Debates of May 6th, 2026

Taxation

[Rhonda Kirkland, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Whitby can call me delusional, but he is clearly not living in the real world. If global oil prices were the same 12 years ago, and Canadians were paying 45¢ less, then they clearly do not explain today's sky-high gas prices. Our gas prices are a made-in-Canada problem, driven by the Liberals' newly named carbon tax and a weak dollar caused by a weak economy.

Will the Liberals take our common-sense plan, unblock our oil and gas production and make Canada affordable and strong at home?

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

Mr. Speaker, the reason for high gas prices is a war in Iran. They do not seem to understand this—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The member may continue.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives appear to have omitted the basic fact of why oil prices have spiked, and that is that we have a conflict in the Middle East, in Iran. The Strait of Hormuz is presently closed, taking 20% of global oil capacity off of the market. Canada, for its part, has reduced the price of fuel by reducing taxes by 28¢ over the last year.

Automotive Industry

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have breaking news. Reports say that Honda has scrapped plans to build a new $15-billion EV plant in Alliston, at the cost of thousands of jobs. This is a direct result of Liberal policies that forced Canadian automakers to make cars that Canadians do not want. They are now spending $2.3 billion to fund rebates on foreign-made EVs.

With no consumer demand and no CUSMA deal in sight, it is no wonder manufacturers are walking away.

Why are Canadian auto workers paying the price for the Liberals' failed auto policies?

[Karim Bardeesy, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, we know that tariffs are affecting the industry globally, but we also know that we have a very strong plant in Alliston, with 4,100 workers. They recently rolled off their 11 millionth car, making the popular CR-V and Civic brands.

We also know that we need to be there for our sector, which is why we are investing in workers. We are embracing a sustainable future, and we are attracting new investment, which I will be happy to get into in the supplementary.

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, they cannot blame market shifts for their own failures. The Liberal government told us for years that the future is EVs. They just did not tell us that it was Chinese EVs. The government should be making it cheaper for Canadians to buy the cars they want to drive, built by Canadians. Instead, the Liberal policies are killing auto jobs and investment while subsidizing foreign-made electric vehicles, such as the 49,000 imported from China this year.

Will the Liberals admit that they are choosing Chinese automakers over Canadian workers?

[Karim Bardeesy, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, the head of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association, on Monday, at committee, said that the rebate policy was a good policy and that it embraced the purchases of the kinds of vehicles Canadians want.

In terms of EVs and other kind of investments, the good news is that there is new investment coming, the PowerCo plant in St. Thomas, the NextStar facility, which has rolled off one million battery cells. We have new investments in Cambridge, Oshawa and Oakville. There are investments in St. Catharines.

Investments in our sector are happening with the government's support and because there is confidence in this industry. It is a coast-to-coast sector, with concentration in southern Ontario, and we will continue to be there for that.

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is selling out Canada's auto sector and doubling down on Chinese EVs. I want to know if he will be riding in one in his motorcade.

Experts have called the EVs “rolling spy vans”, designed to feed data back to servers in China. The Prime Minister called China our greatest security threat. The government is still shipping 49,000 of them in while our own automakers are shut out.

Why is the Prime Minister compromising our national security and our auto industry to cozy up to Beijing?

[Evan Solomon, Liberal, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, I respect the hon. member, but I am surprised that the opposition continues to run down auto workers and this sector in the midst of a trade war. We just put forward $1.5 billion to support the sector with steel, aluminum and copper, as well as auto workers.

The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters said this is “a constructive step to help manufacturers and exporters manage through a period of significant economic uncertainty.” The Canadian Steel Producers Association said it is “essential to help pivot and realign our businesses to ensure our long-term competitiveness as we navigate this...trade war.”

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. member for Abitibi—Témiscamingue.

Health

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, cost overruns are a Liberal hallmark. First there was Cúram, which is now costing taxpayers $7 billion following yet another cost overrun according the economic update. Everyone has heard about ArriveCAN and Phoenix, and now there is PrescribeIT, a software designed by the federal government to meddle in health care and prescribe medication. It cost $300 million, almost eight times more than expected, and that $300 million is a complete waste because nobody is using this software and the Liberals are pulling the plug.

Why is our money going up in smoke yet again?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I want to set the record straight for my colleague. To start, the first piece of good news, I would say, is that while it is true that the PrescribeIT program did not work across the country, it did work well in Quebec. That is the first point.

What you need to know is that this program was introduced—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The minister must address the member through the Chair.

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when the new government came to power, we looked at the program and saw that it was not working. We decided to put a stop to it. That is how we make good use of taxpayers' money.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are again taking advantage of their new majority, which they engineered by enticing floor crossers. This time, they are silencing the opposition with respect to PrescribeIT, a software designed to interfere with health care and prescribe medication. After wasting $300 million on it, the Liberals are abandoning it because nobody is using it.

Yesterday, in committee, I moved a motion calling on the Minister of Health to appear and explain this fiasco. The Liberals used their majority to prevent us from putting it to a vote.

Will the minister explain herself before the committee and denounce the censorship—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. minister.

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, since I have been Minister of Health for the new government, I believe I have appeared five times before the Standing Committee on Health. I have no problem sitting down and working with my colleagues.

Finance

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

Mr. Speaker, let us not forget that, last year, when the internationally renowned banker ran for Prime Minister, he said that he would be careful with taxpayers' money. A year later, here are the results: The cost of living is very high, we have the worst food inflation in the G7, there are more taxes, more debt and more charges on the credit card. In short, this great banker is nothing more than a costly Liberal.

When will the Prime Minister realize that racking up up countless credit card charges is not going to create wealth for Canadians?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, let us not forget that, last year, the member's leader presented a budget plan that contained over 17 photos of himself, and none of the numbers in that plan were supported by economists. That is why Canadians made the wise choice to reject the Conservatives' proposal and opt for the serious proposal put forward by this Prime Minister and this government, which has put Canada in the best fiscal position in the G7. We have the second-strongest growth in the G7 and are way ahead of the third- and fourth-place countries, while also delivering tax cuts for the middle class, support for those who need it and a strong economy.

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

Mr. Speaker, let us remember that a year ago, the Liberals were forecasting a $31‑billion deficit. One year later, it is twice that—$65 billion. That is the reality after one year of Liberal governance. Worse still, the outlook from now to 2031, according to the economic statement, is another trillion dollars added to the debt. More and more spending is an indication that the deficits will increase.

Do the Liberals realize that spending money we do not have leaves our children and our great-grandchildren holding the bag and that future generations will have to pay for the Liberals' irresponsible management?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, what would be irresponsible would be to do as my colleague suggests and deprive 27,000 people in his riding of the Canadian dental care plan, as well as 12,000 families of the approximately $80 million that flows into Louis-Saint-Laurent—Akiawenhrahk. That is what would be irresponsible.

What would be irresponsible, given the global and economic turmoil we are facing, would be to fail to build and invest in infrastructure to boost Canada's competitiveness—as we are doing at the Port of Québec, as we are doing in Contrecoeur, and as we are doing with Nouveau Monde Graphite—in order to create a strong, resilient economy that offers opportunities to our youth and future generations.

[Gabriel Hardy, Conservative, Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in 2024, England established a new fund that it explicitly refused to call a sovereign wealth fund because it was debt-financed, just like the fund announced by the Liberals last week. The Prime Minister should be aware of this. He served as an adviser to England during the process.

The Liberals are using a term that has proven itself, that works, and that is even appealing, but they are not using the formula that made it successful.

Why are the Prime Minister and his Minister of Finance selling us a pipe dream and continuing to saddle our country with debt? Do they think Quebeckers are stupid?

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

Mr. Speaker, as we build Canada strong and carry out major projects, we naturally want to give all Canadians the opportunity to be part of this effort, to participate in these projects that will create wealth and put our men and women to work, especially in the skilled trades. Yes, we will ensure that the entire country has a bigger stake in the prosperity we intend to create here in Canada.