Debates of Feb. 9th, 2026

Employment

[Leslyn Lewis, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised the fastest-growing economy in the G7, yet GDP growth is currently at zero. Manufacturing, auto and forestry sectors are all declining, and families in Haldimand—Norfolk fear for their livelihoods as the economy weakens. Despite this economic decline, the government has not repealed a single anti-development law.

When will the Liberals finally admit that their economic plan is failing and remove the barriers and tax burdens holding back Canadian workers and the economy?

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

Mr. Speaker, almost 240 agreements have been signed between the federal government and various municipalities, large and small, for the housing accelerator fund. They want to talk about getting things done and anti-development. The facts do not line up with that narrative. The reality is that we need to build more: duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes. That is the kind of vision being put in place through that agreement.

If they do not want to listen to Liberals, that is fine. They can listen to former prime minister Stephen Harper, who just the other day advised all members of Parliament to work together on behalf of this country. The time is now. Let us rise to the occasion. It is a moment of crisis, a moment of rupture. We can respond right now.

[Carol Anstey, Conservative, Long Range Mountains, NL]

Mr. Speaker, Newfoundland and Labrador continues to face one of the highest unemployment rates in Canada at 10.7%, which is well above the national average. Statistics Canada reports that 52,000 private sector jobs were lost since last year, and the Bank of Canada says that economic growth next year is expected to be just 1.1%. Businesses are delaying expansion and investment. At home, that means fewer projects, fewer jobs and more people leaving to find work.

When will the Prime Minister admit his economic plan is failing, listen to our solutions and remove the barriers that are preventing job creation for Canadians?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, I have good news for the member. In budget 2025, we are growing this country. We are growing rural Newfoundland and Labrador and the rest of Canada. We are working to invest in our apprenticeship programs. We are building schools. The challenge is that this member, part of the opposition, is obstructing at every step.

Let us grow Canada. We need to work together.

[Carol Anstey, Conservative, Long Range Mountains, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the fact remains that the Prime Minister promised the fastest-growing economy in the G7, yet GDP growth is stalled at zero and GDP per capita is flat. Young people are leaving home because they cannot find steady work. We have proposed a Canadian sovereignty act that would rapidly advance resource development by repealing job-killing laws such as the oil and gas emissions cap, reward those who build and protect Canadian innovation.

When will they listen to our ideas so people can stay, live and work in the place that they love?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, I am going to remind the member opposite from Newfoundland and Labrador that voting against the bills that support Canadian workers, Canadian communities and the building of our country and our province of Newfoundland and Labrador is obstruction. If the member wants to see our province of Newfoundland and Labrador grow, I can tell her that we are ready, but that side of the House needs to work with us.

The Economy

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, small businesses are paying the price for the Prime Minister's economic inaction. In January, 52,000 private sector jobs were lost and $39 billion in investment fled to the United States. Canadian businesses are delaying expansion and workers are losing their livelihoods. The Prime Minister promised the fastest-growing economy in the G7, but growth is flat and not a single anti-development or major regulation has been removed by this government.

When will the Prime Minister empower the private sector to build at a scale necessary to protect Canada's economy in the face of American threats?

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has a plan to build Canada. He has laid it out, and we are taking action to advance that. Individuals in British Columbia want to see the investments that we are making. They want to see the major projects move forward. They want to see the new housing, and they want to see us grow this economy to be the strongest economy in the G7.

We are moving forward with this plan. Can we count on the Conservatives to join us?

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Clarke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised the fastest-growing economy in the G7, yet under his watch, $58 billion of net investments have fled to the United States and we have lost 28,000 manufacturing jobs. Promising to build a pipeline is not enough. Creating a new bureaucracy is not enough. Reapproving projects over and over again is not enough. We need shovels in the ground, and we need them in the ground now.

When will the Prime Minister do what he promised, build at a scale we have not seen in generations and work with Conservatives to stand up for our sovereignty against the American threat?

[John Zerucelli, Liberal, Secretary of State (Labour)]

Mr. Speaker, 160,000 new jobs have been created since September. Wages are up and inflation is within the standard rate. We know that certain sectors such as auto are feeling the pain from the tariff war, but we have a plan that was laid out in our budget, which was introduced in the fall. Unfortunately, the Conservatives are blocking the budget at committee.

If that member wants to make a difference for workers in his community, pass the budget so we can unleash the power, build in this country, protect jobs, support communities and build our country. Will the member do it? Will the Conservatives do it?

Employment

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I just attended an event hosted by SPEATBC in a room full of highly trained engineers and technologists. They were asking whether the next round of manufacturing investment will stay here in Canada or go to the U.S. They want solutions so that their jobs are secure. StatsCan says that we lost 28,000 jobs last month in manufacturing alone. That means fewer shifts, tighter budgets and more families struggling to get by.

The government has to recognize that what it is doing is not working. When will the Liberals listen to our constructive solution to this urgent problem?

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, building a strong economy is not just about looking at any single sector. It is about looking at all sectors. It is about making sure we are investing in the economy of the future today, making sure we are investing in technology, making sure we are investing in artificial intelligence, and making sure we are creating the jobs of the future in industries where Canadians can lead.

As we work to support our manufacturing sector, we are also making sure that in health sciences, life sciences, biotech, technology, e-commerce, digital, AI and quantum, Canada will continue to lead and create the jobs of the future today.

Health

[Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Speaker, a functioning health care system relies on modern data infrastructure. However, at a time when data is travelling at lightning speed, too many doctors and nurses are still forced to use outdated technologies, like fax machines, to share information about their patients.

Can the Minister of Health tell us what measures our government is taking to eliminate these barriers, improve security for patients and, in doing so, save lives?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. The time that patients spend waiting for their medical records to be transferred instead of receiving care can be fatal. At the same time, health care professionals spend far too much time printing documents and not enough time helping people.

Bill S‑5, the connected care for Canadians act, which we tabled last week in the Senate, will break down silos and build health data infrastructure for all Canadians. I look forward to working with members of the House and the Senate to get this bill passed once it is introduced.

Public Safety

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

Mr. Speaker, extortion is a national crisis, exploding 330% since the Liberals took office. In Surrey, Calgary, Brampton and across Canada, Canadians are being threatened, shot at and firebombed, while criminal gangs and violent non-citizens extort families, all thanks to Liberal inaction.

Will the Prime Minister support our plan, supported even by the NDP premier of B.C., to bar extortionists and serious criminals from exploiting refugee claims, or will he continue shielding criminals while Canadians pay the price, often with their lives?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, we have been meeting with those who have been impacted by extortion. I want to extend my condolences to those who have been impacted.

We need to work in collaboration in order to ensure that extortion is addressed. We need the party opposite to pass critical pieces of legislation, including Bill C-2. Virtually every law enforcement agency head I have spoken to has asked for lawful access to become law in Canada. It is one of the most important tools to ensure that extortion is addressed.

We need to stop the obstructionism and make sure we have the critical tools that are important for law enforcement.

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

Mr. Speaker, extortion has surged by 330% since the Liberals took office. Across our country, Canadians are under attack, and the Liberals are rejecting Conservative plans to stop this violence. Now convicted extortionists are exploiting loopholes in our justice and immigration systems by filing refugee claims to stay in Canada.

Will the Liberals back our Conservative plan, also supported by B.C.'s NDP premier, to bar non-citizens convicted of serious crimes from making refugee claims, or will they continue to side with the criminals?

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Secretary of State (Combatting Crime)]

Mr. Speaker, the second bill we brought forward in this Parliament was Bill C-2, which addresses this very issue and provides other measures, such as lawful access. I am glad to see that the Conservatives have somewhat co-operated and split that bill to create Bill C-12, which is now in the Senate. This will create an ineligibility for precisely these types of people, who try to exploit our system. They will no longer be able to apply for asylum.

I would like the members opposite to also co-operate on lawful access, because we need to catch these criminals.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals voted against a Conservative amendment to Bill C-12 that would have barred non-citizens convicted of serious crimes from abusing our asylum system and making refugee claims. That is crazy.

Will the Liberals agree with Premier David Eby that the amendment is a proposal that should be accepted, and that non-citizens accused of serious crimes should not be able to make refugee claims? That is kind of bananas.

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Secretary of State (Combatting Crime)]

Mr. Speaker, I have been following these cases very closely. In the case of B.C., where some people have filed for asylum, Bill C-12, which is in the Senate right now and progressing nicely, would make those particular claimants ineligible to file for asylum. We are closing those loopholes. We are working tirelessly to make sure that extortionists are caught.

Will the Conservatives help us give law enforcement the tools that are needed? I am asking for this. The lawful access measures in Bill C-2 are needed in order to catch child pedophiles and extortionists.

Women and Gender Equality

[Jessica Fancy-Landry, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker, advancing gender equality is key to building a strong and prosperous Canada where everyone can succeed. While the Conservatives minimize coercive control as normal family behaviour and debate 2SLGBTQI+ rights at their conventions, the government is making sure that organizations across the country have the support they need.

Can the Minister of Health share how we are empowering and strengthening national women's organizations across Canada?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, today the Minister for Women and Gender Equality announced over $15 million in funding to support national women's organizations across the country and strengthen capacity building. This means a stronger and more sustainable national women's sector. It means greater capacity to support the organizations driving progress on gender equality. It means stronger collaboration to advance opportunity, safety and rights for women and girls everywhere. This is how we build Canada strong, where we—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. member for Wellington—Halton Hills North.

Foreign Affairs

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Hong Kong has sentenced newspaper publisher Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison simply for exercising his rights and freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of association, which are guaranteed in an international treaty, the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

First, will the government reiterate its call for Jimmy Lai to be immediately released? Second, will the government acknowledge that his imprisonment is a violation of an international treaty and of international law?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is deeply disappointed by the tragic sentencing of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong.

We call for the immediate release of Jimmy Lai. In fact, we have consistently spoken out against the national security law since its imposition in 2020. While in Beijing, I reiterated Canada's long-standing position to my counterpart: The persecution of journalists, media workers and activists is unacceptable.

Canada will always support a free—