House of Commons Hansard #12 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
National Housing Strategy Act First reading of Bill C-205. The bill amends the National Housing Strategy Act to ban forced encampments on federal land and mandate consultation for housing alternatives for those experiencing homelessness. 300 words.
National Strategy on Brain Injuries Act First reading of Bill C-206. The bill establishes a national strategy on brain injuries to reduce incidents, improve care, and address related challenges like substance use and homelessness. 200 words.
Canada Pension Plan First reading of Bill C-207. The bill requires approval from two-thirds of participating provinces for a province to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan, aiming to protect it and give Canadians a say in its future. 200 words.
Opposition Motion—Canada Carbon Rebate and Payment to Quebec Members debate a Bloc motion demanding Quebec receive $814 million, its estimated contribution to a federal carbon rebate paid to other provinces after the consumer tax was eliminated. The Bloc calls the payment an election giveaway funded by all taxpayers, excluding Quebeckers who have their own system. Liberals argue the payment was necessary for families who budgeted for it in participating provinces and highlight other benefits for Quebeckers. Conservatives support ending the tax but agree the rebate timing and exclusion of Quebec were unfair, also raising concerns about government spending. Discussions touch on climate policy and industrial carbon pricing. 55400 words, 7 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26 Members question Ministers on the government's estimates. Discussions cover fiscal responsibility, budget deficits, national debt, US tariffs and trade diversification, support for Ukraine, and measures for affordability like tax cuts and housing. Specific topics include collected tariffs, debt servicing costs, unemployment, budget timing, internal trade barriers, and support for industries like steel, aluminum, and canola. 36200 words, 4 hours.
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Brampton East Ontario
Liberal
Maninder Sidhu LiberalMinister of International Trade
Mr. Speaker, Canada has what the world needs. It is about energy security. I think we have a lot of energy.
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
Maninder Sidhu Liberal Brampton East, ON
Different types of energy go out to different markets around the world. We need to get these supplies to export markets. Some of these big projects that we are going to be building with the provinces will support jobs across Canada and—
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, what is the Government of Canada going to spend on interest payments this fiscal year?
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Saint-Maurice—Champlain Québec
Liberal
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Finance and National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, the member probably will not be asking if I can say “oil and gas” or something like that.
I can assure him that we are proud of what we produce in Canada, and we want to build infrastructure so we can—
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, the answer is $49 billion.
How much did the government forecast to spend on interest in the year's estimates last year?
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
An hon. member
Are you allowed to say “budget”?
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
François-Philippe Champagne Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, I heard the other question, and obviously, I can say “budget” as well.
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, how much did the government forecast to spend on interest in last year's estimates?
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
François-Philippe Champagne Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, I know the member is a very experienced member. He reads “The Fiscal Monitor”. I know him. He is the type of member who would focus on “The Fiscal Monitor” to get his information. If he is reading—
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, to help the minister again, the answer is $46.5 billion.
How much did the government miss that estimate by last year?
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
François-Philippe Champagne Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is public record. I know there is not much time left for good questions, and I know my colleague wants good answers, but the time is short. The things in the public domain—
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, the answer, of course, is $2 billion more than it forecast in the estimates last year.
How fast has that interest expense grown over the past 10 years?
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
François-Philippe Champagne Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, if my colleague were to look at the public debt charge percentage of nominal GDP, he would see that, over the last decade, they have always been in the range of 1% to 1.5%. It is a great position to be in as a country.
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, the answer is $25.6 billion. It has nearly doubled in 10 years.
Of the $49 billion, what does it represent for each of the 16.9 million households in Canada?
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
François-Philippe Champagne Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, as the member wants to talk about numbers, I will go to the numbers. In 2023-24, the public debt charge percentage of nominal GDP was 1.2%. In 2023-24, it was 1.6%. Canada is in a very enviable position as a member of the G7.
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, it is $2,900 per Canadian household.
How much did these Canadian households spend on interest on Canadian government debt 10 years ago?
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
François-Philippe Champagne Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, let us look at the chart. Ten years ago, the public debt charge was $24.2 billion and represented 1.2% of GDP. If we look at 2023-24, it represents 1.6%. Canada has been consistently maintaining a low level as—
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, the answer, of course, is $1,800 per household, so it has gone up significantly.
The Parliamentary Budget Officer foresees the interest on Canadian government debt growing by around 10% per year for the foreseeable future. Does the minister see the economy growing by 10% per year?
Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
François-Philippe Champagne Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Finance, I always want the economy to grow because it allows us to have revenue to provide services to Canadians and transfers to provinces and territories. I think my colleague also wants to see revenues grow.
