House of Commons Hansard #78 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was prices.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Opposition Motion—Food Affordability Members debate Canada's high food inflation, the highest in the G7. Conservatives attribute rising grocery costs to Liberal "hidden taxes" on farmers, fuel, and packaging, advocating their removal and increased competition. Liberals contend global factors like climate change and supply chain disruptions are primary drivers, highlighting immediate relief through the Canada groceries and essentials benefit and long-term food security strategies. Other parties emphasize grocery sector competition and the Bloc calls for OAS benefit increases. 48800 words, 6 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Use of Federal Lands for Veterans Liberal MP Alana Hirtle moves a motion for a committee to study using underused federal lands for veteran services and housing. Liberals call it a strategic approach for future veteran needs. Conservatives and NDP criticize it as a delay, urging immediate action and highlighting government failures. The Bloc questions the House instructing a committee. 8500 words, 1 hour.
House of Commons
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
I invite the House to take note that today we are using the wooden mace. This mace is a reminder of the fire that claimed seven lives and destroyed the original Parliament Buildings, except for the library, on the night of February 3, 1916.
Among the items destroyed in that fire was the old mace. The wooden copy that we see today was subsequently made and was used temporarily until the current one was given to us by the United Kingdom in 1917.
Certificates of NominationRoutine Proceedings
Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park Ontario
Liberal
Gary Anandasangaree LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 110(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the certificate of nomination with biographical notes for the proposed appointment of Anton Boegman as foreign influence transparency commissioner for a term of seven years. I request that the nomination and biographical notes be referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.
Jessica Fancy-Landry Liberal South Shore—St. Margarets, NS
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of my constituents of South Shore—St. Margarets, more narrowly the municipality of Barrington, and for the visitors and businesses of the municipality. Petitioners are calling on the government to take immediate action to improve cellular service in their community, citing that the government needs to work closely with telecommunications providers to expand coverage in underserved areas.
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today to table a petition on behalf of Canadians deeply concerned about the worsening mental health and substance use crisis across our country, a crisis that has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Petitioners note that too many Canadians are unable to access timely mental health or substance use supports. They point out that when care is not available in the community, people are left to rely on overcrowded hospital emergency rooms or primary care providers. Untreated or inadequately treated mental illness carries enormous social and economic costs.
The petitioners therefore call on the Government of Canada to take urgent action by legislating parity between physical and mental health in Canada's universal public health care system; ensuring timely access to evidence-based, culturally appropriate and publicly funded mental health and substance use services beyond hospital and physician settings; and, finally, establishing the Canada mental health transfer to sustainably fund these services, including an initial investment of $4.5 billion to the provinces and territories.
Petitioners are clear: Canadians deserve a health care system where mental health is treated with the same urgency, priority and respect as physical health.
Burton Bailey Conservative Red Deer, AB
Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition calling upon the Government of Canada to protect the charitable status of religious institutions in Canada.
Religious charities and institutions play a critical role in our country and enrich our communities. Whether it is caring for those in need, fostering community spirit or simply bringing people together, despite conflicting reports coming from the government, petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to maintain the charitable status of religious institutions and charities so they may continue the important work they do in our communities.
Burton Bailey Conservative Red Deer, AB
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to present a petition on behalf of my constituents, calling on the Government of Canada to withdraw Bill C-9 and protect religious freedoms in this country. Petitioners note that the Liberal and Bloc amendment to Bill C-9 that passed at committee would remove the good-faith religious defence clause from the Criminal Code, therefore criminalizing sacred texts like the Bible and punishing and prosecuting Canadians for expressing deeply held beliefs.
Petitioners believe that freedom of expression and freedom of religion are fundamental rights that must be preserved. Freedom of religion and freedom of expression are embedded in our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. They form the bedrock of western democracy and led to the flourishing of societies for thousands of years. We must not drift into the postnational woke Millism of the far left.
Religious FreedomCertificates of NominationRoutine Proceedings
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
I just want to remind members that for the period of routine proceedings, we summarize the petitions rather than make statements.
Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I would ask that all questions be allowed to stand.
Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings
Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
[For text of questions and responses, see Written Questions website]
Opposition Motion—Food AffordabilityBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
February 3rd, 2026 / 10:05 a.m.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC
moved:
That, given that the finance minister promised in October 2023 that food prices would stabilize "soon" and that the Prime Minister stated in May 2025 that he would be judged by the prices at the grocery store, and that,
(i) Canadians face the highest food inflation in the G7,
(ii) food inflation is twice as high as it was when the Prime Minister took office,
(iii) food inflation in Canada is twice as high as it is in the United States,
(iv) Canadians made 2.2 million visits a month to food banks,
(v) food bank use has more than doubled since the Liberals took power,
the House call on the government to immediately introduce a Food Affordability Plan that:
(a) removes the Liberals' hidden taxes on food, including,
(i) the industrial carbon tax on farm equipment, fertilizer, and food processors, that drives up the costs of producing food and are passed onto consumers,
(ii) the fuel standards tax, which is seven cents a litre and rising to 17 cents a litre on farmers, truckers, and those who bring us our food,
(iii) the food packaging tax that will cost Canadians $1.3 billion; and
(b) boosts competition in our overly-concentrated grocery sector.
Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with my excellent colleague from Oshawa.
I will quote the Leader of the Opposition who said, “This Liberal government doesn't just leave people behind. It prices and shuts out youth from homes, workers from jobs, and families from groceries.”
That is the theme of today's opposition motion. I will continue quoting Mr. Poilievre, who talks about the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister said that a country that cannot—
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.
The member is not allowed to use names, including his leader's name.
Opposition Motion—Food AffordabilityBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, I was quoting the Leader of the Opposition who was reiterating what the Prime Minister said, and that is that a country that cannot feed itself has few options. Well, food inflation has doubled under his watch, and it is the worst in the G7. Groceries will cost the average family an almost unimaginable $17,600 this year. That is after-tax money.
As a result, today's motion is absolutely essential to give families a break so that they are not afraid to go grocery shopping. Right now, families are going grocery shopping with a calculator in hand. They are putting products back on the shelves. They are wondering which bills will go unpaid so that the fridge will not be empty.
What is the government doing while Canadians are making impossible choices? It is doing what it has been doing since the election: making promises, holding meetings, making announcements and speeches, and patting itself on the back for measures that merely stick band-aids on problems that the Liberals themselves created, and meanwhile the bill for Canadians continues to rise.
In October 2023, the current Minister of Finance, who held a different position at the time, said and promised that food prices would stabilize soon. He even held a big meeting with the CEOs of Loblaw, Sobeys, Metro, Costco and Walmart. After that meeting, he said he was reassured to see that these people were committed to listening to him and lowering food prices. What has happened since then? The price of food kept going up.
The Prime Minister himself said that he would judged by the prices at the grocery store. Well, Canadians are judging him and the verdict is harsh. What are the facts? Canada has the highest food inflation. The numbers are staggering. In December, food inflation in Canada was 6.2%. In the United States, it was 3.1%. That is half as high for our neighbours to the south as it is here in Canada. Worse yet, Canada tops the G7 when it comes to food inflation.
While the Prime Minister makes speeches and holds press conferences, Canadians are footing the bill. It is true and we see it every time we go to the cash register or walk down the grocery aisles. The price of beef has gone up by 16%; oranges, 15%; apples, 10%; lettuce, 12%; coffee and tea, 26%. Even roasted or ground coffee has increased by 41%. Food inflation has doubled since the Prime Minister was elected, so it is up to Canadians to decide whether the Prime Minister gets a passing grade for grocery prices.
There is a problem with that and it has a major impact for a country like Canada. Hunger is becoming normalized. People are getting used to prices at the grocery store that make no sense. What does it mean when the cost of groceries skyrockets? Community organizations have to fill the void. We have heard many stories over the past few months that make it clear that these organizations are overwhelmed by everything going on right now in Canada. According to Food Banks Canada, close to 2.2 million Canadians are using food banks. Once again, 2.2 million Canadians are using food banks every month. It is not because people are not working. One in five people relying on food banks has a job. What does that mean? Unfortunately, it means that working no longer prevents people from going hungry in Canada—a G7 country, one of the world's powerful countries and a country with the greatest resources. This is happening right here in Canada after 10 years of inflationary Liberal policies.
As I said earlier, the numbers have doubled under the Liberals. In 2014, 841,000 Canadians were using food banks every month. Now, that number is 2.2 million. The unthinkable is happening. Hunger is becoming normal. Meanwhile, we hear the Liberals boasting and saying that they have a plan to deal with the cost of groceries.
We hear the Prime Minister say that we should judge him by grocery prices. We are hearing announcements about helping Canadians deal with the rising cost of groceries, but what is the real plan to tackle inflation? For the Liberals, it seems like the plan is to make food banks become the government's policy to help struggling Canadians, and that is unacceptable.
The Prime Minister loves to say that this is a global crisis. If it were global, we would see the same results everywhere. However, that is not the case. Food inflation in Canada is the highest in the G7, and it is twice as high as it is in the United States. What accounts for the difference? Government-imposed costs all along the food supply chain, that is what.
First, there is the industrial carbon tax. It applies to key things like farm equipment, inputs and processing. It drives up the cost of production, which raises food prices down the line. We hear the Liberals say that businesses are paying it. Yes, but in the real world, businesses are not charities. They pass the cost on to their consumers, their customers.
Then there is the fuel standard. This is another hidden tax on the fuel used by farmers and truckers in the supply chains, and under the Liberals, it will go up to 17¢ a litre. A litre of fuel will cost more. What do members think will happen then? Do they think businesses are going to absorb that cost in the spirit of collaboration and everyone will be happy? They would not be able to make ends meet in those circumstances. They would not have any other choice but to increase the prices of their products and to pass the cost on to consumers, to mothers, to young, single mothers, to parents with children who play sports. These people will all have to make difficult choices at the grocery store yet again.
Finally, the new packaging policy and the ban on certain plastics, which, like it or not, is another hidden tax. This is a tax that will take $1.3 billion out of the pockets of taxpayers, yet again. What does the government expect when it adds costs to producers, processors, transporters and retailers? Does it expect prices to go down when it increases costs continuously? Well, no, prices will go up. That is basic math.
Moreover, the band-aid solutions proposed by the government will not mean prices will come down and stay down. The government expects people to believe it is taking action when it increases some benefit here, a payment there, but where does all this money come from? It comes from taxpayers. The government will give back a portion to taxpayers, and an amount that is more or less equivalent to $10 a week a year for a family, and yet families will need to spend $17,000 a year. They are being offered a weekly $10 coupon even though data show prices will increase by $1,000 this year. Metro recently announced a 3% price hike on all its basic grocery items.
I therefore invite all members to support this motion so we do not forget that each of the statistics I just mentioned represents a family forced to cut back on groceries, on what they eat, on nutritious food for children and the whole family.
Opposition Motion—Food AffordabilityBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Winnipeg North Manitoba
Liberal
Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, contrary to the misinformation of the Conservatives, Canada is not broken.
In looking at the food price inflation the member is talking about, has a member ever thought, “Why do we not take a look at the last five years?” If he did, he would find that, cumulatively, Canada is not the worst in the G7.
Instead, after a challenging year, we have a government and a Prime Minister who have responded. We saw that response yesterday with the groceries and essentials benefit, which is putting tangible dollars into the pockets of Canadians. The Conservatives reluctantly allowed that legislation to pass on division.
Does the hon. member support the Liberal initiative that was presented yesterday?
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, honestly, I am not sure what that means, but that is certainly not how the Conservatives decided to support that measure.
Of course, we are going to support a measure that will give Canadians a little money to deal with a decade of inflation, a decade of rising prices, the worst inflation we have ever seen, the worst inflation in the G7. Of course, Canadians will be grateful to receive this helpful $10 coupon every week.
Meanwhile, prices keep rising. Government cheques cannot keep pace. This government is forgetting one thing: If it does not address the causes of inflation, inflation will continue. If the government continues to spend, prices will continue to rise and families will pay too much.
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to know what my colleague thinks about the following point. These last two Parliaments, the Conservatives have devoted almost all of their opposition days to abolishing the carbon tax. The Conservatives said it was driving up food prices. The Liberals took a page from the Conservative playbook and abolished the carbon tax for individuals. However, it has not had any impact on food prices.
Apart from oil, does my colleague see any other factors that could be influencing food prices?
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, if the carbon tax had not been abolished, food inflation would be even worse in this country.
Indeed, there are other factors that need to be addressed. I mentioned earlier that the current Minister of Finance and National Revenue, while in another position, met with the heads of the major grocery companies. What was the result? Absolutely nothing.
We need to tackle the issue of competition. We need to ensure that competition in Canada is strong enough to help bring prices down. We are certainly not going to see action like that from a government that favours these grocery CEOs.
Carol Anstey Conservative Long Range Mountains, NL
Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that, whenever Conservatives stand up to speak to the issues and concerns, and back it up with statistical data, the members opposite like to say that we are quoting misinformation.
What is more important is what we are hearing from our constituents. Because the Liberals also like to say that they are solving every problem, life is not so bad and they are coming forward with solutions, I would just like to to give my colleague an opportunity to talk a bit more about what he is hearing from his constituents on a regular basis on this issue.
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, every week, when I go grocery shopping with my wife, people talk to me about prices. Every time, I am told that it has become so expensive to buy beef for the family that they have to choose something else. Almost every time, I see someone put something back on the shelf because they cannot afford it. We are seeing more and more acts of generosity from Canadians. Some will offer to pay the difference. I saw that at least once. People are doing great things, but unfortunately, it does not seem that the government wants to tackle food inflation. That is why we are asking it to support this motion today to lower grocery costs.
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, my colleague talked about grocery store prices doubling. Well, guess what else doubled: margins from the big grocery stores. They are posting record profits. My colleague talked about the Liberals' bringing the big grocery stores together to have a conversation, but nothing has happened. This requires government intervention and an excess profit tax.
Does my colleague agree that there needs to be a threshold, that the big corporations profiteering on the backs of everyday people need to be reined in, and that an excess profit tax would do just that?
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, I almost agreed with my colleague, but not quite. We will not go that far, but it is clear that the grocery giants must do more to lower food inflation. It is not right that profits of this magnitude are being distributed among the grocery giants while people cannot pay their grocery bills.
Rhonda Kirkland Conservative Oshawa, ON
Mr. Speaker, as always, it is a privilege to rise in the House on behalf of my wonderful neighbours in Oshawa. My neighbours are struggling today after 1,200 folks worked their last shift, the auto workers in Oshawa, but today I am here to speak to other measures of affordability that should help those folks and to our Conservative motion, which is a solution-oriented proposal. It would provide relief at the grocery store for all Canadians.
Over the course of the last campaign and in every week since, I have had numerous conversations with Oshawa residents that have stayed with me. They begin with concerns about grocery prices, and they often end with something deeper. Canadians are tired. They are anxious. They are worried. They are wondering how a basic necessity such as food has become the heavy burden.
My neighbours in Oshawa whom I speak with are not asking for luxuries or handouts. They are asking this simple, honest question: How are they supposed to keep feeding their families when prices rise month after month and their paycheques do not?
In Oshawa, this pressure is visible everywhere. Families who once felt stable are now stretched to their limits. Seniors who planned carefully for retirement are making painful choices between groceries and other essentials. Workers who do everything right are discovering that hard work alone is no longer enough to keep up.
Tiffany Kift is the executive director of Simcoe Hall Settlement House, which has a food bank in Oshawa, and she shared with me what she is seeing first-hand. Families who have never needed help before are now walking into the food bank for the first time. These are working families, even dual-income households. They are grandparents raising grandchildren and people who have finally secured housing but have absolutely nothing for food inside it. She also shared something that should concern every member of the House, no matter where they are sitting. The long-time donors, the people who have supported Simcoe Hall year after year, are no longer able to give, not because they do not care, but because they too are struggling just to meet their own basic needs. When even those who have always stepped up to help others are now struggling themselves, it is clear that this is not a short-term problem, but a systemic one.
Food affordability should never be a partisan issue, and it does not have to be. It should be a unifying one. Every member of the House represents people who are feeling this strain. This motion is brought forward in that spirit, with the goal of providing real relief and restoring confidence that Parliament can deliver practical results.
Today, Canada has the highest food inflation of the G7. I have heard some members blame that on climate change. I guess they assume the other six nations do not also experience climate change. Food inflation is twice as high as it was when the Prime Minister took office and roughly double what families are experiencing in the United States. Food bank usage has more than doubled, as we have heard many times, with 2.2 million visits in a single month. These outcomes did not happen by accident; they are the result of policy choices that have been made here in Ottawa by the government. Importantly, and here is the good news, that means they can also be corrected by the government here in Ottawa.
When we talk about correcting course, we are really talking about restoring trust. Canadians want to know that, when a policy is not working, their government has not just the humility to acknowledge it but also the courage to change direction. It is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of accountability and strength, which is always welcomed in the House of Commons.
Across Oshawa, people tell me they feel unheard. They feel like their lived experiences are being debated away by statistics or delayed by process, but behind every statistic is a real person, and behind every food bank visit is a story of stress, sacrifice and uncertainty. Parliament has a responsibility to meet those realities with action, and that is why Conservatives are deliberately framing this motion in a way that invites co-operation. Food affordability is not solved by ideology; it is solved by practical steps that lower costs and make markets work better for consumers. Canadians expect us to focus on what works and not on who wins the argument.
It is also important to recognize that this crisis is affecting rural and urban communities alike. Farmers face higher input costs, truckers face higher fuel costs, small grocers struggle to compete, and families, regardless of income or region, feel the impact at the checkout counter. When one part of the system is under pressure, the entire system feels it. That is why this motion takes a comprehensive approach. It recognizes the interconnected nature of food affordability and the need for solutions that support producers, workers and consumers all at the same time.
Conservatives are not interested in trading accusations with other parties in this chamber. We are focused on solutions. That is why this motion calls on the government to introduce a serious food affordability plan aimed at lowering costs and strengthening competition, which will ease some of the relief at the grocery store.
Food prices rise when costs are layered onto the people who grow, process, transport and sell our food. These costs do not disappear. They are, as the member before me said, passed directly on to consumers. These businesses are not charities, so they are going to simply pass the industrial carbon tax cost onto consumers.
This motion proposes removing hidden taxes. They are not imaginary; they are there, but they are hidden. They are not in the line items. They are driving food prices up higher, including the industrial carbon tax on farm equipment, fertilizer and food processing. The fuel standard tax will increase transportation costs. Of course, the food packaging tax will cost Canadians $1.3 billion. I can promise members that this $1.3 billion is not imaginary. These are food packaging taxes that are paid by the consumer every time they go to the grocery store. Removing these costs is not ideological. It is practical relief that can make an immediate difference for Canadian families that are struggling.
Affordability also depends on competition. Canada's grocery sector is highly concentrated, and when competition is weak, prices rise and choice shrinks. Strengthening competition means enforcing the rules fairly, encouraging new entrants and ensuring that farmers and suppliers are treated with respect. These are reasonable, balanced measures that would help restore affordability while supporting Canadian businesses.
Conservatives are ready to work in the House to deliver results for Canadians. This motion does not demand agreement on every issue. It asks us to come together around a shared goal that matters to every Canadian household: Make food more affordable. Canadians are not asking Parliament to be perfect. They are asking it to be responsive. They want co-operation where it is possible and solutions where they are needed, not empty promises that tell them to just keep waiting, because they have been waiting for things to get better for years now.
In Oshawa and across the country, people want to believe their elected representatives can rise above division and act in the national interest. Supporting this motion is an opportunity to show Canadians that we are listening, that we take their struggles seriously and that we are prepared to work together to fix what is not working. Conservatives stand ready to work constructively with our colleagues in the House to lower food prices, support Canadian farmers and businesses, strengthen competition and restore affordability.
Canadians are watching today. They are counting on us to act with urgency, humility and resolve. I urge all members to support this motion and send a clear message to Canadians that their Parliament hears them, respects them, works together and is prepared to deliver real relief.
Opposition Motion—Food AffordabilityBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Winnipeg North Manitoba
Liberal
Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, that is just it. The government, the Prime Minister and, in fact, every Liberal member of Parliament understand the sensitivity of this issue. That is why we introduced Bill C-19 yesterday, which would provide support for groceries and essentials. This is something the government has responded to in a very tangible way. We listened to the Conservative speeches yesterday. Yes, they allowed it to go forward, but, at the end of the day, the government and the Prime Minister understand the issue. We are taking specific actions to support Canadians.
Why does the Conservative Party not act, as opposed to just talking about being sympathetic to Canadians?
