Debates of April 16th, 2026

Small Business

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

Mr. Speaker, whatever the government is doing, it is not working, and a myriad of programs will not replace the structural forms necessary to improve the entrepreneurial climate in Canada.

Small businesses indeed are being squeezed from every direction by this government, with higher payroll taxes, rising costs and endless regulations. This government is doing nothing to stop that.

How many more businesses have to shut their doors before the Prime Minister reverses some of these horrible economic policies and lets Canadian entrepreneurs succeed once again?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the “Canada is broken” narrative from the Conservatives, we believe in our small businesses. Reports show that Canada is attracting the highest level of foreign direct investment. In fact, we are now in second place in the G7. The world trusts Canada, with our strong economy and our resilience. Under the leadership of our Prime Minister, we are securing trade agreements, creating jobs and strengthening our economy. That is how we empower small businesses in this country.

[Michael Guglielmin, Conservative, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business delivered its verdict on the Prime Minister's economy. Canada is in an “entrepreneurial drought”. For six consecutive quarters, more businesses have closed than opened, and 55% of Canadian business owners now “would not recommend [opening] a business” in this country. High costs, crushing red tape, punishing taxes, that is the Liberal record.

After over a decade of the Liberal government, when will the Prime Minister finally reverse its job-crippling policies so Canadian businesses can thrive?

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, just recently, we have seen that foreign direct investment is at an all-time high in decades. Kraft Heinz is investing $250 million in Montreal. Bayer is investing $45 million in canola research in Winnipeg. Froneri ice cream giant is expanding its Canadian operation. Mars Canada is investing $180 million across Ontario. Coca-Cola is investing $141 million into its Brampton facility.

All of these companies believe in Canada and Canadians. Why does the opposition not?

[Michael Guglielmin, Conservative, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite can recite his talking points all afternoon, but 97,000 entrepreneurs have already revealed the truth. High costs, high taxes and red tape are all driving entrepreneurs out of the country. A recent RBC report highlighted $1 trillion in capital flight over the last 10 years. The Liberals never want to talk about that. The Leaders Fund report has said that more than two-thirds of Canadian entrepreneurs are now starting businesses outside the country.

Will the Prime Minister commit today to reversing tax and regulatory policies that are shutting down Canadian businesses, yes or no?

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I heard a little bit of chatter about RBC's most recent report. It says, “Canada is back on the radar of global investors...Canada reached nearly $100 billion, the highest level since 2015.”

We are strengthening domestic food processing, increasing capital public partnership investments, reducing regulatory impediments, and growing and diversifying our markets. We are working alongside business communities right across the country, to make this place a much better place.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, with record closures across the country, Canada's small businesses are sounding the alarm. High costs, red tape and never-ending uncertainty are discouraging the next generation of entrepreneurs. Do not take it from me. Brianna Solberg of the CFIB warns that “Canada’s economic foundation is crumbling.”

After 10 years of bad Liberal policy, half of small business owners say they would not recommend starting a business.

Why do the Liberals continue to make it harder and not easier for small businesses here in Canada?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we recently launched a defence industrial strategy for the country and it is taking hold. There has already been $14 billion in annual revenue contributing to over 81,000 direct and 200,000 indirect jobs. In the joint support ships alone, we see 3,100 jobs; River class destroyer ships, 9,000 jobs; fixed-wing search and rescue, 1,800 jobs; and logistics vehicle modernization, 1,500 jobs.

There are tens of thousands more jobs coming for our small and medium-sized businesses.

Taxation

[John Williamson, Conservative, Saint John—St. Croix, NB]

Mr. Speaker, back home in New Brunswick, families pay 32¢ more per litre for gasoline than drivers in neighbouring Maine pay. The price difference is not because of global markets. Pumps on both sides of the Maine-New Brunswick border get their supply from the Saint John refinery. The difference is that, because of Liberal tax increases. Canadians can no longer afford to buy the things that we make here in Canada because of high energy taxes.

Will the Liberals listen to Conservatives and cut gas prices by 25¢ a litre by eliminating all federal gas taxes?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that he talks about the United States. While we have cut taxes by 28¢ a litre already, the United States has cut the taxes on gas by zero. That is the difference between a government that cares about affordability and one that does not.

[John Williamson, Conservative, Saint John—St. Croix, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the United States never had a carbon tax that the government implemented. The Liberals drove up energy taxes for 10 years and when Canadians were screaming in pain, they cut them. They still will not go all the way and reduce the federal gas tax, the industrial carbon tax and the clean fuel standard that keep prices sky-high.

When will the government act, cut the taxes and give Canadians the break they need and deserve?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we have already cut the gas tax by 28¢. We are not stopping there. We have cut taxes for 22 million people. We have cut the GST. We have introduced the Canadian groceries and essentials benefit. With all the measures, we have made housing cheaper by $200,000 a home. That is what making affordability looks like.

The Economy

[Kurt Holman, Conservative, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, according to Statistics Canada, London's unemployment rate has climbed to 9.1%, the highest in Canada. Meanwhile, RBC reports that more than $1 trillion in capital has left Canada since the Liberals took power in 2015. London has the workers, the talent and the potential. The Liberals promised to build like never before, but Londoners are not seeing this at all. Will the Liberals finally unleash Canada's economy, attract investments and create the conditions for businesses to grow and London to thrive?

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

Mr. Speaker, London certainly does have the talent and the potential for a great future. For too long, our region has been dependent on trade. We are diversifying now. The unemployment rate he talks about is an immense challenge. We are focusing on, among other things, defence: $6 billion over the next few years will give us 125,000 jobs by 2035. Southwestern Ontario and London are a defence anchor in this country in particular. We look forward to defence. We want to invest in it. We will get that job done.

[Kurt Holman, Conservative, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are very good at making promises and excuses, but Londoners need results. Today, global uncertainty should be a wake-up call to strengthen our competitiveness at home, so Canada has leverage abroad, yet beyond rhetoric, the government has taken no meaningful action. It has failed to unleash our energy and failed to advance pipelines or any major projects, while doubling down on anti-business taxes and regulations, like the industrial carbon tax, that drive capital out of Canada.

When will the government finally take competitiveness seriously, scrap the industrial carbon tax and make Canada, including London, a place businesses want to invest in?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member speaks with passion for London. Every member in this House of Commons who represents London and the southwest has passion, so I invite my colleague. We need more investment in London. We will see that through the defence spending that I just mentioned before, among other things. However, let us open our hearts to the suffering that exists when we come to the analysis of what is going on in this country. The Conservatives talk about the needs of people on the ground, yet they do not want to support dental care. They do not want to support pharmacare. They do not want to support the Canada child benefit. They do not want to support any of these initiatives to help people in a very difficult time. It is unacceptable.

Infrastructure

[Bienvenu-Olivier Ntumba, Liberal, Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we are diversifying our trade, moving forward with major projects and working to double our non-U.S. exports. Last week, we launched the work to expand the port of Montreal in the town of Contrecoeur.

Can the Minister of Transport tell us why this project is important and what a difference it will make for Canada?

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

Mr. Speaker, last week, I was proud to announce, together with my hon. colleague, the Prime Minister and many government members from Quebec and elsewhere, the start of the work to expand the port of Montreal in Contrecoeur. It is an interesting project, a megaproject in fact, that will increase by 60% the capacity of the port of Montreal. We are very proud of that. It is the latest example of how we are building Canada strong and great, with Canadian men and women and Canadian materials.

Ethics

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' contempt for accountability knows no bounds. For days, Liberal MPs have been filibustering at the ethics committee to shield the finance minister from answering questions about his role in handing out billions of tax dollars to Alto, handing billions of tax dollars to a company in which his partner serves as a VP. Now, incredibly, the minister claims there is nothing to see here and that everything was above board. If that is the case, why the obstruction? Why will the minister not come to committee?

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

Mr. Speaker, Canada has among the strictest ethics rules in the world. All members of this House and designated public office holders must follow those rules to the letter, and that is certainly the case in the case of the Minister of Finance. However, let us talk about high-speed rail. The Conservatives are promising to cancel a nation-building and unifying project that would help build the country and change the face of mobility in Canada. We are going to press ahead. We are going to build high-speed rail, and we are going to get it done quickly.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, does the House know what it is called when a minister of the Crown repeatedly introduces, speaks to and votes on legislation, but hands billions of tax dollars to a company that his partner is connected to? It is called a conflict of interest. Is that not the real reason for the obstruction? Is that not why the minister is afraid to come to committee?

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

Mr. Speaker, I will just repeat again for the hon. member that the Minister of Finance has followed the strictest rules in the world, and he has followed them to the letter. What this member needs to do is walk down to the front row and tell his leader to get out of the way and off the tracks, because high-speed rail is coming right at him. It is coming fast, and it is coming with Canadian steel, Canadian aluminum, Canadian lumber and Canadian workers barrelling right down.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands—Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, what Canadians would like is for the Liberals to get out of the way of accountability that Canadians expect to be brought to bear against a government, against a minister who said he would be in a conflict of interest because his partner is a vice-president at Alto if he voted on this project, if he debated it, if he discussed it, if he decided on it in cabinet. This is why we are asking for the minister to come to committee. It is a conflict of interest dealing with $90 billion.

Why is it that these Liberals are doing everything they can to block accountability with their filibuster? When will the minister come to committee?

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

Mr. Speaker, we have the strictest rules in the world. We indeed have a Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. This matter has been put before that Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, as this member knows very well, many times, and they have found precisely zero. This is because the Minister of Finance rigorously follows the rules, as do we all.

As for high-speed rail, which will go very close to, if not through this member's region, he should be ashamed of getting in the way of high-speed rail that Canadians look forward to.

Labour

[Shannon Miedema, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, workers in federally regulated sectors, whether they are in banking, telecommunications or interprovincial transportation, need their wages to keep pace with the cost of living. Effective April 1, the federal minimum wage increased once again.

Could the Secretary of State for Labour explain what this increase means for workers in federally regulated sectors?