mean support.
Conservatives cannot claim to stand with Canadians with disabilities while they are voting to keep these barriers exactly where they are. The question is simple: Will they pass Bill C-15 or keep hiding behind slogans?
John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians to judge him by “their experience at the grocery store”. Well, what Canadians see on the shelves now is Liberal failure. The food price report confirms what Canadians already know: Food prices are out of control and are going to get worse.
In 2015, when the Liberals took office, the average weekly food bill was about $160. In a decade, it has doubled to $360. That is $17,500 to feed a family of four in Canada. That is unbelievable. The food price report told Canadians that it is going to get worse with the largest increase ever, another $1,000 a year for a family of four.
Instead of lowering prices, the Liberals are piling on taxes that make it more expensive to grow food, transport food and buy food. Food inflation in Canada is 50% higher than the Liberals' own target. It is rising 48% faster in Canada than it is in the United States. It is time to end the misery.
Will the Liberals not end the hidden taxes on food so Canadians can afford Christmas dinner?
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party of Canada, in particular the leader of the Conservative Party, just does not get it. It is about building Canada strong. The support for Canadians is there in the budget. While every Liberal member of Parliament and the Prime Minister are focused on building Canada strong, Conservative Party members are solely focused on the party's best interest. It is time they put Canadians' interests first.
That means allowing legislation such as bail reform legislation and budget legislation to pass. There is only one thing standing in the way of their passage: the Conservative Party of Canada and the leader of the Conservative Party. They should get off their back ends and get to work.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, Christmastime is here and the Liberals are already acting like grinches, but Canadians are the ones who should be unhappy given grocery prices. Canadians deserve delicious, affordable meals, and yet Dalhousie University estimates that they will have to pay an extra $1,000 for groceries next year, for a total of $17,600.
This is all because of the Liberals' inflationary taxes and deficits. Why are the Liberals forcing Canadians to feed a big government instead of feeding their families?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Finance and National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, I can tell that it is Monday. I see that my colleagues are happy, but the Leader of the Opposition is dreaming. I know that Christmastime is here, but he is talking about some imaginary tax.
Canadians know better. Our budget contains good news. The most significant measure that we introduced was a tax cut for 22 million Canadians. The budget lays out a series of measures that will grow Canada, create jobs and grow our economy.
I hope the Conservatives will wake up before Christmas and vote in favour of the budget.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, this Christmas, the Prime Minister is the Grinch of the grocery store. According to Dalhousie University, the cost of groceries will be up $1,000 in 2026, for a total of $17,600 just to feed a family of four.
It is the Liberal Grinch, who brings in an industrial carbon tax on farm equipment, fertilizer and food processors; the Liberal Grinch with a food packaging tax; and the Liberal Grinch with a $78-billion inflationary deficit. Will he get rid of all of these hidden grocery taxes so Canadians can feed themselves at Christmas?