Debates of June 11th, 2025

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, we are working with local provincial governments. The goal is to have one project, one review, and all reviews would be done within two years or less—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

Order.

The hon. member has the floor.

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora—Kiiwetinoong, ON]

Mr. Chair, the Crawford nickel project is located north of Timmins. It has been under assessment for three years. On what date will that project be approved?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, as soon as we get the one Canadian economy act done and the agreements negotiated with the Province of Ontario, we will get them done as quickly as possible.

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora—Kiiwetinoong, ON]

Mr. Chair, the gold project northeast of Red Lake has been under assessment for seven years. On what date will that project be approved?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, this history lesson is wonderful, but what we are focused on is moving forward. If we move forward by passing the one Canadian economy act, we will get things done in two years or less.

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora—Kiiwetinoong, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister is embarrassed about the history of the Liberal government, which has been in power for the last 10 years. It has created economic uncertainty and investment uncertainty for major projects across the country.

Does the minister agree that the current impact assessment process is unnecessarily delaying the approval process for major resource projects?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, the new Prime Minister has been clear: The current process takes far too long. That is why we are proposing the one Canadian economy act to speed things up. We have committed to getting approvals done within two years or less.

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora—Kiiwetinoong, ON]

Mr. Chair, does the minister realize that the Liberal government has been in power for the last 10 years?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, what I understand is that there is a new Prime Minister, and the Conservatives' leader does not seem to be here anymore.

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora—Kiiwetinoong, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister has previously said that there is no investment certainty in Canada. Does he realize that it was the policies of 10 years of Liberal incompetence that led to this fact here in Canada?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, under the new Liberal government, we have committed to getting approvals done within two years. That will provide the certainty to have proponents commit capital to get projects done.

The Conservatives should be supporting the bill if that is what they are—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member has the floor.

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora—Kiiwetinoong, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister and the government are making a lot of big promises about getting major projects built, but they are laughable after their record of10 years.

I went through some very specific projects across northern Ontario that would support jobs, our growth and our economic independence. The government has neglected those for years.

I would like to ask a question about forestry as well. The previous Conservative government got a softwood lumber deal done in 80 days, but the Liberals have allowed the dispute to persist. What specific actions has the minister taken himself to eliminate the unjustified softwood lumber tariffs?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, the member seems to be quite confused. We did not launch the trade war on the softwood lumber industry. The Americans have launched five trade wars over the last 10 years.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, I am sitting right next to the minister and I am not able to hear him.

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

I thank the member for the intervention. We will have order here, or else we will be taking a lot more time than we need to.

The hon. minister.

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, the Americans have put five unjust trade wars against the forestry industry.

We have been working hard to do this. The Minister of Industry and—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Natilien Joseph, Liberal, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Chair, I rise on a point of order.

Would my colleagues please behave like adults?

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

We will move on.

The hon. member for Terra Nova—The Peninsulas.

[Jonathan Rowe, Conservative, Terra Nova—The Peninsulas, NL]

Mr. Chair, can the minister guess which province has the highest GDP dependence on oil and gas?