House of Commons Hansard #155 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was military.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
An Act to Repeal Certain Restrictions on Shipping Second reading of Bill C-264. The bill would repeal the ban on large oil tankers loading or unloading crude oil at ports on British Columbia’s north coast. Conservatives support repeal to allow northern export projects to be considered, while the Bloc warns of risks to marine ecosystems and Indigenous concerns; the Liberal speaker emphasizes consultation and collaborative resource development. 8500 words, 1 hour.
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 procure equipment, invest in defence industries and support Canadian suppliers, aiming to speed delivery and strengthen domestic capacity. Liberal members say it would streamline fragmented processes while retaining ministerial and parliamentary accountability. Conservatives and Bloc members question whether it weakens oversight, enables conflicts of interest and adds bureaucracy; they call for stronger safeguards and transparent reporting. 41700 words, 5 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
Mr. Speaker, my colleague just referred to how we can support our steelworkers. Our steelworkers are victims of the American tariffs, and we have been there to support them. That is why we will make sure we protect the jobs in Hamilton.
Stelco needs to get back to us in 11 days. The CEO cannot say that he will advocate for American tariffs at a time when he committed to making sure that our steel would go south of the border tariff-free.
Ned Kuruc Conservative Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister broke his promise of getting a steel deal. The Liberals continue to allow the illegal dumping of foreign steel into the Canadian market. The Liberals refuse to cut the industrial carbon tax so that it is less expensive to work, produce and invest in Canada. The Liberals could take action today by taking Cleveland-Cliffs to court as they said they would. The Liberals' lack of action makes Canada look weak.
Will Canada continue to get bullied by Trump and his buddies, or will the Prime Minister file the lawsuit today?
Mélanie Joly LiberalMinister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Mr. Speaker, we have started the legal process under the Investment Canada Act. Under the Investment Canada Act, we need to send a demand letter. The demand letter is supported by true evidence. Of course, we can provide it to the Conservatives if they want. It is 15 pages long with all the evidence.
The undertakings are clear. We need to make sure that Cleveland-Cliffs protects the jobs at the Hamilton and Lake Erie facilities, but it also needs to abide by the commitment of advocating in favour of tariff-free access. It cannot have its cake and eat it too.
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told the European Parliament that people from the EU should be able to live, work and study in Canada. He said this in Europe before telling this Parliament or Canadians anything about it.
The Prime Minister's immigration levels are already outpacing our housing, our health care and our jobs, so I have three questions for him. How many more non-citizens will this new EU deal bring to Canada? Will they count in the levels plan? What will the impact be on our hospitals, housing and social services?
Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipOral Questions
Halifax West—Peggy’s Cove Nova Scotia
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab LiberalMinister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, Canadians need to know that we are in control of our own destiny and that we are focused on balance and controlling our immigration system. Canada is working on a deeper transatlantic partnership that will give us more independence in a changing world, and as the Prime Minister said in Strasbourg, nobody will dictate Canada's future. We will always do what is right for Canadians.
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
Mr. Speaker, nobody believes that immigration is in control in Canada.
Canada already has an existing free trade deal with Europe called CETA. Under CETA, labour mobility is strictly limited to very specific categories of EU citizens for short, defined periods. CETA explicitly does not grant access to the general labour market or allow permanent residence for people in the EU. Now, a leaked document suggests that the Prime Minister is planning to remove CETA's narrow safeguards in this bid for a greater integration with the EU. Given the EU's current open border crisis, this is a very bad idea.
Will the Prime Minister commit to everyone in this place that he will not lift CETA's migration standards?
Maninder Sidhu LiberalMinister of International Trade
Mr. Speaker, CETA is something that we should all celebrate. After 10 long years, trade with the European Union is up by over 75%—
International TradeOral Questions
Maninder Sidhu Liberal Brampton East, ON
Mr. Speaker, we just celebrated 10 years of CETA. In fact, two-way trade is up by over 75%. Service is up by over 90%. We have much more room to grow through our digital trade agreement, which we are negotiating right now and will unlock another $5 billion of export opportunities. This is what it means to continue to grow our economy and build Canada strong.
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, Europe's open border policies went so badly that they had to adopt a migration pact, which requires countries to take asylum claimants or pay a massive fine, and now the Prime Minister is telling foreign parliaments and foreign newspapers that he is going to have greater immigration levels from the EU. The immigration minister will not give Canadians any details, but Canadians deserve transparency.
How many more non-citizens will this deal bring to Canada, and what will that mean for Canadian hospitals, housing, jobs and social services?
Maninder Sidhu LiberalMinister of International Trade
Mr. Speaker, the European Union presents a lot of opportunities to Canadian workers and businesses. In fact, we have talked to chambers of commerce and boards of trade across the country that are looking at more opportunities in energy, technology, digital trade and financial services. The European Union presents billions of dollars of opportunities for our export markets, and that is what we will be pursuing.
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, I think it is very telling that the Prime Minister will not even let his immigration minister give basic details about an open borders pact with the EU. If he has nothing to hide, why will he not let her stand up? The reality is he made an announcement in the European parliament. He is not giving our press gallery details about it in our papers or in interviews here.
Canadians deserve answers. How many more non-citizens will come into the country? What will be the categories of non-citizens and what does this mean for provinces, like Alberta or Quebec, that are asking for more control over immigration levels?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, there is not and will not be an open borders pact with the European Union. What there will be is an enhanced relationship, which will keep this country on track to more than double its non-U.S. trade in the next decade. That will happen. We will have better and closer relations with our European partners. We will have closer economic ties. We will send more Canadian products, farm products and energy products, to Europe, and we will absolutely continue to work with our cousins in the European Union to keep moving forward.
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is high time that the Liberals and the Prime Minister explained the Liberals' gross hypocrisy on immigration.
Over the course of 11 years, the Liberals dismantled a system that was working well. The Prime Minister told the New York Times, but not the House, that it is time to increase immigration. Meanwhile, he is drawing closer to the European Union, which, coincidentally enough, has also lost control of immigration and lost track of millions of people.
What is the agreement with the European Union? Is Canada deporting immigrants who follow the rules because ministers have mishandled the file, all to make room for more immigrants from the European Union?
Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipOral Questions
Halifax West—Peggy’s Cove Nova Scotia
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab LiberalMinister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians need to know is that we are masters in our own house. We are focusing on maintaining balance and control over our immigration system.
Just as the Prime Minister said in Strasbourg, no one dictates the path Canada should take. Canada is working to establish a closer transatlantic partnership that will give us greater independence in a changing world.
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Mr. Speaker, 90% of Canada's primary aluminum is produced in Quebec. The industry is much more than an economic driver; for our country, it is a strategic industry.
Can the Minister of Industry tell us how our government is projecting jobs and defending Quebec's aluminum industry?
Mélanie Joly LiberalMinister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Rivière-des-Mille-Îles for her very important question.
Aluminum is one of our industrial strengths. We are proud of our workers in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean and across the country. Last Friday, I was in La Baie to announce a $160-million investment in Rio Tinto and Alouette, two of our major aluminum plants.
We are going to keep helping the large producers, but also the small ones, which are being hit hard by the tariff war. We are going to turn this crisis into an opportunity—
Steel and Aluminum IndustryOral Questions
David McKenzie Conservative Calgary Signal Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, we all want Canada to grow and diversify its export markets. Today, I have good news. Strathcona Resources, a Canadian oil and gas producer, wants to export 250,000 barrels a day of crude oil from Prince Rupert. Strathcona will ship by rail existing in place today. It just needs the Liberal government to get out of the way and remove the west coast tanker ban. My private member's bill, Bill C-264, will do exactly that.
Will the Prime Minister get out of the way and repeal the tanker ban so Strathcona can help Canada become an energy superpower?
Tim Hodgson LiberalMinister of Energy and Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, here is what we will do. We will work with B.C., Alberta and affected first nations to build the Pacific link, which will massively increase oil exports. We will also work with first nations to build interties between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, to build hydro in Quebec, to build nuclear in Ontario and to build the north coast transmission line in B.C.
Rather than fight against indigenous peoples, why do the Conservatives not help us build Canada?
David McKenzie Conservative Calgary Signal Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, it was Bill C-48 that killed the indigenous-owned Eagle Spirit Energy project, so the member opposite had better reconsider his position on those issues. It is time for the Liberal government to ban the tanker ban and not leave it merely open for consideration. How about repealing it completely so that producers like Strathcona can build our energy industry and bring jobs and prosperity to Canada?
Will the Liberals get out of the way, remove the tanker ban and let Strathcona Resources export a quarter of a million barrels of oil?
Tim Hodgson LiberalMinister of Energy and Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, we will up the member by four and get a million barrels a day to the west coast by working in partnership with first nations, not against them. Maybe he could start working with us to build jobs in Canada in partnership with first nations.
Carol Anstey Conservative Long Range Mountains, NL
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister talks about making Canada an energy superpower, yet he continues to stand in the way. Strathcona Resources has a proposal to ship up to 250,000 barrels of Canadian oil a day by rail to Prince Rupert, with exports to overseas markets to begin in as little as two years. The railway already exists. The company is ready to pursue the project. What is missing is to repeal the Liberal tanker ban.
Will the Liberals finally get out of the way, remove the tanker ban and allow Strathcona Resources to move forward with this proposal, yes or no?
Tim Hodgson LiberalMinister of Energy and Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, it is very interesting that the member is focused on something in B.C. Maybe she should focus a little closer to home. Her premier, Premier Wakeham, said that the federal government was instrumental in getting Bay du Nord built, a $10-billion energy project in her province that the Conservatives are not helping support. Maybe they should figure out where they should spend their time.
