House of Commons Hansard #151 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.)
The word of the day was procurement.
Topics
This summary is computer-generated.
Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Criminal Code
First reading of Bill C-293.
The bill creates a stand-alone offence for violent home invasions, with a maximum life sentence, a five-year mandatory minimum, reverse onus for bail, and DNA orders upon conviction.
200 words.
Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities
Members debate a committee report on youth employment, citing rising unemployment and barriers to first jobs, training, housing, and seasonal work. Conservatives call for lower taxes and red tape, labour-market-aligned immigration and training, workforce housing, and EI reform; Liberals highlight job growth and Red Seal training, while the Bloc emphasizes gaps in EI coverage.
5200 words, 40 minutes.
Strengthening Canada's Defence Sector Act
Second reading of Bill C-40.
The bill would establish the Defence Investment Agency as a Crown corporation with expanded authority to coordinate defence procurement, production and investment, aiming to deliver military capabilities faster and strengthen Canadian industry. It would also broaden the Defence Production Act to cover national security. Supporters say the corporation retains ministerial and parliamentary oversight; critics warn its powers could weaken transparency, competition and accountability.
39000 words, 5 hours in 2 segments: 12.
The Conservatives criticize the government’s fiscal management, linking rising debt and interest costs to an affordability crisis. They call for lower immigration and Canadian workers first, and condemn awarding a major security contract to an American firm over Canadian veterans. They also highlight job losses and the harm tariffs pose to dairy farmers.
The Liberals defend the CRA’s independent procurement decision and highlight Canada’s strong fiscal position, affordability measures, and plans for growth through investment, jobs and training. They emphasize immigration reforms, while arguing that temporary foreign workers can address labour shortages when Canadians are prioritized. They also promote infrastructure and resource development, support for businesses, and efforts to strengthen Canada’s economy.
The NDP condemn Bill C-39 for trampling Indigenous and workers’ rights and overriding environmental laws, while criticizing the government’s limited consultation.
Alleged Premature Disclosure of Bill C-40
Kevin Lamoureux argues that an investigation found no evidence Bill C-40 was disclosed before its introduction. He says public discussion of making the Defence Investment Agency a Crown corporation and appointing a procurement minister made the proposal foreseeable, and asks the Speaker to reject the opposition’s privilege complaint.
2600 words.
Freedom of Speech in Members' Parliamentary Work
Members hear a Conservative question of privilege arguing that an Ontario medical regulator’s investigation of a Liberal MP over a supplementary opinion in a parliamentary committee report may infringe parliamentary freedom of speech. The member asks the Speaker to find a prima facie breach and refer the matter to committee for study. The Liberal parliamentary secretary reserves a response.
2600 words, 15 minutes.
Canada Revenue Agency Act
Second reading of Bill S-217.
The bill requires the Canada Revenue Agency to report tax-evasion convictions and publish regular tax-gap statistics, while sharing data with the Parliamentary Budget Officer. Supporters across opposition parties say the measures would strengthen transparency and parliamentary oversight; Liberal concerns focus on existing reporting and protecting confidential tax information. The House passes the bill at second reading and refers it to the Standing Committee on Finance.
5700 words, 40 minutes.
Canadian Fuel Affordability Act
Report stage of Bill C-38.
The bill extends the suspension of federal fuel excise taxes on gasoline and diesel through January 31, 2027, then restores half the tax in February and March before reinstating it fully on April 1. Liberals describe the temporary relief as support for affordability amid global fuel-price pressures. Conservatives support the extension but call for broader, longer-lasting tax cuts, while the Bloc questions whether the savings reach consumers and whether the measure is well-targeted. The bill passes.
48300 words, 6 hours.
EI premiums and employment Garnett Genuis argues that higher EI premiums act as payroll taxes, raising hiring costs and worsening youth unemployment, and asks the government to rule out increases. Maggie Chi offers a general defence of the government’s fiscal plan rather than addressing premiums directly. Genuis criticizes the response as irrelevant.
Pesticide regulation Elizabeth May argues that Bill C-30 gives cabinet unprecedented power to override health and pesticide regulators, weakening safeguards without proper debate or expert review. She warns lax rules risk health and Canadian farm exports. Parliamentary Secretary Maggie Chi says temporary, conditional pesticide use can help protect food and economic security while maintaining health and environmental safety.
Affordability and young Canadians Scot Davidson says high living costs, housing prices and limited good-paying jobs are putting young Canadians’ futures out of reach, and argues government supports are inadequate. Maggie Chi acknowledges the concerns and cites housing, tax, fuel and employment measures to ease costs and strengthen the economy. Davidson counters that affordability is worsening; Chi defends the government’s approach.
Patty HajduLiberalMinister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, they are talking from both sides of the Conservative mouth. On one side, we have people saying, “no immigration”. On the other side, they are saying that there are great employers in need of workers that could benefit from the temporary foreign worker program.
We believe in being there for Canadian workers first and for Canadian companies that are seeking talent. We have the balance right. Maybe the Conservatives should stop weaponizing immigration for those great hard-working companies they say they support.
Links & Sharing
Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipOral Questions
Mr. Speaker, what the minister is telling us concerns a program affected by fraud. I, on the other hand, am talking about skilled workers in our regions.
They refuse to deport non-citizens who have no legal right to remain here, who abuse our system and who are a financial burden on taxpayers. The regions of Quebec are being hit hard by U.S. tariffs.
Our unemployment rate is among the lowest in the country, yet the Liberals are sending home our skilled and qualified workers, who are the driving force behind our economy.
Why are the Liberals punishing our skilled immigrants who obey the law but rewarding those who do not?
Links & Sharing
Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipOral Questions
Patty HajduLiberalMinister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, I think Canadian companies, especially in the province of Quebec, must be very confused right now because, in fact, as many of its members who have spoken to me know, there are dire shortages of labour in particular parts of the country, including in rural and northern areas.
We expect that Canadians always come first for labour. We will protect that, but we will also protect Canadian companies to continue to manufacture, to grow and to create those great jobs for everyone else.
Mr. Speaker, the CDCE, the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, is on the Hill. This is an opportunity to point out that Ottawa caved in to the U.S. by preventing the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, the CRTC, from requiring online streaming platforms to pay levies.
The Liberals have deprived our creators of sustainable funding for our culture from American tech giants. In return, they promised $600 million in funding. Imagine: our cultural sector still has not seen a single penny of that money.
First of all, when will the government keep its word and pay the $600 million?
Mr. Speaker, that is the kind of answer we got in June.
We will say it again, and we will say it every time. There is no future for Quebec television without a fair share of funding from American online streaming platforms. It is not possible to replace the long-term contribution from the tech giants, which is protected by the Broadcasting Act, with a one-time payment of $600 million that any government could cancel, depending on the mood of the day. It is irresponsible and even illegal. The government is acting as though we are still in the 1990s.
Will the government respect its own law, its own word, and ask the CRTC to reinstate the levies?
Marc MillerLiberalMinister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages
Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois is the only one complaining that there is no money for culture when its own members have done nothing when it comes time to invest and vote for our budget, which has allocated billions of dollars for culture.
Mr. Speaker, it is the height of hypocrisy that after all the buy Canadian, support Canadian and defend Canadian sovereignty lectures that have gone on with the Liberals that the Prime Minister would allow an American security company with ties to Donald Trump's ICE, the very agency that has been central to Trump's mass deportation efforts, to replace a hundred-year-old Canadian institution such as the Commissionaires for security services at the CRA over an $80,000 difference in bids.
At a time when our veterans are already struggling to transition to civilian employment, why are the Liberals undermining the country's largest veterans employer instead of supporting it?
Mr. Speaker, they are fired up on the other side today.
Let me say this: Politicians are not involved in these decisions. Imagine what it would be like if I could direct the CRA to hire a friend, or something like that. On this side of the House, the CRA had an independent decision. The decision was clear: It is a Canadian company employing 8,000 Canadians.
On this side of the House, with the CRA, we are going to do it right. The opposition can continue with the misinformation.
The Commissionaires is the largest employer of veterans in the country. Taking away the CRA contract and giving it to an American firm is not just a contract that was lost. It is also meaningful employment opportunities and cultural relevance for Canadian veterans to work, after their service, with their friends and their peers. Now it has been lost, and for $80,000.
Here is a solution to give the contract back to the Commissionaires and secure Canadian veterans' jobs: How about the Prime Minister not spend $160,000 in catering on his next flight, and use that money to make up the difference that the contract was lost by?
Wayne LongLiberalSecretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Speaker, the member knows that this is a Canadian company. It employs 8,000 Canadians. The process was independent. There were criteria that were evaluated against. This was an objective, fair and transparent decision. We stand behind the decision.
Fraser TolmieConservative
Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister tells Canadians to buy Canadian, but his own government is happy to buy American. He fired the veterans guarding the Canada Revenue Agency. The Commissionaires, Canada's largest employer of veterans, lost the contract to Allied Universal, an American firm cashing in on the ICE contract. Allied underbid the Commissionaires by $80,000, which is less than 1%.
Why is the Prime Minister choosing an American firm over veterans who served this country?
Wayne LongLiberalSecretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, the member also knows that the decision was objective. It was transparent. This is a Canadian supplier hiring 8,000 Canadians across the country.
We stand behind the decision. The criteria were met. The company was hired.
Pierre Paul-HusConservative
Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires was established over 100 years ago to help our veterans reintegrate into civilian life. Today, it remains Canada's largest employer of veterans, yet the Liberal government has just withdrawn its $12-million security contract and awarded it to a subsidiary of an American company.
After all that our veterans have given to Canada, is this really how the government wants to thank them?
Wayne LongLiberalSecretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, the CRA prioritizes hiring veterans. That is number one.
Number two is that, with respect to this decision, it was an independent process. There were selection criteria that were met. This is a Canadian supplier. It hires 8,000 Canadians across this country. We stand by the decision.
Pierre Paul-HusConservative
Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, does the member opposite remember “elbows up”? Does he remember the Prime Minister getting his elbows up, saying that we need to put Canadians and Canada first?
Today we learned that a Canadian company, the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, which employs Canadian veterans, lost a $12-million contract to an American subsidiary.
Wayne LongLiberalSecretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires is a wonderful organization that does great work across this country, but this decision was objective. There were selection criteria it was evaluated against. It is a Canadian supplier. It hires 8,000 Canadians across this country.
Mr. Speaker, Canada has a unique opportunity to build a stronger, more independent and resilient country. In a rapidly changing world, that means new jobs, new investments and new opportunities for all Canadians.
Can the Minister of Finance and National Revenue please update the House on the next steps in our plan to help Canadians seize these new opportunities?
On November 5, I will be tabling this year's budget, which will outline the next steps in our plan to build a stronger, more resilient and more affordable Canada. This plan will unlock investments, create high-paying jobs across our nation and strengthen our economy and our country for generations to come. On November 5, I will present a plan to build Canada strong and continue to build maîtres chez nous.
Garnett GenuisConservative
Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, Canada has hit an alarming 29-year low in workforce participation. A smaller proportion of Canadians are in the workforce today than at any point in almost 30 years, but the Liberals shut down debate this morning on the unemployment crisis and continue to claim that everything is fine.
How bad does workforce participation have to get before they notice: a 60-year low, a 100-year low?
Mr. Speaker, in fact, Canada this year has created 160,000 jobs and has created a huge workforce.
I am actually quite pleased to take the opportunity to announce that last week we made a major announcement of $430 million over five years for union-led training, new expanded training centres, new ways to recruit and train apprentices, and new modern equipment.
That is how you build the skilled workforce of the future. That is what we need to do in this country. We need to build this country. Let us build this Canada together.
Garnett GenuisConservative
Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, it is unbelievable to me how much the minister has his head in the sand. These are Statistics Canada job numbers that were released the week before Friday. It is clear, in black and white, that we are at a 29-year low in workforce participation. I have a news flash for the minister: That is not good news. That is not “everything is fine” news. That is a five-alarm fire.
When will the minister stop patting himself on the back, recognize that Canadians are struggling, and actually do something about it?
