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Business of Supply

The House debated a Conservative opposition day motion to remove all federal taxes on gasoline and diesel for the rest of the year and cancel the clean fuel regulations, as a response to high living costs. Conservatives said fuel taxes are pushing up prices for families and businesses and that the government’s existing measures are not enough. Liberals pointed to affordability steps they have taken, including cutting gas prices by 28 cents a litre, middle-class tax relief, $10-a-day child care, a grocery rebate and cancelling the consumer carbon tax, and questioned why members would not support the existing partial fuel tax pause. The NDP, Bloc Québécois and Greens opposed the motion, arguing that tax cuts are mostly pocketed by oil companies through higher prices, that the parliamentary budget officer and other experts say the cut mainly benefits wealthier Canadians, and that the lost revenue funds public transit and climate goals; the NDP proposed instead an excess profits tax on oil companies and price caps at the pump, and Bloc members raised unpaid carbon-tax amounts owed to Quebec. Much of the debate also took the form of exchanges over whether oil companies capture tax cuts and how best to provide cost-of-living relief.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

4 statements

Rhéal Éloi Fortin

Bloc Québécois
“The government is subsidizing the oil industry instead of green energy, which is a costly mistake. It is also refusing to pay Quebeckers back the $814 million they are owed from carbon taxes. I want to know what my colleague thinks about this.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I think that my colleague and I are pretty much on the same wavelength when it comes to a number of things. However, as far as decisions by the government are concerned, we saw that the former Liberal government was steering us toward a green transition. There were investments in the auto industry. Then the government announced that it would be scrapping all of that. Instead, it will start subsidizing the oil industry again, which I believe to be counterproductive and expensive for everyone. On top of that, the government decided to reimburse all Canadians for the carbon tax they paid in the previous year, except in Quebec. Quebeckers are owed $814 million that the government refuses to repay. I would like to hear my colleague’s thoughts on that. Quebec is in a rather unusual situation. We invested in the transition to green energy, and now we are being told to forget all that and go back to oil. Not only that, Quebeckers are not getting back the $814 million taken from their pockets to compensate other Canadians. What is my colleague’s take on that from an economic perspective?

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Mario Simard

Bloc Québécois
“Tax cuts for oil and gas companies do not lower gas prices. The companies just keep the money and send their record profits to American shareholders. The government should not keep funding this industry.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague 100%. What happened every time the government was lenient with the oil and gas industry by saying it would bring prices at the pump down for consumers? The oil and gas industry turned around and boosted its refining margins, essentially pocketing the tax cut. That is just obscene, especially considering that these huge corporations raked in record profits in 2022, 2023 and 2024, profits that were turned into dividends, most of which went to the United States because their shareholders are American. The government is still investing in this sector. I would like my colleague to comment on that. It is utterly indecent.

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Andréanne Larouche

Bloc Québécois
“Cutting the gas tax is a bad idea. Experts say it mostly helps rich people, costs the government money it needs, and hurts our climate goals. I want to know what my colleague thinks about this.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer a few comments to my colleague. We see that the Liberals’ gas tax cut mainly benefits the wealthy, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer; that it is “an unfair and short-sighted measure”, according to Normand Mousseau of the Institut de l’énergie Trottier, which is affiliated with Polytechnique Montréal; and that lowering gas taxes is a bad idea masquerading as a good one, according to Luc Godbout, a prominent economist at the University of Sherbrooke. What we are debating today is, first and foremost, the suspension of fuel taxes. This would deprive the government of tax revenue during this period of deficit, so it is another bad idea masquerading as a good one. Furthermore, in Quebec, we see that the fuel tax dates back to 1924 and is used for road maintenance. Finally, a reduction would run counter to the government’s climate change goals and the 2030 target, while other countries in Asia and Europe are aiming for net zero and implementing measures to achieve this energy transition. What does my colleague think of all this?

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Rhéal Éloi Fortin

Bloc Québécois
“I want to know why the Conservatives voted against our motion to pay Quebec the $814 million the federal government owes it. They say they want to help people save money, but they are ignoring Quebeckers.”

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Mr. Speaker, I would like to know what my colleague thinks about the Bloc Québécois motion that called on the federal government to pay back the $814 million it owes Quebeckers. His colleagues voted against that motion. That seems rather strange to me. If they really want to help Canadians save money and they really want to be fair, then why have they forgotten about Quebeckers? I do not understand. The Conservatives hold some ridings in Quebec. I am shocked at this lack of interest in the plight of Quebeckers. I would like to hear my colleague’s thoughts on that.

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