House of Commons Hansard #18 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was fentanyl.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Department of Citizenship and Immigration Ombud Act First reading of Bill C-212. The bill establishes an independent ombud office for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to examine its practices for fairness, equity, bias, racism, and discrimination, and address complaints. 200 words.
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act First reading of Bill C-213. The bill repeals provisions in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that allow cessation of refugee status for permanent residents who temporarily return to their country of origin, called "unjust" by the mover. 200 words.
National Renewable Energy Strategy Act First reading of Bill C-214. The bill requires developing a national strategy to achieve 100% renewable electricity generation in Canada by 2030, citing climate action and clean energy jobs. 200 words.
Marine Liability Act First reading of Bill C-215. The bill requires a national strategy to address pollution caused by shipping container spills, aiming to improve response and prevention efforts. 300 words.
Strong Borders Act Second reading of Bill C-2. The bill proposes measures to strengthen border security, combat organized crime, fentanyl, auto theft, and money laundering, and reform the immigration system. Liberal MPs argue it provides necessary tools for law enforcement and border services while protecting rights. Opposition MPs raise concerns about potential infringements on civil liberties, including warrantless access to mail and data, cash transaction limits, and argue the bill fails to address key crime issues like bail and sentencing. Bloc MPs express concerns about the bill's scope and potential impact on freedoms, while an NDP MP highlights unprecedented powers for data access. 23800 words, 3 hours.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, every time this Liberal government proposes a new environmental measure, it is either a tax or an obligation.
Now the Liberals want to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles, which will cut 90,000 jobs in Canada. They want to punish Quebeckers who choose gas-powered vehicles by imposing a $20,000 increase on vehicles that already cost an average of $67,000.
Why does the Prime Minister want to take away Canadians' freedom to choose what vehicle they drive?
Julie Dabrusin LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, let us start by clarifying one thing: We are not banning gas-powered cars.
Furthermore, in Quebec, regulations are in place to ensure that Quebeckers have access to the sale of electric vehicles. These rules already exist, even in my colleague's riding.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out to the Minister of Environment that people in Quebec have already started saying that forcing people to buy an EV by 2035 is a non‑starter.
The problem for us is that this is a matter of freedom of choice, not a need for control. What we are seeing right now is a Liberal government that wants to control what Canadians do.
Many Canadians cannot afford to buy an EV, or they find that an EV is not suitable for their lifestyle. Take the example of someone who lives in northern Quebec and hunts, fishes and works in the bush. It is impossible for this person to do all that with an EV.
Forcing EVs on Canadians is not a solution.
Julie Dabrusin LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, again, we are not forcing people to buy EVs, any more than we are banning internal combustion vehicles. It is also important to mention that EVs are less expensive to use and are cheaper to maintain. Canadians want access to these vehicles.
Why do the Conservatives not want Canadians to have that choice?
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government already tried to control Canadians' lives by imposing the carbon tax. The Liberals called us every name in the book for years. What did the new Prime Minister do? He scrapped the carbon tax because he knew it was not working.
Now, we are asking the same thing: Stop forcing things on Canadians. If they want an EV, let them buy one. If they want a gas-powered car because it suits their needs, let them buy that. We are asking the Liberals not to impose rules that will drive up car prices and make people buy something they cannot afford once again. We are asking them not to create an obligation based on their ideology.
Julie Dabrusin LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, what we are hearing right now is completely absurd and a bit ridiculous.
I will say it again: We will help people who work for automakers. If the Conservatives want to imply that the cars we manufacture in Canada are no good, that is their prerogative. The Liberal Party and I will always support our auto industry.
Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Mr. Speaker, the main issue during the election campaign was a serious crisis, a tariff and trade crisis. The day after the election campaign, poof, it disappeared. The Prime Minister went to Washington to meet with President Trump and came back with nothing to show for it.
That said, the Prime Minister has since made significant concessions on tariffs, borders and defence. He said that all of the tariff issues would be resolved before the G7, but he is returning empty-handed yet again.
Should workers be satisfied with a 30-day deadline?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalPresident of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the U.S. President had a constructive meeting in Kananaskis during the G7. They discussed a number of issues.
Obviously, the priority for us was to speak directly to the U.S. President about the issue of tariffs and, as my colleague just indicated, the impact that tariffs are having not only on Canada's economy and Canadian workers, but also on the U.S. economy. We wanted to talk about the fact that it is harmful to Americans to continue with this tariff plan.
I am confident that we have made progress, but we will not stop until this matter is resolved.
Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Mr. Speaker, if the G7 is considered progress, then we are not out of the woods yet.
The government is muzzling Parliament, suspending the rule of law, and preventing elected members who are not siding with the Liberals and the Conservatives from speaking, but meanwhile nothing is happening on trade and tariffs. There is talk about oil. However, Bill C-5 has nothing to do with trade and nothing to do with tariffs in the foreseeable future.
Have the government and the Prime Minister misplaced their priorities?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalPresident of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, the bill on one Canadian economy seeks specifically to respond to the threat of U.S. tariffs and economic instability. During the election campaign, the Prime MInister was very clear. We are going to build major projects in Canada and we are going to build them the right way by respecting the environmental standards and working in partnership with indigenous peoples, the provinces and the territories.
I know that my friend from the Bloc Québécois may not be happy about us working with the provinces and territories to do great things in Canada, but that is precisely what we are going to do.
Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals need to stop regurgitating stock answers.
Bill C‑5 will not have any impact on the Canadian economy, but it will have a huge negative impact on the public purse for many years to come. Bill C‑5 will have no impact on the tariff war and no foreseeable impact on production-related trade or on the Canadian economy.
Will the Liberals stop taking people for fools and admit that Bill C‑5 is the Prime Minister's business plan and that it goes against the interests of Quebec workers?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalMinister of Transport and Internal Trade
Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for my Bloc Québécois colleague, but I cannot agree with the notion that Bill C‑5 will have no impact on the Canadian economy.
Economists who have studied the impact of free trade within Canada have found that this measure will add $200 billion to the Canadian economy and grow the GDP by 2% to 4%. That is a significant impact.
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
Mr. Speaker, in Saskatoon, winter temperatures often hit -30°C, so families need vehicles that actually work in the winter, but the Prime Minister, backed by his radical former environment minister, is doubling down on Justin Trudeau's plan to ban gas-powered cars and force Canadians to buy expensive EVs that do not stand up to the cold. His plan would hike car prices by $20,000 and leave families stranded. It is out of touch, unaffordable and anti-choice.
Will the Prime Minister stop punishing Canadians for living in a cold country and repeal his unscientific, job-killing electric vehicle mandate now?
Evan Solomon LiberalMinister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, we are in a trade war that was launched by the U.S. As we know, the auto sector is already under attack.
Let us hope that my colleagues will join us by not attacking the auto sector, but by supporting jobs across the auto sector in all forms and making sure that our communities remain strong in that industry.
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what the government is doing. It is attacking the auto sector. Our supposedly “elbows up” Prime Minister promised to get tough with the U.S., but these unjustified tariffs will kill 50,000 Canadian auto sector jobs. While he is bungling the trade talks, his self-imposed ban on gas-powered cars will gut another 40,000 jobs. The combination of these two failures will be disastrous for our auto industry. That is 90,000 jobs gone, poof.
Will the Prime Minister admit that his failures are killing our auto sector and finally stand up for 90,000 Canadian jobs?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, this line of questioning is somewhat absurd. Whether someone wants to get on a Ski-doo, get on an all-terrain vehicle, gas up their F-150 or have the plumber take their truck to work, that is a person's choice in this country. There is no ban on gas-powered vehicles. This is the completely conjured up, fake showmanship from the Conservatives. It is unbelievable.
There is an auto sector in Canada. We are going to stand up for the people in it. We are going to protect it and we are going to give consumers choice.
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
Mr. Speaker, an Ipsos poll says that two-thirds of Canadians disagree with the disastrous Liberal plan for the ban of the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. The EV mandate would eliminate 38,000 jobs and cost $138.7 billion. U.S. tariffs could mean 1,000 more jobs lost. Prices will go up by $20,000 per vehicle. Canadian jobs will vanish.
When will the Liberals repeal their EV mandate?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I am having trouble understanding the actual line of questioning from the opposition. They are trying to—
Automotive IndustryOral Questions
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
I cannot hear, and it is important that I be able to hear the conversation.
The hon. government House leader.
Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, I know the member of Parliament. He knows there is no ban on gas-powered vehicles. I will invite him to the riding, and we will go out on a Ski-doo ride when the winter comes.
The fact is that Canadians have choice and will continue to have choice. In the meantime, we are going to power a new industry to put Canadian auto workers, Unifor workers, unionized men and women, to work building all kinds of vehicles in this country.
Kerry Diotte Conservative Edmonton Griesbach, AB
Mr. Speaker, I believe it is on the website.
It is not a surprise to Albertans that Liberals think that gas and diesel are pure evil. Why else would they be sticking with Justin Trudeau's EV mandates? EV sales are sagging and auto manufacturers are dead set against these mandates. This Liberal idea is a real clunker, and it is an affront to free choice.
Will the Prime Minister reverse this reckless policy and let Canadians buy the vehicles they actually want to buy?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, when I go down to the street corner gas station near my house, they have this thing called a pump. The pump offers various choices of grades of gasoline, and for the hon. member's benefit, there is a yellow one that says “diesel”. If someone happens to have a diesel engine, they stick that pump into their vehicle. People have a choice to run their diesel truck or run their diesel car. That is all good. Canadians have the choice. Let us drive on.
Matt Strauss Conservative Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Mr. Speaker, contrary to that member's remarks, on my phone right now, I am reading Canada's electric vehicle availability standard, regulated targets for zero-emission vehicles. It is on the government's website. It is regulating and mandating this, while Canadians are not choosing to buy EVs. EV sales are down 45% in our country right now, and that is okay. Living in a liberal democracy means different people make different choices for their families based on their different needs, as they see fit.
Why will the Liberals not respect the right of Canadians to choose the vehicle that serves their family best?
Julie Dabrusin LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Conservatives. Why, in this moment, when we are facing unjustified tariffs from the United States, are they talking down a climate-competitive industry that is right here in our country? In fact, globally, if they looked at the reports, including the International Energy Agency's reports, global rates for the purchase of EVs are going up, so this is a growing sector. I hope they will support it, because we do.