Debates of June 11th, 2025

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

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Mr. Chair, how much money and how many people will be hired in the new major projects office?

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

Mr. Chair, that is still to be determined. We need the support of our members across the aisle to get the project done and get the bill done.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Mr. Chair, let us talk about plastics. My riding has multiple plastics factories. The former radical environment minister tried to have plastics classified as toxic and tried to eliminate single-use plastics in food packaging, which would drive the cost of groceries even higher.

Will the minister stop the war on plastics?

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

Mr. Chair, I believe the Minister of Environment was here two days ago. I think that is a question for the Minister of Environment.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Mr. Chair, the government got sued by plastics producers, and the courts agreed that plastics are not toxic. It is a natural resource, and there are multiple plants in my riding.

Will the minister stop the war on plastics?

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

Mr. Chair, as I said, that is under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Environment. That question should have been asked two days ago.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Mr. Chair, single-use plastics are important for things like medical supplies and disaster response. Will the minister protect the use of plastics for single use?

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

Mr. Chair, we are here to talk about the main estimates and how we can grow the economy with the one Canadian economy act. If the hon. member—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member, for a very brief final question.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Mr. Chair, will the minister repeal Bill C-69, the emissions cap and the uncompetitive industrial carbon tax so that proponents will actually come forward to—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. minister, with a very brief response.

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

Mr. Chair, as I have said many times tonight, what this government will do is pass the one Canadian economy act. That is how we will get Canada building again.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Chair, will the Liberals repeal the industrial carbon tax?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Chair, what we will do is pass the one Canadian economy act.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Chair, how many OPEC countries have a carbon tax?

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

Mr. Chair, I am the Minister of Energy in Canada. I am focused on how we get Canada building again.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Chair, it is none.

Does the U.S. have a federal industrial carbon tax?

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

Mr. Chair, I am not sure any of us are excited about the way the U.S. is running its country today.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Chair, does the minister agree with the Prime Minister that we are in a crisis with the U.S.?

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

Mr. Chair, what the Prime Minister has said is that we are in a trade war. We did not ask for this trade war; the Americans declared it on us.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Chair, the U.S. does not have a federal industrial carbon tax. It is Canada's biggest customer and also biggest competitor because of the Liberals' antidevelopment laws.

How can it be possible that it would want to continue to tax Canadians when the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Iran, for example, do not have federal industrial carbon taxes?

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

Mr. Chair, what the Prime Minister has said is that we need to retool and rebuild our economy. We need to create new markets for our resources. We need to create new cards. That is what the one Canadian economy act will do.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Chair, do the top five countries competing with Canada in mining have an industrial carbon tax?

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

Mr. Chair, what we are focused on here tonight is talking about the main estimates and talking about how we get our country going again. How we do that is we approve—