Debates of June 3rd, 2026

The Economy

[John Zerucelli, Liberal, Secretary of State (Labour)]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians do not want theatrics. The Conservative leader knows full well that we are in a trade war, which is creating real headwinds for the Canadian economy. However, we have a plan and we are confident in that plan.

One key pillar of that plan is building infrastructure, major projects in the national interest and community infrastructure like roads, bridges and hospitals right across this country with Canadian steel, Canadian lumber and Canadian unionized workers. At the end of the day, we made a historic investment in the skilled trades. That is how we build Canada strong.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, if the Prime Minister really believed any of that, he would get up and say it himself. Instead, he states a few falsehoods and then goes into hiding; he cannot defend his own position.

He is spreading false information when he says investment is up. Let me quote verbatim from Statistics Canada, the Liberals' own government stats agency: “Business capital investment fell 0.7% in the first quarter of 2026, the fifth consecutive quarterly decline.”

Does this meet the master economist's definition of a technical recession, yes or no?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, what Canadians are hearing here is not the sound of fury. It is the sound of nothing. He has no plan. He has no fiscal plan, no economic plan, no industrial plan, no defence or security plan, no supports and no social plan, but what he does have is a track record of spending $9 million in his personal office in 2024.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the question was for the Prime Minister, but he continues to be unable to defend his own economic track record. This was supposed to be his great strength, but once again, we see the same thing every time he goes anywhere. He gets a fancy title and a tiny group of people get very rich, making everybody else poor. There is a small group who get handouts and favours, whether for space pads or $200,000 for meals in private jets, while the Canadian people end up paying the price with the only recession in the G20.

Will he stand up today and tell us, are we in a technical recession or a real recession? Which is it?

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, in the House today, there is a lot of rhetoric coming from the other side. Let me say that I have been travelling across the country talking to farmers. Nobody over there has been talking to farmers.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Order. We are definitely not going to finish on time today.

The hon. Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, every time I get on my feet in this House and talk about farmers, it is a good day. If that is what it takes to get a reaction over there about how important farming is in this country, then that is what we need to do, and I will do it every time.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the question was for the Prime Minister. This is supposed to be his great strength. Remember we were told he was a master economist. I guess he must have some sort of unique ability to be the only leader in the G7 to find a way to negotiate his economy into a recession. Every other one of the 19 countries has avoided a recession. Mexico, neighbours with the United States as well, has avoided a recession. It is because of the Liberal policies that he continues to implement and even accelerate that we find ourselves in this place.

The problem is that the Prime Minister cannot get us out of a recession if he cannot first admit that we are in one. Will he stand today and tell us if we are in a recession?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, I want to share with everyone in the House and all Canadians listening some good news: almost $1 billion for small craft harbours. What this means for Canada's rural coastal indigenous communities is—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Order. Let us hear the answer.

The hon. Minister of Fisheries may continue for now. Who knows? We may have to stop again.

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, these small craft harbours are the core of our rural coastal indigenous communities. That support is generational.

I am also working with my colleagues across the country to ensure that for the fisheries fund, another critical source of support for harvesters in this country, the funding is out shortly.

Persons with Disabilities

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today is Red Shirt Day, which we also mark during national disability week.

This week, we are highlighting the contributions of people with disabilities and the need to promote a barrier-free Canada. This year's theme is “Building a Strong, Accessible Canada.”

The Canada disability benefit and the disability inclusion action plan are building a more accessible and inclusive society for all.

Can the Minister of Jobs and Families highlight how the spring economic update is helping to build a barrier-free Canada?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, inclusivity is not just the right thing to do; it is the smart thing to do. When people have a chance to thrive, our entire country grows.

In our economic update, we announced 43 disabilities that would be eligible for a streamlined disability tax credit application. We have also expanded the list of practitioners who can certify people for the credit.

The disability inclusion action plan and the Accessible Canada Act will continue to guide our government's work toward a barrier-free Canada by 2040.

International Trade

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the question is for the Prime Minister. Obviously, American tariffs on Canada are wrong, but so is forced labour. The Liberal government refuses to crack down on forced labour products coming into our supply chain from the Xinjiang province in China. For example, in 2024 alone the Americans blocked 6,947 shipments of products originating in the Xinjiang province in order to stop forced labour. Here, the Liberal government stopped only two shipments in five years.

Will the government ban all products coming from the Xinjiang province and end slavery once and for all?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has some of the most rigorous forced labour laws in the world. We condemn forced labour everywhere it exists, including in my meeting last Friday with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of China. Every good that enters this country is subject to rigorous import controls and screening. We allocated $600 million in last year's budget to address forced labour. We prioritize the inclusion of comprehensive labour provisions in free trade agreements to promote international labour standards. We stand with workers everywhere—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals announced $600 million to stop two shipments and they stand with workers everywhere in the world. Are they kidding? They are undermining Canadian wages by having multinationals take away Canadian jobs and give them to regimes that use forced labour and slavery. Now, Canadian workers are facing potential tariff threats that will compound the cost to Canada.

The Prime Minister has never condemned the genocide and slavery in Xinjiang province because of his corporate interests. Will he stand up today and say that he is condemning that kind of forced labour in Xinjiang?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I want to underline that Canada will always protect the rights of workers within and outside this country. The $600 million allocated in last year's budget was on top of a number of measures that we have taken in our negotiations, in our free trade agreements with other countries around the world, a point I emphasized last Friday when I spoke with China's Minister of Foreign Affairs.

I want to say that our economy, at the same time, has grown by more than 17% in terms of our exports. We will build Canada—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the question was for the Prime Minister. I asked if he would stand in this House and condemn the forced labour practices by the regime in Beijing being carried out on people in Xinjiang province.

I know this is a tough issue for him because his company in China is seeking to expand its business. His company took a $200-million loan from a Chinese state-backed bank, so he does not want to compromise those interests.

Will he put people before profits, and stand up today and condemn forced labour in Xinjiang province, yes or no?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is on the front lines of our relationship with China and countries around the world. We wholeheartedly and emphatically condemn forced labour wherever it occurs. In addition, in our free trade negotiations with countries around the world, we underline and ensure that we are condemning forced labour.

Finally, we will continue to grow the Canadian economy strong, not only concluding 20 agreements on the economy, security and defence worldwide, but also ensuring that we are responsibly—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister refuses to stand up and condemn the forced labour in Xinjiang province because, of course, he does not want to jeopardize his corporate profits, in which he is continually invested, even though they come at the expense of Canadian workers. Canadian workers lose out when they have to compete with forced labour, and Canadian workers lose out when there are punitive tariffs as a result. I will give the Prime Minister one last chance: Put people before profit.

Will the Prime Minister stand up and announce that he is going to ban shipments of any goods from Xinjiang province, which is renowned for forced labour, yes or no?