Debates of April 21st, 2026

International Trade

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was elected on a single promise: to negotiate a victory with the U.S. President by July 21, 2025. So far, there have been no victories and no agreements, and the U.S. tariffs on Canadian products have doubled. As a result of this incompetence, hundreds of Quebec businesses are losing millions of dollars because of U.S. tariffs. What is the government doing? It is taking billions of taxpayer dollars to make up for its failure.

Why do Canadian families have to pay for the Liberal government's failure?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade]

Mr. Speaker, our colleague knows full well that we currently have a better agreement with the U.S. than any other trading partner does. However, we also recognize that the unjustified tariffs being applied around the world, as the Prime Minister said in his initial responses, deserve a response from the Government of Canada together with our friends in the provinces and territories to support workers and industries.

I am surprised that our colleague from the Conservative Party does not think we should be there for Canadian workers.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am not the one who said that. Last year, the Prime Minister, who is sitting here, said that he could negotiate an agreement and solve the problem with Donald Trump. Now, here we are a year later and nothing has been resolved.

Worse still, there have been no negotiations with the U.S. over the past five months. Everything is at a complete standstill. Meanwhile, Mexico is making progress and other countries have signed agreements. Canada has nothing and the government is using taxpayers' money to compensate. Yes, businesses are struggling, but they do not want a compensation cheque. They want to do business, but everything is at a standstill right now because the Prime Minister has not fixed anything.

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I did not hear a question in my colleague's comments, so I will take this opportunity to remind the House of the good news that the Prime Minister announced this morning. We set up a new advisory committee with labour representatives like Ms. Picard from the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec, the president of Agropur and the president of Domtar, a major forestry company. These are all business people from Quebec. There is also Mr. Simard from the aluminum industry.

We have people across Canada who want to work with our government because we are there for our industries.

National Defence

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as chair of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs and the MP proudly representing Orléans, I often hear about the need to strengthen the Canadian Armed Forces to meet the challenges ahead. Our new government has embarked on an ambitious plan to rebuild, reinvest in and re-equip our armed forces.

Can the Minister of National Defence provide an update on this important plan?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Orléans for her question. We do indeed have some important news for Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces. Recruitment has reached its highest level in 30 years. Here are the facts: Over the past year, the number of applications has more than doubled to over 45,000. We have recruited 7,310 regular force members, exceeding our target, and 70 of the 97 key positions have been filled. We are working hard, but we have only just begun.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday at committee, the Auditor General revealed multiple situations where the immigration department failed to investigate, or even detect, significant cases of fraud. At the same meeting, the deputy minister of immigration pleaded ignorance on the topic, saying, “it's my fourth week on the job...so I can't answer the question”.

In fact, for two straight hours, he had zero answers as to why the Auditor General found over 153,000 cases of immigration fraud yet his department only investigated 2%. The Prime Minister said the system was under control, but like everything else, that was an illusion.

I have a simple question. Why has the immigration minister lost control?

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

Mr. Speaker, there has been a 60% decline in the number of international students coming to Canada and a one-third decline in those claiming asylum. We are restoring control and integrity in the immigration system.

There are a number of other examples I could provide, but for the benefit of the member, who is an honourable member and a good colleague on the immigration committee, he knows very well that is not what the deputy said. He is cutting off his comments, in fact. He said very clearly that the recommendations of the Auditor General are taken into account. Data systems are being put in place to ensure greater integrity. We will continue that work.

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

Mr. Speaker, last week a Quebec judge called out the rampant practice of prosecutors and judges arranging lenient sentences for non-citizens convicted of serious crimes in Canada in order to shield them from deportation.

The reality is that many victims are suffering because non-citizens convicted of serious crimes in Canada are getting sweetheart deals so they do not have to face the consequences already set out in Canadian immigration law, yet the Liberals voted against my bill that would have ended this practice. Why?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, it is important that when people commit serious crimes, they face serious penalties. That is why we are moving forward with some of the most serious reforms, when it comes to Canada's criminal laws, in generations. As the member knows, there is no rule that requires judges to reduce penalties for people based on their immigration status.

We want to ensure that courts have the ability to make judgments that consider all the facts of a given case and that when serious crimes are committed, serious penalties will result.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would love for the minister to say that to a woman whose non-citizen ex-boyfriend choked her and assaulted her so badly that she is terrified to leave her house, even for grocery shopping. Her attacker argued that he should get a light sentence so that he would not be deported, and last week we found out that the judge agreed with the criminal. It is disgusting.

This is not a system that is under control. It is not a system that provides justice for victims. The Liberals, in fact, are supporting a two-tier justice system that undermines the safety of everybody and the credibility of our immigration system.

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, when violent criminals are convicted of serious crimes, they must face serious penalties. That includes, in the immigration system, the risk of deportation after a conviction for a serious crime has taken place. There is not a rule, as some have suggested in this chamber, that requires judges to give lighter sentences for people based on their immigration status. We need to ensure that the justice system operates with integrity, and that includes the ability of the court to consider all the facts that are before the court when making a decision as to an appropriate sentence.

Members can rest assured that we support serious penalties for violent offences in all circumstances.

Public Safety

[Iqwinder Gaheer, Liberal, Mississauga—Malton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Bill C-22 was referred to committee. This is important legislation in our digital age. It gives law enforcement exactly the tools it has asked for. Our government's work is closely aligned with many child protection organizations, like Peel Children's Aid Society in my very own riding.

Can the Minister of Public Safety please elaborate on what the movement of this bill means for keeping our communities safe?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, let me thank the member for Mississauga—Malton for that very important question, and let me thank law enforcement agencies across Canada for the work they have been doing to ensure that lawful access measures become law in Canada.

I want to assure all members in the House that we are working together for the swift passage of Bill C-22, the lawful access act. Today, chiefs of police and police leaders are gathering in Ottawa, under the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, to educate lawmakers on the need for lawful access.

I invite all members to join us this evening.

International Trade

[Ned Kuruc, Conservative, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister wants to talk about our country's weakness. The only weakness I see is his broken promise to Canadians in not getting a tariff deal. A new 25% tariff was put on the entire value of goods made with steel, aluminum and copper. This is devastating news for the thousands of workers in Stoney Creek's industrial corridor and the 2.6 million Canadians who rely on U.S. trade for their jobs.

It has been one year. When will the Prime Minister stop the illusions and get the tariff deal he promised Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, Hamilton has a proud history of steelmaking, and there is a proud sector there of steel mould-making that supports the broader sector of southern Ontario manufacturing.

On this side of the House, we are controlling what we can control, which means expanding trade to places where we have previously not been doing as much trade, establishing new trade agreements and supporting those mould-makers, steel manufacturers and others with tariff relief and opportunities to move beyond that. We know we will be in regular dialogue with those members of the community, so that we can have their backs.

Taxation

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are being crushed by the cost of living, and now gas prices are skyrocketing, but not everyone is suffering. Oil companies will rake in an extra $90 billion this year from Donald Trump's illegal war on Iran.

What is the Liberal response? It is a tax cut that oil companies will simply pocket by raising prices.

Instead of handing more money to oil giants, why does the government not cap gas prices, tax windfall profits and use those funds to give people real relief?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Finance and National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, it is an important question. My colleague will be happy to see that yesterday, the suspension of the federal fuel excise tax came into force until Labour Day.

To his point, members will remember that last year we gave additional power to the Competition Bureau to make sure it has the tools and the enforcement capacity to make sure that we have more competition in this country. We all understand that more competition usually leads to more choice for consumers and better prices for consumers.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the high cost of living is fuelled by greedflation, and the Liberals know it. The top 1% now holds nearly a quarter of all wealth, while the bottom 40% scrape by with just over 3%.

Oil companies are on track to make $90 billion in windfall profits from Trump's illegal war. Half measures, like a temporary federal gas tax suspension, will not stop this growth inequality.

Will the Prime Minister bring in a windfall profit tax and price caps on gas to stop oil companies from price gouging Canadians, yes or no?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Finance and National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, that is a very important question, and I am sure all members of the House are interested in the matter.

We are doing our part on the federal side. Last year, the hon. member would have seen that we gave additional power to the Competition Bureau so it can investigate and have enforcement tools, and we will continue to make sure that there are more tools in the tool box of all the enforcement agencies to make sure there is more competition and always better prices for Canadians.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of Crispin Mbadu Phanzu, Minister Delegate responsible for La Francophonie and the Congolese diaspora, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

The House resumed consideration of the motion.

Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

It being 3:14 p.m., the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion to concur in the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the motion, which was negatived on the following division:)

Vote #99