Debates of June 13th, 2025

Government Priorities

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade]

Mr. Speaker, it will come as no surprise that I do not agree with my friend from the Bloc Québécois when he says that we have adopted a purely Conservative policy.

On page 1 of our election platform, on the very first page, we talk about building one Canadian economy out of 13 and ensuring that we can once again carry out major projects that are in the national interest. That is why NDP, Conservative and even CAQ premiers agree with this approach.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is imposing a gag order on Bill C‑5, which would give him the power to make decisions about energy projects by order in council, with no regard for Quebec or social licence. He is also rushing the passage of Bill C‑4. He is appointing ministers without a mandate letter stating his intentions, and he has ended Justin Trudeau's tradition of answering all questions in question period on Wednesdays. In short, there is no debate, no transparency and as little accountability as possible.

Do the Liberals really think this is what Quebeckers expect from a minority government?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I see that our friends in the Bloc Québécois miss our former leader and prime minister, Justin Trudeau. I think that is important to note.

On the contrary, we have introduced a bill in Parliament that specifically enables the Government of Canada, in partnership with the provinces, territories and indigenous peoples, to build major projects that will drive the Canadian economy forward and allow for significant development in renewable energy.

That is what Canadians expect from this Parliament.

Public Services and Procurement

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General confirmed what we already knew: $64 million was handed to a two-person company with no proof of work done, no security clearances, no deliverables and no competition. This was about enriching Liberal insiders, not about serving Canadians.

Will everyone in this House stand with taxpayers and vote for our Conservative motion to get Canadians their money back?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and to the Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, we can all agree in this House that the integrity of our procurement processes is of utmost importance. Certainly, taxpayers are owed some answers.

This company has been referred to the RCMP, and legal action is under way. We have also ensured that it can no longer enter into any contracts with the federal government for seven years.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal way is that the harder someone betrays Canadians, the more their friends reward them.

The Auditor General laid out a staggering failure. Some 82% of GC Strategies contracts brought no value for Canadian taxpayer money, yet Liberal ministers were all promoted under the new Liberal elitist Prime Minister.

Canadians are paying the price for corruption while insiders cash cheques for doing nothing. Is this corruption the Liberal definition of merit-based appointments?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and to the Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to repeat for my colleagues again that GC Strategies has been deemed ineligible by the office of supplier integrity and compliance to enter into any contracts with the federal government. The matter has been referred to the RCMP. Legal action is under way.

[Steven Bonk, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General confirmed that GC Strategies, a two-person company, was paid $64 million by the Liberal government. In nearly half the cases, there is not even proof that any work was done. Departments ignored the rules and approved payments without deliverables. That is not just mismanagement; it is a betrayal of taxpayers.

Will the Liberal government do the right thing and support our Conservative motion to finally get Canadians their money back?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and to the Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, misconduct of any kind in our procurement process is completely unacceptable. We agree with the members opposite. That is exactly why we have acted on this matter. We have conducted an investigation and assessment. The company in question has been deemed ineligible for any federal government contracts for seven years. The matter has been referred to the RCMP for legal action.

[Steven Bonk, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, while the Liberals were stumbling around clueless, GC Strategies cashed in. The ministers responsible were not fired; they were promoted. Let that sink in: failure led to reward. This is a pattern with the Liberals: Connected consultants profit, ministers fail upward and Canadians are left holding the bill.

Why is it that with the Liberals, the more someone wastes, the more they win, unless they are a Canadian taxpayer?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and to the Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, misconduct of any kind in our procurement process is completely unacceptable. That is exactly why we have acted on this matter and ensured there is an investigation. The company in question is no longer eligible to enter into contracts with the federal government. The matter has been referred to the RCMP. Legal action is ongoing.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General found no proof of work in nearly half of the contracts awarded to GC Strategies. The Liberals gave millions to GC Strategies to do literally nothing.

Taxpayers deserve a refund and deserve it now, so will the Liberals support our Conservative motion to get taxpayers their money back, yes or no?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and to the Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, we agree, as I have said, that the integrity of our procurement process is of the utmost importance to Canadians. That is exactly why we have deemed this company ineligible to enter into contracts for the next seven years. We have referred the matter to the RCMP. Legal action is ongoing.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, do members know what it is called when a company submits an invoice and accepts payment for work that was not done? It is called fraud. It is called theft.

Under the Liberals, GC Strategies robbed taxpayers for millions. Will the Liberals finally take responsibility and vote with the Conservatives to get taxpayers their money back?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and to the Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, of course, misconduct in our procurement process, at any moment, is completely unacceptable. That is exactly why our government has acted on this matter. We have done so responsibly. We have ensured the integrity of the system. We have ensured this company can no longer do any business with the federal government for seven years. The matter has been referred to the RCMP and legal action is ongoing.

[Gabriel Hardy, Conservative, Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since yesterday, the government has been trying to give us lightweight solutions to a problem that has cost taxpayers a lot of money: the ArriveCAN app. The Liberals seem to have made a habit of lighting fires, trying to put them out and then patting themselves on the back for a job well done.

The most recent example is the $64‑million fiasco involving public funds given to GC Strategies, a two-person company operating out of a basement.

Will the government support the Conservative motion, issue a lifetime ban on GC Strategies and go get Canadians' money back?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and to the Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, it is great to rise again and answer this question. Obviously, I have done so numerous times in this question period, and I am happy to do so continuously for the remaining time that we have together today.

GC Strategies is no longer able to enter into government contracts for up to seven years. That is an investigation that we triggered. The matter has been referred to the RCMP and legal action is ongoing.

Government Priorities

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers did not give the Liberals a blank cheque. They elected a minority government.

However, by invoking closure on Bill C-5, the Liberals are essentially asking for a blank cheque. They want a blank cheque to govern by decree, to decide everything related to energy projects and to impose pipelines on Quebeckers without Quebec's consent and without a serious environmental assessment. They also want free rein to pass the bill without debate or study.

Will the Liberals respect Quebeckers and let Parliament do its work?

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

Mr. Speaker, the message we received from Quebeckers is reflected in the confidence they placed in 44 of our Liberal colleagues here in the House who speak up on behalf of Quebec every single day. They understand the urgency of the situation with regard to our economy and the importance of prioritizing job-creating projects across Quebec and Canada in order to build one economy, not 13.

Long live Canada.

Indigenous Affairs

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Bill C‑5, which the government is trying to push through using closure, is an insult to indigenous peoples. The Liberals want to give themselves the power to make all energy project decisions by fiat. They are first going to approve projects in Ottawa and then, when the decision is made and cannot be undone, they are going to pretend to consult indigenous peoples. It is a charade and a direct violation of indigenous people's right to self-determination, to their territorial sovereignty and to reconciliation.

Will the Liberals step back, respect first nations, Inuit and Métis and engage in meaningful dialogue?

[Rebecca Chartrand, Liberal, Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency]

Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge the concerns raised by indigenous leaders across the country. Their voices matter. That is why we are investing in real consultation, with $40 million to support indigenous engagement, in addition to establishing an indigenous advisory council. This legislation would be an economic game-changer for indigenous peoples.

Marine Transportation

[Tamara Kronis, Conservative, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister says he wants to “build, baby, build”, but he cannot even get the B.C. NDP to build Canadian ships for Canadian taxpayers in Canada. Instead, the Liberal government is letting BC Ferries send good-paying union jobs to a Chinese shipyard, even as China punishes our exporters with tariffs. What happened to “elbows up”?

How is the Liberal government going to build one economy out of 13 if it cannot even convince B.C. to support Canadian steel, Canadian infrastructure and Canadian workers?

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I share the opposition's concern regarding the procurement practices across all levels of government, especially at a time when Canadian workers are battered by tariffs from China and the United States. Now, more than ever, we must support Canadian workers and industries, while also working in close partnership with our allies and trading partners.

Of note, this particular project was not undertaken by the federal government. BC Ferries is entirely under provincial jurisdiction.

[Tamara Kronis, Conservative, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the government might like to put its head in the sand, but Canadian workers are struggling, and China is deliberately targeting them. Canadian canola, seafood and pork have all been hit with punishing tariffs, and the government is standing by while a critical infrastructure contract goes to a Chinese state enterprise.

China uses trade as a weapon and detains our citizens. Is it the Liberals' economic strategy to let China take our jobs, jail Canadians and punish our exporters while Canadian industries get left out in the cold?

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade]

Mr. Speaker, we have important legislation, the one Canadian economy act, that is focusing on creating one economy out of 13, which means Canadian goods, Canadian services, mobility, people working across the country with very little restrictions, and reducing trade barriers. When it comes to this government, it is Canada first, always.