Debates of June 17th, 2026

Small Business

[Dalwinder Gill, Conservative, Calgary McKnight, AB]

Mr. Speaker, according to the CFIB, three in four small businesses do not feel supported by the Liberal government and more than half would not recommend starting a business in Canada, but the Liberals continue to punish small businesses with high taxes and red tape. There are 4,000 Canadian restaurants facing closure this year because of rising costs and taxes. Conservatives have a plan to cut taxes and red tape to keep our small businesses open.

Will the Liberals reverse their economic policies so businesses can get ahead?

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, I have had the privilege of actually running small businesses in the economy, not like the Conservative leader who has never worked a day outside of this House. Sometimes a small business or a government is faced with challenges or headwinds, and they can do one of two things. They can throw their hands up and offer no solutions or they can lead, pivot, rebuild and reinvest.

We are doing just that on this side of the House. They offer nothing but empty parking lot press conferences.

Transportation

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for the first time in recent history, more than 100 people died on our roads last year in accidents involving heavy-duty trucks. There were 102 fatalities. That is nearly 20% higher than the average for the previous five years.

What has changed recently that could explain this? The answer is, of course, Driver Inc. The federal government turns a blind eye when shady companies put dangerous drivers on the road, and then acts surprised when there are consequences.

We have proposed 10 solutions to the Liberals. When are they going to take action instead of allowing more victims to be added to the list?

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

Mr. Speaker, road safety is, of course, a shared responsibility. I am proud to say that the federal government has stepped up to be part of the solution. We have eliminated the possibility of special treatment from the Canada Revenue Agency. We have worked to ensure that these companies cannot operate and are deemed illegitimate. We are also deploying inspectors to ensure compliance with the Labour Code.

Now it is up to the provinces and police to keep the roads safe.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let us look back on the last couple of weeks.

The chair of the transport committee was the guest of honour of the Canada Truck Operators Association, or CTOA, which is a Driver Inc. lobby group. The Liberals forced the committee to go in camera to prevent any discussion about Driver Inc. CTOA members contributed more than $100,000 to the Liberals, including more than $20,000 from a company in the chair's riding. This week, the Liberals refused to allow the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics to investigate CTOA's ties to the Liberal Party.

Why are they protecting their friends instead of the public?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would reiterate that the government has taken action and has stepped up, as confirmed by trucking associations across the country, including in Quebec.

This is a shared responsibility. We do not employ highway inspectors. The Sûreté du Québec must continue to do its job. We need inspections. We must ensure that drivers' certifications are valid and up to date. These are examples of shared responsibility, but the federal government, the Government of Canada, has stepped up to the plate.

The Economy

[Éric Lefebvre, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we will soon be adjourning for the summer and going home to our communities.

The Prime Minister says that the cost of living is the best it has been in decades. The reality is that the country is in a recession, and Canadians know it. Canadians know that grocery prices have gone up. Canadians know that food banks are overwhelmed. Canadians know that rents are unaffordable, on the eve of July 1. We know that 48,000 seniors are still waiting for their benefits because the Cúram system is a Liberal fiasco.

Will the Prime Minister admit that his first year in government has been a flop?

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that in May, we created 88,000 jobs. Canadians know that in May, there were 154,000 full-time jobs. Canadians know that 27,000 of these jobs were in the construction sector. Canadians know that the trade surplus grew in April and May. Canadians know that, just yesterday, the Prime Minister announced 13 contracts worth $5 billion. Canadians know this—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. member for Richmond—Arthabaska.

[Éric Lefebvre, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I truly appreciate my colleague. Could he explain how the Liberal government led Canada into the only recession in the G20? This was due to a multitude of bad decisions and poor management. There are two issues I am still waiting for answers on: the $5-billion cost overruns for Cúram and the $200-million lease on a parcel of land.

My questions are simple. When was the minister informed? Who signed those contracts? Lastly, will the Prime Minister scrap his failed policies?

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, we are going to keep going. Canadians know that, under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, 5,000 small businesses closed their doors. Canadians know that the Canadian economy is under pressure from the United States. No, that is not an excuse. I heard my colleagues say that the international context is an excuse. Come on, how could that be an excuse? It is very real, very tangible. There is a trade war being waged by a partner that used to be trustworthy but is not anymore.

We in the government are helping businesses get back on track, and we are going to succeed.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Prime Minister claims that the cost of living has never been better. However, that is not what the CBC is reporting. More than 15,000 Canadians have set up GoFundMe campaigns to pay for their basic needs.

Meanwhile, I am not convinced the Prime Minister is tightening his belt. He spent nearly $1 million on catering for just 14 trips, all at the expense of taxpayers who are struggling to put food on the table.

Will the Prime Minister cut back on his inflationary spending so Canadians and Quebeckers can get some breathing room?

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

Mr. Speaker, the summer adjournment is almost here, but one mystery remains unsolved. What exactly counts as inflationary spending? Does health care count? Does dental care count? Does the Canada child benefit count? Does the national school food program count?

The Conservatives keep going on and on about inflationary spending, but they cannot pinpoint which of these items constitutes inflationary spending.

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

Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals are used to stepping over panhandlers who are shaking their coffee cups on the street, and now they can just scroll past them online. More than 15,000 fundraisers have been launched by Canadians on GoFundMe since January to cover rent, groceries and utilities. These campaigns are not from some unexpected tragedy. They are for covering the everyday cost of living under the Liberal government.

Will the Prime Minister rein in his inflationary spending so Canadians can stand on their own two feet again?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is confusing to us on this side how, every day, the members of the opposition party vote against every support for Canadians, yet they raise the issue. This month, Canadians will get the groceries and essentials benefit. The Conservatives voted against it. We are taking action against surveillance pricing to stop price gouging. How could they help people do that? They could support the bill. What are they doing? They are not doing it.

For a change, I suggest they try supporting some of the measures to help Canadians instead of just talking down the economy.

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

Mr. Speaker, if all of these Liberal policies were working, our people would not be reduced to begging on the Internet just to get by. These programs do nothing for the millions of Canadians who are working full-time and still cannot afford groceries or rent because of the Liberals' made-in-Canada recession. That is why they are forced into using food banks, crowdfunding online and living in RVs and parking lots.

When will the Prime Minister reverse his costly policies, which have left Canadians with no other choice?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, that colleague has asked that question a number of times, and it has been answered.

Let me tell him what Canadians do want to know. Canadians know that the government is focused on building a stronger economy to responsibly manage migration. We have tightened our processes, and the latest numbers prove it: the temporary resident population is down 73%; asylum claims are down 63%; the non-permanent resident population has dropped for 18 consecutive months; and asking rents have dropped for 20 months. Numbers do not lie, and our plan is working.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is one of the world's largest food producers. However, too much of the food we produce is processed abroad, and too many Canadians still rely on high‑priced imports. Canadian farmers deserve more options for selling their products, and Canadians deserve more choices about where they buy their food.

Could the Minister of Finance tell us how the first‑ever national food security strategy will help us produce and process more food right here in Canada, so that more Canadian food ends up on our plates and more money—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. Minister of Finance.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the member for Hull—Aylmer for his question and for all his leadership. I am sure that my colleagues will agree with me.

He is right. Last week, we unveiled the national food security strategy, because we know that food security is a top priority for Canadians. These are flagship measures that will please everyone, even the Conservatives: $1 billion for food infrastructure, terminals and hubs, as well as $750 million to ensure that Canadians have access to more Canadian‑grown fruits and vegetables all year long. There are also measures to spur competition—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. member for Middlesex—London.

The Economy

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is the only G7 leader and Canada is the only G20 country that is currently in a recession. Full-time workers are living in RVs because they cannot afford homes. Families are spending over 120% of their income on food and rent, and two in five Canadians are struggling to put food on their tables, all while a record 2.2 million Canadians are having to rely on food banks. The recession is not global forces; it is Liberal choices.

Will the Prime Minister reverse his costly policies so Canadians can afford to live?

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, this member spent a half hour in a video going after Tim Hortons for converting to paper lids. Paper lids are her contribution to this discussion.

She talks about Liberal policies. Liberal policies are squarely focused on the economy, on jobs, on youth, on child care, on dental care and on pharmacare. They are focused on making sure we have a prosperous environment and a prosperous society to give back to our kids.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Liberal claims of success are completely detached from reality. Canadians are crowdfunding their way through this cost of living crisis, and the Prime Minister has blown nearly $1 million on luxury inflight catering on just 14 flights, including $175,000 on one single flight. That bill could feed a family in Middlesex—London for 55 years.

Canadians cannot afford groceries, so will the Prime Minister stop his outrageous luxury lifestyle, on the taxpayer's dime, and reverse his policy so Canadians can afford to live again?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, when my Conservative colleagues see a vulnerable Canadian, they see a political opportunity to exploit. We see people who we want to help. This question has been asked and answered.

It has been fascinating to me, over the last number of weeks, how the Conservatives have completely dropped their focus on public safety in this country. Let me tell the House why. We have a legislative agenda that is going into effect. The Bail and Sentencing Reform Act is now law in Canada. Later today, we are going to vote on the combatting hate act, and by the end of the week, we are going to adopt the protecting victims act. We can balance the economic interests of the country, the needs of families and public safety at the same time. Let us not just focus on political opportunities.