Debates of June 11th, 2026

40th Anniversary of Mi'kmaq Band

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish, NS]

Mr. Speaker, June is National Indigenous History Month, and I want to acknowledge the history I witnessed on Saturday when Mi'kmaq rock icons The Relatives took to the stage to celebrate their 40th anniversary as a band. Tom Johnson, Stan Johnson, Derek Johnson, Darren Stevens, Robert Stevens and Tom Sylliboy have been playing crowd-pleasing get-up-and-dance music across Cape Breton and Mi'kma'ki for four decades. With great original songs like Nutepaqn, Kweji'juow and Perfect Love Song, The Relatives are pioneers in singing songs in the Mi'kmaq language.

Not only are The Relatives talented musicians, but they have been exemplary members of the community, volunteering, mentoring, or performing for local causes. They have had deep and lasting impacts that reach far beyond their music. In some circles, the longevity of the band has earned them the moniker of the “Mi'kmaq Rolling Stones”. I am proud to recognize them.

[Member spoke in Mi'kmaq and provided the following text:]

Welukweyoq aq weltaql.

[Member provided the following translation:]

You are doing great, and the music sounds great.

[English]

I thank them for their 40 years of excellence.

Marc Pinizzotto

[Roman Baber, Conservative, York Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart to address a tragedy that struck the Toronto Police Service and our entire nation.

Early this morning, tactical officers from TPS and the RCMP executed a high-risk search warrant in North York. The search was related to a national security investigation into the March 2026 shooting at the U.S. consulate in Toronto. ETF Constable Marc Pinizzotto, age 43, a father of two from Oakville, Ontario, and an 18-year veteran of the Toronto Police Service, was shot and killed in the line of duty.

When civilians run one way from danger, the men and women in blue run the other way, into danger. Every day, police officers across our country put their life on the line to protect Canadians. We owe them an enormous debt of gratitude.

We cannot fathom the grief of the family, friends and colleagues of Constable Pinizzotto, but we stand with them in mourning the loss of this Canadian hero. We will never forget Constable Pinizzotto, and we will pray for all of Canada's police officers, who risk their lives to keep us all safe.

May Marc's soul rest in peace, and may God bless his family and our entire grieving nation.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston—Etobicoke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart, because a member of the Toronto Police Service has died in the line of duty in my community of York South—Weston—Etobicoke.

Constable Marc Pinizzotto was an 18-year veteran of the Toronto Police Service and a member of its elite emergency task force, one of the most dangerous and demanding jobs in policing. He lost his life in service to Torontonians and to the people of Canada while working on an investigation into a number of shootings in the city, including at the United States consulate.

We cannot imagine the pain being felt by his family, friends and colleagues at the Toronto Police Service. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. We thank everyone in law enforcement for their service.

May Constable Pinizzotto rest in peace.

Public Safety

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this morning, I am sure every member of this House was devastated to learn of the Toronto police officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty. We grieve alongside the family, friends and colleagues of Constable Marc Pinizzotto, an 18-year veteran of the force who served his city with courage and devotion until his very final moments. To his loved ones and the men and women in uniform right across this country who put their lives on the line every single day, our gratitude is beyond measure.

In the wake of this tragic loss, will the Minister of Public Safety please update the House on the government's response?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I am heartbroken in hearing of the passing of Officer Marc Pinizzotto. I was able to connect with the Toronto Police chief, the Toronto Police Association and the mayor of the city of Toronto, and I express our profound grief and condolences to the people of Toronto and all those who serve on the front lines.

Today is a day for all of us to come together and cherish those who serve us each and every day, risking their lives. To the families who sacrifice every day and hope that their family member will come home, I pray for them. I pray for all those in law enforcement and pray that Constable Pinizzotto's family have the peace they need to get through this very difficult time.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we know, indeed, that it is a difficult time. We know that this is the second officer killed in the line of duty this week. That number is too high. Constable Pinizzotto was executing a warrant linked to several shootings, including one targeting the U.S. consulate in Toronto.

With an attack on a diplomatic mission on Canadian soil, a police officer now dead and a suspect at large, can the minister please tell the House whether security agencies are engaged and what the government is specifically doing to support the investigation and keep Canadians from coast to coast safe?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, from the outset, our INSET team, as well as RCMP personnel and senior leadership, has been fully engaged in this investigation. They have been supporting the Toronto Police Service, including deploying two special task forces in order to support the investigation as it unfolds. The work of the Toronto Police Service is part of the collaborative efforts of all of our law enforcement agencies in order to ensure that the safety and national security interests of Canadians are paramount.

We will work in collaboration to ensure that we get results and support those in frontline policing.

The Economy

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister stuffed his face with $17,000 of salmon on just three taxpayer-funded flights. That is as much as a family will spend—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

In the interests of decorum in the House, perhaps the member can use other words, but he may continue.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister spent 17,000 dollars' worth of salmon on just three taxpayer-funded flights. That is as much as a family will spend on groceries for the entire year.

While sending 2.2 million Canadians to a food bank every single month, is it fair that he stuffed his face with $94,000 of catering on just one flight to Rome, when that is how much five families spend on groceries for the entire year?

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

Mr. Speaker, people wonder why people look down on the antics in the House of Commons—

[An hon. member]

It's a $200,000 catering bill there, Steve.

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

That was a bit loud. Let us try to keep the noise to a certain level.

The hon. government House leader.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on a day when we are mourning the loss of a first responder, people should really wonder, as they look on the House of Commons, why folks look down on some of the antics here, when we follow up such a constructive exchange with something penned quite obviously from the desk of the Leader of the Opposition.

I expect 30 more of those today. Let us just hope they can up their game a bit.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, there is no need to politicize the loss of the police officer.

We are asking questions on behalf of the 2.2 million Canadians waiting in a food bank line because of failed Liberal policies, and now 40% of Canadians are losing sleep. Do members know who is not losing sleep? The Prime Minister, who is enjoying fine dining on the taxpayer dime, is not losing sleep.

Is it fair that the Prime Minister gets to live lavishly on the taxpayer dime while sending more Canadians to the food bank every single month?

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

Mr. Speaker, as Canadians know all too well, we are in the midst of a trade war. We are in the midst of negotiating some of the most signal world events that we have seen in a generation, including two wars, one in the Middle East and one in Europe.

Our Prime Minister is representing our country proudly on the international stage. When he goes there, he comes home with agreements, with deals and with investments that give opportunity to Canadians, that supply jobs to Canadians and that help us get things done for Canadians so we can ensure our prosperity.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister left his job as the chair of Brookfield in New York to come to Canada, he forgot that he was no longer working for a private company but for Canadian taxpayers.

Right now, Canadians are going through a recession. They are paying more for everything, and millions are struggling to make ends meet. Meanwhile, government documents show that the Prime Minister spent nearly $1 million on inflight catering for just 14 trips.

While families have to watch every penny they spend at the grocery store, does the Prime Minister really think that spending $1 million on inflight meals is a responsible use of taxpayers' money?

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians watch the proceedings of the House, and I do not think that they appreciate that accusatory tone. Canadians know full well that we are in the midst of intense trade negotiations. There are wars in Europe and in the Middle East. The Prime Minister proudly represents us. He is bringing back agreements, investments and opportunities for Canadians across the country.

We are proud of our Prime Minister. We are proud of the efforts that he is making on the international stage, and I hope he will keep going.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I think the tone I used was appropriate, considering how wasteful the party across the way has been all these years.

I know that it must be hard for the Prime Minister to get used to life in the public service after having enjoyed the perks of working for a private company like Brookfield. However, it is important to understand that each trip costs an average of $70,000 in food and drink. That is not the cost of the plane, nor is it the cost of fuel; it is just the bill for food and drink.

At a time when food banks are seeing greater demand than ever, how can the Prime Minister justify this to Canadian taxpayers?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Finance and National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to offer my sympathies to the family and friends of Constable Marc Pinizzotto. The thoughts of every member of the House go out to him and his family today.

To answer my colleague's question, our government is making generational investments in infrastructure, housing, competitiveness, innovation and defence. Every member of our government is working on attracting investment, and the Prime Minister is making Canadians proud not just here at home, but around the world.

Canadian Identity and Culture

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister sacrificed the future of francophone culture at the hands of Donald Trump. He is completely giving up on the 10-year struggle to get American web giants to help fund creative works and news. What has he gotten in return? All he has gotten is yet another escalation of hostilities from Washington.

After seeing Canada surrender on the culture issue, President Trump responded yesterday by saying that he is not looking to renew CUSMA.

Does the Prime Minister realize that he sacrificed culture for nothing?

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

Mr. Speaker, my colleague, the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, will respond in a moment, but we should reflect on how the Bloc Québécois has lost its way. Two weeks ago, OUI Québec—the “yes” camp, not the “no” camp—basically accused the sovereignist movement of being intolerant.

Mr. de Belleval, who is a former PQ transport minister, put it nicely when he said that the Bloc Québécois is now also giving up on its transportation hopes and dreams. I hope that the member for Repentigny will set the record straight, but for now, we are taking note.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, not only does that have nothing to do with my question, it has nothing to do with the business of the House either.

Contrary to Europe, the Prime Minister capitulated on streaming levies. Contrary to France, he capitulated on the digital services tax. He exempted American multinationals from the global minimum tax. He ended his countertariffs. He is trying to persuade the provinces to end their boycott of American alcohol. He is making every effort to appease Donald Trump, but the outcome is always more concessions. The renewal of CUSMA is now entirely off the table.

Does the Prime Minister realize that his weakness strategy is not paying off?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the member for reading her question with such conviction.

While the Bloc Québécois spends its time loafing about, we are taking action. In the last budget, we invested $772 million in arts and culture. During my last press conference, I announced $600 million for culture, including Quebec culture. I almost forgot the $100 million that was invested in the creative export strategy, which allows programs like Empathie and TV5MONDE programs, which include Quebec television programs, to reach foreign audiences.