Debates of Feb. 5th, 2026

Taxation

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, three years ago, the finance minister promised to stabilize food prices, and he did so, but at record highs. Canada now has the worst food inflation in the G7. It is twice as high as when the Prime Minister took office and twice as high as that of the U.S.

Now the minister is offering another temporary rebate that will not lower the price of a single item, while admitting that his so-called historic summit, when he got CEOs to come to Ottawa, was a failure.

The Liberals voted against our common-sense motion yesterday to lower food costs. Why will the Liberals not just take the taxes off of food?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the real question is why will the Conservatives not vote for the Prime Minister's economic plan? The plan gets projects built quickly; puts a trillion dollars of investment into our economy; uses Canadian lumber, Canadian steel and Canadian ingenuity; and uses the great union work of our Canadian brothers and sisters to build our country strong.

I just want a date from the hon. member. When will the Conservatives pass the budget implementation act, the Prime Minister's plan to build Canada?

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows that I am talking about a grocery plan, but it does not actually lower the price of groceries. It is a $10 coupon on a $300 grocery bill, and that is insulting. The rebate will not lower a single price. Of course, this comes after the Liberals put forward a budget, which this plan was not even in. Meanwhile, they keep hiking the fuel taxes and the packaging taxes, driving food costs higher, and blaming everyone else for their decade of failure.

Why will the Liberals not lower prices? If they will not do that, why will they not take the taxes off of food?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, do members know what is insulting to the constituents of Thornhill? It is when that member votes against the very things that they themselves are saying are useful.

In fact, it is not just her constituents. Certainly the food banks in her riding would say that the announcement the Prime Minister made on the GST, on the essentials benefit, on strengthening our food security, on supporting food banks and on supporting producers is exactly what we need to do for food security in this country.

The member needs to get on board and stop voting against the very constituents she represents.

The Economy

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is doing everything possible to ignore the reality that Canadians are facing in their daily lives. Food inflation in Canada is twice as high as it is in the United States, and the temporary measures that the Liberals are offering will not result in a single grocery price reduction. They had an opportunity to collaborate yesterday and pass our motion, which would have lowered prices at the grocery store, but they voted against it.

Why is it that the Prime Minister's personal agenda always comes before the needs of everyday Canadians?

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, we have a Prime Minister with world-class business and economic experience. We have cut taxes for millions of Canadians. Just last week, we announced a groceries and essentials benefit that will put up to $1,900 in the pockets of working families.

The Conservative leader has never had a job in the economy. He continues to obstruct. He continues to talk rhetorically. It is time for that leader to get on board and help us build Canada strong.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is travelling around the world and making big speeches, but what is he really achieving for Canadians? Food inflation is twice as high as when the Prime Minister took office, and Canada now leads the G7 in food inflation.

The Prime Minister promised to be judged by the prices at the grocery store. Yesterday, Conservatives tried to help by presenting a real solution to lower grocery prices for Canadians, yet the Liberals voted against this common-sense motion.

Will the Prime Minister now eat his words, because Canadians cannot?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, what the Prime Minister is doing is creating investment in Canada, investment that has made it such that Canada created more jobs than the United States, not more per capita but more jobs. I hope the Prime Minister keeps travelling and bringing home those jobs.

[Sukhman Gill, Conservative, Abbotsford—South Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada leads the G7 in food inflation; prices are rising twice as fast as in the United States, but yesterday the Liberals voted against the Conservative plan to lower food costs. The industrial carbon tax is driving up costs for farm machinery, fertilizers and food processors. When we tax the farmer, we tax every Canadian.

When will the Liberals work with us to cut the unnecessary industrial carbon tax and the 17¢-a-litre fuel standard tax, which are driving up grocery prices?

[Jill McKnight, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from British Columbia is asking a question about something that is incredibly important to all Canadians. Guess what: The government has taken steps to address this. We are introducing the groceries and essentials benefit, which is going to put money in the pockets of families so they can acquire the things they need. A family of four will receive up to $1,890 this year and $1,400 for the next four years. We are taking action to support the families in B.C.

Housing

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as we know, since the Liberals came to power, the cost of living has gone up, grocery prices have gone up and rents have gone up. For single mothers and ordinary people, things are tough, and it is getting harder and harder to pay the rent at the end of the month.

Can the Prime Minister confirm that all members of his cabinet and his MPs agree with the idea of personally helping vulnerable people access affordable housing?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is important to consider the needs of our constituents. The strategy we are adopting is based on restoring purchasing power to Canadians. That is essentially what we are focusing on.

I know you said you are going to vote for in favour. That is important to us. This approach also includes strategies for food, and the budget includes strategies for job creation. We need co-operation, not obstruction, from our colleagues on this, as well.

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

To be clear, I will not be voting unless it is a tie vote.

The hon. member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I think my colleague across the way has not read the news because this morning, Le Journal de Montréal reported that a single mother is the victim of a heartless landlord, who is trying to evict her from her home, and his wife, who refuses to communicate with her in French.

Is the member for Pierrefonds—Dollard aware of his lack of empathy and moral compass?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure what that has to do with government administration.

Automotive Industry

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals should never have cancelled the rebates for buying electric vehicles. It is good news, then, that they are being reinstated for vehicles manufactured here or in countries with which we have free trade agreements, such as European countries. The problem is that the federal government is blocking affordable electric cars from Europe. Ottawa has decided that these cars, which are good for everyone on the planet, are not good for Canada.

Will the government offer consumers a choice and allow European electric cars in?

[Karim Bardeesy, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we welcome these electric vehicles because our rebate applies to countries with which we have free trade agreements, including European countries.

Our auto strategy includes many incentives to encourage people to adopt electric vehicles and make the future as electric as possible here in Canada. That is exactly what our policy is doing.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, restoring purchase incentives for vehicles is a small step forward, but that only matters if the vehicles can actually get into the country.

This does not erase the Liberals' generational setbacks on sustainable mobility. They have cut $5 billion from public transit while subsidizing oil companies to the tune of tens of billions of dollars. They are making deals with Alberta for a dirty oil pipeline at the very same time they claim to be encouraging electric transportation.

When it comes to the environment, with the Liberals, why is it always one step forward and a thousand steps back?

[Karim Bardeesy, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's question, but once again it is the opposite.

Our announcement today includes the development of a national network of EV charging stations with an investment of $1.5 billion. It is a national project that includes Quebec to welcome this green future and electric vehicles to Canada.

Housing

[Scott Aitchison, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Speaker, new home sales in the GTA have fallen to their lowest in 45 years, putting 100,000 jobs at risk. Home ownership among 30-year-olds to 34-year-olds has dropped from 62% to 52%. Young Canadians are losing hope; 93% of gen Z and millennials are worried about housing, and nearly half of them are planning to leave their home communities.

The Prime Minister promised to help Canadians buy their first home, so after nearly a decade, why are sales collapsing and builders are laying off workers, and why is ownership getting farther and farther out of reach?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is a good day to be asking that question.

We introduced the build Canada homes act this morning, precisely to make sure that young Canadians have access to affordable housing going forward. We have dedicated $13 billion in the budget. We need the support of members of the House to pass that budget to invest in young Canadians. We do not need obstruction on the build Canada homes act, which would make sure we have a lean-meat agency to deliver that funding to young Canadians.

[Scott Aitchison, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we should not be surprised the minister is talking about his build Canada rentals project, but home ownership is what is collapsing. In 2020, 69% of housing starts were for ownership. Today it is 49%. New home sales are down 45% in the GTA, and builders are laying off workers.

I have a very simple question for the minister: Does he really and truly believe that creating a fourth federal housing bureaucracy, without reducing taxes, fees or all the approval delays, would really make it easier for Canadians to buy their first home?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that the member opposite does not care about renters. In my city, half the population rents housing, and we certainly do not discriminate against people who choose to buy or those who choose to rent. Many Canadians do not have a choice; that is why we have to make affordable housing options possible for all Canadians to make sure they have a safe home.

We do not need any delays in the House to the budget or to the build Canada homes act. We need to deliver affordable housing for Canadians. I hope the member will support us with our bill.

[Dan Muys, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook—Brant North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, a new report from the Missing Middle Initiative warns of a lost decade for home ownership. For every 100 new adults, there will be only 12 housing starts intended for ownership. Nearly half of young Canadians say they have considered leaving their city or province because of housing costs.

Now the market is seizing up. New home sales in the GTA have hit a 45-year low, putting 100,000 jobs at risk. Builders are laying off workers, and they fear they may not survive.

When will the Liberals adopt our plan to get their bureaucracy out of the way so young Canadians can buy—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. Minister of Housing and Infrastructure.