The House is on summer break, scheduled to return Sept. 15

House of Commons Hansard #11 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.

Topics

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This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.

Opposition Motion—Food Inflation and Budgetary Policy Members debate a Conservative motion calling for a fiscally responsible budget before summer, arguing Liberal policies cause high food inflation and affordability issues like increased food bank usage. Liberals defend their record on affordability, citing tax cuts, social programs, and argue a fall budget is needed for accuracy, considering factors like US tariffs and defence spending. Other parties discuss corporate profits, industry conduct, and the impact of climate change. 50500 words, 6 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.

Statements by Members

Question Period

The Conservatives criticize the Liberal government for refusing to table a spring budget, which they argue is necessary to address the rising cost of groceries and inflationary spending. They highlight the severe housing crisis, the critical state of the military, and harmful anti-energy policies contributing to economic struggles and potential recession.
The Liberals defend their investments in affordability measures, including programs like dental care and a tax cut for 22 million Canadians, stating these help families and reduce poverty. They highlight a historic $9.3 billion defence investment to meet NATO targets and bolster sovereignty. They discuss their ambitious housing plan and introduce the one Canadian economy bill to remove internal trade barriers and build national projects, aiming for the strongest economy in the G7 and hosting the G7 summit.
The Bloc criticizes the Liberals for including energy projects in Bill C-5, which they argue harms the environment and bypasses assessments. They also question large spending, including defence investments, without tabling a budget or revealing the state of public finances.
The Green Party argues Bill C-5 is not ready for passage due to environmental and health concerns and should be redrafted.

Petitions

U.S. Decision Regarding Travel Ban MP Jenny Kwan seeks an emergency debate on the U.S. travel ban announced by President Trump, which she calls discriminatory and harmful to Canadians with ties to affected countries, urging Canada to respond. 300 words.

Main Estimates, 2025-26 Members debate Environment and Climate Change and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship estimates. On environment, discussions focus on pipeline construction, carbon pricing's impact on affordability and competitiveness, and climate targets. The Minister defends policies, citing the need for clean growth and international trade competitiveness. On immigration, debate centres on immigration levels and their effects on housing and health care. The Minister defends plans to stabilize numbers, attract skilled workers, and improve system integrity amidst opposition concerns about system management and impacts. 29900 words, 4 hours.

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Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:10 p.m.

Liberal

Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON

Mr. Chair, it is not my job to pick the projects. It is only my job to protect the environment.

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:10 p.m.

Conservative

Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB

Mr. Chair, I am not asking the minister to pick a project; I am asking whether she supports oil sands energy, yes or no.

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:10 p.m.

Liberal

Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON

Mr. Chair, I have answered that question. It is not my job to select the projects. I will stick to my job, which is protecting the environment.

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:10 p.m.

Conservative

Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB

Mr. Chair, does the minister agree that pipelines are a safe way of transporting oil, yes or no?

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:10 p.m.

Liberal

Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON

Mr. Chair, to go back to that question again, I have the same answer. My job is not to select the projects in the national interest. It is to make sure that we protect the environment in making the decisions.

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:10 p.m.

Conservative

Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB

Mr. Chair, does the minister believe that economic reconciliation is important?

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:10 p.m.

Liberal

Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON

Mr. Chair, absolutely, economic reconciliation is important, which is, in fact, why we have an indigenous loan guarantee.

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:10 p.m.

Conservative

Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB

Mr. Chair, In 2020, there was $2.4 billion in procurement in indigenous businesses in the oil sands alone. Does the minister acknowledge that economic reconciliation is important in the oil sands?

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:10 p.m.

Liberal

Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON

Mr. Chair, it is not for me to choose the projects or to decide for indigenous peoples what economic reconciliation looks like, but it is to provide support, such as through the indigenous loan guarantee from energy and natural resources.

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:10 p.m.

Conservative

Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB

Mr. Chair, there is $2.4 billion in procurement, so shrinking oil and gas development will hurt economic reconciliation.

Does the minister not see that this is a step backwards?

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:10 p.m.

Liberal

Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON

Mr. Chair, indigenous peoples will be consulted as we build national projects, and I will rely on the advice we get through those consultations.

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:10 p.m.

Liberal

Ginette Petitpas Taylor Liberal Moncton—Dieppe, NB

Mr. Chair, before I begin my formal speech, I would like to take a moment to thank the people of Moncton—Dieppe, who have given me the privilege of serving them in the House of Commons for a fourth time.

I would also like to take a moment to thank my team of volunteers, who worked tirelessly to ensure that the election went well once again. I also want to thank my campaign co-managers, Jake and Dan, and the hundreds of volunteers who made calls, knocked on doors and put up signs throughout our wonderful riding. Lastly, I would like to give a special shout-out to my husband, Brock, who has been by my side for over 30 years. He is probably my hardest-working volunteer, and I want to thank him once again from the bottom of my heart.

This evening, I am pleased to have the opportunity to discuss Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's funding requests in the main estimates for 2025-26. Canada's ability to attract global talent, fill critical labour shortage and grow our economy depends on a well-run, forward-thinking immigration system. Whether supporting workers in health care and construction or helping businesses find people with the skills they need to grow, immigration remains a vital economic lever across our country. At the same time, the system must also be equipped to respond to growing humanitarian pressures. This dual responsibility is reflected in the main estimates that are before us.

More people are being forced from their home countries by conflict, persecution and climate disasters than at any time in recent history. At the same time, we are decreasing our immigration targets to more sustainable and responsible levels. This creates a challenge. As volumes grow and application streams diversify, the department must maintain timely and fair decision-making, while investing in tools and systems that support greater efficiency and long-term capacity. The investments the government is requesting are designed to meet urgent humanitarian needs, while creating operational improvements and long-term savings.

Today's main estimates reflect these realities. They include both critical funding increases in areas under acute pressure and reductions in areas where demand has stabilized or where the department has achieved efficiencies. Let me talk members through both sides of this equation.

First of all, the department seeks additional funding for the interim federal health program. This program provides basic but essential health care coverage to a range of vulnerable individuals, most notably asylum claimants, from the time they make their claim until they either transition to provincial health care or leave Canada. However, this is not just about managing current caseloads. The investments the government is making in system modernization and processing efficiency will reduce the time people spend in Canada's asylum system, which directly reduces per case costs over time. Faster, fairer decisions lead to a range of benefits, from more efficient use of interim health services to quicker outcomes for individuals and better planning for provinces as people transition through the system.

Second, the interim housing assistance program, or as we like to refer to it, IHAP, provides funding to provinces and municipal governments to address interim housing pressures due to increased volumes of asylum claimants. This program has evolved significantly from its original form, which was focused on emergency shelters and hotel placements. Crisis response is not only more expensive; it is less helpful for both claimants and communities. The renewed IHAP model prioritizes building reception centres and sustainable temporary housing. The shift represents a fundamental change in how we think about these investments. Instead of paying recurring emergency costs year after year, the government is supporting jurisdictions in building infrastructure that serves multiple purposes and creates lasting value.

Our collaborative approach with provinces and territories has enabled innovative solutions. Take the voluntary relocation initiative, for example, in partnership with Newfoundland and Labrador and my home province of New Brunswick. Supporting asylum claimants who choose to relocate from where they initially arrived is helping to address housing pressures in high-demand areas like Ontario and Quebec, while providing claimants with more stability and opportunities during their time in Canada. This program has been very beneficial in my home province of New Brunswick.

Both claimants and the communities that welcome them benefit. Claimants get appropriate housing and employment opportunities through access to temporary work permits, while communities get a chance to address their short-term labour needs. We certainly know, in Atlantic Canada, we are always facing labour force challenges. Crucially, the interim housing assistance program helps distribute the responsibility for supporting asylum claimants more equitably across the country. Rather than allowing unsustainable pressure to build in a few jurisdictions, we are creating a system that works for everyone.

Third is digital platform modernization. This initiative represents exactly the kind of upfront investments that generate significant operational savings downstream. Through this initiative, IRCC has been introducing streamlined online platforms that offer clients simpler application processes and real-time updates. The online passport renewal service is a perfect example. It is proving to be a convenient alternative that reduces the pressure on clients to go to physical offices and endure long lineups. The efficiency gains go well beyond the client experience. Digital solutions like automation and smart technology reduce paperwork, speed up decisions and build the department's capacity to handle surges in demand without proportional increases in staff. These system improvements will pay dividends for years to come.

Finally, the department seeks to increase funding to sustain and expand its biometrics collection capabilities. This investment in secure identity verification would help prevent fraud and processing delays, which are far more expensive to address after the fact. As the department extends fingerprint and photo requirements to more programs, including citizenship, both security and processing efficiencies will be enhanced.

The necessary increases in funding requests are offset somewhat by reductions in spending in overall key areas. As expected, Canada's lower immigration targets mean the department can reduce its operational spending over the next three years. The cap on study permits and study applications, tightened controls on various permit streams and changes to the temporary foreign worker program are all reducing processing demands in these areas. This is not just about fewer applications. It is about more manageable and sustainable volumes that allow the department to maintain service standards under less pressure.

IRCC's crisis response programs are also maturing in ways that reduce costs. The programs supporting Afghan and Ukrainian nationals have evolved to require less operational support as the initial surge phase is behind us. The approach to new and ongoing situations, like in Gaza and Sudan, reflect lessons learned. These tailored approaches, combining family reunification pathways, work permits, study permits and status extensions, balance humanitarian needs with operational efficiency.

The pattern here is clear: IRCC is requiring less in the way of reactive, crisis-driven funding and more for strategic investments that build capacity and create efficiencies and savings over the long term. The interim housing assistance program is moving from expensive hotel stays to sustainable infrastructure. Digital modernization reduces the need for time-consuming manual processing as semi-automated systems become more reliable tools. Better biometric capabilities prevent problems rather than fixing them after they occur.

This is not just about managing the current situation. It is about building systems that will serve Canada well as the global landscape continues to evolve. Every dollar we invest in sustainable infrastructure and digital efficiency reduces the cost to Canadians in future years.

These estimates represent a responsible approach to managing unprecedented challenges when it comes to immigration. They are designed to maintain Canada's humanitarian leadership while building the efficient, modern and fair systems that Canadians expect and newcomers deserve. The investments the department is requesting would help Canada respond to global displacement pressures while creating the operational efficiencies that reduce long—

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Assistant Deputy Chair Conservative John Nater

Order.

The time has expired for the speech portion. We will now go to the questions for the minister, if the member would like to pose a question.

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:20 p.m.

Liberal

Ginette Petitpas Taylor Liberal Moncton—Dieppe, NB

Mr. Chair, when I look at the estimates before us, it is clear that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is focused on critical programs to support newcomers' success while restoring balance to our system.

Could the minister elaborate on why funding programs like the interim federal health program and the interim housing assistance plan are so important to the vitality of our programs?

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:20 p.m.

Halifax West Nova Scotia

Liberal

Lena Metlege Diab LiberalMinister of Immigration

Mr. Chair, first of all, allow me to thank the hon. member for Moncton—Dieppe for her advocacy and for being a champion, not only for her community but for many members who have been here in Parliament, including me, for the last number of years.

Through budget 2024, the government invested $411.2 million in the federal health program for 2024-25, topping up existing funding and ensuring that refugees and asylum claimants, as well as other uniquely vulnerable foreign nationals, have access to health care coverage to address urgent and essential medical needs. There was a further $232.9 million provided through the 2024-25 supplementary estimates (B).

Taking into account all funding sources, the total interim federal health program allocations for 2024-25 were $896.5 million. These covered the cost of basic health services like hospital and physician care, aligned with provincial and territorial health insurance, and limited supplemental health services, for example, mental health counselling and disability support. The coverage is also provided to specific migrant groups, including resettled refugees.

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:25 p.m.

Liberal

Ginette Petitpas Taylor Liberal Moncton—Dieppe, NB

Mr. Chair, as we all know in the House, immigration is certainly crucial to our communities. In Atlantic Canada, we certainly see that we are in need of a population increase, because we are seeing a population decline, but we also want to ensure that we set up our immigrants for success. I understand that we are stabilizing immigration levels in the next few years while also committing to reducing temporary immigration to less than 5% of total national population by 2027.

Could the minister outline the work we are doing to achieve this commitment and explain why it is so important for Canada?

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

June 9th, 2025 / 8:25 p.m.

Liberal

Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS

Mr. Chair, temporary residents enrich Canada's economy and cultural fabric, so the government is committed to reducing temporary immigration growth to better align with the needs of our labour market, housing supply and community capacity. In order to accomplish this, a study permit cap has been introduced, and eligibility requirements for work permits have been tightened, including a reduced intake of spouses accompanying workers and students. These measures emphasize quality over quantity, helping to ensure that Canada continues to attract the talent that it needs in order to grow and prosper. We are committed to sustainable immigration levels for Canada.

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:25 p.m.

Liberal

Ginette Petitpas Taylor Liberal Moncton—Dieppe, NB

Mr. Chair, again, I have a quick question for the minister.

How are we striking the balance between slowing down temporary immigration while ensuring Canada has the talent it needs to build for success?

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:25 p.m.

Liberal

Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS

Mr. Chair, again, the government is committed to sustainable immigration levels, so we are calibrating the volume of immigrants to help alleviate some pressure on the housing demand. As such, IRCC is stabilizing permanent residents as well as temporary admissions to less than 1% of Canada's population annually beyond 2027. We are focusing on attracting global talent from around the world in order to drive our economy and prosperity.

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:25 p.m.

Liberal

Ginette Petitpas Taylor Liberal Moncton—Dieppe, NB

Mr. Chair, I would simply like to thank the minister for being here this evening and answering the many questions that we have for the main estimates.

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:25 p.m.

Conservative

Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB

Mr. Chair, I will be splitting my time three ways.

I have an article here from the CBC wherein the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship asked the federal government to fully eliminate the cap on new immigrants, with no limit. Does she still believe that there should be no limits on how many people enter Canada?

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:25 p.m.

Halifax West Nova Scotia

Liberal

Lena Metlege Diab LiberalMinister of Immigration

Mr. Chair, I have been the minister for a total of about three weeks already, and I do not recall saying statements like that.

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:25 p.m.

Conservative

Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB

Mr. Chair, again, I have the CBC article right here. The minister asked for a full removal of caps on immigrants. Would she agree that the number of people coming into Canada must be immediately and massively reduced?

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:25 p.m.

Liberal

Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS

Mr. Chair, again, we are managing our targets. We have committed to reducing both our permanent residents and our temporary allocations. We have 2025-27 levels—

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

8:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Assistant Deputy Chair Conservative John Nater

The hon. member has the floor.