Debates of Feb. 12th, 2026

Housing

[Caroline Desrochers, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, we know that young Canadians are struggling right now because of the cost of living and the cost of rent.

The good news is that Build Canada Homes is already delivering results. We took action in the first 100 days. We have reached major agreements with provinces and municipalities, and there are projects that are currently under review. However, these projects will not move forward unless the opposition supports Bill C-15 on the budget and on Build Canada Homes.

We need their co-operation. If they truly want to be there for their constituents, they will stand up and vote with us.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lévis—Lotbinière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian dream of home ownership is fading for young Canadians. A Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation report says that housing starts in 2028 could fall by as much as 18% compared to last year. The Canadian Home Builders' Association says that current conditions will create a lost decade for home ownership in Canada.

When will the government adopt our plan to stimulate residential growth by eliminating the GST on all new homes so that our young people can hope to own their own home?

[Caroline Desrochers, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, Build Canada Homes is a program that responds to what Canadians really need. Canadians need us to build housing that fits their needs and their budgets.

All the member opposite and his colleagues are saying today is that we need to abolish the tax on all homes. There is no tax anymore. I do not know how the Conservatives think they can govern when all they do is filibuster and say they are going to eliminate all taxes.

We on this side have a real plan, a plan that makes sense. It is called the 2025 budget. We hope they will approve it.

Public Safety

[Jake Sawatzky, Liberal, New Westminster—Burnaby—Maillardville, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there has been an outpouring of grief and support across this country following the Tumbler Ridge tragedy that occurred on Tuesday. The House has come together to honour the innocent lives lost.

Can the Secretary of State for Combatting Crime please reflect on the mass shooting in B.C?

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Secretary of State (Combatting Crime)]

Mr. Speaker, the nation is heartbroken by this tragic shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. Our hearts are with the families, friends and loved ones of all the victims, and with the little girl who is currently fighting for her life. May we all keep her in our prayers. We are forever grateful for the speed and courage of the RCMP and all first responders on that day. Their actions and bravery saved lives.

Automotive Industry

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, despite the Liberals signing on to $52 billion to create an EV supply chain in Canada, the vast majority of EVs bought here are not made here. Now, despite the massive government subsidies, the auto companies are recording multi-billion dollar losses on EVs and abandoning or delaying EV projects.

The Liberals are now doubling down with their new $2.3-billion EV subsidy, where Canadian workers will be forced to subsidize the purchase of foreign-made EVs, including EVs made in the United States. At a time like this, it is unconscionable.

Will the Liberals reverse course and stop Canadian tax dollars from funding American-made EVs?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, of course we believe in affordability. We believe that Canadians can have access to EV incentives, such as up to $5,000 for a car that is up to $50,000, as well as those for Canadian EVs, because obviously, we believe that the future of the industry is electrification. Recently, there were more EV sales in Europe than those of gas combustion cars. At the same time, we know that in the next five years, 40% of all the cars worldwide will be electric.

Our plan is to make sure that we bring our industry to the forefront of innovation and that good jobs are created here.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is that the American tariffs have cost 5,000 jobs in Canada's auto sector and tens of thousands more jobs in the manufacturing sector across the board. Meanwhile, the Liberals created a $2.3-billion, taxpayer-funded program that will subsidize the purchase of American-made EVs to the direct benefit of the American auto sector, when the Americans are trying to destroy our auto sector.

This is wrong, and the minister could easily rectify this. Will she do it?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of time for my colleague and a lot of respect for her, but she knows that our auto industry is obviously facing important challenges. It took months for the Conservatives to denounce the U.S. tariffs on autos.

We know that the entire sector is integrated within North America with Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Now, when she is talking about EVs made in the U.S., she has to take into account, and Conservatives need to take into account, that Canadian auto parts are part of these EVs.

Is she going after the Canadian auto parts workers all across Ontario? That is my question.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday evening, I was in Toronto for the Unifor skilled trades conference. Those are the men and women who work in our auto plants to make sure the machinery and equipment work. When I told them that their tax dollars were going to go to subsidizing the purchase of American EVs, they were outraged and disgusted. They could not believe it was happening.

It is simple: Why would Canadian tax dollars be going to subsidize American EVs when Donald Trump is trying to kill our auto industry? Will the Liberals show they care about auto workers by cancelling the rebates for American EVs?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, finally my colleague met with the Unifor workers. It took him months to do that.

We have been in contact with Unifor since the get-go, even before U.S. tariffs were imposed. We have been in contact with them to make sure that we would be working together, as one team Canada, because it took months for the Conservatives to denounce the U.S. tariffs for our auto workers.

We are there with the industry. From the industry and businesses to auto workers and unions, everybody is in favour of the auto strategy, including Premier Ford. Why are the Conservatives not in favour?

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have been meeting with auto workers for the past two years. It is how we came up with our policy to take the HST off of all Canadian autos. That was actually an idea of union workers. What is not their idea is to give their tax dollars to Donald Trump's America to build American vehicles.

These Liberals will not answer this question: Why are they giving these subsidies to EVs made in America when Donald Trump's stated goal is to destroy the Canadian auto industry? It is embarrassing. It is disgraceful. It is disgusting. They should look Canadian auto workers in the eye and apologize, but I know they will not.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I have known my colleague for a long time. He does have passion, I will grant him that, but sometimes that passion leads him to act a bit too quickly. He forgot to talk to unions.

Earlier this week, he and other Conservatives raised the situation of workers at CAMI in Ingersoll. They were talking about the withholding of severance. What he forgot to do was actually talk to Unifor. Local 88 in Ingersoll came out with a statement. I will review it for him; we can look at it together. It said that their “political posturing” is unacceptable and they should not take advantage of the working people of Ingersoll. That is a direct quote. It is unacceptable.

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government's new EV strategy fails to put Canadian workers and automakers first. How is allowing 49,000 Chinese-made EVs into Canada and subsidizing the purchase of American-made EVs going to help the workers who were laid off from GM in St. Catharines? They are worried about the future of their engine plant. GM has been in St. Catharines since 1929.

Will the Liberals support our motion to stop forcing Canadian workers to subsidize foreign-made vehicles and remove the GST on Canadian-made vehicles?

[Leslie Church, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretaries of State for Labour]

Mr. Speaker, we stand with our auto workers, with unions and with the businesses that communities are built around, and they are standing with us. Auto workers, mayors, union leaders and premiers, including Premier Ford, called this a great auto strategy.

Let me read this to the House. The President of Unifor Local 200 in Windsor, who chairs Unifor's auto council, says that he is “ecstatic” over the measures put in place as part of Canada's auto strategy. He says, “We're putting a third shift on, and we want to make sure that third shift stays. That incentive is so important to our community. I was ecstatic to see [the government] put that in place”.

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that member is not talking to the Unifor members in St. Catharines, who had an EV battery engine plant, but GM moved it out because there were no sales.

The Government of Canada should not be subsidizing American-made EVs using Canadian taxpayers' money, especially when U.S. actions have already cost 5,000 Canadian auto worker jobs. Will the Liberals simply join us, finally put Canadians first and support our Conservative motion to remove the GST on Canadian-made vehicles?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, I know my colleague is fighting hard to change the narrative, but the auto strategy has already been out for a week and everybody is in favour of it, including, of course, Unifor workers who are working at GM in St. Catharines and Premier Ford, who we all know is a very strong Conservative, as well as the industry, auto parts workers, everyone. Why is that? It is because, fundamentally, it is a good plan.

We know that the industry is going towards electrification. Capital is following that innovation. We will not hold our workers back. We will protect them.

[Connie Cody, Conservative, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after months of pressure from Conservatives, the government is finally slamming the brakes on its ideological electric vehicle mandate, but the new EV rebate scheme will not protect Canadian auto workers. It is just going to subsidize Tesla and send taxpayer money straight across the border.

The government has gone from saying “elbows up” to selling out. It is driving other countries' economies forward while leaving Canadian workers in the dust. The Liberal government's policies are eroding our domestic vehicle manufacturing sector and the livelihoods of Canadian workers. When will the Liberals finally get behind the wheel for Canada instead of selling out to Donald Trump and Elon Musk?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, what the Conservatives need to understand right now is that the industry needs predictability and clarity. At a time when there is a revision of the USMCA, we were able to provide that. By providing that, we are now having conversations with German automakers, Korean automakers and Chinese automakers that want to invest in Canada and create good jobs.

Why are the Conservatives fundamentally against what the market is saying, which is that this is a good plan and Canada is a great destination to invest?

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Essex-Windsor auto sector is not just assembly lines; it is mould-makers, tool shops, parts suppliers and automation firms.

The Liberals promised to protect jobs, yet they are handing out money to America EV companies, importing Chinese EVs and costing thousands of families their livelihoods. EV policy was meant to protect workers.

Will the Liberals stop forcing Canadian workers to subsidize foreign-made vehicles and remove the GST on new Canadian-made vehicles?

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the industry minister and the Prime Minister, along with every minister and this entire caucus, are devoted to ensuring the well-being and future of the Canadian auto sector and its workers.

I invite Conservatives to support the government in continuing to ensure that measures are put in place to ensure the future well-being of that sector.

[Ned Kuruc, Conservative, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian taxpayers should not be subsidizing American EVs when the U.S. trade conflict has already cost 5,000 Canadian auto manufacturing jobs, 37,000 since the Prime Minister took office. He needs to stop this insult to Hamilton auto workers and work with us to put Canadian auto jobs first.

This is a time when the Canadian auto sector is looking for unity and action in standing up to Donald Trump. Will the Liberals join us and support our motion to remove the GST on new Canadian-made vehicles?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, of course, if the Conservatives knew a lot about the auto strategy, they would know that we are already supporting the Canadian-made auto sector and Canadian-made vehicles. That will be for the Dodge Charger and the Pacifica. We are convinced that there will be more because we will have more investment in the sector.

The Conservatives have all been asking the same question. I guess their leader gave them a sheet to read. Fundamentally, what they need to remember is that Canadians are in favour of this because the entire sector is in favour of this.

Public Safety

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a tidal wave of sorrow has swept over our country this week, including Kitigan Zibi, as the member for Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi so eloquently described earlier today. Two young lives have been extinguished far too soon, leaving their loved ones and their entire community to grieve.

Can the Secretary of State for Nature share her thoughts and reflections on the tragic incident that has taken place in Quebec?

[Nathalie Provost, Liberal, Secretary of State (Nature)]

Mr. Speaker, with a heart already heavy from the tragic events in Tumbler Ridge, I rise in the House today to offer my sincerest condolences to the family members and loved ones of the two young Anishinabe victims from Kitigan Zibi.

I do not have the words to explain such a tragedy, coming on the heels of an already sombre week. How anyone can weaponize children as a means to cause harm is incomprehensible.

My heart goes out to the community of Kitigan Zibi, to all those who will be called upon to support this family, to my colleague and fellow member and to everyone involved in providing assistance to this family and their loved ones, including first responders and health care workers.

What happened defies comprehension. I want to join with my colleagues in offering our thoughts to all of these people.

I hope they stay strong.