Debates of May 27th, 2026

Aerospace Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, to describe a gullible listener, we used to say, “I have some swampland in Florida for you.” Now, thanks to the Minister of Defence, we can say a Canadian version: “I have a gravel pit in Nova Scotia for you.”

At the low cost of just $200 million, the Liberals are trying to build a spaceport. The problem is that the company that is leasing it is paying just $13,000, and construction will cost only $70 million.

If the construction is $70 million, and the lease is only $13,000, why are Canadians forking out $200 million?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I have really good news. Today we announced our commitment to procure the GlobalEye, Saab's airborne early warning and control aircraft platform. This investment will open new opportunities for Canadian workers, and it is projected to create 3,000 jobs in the Canadian aerospace and defence sector. This is going to be a key resource for the Canadian Armed Forces to enhance our North American security by detecting and deterring threats across the Arctic and beyond.

We are just getting started.

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

Mr. Speaker, my colleague begged the Liberals to try to have some respect for this place and answer the questions, but that is the essence of the scam. It is just illusions. The Liberals have figured out how to turn a gravel pit into a money pit. It is more costs and more debt, all on the national credit card.

If everything is above board and hunky-dory, as the minister claims, why does he not table in the House the lease agreement and give us the details? While he is at it, maybe he could explain why it is Liberal insiders who lobbied for it and Liberal insiders who would benefit from it.

Will the minister come clean today and give us a copy of the agreement?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, they do not want to hear them, but here are the facts: enhanced recruitment, up 61%, the highest in 30 years; biggest pay raises in a generation; major infrastructure renewal on 33 bases; new rifles, new kit and new uniforms for women; 7,500 new housing units, 800 of which are under construction; serious investments in Arctic offshore patrol ships; P-8 maritime patrol aircraft; 11 new SkyGuardian drones; space-based polar communications; and Arctic over-the-horizon radar. We are just getting started.

Climate Change

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

Mr. Speaker, I never thought I would say this, but those of us with an environmental conscience end up missing Justin Trudeau every so often. I sometimes find myself thinking that the Leader of the Opposition misses him too, but for different reasons, and I am sure the member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie misses those days. He has finally had enough of the government and the Prime Minister backtracking all the time and giving up on the environment. They have literally forced out a highly credible spokesperson on environmental issues.

Does the government realize that its climate betrayal has gone way too far this time?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure my colleague that our benches are full of members who are ready and willing to continue fighting climate change and protecting the environment. Canada is a global leader for its efforts, its nature strategy, its methane regulations and its international climate financing.

We are continuing to do the work, and we are doing it as a team.

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

Mr. Speaker, there is indeed such a thing as climate change. We can combat the effects of climate change, but not by scrapping the carbon tax, not by funding new oil pipelines, not by suspending environmental assessments and abandoning biodiversity protection measures, not by scrapping greenhouse gas emission caps, and not by abandoning emission capping targets.

Will the government start listening and reverse course on its huge climate betrayal blunder?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I am not going to take lessons from the leader of the Bloc Québécois, who authorized oil drilling on Anticosti Island.

If the member wants to talk about the work we are doing here, Canada is a global leader thanks to the work we do. When it comes to protecting nature, we just protected an area in British Columbia that is larger than Prince Edward Island.

We are continuing to make progress with our nature strategy. We have one of the cleanest power grids in the world. We plan to double its capacity through our electrification strategy, working with Hydro‑Québec and our other partners.

We are getting the job done.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the leader that there has been no drilling on Anticosti Island. Furthermore, the member for Laurier—Sainte‑Marie attempted to change the government and Canada from within. He failed, though I commend his courage in trying. As he said, he had little to no impact under Mr. Carney's government. Meanwhile, the Liberal Party's environment caucus—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The leader of the Bloc Québécois knows that members may not be referred to by name in the House.

He may continue.

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

I apologize, Mr. Speaker. I should have said “the Prime Minister”.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Party of Canada's environment caucus says that its job is not to talk about or protect the environment, but to support the Prime Minister. Now that the member for Laurier—Sainte‑Marie has left, is there anyone with an environmental conscience left in this government?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I will respond again. We have a team here. The benches are full of members. We are united in building Canada, building it well, protecting the environment and fighting climate change. What we are seeing is that, with the electricity strategy, as I said, we have one of the cleanest electricity grids in the world.

When I spoke with Hydro‑Québec, they asked us how we could help them build better electricity grids in the province. That is what we will do through investment tax credits.

That is exactly what we need to ensure we continue to fight climate change.

Rail Transportation

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians were promised that life would become more affordable if they trusted the Liberal government. Instead, families are falling further behind as the cost of everything keeps rising. After years of reckless spending, inflation, debt and more taxes, the Liberal Prime Minister is proving more costly than Justin Trudeau.

How does the Liberal government justify spending $90 billion, which is more than its entire deficit, on the Alto rail boondoggle in a transportation corridor that is already the most heavily serviced in Canada?

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are tired of the podcasts, bizarre workout videos and empty parking lot press conferences. They are tired of it.

On this side of the House, we are going to build the strongest economy in the G7. Abroad, we are signing trade deals that bring billions of dollars to our country. At home, we are cutting taxes. It is time for the Conservatives to put down the kettlebells and help us build Canada strong.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I will ask members to try to refrain from provocation.

The hon. member for Haldimand—Norfolk.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am hearing from desperate Canadians who are frustrated that the Liberal government prioritizes wasteful projects over the needs of families. In Haldimand—Norfolk, people are crushed by the cost of gas and basic necessities and the price of groceries, and they are choosing to pay their bills rather than putting food on the table. Now the government wants to spend $90 billion on a rail line that most people will never use, while Canadians are lining up at food banks just to survive.

Which Liberal insider stands to profit from this tax—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. Minister of Jobs and Families.

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

Mr. Speaker, constituents I am meeting in my riding are talking about the changes in their lives through the Canada dental care plan. People who have never been able to get dental care, who have not been covered by plans, for the first time in their lives are able to see the dentist. People with young children who have not been able to bring their children for dental care now have coverage.

Let us talk about child care for a minute. Over 900,000 children are benefiting from child care, and families in Ontario, that member's province, are now seeing savings of, on average, $13,000 per child. These are all things the Conservatives voted against.

Government Priorities

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians were billed $195,000 for inflight catering for the Prime Minister for three trips: Scottish salmon fillet, sautéed beef with world-famous creamy sauce and, for dessert, luxury Normandy butter cups. Every dollar the Prime Minister spends on his elite palate was first taken from a hard-working Canadian. This Prime Minister means more costs, more taxes, more debt and more on the national credit card.

Will he cut out his fine dining and rein in his inflationary spending, so Canadians can afford to eat?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister travels, does the member know what happens? He brings back jobs. He brings back investment. He brings back opportunity for indigenous people to participate with equity in projects. He brings back technology. He brings back expertise. He brings back military and industrial benefits to Canada.

The Prime Minister travels. Oh yes, he does, and do members know what he does? He brings back jobs, investment and energy to Canada.

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

Mr. Speaker, is the member saying that $195,000 for steak and fine wine is necessary for the Prime Minister to do his job? That is shameful.

In April alone in Canada, Canadians saw gas rise 28%, food rise 3% and hydro rise 20%. At a time like this, Canadians expect fiscal restraint because, for them, the cost of food and shelter is more than 125% of their income.

If the Prime Minister really wants luxury Normandy butter cups, can he just put them on his own credit card instead of on the backs of Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, we can be proud to have a Prime Minister who not only is travelling across the world to bring back investment and jobs but also is working in a very difficult environment across the world as the international rules order is shifting. That is what Canadians expect.

We were able to create jobs across this country. We have been able to create more than 70,000 jobs since last fall, and we will continue to do so.

Taxation

[Grant Jackson, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, we see another month gone and another disastrous report card on Liberal affordability measures. Food inflation is up, yet nobody on the Liberal benches can tell me their plan to increase food production. Rent is up, despite a fourth housing bureaucracy presented as a silver bullet. Now gas prices have surged 28% in April, the largest monthly increase ever recorded. Liberals promised relief, but instead, food, rent and fuel are further out of reach.

Today the Liberals have an opportunity to bring down food and fuel prices by taking all the tax off all the fuel for the rest of the year. Will the costly Liberal Prime Minister and his get-along gang vote in favour today?

[Rebecca Chartrand, Liberal, Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians voted in this new government to get results, and that is what we are doing.

The member opposite voted against every measure we are taking to support Manitobans. We are investing in housing, infrastructure and aerospace. In fact, I just met with students from the Plumbers and Pipefitters Union, Local 254. They are so excited about our Red Seal program and are working hard to get that $5,000 bonus. I do not understand why the member opposite keeps voting against these measures.