House of Commons Hansard #90 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was veterans.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 1 Third reading of Bill C-15. The bill, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget, is debated in the House of Commons. Discussions highlight the bill's 603-page length and its amendments to 49 statutes, with concerns raised about its "omnibus" nature. Members discuss the budget's projected $78.3 billion deficit and its implications for national debt and affordability. Key measures include a high-speed rail network and tax credits for carbon capture, while opposition members criticize cuts to veterans' benefits and agricultural research. 40200 words, 4 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Criminal Code Second reading of Bill S-228. The bill aims to strengthen the Criminal Code by explicitly clarifying that forced or coerced sterilization constitutes aggravated assault. This survivor-centred, Indigenous-led legislation addresses a profound injustice disproportionately affecting Indigenous, disabled, and racialized women, which continues today. It seeks to deter the practice, ensure accountability, and provide survivors with legal recognition, while not restricting access to voluntary sterilization. 7200 words, 1 hour.
Ernie Klassen LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, fisheries management decisions must be rooted in science for the long-term economic prosperity of coastal communities. Our government will continue to make evidence-based decisions through meaningful consultations.
Stéphane Lauzon Liberal Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC
Mr. Speaker, budget 2025 and its accompanying budget implementation act are a bold plan to respond to unprecedented economic uncertainty with a speed, scope and scale not seen in generations. I am pleased to see that the House is also responding at this crucial time with the same sense of urgency. Earlier this week, the Standing Committee on Finance completed its clause-by-clause review of Bill C‑15, which we voted on last night.
Can the Minister of Finance remind us exactly what we voted on?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Finance and National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his excellent question, and I thank my colleagues for their work on the Standing Committee on Finance.
Yesterday, my colleagues and I were truly proud to vote on behalf of Canadians for a generational budget. This budget will make significant investments in housing, infrastructure and competitiveness. It will also ensure Canada's sovereignty. On this side of the House, we will always be there to build Canada strong, to ensure that we have the highest growth in the G7, to ensure that we build the strongest economy in the G7 and to ensure that we create jobs—
Rhonda Kirkland Conservative Oshawa, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said that Canada's immigration system is “under control”. In the GTA, a man in his thirties arranged to pay $140 to sexually exploit a 15-year-old. That is my daughter's age. He was arrested with cash in hand, went to court and, because of his immigration status, will not even receive a criminal record. How is that under control?
When will the Prime Minister take responsibility and finally fire his immigration minister?
Ruby Sahota LiberalSecretary of State (Combatting Crime)
Mr. Speaker, since we have taken government, we have implemented many changes to the Criminal Code of Canada to strengthen it. There are over 80 different changes to the code in Bill C-14 alone.
It is heinous what I am hearing from the other side. The provincial courts should be handling these cases. They are tried in the provincial trial courts, which should deal with these situations adequately. It is really upsetting to hear of these types of outcomes. I think the provinces should really be looking into this.
Rhonda Kirkland Conservative Oshawa, ON
Mr. Speaker, this case is not a one-off, but good job by the Liberals to blame the provinces. It is one of several cases where serious crimes are met with soft consequences because of loopholes in our immigration system. Canadians are tired of hearing the Liberal government say that everything is under control while headlines prove the opposite. There is a 3,000% increase in asylum claimants, and 25,000 admissions without an in-person interview.
How many more failed immigration ministers will it take before the Prime Minister admits that his system is broken?
Ruby Sahota LiberalSecretary of State (Combatting Crime)
Mr. Speaker, under the Criminal Code of Canada, people who engage in criminal activity like this should be punished. There are high penalties in place. This is a failure in the administration of justice, which is a provincial issue. If the administration of justice had worked properly, then this case and this incident would not have occurred.
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have to recognize that there are issues with immigration. Honest citizens are being deported while people who abuse the system are being given shortcuts: eighty-six bogus asylum seekers remain in Canada; 33,000 are still wanted by the Canada Border Services Agency; and 25,000 asylum seekers have been admitted without any screenings or checks. That is not acceptable.
Is the Prime Minister going to make the necessary decisions?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite is well aware that asylum claims have dropped by a third since this Prime Minister took office. He knows that the number of international students in Canada has also dropped by a third.
From July to October 2025, Canada's population fell slightly after several years of growth. This system is sustainable. Canada's immigration system is the envy of the world. It meets Canada's labour needs and attracts talent to Canada. The member knows that full well.
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Mr. Speaker, the world is changing rapidly and Canadians gave the government a strong mandate to protect our workers and industries, all while building Canada strong. Last week, we announced the defence industrial strategy, designed to transform our defence industry and make Canada more secure.
Can the Minister of Industry please share what this strategy means for Canadian workers and industries across Canada?
Mélanie Joly LiberalMinister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Mr. Speaker, indeed, at a time when we are investing 2% of our GDP in defence, going towards 5% of our GDP by 2035, as other NATO countries are, we are also creating jobs. That is why, through our new defence industrial strategy, we will build the ships, the drones, the planes, the right tech and the right AI. While doing so, we will create 125,000 jobs across the country.
This is good news. This is good news for Canada. We will stop being in dependency mode. We will be in control mode here at home.
Aaron Gunn Conservative North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Speaker, three weeks ago, the Minister of Natural Resources claimed that the decision to allow Brookfield Renewable Partners to send Canadian hydroelectricity out of Powell River to the United States, with almost no benefit to Canadians, was out of his hands and instead rested with the Canada Energy Regulator. The only problem is that the regulator told me that it made its recommendation to reject the permit two months ago. Since that time, it has been sitting on the minister's desk.
Will the minister commit to accepting the regulator's recommendation and to denying Brookfield this permit?
Corey Hogan LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, the digging for conspiracies about Brookfield is just exhausting. I think this entire House is tired of it. We trust our regulators to make decisions, and we work on the political level to make sure that the framework supports good decision-making. I think we just have to put aside some of this searching for conspiracies on the other side.
Alexandre Boulerice NDP Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Build Canada Homes program is a gimmick that is not going to work. The Prime Minister promised to build 500,000 homes, but according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Build Canada Homes will build only 5,000 per year. At this rate, it will take a century to reach the target. This is an insult to our intelligence.
On top of that, there is no definition of affordable housing, there is no target for social or co-operative housing and there are no rules on the percentage of income that can be spent on rent.
When are Liberals going to start taking care of people instead of insulting their intelligence?
Caroline Desrochers LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure
Mr. Speaker, I know the NDP do not have much of a budget for information, but I really encourage its members to do more research.
We held information sessions. We have given all members of the House a very good idea of how Build Canada Homes is going to work. It includes affordable housing, co-operatives and social housing. We will do this in every community across Canada. We are going to build, we are going to reduce wait times, and we are going to increase the capacity to issue permits. We will work with all levels of government. We are going to build homes for all Canadians across the country.
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, 33% of people in Manitoba seeking abortion care must travel to access it. Where is the federal government? Is it fast-tracking projects of national interest without protections for indigenous women and girls? Check. Is it blaming international students, migrants and asylum seekers for the housing crisis? Check. Is it ensuring women and gender-diverse people can access their right to health care? Crickets.
If the Prime Minister supports the right to safe health care, will he fund access to that care?
Maggie Chi LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, that is a very important question. For too long, women's health was a blind spot in our health care system. Even today, women's unique health needs continue to be misdiagnosed, misrepresented and misunderstood. While we have made real progress in advancing gender equality and women's rights, including sexual and reproductive rights, too many people around the world are rolling back these improvements.
Our government will always work to remove these barriers and close the gender gap in research, ensuring equitable health care for everybody, including women.
Presence in GalleryOral Questions
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of Patrick Muyaya Katembwe, Minister of Communication and Media and spokesperson for the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Presence in GalleryOral Questions
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
I would also draw the attention of members to the presence in the gallery of Chimwemwe Undi, the 11th parliamentary poet laureate.
Chris Warkentin Conservative Grande Prairie, AB
Mr. Speaker, as it is customary in the House that every Thursday we ask the question as to what the government has planned for next week, I will ask that, with the understanding that next week members of Parliament will be returning to their homes to meet with their constituents. We have a break week.
During question period today, we had an admission from the agriculture minister, an embarrassing admission, that unfortunately he is going to break his promise to the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta. For the benefit of the House and for the benefit of farmers in Saskatchewan and Alberta who are desperately in need of a pest control management emergency solution, specifically the allowance of strychnine to be used in emergency situations, I wonder if the House leader of the Liberals will commit to working with us over this next week.
I know the member for Foothills has committed to work throughout the week to draft legislation that would allow the minister to not have to break his promise to farmers in Alberta and Saskatchewan. In the coming week, would the House leader commit to working with the official opposition to draft legislation that we can work expeditiously to pass in the week we return, to allow for farmers to use strychnine in certain circumstances in Alberta and Saskatchewan to ensure that a huge economic emergency does not develop over the Prairies, as we have seen over other springs in previous years?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, I cannot think of anyone better or anyone who listens more attentively and regularly to farmers than the current Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. The minister, I know, will be continuing his extremely hard work in representing their interests and reassuring them about the coming planting and growing season on the Prairies. We are going to absolutely look after our farmers from coast to coast to coast, including those very hard-working farmers on the Prairies. We will, of course, be addressing this issue as we return to Parliament after the break week next week, when members will be in their constituencies serving their constituents.
This afternoon, however, we will resume debate at third reading of Bill C‑15, budget 2025 implementation act.
Tomorrow, we will begin debate at second reading of Bill S‑2, with respect to new registration entitlements.
When we return from our constituency week on Monday, March 9, we will consider Bill C-20, the Build Canada Homes act, at second reading, and on Tuesday and Wednesday, we will consider Bill C-13, an act to implement the protocol on the accession of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, and Bill C-18, which would implement the comprehensive economic partnership agreement between Canada and Indonesia.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I wish you and your constituents a very good constituency week.
The House resumed consideration of the motion that Bill C-15, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on November 4, 2025, be read the third time and passed.