Debates of Jan. 26th, 2026

Jean Dorion

[Natilien Joseph, Liberal, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to wish all my colleagues here a good start to the new session. For my part, I spent time in Longueuil—Saint-Hubert meeting with businesses, community organizations, and constituents. They were clear with us, asking us to continue governing responsibly and consistently, even if that takes courage. We proved ourselves to them, and they are proud of us. May the Prime Minister keep up the good work.

As the member for Longueuil—Saint‑Hubert, I would also like to note the following in a spirit of reflection. On Friday we learned of the passing of the former federal member for the riding of Longueuil—Pierre‑Boucher, now known as Longueuil—Saint‑Hubert, Jean Dorion, who left his mark on political life through his commitment to protecting the French language and the public service.

Cost of Food

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has basically just admitted he is failing with regard to affordability. It is so bad that he just had to announce another temporary boost to the GST credit. If prices were actually under control, Canadians would not need another recycled Trudeau-era rebate to put food on the table.

Canada now has the highest food inflation in the G7. Food bank use is at record levels, with millions of Canadians relying on emergency food just to feed their families. A tax rebate helps momentarily but does nothing to address what is actually driving food costs: carbon taxes on fuel and fertilizer, the clean fuel standard and industrial carbon taxes built into every step of the supply chain.

The Prime Minister once told Canadians to judge his government by the prices at the grocery store, but by that measure his policies have failed miserably, and no tax gimmick can hide—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. member for Cardigan.

Women in Agriculture

[Kent MacDonald, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Canada's national heritage fair winners. These are projects that highlight the curiosity and learning among our youth across the nation. One of the winning projects, by Cora Lukeman, focused on women in farming. It celebrates the strength, leadership and legacy of women in agriculture.

Let us picture a young girl holding a bag of P.E.I. potatoes. They were grown by her aunt in North Lake, packed by her grandfather just down the road and sold by another aunt in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. This farm-to-table supply chain is rooted in family tradition that has sustained a seventh-generation farm and family for over 150 years in P.E.I. Her grandfather summed it up best. He said, “My daughters are smart. They care about the land and they work hard. That's what makes a good farmer.”

Today, one in three farmers in Canada is a woman and more than half of all new farmers in Atlantic Canada are women. They are shaping the future of Canadian agriculture and inspiring the next generation.

The Economy

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians deserve affordable groceries, yet today we learned that Canada's food inflation is by far the highest in the G7. It is rising twice as fast as it is in the United States. Food inflation has doubled since the Prime Minister took office. If it were really due to external factors, we would not be the worst country in the G7.

When will the Prime Minister scrap his inflationary deficits and taxes so that Canadians can afford groceries?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Finance and National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to be back. It is only Monday and we already have some good news. It is called the Canada groceries and essentials benefit. This benefit will help 12 million Canadians. I can already see my Conservative friends. Deep down, they are happy, because they know that a family of four will get $1,890 and a single person will get up to $950 this year.

The Liberals support this and Canadians support it. Will the Conservatives support it?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, food inflation has doubled since the Prime Minister took office, and it is the worst in the G7. The cheques announced by the Liberals today will not even pay for one trip to the grocery store. The reality is that the average family will have to spend $17,000 a year on groceries.

When will the Prime Minister cancel his inflationary taxes and deficits so that Canadians can eat?

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

Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, we want to express our support for the Leader of the Opposition during this decisive week for him. I am sure that he will be able to convince a majority of Conservative members to support his leadership. We also welcome his receptiveness to the legislation before the House. One of the bills on the agenda is the Prime Minister's plan for our economy; it aims to create opportunities in Canada.

Can the Leader of the Opposition give us a date when we can proceed to a third reading vote on the act implementing—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians deserve affordable groceries, but under the Prime Minister's watch, food price inflation is the highest in the G7. It is twice as high as in the States and twice as high as when he took office. He cannot blame global factors when it is rising faster than it is in any other G7 country.

The real cause is his rising taxes on farmers—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I am going to allow the hon. Leader of the Opposition to start that question over.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian people deserve affordable groceries. The Liberals might laugh that off, but they have given Canada the worst food price inflation in the G7. It is rising twice as fast in Canada than it is in the United States of America.

There are 2.2 million people lined up at food banks. Since the Prime Minister said that he would make groceries affordable, the inflation rate has actually doubled.

Will the Prime Minister finally reverse his inflationary deficits and taxes so Canadians can afford to eat?

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

Mr. Speaker, we certainly want to wish the Leader of the Opposition well in this very decisive and important week for him. We know that he will have success at his party's convention.

The Prime Minister's plan to grow our economy, to create a trillion dollars in investment and to protect our workers and our industries from trade threats is before the House in Bill C-15. We take very well the leader's openness to work with us on legislation. Can he give us a date, just a date, in the next words out of his mouth, as to when we can have third reading on the BIA?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of solidarity, why will the Liberals not agree with the Canadian people that we should get rid of all the hidden taxes the Liberals have imposed on groceries? There is the Liberal fuel standard tax, which is 7¢ a litre for farmers, truckers and those who bring us our food. There is the industrial carbon tax on farm equipment and fertilizer.

All of this has given Canada the worst food price inflation in the G7. Our food costs are rising twice as fast as those in the United States of America. Now the Liberals are promising to recycle a Trudeau-era rebate that would not even cover one trip to the grocery store.

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Finance and National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I know that this is a particularly challenging week for the Leader of the Opposition, but let me help him.

Today we have good news for Canadians. It is called the Canada groceries and essentials benefit. I know that in his heart he is rejoicing, because he has been asking questions in the House, and now we have delivered for Canadians.

All the Liberal MPs are going to vote in favour. Canadians are in favour. Will the Conservatives be good for their word and vote with us to help Canadians?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, only the Liberals would look at the $17,600 that the average family has to spend on groceries and say that it is a time to rejoice.

The Liberals say that Canadians should be grateful to be lined up in record numbers at the food bank. They think Canadians should thank them for having the highest food inflation in the G7, which is twice as bad as that in the United States of America. They think that Canadians should give them gratitude for having doubled food price inflation since the Prime Minister was elected, after he promised to be judged by the prices at the grocery store.

Why will they not reverse their Liberal taxes and debt so we can—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. Minister of Jobs and Families.

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, the benefit is good news for Canadians who are struggling today. In fact, there will be up to $1,900 more for a Canadian family to help with those costs of living, which the Conservatives have been talking about all fall. The MP for Edmonton Manning told a story about Enide, who was struggling with the cost of groceries. Is he going to vote against Enide's desire to have more money to buy groceries?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that Enide and his family are paying a record-high price. If Enide is part of a family of four, that family would spend over $17,000 on groceries this year. That is $1,000 more than it spent last year. That is the fastest increase in the G7.

Now, the Prime Minister has revived a Trudeau-era rebate, which we will let pass, that would barely cover a few trips to the grocery store, while the average family spends 17,000-plus dollars.

Why will the Liberals not stop increasing grocery prices by getting rid of their inflationary deficits and taxes on food?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Finance and National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I know that the Leader of the Opposition is a bit concerned about the week ahead, but let me quote the letter he sent us on January 24. We would not assume that he would be good for his word. He said, “If you have other ideas that make food affordable, we will fast-track them.” I have good news for him. It is called the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, which would help 12 million Canadians.

Will he stand up in the House? Will he be good for his word and support the 12 million Canadians who are expecting the government and the House to support them?

Canadian Identity and Culture

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers and French Canadians learned a lot last Thursday. According to the Prime Minister, the battle of the Plains of Abraham was not an English conquest, but the beginning of a great partnership. In his mind, the ancestors of Quebeckers and English Canadians rose from the battlefield that morning and decided that they had to stop fighting, celebrate their differences and build Canada.

If the Prime Minister wants to write new Heritage Minutes, could he at least bone up on his history instead of rewriting it?

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

Mr. Speaker, English- and French-speaking Canadians have built a great country, the best country in the world. We have created great prosperity through mutual respect for official languages and human rights.

No one, not even the Bloc Québécois, can downplay this achievement. We will continue to work on the issues that concern Quebeckers, namely, affordability, job creation and building prosperity together.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, judging by what the Prime Minister said, the purpose of the ban on French language instruction in the Maritimes, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario was not to erase us but to bring us together.

When Quebeckers were removed from power and business, it was for their own good. When the founder of Canada said that Louis Riel should be hanged even if every dog in Quebec barked in his favour, we just misinterpreted his love for puppies.

When will the Prime Minister actually learn our history?

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

Mr. Speaker, my colleague is speaking to a government House leader who is a proud descendant of Scottish immigrants, who studied French in Prince Edward Island, who did his undergraduate degree at the Acadian university, the Université de Moncton, who is living his life in French and who was elected four times in a riding that is 90% francophone. That is what is possible in Canada. Mutual respect between anglophones and francophones makes this the best country in the world. Long live Canada.