House of Commons Hansard #21 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was citizenship.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Citizenship Act Second reading of Bill C-3. The bill amends the Citizenship Act to restore citizenship for "lost Canadians" and ensure "equal treatment for adopted children" born abroad. It also expands citizenship by descent beyond the first generation, requiring a "substantial connection" of 1,095 non-consecutive days in Canada. While Liberals, NDP, and Bloc support it as "charter-compliant", Conservatives argue it "devalues" citizenship, lacks security/language checks, and "strains public services". 47300 words, 5 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Youth Unemployment Conservative MP Garnett Genuis requests an emergency debate on Canada's deepening youth unemployment crisis, citing 14.5% youth unemployment. He states "Liberal policies" are responsible and criticizes the government's inaction. 400 words.
Members' Access to Federal Penitentiary Conservative MP Frank Caputo raises a question of privilege, alleging obstruction during a visit to Fraser Valley Institution. He claims an assistant warden's constant escort interfered with his ability to speak freely with staff and inmates, hindering his parliamentary duties. Caputo argues this breached his privilege to prepare for proceedings in Parliament, proposing referral to a committee. The Speaker will review the matter. 2800 words, 20 minutes.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, in a non-partisan spirit, we will simply insist the Prime Minister keep his promises.
He promised the fastest-growing economy in the G7, but now, ours is the fastest-shrinking economy in the G7. He promised food would cost less, but it costs more and food inflation is getting worse even faster. He promised a budget in October, more than halfway through the fiscal year. Now, it will be in November, with double the deficit.
When will the Prime Minister—
Government AccountabilityOral Questions
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the government has been absolutely focused on improving affordability for Canadians. That is why there was the largest tax cut for 22 million Canadians, every taxpayer in this country. That is why we made the cut to the GST. That is why we launched "build Canada homes", which will reduce the cost of homebuilding in this country. That is why we backed the CRTC to get broadband costs down for Canadians.
We are building the strongest economy throughout the worst crisis in our history.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of non-partisanship, we are simply going to hold the Prime Minister to his own promises. He promised that he would spend less. He is already spending 8% more. He promised the budget would be in October. Now he says it will be in November, more than halfway through the fiscal year. He promised that his government would have a smaller deficit than Justin Trudeau's. Instead, now we hear that it might even be double.
I have a trivia question: Can the Prime Minister tell us whether there ever been a prime minister who has successfully doubled the deficit without even introducing a budget?
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the government is undertaking the biggest investment in protecting Canadians in the Canadian military, doubling our investment in the Canadian military from last year, when the member last sat in the House, by the end of this decade.
There is more.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, a lot more debt is what there is. There is a lot more debt than we ever imagined would be possible. The Prime Minister said we would have the fastest-growing economy in the G7; we have the fastest-shrinking economy in the G7. He said grocery prices would go down; they are going up faster than ever before. He promised to create jobs; he has the second-highest unemployment in the G7. He is really reminding us all of that sign at the bar, “free beer tomorrow”. When someone goes back the next day, the beer is still not free, and tomorrow never comes.
Why is it that all of the Prime Minister's promises of yesterday turn into today's disappointments?
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I think if we are going to build the strongest economy in the G7, and we will, we need to be clear about the scale of the crisis we are in. We need to be clear about the scale of investment that we need. There was $60 billion in new projects announced last week, $200 billion in investment announced last week and $100 billion in housing investment announced just yesterday. That is the scale of what we need.
Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was elected based on claims that he would be hands-down the best person to handle the tariff crisis and the trade crisis. Four months later, Canada is failing miserably. The best we can say is that it has not been a success and that the results are falling short of expectations.
Will he commit today to making it a real priority to end the tariffs and sign a trade treaty with the United States?
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the current situation is as follows. We have the best agreement in the world with the U.S. Right now, more than 85% of exports to the United States are tariff-free. That is huge. We have the lowest tariffs in the world right now. I call that a success.
Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Mr. Speaker, I flat-out reject those statements, as they do not stand up to economic analysis. Other forums will be necessary, considering the format.
The Prime Minister said that the once close and trusting relationship we had with the United States is over. That statement was not well received in Washington.
Can he say whether he is now confident that the once special and trusting relationship between Canada and the U.S. administration will soon be restored? It is a necessary step toward restoring the trade relationship.
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, Canada-U.S. relations are good. Yes, we have difficulties, we have challenges, and we have differences of opinion.
I am proud of this government.
The government stands up for Canada.
That is true.
I speak with the President on a regular basis, including last weekend, about the current situation in Ukraine, Russia, and China.
Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's rare appearances or absences in Washington have been widely noted in Washington, both by the political apparatus of the administration and by economic associations which often share our views.
When did the Prime Minister last travel there and when does he intend to start spending some serious time in the capital of our primary trading partner? Will he make it a priority instead of fantasies about infrastructure that will not see the light of day before the end of Mr. Trump's term?
Mark Carney LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States is a modern man: He has a cell phone. I speak to him on a regular basis and we exchange texts.
The most important thing right now for Canada is to diversify our trade relations abroad, with Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.
John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB
Mr. Speaker, it is the same Liberal promises and the same Liberal results. Canadians are paying the price for another Liberal Prime Minister's broken promises. The Prime Minister said that Canadians are going to be judged by prices at the grocery store. The results are in: The Prime Minister has failed. Food prices have surged 40% since the last Liberal prime minister broke that same promise the last time.
Should the Prime Minister's promise to Canadians be judged not by food prices at the grocery store but by the number of families being forced to food banks?
Gregor Robertson LiberalMinister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada
Mr. Speaker, the number one cost for Canadians is their housing, and the Liberals have taken action to make housing more affordable. Yesterday, the Prime Minister and I announced the launch of “build Canada homes”, which will be a one-stop shop for making housing more affordable across Canada. We are launching that on six pieces of Canada Lands Company land. That is 4,000 homes that we will start building immediately.
John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB
Mr. Speaker, Canadians cannot afford to put food on the table, let alone pay for the Liberals' bureaucracy when it comes to housing.
Let us be clear: This was the Prime Minister's promise. These were the Prime Minister's words. This is the Prime Minister's failure. Food prices are going to go up $700 per Canadian family this year. Canned soup is up 26%. Apples are up 14%. Tuna is up 19%. The daily essentials have become unaffordable.
Is sticker shock at the grocery store the experience that the Prime Minister promised Canadians?
Gregor Robertson LiberalMinister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada
Mr. Speaker, as far as promises delivered goes, the government promised to launch “build Canada homes” and make the largest investment in affordable housing in Canadian history.
We are taking action where it matters most, and Canadians need support on affordable housing. Across the board we need more support, but starting with housing, housing first, particularly for those on low income and those who are homeless. We are taking action.
Melissa Lantsman Conservative Thornhill, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians that they should judge him by the prices they pay at the grocery store, but food inflation is 70% above target. The grocery prices are up 40% in less than a decade, and all of those years, the Liberals were in power. The cost of food has risen overall more than inflation every single month that the Prime Minister has been here. Canadians should judge the Prime Minister by his words; that is only fair.
Is it that the Prime Minister never shops for food, or is it that he thinks inflation is something that happens to other people?
Gregor Robertson LiberalMinister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada
Mr. Speaker, again, we will come back to the number one cost and concern for Canadians, which is affordability of housing. I know the Conservatives and the members opposite do not care about affordable housing. We are here to take action on it and make life more affordable for Canadians, starting with their home.
Melissa Lantsman Conservative Thornhill, ON
Mr. Speaker, the minister cannot ignore the problem of millions of Canadians using a food bank every single month. That has not changed. It happened under the Liberal government's watch. Now the Liberals are making excuses or changing the subject entirely.
Canadians are getting fleeced at the grocery store, and it is only going to get worse, because next year their bill will be $700 higher per family. That is another Liberal broken promise, another Liberal bait and switch by another Liberal Prime Minister. Is that the experience that he is now promising Canadians?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Finance and National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, we listen to Canadians, something the Conservatives may want to do a bit more of. What Canadians have told us is that affordability is their first concern. The second is housing, and the third is the economy.
What have we done while their leader was away? The first thing we did was reduce taxes for 22 million Canadians. Everyone got a raise on Canada Day. The second thing was to remove the GST for first-time homebuyers.
We are going to build with Canadians, with every Canadian, the strongest economy in the G7. That is what this Liberal government is about.
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, on the day his cabinet was sworn in, the Liberal Prime Minister said that Canadians would judge him by the cost of groceries.
Let us take a look at the results of this Liberal regime: Food inflation is now 70% higher than the inflation target, families are paying more, children are eating less, and this is just another broken promise from the Liberals.
Does the Prime Minister admit that those words were just more Liberal deceit because this Prime Minister is just another Liberal? Why is this Prime Minister making grocery shopping an increasingly painful and expensive experience for families?
Steven Guilbeault LiberalMinister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages
Mr. Speaker, this morning, I was with my colleague and friend, the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, our colleagues from the Quebec government, and the mayor of Montreal. At that time, I had the pleasure of announcing a project to build 20,000 housing units. That 20,000 units includes 6,000 affordable off-market units—social housing to help families and young Montrealers. We are going to be doing this across the country.
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, are the Liberals ashamed that their Prime Minister has not kept his promise to make groceries more affordable?
Statistics Canada has revealed that, since this Liberal Prime Minister came to power, the price of stewing beef increased by 22% from March to June, the price of potatoes went up by 20% and the price of onions by 11%. Even the folk singer La Bolduc would no longer be able to afford the tasty stew she sang about.
Canadians will judge him by their grocery bills. He said so himself. The verdict is in: another broken Liberal promise. Why is this Prime Minister making grocery shopping a costly and painful experience for all families?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Finance and National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, I find my colleague's question somewhat surprising.
We listened not only to Conservative voters, but to all Canadian voters. They want us to tackle the cost of living, so the first thing the Prime Minister's Liberal government did was lower taxes for 22 million Canadians. That means more money in the pockets of the people in his riding.
The second thing Canadians asked us to do was to build affordable housing. Just yesterday, we announced build Canada homes to help more families. Those of us on this side of the House will work together to build the strongest economy in the G7.
