Debates of April 29th, 2026

Finance

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, these Liberals are like the Bourbon dynasty: They learn nothing, and they forget nothing.

Over the last decade, they told us that if we racked up the credit card, somehow it would grow the economy. What did we get? We got the worst growth in the G7, the highest housing costs in the G7, the worst household debt in in the G7 and the worst investment per worker in the G7. Now, it is déjà vu all over again with the Prime Minister repeating exactly the same policies: more debt, more costs, more taxes. He is just another Liberal.

Will the Prime Minister recognize that Canadians are paying for his mistakes?

[Mark Carney, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians will not forget that the member opposite voted against child care, voted against pharmacare, voted against dental care and voted against the groceries and essentials benefit, for which Canadians are going to see $500 cheques in a few weeks.

Canadians will see the second-strongest growing economy in the G7.

Conservatives would like to forget.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, this Liberal Prime Minister has been wrong about every major economic issue of the last decade. He was wrong to push for bigger and broader carbon taxes, wrong to say that we should leave 50% of our oil in the ground, wrong to oppose the northern gateway pipeline, wrong to say COVID would lead to deflation, wrong to say money printing would not raise the cost and wrong to say that affordability is the best that it has been in a decade. He keeps getting it wrong. Yesterday, he repeated the same mistakes.

When will he realize that the more he gets it wrong, the more the Canadian people have to pay?

[Mark Carney, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, he was wrong on crypto, wrong on Brexit and I could go on.

However, does he know what this government is right on? It is about co-operative federalism. We are working with the great Province of Alberta to make sure that Canadian energy powers the world. It is about ensuring our competitiveness. It is about working with the Province of Ontario, and a premier who picks up my phone calls and works with us to put Darlington new nuclear into power. It is about building Canada strong for all.

International Trade

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the past few days, the Prime Minister again claimed that 85% of Canadian exports to the United States are protected by CUSMA and that the tariffs applied to Canada and Quebec are the lowest the United States is imposing. It seems that, as of April 6, these are now the highest tariffs the U.S. is imposing on any country in the world, but yesterday's economic statement contained no measures.

Will the Prime Minister sharpen his pencil and make some changes to help businesses?

[Mark Carney, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his interest in this situation.

The government is currently developing measures to assist workers and businesses in the steel, aluminum, copper and derivative industries. We will announce those measures in the coming days.

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that sounds like good news, but to err on the side of caution, I would remind the House that the way tariffs are calculated changed on April 6.

Two weeks ago, I asked the Prime Minister if he would take action. What I got was pretty much radio silence. I asked him again the following week. He said that there would be measures to help businesses in the economic statement. However, there was no help for businesses in the economic statement.

Can I believe him this time?

[Mark Carney, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is always a good idea to believe the Prime Minister of Canada.

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we dealt with Justin Trudeau for 10 years.

As a result, I sincerely hope that the Prime Minister will accept the offer I made at a press conference earlier today and set partisanship and performative politics aside to ensure that, given the serious distress they are in, the businesses that account for roughly half of Quebec's exports to the United States will receive significant, adequate and timely assistance.

[Mark Carney, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Industry, my colleagues and I can assure Canadian workers and businesses affected by the new U.S. tariff threats that our measures will be swift and sufficient.

Finance

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is just another costly Liberal. He gave himself a gold medal for the highest deficit outside of COVID in Canadian history in his November budget. Yesterday, he gave himself a silver medal for having the second highest with his credit card budget. He spends more tax dollars on the interest on his debt than what goes to provinces in health care transfers.

Why is the Liberal Prime Minister's priority always to make bankers, bondholders and Brookfield richer?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, I have great news for skilled workers all across this country and everybody who wants to join the skilled trades. A $6-billion investment in getting people into the trades is helping apprentices right now to finish their training with up to $16,000 in support, while making sure employers have the support to hire those workers. In fact, Robert Kucheran from the Canada's Building Trades Unions says that it “is a strong statement of support and respect for Canada's skilled trades workers”.

I guess they will vote against those workers too.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, for a party that gave Canadians the second-highest unemployment in the entire G7, it is hard to believe those tradespeople will actually have a job after they graduate. This credit card budget has more debt, more costs, more spending and more taxes, all by the same old Liberals. Now Canadians have the highest food inflation, second-highest unemployment, highest consumer debt and highest housing costs in the entire G7.

Will the costly Liberal Prime Minister just finally admit he is a worse money manager than Justin Trudeau was?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, this is what Sean Strickland said. He is the executive director of Canada's Building Trades Unions. He said, “Our members work hard, often far from home, to build Canada. Today's measures will be felt at kitchen tables across the country.” He also said, “This announcement demonstrates a strong commitment to helping Canada Building Trades meet the moment by investing in increased capacity for...training...apprenticeship supports, and [support for]...youth”.

No matter what idea and no matter who endorses it, they vote against it. Shame on them.

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, these same old costly Liberals have continued their decade of credit card budgeting: more costs, more debt, more taxes, more of the same. In fact, the costly Liberal Prime Minister is now doubling the Trudeau deficit. He is literally doubling down on the failures of the past, failures that have delivered the worst housing, worst food inflation and worst economic growth in the G7.

When will the Liberal Prime Minister end his costly credit card budgeting so Canadians can afford to put food on the table and keep a roof over their head?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada]

Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives may be mired in the last decade or two of failure, this government is focused on the future and delivering today.

This spring update has an incredible opportunity for young Canadians. Up to 100,000 Canadians will have access to training and support to build the affordable homes and community infrastructure that this country needs to build Canada strong.

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I understand why that minister would not want to talk about the past, given his horrendous record on housing in the city of Vancouver. It is the same old story with these same old Liberals. Even Liberal-friendly columnists like Andrew Coyne have finally taken notice, saying, “Canada's New Government is no more interested in arresting our economic decline than Canada's Old Government”. Canadians are maxed out. They cannot afford the same reckless Liberal policies of the last decade.

Why have the Liberals doubled Justin Trudeau's deficit, doubled down on costly credit card budgeting and forced Canadians to pay more for gas, groceries and housing?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada]

Mr. Speaker, once again, Conservatives are attacking former mayors like they attack current mayors. They have no respect. For leaders of our cities and towns, leaders of our provinces and territories, leaders of our indigenous communities, they have zero respect. In my first seven years as a mayor in Vancouver, how much support did we get from the Harper Conservative government? Zero.

This government is focused on partnering with cities, towns and indigenous communities and delivering the affordable housing we need.

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after 11 years of Liberal deficits, Canadians are screaming to make it stop, but the banker Prime Minister is not listening. He said they just got started as they pile on another $37 billion in spending, weakening our economy even more. This budget promises more costs, more taxes, more debt and more inflation for hard-working Canadians who are already maxed out.

Why are Canadians paying the price for the Liberal government's out-of-control spending?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect for the member. We are optimistic about the future of our country. Let us hear from workers. Let us hear from Russ Shewchuk from the IBEW, who said that this economic statement “will super charge the Skilled Trades across Canada to help build and assist the much needed infrastructure and electrification of our country. It will transform apprenticeships in today's technology, safety and training, meeting the moment to supply a workforce for Major Projects from coast to coast to coast.”

That is how to build a Canada strong.

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury, ON]

Strap in, Mr. Speaker, because Canadians are now paying $59 billion in interest on the debt. That money is not going toward hospitals, highways or homes. It is contributing to the highest household debt, most unaffordable housing and second-worst productivity and unemployment in the entire G7. The Liberals are so far behind, they think they are in first place.

Will the Prime Minister admit that his costly credit card budget is rewarding bankers and lenders while making life harder for everyone else?

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

Mr. Speaker, this new government is fiscally responsible, reducing the deficit by $11 billion.

There has not been a single question today about workers. Let us hear from the workers. Let us hear from Marc Arsenault, the business manager for the building trades in Ontario. “The Federal Spring Economic Statement demonstrates that the Government is firmly committed to strengthening the skilled trades workforce at a time of economic uncertainty. The significant expansion of the Union Training Innovation Program including bricks-and-mortar investments for Red Seal trades, alongside enhanced incentive and completion grants and improved tracking, is a practical approach to supporting apprentices”.

That is how to build Canada strong for all.

[Jonathan Rowe, Conservative, Terra Nova—The Peninsulas, NL]

Mr. Speaker, bankers make their money by having their clients enslaved to death, and the banker Prime Minister is no different. He is just another costly Liberal. They even said the quiet part out loud. On their graph, they show that Canada's deficit-to-GDP ratio begins to skyrocket after the Prime Minister was appointed. Canadians now spend more money servicing the interest on Canada's credit card than all of our federal health care payments.

Will the Liberal government commit to a real Conservative fiscal plan that spends less on bankers and more on doctors?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, while the member opposite, the Conservative member from Newfoundland and Labrador, reads his prepared notes and likes his bit of theatre, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador are interested in the nearly $1-billion investment in small craft harbours. That is just the beginning.

It is time the member listens to his constituents and puts the work first. The theatrics can come at the school play.

Labour

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in its economic update, the federal government is investing $6 billion to train the construction workforce. The only problem is that workforce training falls under Quebec's jurisdiction. The Liberals say that they want to come to an agreement, but an agreement has already been in place for 30 years now. For 30 years, Ottawa has recognized that Quebec is responsible for determining its own labour market policies and priorities. For 30 years, Quebec has been designing, planning, delivering and evaluating the employment and training services that are right for Quebeckers.

In short, will the government transfer Quebec's share to Quebec with no strings attached?