Debates of Sept. 25th, 2026

Food Bank Use in Manitoba

[Grant Jackson, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, new numbers from Harvest Manitoba should concern every member of the House. In March, more than 61,000 Manitobans accessed a food bank, and more than half of them were children. According to the Winnipeg Free Press, food bank use in our province has increased by more than 150% since 2020. Today, an average of nearly 25,000 Manitoba households rely on food banks every month, which is more than double the number from just a few years ago.

Behind these numbers are parents trying to feed their children, seniors stretching fixed incomes, and working families who simply cannot keep up with the cost of the basics. Manitobans are working hard, but too many are being forced to turn to food banks just to put dinner on the table. This should not be accepted as normal.

Canadians need a government focused on lowering the cost of living so that working families can afford the necessities and get ahead again. It is time to implement our Conservative economic action plan, which will deliver real—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member for Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester.

Franco-Ontarian Day

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester, ON]

Mr. Speaker, glory to my fair flag, the flag of Ontario's francophones. Today, we are celebrating the 51st anniversary of our beautiful Franco-Ontarian flag, which was recognized 25 years ago by the Ontario legislature as our official emblem. The flag remains a powerful and unifying symbol of the Franco-Ontarian community.

As a proud Franco-Ontarian, I want to pay tribute to all the francophones and francophiles who contribute to enriching our culture and promoting our identity. Preserving our heritage, making our voices heard and asserting our place within Ontario society remain collective responsibilities.

Today is a day to celebrate our community's vitality with confidence and determination, while looking ahead to tomorrow. To put the focus where it belongs, we need to stand up and celebrate. Long live the Franco-Ontarian community, long live the francophonie and happy Franco-Ontarian Day.

Finance

[Sandra Cobena, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister sold Canadians on his financial credentials, and then when they were not looking, he took advantage of that trust by inventing financial definitions used nowhere else in the world. He relabelled $94 billion of expenses as investments. This is like calling a grocery bill an investment. The former PBO and the IMF called them out, and now the new PBO has gone even further by saying that these invented definitions are not even being applied consistently.

Why is this Liberal government destroying the integrity of Canada's books?

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

Mr. Speaker, our plan is to spend less on government operations and prioritize investments that generate long-term benefits for Canadians, such as major projects, housing, clean energy and infrastructure that will help grow our economy and attract private investment. We have adopted a transparent capital budgeting framework that reflects the distinction between capital and operating spending so that Canadians can see clearly how public money is being invested.

[Sandra Cobena, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that if a CEO invented new financial definitions that were used nowhere else in the world and then applied them inconsistently, shareholders would wonder if he did not know how to budget or if he was trying to manipulate the budget.

The Prime Minister stood in front of international investors and said that he would balance the operating budget a year early, but he is using invented definitions used nowhere else in the world, and on top of that, they are being used inconsistently. Will the Liberal government restore our original financial definitions and scrap this fake accounting scheme?

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

Mr. Speaker, I will put our Prime Minister's credentials on the economy up against a leader who has been in this House entering his third decade. He has produced nothing in this House.

We just hosted the Canada investment summit, where we attracted $500 billion of investment for Canada to build our economy strong. On this side of the House, we are going to do what is needed to build Canada strong. It is time for that party to get on board.

Taxation

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are paying near record high fuel prices. Justin, from my riding, is raising four children on a single income. He has to drive 65 kilometres to work because he cannot afford to live any closer, and now he can barely afford to get to work due to skyrocketing fuel prices.

Why will the Liberals not help folks like Justin by adopting our Conservative plan to save Canadians money by lifting not just one tax, but all federal taxes on fuel until at least Canada Day?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and to the Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, my empathy goes out to Justin and all families that may be struggling with the cost of living across Canada.

Our government has been committed to ensuring that Canadians can keep more of what they earn. We cut income tax for 22 million Canadians. We eliminated the consumer carbon tax. We extended relief at the pumps through the suspension of the fuel excise tax, which is now extended to January 2027. We enhanced the GST rebate, called the groceries and essentials benefit, and introduced the largest deduction of new business investment in 50 years.

My question is this: Why do Conservatives keep voting against tax relief?

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is out of touch, blaming everyone but himself for skyrocketing fuel prices. He blames foreign factors. Yesterday, he blamed the provinces, but it is his industrial carbon tax and clean fuel standard that are hiking prices.

Instead of playing the blame game, why does the Prime Minister not simply control what he can control and lift all federal taxes on fuel until at least Canada Day, saving the average family $1,200?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary 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 is slightly preoccupied with the words he sees in his hand and the lines he is given by his party, but it is a news flash perhaps to him, and not to anyone else in this House, that we are in a trade war. The Strait of Hormuz has been blocked. The oil price shocks that Canada is experiencing are consistent with those in every other country in the world.

What our government is doing is suspending the fuel excise tax. We did it over the summer, and now we have extended it by another five months. That is significant support at the pumps for Canadians. We are doing this while investing, making generational investments in our economy to grow our economy, which we will stay focused on every step of the way.

[Jason Groleau, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after 11 years of disastrous Liberal management, life is becoming increasingly expensive for Canadians. This government keeps wasting tens of billions of dollars on international aid, fake asylum seekers, mass illegal immigration and the disastrous Alto project. It is time to start saving Canadians money.

Will the Liberals agree to the Conservatives' proposal to suspend all federal taxes on gas and diesel until Canada Day 2027?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind our colleagues opposite that the price of diesel is high in Canada, the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and even Brazil and Japan. This situation is international, caused by an interruption in crude oil deliveries.

We are helping consumers and Canadians through the social programs we have put in place. Our colleagues are not fond of social programs. We know that, and now we know that they would get rid of them all.

[Jason Groleau, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are completely out of touch with reality. Can they stop trying to save the planet and start looking after Canadians?

This week, I talked about Chantal, who has three children and is struggling financially. Today, I want to talk about Nick and his partner in Beauce, who dream of buying a home. After 11 years of Liberal government, house prices have tripled. For thousands of young people, that dream is now out of reach.

Will the Liberal government adopt our Conservative economic plan to leave more money in families' pockets?

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

Mr. Speaker, seriously, there is one thing I do not understand. Honestly, I think it is a bit of a shame. What does international aid have to do with house prices? What is keeping Nick from buying a house just because we are providing international aid to countries facing difficulties? Give me a break. What sort of world do the Conservatives want us to live in?

The Environment

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims that Bill C‑39 does not lower environmental standards.

Let us imagine a pipeline project in Quebec, like Marinvest. Under Bill C‑39, pipelines are exempt from environmental impact assessments. The only assessment will be the one completed by the energy regulator in Calgary, which has never seen a pipeline it did not like. Worse still, Ottawa wants to be able to allow proponents to start their work before the assessment is complete.

How can anyone claim that this is not a step backwards?

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Bloc Québécois said that we were meddling with Quebec's areas of jurisdiction. Of course, none of that is true. Today, it is saying that we are going to ignore environmental assessments. That is not at all the case.

There will be very robust environmental assessments when it comes to pipelines and any other process or project that is federally regulated.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the House is right. The goal of Bill C-39 is not to lower environmental standards. It is to eliminate them.

If a pipeline were to go through Quebec, here is what Bill C-39 sets out for the environmental assessment. The energy regulator in Calgary will be the one to make the final decision. It is made up of seven commissioners, and five of the seven come from the oil industry.

At the table are TC Energy, Shell, Pembina Pipeline, Canadian Oil Sands Limited and Cenovus Energy. Meanwhile, scientists and Quebeckers do not have a seat at the table.

If we are not at the table, are we on the menu?

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

Mr. Speaker, first, the energy regulator in Calgary is the Canada Energy Regulator, just like the space agency in Saint-Hubert is the Canadian Space Agency. Regardless of where these organizations are located in the country, we have regulators that make us the envy of the world and that have access to sound evidence and science. The Bloc Québécois keeps throwing spaghetti at the wall, but unfortunately, none of it is sticking.

We are going to move faster and provide jobs and economic opportunities for all Quebeckers and Canadians.

Labour

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette—Manawan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, we could call it pipeline spaghetti.

Bill C‑39 also undermines workers' rights. At the federal level, strikes always play out the same way. Employers allow negotiations to deteriorate while they wait for Ottawa to put an end to them using section 107. That would not change.

What is changing is that Ottawa is now going to tell unions when and how to begin negotiations. It would also be able to stop negotiations by invoking vague concepts of national interest and social disruption.

According to the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec, Bill C‑39 would give the government the power of life or death over the right to strike. Why would anyone trust the federal government with that power?

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

Mr. Speaker, honestly, they just keep throwing spaghetti at the wall. What we are doing is setting limits and guidelines for the use of section 107. The Government of Canada does not want to meddle in collective bargaining. We want to support the parties, both labour and management, so they can finalize their collective agreements, agreements—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member for Kenora—Kiiwetinoong.

Taxation

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora—Kiiwetinoong, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Daniel from Dryden shared with me the financial strain he and his family are facing. They are living paycheque to paycheque, and despite working hard and following the rules, it is nearly impossible for them to maintain their home.

After 11 years of inflationary Liberal policies, this is the stark reality facing many Canadians, and it is why Conservatives are calling on the Liberals to adopt our economic action plan, which would cut taxes on food, fuel and work, so families can have hope that tomorrow will be better. Will the Liberals adopt our plan so that hard-working Canadians like Daniel can afford to live again?

[Leslie Church, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretaries of State for Labour]

Mr. Speaker, while I sympathize with families like Daniel's, I want the member opposite to realize that the government is focused specifically on families like Daniel's.

We have introduced the groceries and essentials benefit, for example, and over 17,000 families in that member's riding are going to be receiving their next cheque on October 5. That is meaningful support, up to approximately $1,800 for a family in his riding this year.

If the Conservatives want to talk about affordability, they should come on board to our plan, which is focused on making sure that Canadians have money in their pockets to pay the cost of living.

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora—Kiiwetinoong, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are all talk, no results. If their plan were working, we would not be facing an affordability crisis. Now, 63% of Canadian workers say that their biggest financial stress is the cost of living. According to the National Payroll Institute, half of employed Canadians spend all of their net pay or more just to be able to keep up with rising costs.

I will ask again, why will the Liberals not adopt our plan to cut taxes so that hard-working Canadians can afford to live?