What they said. What they meant.

Plain-language translations from the House of Commons.

Recent debates

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Government Orders

Business of Supply

A Conservative motion to remove federal taxes on gas and diesel for the rest of the year. The Conservatives argued this would provide immediate relief to Canadians struggling with high fuel prices. The Liberals argued their previous excise tax reduction already addressed the issue, and that broad tax cuts would disproportionately benefit the wealthy. Much of the debate consisted of partisan sniping between the Liberals and Conservatives.

Official Hansard ↗

Branden Leslie

Conservative
“I want the government to stop taxing gas and diesel. Rural Canadians need to drive and high gas prices hurt them. Food and everything else costs more when fuel costs more. The government should give people relief by stopping these taxes.”
Our translation 98% shorter

Carlos Leitão

Liberal
“I won't vote for the Conservative plan to stop taxing fuel. Suspending one tax for four months already costs a lot. The Conservative plan costs even more but they have no way to pay for it.”
Our translation 56% shorter

Branden Leslie

Conservative
“I want to cut fuel taxes for families and the economy. Government spends too much on other things instead. I'll always say my riding needs lower taxes.”
Our translation 73% shorter

Mario Beaulieu

Bloc Québécois
“So you want tax cuts? The budget officer says those help the rich most. And oil companies will just take the money and charge the same prices anyway. What do you say to that?”
Our translation 53% shorter

Branden Leslie

Conservative
“I want lower prices! The other parties don't. Some things are beyond our control, but high prices are our fault. We should fix our own policies. This tax cut would help a bit. Vote yes.”
Our translation 71% shorter

Ben Lobb

Conservative
“The Liberal never mentioned the mess he's put Canada in. The grocery benefit only exists because of the inflation and fuel prices his policies caused.”
Our translation 74% shorter

Branden Leslie

Conservative
“I want to blame soaring prices on the government's refusal to cut taxes. Everyone knows prices are rising fast because of the government's spending and its stubborn refusal to let people keep more of their money.”
Our translation 83% shorter

Hon. Kevin Lamoureux

Liberal
“That makes no sense. I want to make his complaint look small and silly.”
Our translation 85% shorter

Branden Leslie

Conservative
“I want the government to cut gas taxes. You're talking down to people and using silly examples to make them look dumb.”
Our translation 78% shorter

Hon. Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“I'm filling time by piling on about a map to dunk on the government.”
Our translation 44% shorter

Hon. Mark Gerretsen

Liberal
“Perhaps you're confused about who you're talking about. I want to correct you.”
Our translation 50% shorter

Hon. Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“There were wars and oil prices were high in 2014. But gas was cheaper then. It's more expensive under Justin Trudeau. Blame his taxes and weak dollar. I want to axe the gas tax. Cut waste and red tape to pay for it. Conservatives have solutions. Elect us to make life affordable.”
Our translation 96% shorter

Carlos Leitão

Liberal
“I don't want to argue your real point about taxes and waste driving up gas prices today. I want to quibble with your chosen oil price comparison year to dodge the real issue. Talking about a detail in 2014 might make me look smart and let me avoid saying anything about affordability now.”
Our translation 50% shorter

Hon. Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“I want to win my original argument that you dodged. I look smart, you look dumb, and I can keep talking about how your party's taxes and policies make things expensive.”
Our translation 82% shorter

Gabriel Ste-Marie

Bloc Québécois
“The Conservative plan to lower fuel taxes won't work. We already tried that and oil companies ate up the difference. I don't want taxpayers to lose even more money.”
Our translation 78% shorter

Hon. Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“Yeah, the Liberals spent a lot of money. Trudeau was bad, but this guy's even worse. I could find stuff to cut and lower prices without all this wild spending.”
Our translation 75% shorter

Jeremy Patzer

Conservative
“You're not answering my leader's point. I want you, my leader, to explain again why cutting taxes is good for poor people too. That way maybe the Liberals will have to shut up about it helping the rich.”
Our translation 63% shorter

Hon. Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“I want to keep talking about the Liberal leader hiding his money. It makes him look like a hypocrite. People will be angry at him instead of at me. His taxes make things expensive for poor people!”
Our translation 79% shorter

Danielle Martin

Liberal
“I'm listing good-sounding things our government did. Suspended a gas tax, sent payments to many people, cut other taxes, capped some bank fees. These help Canadians. None of it caused global problems. World events made things expensive, not us.”
Our translation 96% shorter

Kelly McCauley

Conservative
“You brag your government focused on what it controls. But you still refuse to cut taxes Conservatives suggested. Cut all the heavy gas taxes you control!”
Our translation 59% shorter