Debates of June 6th, 2025

Disaster Assistance

[Eleanor Olszewski, Liberal, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question and for his deep concern for the people of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

The wildfire season has hit earlier and harder than usual, and Canadians are stepping up to support those affected. That is why we have partnered with Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Red Cross to match every single individual donation made to their wildlife appeals. Every dollar Canadians give will go further to provide shelter, food and essential supplies to those affected by wildfires.

Public Safety

[John Williamson, Conservative, Saint John—St. Croix, NB]

Madam Speaker, yesterday I asked the government why a convicted child sex offender in New Brunswick is out on bail while appealing his jail sentence. The government blamed the provinces, judges and the police, yet this child sex offender was already arrested and sentenced for his crime. The predator got out on bail under federal law, and the government is not closing this dangerous loophole. Now, the minister pointed to Bill C-2 as an answer, but this bill does nothing to stop this from happening again.

I ask again, when will Liberals stop convicted child sex offenders from receiving bail?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Madam Speaker, I understand this matter involves Correctional Services Canada and is subject to the release by the parole board. Of course, Bill C-2 has a number of important measures in place to protect the border, including ensuring that in regard to those who are predators, especially on the Internet, using child pornography, for example, law enforcement has the right tools to be able to do its job more adequately.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Central Newfoundland, NL]

Madam Speaker, this year's northern-cod assessment places the stock just a fraction below the healthy zone. With all those seeking increased quota, one sector stands out in terms of its historical access and adjacency to the resource. Those are the inshore harvesters of the northeast coast of Newfoundland in areas 3K and 3L.

Given that these harvesters had little increase in their share of quota last year, will the minister do the right thing and accept the FFAW's proposal to allocate any increase in the northern cod quota to the inshore fishers of the northeast coast?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Madam Speaker, I well know the historical importance of cod to the province, as well as the cultural importance. I also remember the moratorium 30 years ago and remember the absolute devastation to so many communities and individuals.

As we begin to move forward and see the stock return to a more healthy zone, it is imperative to ensure that we balance the future generations of fishers in the province with the need of harvesters to be able to have a reasonable livelihood. I will look at both.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Central Newfoundland, NL]

Madam Speaker, inshore operators along the northeast coast are seeing heavy predation on their crab stocks by cod. This has impacted their crab quotas and will worsen as the cod stock grows. Plant workers and fish harvesters in this adjacent area must benefit from the growth of the cod stock, which is placing livelihoods that are now dependent on crab in peril.

Will the minister not yield to high-paid lobbyists and foreign-funded ENGOs, and instead do the right thing and accept the FFAW's proposal to allocate any increase in northern cod to fish harvesters on the inshore sector of the northeast coast?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Madam Speaker, I will repeat what I said earlier, because I do not know if my colleague heard me. It is imperative that we balance the future of stocks. We need to have a fishery to pass on to the next generation. At the same time, we need to understand that this is people's livelihood. We can do both, but we also need to ensure that we have a stock going forward.

Sport

[Bruce Fanjoy, Liberal, Carleton, ON]

Madam Speaker, sport brings people together, builds confidence and helps young people stay healthy and active. That is why programs such as the community sport for all initiative are so important, especially for kids who might otherwise face barriers to participating.

Could the Secretary of State for Sport update the House on how this program has helped make sport more accessible to Canadians?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Secretary of State (Sport)]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my neighbours in Burlington North—Milton West for their confidence, but I would also like to sincerely thank the good people of Carleton for electing a fantastic community champion as their member of Parliament.

The community sport for all initiative lifts people up by breaking down barriers to physical activity, with programs such as Dribble Dreams in Milton and Ottawa South United Soccer in the member's riding, an organization the MP knows well because he is so connected to his community. Partners such as KidSport and Jumpstart have already helped more than one million Canadian families and kids to enjoy sport and participate. That is because every kid deserves a chance to play, to compete and to belong.

When kids play, Canada wins.

Finance

[Éric Lefebvre, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Madam Speaker, after 10 years of Liberal inflationary deficits, here is the result.

Last night, I received the heartbreaking testimony of a Victoriaville resident who wrote to me saying she lives alone and struggles to make ends meet. After rent, bills and various payments, she barely has enough money for food. She said she can only afford to buy food if she has any money left. That is happening here in Canada.

My question is simple. Will the Liberals finally table a budget so that no one has to cut back on food?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, we welcome our new colleague to the House.

He is lucky because today he will have the opportunity to support a bill that will lower taxes for the woman in Victoriaville he is talking about.

He will also have the opportunity to support a bill, supported by his former boss, Mr. Legault, that will create and build major projects, create opportunities, create economic activity and even create opportunities for the woman in his riding.

Natural Resources

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Madam Speaker, Trump's tariffs are just the latest blow for B.C.'s forestry sector. The industry needs a lifeline so it can provide good jobs in rural communities. Retrofitting mills to generate electricity from biomass could protect jobs and power grids with sustainable energy. The Domtar paper mill in Port Alberni made the switch, and now 88% of its emissions come from biomass. In 2023, the Liberals promised a tax credit for biomass energy, but they have delayed implementation while investments head south.

Will the Prime Minister show he has not forgotten about B.C.'s forestry sector and make sure biomass is in this year's budget?

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

Madam Speaker, our government supports the growth of the biomass sector. Later today, we will be tabling a bill that would help us build energy-efficient sources of energy, including biomass. We hope the member will support the bill.

Northern Affairs

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Uqaqtittiji, Nunavut has the highest rate of child poverty in Canada. Almost half of Inuit children, at 42%, go to school hungry every day, yet the Liberals recently cancelled a hamlet food voucher program, with nothing to replace it. The nutrition north subsidy does not reduce grocery prices. Meanwhile, the North West Company consistently reports hundreds of millions of dollars in profits.

Will the Liberals admit they believe the so-called nation-building Grays Bay road is more important than feeding Inuit children?

[Rebecca Chartrand, Liberal, Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency]

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to ensuring that full retail-subsidy benefits reach northerners. To enhance accountability, we formed the nutrition north compliance and audit review committee with indigenous and regional representatives.

We recognize that food is more than nutrition; it is also cultural identity and sovereignty. We are committed to ensuring that the subsidy goes directly to northerners.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

I just want to remind members to please look at the chair and see if it is a woman or a man who is sitting in the chair. It would be much appreciated.

The member for Elgin—St. Thomas—London South is rising on a point of order.

[Andrew Lawton, Conservative, Elgin—St. Thomas—London South, ON]

Madam Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety accused me of editing, in a misleading way, his own comments from committee of the whole. What was out of context? He said very clearly that he did not know what a fire—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

That is debate, and it really has no place right now.

Canadian Identity and Culture

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), and in accordance with the policy on the tabling of treaties in Parliament, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “Audiovisual Co-production Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of South Africa”, signed at Capetown on September 3, 2024.

One Canadian Economy Act

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-5, An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Indigenous Languages

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Madam Speaker, this petition was signed by members of the Tseshaht First Nation. They highlight that an essential part of reconciliation is addressing the harms first nations have experienced, including the devastating loss of language and culture. They also highlight that there is a growing number of indigenous language learners, but the number of remaining fluent speakers is falling.

The petitioners also highlight that changes to federal funding for indigenous language programming have put the preservation and revitalization of first nations languages and cultural heritage in British Columbia at risk and that there is urgent need to invest in indigenous language revitalization before it is too late.

They are calling on the Government of Canada to commit to ensuring fair, adequate and long-term funding for indigenous language programming, especially in British Columbia.

Charitable Organizations

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, the Liberal Party, according to petitioners, has been attacking the charitable status of various Canadian charitable organizations. Recommendations 429 and 430 in a finance committee report regarding budget consultations recommended stripping charitable status from any organizations that are effectively from any houses of worship and also separately from any pro-life organizations.

These recommendations, if implemented in a budget, would prevent these organizations from issuing tax receipts. Not only that, but they could actually force these organizations, including churches, mosques, gurdwaras, temples and synagogues, to lose their assets. This is a very extreme recommendation endorsed by the majority of that committee, and petitioners are opposed to that.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on an ideologically and politically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another values test, as well as to affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages]

Madam Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.