Debates of Feb. 3rd, 2026

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, again, for the member's benefit, I will say that Canadians gave the government a clear mandate to bring immigration to sustainable numbers. That is exactly what we are doing.

In The Globe and Mail on January 15 there was a great article. TD stats show as well that rent is decreasing and housing starts are up. There has been economic recovery. We are bringing more population to our rural communities through our rural immigration pilot as well as Francophone immigration. We are here to strengthen our communities and fill labour gaps when needed.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I would like members to visualise the math lady GIF for a moment, because last year the Liberals removed only 22,000 people who had no legal reason to be in Canada. Millions minus 22,000 is still what? It is still millions.

I will ask this again: If the minister has no idea if millions of temporary residents have left and has no plan to remove them, why is she still issuing new permits?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we have a clear mandate. Canadians gave us a clear mandate. We are, in fact, working to strengthen our immigration systems. The most recent data show that the temporary resident population fell by 176,000 in the fall. We will keep working to improve our economy for all Canadians and for all businesses.

International Development

[Dominique O'Rourke, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Mr. Speaker, every year, International Development Week is a time to recognize Canada's contribution to sustainable, inclusive development around the world. Tomorrow the University of Guelph will welcome the International Fund for Agricultural Development and Farm Radio International to advance linkages between Canada's farm competitiveness and global rural transformation.

As we mark this year's International Development Week, can the secretary of state describe how Canada's efforts are delivering results for partner countries and why that matters to Canadians?

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Development)]

Mr. Speaker, this year's theme for International Development Week is “prosperity through partnership”. Canadians are strong when we work together and work with others. While our development efforts are grounded in fighting poverty and advancing inclusive growth, they can also lay the groundwork for long-term mutual prosperity. I saw this myself in Indonesia, where decades of development co-operation have helped cut poverty by half while paving the path to a new trade agreement that will benefit Canadians and Indonesians alike.

This is how we create opportunity: by building prosperity through partnership.

National Defence

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are shamefully increasing rent and other charges for our soldiers, sailors and air crew. With one hand they promised a pay raise, but with the other they are clawing it back with rent hikes and a new post-living differential. Often our troops are ending up with less take-home pay than they made before.

The defence committee recommended the rent increase be reversed, but the Minister of National Defence said no.

When will the Liberals stop clawing back the hard-earned pay of our troops and reverse this unfair and unnecessary rent hike?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we are consumed with rebuilding, rearming and rebooting our Canadian Armed Forces. We are building thousands of new homes. We are retrofitting thousands of existing units.

Every member of the House knows it is time for us to invest properly in our Canadian Armed Forces members, which is exactly what we are doing. For example, recently we acquired a 37-unit apartment building in B.C. as a result of an acquisition. We are making others around the country. As we build the portfolio of housing, we will be bringing the cost down.

International Development

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the need for nutrition, education, health care and equal rights, particularly for women, has never been so acute around the world, but Donald Trump has decided to abolish USAID, the international aid agency.

This senseless decision will cause suffering for millions of people. What are the Liberals doing? They are doing the same thing: making cuts. This is a cruel decision that will have a real impact and increase both instability and insecurity.

Will the Liberals reconsider this irresponsible decision?

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Development)]

Mr. Speaker, addressing the roots of conflict and instability abroad helps reduce the risks Canadians face here at home. Investing in development helps build stronger allies, new trading partners and new markets for Canadian businesses. Our government is making generational investments to strengthen the Canadian economy, help Canadians get ahead and build a more resilient future for our country. Our development efforts are a critical part of that by strengthening our international partnerships and supporting a more peaceful, stable and prosperous world.

Housing

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, maintaining existing affordable and co-op housing stock is essential to address the housing crisis. China Creek Housing Coop in my riding was shocked to learn that there is no funding in the coming year in CMHC's budget to cover the housing charge subsidies. That means low-income families, seniors, single parents and people trying to get by will be made homeless. They are not alone; approximately 300,000 more homes across the country will be impacted.

Will the Prime Minister tell these families they do not need to fear losing their home, and confirm today that ongoing funding will be in place for their housing charge subsidy?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her concern about the challenges for co-op housing. Co-op housing is a key priority within Build Canada Homes. We will ensure that a significant portion of the Build Canada Homes funding will be targeted for stabilizing and investing in new co-op housing.

As someone who has co-op housing in my riding, the most in B.C., I obviously want to make sure my constituents and those in the member's constituency and in co-ops across the country feel the strong support of the government. We are focused on delivering for co-ops.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I wish to draw the attention of members to the presence in the gallery of the Right Hon. Stephen Harper, the 22nd prime minister of Canada.

Prime Minister Harper is here today on the occasion of the unveiling of his official portrait.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

Tragedy in Alberta

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Following discussions among representatives of all parties of the House, I understand there is an agreement to observe a moment of silence for the victims of the tragic accident that occurred in Alberta.

I invite hon. members to rise.

[A moment of silence observed]

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It is an honour to raise this point of order when the Right Hon. Stephen Harper is in the House.

I remember the level of decorum we had in those days, and I rise only because Standing Orders 14 to 16 were repeatedly violated on all sides of the House today. When Mr. Harper was prime minister, he was never once interrupted by heckling, as I recall. I hope we can go back to that.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

The Secretary of State for Sport referenced the “temporary” member for Battle River—Crowfoot. It is in the Standing Orders that we are supposed to use either the title of the leader of the official opposition or the name of the riding. To add any adverbs or adjectives undermines the decorum in this place, and as someone who is part of the government, he should know better.

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Yes, indeed, we have to be careful about using epithets, because they have the potential for creating disorder. The member's point is well taken, and I hope all members will observe that advice.

The hon. government House leader is rising on a point of order.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I regret omitting the word “backward”, as in “bent over backward”, in an earlier answer.

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period today, the Secretary of State for Labour referenced Canada's having the best economy in the G7, but every economic institute says exactly the opposite, including the Bank of Canada, so I would ask—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

That really sounds like debate.

The House resumed consideration of the motion.

Opposition Motion—Food Affordability

[Richard Bragdon, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, as I was stating, it is so important at a time like this that we check the foundation. If we just continue to build and build, without making sure that the foundation is right and the thing upon which we are building is sound and secure, many times we are going to have even more problems.

Canadians are demanding that we check the foundation to make sure we get it right. The foundations I am talking about are the very sectors that helped build this country in the first place: the foundations of farming, forestry, fisheries, the fuel sector and natural resource development. Those things help provide food security and economic security for our people.

However, what we have seen since that time is an ever-expanding growth in government, and a dependency upon government and growing its programs, without growing, developing and ensuring that the economics upon which they are built and established are firm and successful. Those are the very sectors that provide the revenue and the strength to sustain those programs.

Too many times we are looking to another new and expansive government program that costs Canadian taxpayers more and more money—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

Order, please.

It is nothing the member has done. There is a lot of noise in the chamber and more, I believe, outside in the courtyard, so I would invite people in the courtyard to leave expeditiously so the chamber can continue its business.

The member for Tobique—Mactaquac may continue.

[Richard Bragdon, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I want to draw our attention to one of the big challenges we are facing. We have gotten away from our foundation, which is the affordability of food.

When we look at the cost of groceries affecting each and every Canadian right now and their households, when we look at the fact that Canada now has the highest food inflation in the G7, that is not bad luck. That is just plain bad policy. Food inflation is twice as high now as when the Prime Minister took office. After nearly a decade of Liberal rule, life costs more, not less. Food inflation is said to now be double that in the United States, and it is obviously more than in all of the other G7 countries. They face the same weather and climatic changes that we do. They face the same global supply chain challenges and shocks that we do. What is the difference?

It is a difference in governments and the approach and fiscal policies they undertake. When we consider that our food banks are being overrun, we have a situation that no longer is just an urban issue but has also spread into our rural communities. I have talked to the food bank workers in our areas. They are exhausted. They work harder and harder and put in more and more hours. They give out more food than ever before. With these growing challenges, 2.2 million visitors go to food banks every month. These are historic numbers, and they are troubling numbers.

When we consider that food processing costs have continued to soar and that the input costs on our farmers have continued to soar, we realize we are expanding in all the wrong indicators and at all the wrong times. It is time we check our foundation, get back to what works and get away from the things that are detrimental to the growth of the very sectors of our economy that built this nation into the greatest nation there is.

This great nation we live in is facing a great challenge, and it is because we have expanded in the areas we should be pulling back from. We have retreated in the areas we should be growing in, which are the areas of our future prosperity and the same as our past prosperity: the sectors of farming and natural resource development, and our fuel and oil and gas sectors.

The ones that helped build the country are the ones that are going to help restore the country's prosperity. We must reverse course, stop putting the boot on our producers and on our farmers, and address the food inflationary challenges that every Canadian is facing right now, by getting out of the way and removing some of the regulatory and tax burdens that are overwhelming our farmers, our producers and our citizens. It is time to get back and fix the foundation.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting. Conservative after Conservative is happy to jump up and say that this year, we have the worst food inflation in the G7. However, if we look at the last five years, we will find that this is not the case, that Canada does relatively well.

When we did get a high year compared with other G7 countries, we are in the process of passing Bill C-19, the grocery benefit, doing exactly what a caring government should do.

Will the member at least acknowledge that Canada is not broken and is doing relatively well on the inflation file?