The hon. member for Drummond.
House of Commons Hansard #133 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was elections.
House of Commons Hansard #133 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was elections.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Bail and Sentencing Reform Act Members debate the Senate’s amendments to Bill C-14, which targets bail and sentencing reform. Liberals propose adopting specific changes while rejecting others as redundant. Conservatives, including Larry Brock, criticize the government for relaxing surety restrictions. The legislation seeks to enhance public safety and further address repeat violent offenders while maintaining judicial discretion and Charter protections. 4200 words, 25 minutes.
Food and Drugs Act Second reading of Bill C-265. The bill creates a pre-approved list of therapeutic products to streamline special access. Supporters argue it reduces administrative burdens. While cross-party support exists for the objective, the Conservatives seek amendments to ensure safety and prevent drug diversion, while the Bloc emphasizes provincial jurisdiction. The House has referred the proposal for committee review. 7700 words, 1 hour.
Protecting Victims Act Third reading of Bill C-16. The bill strengthens protections against gender-based violence, targeting coercive control and femicide. Conservatives criticize clause 63, fearing it allows judges to bypass mandatory minimums. While supporters emphasize victim support and modern updates, the debate focuses on whether the legislation's judicial discretion creates an inappropriate "get-out-of-jail" card for serious offenders. 8200 words, 2 hours.
Strong and Free Elections Act Report stage of Bill C-25. The bill, titled the strong and free elections act, amends the Canada Elections Act to address foreign interference, disinformation, and AI risks. Government members argue these updates strengthen democratic integrity, while Conservative MPs critique the bill for allegedly failing to close loopholes regarding foreign financing, while also questioning its effectiveness in preventing interference during nomination contests. 3400 words, 1 hour.
Strong and Free Elections Act Third reading of Bill C-25. The bill amends the Canada Elections Act to address ballot flooding and foreign interference. While the government moves to impose time allocation, the Bloc Québécois criticizes the quashing of debate. Conservatives generally support the provisions aimed at election integrity but argue further amendments are necessary to close remaining loopholes regarding foreign funding for third parties. 4200 words, 35 minutes.
Adjournment Debate - Employment Garnett Genuis criticizes the government for ignoring youth unemployment, proposing a plan to unleash the economy, fix immigration, invest in vocational training, and increase housing availability. Jennifer McKelvie defends the government's approach, citing existing investments in summer jobs, skills strategies, and new initiatives for recruiting skilled trade workers. 1300 words.
Bill C-25 Third ReadingStrong and Free Elections ActGovernment Orders
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, what a shame there is no unanimous consent. We would never have turned down an opportunity to be educated and informed. I do not understand why they denied it. It would have been instructive.
Returning to the speech by my colleague from St. Albert—Sturgeon River, whose thoroughness I appreciate, there is something in Bill C-25 that concerns me somewhat.
I agree that we should tighten the parameters a little, particularly when it comes to the endorsing candidates. However, when we collect signatures for a nomination form, which many of us have done, we make a point of telling people that this is not an endorsement of the candidate or the party. It is a recognition that this person is eligible to stand as a candidate in an election. In proposing this measure, which prevents people from signing multiple nomination forms in the same election, it seems to me that we are going against that principle in a way. Saying that people can only sign one form is a bit like saying that by signing a nomination form, that person is endorsing that particular candidate. I feel that this measure may go a bit too far.
I would like to know what my colleague thinks about that.
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB
Mr. Speaker, that was an important question. The member does raise a good point, insofar as the bill would prohibit someone from signing more than one nomination form.
There are arguments counter to that amendment in the bill. However, I would argue that on balance it is a reasonable amendment to the Canada Elections Act, preventing the longest ballot committee and other such bad actors from engaging in such activities in the future. The objective or the purpose of the act is that a candidate must have the endorsement or support of 100 electors, not for 100 electors to flood the ballot with an endless list of candidates. I think, given what we have seen, in terms of the disruption to our elections, this is a reasonable amendment.
As for informing electors who might be inclined to sign more than one nomination form, there are measures that can be taken and that I believe Elections Canada will undertake, such as providing on the nomination form a reminder that an individual can only sign one candidate's nomination form.
Tamara Kronis Conservative Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
Mr. Speaker, we have just received this report that the House has adjourned or maybe will adjourn in the near future. I wonder if the member can comment on what the consequences of that would be for summer by-elections, particularly if this bill is not passed, but even if it is passed, in terms of issues that Canadians really care about, like foreign interference?
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB
Mr. Speaker, if the House adjourned, I guess the government would have just capitulated on getting through all of the legislation that it has had before us this entire spring.
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, to provide some assurance to my Conservative colleagues, it is the government's full intention to continue to sit until we have a substantial aspect of our legislative agenda passed. That is absolutely critical. Whether it is the Prime Minister or any member of the Liberal caucus, when we talk about the summer, we will continue to work hard throughout the summer. I can assure members of that.
I know I plan to work very hard for my constituents, Mr. Speaker, as I am sure you too have some plans to work through this summer. We love our job as members of Parliament and working hard for our constituents. I, for one, like the Prime Minister and the government, will continue to push to get our legislative agenda—
Bill C-25 Third ReadingStrong and Free Elections ActGovernment Orders
The Deputy Speaker Tom Kmiec
I have to give a chance to the member for St. Albert—Sturgeon River to respond.
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB
Mr. Speaker, as the government works to get its legislation through, we in the official opposition will discharge our responsibility, which is to hold the government to account and to carefully scrutinize legislation before this House.
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, at this point, if you canvass the House, I suspect you will find unanimous consent to see the clock at 12:35 a.m.
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I just want to make sure that it is midnight tonight and not midnight in September.
Bill C-25 Third ReadingStrong and Free Elections ActGovernment Orders
The Deputy Speaker Tom Kmiec
If the parliamentary secretary wants to, the Speaker can allow members to continue debate.
Did the parliamentary secretary ask for unanimous consent to see the clock at midnight?
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, just to be clear, I am not trying to back up days here. I would love to be able to do that, but for now it is at 12:35 a.m., which is in another two hours and a bit.
Bill C-25 Third ReadingStrong and Free Elections ActGovernment Orders
A motion to adjourn the House under Standing Order 38 deemed to have been moved.
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, as we approach the end of the parliamentary session for this spring, it is important to highlight the ongoing jobs crisis facing young people, and the constructive measures that Conservatives have put forward.
We are here in Parliament working late, but we are blessed to have the opportunity to work on behalf of Canadians. Meanwhile, there are many talented young people with skills and passion that they want to put to work but have not been able to. There are the top‑line unemployment numbers. Underneath that, there is declining labour force participation for young people, and there is the reality that many young people are not able to work in the field they have studied in. They have been encouraged to go in one direction in terms of their studies, yet they are not able to find employment that aligns with that area of study.
Over the course of the spring session and the previous fall session, as we have been highlighting the youth unemployment crisis in this country, we have always been very constructive in our approach, putting forward specific policy proposals to address that crisis and inviting the government to embrace those proposals. We have highlighted four key areas as we have advanced our youth unemployment strategy.
The first is unleashing the economy, addressing major concerns that small businesses have around the cost of hiring and around red tape and regulation, by having incentives, tax cuts and reduced bureaucracy that encourages investment in Canada.
Second, we need to fix the immigration system. When it comes to immigration, we hear a big focus from the government on attracting foreign talent, but not enough focus on deploying the talent that is already in this country. There are so many young people with talent, training and passion who want to get to work. We should be focused on deploying the Canadian talent to give young people opportunities. We need to fix our immigration system so that the people who come here are able to have their credentials recognized so they are not competing for entry-level jobs, and so that we are clearly identifying where the skill gaps and needs are.
The first two areas are unleashing the economy and fixing immigration. Third, we need to fix training. The government is going in the opposite direction. It is pulling funding for student grants for students in vocational programs. We should be celebrating and recognizing the value of different kinds of post-secondary options, including vocational programs that provide practical, job-ready skills for young people. We need to be training young people for Canadian jobs. We know there is a desire for skilled workers. The response to that should be to train young people to be ready to fill those skilled positions, yet there is a specific attack on vocational institutions by the government.
Fourth, we need to build homes where the jobs are. Conservatives are proposing constructive policies to support labour mobility so young people can take up opportunities that may exist outside the region they live in. We have very high unemployment in larger centres, and we have many opportunities in rural and remote areas to seize opportunities for young people who are able. However, when I talk to young people about whether they think they would be able to seize those opportunities, transportation and housing are major concerns if they are moving to an area that is unfamiliar. That is why we have included in our jobs plan incentives to make it easier for employers to offer workforce housing.
We need to unleash the economy, fix immigration, fix training and build homes where the jobs are. That is our constructive Conservative plan to address the youth unemployment crisis. It is offered in good faith. Would the government take those good ideas that we have put forward?
Jennifer McKelvie LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure
Mr. Speaker, we are helping young Canadians build their futures and we are making a generational investment in them. We are making these investments because we need to make sure that young Canadians secure a solid footing in the ever-changing job market. In doing that for them, we are doing it for all of Canada and for all Canadians.
The 2026 spring economic update reaffirms this with a new $6-billion investment in a nationwide effort to recruit, train and hire up to 10,000 new Red Seal skilled trades workers in the next five years, creating opportunities that will align with Canada's housing, infrastructure and defence needs. As we ride an unprecedented wave of retirements, the young Canadians embarking on careers will be the drivers of Canada's future economic growth.
With budget 2025, we are doing more to help Canada's youth launch successful careers and more to get those unemployment figures down. Starting this year, we are investing $594.7 million over two years to create more Canada summer jobs. The program will create and support up to 100,000 summer jobs this year.
We have also earmarked $307.9 million for the youth employment and skills strategy. This will be another two-year investment starting this year to provide training and jobs to around 20,000 youth annually. Programs delivered under the youth employment and skills strategy are especially beneficial to youth facing barriers to employment. By that, I mean youth who live in rural and remote areas, youth with disabilities, newcomer youth and racialized youth. Those are just a few examples.
Budget 2025 also invests $635.2 million over three years for the student work placement program. It will support around 135,000 work-integrated learning opportunities for youth who are enrolled in post-secondary education over a three-year period. I could say more, but I will pause here.
These results are ongoing and these programs are helping youth find in-demand skills and improve their job prospects. This is why, working with our partners, we must ensure they are equipped with the skills and opportunities needed to thrive. We will do that.
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, it is clear from that response that the government has nothing new to offer. The parliamentary secretary spoke about programs that have existed since the 1990s and their rebranded Canada strong program.
Here are the facts: Conservatives introduced grants for trade workers in 2009 and 2006: 2009 were the completion grants, 2006 were the other grants introduced for trade workers. The Liberals cancelled those grants. The Minister of Jobs and Families defended the decision to cancel those grants, and then, in the face of significant advocacy from unions, as well as Conservatives and other organizations, the government chose to restore funding that the Liberals had cut. Restoring something that they cut and giving it a new name is not doing something new. We absolutely need to support trades workers. They should not have cut those grants in the first place, but they also should not be cutting grants for vocational training. The fact is the government has nothing new.
Why will the Liberals not adopt our Conservative youth jobs plan?
Jennifer McKelvie Liberal Ajax, ON
Mr. Speaker, when we invest in the skills and experience of youth today, we create a stronger, more competitive workforce and drive long-term prosperity for the future. The federal government is creating thousands of jobs for young Canadians and will create thousands more.
We are well aware that our economic future depends on the success of the work we do today as government. We have programs like Canada summer jobs, the youth employment and skills strategy program, and the student work placement program that are all helping young Canadians develop work-ready skills through hands-on experience and training. This will put youth on a path to meaningful careers.
These programs, combined with our new team Canada strong skilled trades initiative, will strengthen the workforce of tomorrow. The evidence could not be clearer. We are committed to creating jobs for our youth and seeing them launch into good, well-paying careers.
EmploymentAdjournment Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker Tom Kmiec
The hon. member for Elgin—St. Thomas—London South not being present to raise during Adjournment Proceedings the matter for which notice had been given, the notice is deemed withdrawn.
The motion to adjourn the House is now deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at Thursday, June 11, at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).
(The House adjourned at 11:03 p.m.)