Debates of Oct. 27th, 2026

The Economy

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, let us not forget that the European Union represents 450 million consumers and 18% of global GDP. I am very proud that there is a rapprochement happening between the European Union and Canada. Our diplomatic efforts are bearing fruit.

It should also be noted that the benefits that Canada negotiates in the interest of Canadians are in the interest of Quebec. These are opportunities for our businesses and our citizens. I would like to commend the Quebec delegation in Brussels for its contributions to Canada's diplomatic efforts.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, there is no rapprochement happening. No agreements have been signed, either. Ten European countries have not signed the agreement we already have. There have been no results. The Prime Minister is all talk and no action.

The same goes for spending. Inflation caused government revenues to skyrocket, but the Prime Minister squandered the money. The Parliamentary Budget Officer reports that he is planning to add $733 billion to our debt over the next five years, which amounts to an additional $40,000 in debt for every Canadian family.

How can the Prime Minister be so out of touch and so costly for Canadians?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, there is far too much to unpack in that question. First, he said we are “all talk and no action” and that there have been few results, but I would point out that our non-U.S. exports have increased by $33 billion in recent years. That is an 11% increase at a time when we are seeing a realignment of the Canadian economy to be more resilient and more self-reliant.

Now, whenever he talks about inflationary programs, I always ask the Leader of the Opposition the same question, but he is never able to come up with an answer: What exactly is an inflationary program? For example, is it the 213,000 children in Quebec who benefit from the Canada child benefit and the $819 million that is sent to Quebec families to meet their needs? Is that an inflationary program?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, inflation is going to bring a $20-billion revenue windfall to the government. That is great news for the Prime Minister but terrible news for the people lined up at food banks and the young people who cannot afford a place to live. It is still not enough to offset the irresponsibility of the big-spending Prime Minister, who is going to add $733 billion to our national debt over five years according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer. That is $40,000 for every family in Canada.

Will he acknowledge that he is out of touch and that Canadians are out of money?

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, the leader, as Canadians know, has no credibility when it comes to the economy. He has never worked one day in it.

On this side of the House, we have a plan. We have a plan to build Canada strong. At the Canada investment summit, there was $500 billion in investments. Non-U.S. exports are set to double over the next decade. Foreign direct investment is at levels not seen in decades.

On this side of the House, we have a plan to invest in our economy and to build our economy strong. The leader continues with the rhetoric.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, if the Prime Minister had any results at all, he would stand up and answer questions about his record deficit and the fact that the fastest-growing item in the budget is not health care, not the military and not borders, but interest on the national debt, enriching his banker buddies at the expense of hard-working Canadians.

The average family of four will spend $6,000 this year on taxes to fund interest on debt. Will he acknowledge that he is out of touch, that Canadians are out of money and that the debt is out of control?

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, do members know what a good leader does? A good leader does not raise his hands up, blame everybody else and offer nothing constructive as a solution. On this side of the House, let us look at some economic facts: the best net debt-to-GDP in the G7, the fastest-growing economy in the G7 and the best credit rating in the G7.

On this side of the House, we have a Prime Minister with economic and business credentials. The leader has never worked one day in the economy and is in his third decade in the House producing nothing.

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I would advise members not to be provocative, because it creates a reaction and leads to a bit of chaos in the House.

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

Housing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, a good leader stands up and answers questions in the House of Commons, and a good leader gets results.

Now we learn that the government is admitting it will not get the Prime Minister's promised results on housing. In a response to an Order Paper question, the Liberals have now admitted that the Prime Minister has broken his promise to double homebuilding and that construction will actually fall to near-record lows over the next three years, blaming immigration, as the Liberals do, for the housing shortage.

How could the Prime Minister be so out of touch with Canadians who need homes?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada]

Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I would reprimand the member opposite for constantly attacking immigrants.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. member may continue. Let us listen to him.

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I think almost every member of the House comes from immigrant stock. Canada is a country of immigrants, and to blame immigrants for a housing crisis is absolutely unfair and unjust.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

It is a little loud. I do not want to reprimand anybody.

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the member says he wants to reprimand anybody who blames excessive immigration numbers for the housing shortage. Well, let me read directly from a document he tabled in the House of Commons. It is a document on the housing shortage. It says, “One of the drivers of the housing shortage has been the strong growth in housing demand driven by immigration.”

Will the minister stand up now and reprimand himself?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada]

Mr. Speaker, there is a difference between immigrants and immigration, first and foremost. When the member opposite—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

We need to reset the clock to the beginning.

The hon. member from the top, please.

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there is a big difference. The member opposite demonizes immigrants, which is specifically what he said. The member opposite said, “immigrants”.

Many countries in the world, including Canada, have challenges around immigration. Lots of people want to come to Canada. We need to keep up with the housing we build, and as the Prime Minister has said, we need to make sure the housing we build fits the immigration levels. We want immigrants in Canada. This is a country of immigrants. We believe in immigration. It has to be controlled, and our housing builds have to match accordingly. That is what we are focused on.

Intergovernmental Relations

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the wake of the Parti Québécois' election victory, the Prime Minister telephoned the Premier of Quebec to offer his congratulations and express his desire to work together on key priorities, including the economy, housing, support for workers and homelessness. It was a gesture of goodwill, but that collaborative spirit appears to have been short-lived.

How can the Prime Minister justify muzzling the Premier of Quebec on his own turf, during the Canada–Europe summit taking place this week in Montreal?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, I will leave it to the leader of the Bloc Québécois to choose his own analogies, but I believe that is a bit of a stretch.

Does the member know what I am hearing from the Quebeckers I meet? I am talking about the Quebeckers who elected 44 Liberal members from Quebec, including the recent election in Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, where the Liberal candidate received more than 50% of the vote.

They are saying that they want us to continue diversifying our markets and strengthening the resilience of the Quebec and Canadian economies. They are encouraged to see that exports to markets outside the United States have increased by 11% over the past year. They are pleased that, over the past year, Canada has signed 20 trade and security agreements with countries around the world.

It is the Government of Canada doing that work, in partnership with the provinces and territories, and we will continue that work in the interest of all Canadians.

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure that that lines up with what we were hearing in Quebec this morning.

The Premier of Quebec asked to give a speech at a summit examining issues like culture, workforce mobility, the fight against global warming, and agriculture. The Premier of Quebec is entitled to take the floor in the largest francophone city in North America. Ottawa's response was that no, Quebec's voice does not need to be heard at international fora.

Does the Prime Minister claim to speak for the Government of Quebec as well?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, what we hear in Quebec City, what we heard today and yesterday, is that Quebeckers want us to pursue our efforts to diversify our markets, especially with the European Union. Why? It is because the EU represents 450 million consumers and 18% of global GDP.

Also, Canada negotiates in the interest of Canada, in the interest of all the provinces and in the interest of Quebec. I commend the Quebec delegation to Brussels for its contributions to our diplomatic efforts to strengthen our ties with the European Union. We are going to stay the course.

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's leading exporter to Europe is Quebec. However, if we are not at the table, we are on the menu, as the Prime Minister himself said, and we now know that the federal government does not want Quebec at the table. He will talk about issues that fall exclusively under Quebec's jurisdiction, and Quebec will have no say. He will talk about pipelines, fossil fuels and maybe new markets, the forestry industry, labour, the environment and culture. Quebec's future is at stake, but we are clearly on the menu.

Will the Prime Minister agree to remedy the insult he delivered to all Quebeckers in front of the whole of Europe?