House of Commons Hansard #146 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was project.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Opposition Motion—Diesel Prices Members debate a Conservative motion for emergency diesel tax relief, faster approvals for fuel infrastructure, and a goal of producing one million barrels of diesel daily. Conservatives argue high fuel costs burden farmers, truckers and consumers, while greater domestic production would improve affordability and energy security. Liberals cite existing temporary tax relief and long-term infrastructure plans, cautioning that global markets shape prices and refineries cannot provide immediate relief. Bloc members favour targeted assistance and question whether broad tax cuts benefit consumers or oil companies. 50600 words, 6 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Alleged Premature Disclosure of Information Concerning Bill C-39 Members debate whether government briefings on a west coast pipeline update and Bill C-39 raise a question of privilege, with the government arguing established precedents show MPs were not obstructed in their duties. 800 words.
Youth Criminal Justice Act Report stage of Bill C-231. The bill amends the Youth Criminal Justice Act to let authorities refer young people facing criminal proceedings to treatment, and allow courts in some cases to defer sentencing or make treatment a condition of an order. Its scope includes problematic substance use and other treatment, such as mental health programs, to support rehabilitation and reintegration. 7900 words, 1 hour.
Building Canada Strong Act Second reading of Bill C-39. The bill proposes to coordinate and accelerate major-project reviews, strengthen trade corridors and ports, digitize trade processes, and amend federal labour rules. Supporters say it can reduce duplication and attract investment while maintaining safeguards; critics question the one-year timeline, expanded cabinet discretion and exemptions for regions of national interest, and warn of risks to environmental protections, Indigenous rights, workers’ strike rights and parliamentary scrutiny. 44000 words, 5 hours.
Alleged Premature Disclosure of Bill C-40 Andrew Scheer alleges that media reports disclose specific provisions of Bill C-40 before its introduction, breaching members’ parliamentary privileges, and asks the Speaker to find a prima facie contempt of the House. 1200 words.
Heath MacDonald LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, everybody is familiar with the story of the Strait of Hormuz and what it is doing to the world, including global market prices on diesel. This is not just a Canadian problem. It is a world problem.
We suspended the excise tax. We also cut the carbon tax when we were first elected, a promise we made to Canadians across this country and to farmers. We will continue working hard for farmers as we go forward.
Leslyn Lewis Conservative Haldimand—Norfolk, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are all talk and no results. Our Conservative motion would save families money. After 10 years, Canadians need relief, not another Liberal promise. Families cannot put a press release on the dinner table. In Haldimand—Norfolk, I represent farmers who produce the food and families who can no longer afford to buy it.
Will the government support our motion for emergency fuel relief, or will it keep Canadians lining up at food banks just to survive?
Wayne Long LiberalSecretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we are going to continue to focus on affordability. We cut taxes for 22 million Canadians. We just paused the federal fuel excise tax, saving Canadians 10¢ a litre when they fill up. If we combine that with the consumer carbon tax, it is 28¢ in savings.
Yesterday, Canadians received their groceries and essentials benefit. That benefit will lift 77,000 Canadians out of poverty.
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker, higher fuel prices are official Liberal Party policy. Higher diesel prices mean that everything that moves by truck, train or cargo ship costs more. Canadians are suffering due to Liberal inaction. They cannot feed their kids press releases. Just like with the carbon tax and the gas tax, the Liberals will not do anything for Canadians until the polls shift.
Will the Liberals stop wasting time and join us in passing the emergency fuel relief plan?
Kody Blois LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, respectfully, I reject the entire premise of the question. We have been taking action on supporting affordability across this country. We have before the House right now the ability to extend the federal fuel excise tax removal on gasoline and diesel. The hon. member and her party have the opportunity to support the government's initiative in that matter. Yesterday, the groceries and essentials benefit, which is providing recipients somewhere between $200 and $300 per family, found its way to Canadian families.
We know there are challenges happening around the world. The government is taking the initiatives it can to be able to support Canadians. We would certainly like the Conservatives to join that effort.
The member is from Pembroke. There are lots of farmers in Pembroke. We have a lot to say for farmers. The member ran on a platform in April 2025 with not a single thing to say for Canadian farmers. That is the record of the Conservative Party.
Chris Malette Liberal Bay of Quinte, ON
Mr. Speaker, as the member of Parliament representing CFB Trenton, Canada's largest air force base, I regularly hear from the women and men who serve in the Canadian Armed Forces about the importance of getting the capabilities they need when they need them. Our government has made a significant investment in our armed forces, including raising salaries and equipping future generations with the kit and capabilities they need to serve our country.
Can the Secretary of State for Defence Procurement please explain what Bill C-40 would do to continue this work and further improve and modernize our defence procurement?
Stephen Fuhr LiberalSecretary of State (Defence Procurement)
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Bay of Quinte for his question and his excellent support for CFB Trenton.
Bill C-40 would establish the Defence Investment Agency as a Crown corporation with the authorities, flexibility and access to commercial expertise it needs to deliver. It would unite production, procurement and investment to meet the needs of the military and industry, with the government accountability and parliamentary oversight it needs. It would build on the agency's success with a permanent structure to meet Canada's future defence needs.
Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary East, AB
Mr. Speaker, any Canadian calling in to the CRA can feel the Liberal failures. Last year, the Liberals came up with a phony 100-day plan to fix the CRA issues that they created, and as usual, it was all talk and no results. Since then, the taxpayers' ombudsman has had to launch two new investigations into the failures of the Liberal government at the CRA with delays and processing times. The Liberals had their 100 days.
How many more hundreds of days do Canadian taxpayers have to wait before the incompetent Liberal government finally fixes the mess it created at the CRA?
Wayne Long LiberalSecretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gold standard public servants of the CRA for delivering outstanding service and benefits to Canadians. The member may talk about the 100-day plan. The 100-day plan was a huge success. We improved service times and quality of delivery of service.
We are going to continue to improve CRA service for Canadians.
Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary East, AB
Mr. Speaker, like a typical Liberal, he thinks answered calls being accurate only 17% of the time is a huge success.
This is the guy who said the buck stops with him when it comes to CRA problems. Now the taxpayers' ombudsman has a 27% increase in complaints about the incompetent Liberal government. Liberals will fleece Canadians for every single dollar, but Liberal-connected insiders who are part of the green slush fund get a cushy $34-million tax break.
Why are Liberals so ruthless with taxpayers and toothless when it comes to their own scandals?
Wayne Long LiberalSecretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank the public servants of CRA for the gold-level quality of service they deliver for Canadians. They deliver benefits. We are moving toward automatic federal benefits. The 100-day plan was a huge success. We improved call times and call service standards.
We are going to continue to lean in. CRA is going to be the gold standard revenue collection agency in the G7.
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford, BC
Mr. Speaker, the women's entrepreneurship loan fund was supposed to help women entrepreneurs access capital. After a three-year ATIP process, I found that one federally funded administrator received only 27 applications despite a federal target of 1,200, and another issued only 23 loans despite a target of 815. With over $7 billion in the program, Canadians should get better results.
Why is the government measuring success by dollars spent and announcements made versus real results for our entrepreneurs who really need the support of the government?
Rechie Valdez LiberalMinister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)
Mr. Speaker, since it is Women's History Month, I want to thank my hon. colleague for the question.
What I will say is, that is false. Our women entrepreneurship strategy has helped empower well over 600,000 women entrepreneurs across this amazing country to start, scale and grow their businesses. We have also attracted $7 billion to help women entrepreneurs across this country. This summer alone, I also announced our replenishment of funding toward the women entrepreneurship strategy. That is more money, $173.3 million, to help uplift women across the country.
We are going to do everything we can to lift and empower them as well.
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford, BC
Mr. Speaker, that is not a fair answer, because I have the documents from the minister's department, which states what I just said in this House.
Canada's productivity continuing to lag its peers, and access to capital for women entrepreneurs, and all entrepreneurs, remains a top concern. In addition, we still do not have internal trade, key supply chains in western Canada are compromised, and there are no major tax reforms to meaningfully support existing small businesses in Canada, yet the government continues to shovel more money out the door without results or accountability. We can just think of the green slush fund.
Will the minister stop the theatrics and actually deliver for our small businesses—
Small BusinessOral Questions
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
The hon. Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State for Small Business.
Rechie Valdez LiberalMinister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)
Mr. Speaker, supporting women entrepreneurs is not theatrics. I want to give a big shout-out to WeBC, which is a Kelowna-based organization that has received $5.6 million in helping women entrepreneurs with mentorship, business training, export support and growing their finances. Through our women entrepreneurship strategy, we are supporting women across the country and investing $173.3 million to help women entrepreneurs start, scale and grow their businesses.
We are going to do everything we can to support them.
Gabriel Hardy Conservative Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC
Mr. Speaker, our farmers are struggling. When their operating costs skyrocket, it is families who end up footing the bill at the grocery store. This morning, I was talking to egg farmer Bruno Gosselin from Œufs d'Orléans. He told me that his diesel bill has gone up 62% this year. Mr. Gosselin told me that nothing was really being done to improve their lives and that the governments were washing their hands of the matter.
When will the Prime Minister stop jet-setting and start adopting our Conservative plan to reduce diesel taxes and lower operating costs for farmers like Mr. Gosselin?
Rachel Bendayan LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the cost of living remains a major concern for many Canadians, and we are taking action.
Yesterday, 12 million Canadians received a direct payment as part of the Canada groceries and essentials benefit. That amounts to about $1,900 for a family of four over the course of the year. That makes a difference. We are also laying the groundwork to get the economy back on track. Economic growth is on the rise, jobs are on the rise, foreign investment is on the rise, and wages are rising for Canadian workers across the country.
Gabriel Hardy Conservative Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC
Mr. Speaker, where are the results for taxpayers? Every week, the Liberals stand up to tell us how proud they are of their program. They are running a deficit. They are mailing out cheques to Canadians that just add more money to the debt. Canada has the fourth-largest oil reserves in the world. We should not have to pay more for a product that we have in greater quantities than elsewhere. The taxes and bureaucracy imposed by the Liberals are holding back project development, and that means we are not becoming collectively wealthier.
Will the Liberals vote with us tomorrow and then get out of the way so that major projects can finally get going in Canada?
Rachel Bendayan LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, that is interesting, because the Conservatives like to talk about affordability in the House. They even like to talk about projects of national significance.
However, every time we introduce bills in the House, the Conservatives oppose them. If they really want to help Canadians, they should get on board.
Eric Duncan Conservative Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister made a flashy announcement about promising to buy and build Canadian, yet we have learned this was all talk and no results. It was just a big political stunt. The Toronto Star confirms that since he made that promise, government purchases from American companies have actually increased by 50%, to nearly $8 billion. The Liberals are completely out of touch, and Canadians are rightfully shocked by this.
Why is the Prime Minister choosing to send billions of Canadian tax dollars to the United States in the middle of an unjust trade war?
Joël Lightbound LiberalMinister of Government Transformation
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the buy Canadian policy that we announced in December. It now applies to procurements above $5 million.
When we look at the numbers the member is referring to, we have made a choice to encourage investment in Canada and to prioritize Canadian content. This means contracts like the one to General Dynamics in London, with 1,700 employees in London, workers in London, and 600 suppliers. That is the kind of contract the member says our government should not do, one that is supporting Canadian industry and Canadian workers here at home and incentivizing Canadian content.
Eric Duncan Conservative Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry, ON
Mr. Speaker, we always have to dig deeper to get the truth when it comes to the Liberals' big announcements and promises. The Liberals claim they are buying Canadian, but that is not the case in two multi-billion-dollar examples. The reannounced LNG phase two project will be using Chinese steel instead of supporting laid-off Canadian steelworkers, and shockingly, the Liberals are handing out billions in federal contracts and work to American companies. So much for buy Canadian. The Prime Minister pretends to stand up to President Trump while giving out $8 billion to the United States in contracts.
The question is simple. When will the Liberals stop sending Canadian jobs and money to Beijing and Washington?
Stephen Fuhr LiberalSecretary of State (Defence Procurement)
Mr. Speaker, again, I will raise with the opposition that foreign direct investment is a very important part of our economy. It employs tens of thousands of people. These companies design, engineer, retain IP and have headquarters. All this matters. It matters as much as Canadian companies. We can do two things at a time. We can support both. Companies like L3Harris, Safran and Airbus are big companies in Canada. We will continue to support them as long as they continue to invest here at home.
Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has told Canadians time and time again how during a generational trade war, the Liberals plan on strengthening the Canadian economy. However, the data suggests otherwise. According to the Toronto Star, the Prime Minister has increased Canadian contracts to the U.S. by over 50%. Canadian industry needs support from the Prime Minister, not inconsistency and more political grandstanding.
Our Conservative plan would save Canadian jobs, not send them down south.
When will the government prioritize the Canadian economy and spend Canadian dollars on Canadian goods?