House of Commons Hansard #9 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Business of the House Steven MacKinnon moves motion agreed to by Members to change House Standing Orders for the 45th Parliament regarding committee composition, appointment, and procedures for suspending sittings during late-night votes. 400 words.
Strong Borders Act Second reading of Bill C-2. The bill aims to strengthen border security, combat organized crime, fentanyl trafficking, money laundering, and enhance immigration system integrity. Proponents say it provides crucial new tools for law enforcement. Critics raise concerns about its omnibus nature, lack of provisions on bail and sentencing, insufficient resources, and privacy implications of new powers, including lawful access and mail inspection, arguing it requires thorough, detailed work in committee. 44700 words, 6 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Main Estimates, 2025-26 Members debate Public Safety and Transport estimates. Discussions include concerns about correctional service decisions, bail reform, gun control (including the buyback program), and border security (Bill C-2, CBSA/RCMP hiring). They also discuss efforts to strengthen the economy and create a single Canadian market by reducing internal trade barriers, investments in national transport infrastructure like ports and rail, and issues with air passenger rights. 31800 words, 4 hours.
Frank Caputo Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, BC
Mr. Chair, it was the decision of the minister not to legislate. We could legislate. This is a long-term offender. Will the minister work with Conservatives to introduce legislation?
Gary Anandasangaree Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON
Mr. Chair, the first act of the government was to bring forward legislation, Bill C-2, which would impact many crimes. I am hoping the member—
Frank Caputo Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, BC
Mr. Chair, will the minister enact legislation that works to keep sex offenders in jail longer?
Gary Anandasangaree Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON
Mr. Chair, it is not up to me to enact legislation. It is up to the House.
Frank Caputo Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, BC
Mr. Chair, will the minister propose legislation to keep sex offenders in jail longer, yes or no?
Gary Anandasangaree Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON
Mr. Chair, we have brought forward Bill C-2. It addresses a number of issues around the border. That is a critical priority.
Frank Caputo Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, BC
Mr. Chair, Bill C-2 is a border bill. We are talking about sex offenders and jail. Will the minister keep them there?
Gary Anandasangaree Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON
Mr. Chair, the member is accurate. It is a border bill, and we look forward to its quick passage.
Main Estimates, 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Winnipeg North Manitoba
Liberal
Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Chair, I will be splitting my time with the Minister of Transport.
If I may, I will give a bit of background. Having gone through the last federal election, as I indicated previously, I want to be very sensitive to what was being said at the doors and amplify what I heard every day of the campaign. It was genuine concern over the issue of President Donald Trump and his threat of tariffs, the impacts on trade, and what we would do in Ottawa to respond to that threat.
I am really grateful. We had elected a leader of the Liberal Party prior to the federal election, who today is the Prime Minister, with an incredible background. I found it interesting that he was appointed to be the governor of the Bank of Canada by Stephen Harper. He was then the governor of the Bank of England and dealt with the Brexit issue. As a Prime Minister, he fully understands how the economy works.
Today, not only do we have him as our Prime Minister, but we have one of the most able-minded individuals in the Minister of Transport, who has a comprehensive understanding of the importance of trade and the impact that it has on Canadians. On election night, it was very gratifying to see the results. I was quite satisfied. It reaffirmed to me and to many others that we have the right Prime Minister and the right government to take on the issues before us.
It was so encouraging that shortly after the election, arrangements were made to meet with the premiers in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It made me reflect on when we talked about building a strong Canada. Back in 1994, Paul Edwards was the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party. I say that because at the time of the provincial election and leading into it, he talked a great deal about prairie integration or prairie co-operation, believing that the Prairies would be stronger and healthier if they could break down some of the barriers between provincial boundaries.
Over the years, I have heard on many different occasions about interprovincial trade, and it was nice to get a dollar figure put to it. It is a significant amount of money. I truly believe that this crisis situation, the President Trump threat, has unified Canadians. Having been a parliamentarian now for over 35 years, I am convinced that an opportunity has arisen as a direct result of that.
We see that Canadians in different ways have spoken to the issue. They have done that by cancelling trips to the United States, by shopping and looking for made-in-Canada products and by avoiding products that are made in the U.S. They want to make a statement, much as they did on April 28. The statement was not just for the Liberal members of Parliament. It was for all members of Parliament, all political parties. The statement was that it is time we put Canadian interests first and foremost when dealing with this issue, and I believe the first ministers' conference embodied the wishes and desires of what the citizens are saying.
I listened to the Minister of Transport's opening remarks on the issue. She talked about how the provinces are bringing down some of the provincial barriers to accommodate additional trading opportunities. I think back to 1994 when Paul Edwards said that nurses graduating from the University of Saskatchewan, which I believe is located in Saskatoon, should be able to practise throughout the Prairies. I believe Paul Edwards was right back then, and it needs to be amplified because it should not just apply to the prairie provinces, as clearly spoken to in the Minister of Transport's comments.
I am a big fan of the Red Seal program. It provides opportunities for Canadians, no matter where they live, to use the skill sets they have acquired through post-secondary education and the practical training they got. Men and women have benefited tremendously from that particular program.
We have an opportunity to look at ways to continue to take down some of those barriers. I like using specific examples. When I think of a labour barrier, I think of an occupation where one partner in a couple has to relocate to another provincial jurisdiction and it ends up dividing the family. Often, it is for a short term, but it might cause one partner to have to give up a career. These are the types of things that I believe we have the opportunity to encourage.
Many things that take place are about provincial barriers. That is why it is not just about what Ottawa needs to do. It is about demonstrating leadership on the issue, bringing people together, building a consensus and taking actions where we can. I believe that under the Prime Minister, we have the right leadership that has the ability to bring people together. All one needs to do is reflect on what took place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Trade matters. It is absolutely critical that we get this thing right.
I often talk about Manitoba's pork industry. It creates 10,000-plus direct jobs, not to mention the indirect jobs. I remember taking a tour at the Maple Leaf plant on Lagimodiere Boulevard in Winnipeg, and it was interesting. As I was watching all this bacon being produced, I was told that half the bacon consumed in Canada was being produced on Lagimodiere. It is really encouraging.
As a government, we have had a two-pronged approach. One is to look at ways we can take down barriers in Canada so that companies, small or big, have more opportunity to maintain and hopefully expand opportunities, creating more jobs. Where we can, we can provide support for those companies so they might be able to look at alternatives, exporting beyond the United States, such as to the Philippines. In December, I was in the Philippines, and we had exploratory trade discussions so we can achieve a trade agreement. These are the types of initiatives that are going to protect the interests of Canadians and at the same time build the economy, a Canada strong economy for all Canadians. That is why we need to take the types of proactive measures that the Prime Minister and this government have taken in a matter of weeks.
The Assistant Deputy Chair Conservative John Nater
If the hon. member has a question for the minister, he can pose that now.
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Chair, could the minister share with us how she perceives trade to be such an important, vital issue for all Canadians?
Main Estimates, 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
University—Rosedale Ontario
Liberal
Chrystia Freeland LiberalMinister of Transport and Internal Trade
Mr. Chair, I want to start by thanking the member for Winnipeg North. Those of us who know him in this House know how energetic, loquacious and well-informed about everything he is. I have spent time with him in his constituency in Winnipeg, and the high respect with which we hold him here is nothing compared to the love and adoration he has from his constituents. He is there for them, and he is there for us too, so I am—
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Chair, I appreciate the compliment, and I thank the minister.
The minister made reference in her opening remarks to one thing that is really important. Could she provide some additional thoughts on how provinces have come to the table with a sense of co-operation about taking down some of those local barriers?
For example, the Province of Ontario has reached an agreement with the Province of Manitoba, and I understand that some provinces have passed legislation to this effect. This is the type of co-operation and consensus that, I believe, amplifies what it is that Canadians want to see: political co-operation on this very important, critical file.
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Mr. Chair, that is another excellent question. I jest a little, but only a little, because one of the things that is really heartwarming to see in Canada right now is the unity among premiers, Conservative premiers, Liberal premiers and NDP premiers, around the idea of getting rid of trade barriers between us. I hope all members of this House will join the premiers and join our government in supporting that initiative.
I think in asking for that generosity, it behooves me and our government to be generous in turn. Let me offer a few name checks to Conservatives who have led the charge on interprovincial trade: Premier Tim Houston of Nova Scotia, with his mutual recognition approach, is doing a great job; Premier Doug Ford of Ontario, as head of the Council of the Federation, is also leading the charge; and I do want to recognize someone who was a colleague of some of us in this House, the Hon. Jason Kenney, who has been—
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Chair, one of the industries referenced a bit earlier was the trucking industry. The trucking industry has literally 10,000-plus jobs in the province of Manitoba. It is a growing industry in the northwest, and in Winnipeg, in particular, where CentrePort Canada is a hub, with the potential to create literally thousands of additional jobs. It is important that we look at ways we can enhance the trucking industry. There is no doubt about that.
The minister made reference to taking down the barriers to allow truckers to travel interprovincially. When I met with a group of truckers, one of the things they said to me is that they would like to see more rest stops. What I would be interested in are things of that nature, the other things we can do to complement and support our trucking industry, if she has any comments about that.
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Mr. Chair, that is a great idea.
I also want to give a shout-out to the Deputy Minister of Transport, who is organizing a hackathon at the beginning of July for transport ministers and officials from across the country to get those barriers down, so that truckers can drive a truck from one end of the country to the other.
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Clarke, ON
Mr. Chair, Conservatives are committed to eliminating interprovincial trade barriers. My challenge, though, is with what I heard at the doors quite often. I cannot say how many folks I heard from who said they were tired of politicians saying one thing and then doing another.
The Prime Minister, then the Liberal candidate, said on five separate occasions that we would have free trade in Canada by Canada Day. Can the minister confirm that that will be the case?
The Assistant Deputy Chair Conservative John Nater
I will just confirm that the hon. member is splitting his time three ways.
Main Estimates, 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
University—Rosedale Ontario
Liberal
Chrystia Freeland LiberalMinister of Transport and Internal Trade
Mr. Chair, I want to congratulate my colleague, and I am even going to say friend, from Northumberland—Clarke on his re-election. He has a wonderful family, and I would like to congratulate them too.
Our commitment as a government is to do everything in our power to get free trade in Canada by Canada Day. As the member knows, it is not entirely, not even chiefly, in the power of the federal government, but I am proud of what the—