Parliamentary Speeches

Mr. Speaker, let the record show that the Leader of the Opposition, the former member for Carleton, the member for Battle River—Crowfoot, just said that the more than 9.8 million meals served to over 130,000 kids in schools in Ontario is just bureaucracy. How about the 58,000 kids from Alberta who received school food? Is that just bureaucracy? He claims that he was raised by teachers, yet he does not want to accept that a school food program is helping kids. After 22 years in this place, one would think he would know that he works for Canadians. Canadian kids are included in that.

Mr. Speaker, what an extraordinary moment we are at in sport in Canada. We are so proud and excited to be co-hosting the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup with Mexico and the United States. Tomorrow, Canada will play its first-ever FIFA Men's World Cup match in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina. It will inspire countless young Canadians. It will bring $1 billion to our national revenue. It will be watched by five billion viewers around the world. Sport is one of Canada's greatest nation-building projects, and we are so proud to be hosting the world's biggest event this year. Go, Canada, go!

Mr. Speaker, it seems that the Conservatives' photocopier is out of toner, because they have all received the exact same photocopy of the exact same question. It is too bad that the Conservative leader does not trust his MPs to ask an original question. Perhaps they might ask about their local businesses or something that is happening in their own province. It is the same question over and again. We have to stick to the facts. Canada's economy is growing. In fact, Canada has surpassed the U.S. when it comes to having a higher employment rate. The Canadian economy, because Canadians are working hard, added 88,000 jobs in the last month. We have a plan and we are working hard to make sure that Canadians are getting ahead.

Madam Speaker, I have known the member for a number of years and, in fact, I have a great deal of respect for him. He overcame enormous personal challenges to be in the House, which he has been open about. That is why I respect him, but he conducts himself in this way. The opposition leader's office, I guess, has given orders for him to throw insults like this, and the rest of it. We are not going to focus on that. We are going to engage in a positive approach to politics. What do we find? Almost 90,000 jobs were created, many of which are in the construction sector. He is from Alberta. He talks about the trades. We need to build the country up. That is exactly what we are going to do. We have a plan—

Mr. Speaker, AI for all is this government's plan to make AI work for all Canadians. It is about what AI can do in Canadians' lives for better health care, stronger businesses, safer communities and better public services. Our strategy has three foundations: first, trust, so that privacy, children and democracy are protected; second, opportunity, so that every Canadian can use, build with and benefit from AI; third, sovereign control, so that Canada makes its own choices on AI. This is a plan for Canadian AI leadership, and we are taking care of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I want to emphasize that trust is at the core of every aspect of our AI strategy. This government is taking a multipronged approach. Bill C‑16 would combat those sexualized deepfakes that are concerning for so many Canadians, as they should be. Bill C‑25 would protect our democratic institutions. Our strategy commits to bringing forward legislation on safe social media and updating consumer privacy law to protect Canadians' data. We are launching a Canada trusted AI certification program, and we are protecting Canadians as our first priority in this strategy.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today at third reading to speak in support of Bill C-16 and the Government of Canada's continued response to criminal justice system delays. Before I start, I would like to express gratitude to all members of the committee who have worked hard and diligently on this legislation. To start, I would like to highlight three measures proposed in Bill C-16 to address delays. First, Bill C-16 would introduce greater flexibility to courts in ordering alternative remedies to address unreasonable delays. Currently, once a court determines that there has been unreasonable delay, in breach of section 11(b) of the charter, a stay of proceedings is the only available remedy recognized by the common law. While Bill C-16 would not preclude ordering a stay of proceedings, it would, however, direct the courts to consider it a remedy of last resort after considering whether other remedies are appropriate and just under the circumstances. Courts would need to take into account specific factors like the impact a stay of proceedings is likely to have on the victim and the interests that society has in a final decision. Requiring that a stay of proceedings be considered as a remedy of last resort would also ensure greater consistency with how charter remedies are considered in other contexts. Alternative remedies would not be codified. Instead, it would be open to the courts to determine what would be most appropriate, depending on the circumstances of the case. Each remedy could be tailored to rectify the harm suffered by the accused while preserving the public interest in having criminal cases decided on their merits. For example, a court could make an order to expedite proceedings or the trial itself, sever charges for cases involving multiple co-accused or change the venue of the trial. Courts could also consider making an order to change the mode of trial, for example, by ordering a jury trial to proceed by judge alone where applicable and with the consent of the accused. Second, Bill C-16 would provide courts with additional guidance on assessing case complexity. The Jordan framework recognizes that some cases are inherently more complex and may justifiably take longer to complete, for example, cases with significant disclosure or particularly complex types of evidence. Bill C-16 would preserve the existing approach, determining whether a case is complex under the Jordan framework, but would require courts to consider specific additional factors when the case involves applications or motions. This proposal responds directly to the reality that in recent years, increased reliance on applications and motions has become a significant source of delay in some jurisdictions, for example, in cases involving sexual offences and organized crime. These proceedings can be important in ensuring the accused's right to a fair trial, but they also require time and resources that are often beyond the control of the judge. Importantly, all existing common law factors that the courts currently consider in determining whether a case is complex would continue to apply. The intent is not to replace those factors but rather to ensure that courts are recognizing the procedural complexities of modern criminal litigation and accounting for the cascading effect that applications and motions can have on delays. While Bill C-16 seeks to address delays in the justice system to protect victims and would ensure that justice is being served for the most egregious crimes and offences, our new government is also addressing crime by investing in upstream solutions and preventative measures. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, investing in sport results in lower crime. This may seem implausible or unconvincing to some, but I want to emphasize what a significant and serious upstream investment sport represents in an effort to create safer communities while promoting positive social development and building resilience, particularly among at-risk youth. Sport provides a safe environment for families and youth to learn life skills, develop social capital and engage in activities that reduce the risk of crime and violence. By fostering a sense of community and providing opportunities for youth to participate in sports, societies can create safer and more stable environments. Our government's recent generational investment of $755 million in sport will support sport development for youth and also offer families more opportunities to learn and grow their skills and to meet new friends and mentors. According to experts, sociologists, psychologists, crime prevention researchers and law enforcement across Canada, sport will also help build a stronger, safer Canada for all. To conclude, Bill C-16 takes a careful and balanced approach to addressing criminal justice system delays. It responds to the real and lasting harm caused by stays of proceedings, particularly for victims. It would also provide courts with carefully tailored tools to ensure that justice is not only swift but fair and meaningful. Bill C-16 reflects this government's commitment to a criminal justice system that protects constitutional rights while maintaining public confidence and delivering justice on the merits. I urge all members of the House to support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I understand the member's concerns. I am a strong believer that our job in this House is not to play judge and jury; our job is to create the framework legal system to protect people and to protect victims. That is what the bill seeks to do: protect victims, expedite the justice system, and ensure that justice is served and victims are protected. I also strongly believe that we need to invest more in upstream solutions, because simply suggesting that everything is in place for a safe society and we could not do anything to prevent crime is also not a responsible approach. We are taking a balanced approach, investing in upstream solutions while also ensuring that the legal system has everything it needs in order to ensure that justice is served.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the members of the committee for their work on Bill C‑16. It is extraordinarily important and serious. We urgently need to find solutions to improve Canada's justice system. We could debate this all summer and into the fall. However, people are urgently awaiting for the legislation to be passed. This is a long-standing issue in the court systems, and as provincial governments are seeking to expedite their processes, and invest in courts and courtrooms, we have an obligation to act as well. That expeditious approach, acting urgently, is one that I encourage all members to undertake.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague, the Secretary of State for Combatting Crime, for her question and for all of her work on this legislation and many other pieces of legislation. It is worthwhile to mention that fully two-thirds of the legislation tabled by this government over the last year has been to address crime and to focus on fixing our justice system. I would just highlight that the court delays are largely a provincial jurisdiction. The court in Halton region is very close to my constituency office, so oftentimes we hear from constituents who are concerned about those delays. It is an aging court. Unfortunately, it is one that does not have the capacity to deal with the growing population in Halton region and throughout Peel. I would also just highlight that we have seen in the news lately that Premier Doug Ford is very concerned about how 156 criminals were released from prison without an explanation. It is very easy to blame one level of government or another, but we are working together to solve these problems.

Mr. Speaker, only the Conservatives think that global factors such as wars, climate change and tariffs are a conspiracy theory. They are not a conspiracy theory. They do have an impact on our local economy. What is our government doing? We are responding in ways that help Canadians, like the groceries and essentials benefit, which that member from Hamilton East—Stoney Creek voted against. How about the 20,000 people in his riding who rely on the Canada child benefit? He voted against that, too. I suppose I will congratulate the leader of the Conservatives on one thing. He has managed to whip all those Conservatives up to ask only four questions this entire question period. At least they are consistent.

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we are busy making jobs happen in Hamilton East—Stoney Creek while that member votes against policies that support families in his riding, like the Canada child benefit, dental and the groceries and essentials benefit. That member is cherry-picking things out of the groceries and essentials benefit and from Food Banks Canada. He should be ashamed of himself. We are following the instructions from Food Banks Canada. We are putting on the record that we are here to help families with jobs and with the groceries and essentials benefit. All the Conservatives can do is read the same tired speeches from their leader into the record over and over again, while we are busy, on this side, helping Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, my friend and colleague from Mississauga East—Cooksville knows what it takes to be an Olympic medallist, an Olympian. He has raced the marathon at the Olympic Games for team Canada, so I thank him very much. Today we welcome the 2026 team Canada Olympic and Paralympic athletes to Parliament Hill. Every time team Canada athletes compete, they represent our country and wear the maple leaf. It makes us proud. Our world-class teams and athletes deserve a world-class sport system. That is why we are building Canada strong, from playground to podium, by investing over $755 million into the Canadian sport system over the next five years to improve access to higher sport participation, host more international sporting events and support our incredible national team athletes.

Mr. Speaker, today we welcome the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic athletes from team Canada. They represent our country and wear the maple leaf and we could not be more proud. Our world-class teams and athletes deserve a world-class sport system. We are building Canada strong from playground to podium by investing over $750 million to strengthen Canada's sport system. I congratulate all members of team Canada. Go, Canada, go!

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the member for Hamilton East—Stoney Creek should talk to the 10,600-plus people in his riding who have accessed dental care that he and his party voted against. Perhaps he should talk to the over 20,700 families that access the Canada child benefit and the benefits that this government has put on the table to fight for affordability that he and his party consistently vote against. Whether it is child care, a national school food program or improvements in recreation facilities, the Conservatives have voted against every single measure to improve the lives of Canadians, including those in Hamilton East—Stoney Creek.

Mr. Speaker, why will the member not be honest with her constituents and tell them exactly what she is willing to cut in order to achieve her very irresponsible plans? We can start with dental care. In Cambridge, we have 11,355 members of that community accessing the Canadian dental care plan. That is 11,355 people who visited a dentist and had an opportunity to get their teeth fixed last year. What about the Canada child benefit? In Cambridge alone, 19,621 kids are having a better life and a better start because of the Canada child benefit. Those are programs she is willing to cut for her reckless agenda.

Mr. Speaker, what the good people of York Centre do not have to put on their credit card are their dental bills. In fact, 11,147 people do not need to pay out of pocket for their dental care because they signed up for the Canadian dental care plan. I will say it again. There are 11,147 people who were helped, just in York Centre alone. In addition to that, 27,665 kids benefit from the Canada child benefit. All these are programs that the Conservatives are willing to cut to achieve their reckless agenda.

Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Conservatives not only do not want to take care of people but also do not understand what an investment is. We are talking about a party that voted against dental care for children and for seniors. The Conservatives are a group of people who voted against supporting kids' just having a healthy lunch in school. We are talking about a party that voted against child care so parents could get back to work earlier and support their family. The Conservatives prove time and time again that they have no interest in supporting Canadians, and they still do not understand what an investment in Canadians actually means.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my friend and colleague from Ottawa West—Nepean for always supporting Team Canada. We know that support for our athletes on and off the field is absolutely vital, and that is why we are so proud to be investing $6.2 million with our Olympic team, Paralympic team and sports networks right across the country to ensure that they have all the resources they need to compete at their best. This investment is going to support exciting programs like Game Plan, and it is going to ensure that our athletes have everything they need on and off the field. We are so proud of our Team Canada athletes. Go, Canada, go.

Mr. Speaker, I would ask the question again, just as the government House leader did. The Conservatives talk a big game, but they do not want to get specific about what vital programs they would cut in order to pay for their irresponsible plans. We have the Canada child benefit and the Canadian dental care plan. Just recently we brought forward the Canada groceries and essentials benefit that will deliver over $1,800 per lower-income family in that member's riding. She would deny them child care, she would deny them dental and she would lower their Canada child benefit. Not on this side; we have got Canadians' backs.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciated the speech from one of the most knowledgeable members of the House. He spends more time in this room than anybody I know and really does understand how this place works. He mentioned the lawful access bill, which was delayed by the Conservatives until they kind of came around and, I suppose, were convinced, maybe by their constituents or perhaps by law enforcement officials who were asking us to deliver on that. However, they slowed that legislation down. Could the member please inform Canadians and the House how a change to our committee structure to better reflect the composition of Parliament would allow us to advance legislation that Canadians, law enforcement and officials require for their work?

Mr. Speaker, once again, this anti-intellectual approach to policy on behalf of the Conservative Party is not convincing Canadians. This is coming from a guy, the failed former leader of the Conservative Party, the member for Regina—Qu'Appelle, who claimed to be an insurance broker. Actually, the Insurance Bureau of Canada said he was never a broker and asked him if he could take it back; he had to. He also used Conservative Party funds to put his kids in school, or something like that. I am sorry, but the credibility coming from the other side is just not convincing Canadians. We are cutting taxes, we are lowering gas prices and we are creating a more affordable future for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition wants Canadians to judge people by what they say in the House of Commons. I kind of agree. He thought Brexit was a good idea. He said that marriage should be exclusively a bond between a man and a woman at the exclusion of all others. He also said that Canadians should opt out of inflation by buying cryptocurrency. We have real solutions for Canadians. We have a tax cut for 22 million Canadians. We have the groceries and essentials benefit, which will help 12 million vulnerable Canadians with their grocery bills. How about a real solution, for a change, rather than this rhetoric?

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are saying that, on this side of the House, we are blaming global factors. We are not. We are acknowledging global factors and putting forth measures to address global factors. They want to completely ignore the fact that we live in a globally connected society and that price factors are influenced by global affairs like a war in the Middle East. Gas prices are too high, so the Prime Minister announced that we are addressing that. We are also lowering income tax. We put forward other affordability measures like dental care and child care, things the Conservatives voted against.

Mr. Speaker, it is what the Conservatives do not say in their prepared speeches, written by the Conservative leader, that Canadians really need to know, which is how they plan to pay for these outlandish and irresponsible proposals. The Conservatives can question the economic acumen of one of the most world-renowned economists if they like, but what Canadians know is that Liberals are delivering on affordable child care and dental care, and our government is meeting the moment with—

Mr. Speaker, the hidden cost is exactly what the Conservatives are hiding from Canadians. What are they going to cut to pay for their irresponsible suggestions? They are going to cut child care. They are going to cut dental care. They are not going to do a tax cut for 22 million Canadians. They are certainly not going to do a groceries and essentials benefit. How do we know that? They voted against every single affordability proposal the government has put on the table for them to vote for. They can question the economic acumen of a world-renowned economist if they like, but Canadians can see right through this bluster.

Mr. Speaker, try as they might, the Conservatives are not fooling Canadians, and that member is not fooling Hamiltonians. They know that fuel is too expensive because of the war in the Middle East, and they also know that our Liberal government is meeting the moment with a tax cut for 22 million Canadians, with affordable child care and dental care for families, and with the groceries and essentials benefit to deliver up to $1,800 for families with a modest income. As a result of this week's affordability announcement, we are letting Canadians keep $2.4 billion in their hands, in their pockets after they earn that hard-earned money, at the gas pumps. Canadians can see right through the Conservative bluster on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives just learned a new word, “affordability”, and they use it often in the House of Commons, but every time they get the chance to vote in favour of an affordability measure backed by experts, they vote against. This feigned new interest in supporting lower-income Canadians is not fooling anybody. Besides, our policies are working, particularly on rents. I will read a couple of headlines for the Conservatives: “Now is the ‘best time’ to rent in Canada as asking price hits 31-month low”. When we build more affordable housing, rents go down, and that is what this government has been doing for years now. The Conservatives can get on board.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are sick and tired of the alternative Conservative facts from the opposition. We all know that food costs too much, but instead of exploiting the challenges that are facing Canadians right now, the Conservatives should do a little bit of reading and look into why food costs too much. All the research indicates that 85% of food inflation is due to imported factors like war, tariffs and extreme weather due to climate change, something Conservatives refuse to acknowledge and do not believe in. The groceries and essentials benefit will help 12.6 million Canadians. Why will the Conservatives not get on board and help a Canadian for a change?

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Conservatives are demonstrating that they have no credibility on affordability because they are ignoring all of the recommendations that the experts are making to pursue a more equitable future in Canada. One of the recommendations the Conservatives chose to ignore was the groceries and essentials benefit. We are using a proven mechanism to provide relief to families in those income brackets that need it most with the rising cost of living. The Conservatives can quote the experts if they want to, but I recommend they follow the recommendations as well.

Mr. Speaker, it is a bit ironic to be criticized about political talking points when the members opposite read from the same page over and over again. They ask the same 15 questions over and over again. They do not write their own questions. There is no creativity from that side. The level of this debate deserves a bit more. With respect to housing, we have invested $13 billion in non-market housing through Build Canada Homes. After a successful $1.5-billion pilot on co-op housing, we see these strategies are working. Rents are coming down and home ownership is within sight for young people. That is because of the policies of the government. The Conservatives have a choice. They can get on board or—

Mr. Speaker, never in his more than 20-year career has the new, temporary member of Parliament for Battle River—Crowfoot cared about people who are in financial need. The new, feigned approach to affordability is not convincing any Canadians. The GST rebate makes a big difference for families who need it. The Conservatives have committed to voting for the bill, but they still want to criticize it and say it would not work. It would work. As somebody who has benefited from that benefit in particular, I can say that my family needed that help and that families still need that help, and that is why we are delivering for families in need.

Mr. Speaker, while it is heartening to hear the Conservatives talk about affordable housing, it would be nice if they actually voted in favour of some of the policies that would help get affordable housing built. A couple of years ago, we invested a novel $1.5 billion into new co-op housing builds, and that means that there are 3,500 units under construction right now. We are having Canadians move into those homes. We are ramping it up. We are building more affordable housing. The Conservatives continue to stigmatize affordable housing, calling them shacks and Soviet-style housing. The Conservatives talk a really good talk on housing, but they should vote in favour of some policies that actually get them built.

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives talk a good talk on affordable housing, but when it comes time to actually vote in favour of policies that get affordable housing built, they are nowhere to be seen. For the last year, they have been filibustering in committee, making sure that really important policies do not follow through. They ought to stop filibustering in committee. We have a first-time homebuyers incentive. We have more shovels in the ground, and housing starts were up last year. Conservatives talk a big talk on housing, but it is time to walk the walk.

Mr. Speaker, I know it is convenient for the Conservatives to say that a GST rebate is from Justin Trudeau's playbook, but as a kid who grew up in the eighties and nineties, when there was a GST rebate that helped lower-income families and my family, I would like to call that into question. It is an age-old Canadian policy that has worked for decades, a means-tested way to get money to the families that need it the most. Throughout the member's speech, he referred to industrial carbon pricing in an erroneous way. Perhaps he can cite a source or some data to back up what he said, because what I have here is that industrial carbon pricing, such as Canada's output-based pricing system, has a negligible or net-zero impact on consumer food costs and actually makes some sectors more competitive, lowering costs. Does the member have an example of industrial carbon pricing having an impact on food? The science does not back it up, so I would love to hear it.

Mr. Speaker, to the member's question, not only do we take the statistics very seriously, but we also take the recommendations of the organizations that are working to feed hungry Canadians extremely seriously. The top recommendation of Food Banks Canada was to create a groceries and essentials benefit. The Conservatives have a chance to support that motion and to vote in favour of it to help Canadians at the grocery store. We know, based on the research that has been done by independent agencies, that industrial carbon prices not only have a negligible impact or zero impact, but many of them actually help. As such, if the Conservatives want to help Canadians at the grocery store, they should vote in favour of the groceries and essentials benefit.

Mr. Speaker, farmers know that the number one cause of food inflation in Canada and globally is climate change. When they are listing off the products that are most affected by climate change, they often list lettuce, which is impacted by climate change in California; coffee, which is imported to Canada as we do not grow coffee here; and beef, which is impacted by climate change. The Conservatives can continue to bury their heads in the sand and pretend that climate change does not exist, but we are working with farmers to increase the number of domestic producers. We are working to build more greenhouses so that Canadians can buy more Canadian food.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to speak to this important motion today, particularly in the context of where our nation is in early 2026. Our government is restoring economic sovereignty to this country. We are encouraging resource development, strengthening competitive investments, both foreign and domestic, and spurring on innovation here at home. Being from the beautiful riding of Burlington North—Milton West, which is right on the fulcrum of Canada's innovation corridor, that last part on innovation, with our universities, our researchers and the private sector, could not be more important at this time. All of these goals, including building on our economic security, our ability to encourage and protect innovation and our incredible capacity, particularly lately with the Prime Minister's ability to go around the world and incent the interest in investing in Canada, attracting those global investments, could not come at a more important time. Those are all goals that should unite us, not divide us. They are the goals that inspired the Building Canada Act, the creation of the Major Projects Office and the streamlining of all of our nation-building projects in things like LNG, critical minerals, clean energy, infrastructure and affordable housing. Our government is fast-tracking major projects like the Montreal port expansion. We are fast-tracking the LNG Canada phase two project and other projects that will bolster Canada's economy and create jobs and more economic sovereignty right across our great country. These represent some of the biggest private sector investments in Canadian history. We are fast-tracking the Iqaluit hydro project and the Darlington small modular reactor to provide clean and affordable energy to Canadians. This work is also creating tens of thousands of jobs and higher wages for Canadians right across this country. Today, what the Conservatives are trying to do with this motion is to further mislead Canadians into thinking that important measures to combat climate change, spur on innovation and ensure that we are skating to where the puck is going are actually having a negative impact. They are projecting that these are having a negative impact on affordability here at home, but the truth could not be more contrary. Investments in innovation are skating to where the puck is going. Farmers know this. Farmers in my riding recognize that climate change is the leading impact on food cost inflation right now. Conservatives have stood in this House time and time again to talk about the price of coffee. I love coffee; I drink too much of it. Coffee is too expensive, but we do not grow coffee in Canada. We roast some coffee, but to suggest that domestic climate-change-fighting policies are having an impact on the cost of coffee is foolish. Farmers know that the leading cause of crop yields being more challenging and less reliable, and food costs going up, is climate change. They also know how to leverage exemptions and rebates, how to access clean tech funding, how to upgrade old equipment to more efficient operational costs. They know that reduces energy costs and consumption. That is how we lower food costs and make sure that Canadians are able to buy the fresh food, the produce, meat and dairy products, that their families need every single month. It is about making sure we have energy-efficient grain drying here at home, barn upgrades and precision agriculture. We already know the agriculture sector is one of the most innovative in Canada, and our government is working hand in hand with farmers and agricultural experts from across the country to ensure that they have the tools they need to skate to where the puck is going, to use that hockey analogy again. As the Prime Minister said at the World Economic Forum just a few days ago, our goals of making Canada an energy superpower demand that we respond with openness, not retrenchment. We must build on pragmatic collaboration rather than go headlong into a reactive or fortress-building mentality. It is critical to Canadians that we continue to fight climate change and lower the likelihood of things such as wildfires, floods and other climate-related tragedies that have already claimed too many lives and homes, all while we strengthen our economy, build resilience and provide reliable and affordable energy to communities right across this country. The Conservatives have been playing the same game that they have played over the last couple of years with climate action. They want to position climate action as something that is too expensive for Canadians, while in fact, climate action brings costs down. They are trying to position the industrial carbon pricing mechanism we have in this country, which is providing farmers with the opportunity to innovate and with reliable innovations to change some of their practices to lower consumption mechanisms that will naturally cost less money, as something that is contributing directly to the costs of food. We import a lot of food from other countries, so one of the things our government is undertaking is to grow more at home and make sure we have more abattoirs, meat-producing facilities, farms and greenhouses. In my riding, which is one of the largest mushroom-producing regions in the country, we produce a lot of mushrooms, and we want to make sure that can grow. Mushrooms grow quickly. Let us make sure that we are doing everything we can to support those food sectors. The motion the Conservatives put on the table today would not strengthen Canadian sovereignty. It would do quite the opposite. In fact, their misleading rhetoric over how climate action has an impact on the pocketbooks of Canadians has been soundly refuted by farmers, researchers and food experts. We know that industrial carbon pricing has a tiny, if not zero, price impact on the food we all need, but the Conservatives do not care about facts. The Conservatives are more focused on supporting a nostalgic view and looking back into the rear-view mirror for inspiration. They are not like this government. We are going forward. In order to accelerate the approval and construction of innovative major projects, collaboration is key, and that is where the Conservatives could choose to skate. The Olympics are coming up. The Paralympics are coming up. Athletes from different teams come together to compete on team Canada for the benefit of our country. They will compete together for the maple leaf. They will inspire people to undertake more healthy lifestyles or try a new sport, and they will encourage kids to dream. I encourage every member of this House to collaborate and help refine legislation so that it reaches and helps more Canadians, not just the wealthiest Canadians. Yesterday, in the House of Commons, when we started talking about the Prime Minister's new plan to bring forward a groceries and essentials benefit, the Conservatives wanted to suggest that it was not going to help very many Canadians. That is false. I remember when I was a kid and my mom used to receive the GST rebate, because it helped my family a lot. We went out to buy running shoes. Maybe we went to Swiss Chalet those nights. It paid for our guitar lessons. It paid for my canoe club. Those things really made a difference in my young life, when I was a kid, and I know that an enhanced groceries and essentials benefit, as the Prime Minister has laid out, is going to do just that for 12 million Canadians in every single riding: Conservative ridings, Liberal ridings, New Democrat ridings, Bloc ridings and Green ridings. Ridings across the country will benefit. Lower-income Canadians deserve that support, and I am very proud that this government has undertaken to provide the groceries and essentials benefit, because it is precisely what food experts have been calling for. Food Banks Canada, oft cited by the Conservatives, did not say anything about industrial carbon pricing or any of the things in the Conservative motion today. Experts who know how hard it is to get food on a low-income budget say we need a groceries and essentials benefit. They said we need to grow more food here in Canada. They said we need to support low-income earners and make sure that the northern food security priorities are advanced, but that is not what the Conservatives put in their motion today. It is just about the industrial carbon tax. That makes it very clear who the Conservatives are working for. As I said, the Olympics and the Paralympics are coming up. Athletes know how to go for Canada. They are all going to compete for Canada. They are going to come together, promote the maple leaf and fight for our country. I consider us to be one big team. We can take a team Canada approach here. At this time, it is more important than ever that we come together, provide good ideas in this House, have robust debate and work together on advancing important supports and programs for Canadians that the most vulnerable in our society, particularly, will benefit from. The Conservatives have spilled a lot of ink and talked a lot about food banks over the last couple of years. Now let us listen to Food Banks Canada. They said we need a groceries and essentials benefit. Let us not try to distract with this motion today. Let us support the legislation before the House from our Prime Minister and support low-income Canadians. Go, Canada, go.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to correct the record. Unfortunately, the Conservative member is mistaken. We have fast-tracked many projects, including recreational facilities across this country. Those were outlined in the budget. If the Conservative members allowed time on the legislative schedule, voted in favour of the budget implementation act and supported the supports that are going out to Canadians, those recreational facilities would fill the gap in a lot of communities that require support in our great big beautiful country. There is a list in the budget. I would be happy to send it across to the hon. member. There are at least 10 recreational projects, and many others, for the member's information.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for speaking up for the environment and for the fight against climate change. It is a cause that is close to my heart. It is one of the many reasons that prompted me to put my name on the ballot. Fighting climate change is a priority for our government. We have many programs and tools to achieve this. Industry and the energy sector can do their part. A lot of Ontario's energy comes from nuclear power.

Mr. Speaker, just a couple of days ago, there was a fad on Instagram where everybody was looking back to 2016. The Conservatives were saying exactly the same stuff in 2016 that they are saying today. That was 10 years ago. They are still talking down climate action. They are still ignoring lower-income Canadians. They still think climate change is a hoax. Some things never change. What has not changed in the last year is that the Conservatives do not have any new ideas. This motion is literally, word for word, their platform, which was soundly rejected by Canadians last year. It sounds as though in the last year, the only thing they have been willing to do is parrot their talking points and read the speeches given to them by the Conservative leader's staff. It would be nice to see a bit of creativity, individuality or individual thought from the Conservative members, but I think that is too much to ask.

Mr. Speaker, after listening to the member's speech, I think we live in alternate realities. Times are tough and food is too expensive, but we have solutions and things have been going well, particularly on the jobs front. Will the member acknowledge that Canadians built 190,000 jobs in this country between September and December of last year; that Canada's real GDP growth is forecasted to be higher in 2026 than it is in Germany, France, Japan, Italy and the majority of the G7; that our GDP changed and improved by more in 2025 than it did in Italy, the eurozone, the U.K. and Japan; and, because the member talked about confidence, particularly confidence in the Prime Minister, that confidence in our Prime Minister is the highest it has been in decades?

Mr. Speaker, I just wonder if my hon. colleague could either agree or disagree that something like this has happened, because this is something I have experienced. The Conservatives are standing in the House disparaging the Major Projects Office, talking down our initiatives to build up Canada, create more projects and ensure that more projects get built in Canada. Publicly the Conservatives are against all that, but in my personal email inbox, they are asking how their ridings can have access to this funding and these opportunities. I am curious. As parliamentary secretary or as a member of Parliament in Calgary, has the member experienced the same thing: that the Conservatives say one thing in the House of Commons in public and something totally different in the inbox?

Mr. Speaker, there was actually a study on the impact the industrial carbon pricing has on the cost of food, and the result of that study was that it has a 0% impact on the cost of groceries. The number one cause of food inflation is actually climate change, and we only have to talk to one farmer to realize that. I fully recognize that food costs too much these days, so our government is here with the groceries and essentials benefit, which is a rebate that lower-income Canadians would receive four times a year to assist with these additional grocery prices. The Conservatives have a choice to make: Are they going to support affordability for Canadians, or are they going to keep standing up for the wealthiest Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the Canada groceries and essentials benefit will put food directly onto the tables of hard-working Canadian families and not just a few. We are talking about 12 million Canadians. Only Conservatives are willing to stand in the way of affordability for families that need a little bit of help. This Liberal government has the backs of Canadians. That Conservative leader turned his back on helping Canadians a long time ago. I know that Conservative leader is obsessed with his grip on power right now and probably cannot focus on much else, but if he could focus on what Canadians need and helping them out at the grocery store, we could use his vote.

Mr. Speaker, it is always pretty fresh to hear the Conservatives talk about elitism when they are talking down supports for hard-working Canadians. Twelve million Canadians are going to benefit from the Canada groceries and essentials benefit. From a personal perspective, when my hard-working single mom got that benefit four times a year, that meant running shoes for me and my brother, that meant guitar lessons for me and my brother, and that meant fresher food and maybe a trip to Swiss Chalet. However, those Conservatives have never cared about affordability or lower-income families. They are only here to help their rich oil and gas friends with this nonsense on hidden taxes that do not exist.

Mr. Speaker, let us remember when the Grinch tried to steal Christmas. He drove all the way up to the top of Mount Crumpit because he had everything he needed and was going to throw away the gifts the Whos deserved because he thought they did not deserve to have nice things. That is kind of like the Leader of the Conservative Party. For 25 years he has had dental care because he has had a job here in the House of Commons, so he votes against dental care for nine million Canadians. He has secure housing; he lives comfortably at Stornoway in government-owned housing, so he votes against affordable housing for millions of Canadians. My Christmas wish is that the Leader of the Conservative Party would come back in January with a heart that has grown three sizes and that he would try to help a Canadian for once in his 21-year career.

Mr. Speaker, first, there is no tax on groceries. There is no tax on food. There will never be taxes on groceries, and there will never be taxes on food. That member is a farmer; she should know better. She should know that the industrial carbon price has absolutely no impact on the cost of groceries. The Conservatives keep talking about things like the price of coffee. Maybe they should stand up and talk about how industrial carbon prices in Canada affect the Colombian price of coffee. It is absurd. Conservatives are very proud to vote against all the programs that support Canadians, but they could provide Canadians with just one solution to help them at the grocery store over this holiday season. Merry Christmas.