House of Commons Hansard #107 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was students.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities Conservative Members and Bloc Québécois members debate the government's recent budgetary policy excluding students at private vocational institutions from federal student grants. Conservatives argue this policy is discriminatory and ignores the vital role private colleges play in addressing critical labour shortages in rural and underserved areas. Liberals defend their broader investments in youth employment, while Bloc members criticize federal overreach in education, advocating for provincial jurisdiction over such decisions. 25200 words, 3 hours.
Admissibility of Committee Amendments to Bill C-11—Speaker's Ruling The Speaker rules on a point of order regarding Bill C-11, an act to reform the military justice system. After reviewing six amendments adopted by the Standing Committee on National Defence, the Speaker declares them inadmissible because they violate either the parent act principle or exceed the scope of the bill as approved at second reading. Consequently, these amendments are declared null and void, and the bill is reprinted. 1500 words.
Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation Act Report stage of Bill C-10. The bill proposes establishing an independent commissioner to oversee the implementation of modern treaties with Indigenous peoples. Proponents argue this body provides necessary accountability and transparency regarding federal commitments. However, Conservative members oppose the legislation, characterizing it as unnecessary bureaucracy that duplicates existing oversight mechanisms. They argue that the government should prioritize fulfilling its obligations through current departmental structures rather than incurring additional costs to address persistent implementation failures. 15300 words, 2 hours.
Use of Federal Lands for Veterans Members debate a motion from the Liberal Party instructing the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates to study repurposing surplus federal property to support veterans. While Liberals argue this planned study will create a necessary road map for better services, Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois oppose the motion, labeling it an inefficient use of legislative time that interferes with committee independence and misuses private members’ opportunities. 6500 words, 1 hour.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister goofed up. He goofed up. He stood up and claimed that Canadians have never had it so good, claiming that affordability is the best that it has been in over a decade, during which time housing costs have doubled and food bank lineups have doubled. Canadians cannot afford to eat.
Will he have the courage to stand up, admit that he goofed up and apologize to Canadians for the price he is making them pay?
Wayne Long LiberalSecretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, the past Conservative leader and the current Conservative leader, who have 45 years' experience between the two of them, have produced nothing. On this side of the House, the Prime Minister has been elected for one year and we have the strongest projected economy in the G7, the second-fastest growing economy in the G7 and the best net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7, and wages are outpacing inflation.
On this side of the House, we are serious about the economy. On that side, it is bluster and rhetoric.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, what a sad sight it is when the Prime Minister cannot even stand to defend his own comments when he claimed that life is more affordable than it has been in over a decade. He has been wrong on every major economic issue of our time. He was wrong to support the carbon tax, wrong to say that we should leave 50% of our oil and gas in the ground, wrong to oppose the pipeline to the Pacific, wrong about money printing, and now he is wrong to claim that Canadians are living a more affordable life than in a decade.
Will he have the courage to stand up, admit he goofed up and apologize to Canadians for telling them they have never had it so good?
Adam van Koeverden LiberalSecretary of State (Sport)
Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition wants Canadians to judge people by what they say in the House of Commons. I kind of agree. He thought Brexit was a good idea. He said that marriage should be exclusively a bond between a man and a woman at the exclusion of all others. He also said that Canadians should opt out of inflation by buying cryptocurrency.
We have real solutions for Canadians. We have a tax cut for 22 million Canadians. We have the groceries and essentials benefit, which will help 12 million vulnerable Canadians with their grocery bills. How about a real solution, for a change, rather than this rhetoric?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, just last week he was telling us that he wanted to lecture us all like students. Now he will not even get out of his chair and answer for his own words. He was the one who said that affordability is better than it has been in a decade, during which time the number of people lined up at food banks, hard-working people, has doubled. Rent has doubled. Beef prices are up 70%, and the Prime Minister has the audacity to look at mothers who have to turn back items at the checkout of the grocery aisle and say they have never had it so good.
Will the Prime Minister have the courage to look that woman in the eye—
The EconomyOral Questions
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
We know chanting is not allowed in the House. It is unparliamentary.
The hon. Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation.
Evan Solomon LiberalMinister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, it is a little early for cherry-picking season, but he is cherry-picking quotes and negative statistics to run down our country. As the Prime Minister said, wages have grown twice as fast as the rate of inflation. We just took 10¢ off the price of a litre of gas, 28¢ since we took government. We have just given families up to $1,900 this year in the groceries and essentials benefit.
We are fighting for Canadians. They are running down the country and cherry-picking useless quotes.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, the question was not for the artificially intelligent minister. It was for the Prime Minister.
The EconomyOral Questions
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
We know that epithets are not permitted. We have to treat all hon. members with respect. That does not mean we cannot have hard-hitting questions, but no nicknames, please.
The hon. Leader of the Opposition.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Battle River—Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, I goofed. I mixed up his title.
That is all I am asking the Prime Minister to do. He looked Canadians in the eyes, Canadians who are downgrading their diets, who are skipping meals so that their kids do not have to, and said that they have never had it so good, that affordability is the best that it has been in a decade. Anybody who spent five minutes studying the economic facts would know that food bank lineups have doubled, rent has doubled and the cost of everything is going up precisely because of his inflationary Liberal policies.
Will he have the courage to stand up, own up and admit that he goofed up?
Peter Fragiskatos LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, he is often mining for clips, as we know, today more often than usual. I wonder why. He might be nervous about something.
He is the champion of Brexit and the guy who wanted to cut the pensions of seniors. He talked about being out of touch. He stood in front of the home of a waitress and called it a “shack”.
On this side of the House of Commons, we will be sincere. We will be hard-working, and we will stand by our communities and our constituents. We will put in place the foundations for the Canadian economy in the present and the future. That is exactly what we will do.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister owes Canadians an explanation. They are living with the worst housing costs and the worst food costs in Canadian history. They are living with the worst food price inflation in the G7, the worst household debt in the G7, the worst housing costs in the G7 and the fastest-shrinking economy in the G7, breaking every single promise that the Prime Minister made.
Why will he not have the courage to stand up and answer the question, admit that he was wrong about affordability, and admit that he will reverse course so Canadians can afford to eat?
Rechie Valdez LiberalMinister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)
Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition owes Canadians an explanation, because when he goofed up and lost his seat, Canadians spent $2.3 million of taxpayer money.
What we are doing on this side of the House to support women is through the national school food program. We are feeding 400,000—
The EconomyOral Questions
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
We will wait until it gets a little quieter, because the Chair cannot hear, and if the Chair cannot hear, the Chair does not know if rules have been broken.
Not from the top, but the member may continue, and we will have a bit of leeway.
Rechie Valdez Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Mr. Speaker, speaking of women and the Leader of the Opposition, let us not forget that he embedded misogynistic hashtags in his YouTube channel, promoting men who hate women.
On this side of the House, we are promoting the national school food program, which is feeding 400,000 kids across the country. We have made this program permanent.
Marie-Hélène Gaudreau Bloc Laurentides—Labelle, QC
Mr. Speaker, far too many veterans suffer from mental health issues. To help them, Ottawa created a program called partners in Canadian veterans rehabilitation services, or PCVRS.
However, instead of helping, it is hindering. A survey of 51 mental health professionals found that PCVRS makes veterans' health worse. They are misdiagnosed by unqualified employees. Worse still, if they boycott the program, Ottawa threatens to reduce their benefits.
Do veterans deserve that kind of treatment?
Jill McKnight LiberalMinister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, supporting veterans in their rehabilitation journey is a top priority. While many veterans are seeing positive results in their overall well-being, we know there are still many we can continue to help. That is why I have directed my department to launch an independent review of the rehabilitation program. The goal is to identify where the program is working well and where it can be strengthened so that we can continue to support the outcomes and better support veterans through this transition.
Marie-Hélène Gaudreau Bloc Laurentides—Labelle, QC
Mr. Speaker, veterans who are suffering are forced to participate in PCVRS under pressure from Ottawa, even when it worsens their symptoms. They are caught up in a bureaucracy that is hurting them. They are repeatedly confronted with their traumas by poorly trained therapists who contradict the advice of health care professionals, yet Ottawa is considering extending the program for another six years without evaluating its effectiveness.
Before moving forward, will the minister launch an independent investigation into the human impact of PCVRS?
Jill McKnight LiberalMinister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, our top priority will always be ensuring that veterans receive improved support, service and rehabilitation outcomes through the rehabilitation program.
Since its launch in 2021, the program has expanded to over 15,000 service providers and has supported more than 23,000 veterans. We recognize that there are always opportunities to improve. I have just said that we are going to be undertaking an independent review. We will continue to put the care of veterans at the forefront of the work that we are doing.
Jason Groleau Conservative Beauce, QC
Mr. Speaker, this weekend, the Prime Minister described our trading relationship with the United States as a “weakness”.
The real weakness is the Liberal policy that is making life increasingly unaffordable for Canadians. The cost of gas, which was $1.40 a litre a few months ago, has now risen to $1.80 a litre. The Liberal math is to reduce it by 10¢ a litre. However, Canadians are still short 30¢ a litre.
When will the Liberal government suspend all federal fuel taxes?
Joël Lightbound LiberalMinister of Government Transformation
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that, as of Monday, Quebeckers are paying 10¢ less a litre for gas in Quebec and across the country. That is immediate support, but we are not stopping there.
There is also the Canada child benefit. To give my hon. colleague some idea of what he is voting against, he is voting against 11,500 families and $80 million in his riding of Beauce by voting against the Canada child benefit. In addition, the Canadian dental care plan is enabling 28,837 residents of Beauce to see a dentist. He is voting against that.
He cannot rise in the House and claim that he is here to stand up for his constituents.
Jason Groleau Conservative Beauce, QC
Mr. Speaker, Liberal inflation is costly. Liberal taxes are costly. Liberal inaction is costly. Liberal math is extremely costly.
The Liberals are announcing a discount of four cents per litre on diesel. Talk about impact—that is terrible. Allow me to share an example. A semi carrying groceries has 15,000 items in it. A discount of four cents per litre amounts to one-fifth of a cent per item. Well done. In short, this plan is not worth a penny.
Will the government adopt our plan and suspend all federal taxes on gasoline?