House of Commons Hansard #135 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was communities.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Government Business No. 12—Proceedings on Bill C-30 Members debate Government Motion No. 12 to accelerate Bill C-30. Liberals defend the bill as good news for economic growth. Conservatives reject these procedural constraints, citing economic mismanagement and the need for greater parliamentary oversight. Todd Doherty amends the motion, arguing that Parliament should thoroughly scrutinize the government's agenda rather than rubber-stamp it. 8100 words, 1 hour.
Used Car Tax Cut Act First reading of Bill C-285. The bill proposes amending the Excise Tax Act to eliminate GST on used motor vehicles, which the sponsor argues addresses double taxation and provides financial relief to Canadians struggling with rising automobile costs. 100 words.
Bill C-14—Time Allocation Motion Members debate a time allocation motion on Bill C-14, affecting bail and sentencing. Justice Minister Sean Fraser argues for urgent passage to implement reforms, criticizing opposition delay tactics. Conservatives push back, labeling the closure anti-democratic while arguing it neglects necessary scrutiny. Meanwhile, the Bloc Québécois and NDP question the necessity of truncating this parliamentary process. 5400 words, 30 minutes.
Ukrainian Heritage Month Act Report stage of Bill S-210. The bill proposes designating September as Ukrainian heritage month. While members unanimously support its intent, Yvan Baker appeals to MPs] to accelerate its passage due to the [senator's failing health. Conservative MPs generally support the motion, though some criticize the government's procedural tactics and argue for tangible aid to Ukraine. The time for the debate subsequently expires without the House reaching a final vote. 8900 words, 1 hour.
Bail and Sentencing Reform Act Members debated and adopted Senate amendments to Bill C-14, legislation focused on bail and sentencing reform. Conservatives opposed the changes, arguing that loopholes regarding sureties undermine public safety. Conversely, Liberals and the Bloc Québécois argued the amendments maintain a necessary balance, urging immediate passage to adequately address ongoing crime issues and rectify previous policy shortcomings. 8400 words, 1 hour.
Final Self-Government Agreement for the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Act Second reading of Bill C-27. The bill, Bill C-27, formally recognizes the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę government in the Northwest Territories. Ministers presented the legislation as a vital step in reconciliation and self-determination. Conservatives, while supporting the bill as consistent with established northern devolution principles, criticized the government’s broader regulatory approach for creating economic uncertainty in the energy sector and failing to protect private property rights. 6800 words, 45 minutes.
Mona Fortier LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear, Canada and the United States share the goal of keeping goods produced through forced labour out of our supply chains.
Canada already has strong protections in place, and we will take further action to strengthen them through new legislation. We will continue to work closely with our partners to uphold high labour standards and ensure fair rules-based trade.
Jacob Mantle Conservative York—Durham, ON
Mr. Speaker, the issue is not the law, whether that is the current law or any subsequent law the government may introduce. The issue is the Liberal government's complete and utter negligence in enforcing the current law.
Now the Liberals have been caught, and that failure is threatening our entire economy with new tariffs. The U.S. regularly blocks shipments. Last year, they blocked shipments from the world's largest bicycle manufacturer, Giant Manufacturing Company. Those bicycles are available in Canada today, at two stores in Ottawa and three in the Toronto region.
Can the government confirm for the House whether or not those bicycles available today were made with forced labour?
Mona Fortier LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, Canada has been taking concrete action to combat forced labour through the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act, which the Liberal government passed in 2024.
Under this act, government institutions and businesses must report on the risks of forced and child labour in their supply chains, and outline the steps they are taking to address them. This is about increasing transparency, strengthening accountability and ensuring Canadian supply chains reflect Canadian values.
Jonathan Rowe Conservative Terra Nova—The Peninsulas, NL
Mr. Speaker, Port aux Basques and Argentia ferries are critical to Newfoundland's economy. They supply our food, medication and everything else. However, the union's agreement ended in December. The unions have been fighting for a deal ever since.
This Prime Minister was elected on the premise that he was supposed to be a great negotiator, the one to go against Trump, the saviour in the Trump negotiations, and yet we are 17 days away from a strike.
Is it that the Prime Minister is not able to make a deal or that he refuses to make it a priority?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, first, let me be clear, it is not the Prime Minister or the Government of Canada that is going to make a deal. In fact, it is the employer and the union. That is how labour relations work in this country.
We do have a federal mediation service. Federal mediation service is with the parties. We urge the parties to continue to negotiate for a fair collective agreement. We will be there with all of the support necessary to get that agreement in place.
Jonathan Rowe Conservative Terra Nova—The Peninsulas, NL
Mr. Speaker, I am going to let that minister in on a little secret. These ferries are a federal Crown corporation. Canada has just entered into a recession. Tourism businesses across this country are still having to pay off COVID debt. More small businesses in this country are closing than opening. Insolvencies are higher since 2000.
Nobody in Canada and in Newfoundland can afford this strike, including the union workers. Will this federal Crown corporation and these Liberals take responsibility, and get a fair deal for Marine Atlantic workers?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, I think the president of the Crown corporation might be a bit surprised if the Prime Minister showed up to negotiate this collective agreement. Instead, we will do what we have done for centuries. We will let employers work with employees. We will provide them with the support through the federal mediation service so they can negotiate this collective agreement, and we will help make sure they get that over the finish line.
That is how labour negotiations are done in this country, with respect for employers and for unions, something this member ought to know.
Scot Davidson Conservative New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury, ON
Mr. Speaker, there we go again. While one in five Canadians goes hungry, the Prime Minister is somewhere over the Atlantic tucking into another three‑course meal on the taxpayers' dime. In the last year, he spent nearly $1 million on luxury inflight catering, and now he is on another trip, leaving behind countless Canadians wondering how they will afford their next meal.
When will this high-flying, fine-dining Prime Minister stop wasting taxpayer dollars so Canadians can eat again?
Ryan Turnbull LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and to the Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, I have good news for the member opposite. Just yesterday, Canada announced the first‑ever national food security strategy, with over $3 billion in investments, and investments that are strategic. They are smart investments in building regional supply chain capacity, ensuring that we can have shorter and more resilient supply chains in Canada, that we can support independent grocers and that we can have more competition and bring down prices for the average Canadian. That is exactly what Canadians want to see. They want to see progress at the grocery store—
The EconomyOral Questions
Scot Davidson Conservative New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury, ON
Mr. Speaker, is that member picking up what I am laying down? That strategy will not feed a single Canadian who cannot afford groceries today because of Liberal policies that have put us in a recession. Maybe the Prime Minister would know this if he was not so eager to flee the country and the people his policies are hurting the most. Instead of champagne wishes and caviar dreams in Paris, why does the Prime Minister not come home and face the 2.2 million Canadians lined up at the food banks?
Ryan Turnbull LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and to the Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, I know the member opposite has the Holland Marsh in his riding, a lot of fruit and vegetable growers who are growing great produce for Canadian and Ontarian families. I know that his riding and people in his riding would support a national food security strategy that invests in seasonal extension and that builds processing and distribution capacity in regions across Ontario and across Canada alike.
That will improve our economy. That will improve competition. That will bring down grocery prices in the long term. These are the root causes of insecurity in Canada, and we are dealing with them.
Eric St-Pierre Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Mr. Speaker, happy Friday. One in four young Canadians between 12 and 17 years of age has been the victim of cyberbullying. Not only that, youths who are victimized online are three times more likely to have suicidal thoughts. Stakeholders nationwide are sounding the alarm.
Can the Secretary of State for Children and Youth tell the House what the government is doing to protect our children from the dangers they are exposed to online?
Anna Gainey LiberalSecretary of State (Children and Youth)
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. Parents are asking us to help protect their children from being harmed by social media and we are listening. The safe social media act implements a minimum age requirement of 16 years to access social media, and three strict duties: the duty to protect children, the duty to act responsibly and the duty to make certain content inaccessible.
We are taking action because our children deserve it.
Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Mr. Speaker, luxury Normandy butter cups, beef tenderloin, braised beef with wine reduction and crème brûlée were included in 95,000 dollars' worth of luxury meals on one flight, $1 million in the last 12 months. Meanwhile, a quarter of Canadians are food-insecure. Surely there is not a Liberal member who is going to stand up and justify that, when 2.2 million Canadians go to an increasingly empty food bank every single month.
Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I would look to Conservative Party members to actually demonstrate genuine sympathy and capacity to come up with ideas that will make a positive difference. The national food strategy that was announced yesterday is tangible. Unlike the Conservatives, as a government we provide good ideas that will make a difference. The Conservatives continue to vote against them, such as the national food program in our schools, which they called “garbage”.
We will be there to have the backs of Canadians, contrary to the Conservatives.
Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Mr. Speaker, this is the 11th time the Liberals have announced they are going to make food cheaper for Canadians. Forgive me if I do not believe a single word that these guys say. It is another national program to do something to deliver something, like the housing accelerator, which did not accelerate anything except giving money to municipalities that actually did not build more homes.
If they want to get food affordability under control, they can cut the expensive things they have done, like increasing the cost of packaging and making fresh food more expensive with their plastics regulations. Why do they not cut their costly plans and taxes to make food affordable for Canadians?
Sophie Chatel LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, stakeholders across Canada are saying that this $3.2-billion strategy on food security will make food affordable for Canadians. There will be four key strategies. We will build local, regional infrastructure so that we have more options and more affordability. We will produce more. We will transform more of our own food here in Canada. We will create more jobs, and we will grow, all year long, fruits and vegetables.
Kathy Borrelli Conservative Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised Canadians strength and stability, but under his watch, Canada became the only G20 country in a recession. That is the result of Liberal inflationary spending, red tape and anti-development policies that have crushed workers, businesses and families. Canadians deserve a Prime Minister who takes responsibility, not one who hides behind excuses.
Will the Prime Minister admit that his policies caused the crisis, or will he keep pretending Canadians are not struggling under his watch?
Yasir Naqvi LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade and to the Secretary of State (International Development)
Mr. Speaker, if Conservatives ever wonder why Canadians do not trust them and elect them as government, it is unserious questions like this, and what we continue to see in this House is great evidence of this.
As all Canadians know, we are living in some very challenging times. We are engaged in an unjustified trade war with the United States. There are wars that are going on in the world that have an impact not only on the Canadian economy, but on the economy worldwide. However, we are focused on building our economy by making sure that we are engaged in diversifying our trade. We will continue to do that work to create good-paying jobs for all Canadians.
Jessica Fancy-Landry Liberal South Shore—St. Margarets, NS
Mr. Speaker, in South Shore—St. Margarets, every summer we see young people across our communities stepping into jobs, gaining confidence, experiences and new skills and contributing to the local businesses and organizations that make our region so vibrant. This summer, the government has added an additional 25,000 jobs to the Canada summer jobs program, giving the opportunity for 100,000 kids to gain hands-on experience. In my riding, there are over 300.
Can the Minister of Jobs and Families please share how this program is helping communities?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, I thank that member for her hard work representing her constituency, which I have had the honour of visiting. In fact, many programs in her riding, and indeed across Canada, hire students for the summer through the Canada summer jobs program, over 100,000 students this summer. This provides young people an opportunity, quality work experience that they can add to their résumés and some earnings that they can use for their education. It also provides employers a source of new talent, something that many rural communities know is needed.
Harb Gill Conservative Windsor West, ON
Mr. Speaker, as a cop, I was trained to ask questions when the facts did not match the story. On Tuesday, the Prime Minister said the Gordie Howe bridge was opening this weekend, and yesterday he said Canada agreed to a delay at the request of the U.S., because of technical issues, apparently. When asked the question of what the issue was, he had no answer. The bridge is built, and the staff are in place. The people in Windsor have been patient for years. Now they are getting fed up and tired of this drama, so what is the real reason for this delay, and why will the Liberal government not be honest with Canadians, who paid $6.4 billion U.S. for this bridge?
Jennifer McKelvie LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by saying that the Gordie Howe International Bridge is a vital economic link between Canada and the United States. As we work toward an opening date, we are taking a collaborative approach, reflecting our shared ambition for this important trade corridor. As an entire team, we are committed to the timely opening of the bridge, and I hope the member opposite is ready to work with us to deliver on this important national infrastructure project as we take a team Canada approach.
Alexandre Boulerice Independent Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the genocide in Gaza has claimed 70,000 lives, including 20,000 children. The humanitarian situation remains dire, with infrastructure in ruins. In the meantime, life for Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the West Bank is appalling. Illegal settlements are multiplying. Palestinian villages, homes and farms are being destroyed on a regular basis. According to the UN, there are an average of six attacks per day against Palestinians in the West Bank. I repeat: six per day.
When are the Liberals going to take action and suspend our trade relations with the Netanyahu regime?
