Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, it is clear that the Liberal Party of Canada and our government believe in giving Canadians a break over the holidays. This relief will certainly save families money over the holidays; this is much-needed relief after the struggles many workers and Canadians have gone through with the inflationary pressures they have felt over many months. It is too bad the Conservative Party of Can…
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Madam Speaker, we will put our record up against the Conservatives' any day of the week and twice on Sundays. Let me quote from a former governor of the Bank of Canada, David Dodge. He said, “because it was obsessively focused on reducing the federal deficit over fiscal years 2011-12 through 2015-16, the Harper government unnecessarily contributed to a slower, rather more muted recovery”. While Co…
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Madam Speaker, the hypocrisy of the Conservative leader is absolutely shocking. During the last election campaign, all Conservative candidates campaigned on a promise to lift the GST during the holiday season. What did the Conservatives do last week, when presented with the opportunity to follow through on that promise? They broke their promise to Canadians by voting against a GST break over the h…
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Madam Speaker, a GST break on essentials for Canadians over the holidays is going to make life more affordable for them for the next two months. That is good news for Canadians. It is great to see the NDP behind that proposal from the government. It is a shame that the Conservatives, who have harped on in the House about cutting taxes, for months and months, for as long as I can remember, would ac…
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Madam Speaker, the Conservatives want to talk about confidence. Canadians can have confidence in our government to deliver programs and services that make their life more affordable and that contribute to their quality of life, like our early learning and child care program. Jim Stanford, a very famous economist in this country, just did a report on the success of the program, which has created 11…
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Mr. Speaker, let us get serious. The very report that the member opposite cites says that climate change is the greatest driver of food price inflation. It is the same thing Sylvain Charlebois said when he came to committee recently. The Conservatives have no plan to fight climate change. In addition, we stepped up over the holidays to offer Canadians a GST tax cut. What did the Conservatives do? …
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Mr. Speaker, we know where the puck is going in the world economy, which is toward the clean economy of the future. Our government has been working hard to attract billions of dollars of investment to secure good-paying jobs for generations to come. That is precisely the work we have been doing. We know that Lion Electric is a leader in electric buses and electric trucks in this country, and we wi…
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Mr. Speaker, last week, I was thrilled to welcome over 700 change-makers from across Canada and around the world to the third annual Sustainable Finance Forum in Ottawa. Innovators, industry leaders, investors, academics and non-profits spoke on building a clean and prosperous economy for the 21st century. We shared innovative strategies to align our financial system with sustainability goals, dis…
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Madam Speaker, I am thankful to the member opposite for agreeing with the concept of GST relief. However short this pause may be, the timing is perfect when Canadians have been struggling for a long time, the economy is improving and it gives Canadians a break when they most need it, when they are going to probably spend quite a bit of money over the holidays. I know most of us do. With regard to …
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Madam Speaker, I would note that we serve together on the same industry committee and I value the member's input greatly in the proceedings of that committee. However, I am not sure this member has read this particular bill because he is referring to another measure our government announced. Granted, we did announce it at the same time as the GST tax break, but what he is referring to is not withi…
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Madam Speaker, I hear no holiday spirit from the other side of the House. That is for certain. All I hear is the ringing of that petty little heart of the Conservative leader who cannot find it in himself to give his members of Parliament the freedom to do their job. It is too bad for the House and for Canadians. What is interesting is the member opposite talks about the Canada carbon rebate, whic…
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Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to be here in the House this evening to discuss a government bill, Bill C-78, and to finally be moving forward on behalf of Canadians. This is important legislation that will deliver meaningful savings for Canadians with a GST/HST exemption across the country. Canadians will be able to buy essentials, such as groceries, snacks and kids' clothing, all tax-free. It i…
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Madam Speaker, the member opposite and I have had many conversations and very productive working relationships, and I respect his point of view. Our government, quite contrary to what the member has just implied, cares deeply about individuals living with a disability. I know the member opposite cares about those individuals in his community, as well, and has advocated for that. I think we share t…
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Madam Speaker, I am always shocked as to how the Conservatives' oration and rhetoric do not align with their actions. They talk every day in the House about tax cuts, but when it comes time to vote in favour of a tax cut for Canadians, they are unwilling to. They did this back in 2015 when the Liberal government first got into power and offered a middle-class tax cut. I do not know if members reme…
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Mr. Speaker, there is only one thing Conservatives hate more than Canada's economy doing well, and it is Liberals putting real and tangible affordability measures to the House of Commons that really help support Canadians. We have done that time and time again, and what did the Conservatives do? They opposed. When we proposed to do a middle-class tax cut way back in 2015, it was one of the first t…
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians work hard for their money and for their families; they deserve a break. This Christmas, we will be giving Canadians a break on the GST for many of the goods Canadians purchase over the holidays, such as toys, kids' clothes, prepared foods and even Christmas trees, so they can focus on the things that matter most to them. On this side of the House, we are focused on making th…
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), and consistent with the policy on the tabling of treaties in Parliament, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “Final Acts of the World Radiocommunication Conference of the International Telecommunication Union”, done at Dubai on December 15, 2023.
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, I am excited to share some good news. Yesterday, the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister announced the GST tax break for all Canadians and the new Canadian workers rebate, $250 in the spring. Both measures will help Canadians afford the things they need and to save for the things they want. The measures demonstrate our government's commitment to ensuring that Canadians can ke…
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Mr. Speaker, after hearing the outcry about his plan to cut billions in funding for more housing and silencing his Conservative MPs from advocating for their communities, we know that the Conservative leader had a rough week last week. It is hard to believe he is barring his own MPs from doing the most foundational part of their job, which is advocating for their communities. MPs should be represe…
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Madam Speaker, our government provides hundreds of dollars a month, tax-free, to help families with the cost of raising a kid. We have also helped implement a national child care program, which is saving families $800 a month on average. We are investing to feed 400,000 more kids healthy meals at school. I note that the member worked on a national school food program for many years, advocating for…
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Madam Speaker, Conservatives seem so intent on talking down the Canadian economy. They do not seem to be able to recognize the positive signs of economic progress and recovery. Inflation is down to 1.6%. In Canada, our central bank has decreased interest rates four times. We have attracted over $50 billion in foreign direct investment, propelling us to number one per capita in the G20. That has le…
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Mr. Speaker, we consult experts who disagree with the member, but recently the Conservatives' go-to guy, Sylvain Charlebois, said that climate change is the agri-food sector's greatest challenge and agreed that climate change is a major driver of food price inflation, so if Conservatives actually cared about elevated food prices, they would have a plan to address climate change, but they do not. T…
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Mr. Speaker, I know that Conservatives like to cherry-pick per capita measures to try to talk down the Canadian economy, but in fact if we look at per capita foreign direct investment, Canada is number one in the world, ahead of Brazil and ahead of the United States. If we look at the IMF's projections of growth in Canada, our GDP is projected to grow more in the year 2025 than any other G7 countr…
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Mr. Speaker, we expect all telecommunication companies to clearly communicate contract terms and pricing changes to its customers. The minister has spoken directly with Rogers on this important issue. In the past two budgets, we have taken critical steps to crack down on unnecessary fees and to eliminate switching charges so customers can cancel and switch to cheaper plans and access lower charges…
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Mr. Speaker, I am glad to hear the member opposite use the word “security” again. What the House should be preoccupied with, which all Canadians are preoccupied with, is the overwhelming question that the Conservatives cannot answer: Why will the Conservative leader not get his security clearance? It has been months and months that the House has been preoccupied with foreign interference, yet the …
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Mr. Speaker, our government knows that the best way to get food prices down is to increase competition in the market. That is why we have worked with every party in the House to advance competition laws in this country. We have also injected new cash and capital into addressing food insecurity. The top ask of Food Banks Canada and many other food security organizations for years was to fund a nati…
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Mr. Speaker, I have one word: hypocritical. That is what we call it when people say they care about something and then do the exact opposite. It is like when Conservatives say they care about people who have to use a food bank, but then want to cut a program that is going to feed 400,000 more kids per year. It is like when Conservatives say they care about violent crime, but then want to make it e…
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Mr. Speaker, we are catching a glimpse of what those members would do if they were ever fortunate enough to sit on this side of the House. The Conservatives would gut the programs that municipalities have been asking us to deliver to help them speed up the process of building more affordable homes for Canadians, which is truly appalling. What would the member opposite say to Mayor David West when …
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Mr. Speaker, we are used to that member playing politics in this House and attacking and maligning the character of great Canadians, but let me reference a member that these individuals on the Conservative benches like to quote over and over again. Yesterday, the “food professor”, Sylvain Charlebois, at the INDU committee, said that climate change is the agri-food sector's “greatest challenge” and…
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Mr. Speaker, this week, we heard something truly scary from the leader of the Conservatives. He said that he would cut two programs and more beyond that. There is no doubt in my mind that Conservative cuts would hurt families. For the 400,000 kids across Canada who are able to get a healthy meal at school so they can focus on learning, the Conservatives would take that away, literally taking food …
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Mr. Speaker, our government has been committed to making life more affordable for Canadians. We have done a number of things that have reduced household expenses for Canadians. There is the 50% reduction in child care fees, which is $800 a month in savings for the average family. It is a significant savings, which families can use to pay for groceries. We have offered a grocery rebate, a 50% reduc…
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Mr. Speaker, we are, finally, glad that the Conservative leader is being honest with Canadians. This week he finally admitted that he will cut two programs and many more. One of those programs is a program that we fought for tooth and nail on this side of the House, which was to get the housing accelerator fund over the finish line. Why? It is because municipalities, for many years, have been sayi…
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Mr. Speaker, it seems the Conservatives cannot see past their own doomsday narrative. Canada leads the G7 in reaching a soft landing in the global postpandemic surge in inflation and interest rates. It is the first G7 country to cut interest rates not once, not twice, not three times, but four times in a row. This is good news for homeowners who currently have mortgages that need renewal and for f…
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Mr. Speaker, the Bank of Canada governor has reported numerous times that our government has stuck to its fiscal guardrails and, through that discipline, has allowed for inflation to drop in this country. The IMF, in its World Economic Outlook, projects Canada will have the highest growth in the G7 in 2025. Also, wages in Canada have outpaced inflation for 20 months in a row. For Canadians, that m…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by wishing Canadians a happy Halloween. What kids should be most frightened about this Halloween is the cuts that would be made by the Conservative leader. I apologize to Johnny Depp in advance, but the leader of the Conservatives is like the Edward Scissorhands of politics. What else is truly spooky? The Conservative leader refuses to get his security clearance …
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Mr. Speaker, after the deeply disturbing realization that the Indian government has been interfering in Canada's democracy, including with the murder of a Canadian citizen and intimidation of many others, how can anyone trust the Conservative leader to protect Canadians? He will not get the same security clearance as all other party leaders have. The Conservative leader knows full well that the NS…
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Mr. Speaker, our government's top priority from day one has been making life more affordable for Canadians. We are focused on increasing competition and lowering prices in the telecom sector. Since 2023, we have been holding companies like Rogers accountable by eliminating switching fees and attacking extra and unnecessary fees so that Canadian consumers are empowered to find a plan that works for…
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Madam Speaker, Canadians know where this government stands. We have offered immediate and direct support to families, especially when they needed it most. We have delivered household savings and significantly strengthened our social safety net. We have promoted fairer practices and greater competition across our industries. Notice that there are real solutions and zero slogans from this side. I gu…
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Mr. Speaker, our government is very proud of the anchor generational investments that we have helped to incentivize and bring into the Canadian economy. The Northvolt project is one of many, and it is an important one. I can assure the member that no federal funding has gone out, as the minister has made clear, and that there is flexibility with Northvolt. We know that the Northvolt project is imp…
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Mr. Speaker, it is sad to see Conservatives denying the need for climate action, given that businesses are hurting right now. Climate damages are leading to economic losses of $25 billion per year and will quadruple by mid-century. That is real incentive to act, and industry and businesses demand it. The Conservatives can no longer deny the economic realities of climate change and hide behind thei…
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Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the important work of Genwell, a grassroots movement tackling one of today's biggest challenges, which is loneliness. As social beings, we thrive on human connection. In a world where much of our interaction has moved online, in-person connections are more crucial than ever. Genwell's efforts highlight the alarming reality that 50% of Canadians report feeling…
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Madam Speaker, I will say “no” as a direct answer to the member's question, but I will offer to sing “happy birthday” to his mom if he so chooses. I do wish the member's mother a happy birthday as I have wished my mother a happy birthday fairly recently. She is a bit older than the member opposite's mom, but taught me the same values of accountability and affordability, those principles that I hol…
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Madam Speaker, I find the member opposite's speech and question a bit melodramatic, but he is known for that in this House. As the hon. member is aware, the CBSA initiated an internal investigation as soon as there were allegations of inappropriate contracting practices. The matter was also referred to the RCMP for investigation. Contracts with three companies involved, including GC Strategies, ha…
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Madam Speaker, it is interesting that the member talks about a false reality. From where I sit, it is the Conservatives that have a false reality. They are unhinged from reality. In fact, they offer zero solutions. They offer three-word slogans, and others such as “powerful paycheques”. What the heck does that mean? I have no clue what the Conservative Party means by that. It is a false promise. I…
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Madam Speaker, our government continues to manage Canada's public finances responsibly. I know the member opposite seems to disagree with that, but he should remember that our debt service costs are the lowest in the G7 when compared to GDP, as 0.6% of GDP is the cost to service the national debt. Also, contrary to what the member has said, the International Monetary Fund has rated Canada number o…
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Madam Speaker, I am proud of our government's track record on managing the resources of this country in a way that is responsible and on stewarding our country through some very challenging economic times. Again, I do not need to remind the member about the pandemic, but I will anyway; I think he has amnesia when it comes to understanding the economic impacts of a global pandemic, a once-in-a-hund…
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Madam Speaker, I was a little shocked to hear the hon. member call some of our programs and the things we stand for and have been implementing, “all of [those] care programs”, as if they can be lumped into some nebulous, unintelligible phrase. It seems to me a shame that he does not understand the value of pharmacare, dental care, mental health care and the health care investments we have made. Al…
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Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate that through some crude political calculus, the NDP has compromised a progressive agenda for Canadians and abandoned the great work that we were doing together on programs like dental care, pharmacare and a national school food program, all of which strengthen the social safety net in this country. We have offered on grocery prices, with elevated inflation, a groce…
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Madam Speaker, time and again in this House, the Conservatives cite food bank line-ups and food insecurity to try to signal that they care about Canadians, while every day they stand up in this House, cheer on bad news and really root for the failure of our economy in Canada. Inflation is down to the Bank of Canada's target rate of 2%. That is good news for all Canadians. That affects food prices …
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Madam Speaker, it was interesting, this summer, to see our athletes compete at the Olympics. When our gymnasts at the Olympics stick a landing, all of us cheer. I think we should do the same this week with the Bank of Canada and the Government of Canada sticking the economic landing of inflation coming down to 2%, which is the Bank of Canada's target rate. Only the Conservative Party in this House…
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