Debates of May 29th, 2026

Steel and Aluminum Industry

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the fine member for Terrebonne, for that very good question.

Our aluminum processing companies across Canada, and particularly in Quebec, are facing difficulties related to the tariffs imposed by the United States. Our aluminum processors are the backbone of the Quebec and Canadian economy, representing more than 30,000 jobs and more than $11 billion in sales.

That is why we have already allocated more than $20 million to Quebec aluminum processors as part of our regional tariff response initiative, with an overall budget of $500 million. Our government is taking concrete action and we will always be there to help our—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member for Cariboo—Prince George.

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, residents of Williams Lake are once again sounding the alarm about rising crime, street disorder, open drug use and repeat violent offenders terrorizing local businesses and families. Williams Lake city council is holding an emergency public safety meeting after RCMP reported more than 1,400 calls connected to the downtown core already this year.

The Prime Minister promised Canadians safer communities, but after 11 years, people in Williams Lake feel less safe walking down the street, less safe opening their businesses and less safe raising their kids.

Will the Prime Minister stand in the House today and finally admit that his soft-on-crime policies have failed?

[Jacques Ramsay, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I found it interesting that the hon. member raised that subject, since the government, within one year, has done more than any government before it: Bill C-8 on cyberthreat, Bill C-9 on heinous crimes, Bill C-12 on border security, Bill C-14 on bail reform and more severe sentences, Bill C-16 on protecting victims and accelerating justice, and now Bill C-22 on legal access.

I hope that this time the Conservatives will vote with us.

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

Mr. Speaker, I do not know what fantasy world my colleague is living in, but there are bad people doing bad things to good people, and Canadians are fed up with it.

I spoke this week about a constituent who was run over, dragged down the street and left for dead. The perpetrators got off scot-free. Williams Lake city council is actually considering sending all the criminals to another jurisdiction because of soft-on-crime policies. This is real.

When will the Prime Minister admit that his catch-and-release experiment has failed to keep repeat offenders off the streets?

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

Mr. Speaker, my colleague just set out a number of bills, and he was quite right. This is the most ambitious agenda on fighting crime ever presented before the House.

What have we been met with? I want the people of Williams Lake to know that their member of Parliament stood up and obstructed and voted against measures that would help that community: measures that would keep violent criminals in jail, measures that would keep places of worship safe and measures that would keep child pornographers and extortionists behind bars. The people of Williams Lake need to know that.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Ponoka—Didsbury, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after 11 long years of the Liberals, crime is up everywhere, not just in big cities but in small rural communities as well. Many people will recall a recent case where a Wetaskiwin man shot and murdered another man on his own doorstep. Ten months later, the same murderer was out on Liberal bail when he beat his girlfriend to death in her home in Ponoka.

When is enough going to be enough? How many more families have to suffer losing loved ones before Liberals get serious and put dangerous offenders behind bars, where they belong?

[Jacques Ramsay, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the House that the government has made massive investments to strengthen the services provided by the RCMP and the CBSA. We are taking action to crack down on gang-related violence and hate crimes.

Bill C-14 will soon come into force to reform—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member for South Shore—St. Margarets has the floor.

Northern Affairs

[Jessica Fancy-Landry, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker, whether in rural Nova Scotia, such as in South Shore—St. Margarets, or in the Yukon, Canadians know that strong communities depend on the basics, including homes people can afford, roads and water systems that work, local food security, and infrastructure that withstands a changing climate.

Can the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs tell the House how our new government is working with Yukon partners to deliver real, practical results in our northern rural communities?

[Brendan Hanley, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for South Shore—St. Margarets for her leadership and incredible advocacy, not just for her riding but for all of rural Canada.

Canada's security and prosperity are rooted in the north, and the Yukon is central to how Canada builds and defends the north. Last week, the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and I were in the territory to announce investments of over $150 million in health and community infrastructure, as well as $100 million to deliver affordable homes through Build Canada Homes.

From Nova Scotia to the Yukon, we are ensuring that Canadians have the tools, the power and the housing to drive our own future.

The Economy

[Kathy Borrelli, Conservative, Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has taken Canada into a recession, the only one in the G7. How does he respond? His latest inflight catering bill for only three flights was $195,000. That is enough to pay for 2,600 food hampers at a Windsor food bank, enough for 36,400 days. While the Liberal Prime Minister led us into recession, he dined on luxury inflight meals while Canadians were starving.

How many more bad economic reports will it take for the Liberals to rein in their out-of-control, wasteful spending?

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

Mr. Speaker, of course, government members follow all federal regulations when they travel. The allegation was absurd.

The Conservatives read the same questions prepared by their leader 32 times a question period. I think Canadians have taken note this morning of a very important thing. Conservatives paraded into the House with glee, while we know Canadians face historic headwinds, wars in the Middle East, war in Europe and a trade war with our closest neighbour and trading partner. Canadians know that the government has a plan.

Foreign Affairs

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian citizens were subjected to physical, sexual and psychological abuse while illegally detained by Israeli forces last week. Canadians report being beaten and stabbed, while other international detainees report torture and rape by Israeli forces. This week, The New York Times and the UN confirmed wide-ranging sexual abuse and torture of Palestinian detainees, and this abuse is being celebrated by Israeli government ministers. Canada's inaction must end.

When will Canada impose sanctions on the Israeli government and suspend trade with Israel?

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs have condemned, in the strongest terms, mistreatment of any people who were on the flotilla. We have made our opinion extremely clear that it is unacceptable to treat people in that way.

At the same time, we continue to work on delivering humanitarian aid and ensuring that we find solutions that are permanent for the people of Gaza and all Palestinians to live in peace and security, with Israel and Palestine living side by side.

Indigenous Affairs

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Premier of Alberta, Danielle Smith, recently suggested that the Constitution be amended because she finds section 35 rights problematic for her pipeline dream. What is more troublesome, though, is that the Liberal Prime Minister has remained silent. However, that is not surprising, considering Amnesty International has confirmed that he has backslid on indigenous rights.

Indigenous peoples want to know, does the Prime Minister agree with Premier Smith, or will he take the honourable stand and condemn this dangerous proposition?

[Rebecca Alty, Liberal, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations]

Mr. Speaker, we will not be changing the Constitution. The Constitution must be respected, including section 35. When advancing on major projects, we will be ensuring that the duty to consult and accommodate will be followed.

Bill C-31—Notice of Time Allocation Motion

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

Mr. Speaker, an agreement could not be reached under the provisions of Standing Order 78(1) or 78(2) with respect to second reading stage of Bill C-31, a second act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on November 4, 2025.

Under the provisions of Standing Order 78(3), I give notice that a minister of the Crown will propose at the next sitting a motion to allot a specific number of days or hours for the consideration and disposal of proceedings at the said stage.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent—Akiawenhrahk, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I seek the unanimous consent of the House to table the following document: Statistics Canada—

[Some hon. members]

No.

Government Response to Petitions

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a)—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

I must interrupt the parliamentary secretary to remind members that they cannot pass between the person who is speaking and the Speaker during deliberations.

The hon. parliamentary secretary can start from the beginning.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 13 petitions. These returns will be tabled in an electronic format.

Environment and Sustainable Development

[Eric St-Pierre, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development entitled, “Main Estimates 2026-27: Votes 1 and 5 under Canada Water Agency, Votes 1, 5 and 10 under Department of the Environment, Votes 1 and 5 under Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and Votes 1, 5 and 10 under Parks Canada Agency”.

Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the 12th report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, entitled “Main Estimates 2026-27”. It has been tabled electronically.