Debates of May 26th, 2026

Opposition Motion—Cancellation of Federal Taxes on Gas and Diesel and the Clean Fuel Standard

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I was listening to the member opposite and I found his speech and his arguments fascinating. Among other things, he criticized the fact that the Conservative proposal would essentially favour the wealthy at the expense of the less fortunate, while increasing the deficit. In this context, I was wondering about something, because it seems to me that the same argument could be made about suspending the excise tax on gas.

Why did his government put that in place? Does he agree with his government's decision? Ultimately, suspending the excise tax on gas is the same principle as suspending the GST. It is calculated the same way, and it benefits the same people.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I did not say what he said. I did not say that this would benefit only the ultrawealthy. What I was doing, and I said it many times, was talking about the exchange between the member for Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley and the Leader of the Opposition, who claimed that this would be more of a benefit for low-income Canadians. My argument is, no, it is not more of a benefit for them. What the Conservatives are proposing is more of a benefit for the ultrawealthy.

[Serge Cormier, Liberal, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague talked about helping others, helping Canadians and helping people in his riding. The Conservatives are saying that they are standing up for people, but when I presented a PMB in this room to create a school food program, the Conservatives voted against it.

Can my colleague tell me how this helps kids in schools in his riding? I know he visited some of them, just like I did in my riding.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for bringing forward that very important private member's bill, which did eventually get the support of the House without any Conservative support. The member would know this having studied the issue, but Canada was the last of the G7 countries to get a national school food program. Even the United States had a national school food program before Canada.

The reality of this situation is that we cannot even get Conservatives to recognize that maybe it is a good idea to make sure that kids are properly nourished when they start a day in school. By the way, when we have kids who are participating and receiving food in schools, we immediately start to see stereotypes break down around the haves and the have-nots, which is why programs like this are so important. The Conservatives will use them as opportunities to try to suggest that these programs are nothing other than government bureaucracy. I invite them to come to my riding, talk to the Food Sharing Project and see the work that it is doing on the ground with that government support to get food into the hands and bellies of children.

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

We have time for a very short question.

The hon. member for Regina—Lewvan.

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

Mr. Speaker, the member mentioned the child care program. The fact is that there are fewer child care spaces in Canada, across the country, now than there ever were before. The Liberals are committed to building 250,000 child care spaces. They are at 165 spaces. In the GTA, there were 5% fewer child care spaces. Their program is a failure. Every time government goes into a program, it becomes less of a program—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

I did say a short one.

The chief government whip.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member voted against it. He votes against every single one of these programs that I talked about. He voted against a national school food program. He voted against the disability benefit. He voted against all of this.

How am I supposed to take him seriously when he gets up in the House and tries to lecture me on supporting Canadians?

[Jagsharan Singh Mahal, Conservative, Edmonton Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Cariboo—Prince George.

One year ago, the community of Edmonton Southeast placed its trust in me to deliver change. After more than a decade of Liberal government, my community feels the effects. Grocery prices are sky-high, streets are unsafe and the fuel that powers their lives is more expensive than ever. Conservatives understand the importance of delivering common-sense solutions.

That is why this opposition day motion offers the government an opportunity to deliver relief to Canadians already struggling to make ends meet. Conservatives call upon the Liberal government to act by immediately ending all federal taxes on gas and diesel for the rest of the year, including the GST, and permanently scrapping the clean fuel standard.

Fuel is not a luxury. It is an essential input into almost every part of our economy. The cars that bring our kids to school, hockey practice, soccer games and medical appointments rely on gas. The trucks that bring food to grocery store shelves rely on diesel. The farmers who grow that food rely on fuel. The planes that bring parliamentarians from coast to coast to coast into this chamber are powered by fuel. The Liberals know this.

The Liberals know Canada is a big country. They know millions of Canadians cannot simply stop driving to work, stop transporting goods or stop heating their homes. However, what the Liberals do not seem to understand is the impact their policies are having on working Canadians, on seniors and on families across the country.

In my riding of Edmonton Southeast, I recently visited local seniors' residences. Many residents at these seniors homes tell me the same thing: It is getting more expensive for them to visit their grandchildren and families. Seniors are having to decide between buying a tank of gas or buying fresh produce. Our seniors should not have to make the choice between a drive across town to see their grandson's hockey game and a good meal. That is unacceptable.

Seniors in my community worked hard, paid taxes, built this country and played by the rules. They should not be punished by a government that keeps adding costs and then acts surprised when Canadians cannot keep up. That is why the Conservatives brought forward this motion calling on the government to adopt our plan, which would suspend all federal taxes on gas and diesel until the end of the year.

Our plan is not complicated. Our plan would save Canadians up to 25¢ per litre on gas. That would mean about $20 every time a family fills up a minivan, and up to $1,200 in savings for a family of four over the year.

The Liberals have offered only partial relief for part of the year. They suspended one tax for a limited time and then told Canadians they had already acted, but Canadians know the truth. They are still paying too much at the pump, too much at the grocery store and too much for the basic necessities of life. Lowering fuel costs is not only about the price at the pump. It is about the cost of everything that moves this country. Lower diesel prices reduce the cost of trucking. Lower trucking costs reduce the cost of groceries. Lower grocery prices help people in all our communities across the country.

When fuel becomes more expensive, everything becomes more expensive. The food on our shelves, the material used to build homes and the goods shipped across this country all cost more because fuel costs more. Canadian families have been experiencing this pain every day. Food prices continue to rise faster than household budgets can handle. Families are paying more for meat, vegetables and everyday groceries.

The Liberals say they understand affordability. If that is the case, then the government should have no problem supporting this motion. However, after more than 10 years, the same Liberal government continues to support policies that make life more expensive for Canadians. I will give an example of how disconnected the government is from everyday Canadians. When the finance minister was asked whether the government would extend fuel tax relief, his answer to Canadians was that the Liberals had already acted. I can assure the minister that the residents of my community who are lining up at the pumps do not agree that the government has done enough.

The facts are clear. Canadians are paying much more at the pump than Americans, even while global oil prices affect both countries. The difference is not just about world markets. It is about higher Liberal taxes and a government that continues to take more from Canadians when they can least afford it. Other countries have understood the pressures families are facing and have moved to reduce fuel taxes. Meanwhile, the Liberal government offered Canadians a half-baked solution and then congratulated itself. Canadians do not need more self-praise from Liberal ministers. They need relief, lower costs and a government that understands that when fuel costs more, everything costs more.

This motion is about fairness. At a time when Canadians are already stretched thin, the federal government cannot continue taking more from every litre of gas and diesel. It must scrap all federal taxes for a meaningful amount of time, giving working families immediate relief. In my community of Edmonton Southeast, people are not asking for complicated government programs or more Liberal talking points. They are asking for a government that understands their lives and works for them. They are asking for lower costs and no longer want to feel strapped for cash.

I will conclude with this. Just over a year ago, I came to Ottawa with the intention of delivering common-sense solutions for the hard-working people of my community. This is why the motion is so important. Conservatives are offering a clear and practical solution to an issue facing all Canadians. By ending federal taxes on gas and diesel for the rest of the year, including the GST, and permanently scrapping the clean fuel standard, members of the House can make life easier for those who need it most.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the member could acknowledge the hypocrisy we see coming from the Conservative Party.

On the one hand, Conservatives talk about the issue of affordability, yet when the government proposes initiatives like the Canada groceries and essentials benefit program, the Conservatives vote against it. When it comes to the national school food program, which, as has been pointed out by the government whip, is feeding hundreds of thousands of young children, the Conservatives vote against it.

There are a number of measures that the government has taken to deal with the issue of affordability because we understand the need. However, the Conservatives continue to vote against those measures. Why the hypocrisy?

[Jagsharan Singh Mahal, Conservative, Edmonton Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite can say that we are hypocrites when we oppose the subsidies, but those do not go to the base of the issues.

It is not the government's job, in a G7 country, to provide people with these kinds of perks. The job of the government should be to make sure that the people of the country have good-paying jobs so they can afford their own food and make choices about which food their children take to school. They should not be dependent upon the school principal's choosing whether they want to feed some chocolate or other non-nutritious food to the kids.

That being said, the need of the time is to scrap all the taxes on fuel, gas and diesel so Canadians can feel relaxed for the rest of the year.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette—Manawan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, does my colleague think that the government is doing too much for the oil industry?

The industry got $10 billion in subsidies last year. The government is rolling out the red carpet for oil and gas and suspending environmental regulations and laws. Meanwhile, globally, oil prices are through the roof, yet production costs here have not gone up. As a result, oil companies are generating record profits that are essentially going straight to shareholders, most of whom are in the United States.

Does my colleague think that the government is doing the right thing when it comes to oil companies?

[Jagsharan Singh Mahal, Conservative, Edmonton Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the responsibility of the government to make sure that corporations are held accountable, it has to do more. The increase in oil prices is not just because of global impacts or the war in the Middle East. It is partially because of our own government's wrong policies and its failure to scrap the taxes in a timely manner to provide immediate relief to Canadians.

[Fred Davies, Conservative, Niagara South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary to the government House leader says there is hypocrisy on this side of the House because we vote against funding programs to fund programs to fix problems that the Liberals created in the first place. That is the definition of insanity, in my view.

I would like to ask my hon. friend something. He is talking about the temporary relief from fuel taxes in Canada. We have been advocating for a permanent exemption for fuel taxes to really help Canadians in a time of need, not spending more money to fix problems that the government already created. I wonder what my hon. friend has to say about that.

[Jagsharan Singh Mahal, Conservative, Edmonton Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with what my colleague has said. The government needs to get out of the way when it comes to affordability, when it comes to providing good-paying jobs and when it comes to cutting bureaucracy in this country.

We need to make sure that all the steps the government takes make Canadians' lives more affordable, and that is exactly what the proposal is about. The opposition day motion is asking the government to cut fuel taxes by 25¢ per litre on gas and diesel for the rest of the year so Canadians can feel relaxed and there can be immediate relief felt.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order regarding Bill C-30, the spring economic update 2026 implementation act.

I would like to notify the House of a technical issue in clause 11. That clause of Bill C-30 proposes amendments to temporarily set the federal fuel excise tax rate to zero for gasoline, unleaded aviation gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel. A reference to leaded aviation gasoline was, however, not included in the proposed amendments in that clause.

As announced by the Prime Minister on April 14, 2026, the temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax is intended to apply to aviation fuels generally during the relief period. Therefore, it is the government's intention that the proposed amendments apply for all fuels used in the aviation industry, including leaded aviation gasoline. In response, the government intends to propose an amendment to Bill C-30 at the earliest opportunity, to remedy this issue and to ensure that the fuel tax relief applies to leaded aviation gasoline.

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

I thank the parliamentary secretary for that correction. It is noted.

Resuming debate, the hon. member for Cariboo—Prince George.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on that point of order, Conservatives would support, maybe, during that amendment, the government's changing it for the rest of the year. This is a novel idea. That is why we are here today. While the government is amending the proposal, why does it not just waive the taxes for the rest of the year and support this motion?

I have sat here and listened to the debate, and I apologize to all the people who are struggling to stay awake, not only here in the gallery but also at home watching, the 12 or 13 people who are watching on TV. This is so frustrating because the government says, “Surprise. Do not worry; we are here to help.” Then, of course, the real world sets in for those of us who live in rural and remote areas and know that everything the government has done, well, maybe not everything but most things it has tried to do, in the last 11 years has made life more difficult, especially for people who live in rural and remote areas.

Today in my riding of Cariboo—Prince George, a family pulls up to a pump to get gas. When they see the numbers ticking away, they start doing the math in their head. They wonder what they are going to forego. They cannot go to the grocery store anymore and buy just 100 dollars' worth of groceries. How far will that go? A hundred dollars does not buy even one bag of groceries, especially in rural and remote areas.

My riding is over 90,000 square kilometres. We do not have the benefit of jumping on an O-Train or other rapid transit to get groceries or go to medical services. In my riding, the one thing my constituents know is distance. We have to drive if we want to get groceries, sometimes for long hours. In my riding, it sometimes takes 12 hours for me to drive to a single meeting. Can members imagine someone trying to get medical services for their pregnant wife or a sick child? They have to make painful and hard decisions as to what they are going to do.

I remember when we had this debate in the last Parliament. When I was fighting for forestry and asking what I should tell the forestry worker who is now out of work, there was the audacity of the other side, saying to tell them to move and find another job. We do not have that luxury in rural and remote areas. My riding is resource-based and agriculture-based. Everything we produce in our riding is dependent on fuel and the cost of it. Who pays that price ultimately? It is my constituents. It is the consumer.

The government wants to stand up and say that it is giving a rebate and that, guess what, in June there is going to be a little bit more money in Canadians' pockets. However, while they are giving that money with one hand, they are taking it away with the other hand. The Liberals have made life so unaffordable.

The chief government whip said that he did not say this, but everybody heard him say it, or something like it: He will not vote for a motion that benefits the unbelievably rich.

Here is the reality of what we are asking for in this motion. Let me remind the people who are in the gallery and others who are listening. The motion says:

That, given that,

(i) gas prices are 13% higher in Canada than in the United States, equating to 22 cents more on average per litre,

(ii) gas now costs 50 cents more per litre today than when global oil prices were at the same level in 2014,

(iii) the Minister of Finance and National Revenue told Canadians on May 19, “We have already acted”,

(iv) Canadian families are still paying more to live due to a decade of Liberal credit card budgets, waste and mismanagement,

the House call on the government to offer Canadians immediate relief by ending all federal taxes on gas and diesel for the rest of the year, including the GST, and permanently scrap the Clean Fuel Standard.

If they were really for Canadians, they would just scrap it. It is a common-sense motion. However, they will not. They say that Conservatives are bad and that the government has done a lot for Canadians already. Man, the government is so out of touch. This is my first time back in a number of weeks, due to a surgery, and I cannot say how maddening this is. In my recovery, I sat screaming at the TV because we hear the Liberal gobbledygook every day. They spew it.

What is funny is the hypocrisy of it all. When they had Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, they were all for the carbon tax, but now they have seen the error of their ways. Now all the people on the other side have found a new messiah whom they are following. It is just maddening.

The Liberals are so out of touch. Many of them, not all, have constituencies they can drive across in literally minutes. They have the benefit of rapid transit, such as the O-Train or SkyTrain or other rapid transit, but this is not true for those of us in rural and remote areas, where the Liberals' policies are absolutely punishing us.

Do not even get me started on their “jail, not bail” and their catch-and-release policies. That is coming a bit later.

In rural and remote areas, we are facing the wrath of Liberal policies, and the Liberals just do not get it. It is so frustrating. I believe there are good people on all sides of the House, even though I am getting scorned and mean-mugged right now by somebody on the other side who is staring at me. I do not care. He can laugh all he wants. He is laughing at the hardship of Canadians, and that is disgusting. Canadians should be angry and frustrated at this.

Right now, my staff are probably pulling their hair out because they created a beautiful speech for me, but as members can see, I have not opened even one page, because I am so infuriated by what the Liberals are saying and doing.

The reality is this: After 11 years, a decade, of Liberal mismanagement, the Liberals say they are going to do one thing, but then they do another thing. They apologize and say they will do better. Today their hon. colleague stood up and said, “Oops, we made a mistake in rushing”, and they probably forced closure on it. In rushing the bill through, they made a mistake and want to amend the bill. Here is a simple amendment: When they are opening the bill back up, just eliminate the tax for the rest of the year.

[An hon. member]

Get 'er done.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Get 'er done.

Mr. Speaker, it would benefit so many Canadians. I would stand up, and I think other colleagues would stand up, if the Liberals voted in favour of our motion, and applaud them. In the spirit of good faith and good nature, why does the government not do that?

I know what the Liberals are going to say: “We cannot trust the Conservatives, those dirty Conservatives." This is what they are going to say, but it is not true. There is one side that has been fighting for Canadians, and it is us on this side. It is frustrating that the Liberals stand up time and again and spew these talking points that somebody, short pants in the back room, has come up with. The colleagues across the way stand up and bring forth this stuff, and it is just maddening. It is just untrue.

The Liberals' policies have hurt Canadians, especially people such as those in my riding of Cariboo—Prince George, over 90,000 square kilometres where we do not have the benefit of O-Trains, the SkyTrain or other rapid transit. We actually have to drive for critical services. The Liberals have targeted rural and remote areas. They have actually forced rural and remote against urban in their policies, and that is unfair. They should support our motion, and I hope they will.

Alex House

[Ernie Klassen, Liberal, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Mr. Speaker, for over 100 years, Alex House in my riding of South Surrey—White Rock has been dedicated to empowering people to build and nurture a strong, connected community by offering programs and services that support individuals and families at every stage of life, from early childhood education and youth programs to seniors' services, wellness initiatives and community outreach.

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of Alex Fest, a celebration held on Semiahmoo First Nation land bringing together families, local artists and neighbours from across the Semiahmoo peninsula to share in creativity, learning and community spirit.

I would like to thank the board, staff and volunteers for their continued commitment and recognize Penny Bradley for her outstanding leadership. At the heart of Alex House is a simple truth. Its mission would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of volunteers.

I congratulate Alex House on these important milestones.

High-Speed Rail

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lévis—Lotbinière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the feedback about Alto's high-speed rail project, which is being promoted by the Liberal Party and relatives of influential ministers, has been very negative.

According to Radio-Canada, some 500 farms and 1,200 landowners will be affected in the Montreal-Ottawa corridor alone. Just imagine how many people who will be expropriated over the 1,000-kilometre route. Considering our Canadian winters, this project will almost certainly run into surprises that will affect the final bill and the train's ability to operate. There are not many such trains running in our climate, especially at cruising speeds of 300 kilometres an hour.

Governing is about making choices, and making choices without social licence would jeopardize our private, unsubsidized means of transportation in favour of a subsidized means of transportation benefiting a handful of regular travellers. I urge the government to listen to the people of Canada before it is too late to turn back. If it is really looking for a good idea to support, there is always Quebec City's third link.

Forced Adoptions

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, between 1945 and the 1970s, hundreds of thousands of unmarried mothers in Canada were coerced into surrendering their babies for adoption. This occurred under intense pressure from religious organizations, social workers and the medical community, particularly in maternity homes and hospitals.

I first learned about this shameful part of Canadian history from a 2018 Senate report, led by the Hon. Art Eggleton, entitled “The Shame is Ours”. I got to know the courageous Valerie Andrews, a survivor of this cruel practice and tireless advocate with Origins Canada for the mothers whose babies were taken from them. I read Heather Marshall's profound book, Looking for Jane, which sheds light on the treatment of unwed mothers in Canada in the post-war years.

Australia, Wales, Scotland and Ireland all had similar practices and all have acknowledged the historic wrongs these women and their children were subjected to. These women, those who are still alive today, are elderly, and they deserve to know that what happened to them was wrong.

Alberta

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am a fifth-generation Albertan, and I believe in the future for a strong Alberta within a united Canada. I will vote for Alberta to remain a province of Canada. However, members of the House must understand that many Albertans are angry, and I am one of them. We are angry that, since 2015, this Liberal government has made decisions and introduced laws that harm Alberta right up to this very day.

Now is the time for the Prime Minister to show leadership. It is time for him to acknowledge how much harm his government has done to the unity of this country. It is time for him to show humility. It is time for contrition. It is time for action that will prove to Albertans that their federal government cares enough about Alberta to admit to its mistakes. It is time to show Alberta that Confederation works and to convince Albertans that the best is yet to come for Alberta within this great country, Canada, that so many Albertans and I love so much.

Ken Mayhew

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ken Mayhew, the late president and CEO of the William Osler Health System Foundation.

Ken was a respected leader in our community and a kind, thoughtful and genuine person who united people in support of causes that strengthen our community. Since joining the Osler foundation in 2012, Ken spent over a decade advancing charitable giving and strengthening health care in Brampton and surrounding areas. Before Osler, Ken devoted more than 20 years to the MS Society of Canada advancing research and support for people living with multiple sclerosis, reflecting his lifelong commitment to improving lives.

I also want to recognize Dr. Frank Martino and the Osler team who continue to carry forward that mission.

My thoughts are with Ken's wife Suzanne, his daughters Kate and Lia, all his family, friends, colleagues and the Osler community.

Ken's legacy of care and service will live on.