Steven MacKinnon

[Strong and Free Elections Act, June 11th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, that is a very important principle, particularly for those of us who like to be close to our constituents.

It is clear that the Supreme Court of Canada ruling that I mentioned allows for some variation in the populations of ridings, as well as in terms of distances and riding size.

However, in a democracy, we need to ensure that one vote carries roughly the same weight as another vote cast elsewhere. It is a matter of finding the right balance. I think the members of the Quebec National Assembly also recognize that they have merely identified a problem, not solved one. They reached a compromise.

I do not have much to say about the action that the Quebec National Assembly is taking, other than to note that it is very important in a democracy for every vote to carry roughly the same weight.

[Strong and Free Elections Act, June 11th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, I can only imagine how beautiful the panorama of the Bow River is this time of year. The member has only been here for a year. I have been here 11 years and have witnessed the very imaginative ways the Conservatives conceive of to delay, stall and otherwise obstruct the passage of legislation, even, as the member points out, legislation as non-controversial and consensual as this bill is.

I do want to take a moment to express my appreciation, in terms of the development of this bill, for the co-operation that I have received from all parts of this House. It is a signal testament to this country that, at the very minimum, we can all agree on the rules of the game and change the Elections Act without rancour.

[Strong and Free Elections Act, June 11th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, I want to repeat to the member for Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj that he too must be looking forward to returning to his riding.

He does indeed represent a very large riding. I admire all members, all elected officials, who drive long distances, often very late, and in all kinds of conditions, including winter conditions. It is obviously very challenging to represent people who are spread across a vast area and who, in his case, are separated by the Gulf of St. Lawrence. I really commend my colleague for that.

That said, in a democracy, we must do everything in our power to ensure that every vote carries equal weight, whether it is cast in Montreal or in Percé. We always try to respect that fundamental principle, one that is actually recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada.

[Strong and Free Elections Act, June 11th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, l first want to say to my hon. friend, in the spirit of the season, that I can well understand why anyone with the very evocative riding name of Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies would be very anxious and excited to return to that place. It sounds like an amazing place, and I hope to visit the member someday.

However, in the meantime, we are here to work. The member, perhaps, did not hear my earlier answer to his deputy House leader, where I expressed my real surprise. Yes, indeed, we are asking members of Parliament to work a little harder so that we can get the job done for Canadians, but that member voted to extend the hours until midnight. He was for that. Three hours later, he voted to adjourn the House. We did not quite understand that. That sounded like a contradiction.

[Strong and Free Elections Act, June 11th, 2026]

moved:

That in relation to Bill C-25, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and to enact An Act to change the names of certain electoral districts, 2026, not more than five further hours shall be allotted to the consideration at third reading stage of the said bill; and

That, at the expiry of the five hours provided consideration at third reading stage of the said Bill, any proceedings before the House shall be interrupted, if required for the purpose of this Order, and in turn every question necessary for the disposal of the said stage of the Bill then under consideration shall be put forthwith and successively without further debate or amendment.

[Business of the House, June 11th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, we are clearly entering the home stretch before we head back to our ridings to spend a little more time with our constituents. When Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day rolls around, I think people, especially those from la belle province, want to go home and be with their loved ones. I hope that will be the case, both for the deputy House leader of the official opposition and for myself. In the meantime, we have a lot of work to do.

I point this out as gently as I can to my esteemed colleague, but we were intrigued the other day when the Conservatives voted to extend sitting hours until midnight. I want to emphasize that it was until midnight. We thought we were going to work together and do things for Canadians, but three hours later, shortly after dinnertime, the Conservatives voted to adjourn the House. This contradiction puzzled us and left us a bit skeptical about their willingness to work. We shall see how things play out over the next few days.

This afternoon, we will resume third reading debate of Bill C-25, the strong and free elections act, followed by debate on the Senate amendment relating to Bill C-9, the combatting hate act. Tomorrow morning, we will call Government Business No. 12, which relates to the proceedings on Bill C-30, the spring economic update 2026 implementation act. After question period, we will proceed to debate on the Senate amendments made to Bill C-14, the bail and sentencing reform act, followed by second reading debate of Bill C-27, the final self-government agreement for the Tlegohli Got’ine act.

As for next week, on Monday we will resume consideration of Government Business No. 12, followed by consideration of Bill C-9, the combatting hate act.

Next Tuesday's meeting will be dedicated to the consideration of Government Business No. 11 concerning proceedings on Bill C-26, an act to authorize certain payments to be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purpose of improving housing supply.

Other priority bills next week will be Bill C-27, the final self-government agreement for the Tlegohli Got'ine act; Bill C-29, the financial crimes agency act; and Bill C-10, the commissioner for modern treaty implementation act.

As members can see, we are planning to race to the finish line, and we are optimistic that the Conservatives and all opposition party members will work with us and with Canadians to achieve great things.

[Marine Transportation, June 11th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, ship recycling is a multi-billion-dollar, worldwide industry and also an opportunity. Indeed, as the member points out, there are many derelict vessels, including many owned by the people of Canada.

We will continue to work very hard on this file. I am very well aware of the interest in the Port Alberni area in engaging in this industry. We are extremely interested in it, and I will be very pleased to continue working with the member on that issue.

[Rail Transportation, June 11th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is no, and it will always be no.

[Canadian Identity and Culture, June 11th, 2026]

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.

[The Economy, June 11th, 2026]

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.