House of Commons Hansard #17 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was vehicle.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Income Tax Act First reading of Bill C-211. The bill aims to streamline disability benefit applications by automatically recognizing provincial/territorial disability status federally, reducing paperwork for applicants and healthcare workers. 200 words.
Opposition Motion—Sale of Gas‑Powered Vehicles Members debate a Conservative motion calling to end the Liberal government's zero-emission vehicle sales mandate. Conservatives argue the mandate is a ban, forcing expensive EVs, costing jobs, and lacking infrastructure. Liberals state it's a phase-in, not a ban, promoting investment and job creation in the EV sector, benefiting affordability, and addressing climate change. Bloc Québécois supports electrification for Quebec. 12200 words, 1 hour.
Testimony by Minister of Energy and Natural Resources in Committee of the Whole Kevin Lamoureux responds to a question of privilege alleging the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources misled the House regarding Bill C-5, arguing the Minister did not deliberately mislead and clarifying the bill's consultation process. 500 words.
Opposition Motion—Sale of Gas-Powered Vehicles Members debate the Liberal government's mandate to phase out the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Conservatives move to end the mandate, arguing it's a ban that imposes a $20,000 tax, lacks infrastructure, hurts rural Canadians, and removes consumer choice. Liberals defend the policy as an availability standard driving economic growth, jobs, and addressing climate change, stating it increases EV supply and saves money over time. 47100 words, 6 hours in 3 segments: 1 2 3.
Concurrence in Vote 1—Department of Canadian Heritage Members debate the government's 2025-26 Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates, detailing planned spending priorities on defence, health care (including the Canadian dental care plan), housing, and infrastructure. The government emphasizes investments like aiming to achieve NATO's 2% target and building a "one Canadian economy," highlighting the new Prime Minister and administration are working hard for Canadians. Opposition parties voice concerns regarding the plan to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles, government transparency, spending levels (without a budget), and the carbon tax rebate. 28800 words, 4 hours.
Main Estimates, 2025-26 First reading of Bill C-6. The bill grants money for federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, and passes through first, second, and third readings in the House. 400 words, 10 minutes.
Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26 First reading of Bill C-7. The bill grants money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, passing through first, second, and third readings and committee stage. 400 words, 10 minutes.
Julie Dabrusin LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, what I will do is stand up for auto workers all across our country and stand up for a strong auto industry. I will stand up to make sure that we are climate-competitive and going where the world is moving. If the Conservatives looked at studies, globally EV sales are up.
If the members opposite actually care about making sure we are standing up for our auto workers, I hope they will stand up with us to make sure we are protecting the industry.
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Mr. Speaker, if the Liberal government is truly going to stand with auto workers, then it should stop making the very vehicles they are producing illegal.
In my community of Lethbridge, a farmer cannot drive an EV to pick up seed or drive an EV to harvest their crop. Families in my community need choice when it comes to the vehicle they drive.
Will the Liberals stand with Canadians and relinquish their ban on gas-powered cars?
Julie Dabrusin LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, just as a point of clarification about the regulation they are talking about, which is not as they describe, let us be clear that there is no ban on gas-powered vehicles. They can read the regulations.
To be clear, what we are doing is making sure that EVs are available to Canadians. Some 546,000 Canadians accessed our rebate to purchase vehicles because they wanted them.
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, Canadians do not realize it yet, but, thanks to this Liberal government, the cost of gas-powered vehicles is about to go up by $20,000 because the Liberals want to force everyone to buy electric vehicles.
Banning gas-powered vehicles in Quebec means no more snowmobiles, no more ATVs and no more F-150s. It means vehicles will get more and more expensive for Quebec families.
Will the Liberal Prime Minister, whose motorcade probably burns more gas than all the ATVs in the Eastern Townships, give Canadians the freedom to choose by casting his vote in favour of our motion to cancel the ban on gas-powered vehicles?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Finance and National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, my colleague should be happy that our government brought Quebec into the auto industry. There have been record investments in the auto industry. I invite my colleague to visit Bécancourt to see what the auto industry looks like. We are building the industry of the future in Quebec, in Ontario and across the country.
Those of us on this side of the House have always fought for communities, be they in Brampton, in Oshawa or in Windsor.
Together, we will build Canada strong.
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is cold in Canada. We live in a northern country. It is cold in Quebec. According to the CAA, cold weather reduces car battery life by 40%.
A ban on gas-powered vehicles in Canada is unrealistic. It will cost Canadians 38,000 jobs. This government wants to punish Quebeckers who choose to drive gas-powered vehicles by imposing a $20,000 tax.
Why do the Liberals want to punish Quebeckers who live in the regions?
Will they vote in favour of our motion this evening, end the ban on gas-powered vehicles and give Quebeckers the freedom to choose between electricity and gas?
Julie Dabrusin LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, we should not be surprised to hear the Conservatives say that this is not a strong industry when it is actually so important here in our country.
We will always stand with auto workers. In Quebec, nearly 25% of new vehicles sold are electric.
Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is taking advantage of the distraction caused by the G7 summit to force his Bill C-5 through under a gag order. It is an attack on Quebec and indigenous peoples.
Fortunately, some people are paying attention. Yesterday, the Assembly of First Nations threatened to take legal action if Bill C-5 is passed without adequate consultation with indigenous peoples. Also yesterday, a former Liberal minister voted against his caucus, saying that the Liberals' approach would embarrass even Stephen Harper.
Will the Liberals take some time to answer questions about Bill C-5 instead of ramming it down our throats here in Parliament?
Mandy Gull-Masty LiberalMinister of Indigenous Services
Mr. Speaker, the federal government will determine whether a major project is in the national interest based on consultation with the provinces, territories and indigenous people.
Projects selected will also be subject to comprehensive consultation with indigenous people. For all projects, the Crown, including the provinces and territories, must consult indigenous people.
That is what the government is going to do.
Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, the member for Beaches—East York is certainly not the only Liberal who is uncomfortable with Bill C-5. There are other Liberals who did not go into politics to force pipelines on Quebec without its consent and without a credible environmental assessment. There are other Liberals who did not go into politics to undermine reconciliation efforts by forcing energy projects on indigenous people. There are other Liberals who did not go into politics to copy Pierre Poilievre's ideas and pass them with a closure motion thanks to the Conservatives.
Will these Liberals ask the Prime Minister to let Parliament do its job instead of ramming through Bill C-5?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, Parliament is doing its job. We are a governing party elected on the slogan “It is time to build” in Canada. We are doing that respectfully.
We are expediting projects of national significance of course, while respecting indigenous jurisdictions and rights.
We are doing this because Canada must take responsibility for its economy, for creating opportunities and for creating jobs.
It is time to build.
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Mr. Speaker, Bill C‑5 does not just circumvent environmental assessments. It also enables oil companies to violate 13 laws and seven regulations that mainly concern the environment.
With Bill C‑5, there is no longer any need to comply with the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the Species at Risk Act, the Fisheries Act, the marine mammal regulations, and many more. Worse still, proposed section 21 states that Ottawa can suspend any other act by order in council, like Donald Trump.
Is there even one law that the Liberals are not prepared to flout to please the oil companies?
Julie Dabrusin LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, Canadians and Quebeckers have asked us to build a strong economy. They asked us to build projects of national significance. That is exactly what we are going to do, but we are going to do it while protecting the environment each time.
I hope that the Bloc Québécois will consider supporting our bill.
Arpan Khanna Conservative Oxford, ON
Mr. Speaker, Oxford is home to thousands of hard-working auto workers and spinoff jobs that fuel our economy.
A new report warns that the unjustified U.S. tariffs on the auto sector could kill 50,000 jobs. Our families are worried, our workers are terrified and the layoffs have already started. The Prime Minister claimed to be the man with a plan, but as we have not gotten a deal done, we are suffering right across the board. The Prime Minister talks a big game, but when it comes to fighting for auto workers, he is missing from action.
Can the Liberals tell us how many auto sector jobs will be lost because they failed to get a deal?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Finance and National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, it is incumbent on every member in this House to fight for the auto sector. We know they are the best workers in the world. We know they are in our communities across the country. We have been working with them hand in hand each time.
We are facing a trade war from our closest neighbour, but one thing is true. We are going to fight for our workers. We are going to fight for our industry. We are going to fight for Canada.
We are the true north strong and free, and we will fight for our workers.
Tony Baldinelli Conservative Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
Mr. Speaker, in May, GM announced a record-setting $888-million investment in one of our local V8 engine plants. The problem is that it is investing it in Tonawanda, New York, just miles away from our very own V8 engine plant in St. Catharines. Workers in Niagara are worried about their future, and now a new report says that the unjustified U.S. tariffs could kill over 50,000 auto sector jobs in Canada.
Will the Liberals admit their failure to get a deal with the U.S. threatens to kill thousands of good-paying auto sector jobs in southern Ontario?
Karim Bardeesy LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, we are in a trade war against these unjust and illegal tariffs. That is what we are fighting every day. That is what the Prime Minister is taking on in Kananaskis. We are fighting for workers and their investments.
Let us remember on this day, when we just remembered Buzz Hargrove in this House, what he would be fighting for. Let us fight together for the things that will keep us together strong, fighting for those investments and fighting for those workers. I invite the members opposite to join us in that fight.
Kathy Borrelli Conservative Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore, ON
Mr. Speaker, a new report says that the U.S. tariffs on Canada's auto sector could kill 50,000 jobs. The Prime Minister promised elbows up with the U.S., but it has been elbows down. He said he was the man with the plan, but he has been unable to get a deal, directly threatening the jobs of Canadian auto workers. We need real solutions for Canadians.
Can the Liberal government tell us how many jobs will be lost in the auto sector because of its failure to get a deal?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalMinister of Transport and Internal Trade
Mr. Speaker, our government will always stand up for our auto sector. We will always stand up for our auto workers. That is what we were elected to do: to stand for Canada, to fight for Canada. That is what the Prime Minister is doing this week in Kananaskis.
I know Canadians recognize, as I hope all members of this House will recognize, that we cannot get a good deal for Canada if we negotiate in public.
Harb Gill Conservative Windsor West, ON
Mr. Speaker, in Windsor we build cars. It is what feeds our families and pays our mortgages, but now 50,000 Canadian auto jobs are at risk because the Prime Minister could not get a deal with the United States. He promised to be elbows up, but instead it is elbows down. In Windsor, auto workers and suppliers are very concerned and they deserve answers.
If Buzz were here today, he would be asking how many jobs will be lost because the Liberal government failed to stand up for Windsor and the Canadian auto sector.
Chrystia Freeland LiberalMinister of Transport and Internal Trade
Mr. Speaker, this is a frightening time for our auto workers. It is a frightening time for all Canadians. This is why it is so important for Canadians to hear all of us say that our government was elected to stand for Canada, our government was elected to fight for Canada and that is what we shall surely do. It is what we are doing. Canadians are smart; they know we cannot get a good deal if we negotiate in public.
Aaron Gunn Conservative North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of Liberal government, Canadians are facing a cost of living crisis. Now Liberals are proposing to ban all gas-powered vehicles, including pickup trucks and SUVs, in just 10 years, a policy that will cost 38,000 Canadian jobs and drive up the price of new vehicles by $20,000 each.
Conservatives believe that Canadians who drive their kids to school or to sports, or themselves to work, should have the freedom to choose the vehicle that is right for them and their family, at a price they can afford. Why does the Liberal government apparently disagree?
Julie Dabrusin LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, once again it is so shocking, in a moment when our auto industry is under fire from the unjustified tariffs from the United States, that we have the Conservatives talking down a growing industry right in our country.
We are going to stand up for our auto workers, we are going to support our auto workers and we are going to make sure Canadians have access to a growing area for vehicles. It is actually growing globally. We are going to make sure Canadians have access to zero-emission vehicles.
Grant Jackson Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government is banning gas-powered vehicles and forcing Canadians to buy electric. This will add $20,000 on top of the average $66,000 price of buying a car, as if they need to be more expensive in this country. This will jack up prices for Canadians and gut hundreds of energy sector jobs in western Manitoba. Canadians do not want to be forced to drive EVs.
With manufacturers like GM and Ford calling for its removal, will the Liberals admit their mistake and vote in favour later today of our Conservative motion to give Canadians back choice in what they drive?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Finance and National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, what we are prepared to admit is that we landed generational investment in this country. We have seen companies like Volkswagen choosing Canada. We have seen companies like Honda choosing Canada. We have seen companies like Stellantis choosing Canada. The reasons are that we have the best workers in the world, we have a growing industry and they know Canada is the land of the future.
The Conservatives should rally with us, cheer for our workers and cheer for our industry. Let us cheer for Canada together.