Debates of June 16th, 2025

Indigenous Affairs

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

[Member spoke in Inuktitut and provided the following text:]

1948ᒥᒃ ᐃᓅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᐊᑦᑎᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐸᓂᖓᔭ’ᓈᖅ 12ᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖃᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᐊᑦᑎᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ Joan Scottieᒥᒃ Joan ᑎᑎᕋᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐅᖃᓕᒫᒐᕐᒥᒃ ᑕᐃᔭᐅᔪᖅ “ᑕᒪᐃᑦᑎᓐᓄ ᐃᓅᓛᖅᐳᖓ − ᑐᑭᓯᒋᐊᕈᑎ ᓲᖑᓴᕐᓂᖅ, ᓄᖑᓱᐃᑦᑐᓂ ᐅᔭᕋᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐱᑦᑕᐃᓕᓂᖏᑦ”

Joan ᓴᖏᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᓴᐳᔾᔨᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᓄᓇᒥᒃ ᑐᒃᑐᓂᓪᓗ ᐱᔪᒃᓯᓕᖅᑎᑕᐅᕗᖓ ᐸᓂᖓᔭ’ᓈᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑏᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐱᑦᑕᐃᓕᑎᑦᑎᓂᐊᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᓇᖅᑐᒃᑰᓂᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᑕ. ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᕗᑦ ᓱᕋᒃᑕᐅᔪᒃᓴᐅᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋ

ᐊᑏ ᐱᔪᒃᓯᓂᐊᖅᐳᒍ ᐸᓂᖓᔭ’ᓈᖅᑎᑐᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᕉᑎᖃᕐᓗᑕ ᓄᓇᖅᐳᑦ ᓴᐳᔾᔨᓗᑎᒍ

[Inuktitut text interpreted as follows:]

Mr. Speaker, when she was born in 1948, her parents named her Paningaya’naaq. By the time she was 12 years old, she was given the name Joan Scottie. Joan has written a book about her life, entitled I Will Live for Both of Us: A History of Colonialism, Uranium Mining, and Inuit Resistance.

Joan has the strength to protect the land and the caribou. I am inspired by Paningaya'naaq and hope Inuit and indigenous peoples will show their resistance in what will be challenging days. Our rights are on the verge of being infringed by Bill C-5.

Let us be moved by Paningaya'naaq and do what we can to protect our lands.

[English]

Italian Heritage Month

[Eric St-Pierre, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to highlight two examples of our country's cultural wealth.

First, we started this month with Festa della Repubblica, the Italian National Day and Republic Day. I know that many of my constituents celebrated on June 2, and I want to thank them for their active participation in the communities of Rivière-des-Prairies and Anjou. They have been integral to making our society more dynamic.

Happy Italian Heritage Month.

Second, I would like to mention Quebec's upcoming national holiday. On June 24, our community will mark Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day by organizing all kinds of activities to celebrate Quebec culture and the French language.

Let us come together and take pride in our cultural diversity. Long live Honoré-Mercier, long live Quebec, and long live Canada.

Public Safety

[Sukhman Gill, Conservative, Abbotsford—South Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share my condolences for the family and the victim of the fatal shooting in the Fleetwood neighbourhood in B.C. this weekend. The victim, Satwinder Sharma, was a father and a businessman from Abbotsford, British Columbia.

What is even more appalling is that within less than 24 hours of Sharma's untimely death, another Surrey home and business, Reflections banquet hall, was targeted, and the owner, Satish Kumar, was shot at. Thankfully there were no casualties.

I am speaking on the issue because it is suspected that both shootings were linked to extortion. My thoughts and prayers are with the Sharma family. There were two shootings in 24 hours and one horrific casualty.

When will the Liberals show remorse for the appalling soft-on-crime laws, repeal Bill C-5 and adopt the Conservative plan to crack down on extortion?

Fisheries in Egmont

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Mr. Speaker, one of the greatest strengths of my district of Egmont is the willingness of Islanders to work together. That collective approach has built vibrant communities, and people know they can rely on one another to succeed.

In my home community, the Tignish Fisheries Cooperative is marking a 100-year anniversary. Keep in mind that this incredibly successful venture began during a time of wooden boats, sails and oars. Today, it is electronics, fibreglass boats, efficient engines and the best seafood products in the world. The threads that bind these two realities together are the hard work and determination of a community filled with talented and dedicated people.

Now, the Tignish Fisheries Cooperative employs 380 people, and it works wonderfully because thousands of individuals over the years believed in something greater than themselves. They had faith in their home. From its early days as a fisherman's union to the best seafood processing in the world, this operation has been an incredible success, and I want to congratulate all those there now, and thank those who came before—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. member for Perth—Wellington has the floor.

John Holtby

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for half a century, John Holtby lived and breathed parliamentary democracy. He began as first clerk assistant at Queen's Park and served at the table in the B.C. Legislature. Here on Parliament Hill, he was chief of staff to the McGrath committee and served as an adviser to prime ministers, House leaders, senators and whips. To new MPs, he was always there with a kind word of advice, a mischievous idea and, when needed, a gentle word of caution. In the House, he is recognized as an authority, as the editor of Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms, sixth edition.

John was fond of the classic words of The Pilgrim's Progress. If I could be so bold as to turn around those words, I will say, “So he passed over, and all the division bells rang to greet him on the other side.”

May my dear friend rest well.

G3E

[Steeve Lavoie, Liberal, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I took part in last Saturday's launch of G3E's summer season with a fishing for all event on the Beauport River.

For over 30 years, the water education and eco-monitoring group G3E has exemplified civic engagement in protecting Quebec's aquatic environments. This innovative organization has developed an extensive network and impactful programs. G3E uses science and passion to provide water education and monitoring tools, supported by over 269 adopted rivers to date. These initiatives reach nearly 39,000 students and 35 community groups, and they have restored more than 409 kilometres of riverbanks and collected 270 tonnes of waste.

G3E's approach is rooted in openness, integrity, innovation and excellence, while fostering dialogue, respecting knowledge and upholding scientific rigour and transparency in everything that it does.

Public Safety

[Dalwinder Gill, Conservative, Calgary McKnight, AB]

Mr. Speaker, crime and drug use are getting worse in Canada. Law enforcement agencies in Ontario recently seized 1,000 pounds of cocaine and nearly half a million lethal doses of fentanyl. In my riding of Calgary McKnight, families cannot sleep at night because they worry about their homes being invaded and their cars being stolen.

Meanwhile, the Liberal public safety minister does not even know his own government policies on firearms or drugs, and he is fine with releasing repeat violent criminals out into our streets. Canadians need real solutions to crime, to addiction and to the broken Liberal bail system.

Our Conservative plan would ensure that repeat violent offenders are kept behind bars and that those battling addiction are given the proper care they need.

Southern Ontario Cricket Association

[Tim Louis, Liberal, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a local organization making a powerful impact through sport, the Southern Ontario Cricket Association, SOCA. Founded by Parveen Sharma and now led by Giridhar Bannaravuri, SOCA began in 2019 with just 12 teams. Today, it is Canada's second-largest cricket league, expanding to 78 teams.

SOCA's heart lies in youth development, Their Little Champs junior club empowers children with skills, confidence and values of teamwork and leadership. Their rapid growth in women's cricket and plans for a winter indoor camp show commitment to equity and opportunity in sport. By introducing an over-40 men's league, SOCA is ensuring that cricket remains a game for all generations.

Through cricket, SOCA is building more than athletes. It is building stronger, more inclusive communities. Please join me in celebrating the Southern Ontario Cricket Association for its dedication and impact through sport.

Hon. Charles James Mayer

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Hon. Charles James Mayer passed away on April 24 in Winnipeg. First elected to the House of Commons in 1979, he served as minister of state for grains and oilseeds, minister of western economic diversification and minister of agriculture. He was inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2005.

Charlie was also a member of my husband's family. When I first met him in 2017, I was preparing to moderate the Conservative leadership debate. When I asked for his advice, he said that I could use his cattle prod if I needed to, that it would keep them in line.

Charlie was kind, thoughtful and humble to a fault. He was respected for his fierce intelligence, his humanity, compassion and decency. He was a great Canadian but remained until the end, like myself, a proud westerner.

He will be missed by his wife, Anita, his children, Holly, Cheryl and Judy, and their families.

Michelin-Starred Restaurants

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, they are joining the ranks of culinary greats such as Paul Bocuse, Anne-Sophie Pic and Alain Ducasse.

I am talking about our Quebec chefs who were recently honoured by the prestigious Michelin Guide. On May 15, nine restaurants in Quebec were awarded stars. Tanière³, a true Quebec City institution, made a big splash by getting two stars on its first try, while ARVI, Kebec Club Privé, Laurie Raphaël, Légende, Jérôme Ferrer—Europea, Mastard, Sabayon and Narval were each awarded one star.

These coveted red plaques are more than just a decoration; they are proof of our culinary talent. Our culinary creativity and identity are on par with that of Paris, Tokyo and New York. Quebec's restaurant industry is an economic gem, a driver of tourism and an ambassador for our culture.

I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of these restaurants.

Small Businesses

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, all of us in this House are here to support our constituents. Over the past 10 years, I have witnessed partisanship to the detriment of Canadians. This summer, I challenge all members in this House, regardless of political affiliation, to stand up for Canadians by supporting small business.

Small businesses across Canada continue to work hard and create jobs. Whether it is by travelling within Canada, shopping locally or choosing made-in-Canada products, we have the power to invest in our economy and strengthen our economy. As Canadians, we have all felt the impact of U.S. tariffs. It is now more important than ever to choose Canadian whenever possible. I will be doing just that as I head back to my riding this summer, and I encourage everyone to do so.

Together, we can ensure that Canadian businesses thrive, communities grow stronger and our economy remains as resilient as ever.

The Economy

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after the last lost Liberal anti-development decade, Canadians pay the price.

Today the G7 starts. Canada used to be powerful, but the Liberals are lucky we still have a seat at the table. Canada's economic growth is now last in the G7. Allies like Germany and Japan begged for Canadian energy, but the Liberals rejected them, and $670 billion in natural resource projects died by delay and Liberal attacks.

This PM claims “elbows up”, but they have been “elbows down”.

Canada has the world's highest per capita resource wealth, but the Liberals made Canada more reliant on the U.S.

Canada's standard of living falls behind, with an income gap of over $30,000 per person versus the U.S.

The U.S. will still take up to 90% of Canada's energy at big discounts if the Liberals keep their job-killing Canadian oil and gas cap; the anti-development bill, Bill C-69; the shipping ban bill, Bill C-48; and the federal industrial carbon tax on Canadian businesses.

In Canada, anyone from anywhere should be able to work for a powerful paycheque. Conservatives will—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. member for Brome—Missisquoi has the floor.

Trans Canada Trail

[Louis Villeneuve, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today for the first time in the House. First of all, I would like to thank the people of Brome—Missisquoi for placing their trust in me. I will be a hands-on MP, and I will listen to what they have to say. This victory would not have been possible without the unwavering support of my campaign team, the volunteers, and my wife, Sylvie, who has been a source of invaluable support.

Today, I would like to recognize that we celebrated International Trails Day in Eastman by honouring the Trans Canada Trail, a true national treasure that connects Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Since 2019, tens of thousands of dollars have been invested in our trails in Brome—Missisquoi. The plan is to invest $154,000 by 2026 to improve access and enhance the experience.

I congratulate the local stakeholders who are working to preserve and improve this vital network. I reiterate my support for this initiative, both here and across the country.

Public Services and Procurement

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week the Auditor General confirmed that without proper oversight, due process or consideration, the government flagrantly ignored public procurement procedures and gave $64 million in taxpayer dollars to unqualified insider consultants. In the Auditor General's own words, the government frequently failed to show “which contracted resources performed the work, what work was completed, and whether the people doing the work had the required experience and qualifications.”

The Liberal governments of yesteryear at the very least put up a facade of public utility when giving lucrative government contracts to insiders. With GC Strategies, that veil came off completely. Unlike this government, the opposition respects the public purse and has a motion ready to go and get that money back. The only question is whether this Liberal government's hubris allows it to admit its mistake, take responsibility and give the money back.

Wildfire in Squamish

[Patrick Weiler, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize all those who put themselves in harm's way to fight the Dryden Creek wildfire in Squamish and keep the community safe.

Despite dangerous conditions, thanks to the skill and determination of Fire Chief Aaron Foote, Squamish Fire Rescue, Whistler Fire Rescue, BC wildfire crews, Mayor Armand Hurford, the district of Squamish Emergency Operations Centre and the Squamish Nation, the fire is now being held, and the evacuation alert has been lifted.

Beyond the fire lines, the community came together. Businesses offered help, students delivered meals and neighbours supported one another, so much so that officials paused donations due to overwhelming generosity.

This wildfire, the third in Squamish this year, reminds us of the growing risks of climate change and the need to be prepared. We must all follow FireSmart guidelines and sign up for local emergency alerts. Everyone who fought the fire, supported neighbours and stood together showed us what Squamish is truly made of.

Foreign Affairs

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, to those who know what is at stake with the nuclear Iran and to the Iranian people, they should remember who they are; not the hunted, the lion; not the silenced, but the rising sun. The time has come, fierce in spirit and brilliant in purpose, to reclaim their homeland and fulfill the ancient promise of Cyrus and the legacy of civilization over barbarism.

Let this be the hour when the prison doors close, tyranny falls and freedom takes root: a free Iran, a proud nation restored and, with it, the hope for a more peaceful region led by its most resilient people. Do not let Canada's moral equivocation and a foreign minister speaking out of both sides of her mouth embolden the regime, a regime that has crushed dissent and policewomen's bodies, arrested without cause, executed at scale, erased gay rights and terrorized the world for more than 40 years.

The biggest state sponsor of terror killed 55 Canadians and 30 permanent residents. It has a former Liberal justice minister under 24-hour protection and intimidates our own people. The next time the foreign minister speaks, I hope she remembers that.

Bob Wood

[Pauline Rochefort, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this morning a 26th annual memorial service was held to recognize the parliamentarians we have lost over the past year. Included was Bob Wood, who represented the riding of Nipissing as a member of the Liberal Party for nearly 16 years, up until 2004. He passed away in North Bay a few months ago at the age of 85, and Anthony Rota succeeded him in the riding, now known as Nipissing—Timiskaming.

Bob served as parliamentary secretary to the minister of veteran affairs, with North Bay being a major Canadian Forces base with a strong NORAD presence. Bob was beloved by the citizens of the riding, and I doubt there are many MPs in this room who can boast of having topped every poll in three successive campaigns. While exuberant in his political and social presence, Bob Wood's legacy of kindness was private and personal as he offered that kindness when no one was looking.

The people of Nipissing—Timiskaming, his colleagues in Parliament and the citizens of Canada extend their deepest thanks to Bob and their sympathy to his family. May Bob rest in peace.

Natural Resources

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is at the G7 today surrounded by allies in the largest oil-producing province in the federation, but thanks to the Liberal government, the oil and gas products they are demanding are still in the ground instead of powering our economy and Canadian paycheques. We have laws blocking extraction, a cap that halts production, a shipping ban that stops it from leaving and an industrial carbon tax that makes it all more expensive to build.

Will the Liberals repeal our anti-energy laws and approve projects so that we can get jobs for our people and get our resources to market?

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

Mr. Speaker, what this government will do is pass the one Canadian economy act to get the economy going again.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, here is the problem. As the G7 begins, the world may find out what Canadians have known for years: The Liberal laws still in place make it nearly impossible to get anything built. The Prime Minister's solution is not to fix the problem. Instead, he wants to give hall passes to the very few favoured VIPs to skip the line while everyone else waits.

Bill C-69, the emissions cap, the shipping ban and the industrial carbon tax are all still on the books. Everyone knows the laws are broken and we need to exempt projects for them, so why not just repeal the laws, period?

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

Mr. Speaker, what my hon. colleague should know is that the CEOs of the energy companies, the union workers and the rig workers are all supporting the one Canadian economy act, so it would be really great if the Conservatives got on board as well.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, these “leave it in the ground” Liberals keep blocking resource projects, giving more dollars to dictators. Radical Liberal policies are costing Canadian jobs and keeping our clean, responsible Canadian resources out of the hands of our allies.

With the G7 now under way, will the Prime Minister put aside his radical climate agenda to make sure that Canadian resources get into the hands of our allies?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, we have been clear and I will repeat it once again. We are going to keep working to make sure Canada is an energy superpower. To do that, we need to be low-risk, low-cost and low-carbon. We are going to keep making sure that we build a strong Canadian economy. I hope the Conservatives will help support us.