House of Commons Hansard #8 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was economy.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Ukrainian Heritage Month Act First reading of Bill C-203. The bill declares September of every year Ukrainian Heritage Month across Canada to celebrate Ukrainian heritage and contributions to Canadian life. 200 words.
Income Tax Act First reading of Bill C-204. The bill proposes to increase the tax credit for volunteer firefighters and search and rescue responders to help compensate for expenses and recognize their important contributions. 200 words.
Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply Members debate the Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne. New MPs deliver maiden speeches. Conservatives highlight concerns over housing affordability, rising crime, and the economy, criticizing the government's approach to the energy sector and lack of a budget. Liberals defend their record and outline plans for a resilient economy, infrastructure, housing, and national programs. Bloc MPs criticize the centralized "one economy" vision and advocate for provincial jurisdiction and supply management. NDP raise concerns for vulnerable Canadians. 24800 words, 3 hours.
Joël Lightbound LiberalMinister of Government Transformation
Mr. Speaker, we have reduced the use of consultants, to answer the first part of the member's question.
We are working on a strong mandate to make government more efficient so that we can deliver more for Canadians, which is exactly what we are doing with a tax cut for 22 million Canadians. I am hoping Conservatives can rally behind this common-sense idea.
Sandra Cobena Conservative Newmarket—Aurora, ON
Mr. Speaker, when mothers go grocery shopping, it is about their kids. They would rather go hungry than see them go without. In Newmarket, I met a mother of three little boys who was in tears. She did not know what she was going to feed them the following week. Who can blame her? Two bags of groceries now cost $100 and barely last two days.
The Liberals' inflation is the slow undoing of a family's dignity, yet the Liberals plan to continue their inflationary spending. Will the Liberals present a budget this spring and reduce spending, or will they continue to ask parents to pay for their broken promises?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, nobody should go hungry in this country, and that is why we have taken extraordinary measures to support families just like the constituents the member spoke about. Since 2015, child poverty is down by 38%. We have a ways to go, but we have to continue working together to get the full benefits of this work.
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton, QC
Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers were told during the election to vote Liberal because their leader would have superpowers that could neutralize Donald Trump. We are seeing the outcome of that today: Donald Trump doubled the tariffs on steel and aluminum. Well done.
The Bloc Québécois has said it before: These industries need to be offered liquidity and the money from the retaliatory measures need to be redistributed. We also need to prepare a wage subsidy in the event of layoffs. Aluminum and steel have been subject to tariffs for three months. Now they have doubled.
Will Ottawa finally announce some support for them?
Mélanie Joly LiberalMinister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Mr. Speaker, I spoke with the heads of Rio Tinto, Alcoa and Alouette last night. We are here to support our aluminum companies.
The Minister of Finance is also having a number of meaningful conversations. We know how important aluminum is to Quebec. We know how fundamental aluminum workers are. That is also why I spoke to Magali Picard of the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec earlier today. I have been in contact with the steelworkers union and Unifor. We will keep working on this.
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton, QC
Mr. Speaker, we are not interested in who the minister had supper with yesterday. We want to know what she is doing today.
The aluminum and steel industry has been dealing with tariffs for three months now. For three months, Ottawa has offered nothing to help them. The Prime Minister's negotiations did not produce results. The tariffs even doubled. Today, cash flow and wage subsidies are needed to guarantee that Quebeckers are not laid off.
What is Ottawa waiting for? When will it support our industries and protect our workers?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalMinister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our government took action even before the election to support workers across Canada who are affected by the illegal and unfair tariffs imposed by the Americans.
As the Prime Minister said, Canadians gave us a mandate to negotiate a new economic partnership and security agreement with the United States. We also have a mandate to protect our industries and our workers. That is precisely what our government is doing.
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said there would only be pipelines if there was consensus. As it turns out, the Premier of B.C. has said no. Several Liberal MPs are opposed. Even within the Prime Minister's own head, there seems to be opposition, because on the one hand he says, “Yes, we are going to go ahead and become the energy superpower,” but on the other hand he says, “No, oil needs to stay in the ground.”
The Prime Minister clearly has no plan to get things done. Why is he putting his elbows down and making us beholden to the United States of America?
Tim Hodgson LiberalMinister of Energy and Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, what we saw on Monday was 13 provinces and territories working together to build the strongest economy in the G7. The premiers and the government are focused on building a strong Canadian economy. What we are seeing from my colleagues across the floor are attempts to divide and to block development. I hope Conservatives will join us in building a strong Canada.
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Mr. Speaker, that is the type of non-answer that we have become accustomed to from the Liberals. Grand gestures, meetings and press conferences will not things done, even though the Prime Minister seems to believe that is the case.
What would move things forward, of course, is a plan, such as a plan to scrap Bill C-69, the no new pipelines act; a plan to scrap Bill C-48; or a plan to scrap the job-killing oil and gas cap, which exists. On the industrial carbon tax, let us get rid of that as well.
Is the Prime Minister simply turning a blind eye to these things, or does he just not know how to get things done?
Tim Hodgson LiberalMinister of Energy and Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, if my hon. colleague was listening to what happened in Saskatoon, the premiers and the Prime Minister have a plan to fast-track projects, get projects done within two years and build the strongest economy in the G7.
Why will my colleagues not get on board?
Clifford Small Conservative Central Newfoundland, NL
Mr. Speaker, there is no consensus. That is the reality this week on getting Western oil and gas to tidewater. There is consensus in Newfoundland and Labrador today, where a VOCM poll shows that 74% agree that the Liberal oil and gas cap is an “investment killer”. No pipelines are required to get Newfoundland and Labrador's 2.5 billion barrels of oil to the world market or its 12.5 trillion cubic feet of gas to tidewater. It is already there.
Will the Prime Minister put his money where his mouth is and get rid of his investment-killing cap to bring prosperity back to the Atlantic Canadian oil and gas patch?
Tim Hodgson LiberalMinister of Energy and Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, we will build and protect our economy from American tariffs, and we will win the trade war, but to find new markets for Canadian energy, emissions in every barrel of oil must be reduced. Serious investment in carbon capture must happen. We will build the strongest low-cost, low-risk, low-carbon economy in the G7.
Warren Steinley Conservative Regina—Lewvan, SK
Mr. Speaker, that sounds like a hard no to me. Saskatchewan people want to build pipelines. To secure and grow Canada's economy, we must develop a world-class energy sector. The anti-energy NDP Premier of B.C. has stated that there will be no new pipelines in B.C. Anti-development extremists in the Prime Minister's cabinet have dedicated their careers to keeping Canadian oil and gas in the ground, such as the heritage minister and the environment minister.
If the Prime Minister cannot get consensus within his own cabinet, how will we ever get a pipeline built in our country?
Tim Hodgson LiberalMinister of Energy and Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, again, I would say that my hon. colleagues need to look at the tapes. The Premier of Saskatchewan was supportive. The Premier of Alberta was supportive. The representative from British Columbia was supportive.
Why can our colleagues not get supportive to help us build the strongest economy in the G7?
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the energy minister say there will be no pipelines without a consensus, but buzzwords do not build pipelines. How is consensus realistic when the NDP Premier of B.C. has already ruled out a new pipeline. There is currently no proponent for an eastern pipeline, and the Prime Minister himself called for Canada to be an energy superpower one day, and the next day, he insisted that half of the other reserves need to stay in the ground. Half of the PM's own cabinet wanted to see Canada's oil industries die, and they spent the past decade trying to kill it.
If the Prime Minister cannot find consensus within his own cabinet, how does he plan to approve a pipeline?
Tim Hodgson LiberalMinister of Energy and Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, again, we have answered this question. Premier Moe said that it was the best meeting he has been to as a premier. Premier Smith said that we have an opportunity for a “grand bargain”. Why will you not help us get to the grand bargain?
Oil and Gas IndustryOral Questions
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
I will remind the hon. minister to go through the Chair.
The hon. member for Vancouver Quadra.
Wade Grant Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
Mr. Speaker, last week my hometown of Vancouver hosted North America's first Web Summit, an event that highlighted Canada's vibrant tech sector and its potential on the global stage. This conference brought together leading innovators and investors from around the world, underscoring the significant opportunities for growth in our AI ecosystem.
Will the Minister of Artificial Intelligence share with the House how the government plans to solidify Canada's position as a global leader in tech and attract more investment and talent to our country?
Evan Solomon LiberalMinister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, let me first take this opportunity to thank the people of Toronto Centre for placing their trust in me as their MP. I also want to thank my volunteers and my family for their support.
We are very happy to support the Web Summit in Vancouver. It reinforces our commitment to keep Canada's world-class AI system and ecosystem strong, safe and sovereign. Just last week, we saw two Canadian companies announce billions of dollars in new investments to build eight new AI data centres from Kamloops to Rimouski. We are building the economy of the future right now.
Eric Melillo Conservative Kenora—Kiiwetinoong, ON
Mr. Speaker, according to the Liberals' own report, nearly half of first-time homebuyers feel they are paying “too much for their home” and “63% are concerned about the possibility of defaulting on their mortgage payments”, citing interest rates, the cost of living and reduced income as the reasons. This is the direct result of 10 years of this Liberal plan in action. It is why Canadians deserve to see a plan to fix it now.
On what date will the Liberals table a budget, including a plan for housing, so that Canadians can afford to have a roof over their heads?
Gregor Robertson LiberalMinister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite will have an opportunity to support a GST cut for first-time homebuyers, which is in front of us right now. We look forward to his support on that and giving new homebuyers a $50,000 break on their purchases up to $1 million. We look forward to his support on that and his support on the cut to income taxes for 22 million Canadians so they can afford housing.
Eric Melillo Conservative Kenora—Kiiwetinoong, ON
Mr. Speaker, the minister wants to pretend all is going well, but the facts from his own department show that first-time homebuyers are struggling, as 60% “have had difficulties maintaining debt payments.” That is not all. Recently, TD Bank has cast doubt on the Liberal promise to build more homes, stating that new home starts are actually going to decline next year. When housing starts go down, the prices go up, and we have yet another failed Liberal promise.
I will ask this again: On what date will we see a federal budget that includes a plan for housing so Canadians can afford a home?
Gregor Robertson LiberalMinister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada
Mr. Speaker, our housing challenges have built up over several decades, and there is certainly the decade of inaction from the Conservative government.
We are taking action. The new Government of Canada is focused on delivering on housing, with up to 500,000 housing starts. This is using every tool in the tool box, starting with a break on GST and starting with the important moves we are making to create “build Canada homes”.
Andrew Lawton Conservative Elgin—St. Thomas—London South, ON
Mr. Speaker, the picture for first-time homebuyers is very grim right now: 63%, nearly two-thirds, fear that they are going to default because of rising costs and the rising interest rates, which have happened on the Liberal government's watch, and 26% are using debt and credit to pay off debt. The Prime Minister may not know we have to pay off debt, but ordinary Canadians do.
Canadians deserve a plan. Canadians deserve a budget that puts housing first. The government needs to listen to Parliament, listen to Canadians, and deliver a budget so Canadians can put a roof over their heads.