Debates of Feb. 6th, 2026

The Economy

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration]

Madam Speaker, we have gone back to the script.

We have an opportunity. If Conservative members do not want to listen to Liberals, as I advised just a few days ago in question period, they can listen to their former leader. Former prime minister Harper made it clear that we have an opportunity to rise above partisanship now. At a moment of crisis and at a moment of rupture, to use that appropriate term, nostalgia is not a strategy. We cannot look to the past.

We have to build for the future. We have to diversify our economy and our trade relationships. We have to focus on defence like never before. We have to focus on housing like never before. What will we do?

Forestry Industry

[Jeff Kibble, Conservative, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Madam Speaker, this week, the Crofton mill on Vancouver Island shut down.

Growing tariffs and lack of access to local raw logs have forced over 30 mills in B.C. to close. The unemployment rate in forestry doubled in the last month. On south Vancouver Island alone, hundreds of trucks are arriving weekly to export raw logs to foreign countries, as approved by this government.

Our proposed Canadian sovereignty act would legalize rapid resource development in Canada, giving mills across B.C. a chance to survive. Will the Prime Minister protect our industries from rising tariffs, reduce raw log exports and work with Conservatives in the face of American threats?

[Claude Guay, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Madam Speaker, the closure of a mill is difficult news for workers, their families and their communities. The federal government has come forward with supports for the sector, and we urge the provincial government to work with us, as partners, to protect these jobs. The forest sector transformation task force is right now hard at work to formulate recommendations to grow and build a new future for the sector.

While the opposition casts blame and rages, we will continue to examine every option available, because workers across Canada—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Terrebonne.

Sport

[Tatiana Auguste, Liberal, Terrebonne, QC]

Madam Speaker, in a few hours, 20 Canadian athletes will walk into the San Siro Olympic stadium, proudly waving the maple leaf as they represent Canada at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

Could the parliamentary secretary for sport tell us what our government is doing to support our athletes and how Canadians from coast to coast to coast can support team Canada?

[Madeleine Chenette, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages and to the Secretary of State (Sport)]

Madam Speaker, I want to sincerely thank my colleague from Terrebonne for her question and her leadership within our government.

Our athletes are true ambassadors, and as the single largest investor in Canada's amateur sport system, our government is proud to support the Canadian athletes now leading 41 million Canadians in a celebration of unity and pride.

That was the reason we increased our athletes' monthly allowance by about 23%. Since then, our athletes have been under a lot of pressure, which is why we invested an additional $3.11 million in health services. Let us all join together in supporting our athletes.

Mental Health and Addictions

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Madam Speaker, yesterday Health Canada officials revealed at committee that there are no age requirements at federally approved drug injection sites. In fact, Health Canada revealed that there is not even a requirement for ID. That means minors can legally use drugs in these consumption sites under Liberal law. The health minister approves supervised drug injection sites through the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Why are the Liberals allowing minors to inject hard drugs under their watch?

[Wade Grant, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Madam Speaker, as a father of two young children, aged 15 and 17, I know how important it is to ensure that we think about the health and safety of our children and youth. We will work hard in ensuring that they are not in any danger moving forward.

That is what we will continue to do on this side of the House, and I really look forward to working with both sides of the House to ensure the safety of our young children moving forward.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Madam Speaker, the health minister approves these drug injection sites, and her own officials confirm that there is no age limit to use them. That means a minor from a nearby school could walk in and legally inject fentanyl under this Liberal policy.

If the health minister does not think minors should be injecting drugs at these sites that she approved, why does the minister not stop them today?

[Wade Grant, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Madam Speaker, I welcome the member's question. I will work with him after question period to find a solution with the member.

Taxation

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Madam Speaker, the Liberal finance minister failed to stabilize grocery prices as he promised to do three years ago. His new one-off rebate will not reduce the cost of a single item on the shelf, and food bank lines in my region will not shrink, yet the Liberals voted against our motion to reduce transport and packaging costs for farmers.

Food inflation must come down. When will the Liberals work with us to cut taxes to bring down the cost of food?

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration]

Madam Speaker, the Conservative call for focusing on taxes in this particular instance is out of place. No serious analysis has given any credibility to what the Conservatives have put forward on the issue of food inflation. I shared earlier this week, as we all know and the Bank of Canada recently affirmed, that climate change is a key factor, and the key factor when it comes to the increase in prices at the grocery store. How could it not be? An increase in severe weather events, droughts and floods obviously limits supply, and that has an effect.

Ultimately, the member and all members across the way, all of us in the House of Commons, can get behind budget 2025, because it focuses on Canadians.

Justice

[Juanita Nathan, Liberal, Pickering—Brooklin, ON]

Madam Speaker, after months of obstruction, the justice committee finally completed its study on the bail and sentencing reform act. Premiers, mayors and law enforcement from across the country are asking for it to pass swiftly.

Can the parliamentary secretary explain the important measures of the bail and sentencing reform act for us, please?

[Yasir Naqvi, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade and to the Secretary of State (International Development)]

Madam Speaker, Bill C-14 is about keeping Canadians safe, and this government is leading. We listened to police officers on the front lines, to mayors, to premiers and to victims' advocates, who have been crystal clear that the status quo is not acceptable. That is why we brought forward a strong, targeted bail reform bill and why we are pushing to get it passed without delay.

We expect the opposition, especially the Conservatives, to support this important bill, because Canadians expect action, not obstruction, and this government is leading.

Taxation

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Madam Speaker, the finance minister promised three years ago to stabilize food prices, but today Canada has the highest food inflation rate in the G7, and more and more Canadians are struggling to afford groceries.

Clearly, this problem requires a team Canada approach. Will the Liberals work with Conservatives to cancel the industrial carbon tax, the fuel standard tax and the plastic packaging tax, and to fast-track results for Canadians?

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration]

Madam Speaker, I was intrigued when I heard “team Canada approach”. I agree that we need a team Canada approach. I think we should focus on serious solutions, and there are solutions for the short term and the long term. The groceries and essentials benefit that they collaborated on, thankfully, is just one short-term measure.

I agree that it is not a magic bullet. It is certainly not that. What do we have to do to ensure the future sustainability of this country? Budget 2025 provides an answer. For the generations that are looking at us, what will we do? Will we rise above partisanship and pass that important budget? We—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Vancouver East.

Indigenous Affairs

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister says he wants to build Canada up, yet he is slashing over 30,000 PSAC workers who deliver core public services like EI, tax credits, food inspection and more. Admin funding for friendship centres across the country will come to an end this fiscal year. The Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society is also being forced to fight for the survival of its gender-based violence prevention programs and its urban programming for indigenous people.

Will the Prime Minister stop the cuts and protect the well-being of our communities with ongoing, stable, permanent funding for friendship centres and their programs, yes or no?

[Tom Osborne, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board]

Madam Speaker, first of all I would like to thank the public servants across Canada for helping us deal with the issues that Canadians and our country are dealing with in these uncertain times. I will say that the public service has grown by over 40% over the past decade. We are focused on delivering better, faster services for Canadians. Part of that is ensuring that we also bring our public service to a sustainable level so that the taxpayers across Canada get the services they require but at the price they are looking for.

Seniors

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Madam Speaker, this week the NDP government in Manitoba took over a failing for-profit care home to protect seniors. Meanwhile, the federal government owns Revera, Canada's second-largest for-profit long-term care chain. In Edmonton Strathcona, 10 seniors died and 84% of the residents tested positive during COVID-19. Despite the efforts of hard-working staff, corners are cut and tragedies like this occur every day at for-profit facilities across the country.

When will the government prioritize the health and safety of seniors and nationalize long-term care?

[Leslie Church, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretaries of State for Labour]

Madam Speaker, we are a government that stands squarely with our seniors. We have a long track record of defending them, of investing in long-term care and of protecting seniors through the difficult years of the pandemic. In particular, we have increased GIS, benefiting over a million seniors across Canada. We have increased our OAS payments to seniors over 75 when they face higher costs, expanded our earnings exemption and enhanced CPP, and we are delivering dental care for over six million Canadians. Many seniors in my riding call this a lifeline to oral health that they have not received before.

I look forward to working with the member opposite in continuing to provide—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

That is all the time for Oral Questions.

The hon. member for Calgary Crowfoot is rising on a point of order.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Crowfoot, AB]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Standing Orders and the practices of the House demand that when members have said something that is false or untrue, they be given the opportunity to correct the record.

The parliamentary secretary to the government House leader accused the Conservatives of filibustering the BIA. This is patently false. All parties agreed to a work plan, including the Liberals—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

That is a matter for debate.

Hon. Kirsty Duncan

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

Pursuant to order made on Thursday, February 5, I invite all hon. members to stand to observe a moment of silence in honour of our former colleague, the Hon. Kirsty Duncan.

[A moment of silence observed]