Debates of May 26th, 2026

Oxford County

[Arpan Khanna, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as Canadians plan their summer getaways, I invite them to beautiful Oxford County. Known as the dairy capital of Canada, Oxford is where beautiful farmland, small vibrant towns and unforgettable experiences come together. From the famous cheese trails to our farmers' markets, every road leads to something worth discovering. Visitors can stroll along historic downtown streets, enjoy incredible restaurants, relax at the local spa and camp under the stars.

Summers in Oxford come alive with Cowapolooza, the Highland Games, Pizza Fest, TurtleFest, classic car cruises, tractor pulls, fairs and community celebrations. Families can visit farms, pick delicious berries and even watch the vintage Harvard planes take off into the summer skies. Oxford is a place filled with character, community and memories waiting to be made.

This summer, come and visit Oxford.

Beyond Hoops Africa

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey Newton, BC]

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrated Africa Day yesterday, I would like to recognize the impactful work of Beyond Hoops Africa under the leadership of James Kamau. Rooted in Surrey's African diaspora, this organization represents the power of community-driven development across borders.

Through initiatives in Kenya, it is expanding access to clean water, building sports facilities and promoting environmental stewardship. Equally important, it is creating meaningful opportunities for Canadians to engage in global citizenship and support sustainable change. Its work reflects the very best of collaboration, compassion and leadership, strengthening ties between Canada and Africa while empowering youth and communities toward a brighter future.

Kitchener Rangers

[Kelly DeRidder, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to say just how proud I am of the Kitchener Rangers. What we have seen this season is pure talent and character. Winning the OHL championship does not happen by accident. It takes discipline, resilience and a relentless commitment to one another day in and day out. It is about showing up when it matters, pushing through, having a commitment and believing in each other as a team.

To see the Rangers competing for the Memorial Cup, the most prestigious prize in junior hockey, is something truly special. The Rangers are representing the entire Kitchener-Waterloo community with heart, determination and skill.

The players, coaches and staff have made our city proud. No matter what happens next, they have shown what it takes to compete at the highest level. Let us be real, the boys have this.

Go, Rangers.

Robert Boyer

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Robert Boyer, a man who continues to light up our lives.

Following a career with the Sûreté du Québec, he served as a trusted confidante to our former leader, Gilles Duceppe, inspiring confidence in everything he did. In Rawdon, his memory still moves everyone who knew him and those who are mourning his passing. He had a quick smile and had lived a thousand lives. From the open seas to Camp Mariste, he was driven by a hunger to live life to the fullest, despite the weariness of the flesh. He gave, and gave, and gave some more, until he became the gift itself. His wife, Suzanne, the gentle guardian of his final years, gave unto him what he could no longer give unto others, like a light returning to the source.

My heart goes out to his children and grandchildren, and to his family and friends. People said he was too kind, as if kindness could ever be excessive. The sheriff with the heart of gold will never be forgotten. His memory lives on in every invisible act of kindness and compassion.

I salute Robert and I thank him.

National Consulting Engineering Day

[Tim Watchorn, Liberal, Les Pays-d'en-Haut, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark National Consulting Engineering Day. This is an opportunity to celebrate a Canadian success story, namely the experts who design and build the infrastructure that is essential to our daily lives.

Canada is, without question, an engineering superpower. The sector employs nearly a quarter of a million Canadians and contributes about $35 billion to our economy.

As an engineer, I see the tangible impact of this work every day. Whether it is hospital expansions, new ports opening the doors to international trade, or infrastructure corridors linking Canada from coast to coast, these projects transform the lives of Canadians. Although some projects are national in scope, all projects are of vital importance to the communities they serve. That is why, this National Consulting Engineering Day, I invite all members of the House to join me in thanking the teams of engineers and other professionals who help build the country that makes us proud to be Canadian.

Komagata Maru

[Sukhman Gill, Conservative, Abbotsford—South Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this week marks the 112th anniversary of the Komagata Maru incident. The Guru Nanak Jahaz is a monumental event for Sikh communities across our nation. ln 1914, 376 passengers, 340 Sikh, 24 Muslim and 12 Hindu, arrived in Vancouver with dreams for a better future. lnstead, they were unjustly denied entry and forced to return home after months in the harbour.

We remember the hardships faced by those aboard the Guru Nanak Jahaz while also honouring the strength and resilience shown by Sikh Canadians and South Asian communities throughout generations. As a Sikh member of the Conservative caucus, it is an honour to rise in recognition of this anniversary and the lasting contributions Sikh Canadians have made to our nation.

Acadia

[Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Speaker, Acadian civil society is here on the Hill this week to discuss issues of importance to Acadia. We Acadians have been present in North America for over 400 years. Although we have faced our share of challenges throughout our history, we remain a strong, resilient, proud and forward-looking people.

We are deeply attached to our symbols, such as our national holiday on August 15. In the 2025 budget, we not only doubled funding for National Acadian Day, but we made it permanent. This is a wonderful recognition of our Acadian people by our government.

Furthermore, I am very pleased to announce that the Baie-des-Chaleurs region will host the 2029 Congrès mondial acadien, which is already shaping up to be a unifying event with a promising future. Acadians from all corners of the world will gather in my part of the country to celebrate their identity and strengthen the bonds that already unite them.

CBC/Radio-Canada

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I always thought the role of the media was to hold the powerful accountable and to unapologetically seek the truth. Apparently, however, the CBC views it as trying to deceive and trick individual Canadians into bizarre and intentional traps.

A new TV series from the CBC lied and used fictitious production companies, aliases and made-up stories in an effort to dupe Canadians for the purpose of political propaganda. It deceived RCMP veterans by inviting them to fake ceremonies only to publicly humiliate them. It targeted ordinary citizens who had concerns about land claims and private property rights. It partnered with well-known, far-left American activists to attack Canadian history, Canadian institutions and Canada's first prime minister. It was all paid for using taxpayer money.

The CBC is a Crown corporation. Its mandate is to serve all Canadians, not to target them, not to deceive them and certainly not to produce political propaganda designed to denigrate their beliefs.

LaSalle—Émard—Verdun

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

Mr. Speaker, today, over 20 residents from my community of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun rose early, packed into a tour bus and came to our nation's capital to see their democracy at work. They have toured the Parliament, they have experienced a rich and evolving history and they will watch the important discussion that we have in this place this afternoon.

Like so many others across Canada, my constituents are small business owners and community leaders, actively involved in community organizations that they lead with pride and passion. Some have been here for generations; others are just beginning their journey. Together, they embody our country's diversity, which is its richness, its strength and its identity.

I would like to extend my warmest thanks to Bienvenue à l'immigrant, CARD, Association Calabrese, the Maison d'Entraide St-Paul et Émard and Association Messinese for all the work they do for our community.

Liberal Party of Canada

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after 11 years, it is the same Liberal waste and Liberal corruption going on every single day.

The Liberals spent nearly $300 million on the PrescribeIT program, yet they could not explain where the money went and why almost nobody used it.

Liberal-connected consultants are now getting a gobsmacking $26 billion a year, up 37% from the previous year. This is costing the average family $1,400.

They are spending $200 million on a so-called spaceport that is nothing more than a gravel parking lot in Nova Scotia.

Meanwhile, after all this spending, 2.2 million Canadians go to food banks every single month. It is really not hard to figure out how these Liberals doubled Justin Trudeau's deficit. What is really hard to figure out is why things are still so hard for average Canadians.

Queen's University

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome leaders from Queen's University to Parliament Hill.

Founded in 1841 in Kingston, well before Confederation, Queen's has a long tradition of academic excellence and public service, helping shape generations of leaders in Canada and beyond. Today, it remains a national leader in research, innovation and education, with work that aligns closely with Canada's priorities. Its contributions in areas such as defence research, advanced technologies and high-performance computing are helping strengthen our security, competitiveness and innovation capacity. Through strong partnerships and commitment to excellence in science, engineering and talent development, Queen's plays an important role in keeping Canada resilient and looking forward in a rapidly changing world.

I thank the delegation for their leadership and engagement and wish them a productive visit.

Indigenous Affairs

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, litigation guideline 14 was the Liberal government instructing federal lawyers not to defend property rights and argue that they extinguished other claims in the federal Cowichan decision. The judge came forward and said, “Okay,” and agreed that aboriginal title, then, came before homeowners' property rights in British Columbia. Now seniors and families toss and turn at night, wondering if they even own their homes.

Will the Prime Minister reverse course, stop muzzling federal lawyers, revoke guideline 14 and defend property rights in B.C.?

[Mark Carney, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as I rose in this House a few weeks ago and made clear, this government will always defend private property rights. That is why this government immediately appealed the decision with respect to Cowichan, on September 8.

We fundamentally disagree with the B.C. Supreme Court's decision. We will use all viable legal options to address and protect private property rights, always, in this country.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is banning his lawyers from making those viable legal arguments, because guideline 14 is still on the federal government's website. He is the client and is instructing the lawyer not to make the valid legal argument that fee simple private property rights extinguish all other claims. If he makes the same arguments, he will get the same results.

Millions of British Columbia homeowners wonder if they even own their home. They are tossing and turning every single night.

Will the Prime Minister admit the Liberal government made a mistake, unmuzzle the lawyers, get rid of guideline 14 and put property rights first in court?

[Mark Carney, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is sad. The person who is tossing and turning every night is the Leader of the Opposition, trying to come up with new ways to stoke fear and division in this country.

We will always defend private property rights in this country. That is why we immediately appealed. That is why we are acceding with the Montrose claim. That is why we are supporting the City of Richmond and the Province of B.C. in this important case. We will take all viable legal options. We respect property rights and indigenous rights to reconciliation.

Taxation

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, in 2014, the world was going through an energy crisis. There were wars going on in Syria, Iraq and Ukraine. At the very moment that the price of a barrel of oil was $100, the price at the pump was $1.38. That was 2014, during the Stephen Harper years. Today, the price of oil is lower, but the price at the pump is 40¢ per litre higher. Those are not world impacts. Those are Liberals impacts.

Will the Prime Minister reconsider his taxes and policies that are weakening the dollar, so that Canadians can afford to fill up their tanks?

[Mark Carney, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the government has already cut the consumer carbon tax. That was 18¢ per litre. We suspended the federal fuel tax. Some things have changed since the time of the Harper government, such as the impact on refineries and the impact of supply shortages.

However, one thing never changes. The Leader of the Opposition still opposes all measures that support Canadians.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, there was a world energy crisis, and wars in Syria, Iraq and Ukraine, but at the very moment that oil hit $100 a barrel all around the world, here in Canada it was only $1.38 at the pump. Those were the Harper days in 2014.

Today, with oil prices being lower on a worldwide level, gas prices are over 40¢ a litre higher. Those are not world impacts; those are Liberal impacts.

Will the Prime Minister reverse his policies of high Liberal taxes and a weak Canadian dollar, so Canadians can afford to fill up at the pump?

[Mark Carney, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, some things have changed since the Harper days, thankfully. One of them is refinery margins, which are up by 40¢ in Canada. Forty cents, that is a curious number. Refinery margins are up because of the loss of petrol.

One other thing that has not changed is that the Leader of the Opposition is against child care. He is against dental care. He is against pharmacare. He is against everything that supports Canadians in this affordability crisis.

The Economy

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, lots has changed since Harper's time. Gas prices are more than 40¢ a litre higher, even though the world oil price is actually lower. Now the Prime Minister has made up a new excuse, that there are not enough refineries under his leadership. Maybe he should get out of the way and let refineries build in Canada.

We have a Prime Minister who likes to blame the rest of the world. He has given Canadian households the worst debt anywhere in the G7, with delinquencies up 18% year over year.

Will the Prime Minister stop making excuses and reverse the inflationary policies before Canadians lose their homes?

[Mark Carney, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, Liberal policies are delivering wages for Canadians that are growing faster than inflation. The government's policies are delivering inflation that is lower in Canada than in the United States. The Liberal government's policies are delivering female employment that is five percentage points above the United States.

This country is working. We are moving forward. He is trying to hold it back.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, things are great for the Brookfield class, for those who stash their cash in offshore tax havens and take government handouts, getting rich, but for the rest of Canadians, here is what Equifax says: insolvency volumes have increased to levels not seen since 2009, up 19% year over year; balance delinquency rates climbed 32% year over year; and Q1 saw insolvency volumes hit 17-year highs, partly due to escalating financial strain on mortgage holders.

If things are so good and affordable, why is it that 1.5 million Canadians missed at least one essential payment in the first three months of the year?

[Mark Carney, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, this government is moving forward this economy in the face of a global energy crisis, in the face of a tariff crisis and in the face of wars. This country is the second-strongest economy in the G7. We are growing strong. We have the strongest fiscal position in the G7. We have a plan. Canada has a bright future.

Justice

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has to respect democracy, but yesterday he did the opposite by announcing that he would use the Clarity Act to meddle in Alberta's referendum question. The provinces and Quebec have the right to ask their citizens any question they choose in a referendum. Citizens have the right to answer freely, and the majority wins with 50% of the vote plus one. Only two groups are involved: the government asking the question and the citizens answering it. That is democracy, plain and simple.

Will the Prime Minister respect that?

[Mark Carney, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as Prime Minister, I have to heed the experts' advice.

I have just received the experts' opinion on the applicability of the Clarity Act. It does not apply to Alberta's question. However, according to the Clarity Act, in Canada, there must be a clear expression of a will by a clear majority of the population of that province in order to have a true vote on secession.