Debates of June 12th, 2025

Italian Heritage Month

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as an Italian Canadian and member of Parliament representing the riding of Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, I am honoured to rise in recognition of Italian Heritage Month. It is held in June, and Canadians have the opportunity to celebrate the vibrant culture, customs and traditions, as well as the invaluable contributions of Italian communities across Canada.

My Italian heritage has had a profound influence on the person I am today. I am proud and humbled to honour that heritage.

From the arts to entrepreneurship, from cuisine to fashion, from science and technology to the lifestyle of la dolce vita, the influence of Italian Canadians is woven into the fabric of our society.

Throughout this month, Canadians are invited to discover and commemorate the Italian legacy and recognize the ongoing contributions of new generations, which continue to shape our country with passion, dedication and pride.

Tanti auguri per il mese del patrimonio Italiano.

Public Services and Procurement

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General just released a scathing audit on arrive scam contractor GC Strategies. Last year, the government awarded 106 contracts to GC Strategies, worth a total of $92 million, with $64 million already paid out. However, 50% of these contracts did not enforce security requirements. Much of the work performed was not monitored. Many contractors did not have the experience or qualifications needed. Procurement policies were not followed, and there was no demonstration of value for money, nor that deliverables were actually received. Yet, unbelievably, the government kept authorizing payment.

Every time there is a Liberal corruption scandal, it seems that the ministers responsible get promoted and the taxpayer gets the bill. Conservatives are calling on the government to get taxpayers their money back within 100 days and impose a lifetime contracting ban on GC Strategies. Canadians are watching to see if the government will actually support them in getting their money back.

Women Veterans

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, throughout history, women have stepped up to serve our country in the Canadian Armed Forces: from the Wrens in World War II to the Persian Gulf War, where women first served in combat roles, to today, with a female chief of the defence staff. Women have come a long way, but it was not always easy. Women veterans still suffer today from health issues, military sexual trauma and other harms that were caused not by our adversaries but by a military culture that did not recognize that we cannot have a fully capable fighting force without full inclusion. We owe it to them to do better.

One year ago today, the veterans affairs committee tabled a seminal report called “Invisible No More”. Today, some of the brave women who testified are visiting Parliament to ask that all the recommendations be fully implemented and that June 12 be women veterans appreciation day.

To them and all servicewomen, we thank them and we see them.

Public Services and Procurement

[Leslyn Lewis, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is a new Parliament, but we are dealing with the same old Liberal scandals.

The Auditor General has released a report against the Liberal government on the multi-million dollar ArriveCAN debacle. The Liberals gave $64 million to GC Strategies, a two-person IT firm that did no actual work and is currently under RCMP investigation.

Today, this House is considering our Conservative motion to get Canadians their money back within 100 days. Will the Liberals vote to give back this $64 million to Canadians, yes or no?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we will address that question in a moment.

I am devastated to learn of the Air India crash that occurred earlier this morning. The flight was carrying 242 people, one of whom was Canadian. We are in touch with our international partners, and I have been speaking with Canadians this morning. I am sure that all members of this House will join in extending our collective condolences to the families of those who have lost loved ones this morning.

[Leslyn Lewis, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we also extend condolences to the families.

The Liberals should not be dodging accountability. They want to hide their scandals from Canadians, but the Auditor General report is very clear. The Liberal government ignored the rules and allowed insiders to profit to the tune of $64 million. The Liberals have shown a complete disdain for hard-working Canadians by promoting the very same ministers who engaged in the cronyism and corruption.

Why should wasteful Liberal politicians get promoted while Canadian taxpayers get a $64-million bill?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to note that we have implemented the measures recommended by the Auditor General in previous reports as well as internal audits.

We have revoked the security clearance of GC Strategies. We have terminated all contracts with GC Strategies. We have barred GC Strategies from future contracts with the Government of Canada. We have taken legal action against GC Strategies. We have referred cases to the RCMP.

We will never tolerate misconduct from our suppliers or their subcontractors.

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General released a scathing audit this week on the top arrive scam contractor, GC Strategies. This two-person company, under RCMP investigation, received a jaw-dropping $64 million from the Liberals. The old ministers responsible for this all got promoted by the Prime Minister and are sitting as ministers right there, right now.

Canadians are incensed by these same old Liberal ministers continuing in their corrupt ways. A simple question for the Prime Minister, when are Canadians going to get their money back?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, we will always protect the integrity of our procurement process, which is why we have implemented recommendations from the Auditor General from past reports, such as increasing transparency, strengthening oversight and clarifying the roles and responsibilities across departments.

We will always hold bad actors to account, which is why we have taken legal actions against GC Strategies. We have referred cases to the RCMP. We will always protect the integrity of our procurement process.

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

Mr. Speaker, that answer does not cut it for Canadians struggling to pay their bills in record numbers.

These old Liberals have turned arrive scam into a master class in rewarding failure and corruption. The old ministers responsible for this scam are the same old ministers sitting over there as cabinet ministers right now. These same old ministers are ignoring the rules, allowing their insiders to get rich with taxpayers' hard-earned money.

Why do corrupt Liberal ministers keep getting promoted, while Canadians keep getting the bill?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, let me be absolutely clear. We will never tolerate misconduct from our suppliers or their subcontractors, which is why we have taken legal action against GC Strategies. We have referred cases to the RCMP. We have barred them from contracting with the Canadian government. We have revoked their security clearance.

This is the mandate we were elected on, to make sure that we have the best-in-class procurement system in this country.

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General has confirmed what the Conservatives feared. The Liberal government paid $60 million for a project that was originally expected to cost $80,000. The outcome is waste, uncertainty and incompetence. However, not a single minister lost their job. Worse still, they were rewarded in the new cabinet.

Will the Prime Minister do the honourable thing and vote in favour of our motion to return this money to taxpayers?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, we will always protect the integrity of our procurement system. That is why we are implementing the recommendations made by the Auditor General in previous reports. That is why we referred cases to the RCMP. We have taken legal action against GC Strategies. We revoked its security clearances. We terminated all contracts with GC Strategies. We even banned it from obtaining contracts with the Government of Canada for the next seven years. Why? We will never tolerate misconduct by our suppliers or their subcontractors.

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General's report is damning. Contracts were awarded without tender, without oversight and without justification. While Canadians are getting poorer, certain companies are getting richer. Some of the ministers responsible for this fiasco have even been promoted.

Can the Prime Minister explain why he is choosing to reward those who allowed such a mess to happen, rather than holding them to account?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, let me be absolutely clear. We will never accept misconduct from our suppliers or their subcontractors. We will always hold them to account. That is why we terminated all contracts with GC Strategies over a year ago, revoked its security clearances and banned it from securing Government of Canada contracts for the next seven years. We have also initiated legal action against GC Strategies. We have referred cases to the RCMP. Why? It is because we will always protect the integrity of our procurement system.

The Environment

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has given notice of a gag order on Bill C‑5. The House has been sitting for just three weeks, and he already wants to ram through a bill, and not just any bill. Bill C‑5 gives him the power to rule by decree on fossil fuel projects. Bill C-5 completely guts environmental assessments. Bill C‑5 threatens Quebec's jurisdiction and the rights of indigenous peoples. It makes no sense to let it go through without debate, studies or hearing from witnesses.

Will the Prime Minister let Parliament do its job?

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians, including Quebeckers, have spoken loud and clear about the need to transform our economy. This is partly because of the tariff war illegally triggered by our friends and neighbours to the south, but it is also because we are here to pivot to a modern economy, to help our country grow, and to provide good jobs for Quebeckers and Canadians across the country. This bill is necessary, and we are moving forward.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is going to have to leave the banker behind and start acting like a democrat. Bill C-5 raises major concerns about the environment and Quebec's sovereignty over its own territory. If there is one bill that needs to be studied thoroughly, it is this one. The Prime Minister has no right to move closure on Bill C‑5 when the bill gives him unprecedented, exceptional powers.

Is the Prime Minister's intention to bypass Parliament and govern by executive order like Donald Trump?

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

Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers elected 44 Liberal MPs, the largest number of Liberal MPs from Quebec since 1980. These members all ran on a Liberal platform that talked about the need to act quickly to accelerate our country's growth, remove barriers between provinces and create one Canadian economy starting on page one. We are acting democratically.

Carbon Pricing

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, every one of the 44 Liberals from Quebec voted to steal $814 million from Quebeckers. The Liberals from Quebec voted to make Quebeckers pay for election goodies for Canadians. The Liberals from Quebec voted against the Quebec National Assembly's unanimous demand that Quebeckers be reimbursed. The Liberals, elected by Quebeckers who were afraid that the Conservatives would drag us back to the Stone Age, abolished the carbon tax and rewarded Canadians with our money.

Are they not ashamed to be working against their constituents?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, I would like to remind my colleague that we still have carbon pricing for large corporations, for major emitters, that results in three times as many emissions reductions as consumer pricing. We have a robust carbon pricing system, and the federal price per tonne is almost double the Quebec price. Quebec's price is $59, and the federal government's price is $95. We will continue fighting climate change while building a robust economy for Canada.

Public Services and Procurement

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Liberal consultants are getting millions in contracts without the required security clearances or experience. Worse, they do not even have to do any work. The Auditor General found evidence that nearly half of government contracts were paid out but not actually completed. While Liberal insiders get rich, Canadian families struggle to pay for food. In true Liberal fashion, of course, the ministers responsible have been promoted by the Prime Minister.

When will the government support today's Conservative motion to ensure that Canadians get their money back?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Auditor General for her report. We have already acted on previous recommendations she has put forward. We have taken legal action against GC Strategies. We have referred cases to the RCMP because we will never tolerate bad behaviour from our suppliers or their contractors.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is clear the Prime Minister has the backs of Liberal insiders and backroom cronies, not hard-working Canadians. It is business as usual for the Prime Minister, who has no plans to cut the gravy train to Liberal consultants with no intention to actually complete work. While the RCMP investigates fraud on Canadians, those ministers responsible get a pat on the back, and they get promoted.

Will the Prime Minister impose a lifetime ban on the founders of GC Strategies and all aligned entities and individuals today and, of course, get Canadians their money back?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, as I have highlighted in previous answers, we will always protect the integrity of our procurement process. This is why we have put in place the office of supplier integrity, which has banned GC Strategies for seven years. We have revoked their security clearance. We have taken legal actions against GC Strategies. We have referred cases to the RCMP because we will never tolerate bad actions from suppliers or their contractors.

The member talks about having the backs of Canadians; the Conservatives have an opportunity to support a tax cut for 22 million Canadians right after question period. I hope they will do it for a change.