Debates of April 30th, 2026

Schools in Mont-Saint-Bruno—L'Acadie

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

Mr. Speaker, over the past few weeks, I had the pleasure of seeing young people from Mont-Saint-Bruno—L'Acadie, where I visited several schools. I spoke with students and staff at École de Monseigneur-Gilles-Gervais and École Albert-Schweitzer. I was moved by their curiosity, their motivation and their interest in the future.

I also had the pleasure of welcoming students on Parliament Hill from Heritage Regional High School. They came to see how our democracy works. Their questions were clear and thoughtful.

These meetings are important. They show that we need to help our schools. They also show the need to help young people participate in civic life. I thank the principals, teachers and, above all, the students for their hospitality and energy.

Finance

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the latest report from the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University makes it clear: Financial pressure is not easing, Canadians are not getting relief and they are being forced to adapt to permanently higher prices.

The Liberal government's recent credit card budget shows that it is doubling down on a spend-now-pay-never fiscal policy that, for over a decade, has driven up the cost of everything from food to fuel to rent. The deficit has doubled, and for what? What tangible benefits has that spending delivered for Canadians?

The Prime Minister often touts this new government as some vector of change, but Canadians know it is the same ministers and advisers who buried this nation in debt. Simply swapping the prime minister with the architect of that very policy fools no one. This week presented an opportunity to provide relief and change course. Instead, they doubled the deficit, and that will only deepen the drain on households already stretched to their limits.

A better path remains possible that puts affordability and accountability first.

Stanley Cup Playoffs

[Claude Guay, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my dear Montreal Canadiens, the second-youngest team in the National Hockey League, are competing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs following an exciting season.

It brings back memories of my childhood in Montreal, when I could watch the Canadiens practise at the Verdun Auditorium, standing just a few feet from the legends that lit up the Forum and our TV set.

We know their names: Dryden, Savard, Robinson, Lapointe, Lafleur, Lemaire, Shutt, Gainey, Cournoyer. During those same years, when I was in high school, just a stone's throw from the old Forum, we experienced three incredible Stanley Cups.

Three times I was in detention, smiling, for having skipped school to attend the Stanley Cup parade.

We have just as much pride in today's young Habs.

I now summon all the ghosts of the old Montreal Forum, with all the fans from LaSalle—Émard—Verdun and across the country, to shout, “Go Habs, go”.

Finance

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

Mr. Speaker, the same old Liberals have continued their decade of credit card budgets. Not only has this costly Liberal Prime Minister embraced the same borrow-and-spend policies of Justin Trudeau, he has doubled down, doubling the deficit.

These failed policies have left Canadians with the worst housing costs, worst economic growth and worst inflation in the G7. The costs to Canadians are enormous. Interest charges on the national debt this year will reach $60 billion and in five years will be $90 billion. That works out to $3,400 in interest costs for every Canadian family this year. That money goes to bankers and bondholders instead of doctors and nurses. Interest payments on our debt are now the fastest-growing item in the Liberal budget.

The Liberals are mortgaging the future, selfishly racking up the credit card and leaving the bill for our kids and grandkids. Enough is enough. It is time to restore fiscal responsibility and put an end to these reckless Liberal credit card budgets.

The Salvation Army

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

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure today to welcome to Ottawa the world leaders of the Salvation Army, General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham, with officers of the Canadian headquarters, which is located in my riding of Don Valley West.

Dedicated to selfless service and holding high the dignity of those in need, the Salvation Army has been helping Canadians for more than a century. Through food banks and thrift stores, shelters and housing, long-term and palliative care, youth programs, life skills training and emergency disaster response, the Salvation Army is the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in Canada. The Salvation Army is an important partner for our federal government, helping people in need. I know every member of this House is grateful for its work in their communities.

From humble beginnings in the United Kingdom to transforming lives in 134 countries, their faithful work continues to inspire.

Finance

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this week, our national credit card got quite the workout with $37 billion in new inflationary spending, nearly $1,000 for every Canadian. Who pays? Canadian families forced to max out their own credit cards to buy groceries and pay the rent. For all of that spending, we still have the highest food inflation in the G7 and the highest housing prices, and now we spend more to service the debt than we do on health care to the provinces.

When will the government stop tabling reckless credit card budgets so that Canadian families can just afford to get by?

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

Mr. Speaker, if investing in skilled trades workers and opportunities for young people and helping apprentices in the pipeline finish with their Red Seals is inflationary, unnecessary spending, I guess we see where these guys are going in terms of their support.

However, let me tell members what the Building Trades Unions said yesterday, including Sean Strickland, Robert Kucheran and so many other building trades unions. They said it would go hard, go far and they are so happy with the investment in workers across this country. They cannot believe the Conservative Party will not get behind them.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the minister improved her self-control this time around. I am not surprised that another Trudeau holdover is pretending that everything is fine. The reality is that the Liberal government has killed the middle class. It has killed the very workers that it is now purporting to protect for more than a decade, with higher taxes and inflationary spending. The $37 billion of new spending from the latest credit card budget is only going to make things worse. Everybody knows that.

Once again, will the government stop these delusions and stop the spending so that Canadians can actually get ahead?

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

Mr. Speaker, I do not know which Canadians the member is talking about, but let me talk about some of the hard-working people across the country who are working so hard together to build up this country, people like electricians, plumbers, automotive technicians, crane operators and heavy-equipment operators. In fact, many are our sons and daughters all across this country are getting their skilled trades training, but having a hard time getting through.

Members should know that we are going to make sure that no one gets left behind. It is more than we can say for these guys.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, this week's costly budget update shows the Liberals are continuing their decade of credit card budgeting: more costs, more debt, more taxes, just more of the same. It turns out the Prime Minister is not some kind of financial expert. He is just another costly Liberal. His deficit is double Justin Trudeau's. He is forcing Canadians to pay more in interest on the debt than on health care. What is the result? They have delivered the worst inflation in 40 years, the worst food price inflation and the only shrinking economy in the G7.

When will the Liberal Prime Minister end his costly credit card budgeting so Canadians can afford to live?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member knows very well that Canada is in the best fiscal position in the G7.

However, yesterday in question period, I did not hear the Conservatives mention the word “workers” once, so let us hear from workers directly. Let us hear from Colin Daniels, who represents Saskatchewan Building Trades and is one of the members of the mighty ironworkers. Colin Daniels says:

This is a historic announcement from our Liberal Government. Supporting apprentices and Ironworker Union Training Centres through investments like UTIP is a critical part in delivering Canada's historic level of infrastructure investment. These nation-building projects depend on a strong, skilled workforce—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. member for Regina—Qu'Appelle.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, workers are tired of seeing their paycheques devalued by Liberal inflation. That is what workers are saying across this country.

However, after nearly a decade of the costly Liberal government, Canadians are maxed out while the Prime Minister has maxed out the country's credit card. If we want to play the quote game, do not take my word for it. Even The Globe and Mail wrote, “the Trudeau government did all sorts of things that steadily made matters worse, fiscally and economically speaking, the [new Prime Minister's] government will do almost nothing to make them better.”

Again, will these Liberals stop with the credit card budgeting so that Canadians can afford to live?

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

Mr. Speaker, our spring economic update is making very smart investments and making life more affordable for Canadians. The opposition does not seem to ever want to talk about affordable housing and the success that we are having, bringing rents down for 18 months in a row.

In this update, we can see up to 100,000 Canadian workers who are going to help build affordable housing for decades to come. We are going to make sure life is more affordable, especially for young Canadians looking for that first-time homebuyers' tax break and the ability to have a career building homes for Canadians.

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

Mr. Speaker, during the 2025 election campaign, the Prime Minister presented himself as a rigorous economist.

Today, Emmanuelle Latraverse of the Journal de Montréal clearly stated—as we all do, for that matter—that he is far more of a Liberal politician than an economist. In his budget update, he is increasing spending, he has no plan to balance the budget and he is setting us up for years of deficits. An economist would have imposed discipline. He, on the other hand, is currently expanding programs and putting off difficult decisions.

Why is the Prime Minister acting like a spendthrift Liberal rather than the serious manager he claimed to be before Canadians?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, when I listen to the Conservatives, I am struck by how casually they treat the tariff war. We are managing the threat of U.S. tariffs. At the same time, we are here to build a strong economy. Given these circumstances, we are protecting our social safety net and reducing our deficit by $11 billion.

We are here to support Canadians, and we will do so by maintaining the second-strongest economic growth in the G7. What is more, we will do so by having the strongest and most appropriate fiscal position of all G7 countries.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to hear that I left an impression on the minister. What I am struck by is the fact that absolutely nothing has been resolved, despite what she just said. The tariffs are still in place. In fact, they actually went up for all steel-related products. This is a disaster. Too many businesses are shutting down. That is the true state of affairs.

The members on the other side of the House are spouting fine words, but the reality is totally different. What we got from the Prime Minister's economic update was a budget containing yet more spending but no concrete solutions to the problems we face today.

Does the minister have anything relevant to say?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, our concrete solutions are clear. In the past six months, we have created 96,000 jobs. That is far more than would have been created by the Conservatives. In addition, we have succeeded in maintaining the second-strongest growth in the G7 and the strongest fiscal position.

Of course we know that Canadians need help. We know that gas prices have gone up. We know that grocery prices are still too high. That is why we have a strong social safety net. That is why we are here to help Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

Oil and Gas Industry

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are continuing to surrender to climate change in their economic update. There is not a penny to help our businesses cope with the new U.S. tariffs introduced on April 6, but meanwhile, oil companies are breaking out the champagne. The Liberals have poured $10 billion in public funds into trying to help them find business partners, not to mention another $25 billion through their so-called sovereign wealth fund, and they are extending the tax credits. It is our SMEs that are at risk of closing their doors, not oil companies.

Why are the oil companies the ones that are getting all the help?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, what we see in the spring economic update is that we are making progress in the fight against climate change and in protecting nature.

We have finalized the methane regulations, which will reduce emissions by 400 megatonnes. We have an auto strategy. In February, EV sales increased by 47% after we implemented that strategy. We will continue to be a leader in the fight against climate change, and we will continue this work.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have enough money to provide nearly $40 billion in aid to oil companies in the economic update, but not a penny for the media, which is in the midst of a crisis and facing widespread layoffs; not a penny for seniors struggling with the rising cost of living; and not a penny for our small and medium-sized businesses facing U.S. tariffs. On the other hand, when it comes time to say yes to the oil companies, the Liberals rush to do so.

Why do billionaire oil companies come before everyone else?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, I hope colleague is kidding. I do not think he even believes his own words when he reads them.

This morning, I spoke with my new colleague, my new counterpart, Quebec's minister of economy, innovation and energy, Bernard Drainville. We have agreed on several projects that are fundamental to Quebec's economy. Furthermore, we will very soon be announcing assistance for our small and medium-sized businesses in the steel and aluminum sectors. We know that the White House's interpretation of tariffs has changed. We know that businesses across the country, including in Quebec, are being affected. That is why we will be there to help them.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals claim that producing more oil will have no environmental impact thanks to carbon capture and storage. In their economic update, however, they have transformed their miracle solution into a new problem. They are expanding their carbon storage tax credit to include enhanced oil recovery. That means injecting CO2 into the ground to pump more dirty oil out. They want us to pay for that with a $14.5-billion tax credit, to boot.

How can they justify that?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, if people want to keep talking about our spring economic update, I am sure my colleague saw the nature strategy in it. The strategy includes a marine conservation area in James Bay. I should think the member would really like that.

We will keep going. We are once again investing in international climate finance. Canada is a global leader in international action, in methane and in nature conservation. That is what we see in the economic update.

Finance

[Leslyn Lewis, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this week's economic update proves that nothing has changed. In fact, the Prime Minister has doubled Justin Trudeau's soaring deficits and is also doubling down on 10 years of costly credit card budgeting. Now the media reports that the government is considering recycling capital from public assets like airports to put into the new so-called wealth fund.

I ask this Prime Minister, how much of Canada's public assets does he plan to sell to fund more wasteful Liberal spending?