House of Commons Hansard #80 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was consultations.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Preventing Coercion of Persons Not Seeking Medical Assistance in Dying Act First reading of Bill C-260. The bill aims to prevent government bureaucrats from coercing individuals not seeking medical assistance in dying into medically facilitated deaths, particularly when accessing unrelated government services. 200 words.
Opposition Motion—Apology to Those Whose Land Was Expropriated in Mirabel Members debate a motion to apologize to those whose land was expropriated in Mirabel for airport construction in 1969, acknowledge the collective trauma caused, and commit to avoiding future expropriations without public consultation, social license, and appropriate compensation. The Bloc Québécois emphasizes the historical injustice and lack of apology, while Liberals acknowledge past mistakes but focus on the high-speed rail project and current robust expropriation laws. 48800 words, 6 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
National Strategy on Housing for Young Canadians Act Second reading of Bill C-227. The bill proposes to establish a national strategy on housing for young Canadians aged 17 to 34. Liberals support it, citing the need for a coordinated national strategy to address the youth housing crisis and enhance existing initiatives like Build Canada Homes. The Bloc Québécois opposes the bill, calling it a "useless empty shell" and advocating for unconditional housing funding transfers to provinces. Conservatives are skeptical, arguing it's "another framework" that won't fix the crisis caused by federal "red tape." 8400 words, 1 hour.
Gregor Robertson LiberalMinister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada
Mr. Speaker, it is critical that we build housing in the GTA that is affordable. We want to get the industry back building affordable housing for Canadians, certainly in the GTA but also across the country. We are seeing good housing starts in many cities across the country, but we are just getting started with affordability.
We need to deliver, with members around the House, on the build Canada homes act, with no obstruction. Let us get to building.
Amarjeet Gill Conservative Brampton West, ON
Mr. Speaker, young Canadians are being locked out of home ownership. Home ownership is collapsing; for 30-year-olds to 34-year-olds, it fell from 60% to 52%. Supply is broken; for every 100 new adults, only 12 ownership homes are built. Sales are crashing; they are down 45% in the GTA and 56% in Vancouver. Builders are laying off workers, 100,000 jobs are at risk and 93% of young Canadians are worried.
When will the Liberals adopt our plans and get out of the way so young Canadians can buy their first home?
Ruby Sahota LiberalSecretary of State (Combatting Crime)
Mr. Speaker, we have good news for the House. Just today we tabled the build Canada homes act, and we are hopeful that the Conservatives will not obstruct the bill as they have been doing with our budget that provides more affordability measures to Canadians, so Canadians can have that dream of buying their first home and so they can live in affordable housing.
That is the dream of all Bramptonians; that is what I hear from my constituents. The act would help us meet those goals.
Burton Bailey Conservative Red Deer, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal housing crisis is hitting communities of every size. The City of Red Deer has been asking for a meeting with the housing minister for months to address its housing concerns. Despite the fact that the minister has been written to four times, it seems like Red Deer is too small for him to care to respond. I sure hope Red Deer is not being ignored because it does not deliver Liberal votes like Toronto and Vancouver do.
Will the minister finally agree to sit down with the City of Red Deer, listen to its issues and admit that mid-size cities are facing a housing crisis too?
Eleanor Olszewski LiberalMinister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada
Mr. Speaker, once again, Conservatives in Ottawa are out of step with Conservatives in Alberta.
Alberta's Minister of Social Services has praised the pace of housing delivery, saying that we are getting shovels in the ground and roofs over the heads of Albertans. Thousands more low-income Albertans will have a safe, durable and affordable house they can count on.
Federal Conservatives say they want to work with us, but they cannot even work with their own Conservative colleagues on delivering housing for Albertans.
Peter Fonseca Liberal Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON
Mr. Speaker, the auto sector is facing the biggest challenge in a generation. Unjustified and unjustifiable tariffs from the United States on our auto sector are leaving our auto workers under a cloud of uncertainty.
Our government stands behind our auto sector, our communities and the workers who are facing these new realities head-on. Can the Minister of Jobs and Families please tell the House how the newly announced auto strategy will transform Canada's auto industry, protecting our workers today and building the vehicles of tomorrow?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member of Parliament for Mississauga East—Cooksville for his unwavering support for auto workers and the sector. Canada's auto workers and all workers are the backbone of our economy. When our auto sector workers come under attack, our government stands with them and protects them.
Today the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Industry announced Canada's new auto strategy, taking action on what we can control. We are investing $3 billion from the strategic response fund to support the industry and $570 million to support re-skilling and upskilling workers.
This is how we build Canada strong: We stand together when times are tough, and we—
Automotive IndustryOral Questions
Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal minister says that they stand with auto workers. What it looks like is that they stand with Donald Trump, because while Donald Trump imposes 10% tariffs on every single vehicle that comes into Canada—
Automotive IndustryOral Questions
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
The member may start over. I did not hear anything unparliamentary in that.
Automotive IndustryOral Questions
Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal minister just said that they stand with auto workers, but it sure looks like they stand with Donald Trump. Let me explain. While Donald Trump imposes 10% tariffs on every single vehicle that comes into Canada, the Liberals have passed an EV mandate that is actually going to give Canadian taxpayer dollars, in the form of subsidies, to American-made EVs. One cannot make this up. Fewer than 5% of Canadian vehicles will qualify for this EV subsidy.
Why are the Liberals contributing to Donald Trump's buy American instead of preserving jobs in Canada?
Karim Bardeesy LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, if the member and the party opposite think we are on the wrong side of Canadian sovereignty, they have another thing coming.
Our approach is all about Canadian sovereignty. It is all about investing in the companies that invest in us. It is all about embracing the future of electrification. It is all about embracing our workers, who are the best workers in the world.
For the members opposite to talk down Canadian sovereignty or to talk down the sector in this moment of real challenge, when we have an opportunity to solve it, is really beneath them.
Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is time for a bit of education for these Liberals. Less than 5% of vehicles manufactured in Canada will qualify for this EV rebate; the rest will come from the United States and other foreign manufacturers.
Imagine being an auto worker in Brampton who was supposed to manufacture the Jeep Compass EV. That job went to the United States. That Jeep Compass EV being manufactured in the United States is actually going to be subsidized by our taxpayer dollars. That auto worker in Brampton is looking at this Liberal government, and at how this is going to benefit Donald Trump, and asking, What the hell is going on in Ottawa?
Automotive IndustryOral Questions
Karim Bardeesy LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, this is what the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association had to say about today's announcement. It “welcomes the government’s automotive strategy announced today. Funding to support renewed purchase incentives and a robust charging infrastructure strategy will help continue to drive EV adoption, and CVMA members are well-positioned to support the shift to electrification through diverse product offerings.”
That sounds like Canadian sovereignty to me.
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Clarke, ON
Mr. Speaker, in 2014, under the then Conservative government, the New York Times declared that Canada's middle class was the richest in the world. Now our middle class faces skyrocketing costs and taxes, a stagnant GDP per capita and a declining standard of living.
The Prime Minister promised the fastest-growing G7 economy by building major national projects. However, the Liberals built none, and they continue to build none.
The time to act is now. When will the Liberals collaborate with Conservatives and finally bring prosperity back to our great land?
Tim Hodgson LiberalMinister of Energy and Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, I have good news for my friend. Today, Trans Mountain said it will be increasing the amount of oil it transports by 10% on the first of three optimization projects. That is how we build Canada.
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Clarke, ON
Mr. Speaker, it always worries me when the government opens up with “I have good news”, because it rarely is.
What we are asking for, and what Canadians want, are new pipelines and new projects. The amount that the Liberals have approved is absolutely zero.
The government needs to reverse course, which has led two million Canadians to food banks, admit that its policies have failed, embrace Conservative principles fully and collaborate with Conservatives to bring prosperity back to our country.
Tim Hodgson LiberalMinister of Energy and Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives keep asking for pipelines. We just gave them one.
We are building thousands of jobs in Darlington.
We are building. They are not.
Fred Davies Conservative Niagara South, ON
Mr. Speaker, Bloomberg reports that Canada's economy is on life support. Canada's GDP growth was zero in November. Productivity continues to fall, and the Bank of Canada expects just 1% growth next year, with business investments being postponed. How bad is it? Homebuilders in Niagara have laid off 60% of their framers due to stalled residential construction.
The Prime Minister promised the fastest-growing economy in the G7, yet growth has stalled. Will the Prime Minister please adopt Conservative ideas that remove barriers so Canadians can actually build and grow again?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I know that what constitutes good news for Canadians does not always constitute good news for Conservatives. However, let me give them another piece of good news. The first major national project breaks ground this spring, the Contrecoeur port terminal expansion project, which is an expansion of our east coast container port capacity.
We are going to build more stuff. We are going to put more stuff on boats. We are going to send more things to more places around the world, expand our trade, put people to work and build Canada strong.
Doug Shipley Conservative Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON
Mr. Speaker, Canada made international headlines this week with economists stating that our economy is on life support and the country is already on recession watch. Our per capita GDP is falling, residential construction is flat, businesses are postponing expansion, and the Liberal government's anti-development laws and taxes remain in place.
Will the Prime Minister work with Conservatives and introduce a plan to remove the barriers that are preventing Canadians from building, investing and working?