Debates of May 7th, 2026

The Economy

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Minister of Government Transformation]

Mr. Speaker, dental care for 20,000 of his constituents is apparently not worth much. Assistance for 12,500 families in his constituency is not worth much. He should go and tell that to the people in his riding who depend on these things. He should go and tell that to the two million Quebeckers who, on June 5, will receive the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, which will help the most vulnerable people who need it most.

On this side of the House, we believe that prosperity must be inclusive across the country.

Finance

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have $1.475 trillion on the national credit card.

Because of the Liberal debt, seniors have to choose between groceries and medication, and young families cannot afford a home.

Despite this Liberal Prime Minister's illusions, it is always the same thing. He is just another costly Liberal.

When will he stop governing for bankers and start governing for Canadians?

[Nathalie Provost, Liberal, Secretary of State (Nature)]

Mr. Speaker, that is an important question. The word “illusions” has been used a number of times now. It is not an illusion that Canadians in my riding are benefiting from multiple programs. It is a reality.

The Canada groceries and essentials benefit is not an illusion. It provides $1,890 per year for a family of four. Canadians will be receiving it in a few days. They will see that it is concrete and that it is helping them. That is what we are doing right now: helping Canadians in the short term and investing for the long term.

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is an important question. If the Liberals truly want to help families and seniors, then they should start by closing the open bar in Ottawa. The Prime Minister is being irresponsible with Canadians' money. The interest on the Liberal debt will cost more than $53 billion this year. That is money that is not going to seniors, that is not helping families and that is not going to the public service.

While Canadians have to trim their budgets just to get by, why is the Prime Minister refusing to cut back on bureaucracy and unnecessary spending?

[Nathalie Provost, Liberal, Secretary of State (Nature)]

Mr. Speaker, in that case, I will continue to talk about what is not an illusion for Canadians.

The child benefit provides $8,000 per child per year. It is important. It is useful. Canadians are seeing the results, because we are going through a tough time. I just talked about groceries. With the Canadian dental care plan, nearly 18,500 people are saving $800 a year. That is the reality. That does not even include everything we are doing with major projects because we have to invest for the long term.

Veterans Affairs

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

Mr. Speaker, all veterans get from the Liberal government are excuses and cuts. The Liberals slashed billions from veterans services, leaving veterans facing longer wait times and fewer supports, and now they are covering up the fact that the housing minister hid $3 million they cut from homeless veterans, claiming they could not find any. Unfortunately there are thousands of homeless veterans in this country.

Rather than covering up these cuts, why did the Liberals not spend their time trying to find veterans they could help, and why does the Liberal government always seem to find money for Liberal insiders but never for veterans who fought for our country?

[Jill McKnight, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague across the way for the opportunity to clarify that there have been no cuts to services and benefits offered to veterans. We continue to ensure that veterans have access to the services and benefits that allow them to be successful in their post-service life.

International Trade

[Marilyn Gladu, Liberal, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be part of a government that is committed to defending Canadian trade and ensuring that our businesses are not overly reliant on any single market. By opening doors for exporters and supporting small businesses to reach customers around the world, we are strengthening our economy and creating more opportunities in my riding of Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong and across the country.

Could the Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State for Small Business and Tourism update the House on the historic progress we have made to diversify Canadian trade?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member from Sarnia for her small business advocacy.

I have good news. We have not just one but two new trade agreements that have been made law, with the United Kingdom and Indonesia. Together these agreements are going to boost our trade ties and give Canadian businesses access to markets and more than 340 million people. That means new customers for our exporters, new opportunities for our small businesses and more good-paying jobs in this country. That is how we build Canada strong.

Aerospace Industry

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Defence signed a $200‑million contract for access to a spaceport that the company itself leases for just $14,000 a year. That is $20 million a year for a decade. Worse, the contract is backdated by a full year when no lease was being negotiated and while the company's own auditor warned it may be bankrupt. After the deal was signed, the company's stock surged and a well-connected Liberal insider cashed out for millions.

Will the minister explain how this is not another multi-million-dollar boondoggle rewarding friends while taxpayers carry all the risk?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, needless to say, the premise of the question is frankly stupid. Establishing Canadian sovereign space launch capabilities will drive billions in investments. It is going to create good-paying jobs. It will increase Canada's sovereignty. It will reduce our reliance on the United States. It is going to support a commercial space launch and re-entry industry that could be worth up to $40 billion.

That is what we are investing in. These are the essential capabilities that protect Canada and create massive economic benefits for Canadians, coast to coast to coast.

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, let me explain "stupid" to the minister. He gifted $20 million, backdated to a company on the brink of bankruptcy. The company's chairman, someone with a history of securities infractions, made millions on a quick pump-and-dump sale of shares. The lease that taxpayers are paying for is nowhere in the company's previous regulatory filings. The company's Liberal insiders met with officials 158 times.

Someone is going to face the music here. Will it be the Liberal insiders who were stuffing money into their jeans or the minister who signed this God-awful document?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, the interesting thing about all this commentary coming from the other side of the floor is this. Every single measure put forward to strengthen the Canadian Armed Forces, every single investment in housing, in equipment, in munitions, in our bases, in our housing stock; every single one, including pay increases, was opposed.

I am not sure what these people stand for anymore, and it is becoming very apparent to the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Health

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands—Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government spent $300 million on the failed PrescribeIT program that had less than 5% uptake. Now that it is being scrapped, we have learned that the CEO responsible for this failed scandal-plagued program was being paid $900,000 per year. When Conservatives looked to have the minister testify at committee, Liberals blocked it.

Will the minister stand today and explain to this House the justification for paying the CEO $900,000 while Canadians are lined up at food banks?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I agree that the situation with the CEO of that company is unacceptable. As members know, that company does not report directly to Health Canada. However, I spoke with its board of directors, and corrective measures were applied. I can assure the opposition member that I am working on this and that I will do everything in my power to clarify all of the problems.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands—Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, let me clarify some of the problems for the minister. The Liberals spent $300 million on a program that did not work and was not used. They oversaw the CEO being paid $900,000. They do not seem to want to agree to have the Auditor General review this scandal-plagued program and the minister does not seem to want to come to committee to face questions about it.

Will the minister stand up today and commit to have the Auditor General review this program in detail and report findings to this House, and to come before committee to testify about this failure?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I take the work of the Standing Committee on Health very seriously, and I will certainly return to testify before the committee at some point. As I said, we took action. We spoke with the board of directors, and they took steps to remove the CEO. I will continue to work on this issue and will take the necessary steps.

National Defence

[Fraser Tolmie, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

Mr. Speaker, air show organizers across North America are quietly being told that this is the final season of the iconic Snowbirds. I wrote the Minister of National Defence almost six months ago, asking about the future of the Snowbirds. There was no reply. Senator Batters did the same in the Senate. Crickets.

Tomorrow is the Snowbirds “acceptance show” in Comox.

Why will the Liberals not come clean about their decision to cancel the iconic Snowbirds and when will they reverse this terrible decision?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, the RCAF's fleet of Tutor aircraft was first introduced in the 1960s. The fleet will reach its end of life in the coming years. The member knows this.

The Snowbirds will continue air demonstrations with the Tutor fleet for as long as it is feasible and safe. The member knows that as well. The Snowbirds remain committed to their performances.

As we have stated, we are beginning the process of examining potential aircraft options for the Snowbirds' mission once the CT‑114 Tutor fleet reaches its end of life.

[Fraser Tolmie, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

Mr. Speaker, jet noise is the sound of freedom, not white noise. Canadians want to be inspired by other Canadians.

Do members know how we got the second female Snowbird pilot? It is because a flame was planted in her heart at the age of 12 when she saw the first female Snowbird pilot.

Why are the Liberals hiding the fact that they plan to cancel the Snowbirds after the season, and why will they not immediately reverse this terrible decision?

It is SOS time: Save our Snowbirds.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I share the member's concerns about the future of the fleet. It is an iconic part of Canadian culture. He and I would agree. However, here is the difference. This member surely cannot be suggesting that he is going to put the pilots, the women and men of that fleet, in harm's way. Have him stand up and make it plain that he intends to have pilots flying planes that should not be flown, which are under mechanical watch today. Have him explain that.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, under the Liberal government, our Canadian Forces' morale has been attacked, traditions have been erased and attrition has become highly damaging to our capability to defend Canada.

The Canadian Forces' Snowbirds must continue to be the souls of our Canadian military. They exude Canadian pride and international reputation for expertise, precision and high standards that have given our allies confidence in us in the past.

Will the Liberals do the right thing and save our souls, save our Snowbirds?

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

Mr. Speaker, the minister has spoken very eloquently about our need to be the adults, to be responsible and keep our pilots safe, and that is exactly what we are going to continue to do.

However, it is the temerity, the gall of the Conservatives to stand in this House, the 0.99% of GDP crew here, giving lectures. We will take no lessons on defence spending, on defence investments, on investments in our veterans, on investments in our armed forces and equipping our men and women in uniform. Those Conservatives—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. member for Saskatoon South.