Debates of April 23rd, 2026

Motions in Amendment

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend from Cowichan—Malahat—Langford for his service to Canada and the Royal Canadian Navy and his great work in standing up for victims.

I first met the member's wife, Angel, who has also been a strong advocate of fighting for the survivors of military sexual trauma, when I was doing town halls across this country on military injuries, including military sexual trauma. Ever since then, she has been fighting for justice.

After all of the committee hearings, the member and I and many others here have talked to veterans and current serving members across the country, and, particularly, the brave witnesses who stepped up at the national defence committee to look at Bill C-11 and lay out all their experiences. By the Liberals rejecting their testimony today in this debate, will that revictimize them knowing that the Liberals are brushing everything off?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for all the amazing work he has done over the many years.

Simply put, yes, it will retraumatize them. I started receiving numerous phone calls last night. They came flooding in. It will retraumatize victims now and in the future. Simply put, the amendments that we have put forward would make this work. The victims want the choice, and we are supporting them based on fact, emotion and support. Clearly, a bill that would not address the majority of sexual assault cases and let them go unresolved would be a partisan decision that no sane human would vote for.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member referred to low- and mid-level assaults and the Liberals getting away with it. We had a prime minister who was a known groper and he just wrote it off, saying he felt it differently or she felt it differently.

I am wondering if this is what—

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I believe the member said we had a known prime minister who was a groper. It is highly inappropriate and definitely unparliamentary to make assertions of that nature, and I would ask that you have the member either apologize or retract the comment, at the very least.

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

I was listening carefully to the member and I just quickly talked to the clerks. The member was not talking about a current member of the House of Commons or the current Prime Minister.

I will let the member finish.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I think the Liberals are having a hard time understanding why it is so important that even the low- and mid-level assaults be addressed.

Could the member give examples of what this entails and why they should not just be let go?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am not going to get into the legal definitions of the various levels. It was delved into in-depth and, as distasteful as it may sound, unfortunately, it is the legal reality that we have to have those levels.

Only the most serious cases, if there is capacity for them in the civilian system, would be dealt with. The rest would be buried, would not be actioned and would disappear. That is failure, yet burying the truth would be touted as the Liberals' great success.

[Louis Villeneuve, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence has been clear that he is committed to ensuring that the defence team provides a workplace where all members, both military and civilian, feel supported and respected and have the opportunity to reach their full potential in their work. This is a top priority. Bill C-11 is a critical step toward achieving lasting institutional reform that will foster a culture of respect and accountability and strengthen confidence in the military justice system.

With its proposed targeted amendments to the National Defence Act, the bill represents the next critical step in our efforts to implement the recommendations from the independent external comprehensive review and the third independent review of the National Defence Act. This bill is also essential to support future legislative changes that may be required over time to implement additional recommendations and to advance future efforts to foster culture change.

Today, I would like to provide an overview of these external independent reviews and talk about the progress that the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces have made in addressing the recommendations from these reviews.

Let us start with the independent external comprehensive review, also know as the IECR. The review was launched in April 2021 and led by former Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour to examine harassment and sexual misconduct within the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces, as well as the policies, procedures, programs, practices and culture that have allowed these harms to persist. This includes reviewing policies surrounding the administration of military justice.

The final report was released on May 30, 2022. The then defence minister welcomed the 48 recommendations. When the final report was received, 17 recommendations were accepted immediately, including recommendation 48, which is to appoint an external monitor, mandated to oversee the implementation of the IECR recommendations. The then minister appointed Jocelyne Therrien to the position of external monitor. During her tenure, she regularly provided the minister with updates on the implementation of the IECR recommendations. Those updates, which are available to the public, helped us perform our work in a focused and transparent manner in keeping with the expectations of Canadian Armed Forces personnel and the Canadian public.

In August 2023, the new defence minister also announced the implementation of recommendations 7 and 9 to change the military grievance and harassment processes.

Today, any Canadian Armed Forces member who has experienced any kind of sexual misconduct while performing their duties now has the option of filing a complaint directly with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, without being required to exhaust every possible internal grievance and harassment process first. Moreover, as the external monitor underscored in her June 2024 report, the repeal of the duty to report regulations was one of the most significant changes that the Canadian Armed Forces made to its sexual misconduct policy in recent years.

In her recommendation 11, Justice Arbour underscored that, although well-intentioned, the regulations requiring military personnel to report cases of misconduct deprived survivors of their agency and control over the reporting process and could sometimes end up re-victimizing the very people they were meant to protect. In recommendation 28 and in the first part of recommendation 29, the IECR report also made recommendations concerning the military college system.

In December 2023, the minister announced the names of the seven individuals selected to sit on the Canadian Military Colleges Review Board to review the situation at Canada's two military colleges. Two members came from the department and the Canadian Armed Forces, and five were external experts on education and culture.

In March 2025, the review board released its report, which included 49 recommendations covering a variety of areas, including costs, governance and quality of education and training. The implementation of recommendations from the Arbour report has continued, and the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces have already started acting on some of the recommendations at Canada's two military colleges.

Ultimately, this is a cornerstone of Bill C‑11. The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces are also taking into account the key aspects of IECR recommendation 15 by seeking to remove military jurisdiction over the investigation and prosecution of Criminal Code sexual offences that are committed in Canada. As of December 2021, all new charges for Criminal Code sexual offences are being laid in the civilian justice system, and none of these offences are being tried in the military justice system.

The Canadian Forces Military Police Group is leading a working group on the operational framework for Criminal Code sexual offences, in conjunction with the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, Ontario's Solicitor General and Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General, to develop a framework for transferring cases.

In November 2020, former Supreme Court justice Morris J. Fish was appointed to conduct an independent review of specific provisions of the National Defence Act and their application. In June 2021, the department tabled the report in Parliament. Justice Fish presented the department with 107 sweeping recommendations, the majority of which support the ongoing modernization of the military justice system. He also offered recommendations aimed at strengthening the independence of the military police and others concerning the grievance process. Bill C‑11 also addresses several of these recommendations.

Guelph

[Dominique O'Rourke, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today the city of Guelph marks its 199th anniversary, nearly two centuries shaped by people who care deeply about learning, community, place and one another.

Situated on Treaty No. 3 lands held by the Mississaugas of the Credit, home to the Haudenosaunee and the Attawandaron, Guelph brings together nature and ideas, from the University of Guelph Arboretum to the Speed and Eramosa rivers, and to a historic downtown rich in arts, culture and local business. Its contributions to the arts, culture, science, innovation and business resonate nationally and globally.

As Guelph approaches its bicentennial, I invite members and all Canadians to gather in Guelph to celebrate a city that values words and imagination; is home to celebrated authors; is the birthplace of Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, author of In Flanders Fields; and is the birthplace of two Nobel laureates.

Guelph is a cornerstone of Ontario agriculture and a leader in advanced manufacturing. I welcome all to gather in Guelph to celebrate this remarkable city.

I wish a happy birthday to the royal city.

Public Safety

[Sandra Cobena, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, one month ago I introduced the stand on guard act, and yet today we still have no response from the Liberal government. Not a yes, not a no, just silence. Is silence really the best response that the Liberals can muster for victims of home invasions?

Our Conservative bill is simple. If someone knowingly and unlawfully enters a person's home, the force used to defend their family should be deemed to be reasonable. A person's home is their safe place. It is where their children sleep, and it deserves special protection under our laws.

After a decade of catch-and-release Liberal bail, Canadians are telling us that sense of safety is gone. They are asking for something simple: for the law to stand with them. They have received silence, and silence in this moment is not neutral but an answer in itself.

Conservatives will never stop fighting for the right for Canadians to feel safe to defend themselves and their families.

Collège Sturgeon Heights Collegiate

[Doug Eyolfson, Liberal, Winnipeg West, MB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadians marked Earth Day, a call to action to protect the environment we all share.

In my riding, that call is already being answered. At Collège Sturgeon Heights Collegiate, an unused plot of land is being transformed into a thriving native prairie garden thanks to a $1,500 Go Wild grant from the World Wildlife Fund Canada.

This project will restore native plants and grasses, support pollinators like bees and help bring back monarch butterflies. These are real and tangible steps to protect local biodiversity. It is being led by the school's garden club and is supported by life skills students, with plans to expand into indigenous studies programming, including traditional medicinal plants.

I want to recognize Mrs. Zinn, a dedicated teacher whose leadership turned this vision into reality. This is more than a garden. It is a living classroom and a community coming together. It is proof that protecting our environment depends on action, not words. This is how we will build a sustainable future: One community, one project and one generation at a time.

Galt Legion 100th Anniversary

[Connie Cody, Conservative, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the Galt Legion, a milestone that reminds us that remembrance does not happen on its own. It endures because individuals choose to carry it forward.

In my community of Cambridge, Bill Albers is one of those individuals. Bill has devoted his time and energy to ensuring that important but often overlooked aspects of our wartime history are not lost. Through his work, he highlights the role of carrier pigeons and the pigeoneers who served during the First World War and Second World War. It was a vital form of service relied upon when other communication failed.

More than the history itself, Bill's efforts reflected deep respect for service, sacrifice and remembrance. Especially in the centennial year of the Galt Legion, his commitment helps connect past generations to the present, reminding our community why we honour those who served.

Remembrance is strengthened by people like Bill Albers, who ensure that the stories of war continue to be shared, understood and respected. Let us also remember that even the smallest wings carried the weight of great responsibility, saving thousands of lives.

Centre d'action bénévole de Montréal‑Nord

[Abdelhaq Sari, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the 40th anniversary of the Centre d'action bénévole de Montréal‑Nord. For four decades, the Centre d'action bénévole de Montréal‑Nord has been the heart and soul of our neighbourhood. It supports our seniors, helps newcomers integrate, mobilizes volunteers and builds the bonds of solidarity that make the riding of Bourassa stronger and more inclusive.

The Centre d'action bénévole de Montréal-Nord embodies the very best of civic engagement: people who choose to get involved, not out of obligation, but by choice and based on their convictions. Without these volunteers, without these men and women, many cultural and sports activities simply could not take place. On behalf of the residents of Bourassa, I sincerely thank them for their commitment, and I wish the Centre d'action bénévole de Montréal-Nord a happy 40th anniversary.

St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce Impact Awards

[Andrew Lawton, Conservative, Elgin—St. Thomas—London South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, small businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy, and that is truer than ever in St. Thomas, Elgin and London. Our small business owners are an incredible testament to the resilience, grit and innovativeness of our community. Some of our amazing entrepreneurs and professionals were recognized Friday at the St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce Impact Awards.

I hope this House will join me in congratulating this year's Impact Award winners: real estate agent Ainslee Tracey; the delicious Taco House Co.; Dr. Joseph Mai of Central Community Health Centre; Our Place Respite; Element5; Yarmouth Group; and the Business of the Year Award winner, Evelyn's Sausage Kitchen. They and all the nominees represent the best of our community. They create jobs, opportunity and vitality for St. Thomas and Elgin.

However, entrepreneurs back home do not walk alone. My office is a proud member of the St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce. In Ottawa today from the chamber are Maria Fiallos, Paul Jenkins and Christy Hunking. They are here representing our community. They are making sure small businesses can succeed, and I thank them for their efforts.

Spanish Language Day

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

[Member spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:]

Mr. Speaker, as the proud daughter of a Mexican immigrant, I rise on April 23 to celebrate Spanish Language Day, recognized by the United Nations and 21 countries around the world.

Spanish is now the most widely spoken non-official language in Canada, connecting more than 1.7 million Canadians to their heritage, identity and traditions. Three provinces and 14 cities have now proclaimed April 23 as Spanish Language Day. Our Prime Minister has called this day “a wonderful opportunity for Canadians of all backgrounds” to learn from our Spanish-speaking communities.

Communities across our country have spoken. Let us proclaim April 23 as Spanish Language Day at the federal level.

[Member spoke in Spanish]

[English]

Vaughn Solomon Schofield

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Mr. Speaker, on April 8, Saskatchewan's 21st lieutenant governor, the Honourable Vaughn Solomon Schofield, passed away, marking an end to a life of service, strong community values and humility.

Vaughn will be remembered for her outstanding contributions to Canada's Armed Forces, highlighted by the numerous honours she held including recently becoming the honorary colonel of 15 Wing Moose Jaw. True to her advocacy for our men and women in uniform, Vaughn established the Lieutenant Governor's Military Service Pin and hosted the Support Our Troops gala, which was a national fundraiser for charities that assist military families.

She had an unwavering and enduring bond with the people of Canada, Saskatchewan and the Canadian Armed Forces. Vaughn's love of service was second to only one thing, her love of family. She was a devoted mother to George and Whitney. She was a loving wife to her best friend and husband Gord, and she truly loved her four grandchildren. They were the light of her life.

Vaughn will be remembered for her charisma. Every room she walked into brightened with her smile and her charisma. May she rest in peace.

Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Mirabel

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Mirabel. This is a major milestone that deserves to be acknowledged.

For 50 years, Mirabel's chamber of commerce has been deeply involved in the community. Since I was elected in 2021, I have seen an organization that listens to its members, that is innovative and that is essential to the region's economic development. It is able to pool Mirabel's strengths, whether in agriculture, aeronautics or its many SMEs, and build strong ties between these sectors.

It is no coincidence that it was nominated for an award this year by the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec in the categories of recruitment and chamber of the year for organizations with up to 400 members. This recognition confirms the calibre of its work and its tangible impact on the ground.

I would like to commend all the directors who have served on its board over the years, as well as the executive director, Geneviève Brault-Sabourin, and her entire team.

On behalf of the people of Mirabel, I congratulate the chamber of commerce on its 50th anniversary, and I hope for at least 50 more years.

Generations Toronto

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Don Valley West is home to the largest community of Shia Ismaili Muslims in Canada. This vibrant community is made up of thousands of engaged, committed Canadians who make our city and our country richer in every sense of the word.

Recently, I was honoured to join His Highness the Aga Khan and members of the community to celebrate the inauguration of Generations Toronto, a new not-for-profit intergenerational community in Don Valley West. Comprising 390 affordable rental homes, 122 long-term care residences, on-site health care, an early learning centre, space for prayer and community programming, this project represents the best of our efforts to build vibrant and affordable housing: a generational project for several generations to live together.

This investment of $130 million through the apartment construction loan program is one example of our federal government providing affordable housing solutions for Canadians in need. We are building Canada strong.

International Trade

[Jim Belanger, Conservative, Sudbury East—Manitoulin—Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, hundreds of workers in Nairn Centre and Gogama were told their sawmills will shut down indefinitely. The Liberals have been dragging their feet and have failed to secure a fair deal. Hard-working families are now left in limbo.

The Prime Minister promised a trade win by last summer. Instead, softwood lumber tariffs have tripled to 45% since 2022, putting immense pressure on Canada's forestry sector. Recycled speeches and photo ops are not enough. It is time for the Liberal government to walk the talk. The alarm bells are ringing. We need results. The Liberals must stand up for our forestry sector and finally fight for the workers who keep northern Ontario communities alive.

National Volunteer Week

[Shannon Miedema, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to call attention to National Volunteer Week, which runs from April 19 to 25, 2026. It is a time to celebrate the outstanding commitment of volunteers.

Our country runs on volunteers. Everyone in this room can agree that we would not be standing in this House without the tireless work of the volunteer organizers who got us here.

In Halifax, I would like to give a special shout-out to the dedicated volunteers who helped during the campaign, as well as those who continue to support me in this role.

I would like to also recognize the volunteer firefighters; event organizers; those who work with our food banks and in health care, environmental and arts organizations; and all those who dedicate themselves to strengthening our community.

I want to thank all volunteers everywhere in Canada.

This National Volunteer Week, and in recognition of the United Nations International Volunteer Year, I would like to thank all of Canada's volunteers. Their contributions make a difference in people's lives.

International Trade

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was elected on the promise that he alone could handle the United States. He went further. He told Canadians, “we will get an even better deal”, so Canadians have every right to judge him by the promises he made.

On top of that broken promise, we now have contradictions and confusion. This week, the Prime Minister said our relationship with the United States is a weakness, but days later he said he could still get a good deal. Which is it, a rupture with the United States in favour of China or a good deal with the United States?

Canadians fear that history is repeating itself. Just like the last time, the Mexicans are in advance negotiations with dates scheduled for May. Canada is on the outside looking in. The Prime Minister's contradictions and confusion have led to more tariffs, higher tariffs and broader tariffs on everything from lumber to manufactured goods. Now, his absence from the negotiating table is putting in peril the millions of Canadian jobs that rely on a strong, stable relationship with the United States.

Claude Métras

[Élisabeth Brière, Liberal, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Eastern Townships are mourning the loss of Claude Métras following his passing on April 16, 2026.

As a prominent certified appraiser with Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton in Sherbrooke, Mr. Métras was known to all as a leader recognized for his generosity and profound love for our region. He was a true community builder who chaired many boards of directors and events. He was also a great philanthropist who shone a spotlight on regional culture, particularly by organizing exhibitions at the offices of Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton to launch the careers of local artists.

His outstanding commitment earned him a number of accolades, including the title “Grand Estrien”, the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal, the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec's gold medal and the Mérite Estrien award. This devoted family man, loving partner to his dear Marylin and avid tennis fan leaves behind an immense legacy. Everyone who knew him will carry the memory of his dedication and warmth with them forever.

I want to thank Mr. Métras. It was a privilege to know him.

Fuel Taxes

[Colin Reynolds, Conservative, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, while fuel prices are soaring, hard-working Canadians are struggling to make ends meet. We know we cannot opt out of global factors, but we can take measures domestically to help Canadians who are hurting.

After weeks of pressure, the Liberals finally caved to our demands to remove taxes at the pump during these uncertain times. The half-measure will not deliver the results Canadians need. Canadians need practical and tangible solutions, not more recycled speeches and empty promises.

We need to take action and Canadians need results. We need to build up our natural gas infrastructure and strengthen our leverage abroad while looking out for folks at home. Therefore, I call on the Liberals to remove all taxes at the pump for the rest of the year so Canadian families can keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets.

Health Care in Humber River—Black Creek

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Humber River—Black Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an extraordinary act of generosity that will have a lasting impact on health care in Humber River—Black Creek. Recently, Humber River Health announced a transformational, $50-million donation from Jay and Barbara Hennick through the Hennick Family Foundation, the largest single gift in the hospital's history.

In recognition of this landmark contribution, Humber's flagship site has been renamed Hennick Humber Hospital. This historic gift will support advanced technologies, clinical programs and research and education, ensuring that patients continue to receive safe, high-quality and innovative care.

I also wish to commend Barb Collins, the president and CEO of Humber River Health, for her visionary leadership in building one of Canada's most innovative hospitals, and of course, I thank the dedicated staff who deliver excellence every day. This is philanthropy and leadership at their very best.

Taxation

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, with this Liberal Prime Minister, it is more cost, more crime, more corruption, more of the same. Despite the illusions, he is just another Liberal. For example, he is keeping two-thirds of the gas tax in place while Canadians are getting ripped off at the pump. There is the new carbon tax, which he now calls the clean fuel standard, and there is the GST. Both cost 15¢ a litre.

Will the Prime Minister stop taxing Canadians at the pumps, or is he just another Liberal?